Let It Rock (Kevin Rudolf song)
{{short description|2008 single by Kevin Rudolf}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Let It Rock
| cover = Kevin_Rudolf_Featuring_Lil_Wayne_-_Let_It_Rock.jpg
| alt =
| border = yes
| type = single
| artist = Kevin Rudolf featuring Lil Wayne
| album = In the City
| released = July 29, 2008
| recorded = 2008
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = *Electropop
| length = 3:56
| label = * Cash Money
| writer = * Kevin Rudolf
| producer = Kevin Rudolf
| chronology = Kevin Rudolf
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Welcome to the World
| next_year = 2009
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Lil Wayne
| type = singles
| prev_title = My Life
| prev_year = 2008
| title = Let It Rock
| year = 2008
| next_title = Shawty Say
| next_year = 2008
}}
{{Extra album cover
| header = Alternative cover
| type = single
| cover = Kevin Rudolf Let It Rock.jpg
| border =
| alt =
| caption = Digital cover
}}
}}
"Let It Rock" is the debut single by American musician Kevin Rudolf. It was produced by Rudolf for his debut album, In the City, and features two verses from American rapper Lil Wayne.
In the U.S. and Canada, the song reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, number No. 6 on the Pop 100 and No. 2 on the Canadian Hot 100. The first week, the song debuted at No. 45 on the Australian Singles Chart and eventually reached No. 3. In the United Kingdom, the song climbed to No. 40 on physical release but due to an increase in airplay, due to BBC Radio 1 adding it to their A-list, the song climbed thirty places to No. 10 in the song's second week on the chart; then it rose to No. 5 the following week. "Let It Rock" was number 28 on Rolling Stone{{'}}s list of the 100 Best Songs of 2008.{{#tag:ref|"[https://web.archive.org/web/20081229022407/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/24947047/the_100_best_singles_of_2008/7 The 100 Best Songs of 2008]". Rolling Stone (December 25, 2008). Retrieved 2008-12-25|name=bestsongs}}
The single was the official theme song for WWE's 2009 Royal Rumble. "Let It Rock" was featured in tourism ads for Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 2013.
"Let It Rock" was certified triple platinum by the RIAA on May 4, 2009.RIAA Searchable Database, [https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH search for Kevin Rudolf]. Retrieved 20 January 2009. As of July 2011, the song has sold 4,000,000 digital downloads, making it Lil Wayne's third 4-million-seller.{{cite web |url=http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/74391/week-ending-july-17-2011-songs-demis-breakthrough/ |title=Week Ending July 17, 2011. Songs: Demi's Breakthrough |last=Grein |first=Paul |date=July 20, 2011 |website=Yahoo! Music |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724014745/http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/74391/week-ending-july-17-2011-songs-demis-breakthrough/ |archive-date=July 24, 2011 |url-status=dead}}
Meaning
{{Listen
|filename = Let it rock.ogg |title="Let It Rock"|description="Let It Rock" was the first single from In the City (2008).}}
Rudolf explained what "Let It Rock" is about, saying: "'Let It Rock' was written from a place of anger and dissatisfaction with the world. It's a song about hypocrisy. It contains biblical references - and yet people still think it's a party song. Whatever works."{{cite web |url=https://djbooth.net/features/kevin-rudolf-in-mix-0602101 |title=Kevin Rudolf Jumps "In the Mix" |work=DJBooth |last=K |first=Matty |date=June 3, 2010 |access-date=April 12, 2018}} Rudolf said about "Let It Rock": "It's a song about the hypocrisy in the world, and I'm saying that when I come through, I'm bringing the truth," Rudolf explained. Rudolf then said: "I use the Parable of the Prodigal Son, because I want to expose all the fakes out there — in the music industry, in the world, anywhere. A lot of people think it's a party record, but it's not."{{cite web |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1602567/our-2009-rock-rookies-lil-waynes-favorite-singer-pharrells-dynamic-duo/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910215802/http://www.mtv.com/news/1602567/our-2009-rock-rookies-lil-waynes-favorite-singer-pharrells-dynamic-duo/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 10, 2015 |title=Our 2009 Rock Rookies: Lil Wayne's Favorite Singer, Pharrell's Dynamic Duo |publisher=MTV |last=Montgomery |first=James |date=January 12, 2009 |access-date=April 12, 2018}}
Track listing
;Digital download
- "Let It Rock" (featuring Lil Wayne) - 3:56
;U.S. digital CD single
- "Let It Rock" (clean) (featuring Lil Wayne) - 3:56
- "Let It Rock" (explicit) (featuring Lil Wayne) - 3:56
- "Let It Rock" (instrumental) - 3:50
- "Let It Rock" (explicit a cappella) (featuring Lil Wayne) - 3:50
;UK digital CD single
- "Let It Rock" (album version) (featuring Lil Wayne) - 3:56
- "Let It Rock" (Filthy Dukes remix) (featuring Lil Wayne) - 6:35
- "Let It Rock" (Cahill remix) (featuring Lil Wayne) - 6:11
- "Let It Rock" (radio edit) (featuring Lil Wayne) - 3:54
- "Let It Rock" (solo version) - 2:48
Music video
The music video for "Let It Rock" features Kevin Rudolf and Lil Wayne performing in front of both a crowd and a dark background, sometimes lit with various effects such as strobe and laser lights. The video debuted October 1, 2008 on The N.
Samples
The song's chorus is also featured in the Iyaz song "Damn They Hot", which features Rudolf himself. The song is also sampled and incorporated into Natasha Bedingfield's song "All I Need" from her album Strip Me, which also features Rudolf.
Charts
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (2008–2009)
!Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Australia|3|artist=Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne|song=Let It Rock}} |
| {{single chart|Austria|23|artist=Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne|song=Let It Rock}} |
| {{single chart|Flanders Tip|2|artist=Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne|song=Let It Rock}} |
| {{single chart|Wallonia Tip|23|artist=Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne|song=Let It Rock}} |
| {{single chart|Canada|2|artist=Kevin Rudolf|artistid=305797}} |
| {{single chart|Germany|10|artist=Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne|song=Let It Rock|songid=506144|access-date=January 22, 2020}} |
| {{single chart|Ireland2|4|song=Let It Rock|access-date=January 22, 2020}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch40|10|artist=Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne|song=Let It Rock}} |
| {{single chart|Dutch100|16|artist=Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne|song=Let It Rock}} |
| {{single chart|New Zealand|15|artist=Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne|song=Let It Rock}} |
| {{single chart|Switzerland|56|artist=Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne|song=Let It Rock}} |
| align="left"|Turkey Top 20 Chart[http://www.billboard.com.tr/pages/Turkiye_top20.aspx/ "Billboard Türkiye Top 20"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090305044916/http://www.billboard.com.tr/pages/Turkiye_top20.aspx/ |date=March 5, 2009 }}. Billboard Türkiye. Retrieved on February 9, 2009.
| style="text-align:center;"|11 |
| {{single chart|UK|5|date=20090124}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardhot100|5|artist=Kevin Rudolf}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardadultpopsongs|15|artist=Kevin Rudolf}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardpopsongs|6|artist=Kevin Rudolf}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardrhythmic|22|artist=Kevin Rudolf}} |
{{col-2}}
= Year-end charts =
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Chart (2008)
!Position |
|---|
| Australia (ARIA){{cite web|url=https://www.ariacharts.com.au/annual-charts/2008/singles-chart|title=ARIA End of Year Singles Chart 2008|publisher=Australian Recording Industry Association|access-date=December 31, 2019}}
| style="text-align:center;"|90 |
| Canada (Canadian Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2008/canadian-hot-100|title=Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2008|magazine=Billboard|access-date=November 26, 2019}}
| style="text-align:center;"|57 |
| US Billboard Hot 100{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2008/hot-100-songs|title=Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2008|magazine=Billboard|access-date=November 26, 2019}}
| style="text-align:center;"|65 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|artist=Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne|title=Let It Rock|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2008|certyear=2009|access-date=October 7, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|artist=Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne|title=Let It Rock|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2008|certyear=2023|access-date=August 1, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne|title=Let It Rock|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2008|certyear=2024|source=radioscope|access-date=February 14, 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Kevin Rudolf ft Lil Wayne|title=Let It Rock|award=Gold|type=single|relyear=2008|certyear=2023|id=10813-3300-1|access-date=August 1, 2024}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Kevin Rudolf|title=Let It Rock|award=Platinum|number=4|type=single|relyear=2008|certyear=2011|digital=true|access-date=October 7, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- {{YouTube|u0n4eMGXAyk| Let It Rock (Music video)}}
{{Kevin Rudolf}}
{{Lil Wayne singles}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Let It Rock (Kevin Rudolf Song)}}
Category:Cash Money Records singles
Category:Songs written by Kevin Rudolf
Category:Songs written by Lil Wayne