Charli XCX’s ‘Rock Music’ Is a Sucker Punch

Charli XCX is leaving the club behind for rock and roll. Her new song, “Rock Music,” came out today with an accompanying music video, and it’s both a pivot and a return home for the Brat singer. The line “I think the dance floor is dead” was first teased in a British Vogue cover story and has since attracted angry responses from other artists, including nu-disco singer Rochelle Jordan who tweeted, “It ain’t dead until WE say so.” The song itself still has Charli’s trademark glitching, but it’s also got real instruments. While she messily talk-sings about hanging out with her friends, the underlying guitar riff sounds like a bright and thumping rock band. Specifically, it sounds like the 1975, which makes sense given that Charli is married to their drummer.

The music video features cameos from all the main boys of the Charli-verse. It opens in black and white on Charli with her husband, George Daniel, then she tackles Aidan Zamiri, who directed her movie The Moment, and licks his face. As she continues to rock out, she falls into her producer A.G. Cook, who is playing an actual guitar. For the man whose career has been based around creating synthetic electronic soundscapes, it’s different to see him with an instrument.

Charli’s rockist pivot isn’t out of nowhere. On “Rock Music” she sings that “I’m really bangin’ my head,” as if she can’t believe she’s doing it. But, 12 years ago, she released the beloved pop punk album Sucker. The very first lyric on that album is “Head bang, pink rocks / Gold fangs, shit hot.” In the time since that record, which includes her hit “Boom Clap,” she’s burrowed deep into electronic pop, culminating in Brat. Now, the prodigal daughter has returned to the mosh pit.