"Good Days" is an R&B song by American singer-songwriter SZA which serves as the lead single and twenty-second song in her second studio album SOS. It was released on December 25, 2020, through Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records.
"Good Days" peaked at number nine on the Billboard Global 200; it was SZA's first song to chart in the top 10 of the Global 200. The song was also a top-10 hit in Australia, Ireland, Lithuania, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United States. "Good Days" was met with critical acclaim and was nominated for Best R&B Song at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.
Background and release[]
SZA first teased the song on July 15, 2020, via her Instagram stories.[1] "Good Days" was originally featured at the tail end of the music video for "Hit Different", released in September 2020, leading to speculation among listeners that it would serve as a B-side to that single.[2] On October 21, 2020, SZA explained that the song was "in clearance" for release.[3] A week before release, she confirmed the track to come out before 2021.[4] The song was eventually released as a surprise drop on Christmas Day 2020.[5]
Music and lyrics[]
From 2017 to the first half of 2019, recording for SZA's second album, SOS (2022) happened sporadically. She had been going on tour during those years, only finding the time to record when she felt like it.[6] In the two-year touring period, she recorded the lead single "Good Days" in 2018 with Lang at her Malibu house,[7] following a guitar and drums demo from Los Hendrix and Nascent one year prior.[8] SZA started writing the song during a session on Lang's birthday that year and "finished it randomly" in 2020.[9]
"Good Days" is an alternative R&B and alternative pop song.[10] Dubbed a "nostalgic track",[11] "Good Days" sees SZA singing about "former love, soul searching, and rejoicing carefreely" over "guitar-tinged riff plays",[12][13] while she makes use of her "dreamy vocals".[14] Compared to its predecessor, the song "manages to hit much more of a melodic, narrative-driven tone that puts it more in line with her Ctrl output".[15]
The ascending tone inserted at the end of the song is an easter egg of Jacob Collier's song "In Too Deep".[16]
Commercial performance[]
After its release in late–December 2020, "Good Days" peaked[17] within the top 10 of the Billboard Global 200 in January. It was SZA's first song to chart in the top 10 on the chart, and it did so in January 2021, with 32.3 million international streams and 4000 digital copies.[18]
In the United States, "Good Days" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 38 dated on January 9, 2021.[19] The song later reached a new peak at number nine on the Hot 100; it became SZA's first top-10 entry in a lead credit and her third overall, following "What Lovers Do"[note 1] and "All the Stars".[note 2][20] On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, "Good Days" marked SZA's second top-five entry, after "All the Stars".[21] On Billboard airplay charts, it entered on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, Rhythmic, and the pop-driven Mainstream Top 40, with peaks of 23,[22] 16,[23] and 33,[24] respectively. In April 2023, after selling over five million units, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the song quintuple platinum.[25]
"Good Days" debuted on multiple singles charts worldwide. It peaked at number three in New Zealand,[26] and number eight in Ireland[27] and Singapore.[28] The song reached the top 10 in Lithuania[29] and was the eighth most streamed international song in Malaysia for a week.[30] It became SZA's third top-10 entry in Australia[31] and was certified quadruple platinum for selling over 280,000 units.[32]
Accolades[]
| Publication | Accolade | Rank | Template:Tooltip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pitchfork | The 100 Best Songs of 2021 | 20 | [33] |
| Year | Organization | Award | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | MTV Video Music Awards | Best R&B | Nominated | [34] |
| 2022 | Grammy Awards | Best R&B Song | Nominated | [35] |
Music videos[]
Two music videos were released for "Good Days". Both videos were directed by SZA.
Official fan video[]
On January 13, 2021, SZA tweeted a request for fans to submit videos of their "happiest, saddest, [and] YOUR UGLIEST moments" to an email address, with a deadline of Saturday at midnight.[36] The fan video was released on February 10, 2021, and featured a compilation of videos submitted by fans lip-syncing to the song as well as featuring the aforementioned moments intercut with behind-the-scenes footage of the official video.
Music video[]
On March 5, 2021, the official music video was released. The video takes place with SZA experiencing a mushroom-induced psychedelic experience. It features scenes of SZA dancing while buried waist up in an oversized Alice in Wonderland-inspired garden and pole-dancing in a library. Jacob Collier cameos in the video as the man within the green television.[37] In a similar fashion to the video for "Hit Different", the video ends with a teaser of "Shirt" and features SZA pole-dancing at an empty gas station while bathed in pink lighting.[38][39][40][41]
Credits[]
Recording and management[]
- Recorded at SZA's house (Malibu, California)
Personnel[]
- Solána Rowe (SZA)Template:Spaced endash vocals, songwriting
- Carter LangTemplate:Spaced endash songwriting, production
- Christopher Ruelas (Nascent)Template:Spaced endash songwriting, production
- Carlos Munoz (Loshendrix)Template:Spaced endash songwriting, production
- Jacob Collier[lower-alpha 1]Template:Spaced endash songwriting
- Rob BiselTemplate:Spaced endash vocal production, recording
- Shawn EverettTemplate:Spaced endash mixing, mastering
- Joe ViscianoTemplate:Spaced endash vocal mixing
- Dale BeckerTemplate:Spaced endash mastering
- Katie HarveyTemplate:Spaced endash assistant mastering
- Noah McCorkleTemplate:Spaced endash assistant mastering
Note[]
- ↑ Contributed uncredited vocals
Charts[]
Weekly charts[]
|
Year-end charts[]
|
Certifications[]
Template:Certification Table Separator| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[32] | 4× Platinum | 280,000‡ |
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[70] | Diamond | 160,000‡ |
| Canada (Music Canada)[71] | 5× Platinum | 400,000‡ |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[72] | Gold | 0‡ |
| France (SNEP)[73] | Gold | 0‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[74] | 4× Platinum | 0‡ |
| Poland (ZPAV)[75] | Gold | 25,000‡ |
| Portugal (AFP)[76] | Platinum | 0‡ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[77] | Gold | 30,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[78] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[25] | 6× Platinum | 6,000,000‡ |
| Sweden (GLF)[79] | Gold | 4,000,000Template:Dagger |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Release history[]
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | December 25, 2020 |
|
RCA | [80] |
| United States | January 12, 2021 | Urban adult contemporary | [81] | |
| Italy | January 29, 2021 | Radio airplay | Sony | [82] |
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1: SZA]
Good day in my mind, safe to take a step out
Get some air now, let yo edge out
Too soon, I spoke
You be heavy in my mind, can you get the heck out?
I need rest now, got me bummed out
You so, you so, you
Baby, baby, babe
I've been on my empty mind shit
[Pre-Chorus: SZA]
I try to keep from losin' the rest of me
I worry that I wasted the best of me on you, babe
You don't care
Said, "Not tryna be a nuisance, this is urgent"
Tryna make sense of loose change
Got me a war in my mind
Gotta let go of weight, can't keep what's holdin' me
Choose to watch while the world break up in front of me
[Chorus: SZA, Jacob Collier & Both]
All the while, I'll await my armored fate with a smile
Still wanna try, still believe in
Good days, good days, always (Good days on my mind, good days on my mind)
Sunny inside (Always in my mind, always in my mind, mind)
Good day living in my mind
[Verse 2: SZA, Jacob Collier]
Tell me I'm not my fears, my limitations
I disappear if you let me
Feelin' like, yeah (On your own)
Feelin' like Jericho
Feelin' like Job when he lost his shit
Gotta hold my own, my cross to bear alone, I
Ooh, played and dipped, way to kill the mood
Know you like that shit
Can't groove it, ba-baby
Heavy on my empty mind shit
[Pre-Chorus: SZA]
I gotta keep from losin' the rest of me (Rest of me)
Still worry that I wasted the best of me on you, babe
You don't care
Said, "Not tryna be a nuisance, this is urgent" (It's urgent)
Tryna make sense of loose change
Got me a war in my mind (My mind)
Gotta let go of weight, can't keep what's holdin' me
Choose to watch while the world break up in front of me
[Chorus: SZA, Jacob Collier & Both]
All the while, I'll await my armored fate with a smile
Still wanna try, still believe in
Good days, good days, always (Good days on my mind, good days on my mind)
Sunny inside (Always in my mind, always in my mind, mind)
Good day living in my mind
[Verse 3: SZA]
Gotta get right
Tryna free my mind before the end of the world
I don't miss no ex, I don't miss no text
I choose not to respond
I don't regret, just pretend shit never happened
Half of us layin' waste to our youth, it's in the present
(Na-na, na-na, na-na, na)
Half of us chasin' fountains of youth and it's in the present now
[Outro: Jacob Collier]
Always in my mind, always in my mind, mind
You've been making me feel like I'm
Always in my mind, always in my mind, mind
Notes[]
References[]
- ↑ Cho, Regina (December 25, 2020). SZA shares new single "Good Days".
- ↑ Bloom, Madison (December 25, 2020). SZA Shares New Song "Good Days": Listen.
- ↑ Langford, Jackson (October 22, 2020). SZA says unreleased song at end of 'Hit Different' video is "in clearance" for release.
- ↑ Higgins, Keenan (December 18, 2020). SZA Hints That "Good Days" Single Will Arrive Before 2021.
- ↑ Kiefer, Halle (December 25, 2020). SZA Drops Her New Single 'Good Days' to Enjoy on Your Christmas Days.
- ↑ Template:Cite podcast
- ↑ Your favorite artist's favorite artist: How SZA went from cult star to pop superstar (en-US) (2023-02-23).
- ↑ Shannon, Delisa (2022-03-30). "The Making of SZA's 'Good Days'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ↑ @sza (December 26, 2020). "I started it on @carterplaysbass birthday 12/11. all my music friends have sessions for their bdays always fun . finished it randomly recently" (Tweet). Retrieved December 27, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ↑ TRACK REVIEW: SZA - Good Days (December 27, 2020).
- ↑ Waite, Thom (December 25, 2020). Listen to SZA's new song, 'Good Days'.
- ↑ Duong, Paul "Big Homie" (December 25, 2020). New Music: SZA "Good Days".
- ↑ Caraan, Sophie (December 26, 2020). SZA Still Believes in "Good Days" With New Single.
- ↑ Navjosh (December 25, 2020). SZA Unveils New Song 'Good Days': Listen.
- ↑ White, Caitlin (December 25, 2020). SZA Just Dropped 'Good Days,' Her Second New Song Of 2020.
- ↑ Good Days by SZA.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Billboard Global 200 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
- ↑ Trust, Gary (2021-01-19). "Olivia Rodrigo's 'Drivers License' Launches Atop Both Billboard Global Charts". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
- ↑ "Good Days by SZA | Billboard The Hot 100 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
- ↑ Trust, Gary (January 19, 2021). "Morgan Wallen, SZA Hit Hot 100's Top 10, Chris Brown & Young Thug Rule Radio Songs". Billboard. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
- ↑ Anderson, Trevor (2022-11-09). "SZA's 'Shirt' Starts in Top 10 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 "SZA Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 "SZA Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 "SZA Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 American single certifications – SZA – Good Days. Recording Industry Association of America.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 "SZA – Good Days". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 Template:Digits/ie7501/ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 RIAS Top Charts - Week 4 (22 - 28 Jan 2021) (en). Recording Industry Association Singapore.
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 2021 4-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100) (lt). AGATA (January 29, 2021).
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 #RIMChart Top 20 Most Streamed International + Domestic song Week 4 (22/01/21- 28/01/21). Instagram.Template:Cbignore
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 "SZA – Good Days". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles. Australian Recording Industry Association.
- ↑ Blum, Dani (December 6, 2021). The 100 Best Songs of 2021. Pitchfork.
- ↑ Martoccio, Angie (August 11, 2021). "2021 MTV VMAs: Justin Bieber, Megan Thee Stallion, Olivia Rodrigo Lead Nominations". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- ↑ Horton, Adrian (2022-04-03). "Grammy awards 2022: list of winners". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-05-17.
- ↑ SZA Asked Fans To Submit Clips For Her 'Good Days' Video (en-US) (January 14, 2021).
- ↑ @jacobcollier (March 7, 2021). The unreal @sza just dropped the official video for 'Good Days'!! SZA sent me the demo for this song last year, to my definitive flabbergastedness, asking if I wanted to record any harmonies. I recorded these tracks and sent them back. The fact that this song now has 300,000,000 streams across all platforms blows my actual mind. I'm so proud of what it has become, and of SZA's incandescent vision. If you peer closely at the video she dropped yesterday, you'll find me within the green television 😊.Template:Cbignore
- ↑ SZA Shares Fantasy Dreamland Visuals for "Good Days" Video (en).
- ↑ "SZA Takes a Mushroom-Fueled Trip to Wonderland in 'Good Days' Video". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ↑ Kiefer, Halle (March 5, 2021). Spring Has Sprung in SZA's 'Good Days' Music Video (en-us).
- ↑ Kinnett, Tristan (March 8, 2021). SZA Trips Out in New Video for "Good Days" (en).
- ↑ "SZA – Good Days" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
- ↑ "SZA – Good Days" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
- ↑ "SZA – Good Days" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
- ↑ "SZA Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
- ↑ "SZA – Good Days". Tracklisten. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ↑ 47.0 47.1 Pennanen, Timo (2021). "SZA". Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 (PDF). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 252. Retrieved June 18, 2022.
- ↑ "SZA – Good Days" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ↑ Tónlistinn – Lög (is). Plötutíðindi.
- ↑ Tipparade-lijst van week 8, 2021 (nl). Dutch Top 40.
- ↑ "SZA – Good Days" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
- ↑ "SZA – Good Days". VG-lista. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ↑ "SZA – Good Days". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
- ↑ ČNS IFPI. IFPI ČR.
- ↑ "SZA – Good Days". Singles Top 100. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
- ↑ "SZA – Good Days". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
- ↑ Template:Digits/7501/ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
- ↑ Template:Digits/114/ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
- ↑ "SZA Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
- ↑ "SZA Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
- ↑ ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2021. Australian Recording Industry Association.
- ↑ "Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
- ↑ "Billboard Global 200 – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
- ↑ Tónlistinn – Lög – 2021 (is). Plötutíðindi.
- ↑ Top Selling Singles of 2021. Recorded Music NZ.
- ↑ Top 1000 Singles + EPs Digitais: Semanas 01 a 52 de 2021 (pt). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa.
- ↑ End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2021. Official Charts Company.
- ↑ "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
- ↑ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
- ↑ Brazilian single certifications – SZA – Good Days (Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil.
- ↑ Canadian single certifications – SZA – Good Days. Music Canada.
- ↑ Danish single certifications – SZA – Good Days. IFPI Danmark.
- ↑ French single certifications – SZA – Good Days (French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
- ↑ New Zealand single certifications – SZA – Good Days. Recorded Music NZ.
- ↑ OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień (Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter Good Days in the search box.
- ↑ Portuguese single certifications – SZA – Good Days (Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa.
- ↑ Spanish single certifications – SZA – Good Days. Productores de Música de España.
- ↑ British single certifications – SZA – Good Days. British Phonographic Industry.
- ↑ Sverigetopplistan – SZA (Swedish). Sverigetopplistan.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedauto - ↑ Urban/UAC Future Releases (en).
- ↑ Pagura, Chiara. SZA "Good Days" | (Radio Date: 29/01/2021) (it).