Break the Rules (Charli XCX song)

"Break the Rules" is a song by English singer Charli XCX from her second studio album, Sucker (2014). It was released on 19 August 2014 as the album's second single. In a 2020 interview with Red Bull, XCX stated that she regrets recording the track.[1]

"Break the Rules"
Single by Charli XCX
from the album Sucker
Released19 August 2014 (2014-08-19)
Recorded2014
Genre
Length3:24
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Charli XCX singles chronology
"Boom Clap"
(2014)		 "Break the Rules"
(2014)		 "Doing It"
(2015)
Music video
"Break the Rules" on YouTube

Composition

"Break the Rules" is an electro-rock and alternative rock song,[2][3] set against a "propulsive" synth-pop groove.[4] The song is written in the key of E♭ major in common time with a tempo of 124 beats per minute. "Break the Rules" follows a chord progression of C5–B♭5–A♭5–E♭5–F5, and Charli's vocals span from B♭3 to C5.[5]

Critical reception

Cosmopolitan listed "Break the Rules" at number five on its 2014 best songs list.[6] Ahead of the release of her 2022 album Crash, Consequence of Sound ranked the song as Charli's best,[7] which she disagreed with.[8]

Music video

The music video for "Break the Rules" was directed by Marc Klasfeld and premiered on 25 August 2014.[9][10] The video was filmed at Birmingham High School while class was in session, so the lyrics "getting high and getting wrecked" had to be muted during playbacks.[11] According to Charli, the video draws inspiration from films such as Carrie (1976), The Craft (1996) and Jawbreaker (1999).[10][12] It features a cameo from actress Rose McGowan, the star of Jawbreaker, as a school chaperone.[10]

Usage in media

The song was used in trailers for the 2015 film Goosebumps. It was also featured in the 2016 film Good Kids.[13] The song was also used in a 2016 Dish Network commercial and as the theme song of season 7 of Vietnam's Next Top Model. It is also used in both trailers for the 2020 film My Spy.

Track listings
  • Digital download[14]
  1. "Break the Rules" – 3:23
  • Digital download – Remixes[15]
  1. "Break the Rules" (Tiësto Remix) – 4:25
  2. "Break the Rules" (Odesza Remix) – 4:00
  3. "Break the Rules" (Broods Remix) – 2:52
  • German CD single[16]
  1. "Break the Rules" – 3:23
  2. "Break the Rules" (Tiësto Remix) – 4:25
  • Australian CD single – Schoolies Edition[17]
  1. "Break the Rules" – 3:23
  2. "Break the Rules" (Tiësto Remix) – 4:25
  3. "Break the Rules" (ODESZA Remix) – 4:00
  4. "Break the Rules" (Broods Remix) – 2:52
  5. "Boom Clap" – 2:49

Credits and personnel

Credits for "Break the Rules" are adapted from CD liner notes[18][19]

Recording locations
  • Recorded at Rokstone Studios, London
  • Recorded at Westlake Audio, Los Angeles
  • Mixed at Hot Rock Studios
Personnel

Charts

Certifications
Certifications for "Break the Rules"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[47] Platinum 70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[48] Gold 40,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[49] Gold 200,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[50] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[51] Gold 500,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Release dates and formats for "Break the Rules"
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Canada 19 August 2014 Digital download Atlantic [52]
United States [53]
Australia 10 October 2014 [54]
Ireland
[55]
United Kingdom 12 October 2014 [56]
Finland 17 October 2014 Atlantic [57]
Norway [58]
Sweden [59]
France 27 October 2014 [60]
Ireland 31 October 2014 Digital download (remixes)
  • Asylum
  • Atlantic
 [61]
United Kingdom 2 November 2014 [62]
France 3 November 2014 Atlantic [63]
Australia 21 November 2014
  • CD single
  • digital download (remixes)
 Warner [17][64]
United States 24 November 2014 Digital download (remixes) Atlantic [65]
Germany 16 January 2015 CD single Warner [16]

References
  1. Cooper, Wilbert L. "A Conversation with Charli XCX". Red Bull. Retrieved 24 December 2021.
  2. Villa, Lucas (19 August 2014). "Charli XCX premieres 'Break the Rules' single, announces new album 'Sucker'". AXS. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  3. Menyes, Carolyn (18 August 2014). "LISTEN: Charli XCX Drops Defiant New Single 'Break The Rules', Announces New Album 'Sucker' for October [AUDIO]". Music Times.
  4. Wood, Mikael (2 December 2014). "Rising recording star Charli XCX brings her 'pop circus' to town". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  5. "Break the Rules". www.musicnotes.com. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  6. Thompson, Eliza (1 December 2014). "The 50 Best Songs of 2014". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  7. Jones, Abby (16 March 2022). "Charli XCX's 10 Best Songs". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  8. Charli [@charli_xcx] (16 March 2022). "Agree" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022 – via Twitter.
  9. Wilson, Ethan (25 August 2015). "Charli XCX "Break The Rules" (Marc Klasfeld, dir.)". VideoStatic. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  10. Lipshutz, Jason (25 August 2014). "Charli XCX's 'Break the Rules' Video: Watch The 'Boom Clap' Star Defy Rose McGowan". Billboard. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  11. Ganz, Caryn (12 December 2014). "Charli XCX: Up All Night With 2014's Breakout Pop Star". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  12. Schillaci, Sophie (25 August 2015). "EXCLUSIVE: On Set With Charli XCX for Her Prom-Themed 'Break the Rules' Video". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  13. Charli XCX (9 July 2015). ""Break The Rules" on the new Goosebumps Movie trailer..." Retrieved 15 November 2015 – via Facebook.
  14. "iTunes – Music – Break the Rules – Single by Charli XCX". iTunes Store (United Kingdom). 19 August 2014.
  15. "iTunes – Music – Break the Rules (Remixes) – Single by Charli XCX". iTunes Store (United Kingdom). 31 October 2014.
  16. "Break the Rules (2track)" (in German). Amazon.de. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  17. "Break The Rules: Schoolies Edition by Charli XCX". Sanity. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  18. "Break the Rules" (CD liner notes). Charli XCX. Warner Music International. 2014.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. "Charli XCX – Break the Rules (2015, CD)". Discogs.
  20. "Charli XCX – Break the Rules". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  21. "Charli XCX – Break the Rules" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  22. "Charli XCX – Break the Rules" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  23. "Charli XCX – Break the Rules" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
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  25. "Chart Search". Billboard Canada CHR/Top 40 for Charli XCX. Retrieved 19 April 2016.
  26. Charli XCX — Break the Rules. TopHit. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  27. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Change the chart to CZ – RADIO – TOP 100 and insert 201503 into search. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  28. "Charli XCX Chart History (Euro Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
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  30. "Charli XCX – Break the Rules" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  31. "Chart Track: Week 42, 2014". Irish Singles Chart.
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  35. "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Dance Top 50. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
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  41. "Charli XCX Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
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  46. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  47. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2015 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  48. "Canadian single certifications – Charli XCX – Break the Rules". Music Canada. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
  49. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Charli XCX; 'Break the Rules')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 22 November 2015.
  50. "British single certifications – Charli XCX – Break the Rules". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
  51. "American single certifications – Charli XCX – Break the Rules". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
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  59. "Break The Rules (Explicit) (2014) | Charli XCX". 7digital (SE). Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
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