So Called Life Explained

So Called Life
Cover:TDG - So Called Life.jpg
Border:yes
Type:single
Artist:Three Days Grace
Album:Explosions
Recorded:2021
Genre:Hard rock
Length:3:26
Label:RCA
Producer:Howard Benson
Prev Title:Somebody That I Used to Know
Prev Year:2020
Next Title:Lifetime
Next Year:2022

"So Called Life" is a single by the Canadian rock band Three Days Grace. It was released on November 29, 2021 as the lead single from the band's seventh studio album Explosions.[1] [2] The song was available digitally on music streaming services on December 1, 2021.[3] "So Called Life" was the most played song on rock radio in 2022.[4]

Composition and lyrics

"So Called Life" has been described by critics as a hard rock song.[5] The track runs at 160 BPM and is in the key of D major. It runs for three minutes and 26 seconds.[6] The song was written by Matt Walst, Brad Walst, Barry Stock, Neil Sanderson and Ted Bruner while Howard Benson handled the production of the song.[7] The song was written around March 2020 and according to bassist Brad Walst, the song was originally supposed to be a "cool kind of party song."[8] Brad Walst spoke about "So Called Life" in an interview with Jave Patterson of Two Doods Reviews explaining about how the song was written.

Music video

The music video for "So Called Life" premiered on November 29, 2021 and it was directed by Jon Vulpine.[9] [10] Speaking about the music video, director Jon Vulpine explained how the video came together.

As of April 2024, the music video for "So Called Life" has over 20 million views on YouTube.[11]

Chart performance

"So Called Life" debuted on the Canada Rock chart at number 41 and later peaked at number 7 on the chart. The song also reached the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart at number one, topping the chart for four consectutive weeks, and on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart at number 29.[12] This marks the band's 16th number-one song on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, tying the record for the most number-ones with Shinedown. It earned 796,000 streams in the US.[13] It also peaked at number 11 on the Alternative Digital Song Sales chart.[14]

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Position
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[16] 68
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[17] 17

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations for "So Called Life"
YearOrganizationAwardResultRef(s)
2022MTV Video Music AwardsRock Video of the Year[18]
2023iHeartRadio Music AwardsRock Song of the Year[19]

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateFormatLabel
CanadaNovember 29, 2021Contemporary hit radioRCA
VariousDecember 1, 2021Digital download
United StatesDecember 6, 2021Active rock[20]
ItalyJanuary 21, 2022Contemporary hit radioSony[21]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Three Days Grace Seek Escape With Heavy New Song 'So Called Life,' Announce New Album. Loudwire. Childers. Chad. November 29, 2021. December 7, 2021.
  2. Web site: Three Days Grace Release Official Music Video for New Song 'So Called Life'. The Rock Stationz93. November 29, 2021. December 9, 2021.
  3. Web site: So Called Life - Single by Three Days Grace. Apple Music. December 1, 2021. December 7, 2021. March 20, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220320000413/https://music.apple.com/us/album/so-called-life-single/1596369397. dead.
  4. Web site: The 40 Most-Played Songs on Rock Radio in 2022. Loudwire. Lauryn Schaffner. December 13, 2022. December 22, 2022.
  5. Web site: This Is Everything You Need To Know About Three Days Grace'd New Album 'Explosions'. Rock Sound. Rogers. Jack. December 1, 2021. January 2, 2022. February 3, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220203222120/https://www.rocksound.tv/news/read/this-is-everything-you-need-to-know-about-three-days-graces-new-album-explo. dead.
  6. Web site: Key and BPM of So Called Life by Three Days Grace. Musicstax.com. November 29, 2021. January 2, 2022.
  7. Web site: So Called Life - Three Days Grace. Genius. January 2, 2022.
  8. Web site: Three Days Grace's Brad Walst − "Distinguished Gentleman Among Young". Greg Prato. May 10, 2022. October 17, 2022.
  9. Web site: Three Days Grace - So Called Life (Official Video). YouTube. Three Days Grace. November 29, 2021. December 9, 2021.
  10. Web site: So Called Life (2021) by Three Days Grace. IMVDB. December 9, 2021.
  11. Web site: Three Days Grace - So Called Life (Official Video). YouTube. Three Days Grace. November 29, 2021. November 9, 2022.
  12. Three Days Grace (Mainstream Rock Airplay). Billboard. January 26, 2022.
  13. Three Days Grace Ties Shinedown for Most Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1s. Billboard. Rutherford. Kevin. February 1, 2022. February 2, 2022.
  14. Three Days Grace Chart History (Alternative Digital Song Sales). Billboard. January 2, 2022.
  15. Web site: Radio No9 Charts [Week 48/2021]]. Radio-No9. January 4, 2024.
  16. Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2022. Billboard. December 1, 2022.
  17. Rock & Alternative Airplay – Year-End 2022. Billboard. December 2, 2022.
  18. Web site: Your 2022 VMA Nominations Are Here: Jack Harlow, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Nas X Lead The Pack. https://web.archive.org/web/20220726133318/https://www.mtv.com/news/hwekgl/vmas-2022-nominees-lil-nas-x-jack-harlow-kendrick-lamar. dead. July 26, 2022. Athena Serrano. July 26, 2022. July 26, 2022. MTV. en.
  19. Web site: 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards: See The Full List Of Nominees. Taylor Fields. iHeartRadio. January 11, 2023. January 11, 2023.
  20. Web site: Exclusive Mediabase Analysis From All Access. All Access Mediabase. December 6, 2021. December 9, 2021.
  21. Web site: Three Days Grace - Radio Date. EarOne. January 21, 2022. October 2, 2022.