"Drivers License" (stylized inall lowercase) is the debut single by American singer-songwriterOlivia Rodrigo. It was released on January 8, 2021, byGeffen andInterscope Records, as the lead single from her debut studio albumSour. She wrote the song alongside producerDan Nigro. Containing poignant lyrics detailing heartache, "Drivers License" is apower ballad blendingpop,bedroom pop,alt-pop,indie pop, andpower pop styles. It is characterized by aminimalist, piano-led production, incorporatingkick drums, harmonies,syncopated hand-claps, and a dreamybridge. One of 2021's most successful songs, "Drivers License" launched Rodrigo's music career.
The song documents the "multifaceted" emotions Rodrigo endured after a heartbreak. She teased the song on her social media for many months in 2020, before announcing it on January 4, 2021. The official music video was posted toYouTube alongside the song's release, in which Rodrigo drives around a suburban area after receiving herdriver's license and reminisces about her memories of the song's subject, who encouraged her to obtain the license. "Drivers License" was met with widespread critical acclaim; praise centered on Rodrigo's cathartic songwriting, emotional vocals, and the song's stirring production, with many underscoring itsTaylor Swift andLorde influences. The song wonBest Pop Solo Performance at the2022 Grammy Awards, where it was also nominated forRecord of the Year andSong of the Year.
"Drivers License" broke a string of records, including theSpotify record for the most single-day streams for a non-holiday song (achieved on its fourth day of release) and the biggest first-week for a song on Spotify andAmazon Music. The song topped the USBillboard Hot 100 and made Rodrigo the youngest artist ever to debut atop the chart. The song spent eight consecutive weeks at number one. It has beencertified six-times platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Elsewhere, "Drivers License" reached number one in 25 countries, as well as spending multiple weeks atop the charts in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. It also peaked within the top ten in Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, South Africa and various others. As of November 2025, the song has over 2.67 billion streams onSpotify,[1] ranking amongstthe 100 most streamed songs on the platform.
When I came up with 'Drivers License', I was going through a heartbreak that was so confusing to me, so multifaceted. Putting all those feelings into a song made everything seem so much simpler and clearer—and at the end of the day, I think that's the whole purpose of songwriting. There’s nothing like sitting at the piano in my bedroom and writing a really sad song. It’s truly my favorite thing in the world.
— Rodrigo on the origins of "Drivers License",Uproxx[3]
She teased the song for many months in 2020,[3] including some lyrics onInstagram.[4] She posted a snippet, captioned "Wrote dis the other day. vv close to my heart. gonna call it drivers license I think lol", where she plays the song on a piano.[5] The song was announced on January 4.[6] The song was released to alldigital music andstreaming platforms four days later, alongside a music video onYouTube.[7] It is the lead single to her debutstudio albumSour, which Rodrigo had originally planned to be anEP.[5] "Drivers License" impacted UScontemporary hit radio on January 19.[8]
A 24-second sample of thebridge in "Drivers License", which critics deemed the highlight of the song. It consists of Rodrigo's layered vocals over syncopated drum beats.
Steered by piano, "Drivers License" is an atmosphericpower ballad[9] that has been described as apop,[10]bedroom pop,[11][12]alt-pop,[13]indie pop,[14] andpower pop song,[15] with elements offolk andindie rock.[16] It was inspired by the disorienting emotions Rodrigo felt after a recent breakup.[3][2] She wrote the song with its producer,Daniel Nigro.[17] The song is written in the key ofB♭ major and has a fasttempo of 144 beats per minute, with double time kick drum and claps on the second verse and lead-in.[18] Rodrigo's vocal range on the song spans from the low note ofG3 to the high note ofF5.[19] Lyrically, the song has Rodrigo drive through a suburban area, upset and angry, pondering whether any of the subject's feelings were ever true.[20] The lyrics make prevalent use ofpersonal deixis, with 74% of the song beingpersonal pronouns, to further emphasize Rodrigo's intimate thoughts on the heartbreak.[21]
The song begins with the sound of Rodrigo's mother's car engine starting,[22] followed by a "door ajar" chime that fades into a pulsing pianokey. Rodrigo deliverssoprano vocals that grow into "cathartic howls of pain" as the song progresses, along with a swellingcrescendo followed by an emotional chorus.[16] Theminimalist instrumentation[16] also consists ofsyncopated hand-claps and stompingharmonies, and reaches its peak in a richbridge of layered vocals with the catchphrase "I still fuckin' love you".[23][20][24] As stated by Rodrigo, the song hasLorde andTaylor Swift influences,[25] which was also noted by critics.[26] Rodrigo also stated that the EPMinor (2020) by American singer-songwriterGracie Abrams inspired the musical style of "Drivers License".[27]
In an interview withVogue magazine, Rodrigo acknowledged the song had grammatical errors, including the lack of an apostrophe ("Drivers License" vs "Driver's License") and the contradictorydouble negative: "I've never felt this way for no one".[28]
"Drivers License" received critical acclaim upon its release.[16][29] Spencer Kornhaber ofThe Atlantic called it "The Breakout Pop Song of the Year".[30]Clash critic Robin Murray dubbed the song a "sensational pop statement, an impeccable melodic moment right from the off". He praised its firm songwriting and atmospheric production.[10] Matthew Kent, writing forThe Line of Best Fit, complimented the song's euphoric sound and poignant lyricism, and asserted that the single is packed with "emotional punch after emotional punch". They dubbed the song a "stunning" and "stirring" debut single.[31] Kelsie Gibson ofPopSugar opined that the song gives off "majorLorde andTaylor Swift" influences, who are two of Rodrigo's musical inspirations.[32]Stereogum critic Chris DeVille described "Drivers License" as a cinematic and old-fashionedpower ballad, a "primeSpotify-core sadgirl fare" that starts "as a tremblingPhoebe Bridgers song" and concludes as a "resplendentFolklore track".[16]
Listing it amongst best new music,Teen Vogue's Claire Dodson commented that Rodrigo employs soaring vocals, and capture "small details" in the song. Dodson thought the song channels "the songwriting prowess she already brings to the table".[9] Naming it one of the "10 Cool New Pop Songs to Get You Through The Week",Billboard writers Gab Linsberg and Jason Lipshutz branded "Drivers License" the type of debut single "that aspiring artists dream of", where Rodrigo perfects her heartbreak's "fragility and heightened emotion". They commended the singer's range in the song, swinging between thecrescendo's "stomp-clap harmonies" and thebridge's "choked-up balladry".[23] Ellise Shafer ofVariety found the song relatable and vulnerable, and complimented its production and vocal performance. Shafer noted it as "a must-hear for any pop enthusiast".[33]
Calling the song an "early contender for song of the year",Rolling Stone critic Brittany Spanos noted that the production of "Drivers License" is reminiscent of Lorde'sMelodrama (2017), while the lyrics and "detailed" storytelling channel Swift'sFearless (2008). Spanos lauded Rodrigo's songwriting skills and emotional potency at age 17, and added that "she could likely become pop's next great raconteur".[20] Justin Curto ofVulture opined that "Drivers License" mixes "the intimate arrangements ofFolklore andEvermore with the high stakes pop ofLover, tying it all together with a dramatic, Swiftian bridge". He also added that Rodrigo's calm vocals sound likeBillie Eilish, while her anthemic moments recall Lorde, with hints ofAlessia Cara.[34] Jared Richards ofJunkee stated that the song has "an irreducible quality, capturing a very specific heartbreak", blending "the slow-build piano-belters and bridge breakdowns of Lorde'sMelodrama with Swiftian songwriting", and regarded it 2021's "Big Pop Moment".[35]
In May 2021,Billboard ranked "Drivers License" third on their ranking of the "100 Greatest SongBridges of the 21st Century",[36] and in June 2021, they ranked the song as the best song of 2021 so far, with Rania Aniftos calling the song "the start of Rodrigo's reign as pop's most captivating new storyteller".[37]
Insider Inc. named "Drivers License" as "the year's defining hit".[38]Associated Press placed it on their "Top Songs of 2021" list: "Anyone who's ever had their heart broken will feel how 18-year-old Olivia Rodrigo feels on this aching Grammy-nominated hit."[39]Marie Claire placed it on their "The 16 Best Sad Songs of 2021 to Play When You're Feeling Down" list.[40]Vogue Scandinavia placed it on their "12 best songs of 2021" list: "Capturing the essence of an entire generation's perception of youth, anxiety, and teen love — all in a blue and purple tint — Ms Rodrigo set herself on the map as one of the 21st century's most prolific songwriters and storytellers."[41]Digg ranked it at number 10 based on their compilation of 2021 Top 10 best songs lists from different websites and magazines.[42] In 2024, "Drivers License" was placed number 377 inRolling Stone's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list,[43] and number 14 inBillboard's list of "75 Best Breakup Songs of All Time".[44]
"Drivers License" was met with widespread commercial success worldwide, with publications calling it the year's biggest hit in early 2021.[61][62][63] Upon release, the song reached number one on internationalSpotify,Apple Music andAmazon Music songs charts.[33]Billboard reported that, in its first three days in the US, the song sold over 16,000digital downloads and received more than 21 millionstreams. Compared to its release day, the song's total streams increased by 122% on its second day, and rose another 32% in its third day.[64]
The song broke the Spotify record for most one-day streams for a non-holiday song, with over 15 million global streams on its fourth day (January 11, 2021). The next day, it extended its record with over 17 million streams. It also broke the record for fastest song to reach 100 million streams on Spotify.[65] "Drivers License" went on to break the Spotify record for most streams of a song in a single week, with over 65 million streams in the week ending January 14, 2021. It also broke the record for the biggest global first-week streams for a song inAmazon Music history,[66] and became the most requested song of a single day onAlexa.[11]
"Drivers License" also reached number one on bothBillboard Global andBillboard Global Excl. U.S. charts, generating 130 million streams and 49,000 sales with the former, and 54.5 million streams and 12,000 sales on the latter. It marked the highest weekly streaming total in the world for a song by a female artist, with 130.06 million streams, surpassing the 130.042 million sum forMariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You".[67] The song topped both the global charts for three consecutive weeks, becoming the first song by a female artist to do so ever since the charts' inauguration, and the second overall after "Dákiti" (2020) byBad Bunny andJhay Cortez.[68] It stayed atop both the charts for eight consecutive weeks.[69]
"Drivers License" debuted atop theBillboard Hot 100, giving Rodrigo her first number-one single in the United States, and making her the first female artist sinceCarrie Underwood to have their first single debut at number-one on the chart.[70][71] It marked her second entry on the chart, after "All I Want". It collected 76.1 million streams, 38,000digital downloads, and 8.1 million airplay impressions in its opening week. SurpassingJawsh 685, who topped the chart with "Savage Love (Laxed - Siren Beat)" (2020), Rodrigo became the most-recently-born artist to top the Hot 100, and the youngest sinceBillie Eilish, who achieved it with "Bad Guy" (2019), and is the youngest artist ever to debut atop the Hot 100.[72] "Drivers License" topped theBillboardStreaming Songs andDigital Song Sales charts as well, staying atop both for three consecutive weeks.[73]Billboard noted the song as one of the most dominant number-one hits of all time, garnering more than double the Hot 100 units of its closest competitor, "Mood" (2020).[74] "Drivers License" spent eight consecutive weeks atop the Hot 100; it became the seventh single in the chart's history to have debuted at number one and spend at least its first eight weeks at the spot.[75]
As of July 2021, "Drivers License" was the most streamed song of 2021 so far, with 582.8 million on-demand streams. It is also the most streamed audio track (460.2 million), the most watched video (122.6 million views), the sixth best-selling digital song (199,000 downloads), and the eighth biggest song across all formats of radio (1.227 billion audience impressions).[76][77] As of June 2023, "Drivers License" has been certified 6× Platinum in the US by theRIAA with 6,000,000 units.[78]
In the United Kingdom, "Drivers License" debuted at the top of theUK Singles Chart dated January 21, 2021, earning 2.407 million total streams on January 12, 2021, alone. The song broke the record for highest single-day streams in British history for a non-Christmas song, surpassing the previous record held byEd Sheeran's "Shape of You" (2017). With 95,000 units moved in its first week, "Drivers License" also had the biggest opening week for a number one debut single on the UK Singles Chart sinceZayn Malik's "Pillowtalk" (2016). "Drivers License" spent nine weeks at the top of the UK Singles Chart, becoming the longest run at the top for a solo female artist sinceTones and I' s "Dance Monkey" spent eleven consecutive weeks at the top in 2019. Spurred by "Drivers License", "All I Want" reached number 32, marking her second top-40 entry in the UK.[79][80][81]
In Ireland, "Drivers License" debuted at the top of theIrish Singles Chart. It was the country's most downloaded and streamed song its first two weeks, outperforming the rest of the top five combined. It remained at number one for nine consecutive weeks; "All I Want" charted simultaneously, reaching a new peak of number 16.[82][83]
In Australia, "Drivers License" debuted at the top of theARIA Singles Chart dated January 24, 2021, scoring Rodrigo her first number one song in Australia. In doing so, the song became the first debut single to top the ARIA Singles Chart sinceHarry Styles' "Sign of the Times" in 2017.[61] "Drivers License" spent six consecutive weeks atop the chart.[84]
A still from the music video, in which Rodrigo drives a car through a suburban neighborhood at night
The video, directed by Matthew Dillon Cohen,[85] adopts avignette aesthetic and depicts Rodrigo's healing from heartbreak. She receives her driver's license in the video, but instead of going to her old lover's house like she used to dream of, she finds herself aimlessly cruising suburban side streets. Rodrigo reminisces about moments from her brief relationship. At the beginning of the video, she is embraced by the happy memories only, but eventually, all the toxic traits of her ex-partner confront her. The video received positive comments from critics for its visuals.[32][3]
When we were talking about the audience that [Rodrigo] had prior to the release—that's a very young, female, engaged audience. So they really sort of sparked the flame. But now what you have is it traveling well beyond that audience. And obviouslysocial media platforms have helped that, but I think justword of mouth. This is a song you're talking about with everyone right now. Everyone's listening to it, everyone's obsessing over it.
"Drivers License" has been credited with launching Rodrigo's music career.[87] The instant commercial success of the song upon its release has been attributed to the rise ofniche market forbedroom pop, the song's emotional lyricism and appeal,TikTok, thetabloid journalism andsocial media speculation surrounding the song, and Rodrigo'sDisney career.The Indian Express opined that song is a part of theDIY movement in the music industry, where young artists (mostlypost-millennials), such as Rodrigo,Billie Eilish, andTate McRae, are capable of making music of "near-studio quality" without leaving the house.[11] Commenting on the song's unprecedented success, Spotify's Becky Bass stated that "We've never seen anything like this, where you do have a newer artist that just comes out of the gate in such a dominant way, and just continues to grow".[86]
Paper remarked that the song is a "product of years of pop trends" that resonates with millions of listeners, similar to the rise of Eilish in 2019,Lorde in 2013, orTaylor Swift in the late 2000s, but occurred instantly in Rodrigo's case, because of recent technological innovations like TikTok that has altered the course of the music industry. The TikTok hashtag "#driverslicense" amassed over 888.5 million views in one week.Paper also highlighted consumers' interest in the song's romantic background (a phenomenon of listeners being invested in the drama between Disney co-stars) as a factor for the song's success.[88]The New York Times writer Joe Coscarelli wrote that the song was spurred not only by its quality, but also the gossips surrounding it, paired with the label's marketing plan, and support from celebrities like Swift. He noted the autobiographical song bolstered tabloids and listeners to "piece together its real-life parallels", while TikTok videos led to social media posts, "which led to streams, which led to news articles, and back around again", generating an "unbeatable" feedback loop. Coscarelli added that, similar toBritney Spears,Justin Timberlake,Christina Aguilera,Miley Cyrus,Demi Lovato, andSelena Gomez, Rodrigo took "her experiences within the Disney machine and attempted to translate them for a broader, more adult audience".[89]
Stereogum's Chris DeVille found Rodrigo to be an example of "actor-turned-pop stars" who profit off their best-known roles, such as herBizaardvark andHigh School Musical: The Musical: The Series, which "created a massive built-in audience for a prospective Rodrigo music career"; "Drivers License" maximized this interest by referencing the "behind-the-scenes drama" involvingJoshua Bassett, who co-stars with Rodrigo inHigh School Musical: The Musical: The Series, andSabrina Carpenter. DeVille added that the song "will haveripple effects" that affect the industry in 2021 and beyond, as its bedroom pop sound is challenginghip-hop's dominance on streaming platforms.[16] Douglas Greenwood, writing forI-D, asserted that "Drivers License" contains "all of the old-school ingredients of a hit".[90]
Insider dubbed the song an "early 2021 cultural touchstone", citing its "sad girl appeal" echoing Generation Z (similar to Lorde and Eilish), the celebrity romance associated with its lyrics (like that of Swift), the song's cinematicbridge, its TikTok popularity, and radio friendliness as contributing factors to the song's success.[91] Music journalist Laura Snapes, writing forThe Guardian, wrote "Drivers License" is the "epitome of new-school pop songwriting", in which power ballads are sonically intimate and subdued, rather than bombastic, with lyrics delving into specific and complex emotions.[92] On Rodrigo's 18th birthday, the February 20, 2021 episode ofSaturday Night Live included a skit in which English actorRegé-Jean Page and six other male cast members recited the song's lyrics.[93] Responding to the tabloid speculation around the song's subjects, Rodrigo stated: "I put it out not knowing that it would get that reaction, so it was really strange [when] it did. I just remember [everyone being] so weird and speculative about stuff they had no idea about. I don't really subscribe to hating other women because of boys. I think that's so stupid, and I really resent that narrative that was being tossed around."[93]
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 3. týden 2021 in the date selector. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
^Arvunescu, Victor (March 15, 2021)."Top Airplay 100 - Tiesto face legea pe primul loc!" [Top Airplay 100 – Tiesto makes the law from atop the chart!] (in Romanian). Un site de muzică.Archived from the original on March 15, 2021. RetrievedMarch 16, 2021.
^"ČNS IFPI". IFPI ČR. Note: Select SK SINGLES DIGITAL TOP 100 and insert 20213 into search.Archived from the original on November 3, 2020. RetrievedApril 5, 2021.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 9. týden 2021 in the date selector. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
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