Ship to Wreck

{{Short description|2015 single by Florence and the Machine}}

{{Infobox song

| name = Ship to Wreck

| cover = Florence and the Machine - Ship to Wreck.png

| type = single

| artist = Florence and the Machine

| album = How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful

| released = {{Start date|2015|4|9|df=yes}}

| recorded =

| studio = The Pool (London)

| genre =

• Folk rock
• pop rock
• {{nowrap|soft rock}}

| length = 3:54

| label = Island

| writer =

• Florence Welch
• Tom Hull

| producer =

• Markus Dravs
• Kid Harpoon

| prev_title = What Kind of Man

| prev_year = 2015

| next_title = Queen of Peace

| next_year = 2015

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|id=B9v8jLBrvug|title="Ship to Wreck"}}}}

}}

"Ship to Wreck" is a song by English indie rock band Florence and the Machine from their third studio album, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful (2015). It was released on 9 April 2015 as the album's second single. The track premiered on Huw Stephens' show on BBC Radio 1 on 8 April 2015 and the accompanying music video was released on 13 April, following the narrative of band's previous two videos of "What Kind of Man" and "St. Jude". The video was filmed in frontwoman Florence Welch's London house.{{cite web |url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/watch-florence-the-machine-share-new-video-13789090 |title=Watch: Florence + The Machine share new video |work=Hot Press |date=13 April 2015 |access-date=11 August 2022}}{{cite web |last=Murison |first=Krissi |author-link=Krissi Murison |url=https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/property-home/article/a-tour-of-florence-qb8ll59rqdb |title=A tour of Florence |work=The Sunday Times |date=3 May 2015 |access-date=11 August 2022 |url-access=registration}}

"Ship to Wreck" was met with critical acclaim, with critics praising Welch's vocals, as well as the song's production. The song received nominations for Best Rock Video at the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards.

==Composition==

"Ship to Wreck" is a folk rock,{{cite web |last=Monger |first=James Christopher |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/how-big-how-blue-how-beautiful-mw0002825613 |title=How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful – Florence + the Machine |website=AllMusic |access-date=1 June 2015}} pop rock,{{cite web |last=Johnston |first=Maura |author-link=Maura Johnston |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2015/06/01/with-new-album-how-big-intimate-florence-machine/UrKVVwuqXonovQwa8TghuL/story.html |title=Florence + the Machine, 'How Big How Blue How Beautiful' |work=The Boston Globe |date=1 June 2015 |access-date=7 May 2016}} and soft rock{{cite web |last=K. |first=Rudy |url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/67275/Florence-and-the-Machine-How-Big-How-Blue-How-Beautiful/ |title=Florence and the Machine – How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful |website=Sputnikmusic |date=2 June 2015 |access-date=7 May 2016}} song that carries an "upbeat, bouncy sound", in contrast to the lyrics, which speak of self-destructive behaviour.{{cite magazine |last=Spanos |first=Brittany |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/florence-the-machine-build-a-ship-to-wreck-in-new-song-160809/ |title=Florence + the Machine Build a 'Ship to Wreck' in New Song |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=8 April 2015 |access-date=28 December 2018}} The song almost did not make the cut for How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, as producer Markus Dravs had disallowed Welch to write more songs about water, a recurring theme in the band's previous album, Ceremonials (2011), but she managed to include it.{{cite web |last=Cooper |first=Leonie |url=https://www.nme.com/news/florence-and-the-machine/82946 |title=Florence Welch reveals 'chaotic' year and 'nervous breakdown' behind new album |work=NME |date=16 February 2015 |access-date=30 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305112335/http://www.nme.com/news/florence-and-the-machine/82946 |archive-date=5 March 2015}} In a press release, Welch explained the meaning behind the song, saying: "I was thinking about my own self destructive side, and how you can make something only to tear it down, enjoy/destroy, create/devastate etc. When you're in that whirlwind, you often end up breaking the thing you love the most."{{cite web |last=Beauchemin |first=Molly |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/59166-florence-and-the-machine-share-ship-to-wreck/ |title=Florence and the Machine Share "Ship to Wreck" |website=Pitchfork |date=8 April 2015 |access-date=14 June 2015}}

==Critical reception==

Jason Lipshutz of Billboard included "Ship to Wreck" on its "Top 10 Songs of 2015 (So Far)" list in June 2015, stating, "Florence Welch may have reached a new peak with third album How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful—she's certainly never been more effective as a live performer, and 'Ship To Wreck' demonstrates that she's still growing as a pop songwriter. Everything comes together for Florence + The Machine on their latest single, as Welch's voice coils around the slender arrangement and squeezes hard on the chorus."{{cite magazine |last=Lipshutz |first=Jason |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/best-songs-of-2015-so-far-justin-bieber-rihanna-fetty-wap-6605615/ |title=Top 10 Songs of 2015 (So Far) |magazine=Billboard |date=22 June 2015 |access-date=11 August 2022}} Rolling Stone ranked "Ship to Wreck" at number 26 on its list of the "50 Best Songs of 2015".{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/50-best-songs-of-2015-144910/florence-and-the-machine-ship-to-wreck-36964/ |title=50 Best Songs of 2015 |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=3 December 2015 |access-date=28 December 2018}} The song also reached number 40 on the annual Triple J Hottest 100 for 2015.{{cite web |url=http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/15/countdown/ |title=1–100 List {{!}} Hottest 100 2015 |date=11 January 2014 |publisher=Triple J |access-date=28 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130230110/http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/15/countdown/ |archive-date=30 January 2016}}