100 Bad Days

"100 Bad Days" is a song by American pop band AJR. It was released on January 29, 2019 via S-Curve Records as the lead single from the band's third studio album Neotheater.[1]

"100 Bad Days"
Single by AJR
from the album Neotheater
ReleasedJanuary 29, 2019 (2019-01-29)
Recorded2018
GenrePop
Length3:32
LabelS-Curve
Songwriter(s)
  • Jack Met
  • Adam Met
  • Ryan Met
Producer(s)Ryan Met
AJR singles chronology
"Pretender"
(2018)		 "100 Bad Days"
(2019)		 "Birthday Party"
(2019)
Music video
"100 Bad Days" on YouTube

Background

After AJR released their second studio album The Click in 2017 and its deluxe version in 2018, they faced severe writer's block.[2] In an interview, Ryan Met tells Billboard "We were at Columbia University [and] we were having a tough time because we had terrible writer's block, and "100 Bad Days" was actually the song that solved that writer's block". Jack Met explains the inspiration for the type of song, which Billboard summarizes "they had written both pre-game songs and mid-party songs for when everyone is comfortable and having a great time, but they had never written a song for the party comedown".[3]

AJR created the song in the living room of their apartment in New York. On Rolling Stone's "How I Wrote This", Jack Met explains he had the phone note "A million bad days make a million good stories" which hadn't been realized as a song concept but only seen as "kind of a cool thought", which Ryan Met explains the band "figured out how to twist it into a more unique idea".[4]

Composition

"100 Bad Days" is composed in 4
4 common time and in the key of B-sharp major, with a tempo of 144 beats per minute (bpm).

Critical reception

The song has received positive reception with Rolling Stone describing "100 Bad Days" as "a catchy song, blending motivational pop vibes, light orchestral flourishes and more into a smooth whirl".[5]

Billboard comments that "the brother[s] sing about drunken foolishness, heartbreak and empty audiences at their gigs, all of which are sure to cause some sadness but are masked by a catchy pop melody and soaring instrumentation".[1]

Music video

The official music video was released on March 7, 2019. The members appear dismembered as floating heads with one hand and perform the song on drums in an empty room with futuristic imagery.[6] As of August 2023, the music video on YouTube has received over 27 million views.

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[7]

  • Adam Met – vocals, instruments, composer
  • Jack Met – main vocals, instruments, composer
  • Ryan Met – vocals, instruments, composer, producer
  • Chris Gehringer – mastering engineer
  • Drew Allsbrook – audio mixing
  • Joe Zook – mixing engineer
  • Bruce Healey – arranger
  • Chris Berry – drums
  • JJ Kirkpatrick – trumpet
  • Emelia Suljic – violin

Awards

At the 2019 Teen Choice Awards, AJR received a nomination in the Choice Rock Song category for "100 Bad Days", ultimately losing to Panic! at the Disco's "Hey Look Ma, I Made It", respectively.[8]

Nominations for "100 Bad Days"
Year Organization Award Result
2019 Teen Choice Awards Choice Rock Song Nominated

Charts

Certifications
Certifications for "100 Bad Days"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[18] Gold 35,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[19] Platinum 80,000‡
United States (RIAA)[20] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Aniftos, Rania (January 30, 2019). "AJR Laugh About Their Failures In New Single '100 Bad Days'". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  2. Nattress, Katrina (April 30, 2019). "AJR Talk About How '100 Bad Days' Cured Their Writer's Block". iHeartRadio. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  3. Schiller, Rebecca (April 30, 2019). "AJR Explain How '100 Bad Days' Cured Their Writer's Block & Why It's a Song About Staying Positive". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  4. "How I Wrote This: '100 Bad Days'". YouTube. Rolling Stone. May 21, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  5. Vozick-Levinson, Simon (January 30, 2019). "AJR Return With Catchy, Goofy, Happy Single '100 Bad Days'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  6. "AJR Drop Intergalactic, Futuristic Video For Single '100 Bad Days'". MusicMayhemMagazine. March 11, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  7. "Credits / 100 Bad Days / AJR". Tidal. January 29, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
  8. Yang, Rachel (August 11, 2019). "Teen Choice Awards 2019: See the full list of winners and nominees". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  9. "AJR Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  10. "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. February 11, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  11. "AJR Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
  12. "Alternative Digital Song Sales". Billboard. February 16, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  13. "AJR Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  14. "AJR Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  15. "Rock Digital Song Sales". Billboard. February 16, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  16. "Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2019". Billboard. 2 January 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  17. "Rock Airplay Songs – Year-End 2019". Billboard. 13 December 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  18. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2022 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
  19. "Canadian single certifications – AJR – 100 Bad Days". Music Canada. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  20. "American single certifications – AJR – 100 Bad Days". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
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