Roar (song)
Katy Perry released the song Roar on the 10th of August 2013. Capitol Records issued the track as the lead single from her fourth studio album Prism. The writing process began in March 2013 when Perry collaborated with Bonnie McKee and producers Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Cirkut. Recording sessions took place across four locations that month. These included Luke's in the Boo in Malibu, California, Playback Recording Studio in Santa Barbara, Secret Garden Studios in Montecito, and MXM Studios in Stockholm, Sweden. Serban Ghenea mixed the final track at MixStar Studios.
McKee described the composition to MTV as a female-empowerment anthem about picking oneself up after failure. Perry stated she wrote the lyrics following therapy sessions where she felt sick of keeping feelings inside. Musically, the track functions as power pop with arena rock elements. Musicnotes published the sheet music in B major with a moderate tempo of 90 beats per minute. Perry's vocal range spans from the low note B3 to the high note E5. The chord progression follows a pattern of B, Cm, Gm, E throughout the arrangement. Pounding pianos and booming bass drums drive the instrumentation forward.
Roar achieved massive commercial success globally within its first year. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry ranked it the fifth-best-selling single worldwide in 2013. By November 2019, total sales reached 15 million copies. In the United States alone, the song sold 6.6 million copies. It became Australia's best-selling song of the year with 560,000 units sold by December 2013. The Recording Industry Association of America certified Roar fifteen times platinum for combined sales and streaming equivalents. Brazil awarded five diamond certifications while Australia granted two diamond awards.
Chart performance varied across regions but remained consistently strong. The Billboard Hot 100 placed Roar at number one on the 14th of September 2013. It spent two weeks at the top position before Miley Cyrus's Wrecking Ball took over. Digital sales hit 557,000 copies during Perry's first week of release. This figure broke her previous record held by Firework which moved 509,000 units. The track also topped charts in Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, Israel, Lebanon, Scotland, Slovenia, South Korea, Austria, and the United Kingdom. In the UK, it sold 179,500 copies in its debut week ending the 8th of September 2013.
Filming for the official music video began on the 7th of August 2013 and concluded three days later. Grady Hall and Mark Kudsi directed the project at the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden. A lyric video appeared on YouTube on the 12th of August 2013. The full visual narrative premiered on Vevo on the 5th of September 2013. By May 2024, the video accumulated four billion views making it the most viewed music video by a female artist at that time.
The storyline depicts Perry and her negligent boyfriend crashing their plane into a jungle setting. Actor Brian Nagel plays the boyfriend who takes selfies while ignoring Perry's distress. She wanders through the forest encountering various animals including a tiger, crocodile, tarantula, monkey, and elephant. Perry eventually tames the tiger using a spear made from her stiletto heel. The tiger wears a collar reading Kitty Purry referencing Perry's real-life cat. Critics noted mixed reactions to the visuals with some calling the computer-generated imagery dopey or overly literal. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals accused Perry of animal cruelty though American Humane Association representatives confirmed no harm occurred during the three-day shoot.
Critics offered varied opinions upon Roar's release in August 2013. Miriam Coleman from Rolling Stone praised its easy poppy beat and repeated refrains as determined notes for the new album. James Montgomery of MTV News called it one of the more perfect pop songs to emerge recently. Gerrick D. Kennedy from Los Angeles Times described it as a sweet poppy confection with bite. Andrew Hampp from Billboard criticized lyrics that rarely rose above easy clichés and rhymes. Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine characterized the track as more of a yelp than a roar.
Plagiarism accusations surfaced immediately after publication when many listeners compared Roar to Sara Bareilles' Brave. Bareilles responded by stating she knew about Roar before its release and felt upset over negative spins on two artists sharing positive messages. Dr. Luke defended the songwriting timeline claiming Roar was written and recorded before Brave came out on the 14th of August 2013. Epic Records subsequently promoted Brave to mainstream radio format following the controversy. The music video received mixed reviews averaging approximately six out of ten points. Some critics found the campy elements appealing while others deemed the CGI dopey or the product placement excessive.
Television appearances included performances on Saturday Night Live on the 12th of October 2013 and The X Factor Australia on the 28th of October 2013. Perry sang at the Sydney Opera House the following day and appeared on German TV show Schlag den Raab on the 16th of November 2013. Technical difficulties interrupted her NRJ Music Awards performance on the 14th of December 2013 causing hosts to restart the track mid-song. Later highlights included Super Bowl XLIX halftime shows in Glendale, Arizona on the 1st of February 2015 and the One Love Manchester benefit concert on the 4th of June 2017. Most recently she performed at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on the 30th of January 2025 for FireAid relief efforts.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When did Katy Perry release the song Roar?
Katy Perry released the song Roar on the 10th of August 2013. Capitol Records issued the track as the lead single from her fourth studio album Prism.
Who wrote and produced the song Roar by Katy Perry?
The writing process began in March 2013 when Perry collaborated with Bonnie McKee and producers Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Cirkut. Recording sessions took place across four locations that month including Luke's in the Boo in Malibu, California, Playback Recording Studio in Santa Barbara, Secret Garden Studios in Montecito, and MXM Studios in Stockholm, Sweden.
How many copies of Katy Perry's song Roar were sold worldwide?
By November 2019, total sales reached 15 million copies. In the United States alone, the song sold 6.6 million copies.
What is the plot of the music video for Katy Perry's song Roar?
The storyline depicts Perry and her negligent boyfriend crashing their plane into a jungle setting where she wanders through the forest encountering various animals including a tiger, crocodile, tarantula, monkey, and elephant. Perry eventually tames the tiger using a spear made from her stiletto heel.
When did Katy Perry perform Roar at the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show?
Katy Perry performed at the Super Bowl XLIX halftime shows in Glendale, Arizona on the 1st of February 2015. She also appeared on German TV show Schlag den Raab on the 16th of November 2013.