Sour

## Alternate covers

* Target exclusive
* Interscope exclusive

## Singles

1. "Drivers License"
Released: January 8, 2021
2. "Deja Vu"
Released: April 1, 2021
3. "Good 4 U"
Released: May 14, 2021
4. "Brutal"
Released: August 10, 2021
5. "Traitor"
Released: October 21, 2021

## Album Trailer

"**Sour**" (stylized in all caps) is the debut studio album by Olivia Rodrigo. It was released on May, 21 2021, through Geffen Records. Rodrigo stated that the album explores her perils and discoveries as a 17-year-old, with its title referring to the uncomfortable, "sour" emotions the youth experience but are often shamed for, such as anger, jealousy and heartache. The musical style of *Sour* was inspired by Rodrigo's favorite genres and artists.

The album was written and produced by Rodrigo and Dan Nigro, alongside few other collaborators. Three singles preceded *Sour*'s release: Rodrigo's debut single and the album's lead single, "Drivers License", invited global success and acclaim, debuted atop the US *Billboard* Hot 100, and propelled Rodrigo to mainstream prominence. It was followed by "Deja Vu", which debuted at 8 and reached number 3 on the chart. "Good 4 U" was the third single and debuted and peaked at number 1, making her the first ever artist too debut her first three singles in the top 10.

## Background

Olivia Rodrigo signed to Geffen Records intending to release her debut EP in 2021. She co-wrote the song "Drivers License" with its producer Daniel Nigro, and released it as her debut single in January 2021, to commercial success. *Billboard* magazine declared it as one of the "most dominant" hits in Hot 100 history.

Rodrigo described her debut project while speaking to *Nylon*:

> *"I want it to be super versatile. My dream is to have it be an intersection between mainstream pop, folk music, and alternative rock. I love the songwriting and the lyricism and the melodies of folk music. I love the tonality of alt-rock. Obviously, I'm obsessed with pop and pop artists. So I'm going to try and take all of my sort of influences ... and make something that I like".* In another interview for i-D, Olivia stated again that her project - first intended to be an EP - was going to be very versatile, and would have "*a lot of angst, heartbreak and insecurity woven into the lyrics. I tried to be as honest as I possibly could be. All of my songs are about my experience being a teenager and figuring life out…"*
>
>

Rodrigo began teasing the second single from the album on her Instagram account and posting cryptic teasers of it on her social media accounts in late March 2021, and released the track called "Deja Vu" along with a music video on April 1st. On the music video premiere, Olivia revealed that she was going to release an album instead of an EP, as she was planning, and started the pre-ordering on all digital and physical platforms with a temporary name (*\*O\*R*) and cover. She also announced its official release date, May 21st, 2021.

On April 12th, Olivia e-mailed cryptic newsletters to her fans around the world, where she placed the names of all the tracks on the album as easter eggs for them to discover. The next day, she announced the official title for *SOUR,* its cover and tracklist.

Many people out there wonder why Olivia has written so many songs about her past relationships. Its quite simple Olivia likes to express the way she feels about certain things by writing a song. When you write a song you can express yourself in many different ways that sometimes can't be expressed in words. Her top hit drivers license which she wrote in July of 2020 and published it January 8th of 2021, was based off of a true story about how she was driving through her suburban town while listening to music and crying about her breakup. She expressed her feelings in that song by telling us how she felt about her most recent break up and what she did after.

## Conception

Rodrigo described her ambition for her debut project, *Sour*, was a "super versatile" body of work that mainly blends mainstream pop, folk, and alternative rock genres, alongside elements of pop-punk, country and grunge. She stated that it is inspired by the works of her favorite singer-songwriters, such as Alanis Morissette, Taylor Swift, Kacey Musgraves, and the "pouty", "angsty" sound of rock acts like No Doubt and the White Stripes. Rodrigo also cited her mother Jennifer's musical tastes as an influence, as it was her who introduced young Rodrigo to metal, punk and 1990s alternative rock.

Rodrigo's vision for the album's lyrics was to explore a variety of "sour" emotions that young women "are often shamed for", such as anger, jealousy and sadness. The album title refers to the concept of "awesome things" in Rodrigo's life "progressively going sour" as she gets older, representing a specific "slice" of her life as a 17-year-old, "its unending growing pains and surprising discoveries." According to Rodrigo, the word "sour" has so many different meanings and she tried to write a song titled "Sour" for a long time but was unsuccessful in doing so, making her realize that it is an "all-encompassing" trope that covered the sour portion of her life. In a *Billboard* interview, Rodrigo told that she tried to balance out the "sour" songs of her debut album with some love songs, in order to avoid being pigeonholed as "the heartbreak girl"; however, she eventually dropped the idea, to preserve her authenticity as a songwriter. She asserted that love and happiness were not the emotions she felt while making the album.

## Music and lyrics

*Sour* has been described as a genre-hopping pop, pop-punk, bedroom pop, and alternative rock record with synth-popand dream pop inflections. Stylistically, the album spans from energetic 1990s-inspired guitar rock to tender acoustic balladry driven by piano and fingerpicked guitars. Its songs represent different perspectives to a single storyline of failed romance. The songwriting is characterized by self-aware themes of anger and revenge, alongside Rodrigo's insecurities and vulnerability, using detail-specific lyrics.

### Songs

The opening track, "Brutal", was described as "angsty" and "uptempo" by Rodrigo. It was dubbed as enjoyable "playful and easy pop-punk" by Jules Levefre of *Junkee*. Rodrigo also revealed that "Brutal" was the last track written for the album, describing it as a "last-minute" addition. The song has "thrashy [*sic*]" guitars, and was reported to be a "teen-angst tirade" and "[a] desire to defy any pop expectations that have been placed upon [Rodrigo] by fans, friends, executives, or exes". "Traitor", the second track, is a ballad. Its lyrics have been described to consist of "post-grief anger and bargaining".

The fourth track, "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back", interpolates the piano line in Taylor Swift's "New Year's Day" (2017). The song "regret-wracked" tune. The ninth track, "Jealousy, Jealousy", has been described as "serpentine" and an "alt-rock squall à la the Kills". The stripped-down tenth track, "Favorite Crime", incorporates a set of layers harmonies with a folky style. "Hope Ur Ok", the closing track, has been reported to be a "shimmering blessing to down-on-their-luck people Rodrigo has known", and the sound of the chorus has been described as a benediction.

## Promotion and release

On April 1, Rodrigo announced across her social media accounts that her debut album is scheduled for release on May 21, 2021. Preorders for the album began the following day. On April 13, Rodrigo teased the album's title, and subsequently, posted the album's title, track listing, and cover artwork on the same day. *Sour* became one of the most anticipated music releases of 2021.

### Cover artwork

The standard cover artwork of *Sour* finds Rodrigo standing against a purple backdrop, wearing a fuzzy pale pink tank top and checkered bottoms. She has her tongue stuck out, with her face covered in a variety of colorful stickers. The stickers on her tongue spell the album title. *Popsugar* observed that Rodrigo is also wearing a ring in the cover artwork, identical to a ring that Taylor Swift had gifted her earlier. The backside cover also has a purple background, featuring scattered stickers as well as the tracklist on a pearly-colored balloon that Rodrigo's hand is about to pop with a safety pin. In the alternative cover available for the Target-exclusive and vinyl editions of *Sour*, purple is again the dominant color, but stickers are not present.

### Singles

*Sour* was supported by three singles, two of which charted inside the top 10 of the *Billboard* Hot 100.

"Drivers License", released on January 8, 2021, serves as the lead single of *Sour* and Rodrigo's debut single. An accompanying music video for the song, directed by Matthew Dillon Cohen, was uploaded to Rodrigo's YouTube channel simultaneously with the single's release. The song broke a string of records, including the Spotify record for the most single-day streams for a non-holiday song and the biggest first week for a song on Spotify and on Amazon Music. The song debuted atop the US *Billboard* Hot 100 and made Rodrigo the youngest artist ever to debut atop the chart. It was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

"Deja Vu" was announced as the second single on her social media accounts on March 29, 2021, and was released three days later along with its music video, directed by Allie Avital in Malibu. The song debuted at number 8 on the Hot 100, making Rodrigo the first artist in history to debut her first two singles inside the top 10 of the chart.

The third single, "Good 4 U", was announced on May 10, 2021, and was released on May 14. Its music video, directed by Petra Collins, features Rodrigo as a revengeful cheerleader, making references to the 2000s' cult classic films *Princess Diaries* and *Jennifer's Body*. The energetic song provided listeners the taste of a different side of *Sour*, departing from the slower and melancholic emotion of the preceding singles "Drivers License" and "Deja Vu".

### Marketing

Rodrigo gave the debut performance of "Drivers License" on February 4, 2021, at *The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon*. She has expressed excitement for a potential upcoming tour in support of the album post the COVID-19 pandemic. A sneak-peek of the creation process of the album was featured in IMAX screenings of *In the Heights* (2021) on Mother's Day. On May 12, 2021, a trailer to *Sour* was posted to Rodrigo's YouTube channel, which showed studio clips of herself and Nigro, and featured a snippet of "Good 4 U" which was set to release two days later. She performed "Drivers License" and debuted "Good 4 U" live at *Saturday Night Live* on May 15, 2021, hosted by American actor Keegan-Michael Key. On May 16, 2021, a hotline phone number "[[1]]" was made available, which teased an unreleased track from *Sour*. In the evening of May 20, 2021, Rodrigo is set to appear on YouTube's live-stream of the official premiere party of *Sour*, as an episode for the platform's *Released* series. She will play voice memos from her phone, discuss songs, interact with fans, and exclusively perform the track "Enough for You". Rodrigo gave interviews and appeared on the magazine covers of *Interview*, *Elle*, *The Face*, *NME*, *Billboard*, and *Nylon*.

## Critical reception

*Sour* was met with critical acclaim upon release. The general consensus was that the album is a strong debut record that mounts Rodrigo as the new face of "Gen Z pop". On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized score out of 100 to ratings from publications, the album received a mean score of 83 based on 20 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".

Robin Murray of *Clash* hailed *Sour* as a "bravura" pop statement "marked by excellence from front to back". He described its 11 tracks as "potential smash hit singles", and complimented Rodrigo's bold lyricism, punchy execution, deeming her as "pop's newest icon, and one of its bravest voices". *The A.V. Club'*s Tatiana Tenreyro designated it a contender for best pop album of 2021, and highlighted that *Sour* has no filler tracks. She stated that each song depicts a different side to Rodrigo's artistry, embracing influences while still creating "something fresh". Kate Solomon, writing for *i*, called *Sour* a "surprisingly accomplished package" and a "stunning portrait of adolescence". *NME* critic Rhian Daly called Rodrigo a "multidimensional" artist who writes detailed songs that "go full-circle from being precisely personal to universally relatable".

Neil McCormick of *The Daily Telegraph* opined that *Sour* excels in modern production, which strikes an acoustic-electronic balance, combining Taylor Swift's traditional songcraft, Lorde's harmonies and Billie Eilish's whispery vocals with the brashness of Alanis Morissette and Avril Lavigne. Mikael Wood of *Los Angeles Times* dubbed the album "flawless Gen Z pop" that ranges from crisp 1990s rock to acoustic balladry, and "the most self-aware pop record in recent memory". *Entertainment Weekly'*s Maura Johnston felt that *Sour*s heaviness is bettered by Rodrigo's grace and self-awareness, and that she is not trying to be "the next" anyone, but instead, distills her life and musical tastes into promising, "powerful, hooky pop". *Rolling Stone* critic Angie Martoccio wrote that, beyond her idols and inspirations, Rodrigo forged "a path into an entirely new realm of pop" in *Sour*, where she is "unapologetically and enthusiastically her own guide".

*Variety'*s Chris Williman called *Sour* "ridiculously good", and "unabashedly teenage" atypical of most teen singers who often try to mimick adult music. Praising Rodrigo's musical vision and Nigro's production, Rachel Saywitz, reviewing for *The Line of Best Fit*, stated that *Sour* swerves the boundaries of conventional genres to work Rodrigo's wide taste. Jon Caramanica of *The New York Times* called it a "nuanced and often exceptional debut album", which traverses through Rodrigo's evolving perspectives real-time. *The Independent* critic Helen Brown thought *Sour* converts 21st-century adolescence into universally resonating "story-songs", and admired Rodrigo's "disarming honesty", using F-bombs unlike former teen stars who "don't usually do that until they're onto the post-breakdown record". She added that its organic musicality breaks the "shiny surfaces we've come to expect from such glossy girls."

Olivia Horn of *Pitchfork* called it a "nimble and lightly chaotic collection of breakup tunes filled with melancholy and mischief", with profanity typically prohibited by the morality clauses limiting Disney singers. However, she stated that Rodrigo is "more invested in content than in craft" at moments, settling for simple rhymes, self-evident phrasing, and a do-it-yourself recording quality that exposes imperfections in Rodrigo's voice. Rachel Aroesti of *The Guardian* said *Sour* is polished "pop euphoria" that processes anger, jealousy and bewilderment, and "doubles as one of the most gratifyingly undignified breakup albums ever made", but nevertheless, majority of it follows the style of "Drivers License", resulting in a lovely and thoughtful but unadventurous record. In the words of *Stereogum*s Chris DeVille, Rodrigo's lyrics "can come off desperate and immature" while the album's pace can be a "wearisome slog" at times, but *Sour* works by weaponizing its drawbacks. Regarding the album "a youthful tour through heartbreak angst" that weakens only when it "plays too safe", *DIY'*s Jenessa Williams thought that Rodrigo's "truly soars" when she heads strong, rather than victimizing herself in "bitterness".

In June 2021, *Billboard* included *Sour* on their "Best Albums of 2021 So Far: Staff Picks" list, with Josh Glicksman stating that Rodrigo's "songwriting prowess" is on "full display throughout" and adding that "Rodrigo is rewriting chart history in real time". *Exclaim!* ranked *Sour* number four on their "31 Best Albums of 2021 So Far" list. *Rolling Stone* also included *Sour* on their "Best Albums of 2021 So Far" list, with Angie Martoccio opining that Rodrigo "expertly rides the wave of teenage turbulence and emotional chaos down any road she chooses".

## Gallery

### Physical copies

Standard VinylClear VinylJB Hi-Fi AU ExclusiveWalmart ExclusiveUrban Outfitters ExclusiveAmazon ExclusiveStandard CassetteExclusive CassetteExclusive Cassette 2Spotify Exclusive CassetteCDSigned CDAlternate Artwork CDComposition Book + CDDigital DownloadTarget ExclusiveIndie 1 Year Anniversary ExclusiveAmazon 1 Year Anniversary ExclusiveUrban Outfitters 1 Year Anniversary Exclusive2 Year Anniversary Exclusive

## Tracklist

### Notes

* All track titles are stylized in all lowercase.
* All tracks were written by Olivia Rodrigo and Dan Nigro; all tracks produced by Nigro.
* "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" interpolates "New Year's Day" (2017), written by Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff.
* "Deja Vu" interpolates "Cruel Summer" (2019), written by Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff, and Annie Clark.

### Outtakes

* "21st Century Girls"
* "Apocalyptic Crush"
* "Astronaut" (confirmed)
* "Baby Is You" (unofficial title)
* "Best Friend" (unofficial title)
* "Crazy"
* "Creature of Habit"
* "Do Better" (confirmed)
* "Gross"
* "I'm Yours"
* "Just Because"
* "L-O-V-E"
* "Miss This"
* "More"
* "Naive Girl"
* "Never Be Like Her"
* "Pay Grade"
* "Pretender"
* "Prison for life" (confirmed)
* "Rebel Without A Clue"
* "Sad Tune For Your Friday Night"
* "Strange" (confirmed)
* "Strangers Again" (confirmed)
* "Teenage Drama Queen""
* The Exception"
* "The Ones I Love" (confirmed)
* "Twilight Song"
* "Victim"
* "White Flowers"

## Personnel

* Olivia Rodrigo – vocals (all tracks), songwriting (all tracks), production (4, 7, 8), co-production (4, 7)
* Dan Nigro – songwriting (1–3, 5, 6, 9–11), production (all tracks), recording (all tracks), mixing (11), vocal arrangement (10), backing vocals (1–3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11), acoustic guitar (1, 2, 5–7, 10), bass (3–10), drum programming (1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11), drums (3), electric guitar (1, 2, 5, 6), guitar (8, 9), organ (4, 11), percussion (3), piano (2–4, 8, 9), synthesizer (1, 3, 6, 8, 9)
* Ryan Linvill – acoustic guitar (11), bass (2, 11), drum programming (1, 2), flute (5), saxophone (5, 10), synthesizer (2), Wurlitzer organ (1), assistant recording (6), engineering (7)
* Alexander 23 – production (6), co-production (6), backing vocals (6), bass (6), drum programming (6), electric guitar (6)
* Jam City – production (9), additional production (9), drum programming (9), guitar (5), organ (5), synthesizer (9)
* Erick Serna – bass (1), electric guitar (1)
* Paul Cartwright – viola (1, 8), violin (1, 8)
* Taylor Swift – songwriting (4)
* Jack Antonoff – songwriting (4)
* Casey Smith – songwriting (9)
* Sam Stewart – guitar (11)
* Randy Merrill – mastering (all tracks)
* Mitch McCarthy – mixing (1-10)
* Dan Viafore – assistant recording (3–5, 8, 9, 11)

## References

1. ↑ *Nylon* - OLIVIA RODRIGO ON 'DRIVERS LICENSE,' TAYLOR SWIFT, AND WHAT COMES NEXT
2. ↑ *i-D* - Olivia Rodrigo on heartbreak, Taylor Swift and her TV obsession
3. ↑ *YouTube* - Olivia Rodrigo “Deja Vu” Music Video Premiere - Youtube LIVE
4. ↑ *Twitter* - Check your email because Olivia sent something via e-mail to those suscribed to her newsletter!
5. ↑ *AnyDecentMusic?* - Olivia Rodrigo Sour
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 *Metacritic* - Reviews and Tracks for Sour by Olivia Rodrigo
7. ↑ *AllMusic* - Sour – Olivia Rodrigo
8. ↑ *And It Don't Stop* - Consumer Guide: June, 2021
9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 *Clash* - Olivia Rodrigo - SOUR
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 *The Daily Telegraph* - Olivia Rodrigo's Sour is a sleek Gen Z tale of bad affairs and worse teenage boys
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 *Entertainment Weekly* - Sour review: Olivia Rodrigo's debut album hints at an even brighter future
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 *The Guardian* - Olivia Rodrigo: Sour review – cathartic rage at teenage heartbreak
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 *The Independent* - Olivia Rodrigo review, 'Sour': Disarming honesty makes for an impressive debut
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 *NME* - Olivia Rodrigo – 'Sour' review: this year's breakout star channels '90s alt-rock
15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 *Pitchfork* - Olivia Rodrigo: SOUR Album Review
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 *Rolling Stone* - Olivia Rodrigo Is a Revelatory New Pop Voice on 'Sour.' Deal With It
17. ↑ *Vogue* - Olivia Rodrigo on Her Breakout Year, Brand-New Album—And What Comes Next
18. ↑ *Los Angeles Times* - Olivia Rodrigo does not miss. All these 'Sour' reviews are here to prove it
19. ↑ *The A.V. Club* - Olivia Rodrigo's SOUR is so much more than a breakup album
20. ↑ *i News* - Olivia Rodrigo's Sour is stunning portrait of adolescence
21. ↑ *Los Angeles Times* - Review: Olivia Rodrigo delivers flawless Gen Z pop on her debut album
22. ↑ *Variety* - Olivia Rodrigo's 'Sour' Is One Sweet Entreé Into a Lifetime of Music-Making: Album Review
23. ↑ *The Line of Best Fit* - Olivia Rodrigo cements her success story on the explorative and heartbroken Sour
24. ↑ *New York Times* - Allow Olivia Rodrigo to Introduce Herselves
25. ↑ *Stereogum* - Premature Evaluation: Olivia Rodrigo Sour
26. ↑ *DIY Mag* - Olivia Rodrigo – Sour
27. ↑ *Billboard* - The 50 Best Albums of 2021 So Far: Staff Picks
28. ↑ *Exclaim!* - Exclaim!'s 31 Best Albums of 2021 So Far
29. ↑ *Rolling Stone* - The Best Albums of 2021 So Far

 Released