"Call It What You Want" | |
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![]() Promotional graphic for the song | |
Promotional single by Taylor Swift | |
from the album Reputation | |
Released | November 3, 2017 |
Studio | Rough Customer (Brooklyn Heights) |
Genre | |
Length | 3:24 |
Label | Big Machine |
Songwriter(s) |
|
Producer(s) |
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Lyric video | |
"Call It What You Want" on YouTube |
"Call It What You Want" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. It was released as the second promotional single from her sixth studio album Reputation on November 3, 2017, by Big Machine Records. Written and produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff, "Call It What You Want" is an atmospheric synth-pop and R&B-trap song. Critics received the song with positive reviews, and praised the production and lyrics. Commercially, "Call It What You Want" peaked at number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the top 50 on singles charts in Austria, Hungary, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, and the Philippines. The song was included on the set list of her 2018 concert tour, the Reputation Stadium Tour.
Release and production
Taylor Swift held several listening parties during October 2017, where she played her sixth studio album Reputation for 100 fans from all around the world.[1][2] After releasing "Gorgeous" as the second promotional single of the album, on November 2, 2017, Swift announced she would release "Call It What You Want" as the third promotional single, while posting teasers on her official social media accounts. It was released at midnight on November 3, 2017, alongside a lyric video on YouTube.[3] The song was engineered by Laura Sisk at Rough Customer Studio in Brooklyn Heights. It was mixed by Serban Ghenea at MixStar Studios in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and mastered by Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound Studios in New York.[4]
Composition
"Call It What You Want" is an atmospheric synth-pop[5] and R&B-trap song.[6] Jack Antonoff revealed on Twitter that "Call It What You Want" was "made with an MPC, live kick, dx7 strings and samples of Taylor's voice as the intro and throughout. Making her voice into an instrument." He also added that he was "honored to have 'Call It What You Want' out in the world. That song means a great deal to me", and recommend fans to "listen on headphones at night on a walk".[7] "Call It What You Want" also features Swift rapping.[8] It follows a chord progression of D – A – E – D/F♯ – F♯m7, and Swift's vocals span from E3 to C♯5.[9]
Critical reception
The song received critical acclaim. The song was named the 20th best song of 2017 by Rolling Stone.[5] According to Entertainment Weekly, the song, in which Swift says she is "doing better than [she] ever was" and details her romantic life, was well received by her fan base.[10] Frank Guan of Vulture stated that the song "deals in gossamer and light; its spare, airy production evokes, or attempts to evoke, a sense of radiant, protective romance in the wake of a devastating social debacle; listeners ready to view that loss as the one she suffered last year at the hands of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West will meet no resistance."[11] USA Today gave it a positive review, saying it was more subdued than her other recent singles, and "the most perceptive and unabashedly romantic song of the singer's new era", and "surprisingly effective and grown-up".[12] Complex Magazine had the opinion that the song was the first single pre-released from her album that was not "distressing", as "Call It What You Want" is "actually good," and also dropped the "revenge narrative to great effect." [13] Spin Magazine gave it a similar review, saying it was much better than her other recent material.[14]
Commercial performance
Following its release, "Call It What You Want" debuted at number 27 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Digital Song Sales chart with 68,000 digital copies. Swift became the first artist to have 15 entries reach the latter's summit and extended her record with most debuts at number one on the chart with 14. It is also the fourth Reputation track to top the chart after "Look What You Made Me Do", "...Ready for It?", and "Gorgeous".[15] In March 2018, the song received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[16]
"Call It What You Want" peaked at number 16 in Australia and was certified gold.[17][16] It reached number 29 in the United Kingdom and received a silver certification.[18][19] Elsewhere, "Call It What You Want" debuted on the charts of several countries: it peaked within the top 50 of Hungary (5),[20] Malaysia (13),[21] the Philippines (27),[22] New Zealand (34),[23] Austria (43),[24] and Ireland (44),[25] and further reached Portugal, France, Switzerland, and Germany.[note 1]
Live performances
Swift performed an acoustic version of "Call It What You Want" during a SiriusXM Fishbowl session on November 10, 2017.[26] A day later, Swift performed an acoustic version of the song again during an episode of the 43rd season of Saturday Night Live, alongside "...Ready for It?".[27] The song was part on the regular set list of her fifth concert tour, the Reputation Stadium Tour (2018).[28] On July 1, 2023, at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, Swift performed "Call It What You Want" as a "surprise song" as part of the Eras Tour (2023–2024).[29]
Credits and personnel
Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Reputation.[4]
- Taylor Swift – vocals, songwriter, producer
- Jack Antonoff – producer, songwriter, programming, instruments, background vocals
- Laura Sisk – engineer
- Serban Ghenea – mixing
- John Hanes – mix engineer
- Randy Merrill – mastering
Charts
Chart (2017–2018) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[17] | 16 |
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[24] | 43 |
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[30] | 24 |
France (SNEP)[31] | 76 |
Germany (Official German Charts)[32] | 99 |
Hungary (Single Top 40)[20] | 5 |
Ireland (IRMA)[25] | 44 |
Malaysia (RIM)[21] | 13 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[23] | 34 |
Philippines (Philippine Hot 100)[22] | 27 |
Portugal (AFP)[33] | 65 |
South Korean International Singles (Gaon)[34] | 80 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[35] | 96 |
UK Singles (OCC)[18] | 29 |
US Billboard Hot 100[36] | 27 |
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[16] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[19] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[37] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
See also
Notes
- ↑ See the charts section for the exact peaks.
References
- ↑ Mackleden, Amy (October 14, 2017). "Taylor Swift Just Hosted Her First 'Reputation' Listening Party in London". Elle. Archived from the original on October 20, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
- ↑ Drysdale, Jennifer (October 13, 2017). "Taylor Swift Holds First Secret 'Reputation' Listening Party for Fans in the UK and Swifties Are Freaking Out". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 20, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
- ↑ Brandle, Lars (November 3, 2017). "Taylor Swift Debuts 'Call It What You Want': Watch Lyric Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 5, 2017. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
- 1 2 Reputation (CD booklet). Taylor Swift. Big Machine Records. 2017.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - 1 2 "50 Best Songs of 2017". Rolling Stone. November 29, 2017. Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
- ↑ Hussain, Shahzaib (November 21, 2017). "Taylor Swift – Reputation". Clash. Archived from the original on July 26, 2020. Retrieved July 25, 2020.
- ↑ Iasimone, Ashley (November 5, 2017). "Jack Antonoff Shares Some Insight Into the Making of Taylor Swift's 'Call It What You Want'". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
- ↑ Gordon, Jeremy (November 3, 2017). "Okay, Sure, Taylor Swift's "Call It What You Want" Isn't So Bad". Spin. Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
- ↑ Swift, Taylor (November 9, 2017). "Taylor Swift "Call It What You Want" Sheet Music in A Major (transposable) - Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Archived from the original on February 18, 2018. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
- ↑ "Taylor Swift fans have intense reactions to new love song: 'I'm crying'", Entertainment Weekly, November 3, 2017, archived from the original on February 3, 2018, retrieved February 2, 2018
- ↑ Guan, Frank (November 3, 2017). "The Anesthetic Lift of Taylor Swift's 'Call It What You Want'". Vulture. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
- ↑ "Taylor Swift's new song 'Call It What You Want' is the musical equivalent of the heart-eyes emoji", USA Today, November 3, 2017, archived from the original on November 13, 2017, retrieved February 2, 2018
- ↑ "Taylor Swift Finally Made a Great 'Reputation' Song", Complex, November 7, 2017, archived from the original on February 3, 2018, retrieved February 2, 2018
- ↑ "Okay, Sure, Taylor Swift's "Call It What You Want" Isn't So Bad", Spin Magazine, November 3, 2017, archived from the original on January 3, 2018, retrieved February 2, 2018
- ↑ Trust, Gary (November 13, 2017). "Taylor Swift Notches Fourth Digital Song Sales No. 1 From 'Reputation' With 'Call It What You Want'". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
- 1 2 3 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2018 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
- 1 2 "Taylor Swift – Call It What You Want". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
- 1 2 "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- 1 2 "British single certifications – Taylor Swift – Call It What You Want". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- 1 2 "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
- 1 2 "Top 20 Most Streamed International & Domestic Singles in Malaysia : Week 45 (3/11/2017 – 9/11/2017)" (PDF). Recording Industry Association of Malaysia. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 16, 2017. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
- 1 2 "BillboardPH Hot 100". Billboard Philippines. Archived from the original on November 28, 2017. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
- 1 2 "Taylor Swift – Call It What You Want". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- 1 2 "Taylor Swift – Call It What You Want" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
- 1 2 "Chart Track: Week 45, 2017". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ↑ Stubblebine, Allison (November 10, 2017). "Taylor Swift Treats Lucky Fans to Intimate Acoustic Set at SiriusXM". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 15, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
- ↑ Moore, Sam (November 12, 2017). "Watch Taylor Swift perform two tracks from 'Reputation' on 'Saturday Night Live'". NME. Archived from the original on November 14, 2017. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
- ↑ Sheffield, Rob (May 9, 2018). "Rob Sheffield Reviews Taylor Swift's 'Reputation' Tour Kickoff". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 12, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
- ↑ Iasimone, Ashley (July 2, 2023). "All the Surprise Songs Taylor Swift Has Performed on The Eras Tour (So Far)". Billboard. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
- ↑ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
- ↑ "Taylor Swift – Call It What You Want" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ↑ "Taylor Swift – Call It What You Want" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
- ↑ "Taylor Swift – Call It What You Want". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
- ↑ "Chart search: Taylor Swift" (in Korean). Gaon Music Chart. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
- ↑ "Taylor Swift – Call It What You Want". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ↑ "Taylor Swift Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ↑ "American single certifications – Taylor Swift – Call It What You Want". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 15, 2018.