Role Models (song)
{{Short description|2018 song by AJR}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Role Models
| cover =
| alt =
| type = song
| artist = AJR
| album = The Click (Deluxe Edition)
| released = {{start date|2018|9|21}}
| recorded = 2018
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 3:12
| label = * AJR Productions
- S-Curve{{cite web |url=https://www.bmg.com/us/news/AJR-release-new-album-The-Click.html|title=US: AJR release new album The Click|website=BMG|language=en|date=June 8, 2017|accessdate=June 1, 2024}}
- Ultra
- Black Butter{{cite web |last=Becker|first=Sarah|url=https://audiophix.com/posts/revisiting-ajr-overshadowed-hit-let-the-games-begin-01hw945eek60|title=Revisiting AJR's overshadowed hit "Let the Games Begin"|website=AudioPhix|language=en|date=April 28, 2024|accessdate=June 1, 2024}}
| writer =
- Jack Met
- Ryan Met
| producer = Ryan Met
| misc = {{External music video|type=song|{{YouTube|9iQGtQ9_aOs|"Role Models"}}}}
}}
"Role Models" is a song by American indie pop band AJR, appearing on the 2018 deluxe edition of their second studio album, The Click (2017). It is the second song track in the edition and the album's fifteenth overall. The song tells the difficulty of separating art from its artist, naming Kanye West and Louis C.K. as examples.
Background
"Role Models" is a politically driven song,{{cite web |last=Snowden|first=Jordan|url=https://www.pghcitypaper.com/arts-entertainment/qanda-with-siblings-adam-jack-and-ryan-of-ajr-11768933|title=Q&A with siblings Adam, Jack and Ryan of AJR|website=Pittsburgh City Paper|language=en|date=November 5, 2018|accessdate=June 1, 2024}} written as a response to the media controversy surrounding Kanye West, a significant influence on AJR's music.{{cite web |last=Hamlin|first=Elena|url=https://www.peshprints.com/arts-entertainment/2018/10/05/the-click-deluxe-edition/|title="The Click (Deluxe Edition)"|website=Panther Prints|language=en|date=October 5, 2018|accessdate=June 1, 2024}} Band member Adam Met cited My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010) as a favorite album of the trio in an interview with San Francisco Chronicle, later describing the difficulty of enjoying it with knowledge of West's character outside of music.{{cite web |last=Vaziri|first=Aidin|url=https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/music/pop-quiz-ajr-on-disturbing-neighbors-and-working-with-rivers-cuomo|title=Pop Quiz: AJR on disturbing neighbors and working with Rivers Cuomo|website=San Francisco Chronicle|language=en|date=November 13, 2018|accessdate=June 1, 2024}} "Role Models" was written and recorded after the release of AJR's second studio album, The Click (2017),{{cite web |last=Hudelson|first=Molly|url=https://substreammagazine.com/2018/11/ajr-click-deluxe-edition-interview/|title=Follow 'The Click' In Your Ear: AJR Are Turning Out Fine|website=Substream Magazine|language=en|date=November 9, 2018|accessdate=June 1, 2024}} receiving inclusion on the album's deluxe version on September 21, 2018. The song questions the dichotomy of appreciating an artist's work balanced with their flaws, resonating with the complexities of celebrity culture.{{cite web |last=Meyer|first=Claire|url=https://eaglestaleonline.com/arts-entertainment/2018/10/ajr-album-reaches-deluxe-quality/|title=AJR album reaches deluxe quality|website=The Eagle's Tale|language=en|date=October 18, 2018|accessdate=June 1, 2024}}
Composition and production
The instrumentation of "Role Models" primarily uses acoustic guitar, additionally incorporating trumpet. AJR initially created this as a demo, intending to later add elements of electronic dance music as extra production to make it fit with the album. This idea was scrapped as the band felt it subtracted from the song's meaning. The song's guitar was recorded while the band toured in Arkansas, artificially distorting and compressing it. Band member Ryan Met then took inspiration from Fountains of Wayne's song "Fire Island" to create a reverberated trumpet that accompanied the guitar.{{Cite tweet |people=AJR|user=AJRBrothers|number=1048363358183940097|title=How We Made: "Role Models"|language=en|link=https://x.com/AJRBrothers/status/1048363358183940097|date=October 5, 2018|access-date=June 1, 2024}}
Music video
On September 25, 2018, AJR released a music video for "Role Models" with direction by Spencer Hord.{{cite web |url=https://www.x1039radio.com/ajr-release-new-song-video-for-role-models/|title=AJR release new song, video for "Role Models"|website=X1039 Radio|language=en|date=September 25, 2018|accessdate=June 1, 2024}} In the video, the band performs the song with guitar and ukulele while sitting on wooden crates with dark attire and bare feet. The camera slowly zooms out four times throughout the song to reveal a minimalist warehouse before sharply zooming in after each chorus, doing so in one shot. During the final portion, trumpeter JJ Kirkpatrick performs the song's trumpet behind the band.{{cite web |last=Kamp|first=Justin|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/ajr/exclusive-ajr-examines-how-few-heroes-we-have-left|title=Exclusive: AJR Examine How Few Heroes We Have Left in "Role Models" Video|website=Paste|language=en|date=September 25, 2018|accessdate=June 1, 2024}}
Personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.{{cite web |title=Credits / The Click (Deluxe Edition) / AJR |url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/119343072/credits |date=September 21, 2018 |publisher=Tidal|access-date=June 1, 2024}}
{{div col}}
- Adam Met – bass guitar, backing vocals, keyboards
- Jack Met – lead vocals, percussion, guitar
- Ryan Met – backing vocals, ukulele, production, programming, audio mixing
- Chris Gehringer – mastering engineer
- Drew Allsbrook – guitar
- JJ Kirkpatrick – trumpet
- Jon Minor – deluxe adjustments
{{div col end}}