Mood Ring (Lorde song)

{{Infobox song

| name = Mood Ring

| cover =

| alt =

| caption =

| type = single

| artist = Lorde

| album = Solar Power

| released = {{Start date|df=yes|2021|8|18}}

| recorded = 2020–21

| studio = Sound City Studios (Los Angeles, CA){{cite AV media notes|title=Solar Power|others=Lorde|year=2021|publisher=Universal Music New Zealand}}

| genre =

| length = 3:45

| label = Universal

| writer =

| producer =

Lorde
Jack Antonoff

| prev_title = Stoned at the Nail Salon

| prev_year = 2021

| next_title = Fallen Fruit

| next_year = 2021

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|P103bWMdvtA|"Mood Ring"}}}}

}}

"Mood Ring" is a song by New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde. The song was released through Universal Music New Zealand on 18 August 2021, as the third single from her third studio album, Solar Power. "Mood Ring" was written and produced by Lorde and Jack Antonoff.

Background

The track listing for New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde's third studio album Solar Power was announced on 21 June 2021, with "Mood Ring" as the album's eleventh track.{{cite news |last1=Lavin |first1=Will |title=Lorde reveals release date and tracklist for new album 'Solar Power' |url=https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/lorde-reveals-release-date-and-tracklist-for-new-album-solar-power-2974545 |access-date=21 July 2021 |work=NME |date=21 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721034130/https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/lorde-reveals-release-date-and-tracklist-for-new-album-solar-power-2974545 |archive-date=21 July 2021 |url-status=live}} On 16 August 2021, Lorde's website was updated with a mood ring chart.{{cite news |last1=Kenneally |first1=Cerys |title=It looks like Lorde's next Solar Power single will be "Mood Ring" |url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/it-looks-like-lordes-next-solar-power-single-will-be-mood-ring |access-date=16 August 2021 |work=The Line of Best Fit |date=16 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816214949/https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/it-looks-like-lordes-next-solar-power-single-will-be-mood-ring |archive-date=16 August 2021 |url-status=live}} The same day, Lorde announced the release of "Mood Ring" on 18 August 2021, via her website.{{cite news |title=Lorde announces imminent release of latest single Mood Ring |url=https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2021/08/16/news/lorde-announces-imminent-release-of-latest-single-mood-ring-2419902/ |access-date=16 August 2021 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=16 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816215526/https://www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2021/08/16/news/lorde-announces-imminent-release-of-latest-single-mood-ring-2419902/ |archive-date=16 August 2021 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Gallagher |first1=Alex |title=Lorde announces new single 'Mood Ring' will arrive this week |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/lorde-announces-new-single-mood-ring-will-arrive-this-week-3020552 |access-date=16 August 2021 |work=NME |date=16 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816230242/https://www.nme.com/news/music/lorde-announces-new-single-mood-ring-will-arrive-this-week-3020552 |archive-date=16 August 2021 |url-status=live}} In a statement, Lorde said the following of "Mood Ring":

{{Blockquote|text=This is a song I am very excited about, it’s so much fun to me. Obviously when making this album I did a deep-dive into ’60s, Flower Child culture. I wanted to understand the commune life, dropping out from society and trying to start again. That really resonated to me when writing this album. One thing that occurred to me as a major parallel between that time and our time is our wellness culture and our culture of spirituality, pseudo-spirituality, wellness, pseudo-wellness. Things like eating a macro-biotic vegan diet or burning sage, keeping crystals, reading tarot cards or your horoscope. These were all things that they were dabbling in back then, and that me and my girlfriends are dabbling in today. I was like “I think there’s a pop song in here.” So this is kind of my extremely satirical look at all of those vibes.|author=Lorde{{cite news |last1=Minsker |first1=Evan |title=Lorde Shares Video for New Song "Mood Ring": Watch |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/lorde-shares-video-for-new-song-mood-ring-watch/ |access-date=17 August 2021 |work=Pitchfork |date=17 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817220848/https://pitchfork.com/news/lorde-shares-video-for-new-song-mood-ring-watch/ |archive-date=17 August 2021 |url-status=live}}}}

Critical reception

Writing for Billboard, Hannah Dailey called the song a "airy, guitar-led track", which "both lightly mocks the promotion of a phony holistic lifestyle and sympathizes with people who find comfort in that same lifestyle".{{cite magazine |last1=Dailey |first1=Hannah |title=Lorde Goes Blonde in 'Satirical' Video for New Song 'Mood Ring': Watch |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9616012/lorde-blonde-mood-ring-video/ |access-date=17 August 2021 |magazine=Billboard |date=17 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817211227/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9616012/lorde-blonde-mood-ring-video/ |archive-date=17 August 2021 |url-status=live}} Claire Shaffer of Rolling Stone called "Mood Ring" a "mellow acoustic track with only the faintest hint of percussion", sonically comparing it to the previously-released "Solar Power" and "Stoned at the Nail Salon".{{cite magazine |last1=Shaffer |first1=Claire |title=Lorde Meditates, Consults Her Crystals on New Song 'Mood Ring' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lorde-mood-ring-1213288/ |access-date=17 August 2021 |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=17 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817215737if_/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lorde-mood-ring-1213288/ |archive-date=17 August 2021 |url-status=live}} In a negative review, Pitchfork described it as "less exciting than hoped for" and said that Lorde's critique of wellness culture seemed "pretty trite for someone who's previously been so ahead of the curve".{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/lorde-mood-ring/ |title=Lorde States The Obvious on The Breezy 'Mood Ring' |work=Pitchfork |date=August 17, 2021 |access-date=August 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210821001837/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/lorde-mood-ring/ |archive-date=21 August 2021 |url-status=live}}

Music video

A music video for the song, directed by Lorde and Joel Kefali, was released at 7AM NZDT on 18 August 2021. Claire Shaffer of Rolling Stone described the video as "a continuation of her "Solar Power" visual", where "[Lorde], now with bleached-blonde hair, leads a cult-like ceremony under a sunlit tent, surrounded by her followers in matching jade green outfits". Vulture writer Zoe Haylock stated that the video displays Lorde "using crystals, vitamins, sun salutations, and more to 'get well from the inside.'"{{cite news |last1=Haylock |first1=Zoe |title=Lorde Satirizes Spirituality in Her "Mood Ring" Music Video |url=https://www.vulture.com/2021/08/lorde-drops-mood-ring-music-video-watch.html |access-date=17 August 2021 |work=Vulture |date=17 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817221314/https://www.vulture.com/2021/08/lorde-drops-mood-ring-music-video-watch.html |archive-date=17 August 2021}}

Track listing

;Streaming{{cite web|title=Mood Ring - Single by Lorde|website=Spotify|date=21 July 2021|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/4ww2orXklptrpHj4M8xdvy|accessdate=17 August 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210817212057/https://open.spotify.com/album/4ww2orXklptrpHj4M8xdvy|archive-date=17 August 2021|url-status=live}}

"Mood Ring" – 3:45
"Stoned at the Nail Salon" – 4:26
"Solar Power" – 3:12

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.{{cite web|title=Credits / Mood Ring / Lorde|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/194210337/credits|website=Tidal|date=17 August 2021 |access-date=17 August 2021|archive-date=17 August 2021|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210817213811/https://listen.tidal.com/album/194210337/credits|url-status=live}}

Lorde – vocals, songwriting, production
Jack Antonoff – songwriting, production, bass, acoustic guitar, electric 6-string, keyboards, programming
Matt Chamberlain – drums, programming
Phoebe Bridgers – background vocals
Clairo – background vocals
Lawrence Arabia – background vocals
Marlon Williams – background vocals
Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing
Chris Gehringer – mastering engineer
Will Quinnell – mastering

Charts

scope="row"\| Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan){{cite web\|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/215?dspy=2021&dspp=34\|title=Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 34\|publisher=Sverigetopplistan\|access-date=27 August 2021}} \| 16
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" \|+ Chart performance for "Mood Ring" ! scope="col"\| Chart (2021) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
{{single chart\|Australia\|29\|artist=Lorde\|song=Mood Ring\|rowheader=true\|access-date=27 August 2021}}
{{single chart\|Canada\|76\|artist=Lorde\|rowheader=true\|access-date=31 August 2021}}
{{single chart\|Billboardglobal200\|93\|artist=Lorde\|rowheader=true\|access-date=31 August 2021}}
{{single chart\|Hungarysingle\|29\|year=2021\|week=35\|rowheader=true\|access-date=10 September 2021}}
{{single chart\|Ireland4\|44\|date=20210827\|rowheader=true\|access-date=27 August 2021}}
{{single chart\|New Zealand\|10\|artist=Lorde\|song=Mood Ring\|rowheader=true\|access-date=28 August 2021}}
{{single chart\|Portugal\|141\|artist=Lorde\|song=Mood Ring\|rowheader=true\|access-date=4 September 2021}}
{{single chart\|UK\|48\|date=20210827\|rowheader=true\|access-date=27 August 2021}}
{{single chart\|Billboardbubbling100\|18\|artist=Lorde\|rowheader=true\|access-date=31 August 2021}}
{{single chart\|Billboardrocksongs\|11\|artist=Lorde\|rowheader=true\|access-date=31 August 2021}}

Release history

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col"\| Region ! scope="col"\| Date ! scope="col"\| Format(s) ! scope="col"\| Label(s) ! scope="col"\| {{abbr\|Ref.\|Reference}}
scope="row"\| Various \| August 18, 2021 \| {{hlist\|Digital download\|streaming}} \| rowspan="2" \| Universal \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{cite web\|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/mood-ring/1572940891 \|via=Apple Music \|title=Mood Ring by Lorde on Apple Music \|date=August 18, 2021 \|accessdate=August 25, 2021 }}
scope="row" \| Italy \| August 27, 2021 \| Contemporary hit radio \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{cite web\|url=https://radiodate.it/radio-date/lorde-mood-ring-232476-27-08-2021-radiodate/ \|title=LORDE "Mood Ring" {{!}} (Radio Date: 27/08/2021) \|access-date=August 25, 2021 \|website=Radio Date \|date=August 27, 2021 }}
scope="row" \| United States \| September 27, 2021 \| Adult alternative radio \| {{hlist\|Lava\|Republic}} \| style="text-align:center;"\| {{cite web\|url=https://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/future-releases\|title=Triple A Future Releases\|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922001138/https://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/future-releases\|website=All Access\|archivedate=September 22, 2021\|access-date=September 16, 2021}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

scope="col"| Region

! scope="col"| Date

! scope="col"| Format(s)

! scope="col"| Label(s)

! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"| Various

| August 18, 2021

| {{hlist|Digital download|streaming}}

| rowspan="2" | Universal

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/mood-ring/1572940891 |via=Apple Music |title=Mood Ring by Lorde on Apple Music |date=August 18, 2021 |accessdate=August 25, 2021 }}

scope="row" | Italy

| August 27, 2021

| Contemporary hit radio

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web|url=https://radiodate.it/radio-date/lorde-mood-ring-232476-27-08-2021-radiodate/ |title=LORDE "Mood Ring" {{!}} (Radio Date: 27/08/2021) |access-date=August 25, 2021 |website=Radio Date |date=August 27, 2021 }}

scope="row" | United States

| September 27, 2021

| Adult alternative radio

| {{hlist|Lava|Republic}}

| style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web|url=https://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/future-releases|title=Triple A Future Releases|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922001138/https://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/future-releases|website=All Access|archivedate=September 22, 2021|access-date=September 16, 2021}}

References

Category:2021 singles

Category:2021 songs

Category:Lorde songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Lorde

Category:Song recordings produced by Jack Antonoff

Category:Songs written by Lorde

Category:Songs written by Jack Antonoff