So Called Life

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"So Called Life"
Single by Three Days Grace
from the album Explosions
ReleasedNovember 29, 2021 (2021-11-29)
Recorded2021
GenreHard rock
Length3:26
LabelRCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Howard Benson
Three Days Grace singles chronology
"Somebody That I Used to Know"
(2020) 		"So Called Life"
(2021) 		"Lifetime"
(2022)
Music video
"So Called Life" on YouTube

"So Called Life" is a single by the Canadian rock band Three Days Grace. It was released on November 29, 2021 as the lead single from the band's seventh studio album Explosions.[1][2] The song was available digitally on music streaming services on December 1, 2021.[3] "So Called Life" was the most played song on rock radio in 2022.[4]

Composition and lyrics[edit]

"So Called Life" has been described by critics as a hard rock song.[5] The track runs at 160 BPM and is in the key of D major. It runs for three minutes and 26 seconds.[6] The song was written by Matt Walst, Brad Walst, Barry Stock, Neil Sanderson and Ted Bruner while Howard Benson handled the production of the song.[7] The song was written around March 2020 and according to bassist Brad Walst, the song was originally supposed to be a "cool kind of party song."[8] Brad Walst spoke about "So Called Life" in an interview with Jave Patterson of Two Doods Reviews explaining about how the song was written.

"It's a little different. It's a pretty heavy song and definitely full of emotions and frustrations of everyday life. It was actually the first song we wrote on this record, going back almost pre-pandemic. We started jamming, actually, beside Neil's pool and it turned out really angry. I think it's a great tune. I think the fans are gonna relate to it. And it's gonna be a fun one live, I know that."[9]

Music video[edit]

The music video for "So Called Life" premiered on November 29, 2021 and it was directed by Jon Vulpine.[10][11] Speaking about the music video, director Jon Vulpine explained how the video came together.

"I wanted to make this video really raw and stripped down. Something high energy with extreme angles and fast movements. A bunch of old analog gear in this 70’s apartment that looked like some hoarder died in it 20 years ago and the guys just came in and recorded. I didn’t want to go for a clean and super polished look so Justin Jones, my DP suggested these rehoused 1960’s Japanese lenses for a grittier more contrasty feel. That along with different lens distortions and attachments just added to the diversity of shots."[5]

As of April 2024, the music video for "So Called Life" has over 20 million views on YouTube.[12]

Chart performance[edit]

"So Called Life" debuted on the Canada Rock chart at number 41 and later peaked at number 7 on the chart.[13] The song also reached the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart at number one, topping the chart for four consectutive weeks, and on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart at number 29.[14][15] This marks the band's 16th number-one song on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, tying the record for the most number-ones with Shinedown. It earned 796,000 streams in the US.[16] It also peaked at number 11 on the Alternative Digital Song Sales chart.[17]

Charts[edit]

Awards and nominations[edit]

Awards and nominations for "So Called Life"
Year Organization Award Result Ref(s)
2022 MTV Video Music Awards Rock Video of the Year Nominated [23]
2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards Rock Song of the Year Nominated [24]

Release history[edit]

Release history and formats for "So Called Life"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Canada November 29, 2021 Contemporary hit radio RCA [1]
Various December 1, 2021 Digital download [3]
United States December 6, 2021 Active rock [25]
Italy January 21, 2022 Contemporary hit radio Sony [26]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Childers, Chad (November 29, 2021). "Three Days Grace Seek Escape With Heavy New Song 'So Called Life,' Announce New Album". Loudwire. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  2. ^ "Three Days Grace Release Official Music Video for New Song 'So Called Life'". The Rock Stationz93. November 29, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "So Called Life - Single by Three Days Grace". Apple Music. December 1, 2021. Archived from the original on March 20, 2022. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  4. ^ Lauryn Schaffner (December 13, 2022). "The 40 Most-Played Songs on Rock Radio in 2022". Loudwire. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Rogers, Jack (December 1, 2021). "This Is Everything You Need To Know About Three Days Grace'd New Album 'Explosions'". Rock Sound. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  6. ^ "Key and BPM of So Called Life by Three Days Grace". Musicstax.com. November 29, 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  7. ^ "So Called Life - Three Days Grace". Genius. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  8. ^ Greg Prato (May 10, 2022). "Three Days Grace's Brad Walst − "Distinguished Gentleman Among Young"". Retrieved October 17, 2022.
  9. ^ "Three Days Grace's New Single 'So Called Life' Is 'Full Of Emotions And Frustrations Of Everyday Life'". Blabbermouth.net. November 26, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  10. ^ Three Days Grace (November 29, 2021). "Three Days Grace - So Called Life (Official Video)". YouTube. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  11. ^ "So Called Life (2021) by Three Days Grace". IMVDB. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  12. ^ Three Days Grace (November 29, 2021). "Three Days Grace - So Called Life (Official Video)". YouTube. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Three Days Grace Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  14. ^ "Three Days Grace (Mainstream Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  15. ^ a b "Three Days Grace Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  16. ^ Rutherford, Kevin (February 1, 2022). "Three Days Grace Ties Shinedown for Most Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1s". Billboard. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  17. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History (Alternative Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
  18. ^ "Radio No9 Charts [Week 48/2021]". Radio-No9. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  19. ^ "Three Days Grace: So Called Life" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  20. ^ "Three Days Grace Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  21. ^ "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
  22. ^ "Rock & Alternative Airplay – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  23. ^ Athena Serrano (July 26, 2022). "Your 2022 VMA Nominations Are Here: Jack Harlow, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Nas X Lead The Pack". MTV. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  24. ^ Taylor Fields (January 11, 2023). "2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards: See The Full List Of Nominees". iHeartRadio. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  25. ^ "Exclusive Mediabase Analysis From All Access". All Access Mediabase. December 6, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2021.
  26. ^ "Three Days Grace - Radio Date". EarOne. January 21, 2022. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
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