Sicko Mode
"Sicko Mode" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Travis Scott featuring Drake | ||||
from the album Astroworld | ||||
B-side | "Sicko Mode (Skrillex Remix)" | |||
Released | August 21, 2018 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 5:12 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | ||||
Travis Scott singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Sicko Mode" on YouTube | ||||
Audio sample | ||||
"Sicko Mode" (stylized in all caps) is a song by American rapper Travis Scott. It features vocals from Canadian rapper Drake,[a][3] who was credited on Apple Music but not on the Billboard Hot 100. It was originally released by Epic Records on August 3, 2018 as the third track from Astroworld (2018), before being released as the second single on August 21. It features additional uncredited vocals by American rapper and singer Swae Lee and late American rapper Big Hawk.[4][5]
Sicko Mode was Scott's first number one single on the US Billboard Hot 100, although Drake is not credited on the Billboard charts,[4][6] as well as the first hip-hop song in history to spend at least 30 weeks in the chart's top ten region. It was universally acclaimed by critics, and received nominations for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.
The song contains a sample from "Gimme the Loot", written by The Notorious B.I.G. and Easy Mo Bee, as performed by the former and an interpolation from "I Wanna Rock", written and performed by Uncle Luke.[7][8] On December 9, 2020, the song was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Composition
The song is in three distinct movements. There is the first movement, which starts from the beginning of the song to the one minute mark. The second movement starts at the one minute mark and ends a few seconds shy of the three minute mark. The third movement starts at the three minute mark to the end of the song. The first movement is written in the key of B-flat major, the second movement is written in the key of F-sharp minor, and the third movement is composed in the key of E-flat minor.[9] The first movement reminiscences about a time with friends in winter. The second movement reminisces about past relationships with women. The third movement reminisces about the singer's high school years, but now works as a fixed base operator. The overall theme of the song is about reminiscing about past events in the singers lives.
Critical reception
"Sicko Mode" received critical acclaim, with some critics considering it the highlight of Astroworld. Writing for Rolling Stone, Christopher R. Weingarten deemed the "hard-knocking" track the "album highlight",[10] while Brendan Klinkenberg from the same magazine described it as "the apex of Scott's synthetic instincts".[11] Brian Josephs of Entertainment Weekly called it a "mini-suite of bangers".[12] Roisin O'Connor of The Independent felt Drake "sounds more important on this record than he did at any point on his own recent release, Scorpion, with a ballsy, confident flow".[13]
Chart performance
"Sicko Mode" debuted at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100,[14] It reached number two following the release of its music video, first behind "Girls Like You" by Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B,[15] and then behind "Thank U, Next" by Ariana Grande. It later became his first number one on the issue dated December 8, 2018, after seventeen weeks in the top 10, aided in part by the Skrillex remix.[4] The single also became his first top 10 on the Radio Songs chart.[16] It finished 3rd in Triple J's Hottest 100 2018.[17] Reflecting on its commercial impact, Billboard magazine's Andrew Unterberger called the song "a three-part prog-rap odyssey that would've been unimaginable as a radio single years earlier, but which got audiences so hyped with its unexpected beat switches and back-and-forth hooks that the pop world had no choice but to meet it halfway".[2]
Music video
The music video for "Sicko Mode" was directed by Dave Meyers and Travis Scott. It was released on October 19, 2018. The video starts off with Scott's red head on a building while a camera zooms into it, and cuts to the next scene of people getting back into some multi-colored houses. Following scenes show Drake walking a dog while being burned by an eclipse and Scott riding a horse. The video ends with Drake and Scott walking away.[18] As of May 2022, the video has over a billion views.[19]
Live performances
Travis Scott performed the song at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards[20] and the Super Bowl LIII halftime show.[21]
Remixes and covers
On November 28, 2018, an electronic remix by American record producer Skrillex was released.[22][23] The remix's accompanying audio and lyric videos were released to Scott's and Skrillex's YouTube channels on the same day.
On February 28, 2020, Swae Lee released the single "Someone Said", based on his line from the song.[24]
Personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal and liner notes.[25]
Performance
- Travis Scott – vocals, songwriting
- Drake – vocals, songwriting
- Swae Lee – additional vocals, songwriting
- Big Hawk – additional vocals, songwriting
Production
- Rogét Chahayed – production, songwriting (Part I)[26]
- Hit-Boy – production, songwriting (Part I)[26]
- OZ – production, songwriting (Part II)[26]
- Cubeatz – production, songwriting (Part II)[27]
- Tay Keith – production, songwriting (Part III)[26]
- Mike Dean – production assistance, songwriting
- Mirsad Dérvic – programming, songwriting
- Cydel Young – songwriting
Technical
- Travis Scott – recording engineer, mixing
- Ben Sedano – assistant engineer
- Jimmy Cash – assistant engineer
- Jon Scher – assistant engineer
- Sean Solymor – assistant engineer
- Mike Dean – mixing, mastering
Additional songwriting credits as pertaining to the samples: "I Wanna Rock" as performed by Luke, written by Luther Campbell, Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch; and "Gimme the Loot" as performed by The Notorious B.I.G., written by Christopher Wallace, Osten Harvey, Bryan Higgins, Trevor Smith, James Jackson, Malik Taylor, Keith Elam, Christopher Martin, Kamaal Fareed, Ali Shaheed Jones-Muhammad, Tyrone Taylor, Fred Scruggs, Kirk Jones and Chylow Parker.
Track listing
A-side
- "Sicko Mode" – 5:13
B-side
- "Sicko Mode" (Skrillex Remix) – 5:05
Charts
Weekly charts |
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[85] | 9× Platinum | 630,000‡ |
Austria (IFPI Austria)[86] | Platinum | 30,000‡ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[87] | Diamond | 160,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada)[88] | 9× Platinum | 720,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[89] | Platinum | 90,000‡ |
France (SNEP)[90] | Diamond | 333,333‡ |
Germany (BVMI)[91] | Gold | 200,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI)[92] | 2× Platinum | 140,000‡ |
Mexico (AMPROFON)[93] | 3× Platinum | 180,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[94] | 2× Platinum | 60,000‡ |
Poland (ZPAV)[95] | 4× Platinum | 200,000‡ |
Portugal (AFP)[96] | 3× Platinum | 30,000‡ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[97] | Platinum | 40,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[98] | 2× Platinum | 1,200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[99] | Diamond | 10,000,000‡ |
Streaming | ||
Greece (IFPI Greece)[100] | 2× Platinum | 4,000,000† |
Sweden (GLF)[101] | Gold | 4,000,000† |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Accolades
Publication | Rank | Ref. |
---|---|---|
Pitchfork | 19
|
[102] |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Version | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States | August 21, 2018 | Rhythmic contemporary radio | Original | [103] | |
Urban contemporary radio | [104] | ||||
Various | November 28, 2018 | Digital download | Skrillex remix | [105] |
Notes
References
- ^ "'Sicko Mode' is Travis Scott Doing What Travis Scott Does Best". Rolling Stone.
- ^ a b Unterberger, Andrew (December 12, 2019). "2018 Was the Year That... Hip-Hop Took Its Victory Lap". Billboard. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
- ^ "Here are the full album credits for Travis Scott's ASTROWORLD". The Fader. August 3, 2018. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
- ^ a b c Trust, Gary (December 3, 2018). "Travis Scott Scores First Billboard Hot 100 Leader: 'What's More 'Sicko Mode' Than Going No. 1?!'". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
- ^ "'Sicko Mode' is Travis Scott Doing What Travis Scott Does Best". Rolling Stone. August 9, 2018. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
- ^ "Drake". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
- ^ "Here Are All the Samples Travis Scott Used on 'Astroworld'". Hypebeast. August 6, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
- ^ "How Travis Scott's 'Astroworld' Embraces His Southern Rap Roots Like Never Before". Billboard. August 7, 2018. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- ^ Travis Scott "Sicko Mode" Sheet Music
- ^ Weingarten, Christopher (August 7, 2018). "Review: Travis Scott Starts Living Up to His Ambitions on 'Astroworld'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
- ^ Klinkenberg, Brendan (August 9, 2018). "'Sicko Mode' is Travis Scott Doing What Travis Scott Does Best". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 22, 2018.
- ^ Josephs, Brian (August 6, 2018). "Travis Scott 'Astroworld': EW Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
- ^ O'Connor, Roisin (August 6, 2018). "Travis Scott, Astroworld album review: Lightyears ahead of his peers". The Independent. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
- ^ Trust, Gary (August 13, 2018). "Drake Rules Billboard Hot 100 for Fifth Week With 'In My Feelings,' Travis Scott Debuts Two Songs in Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
- ^ Trust, Gary (October 29, 2018). "Maroon 5 and Cardi B Rule Billboard Hot 100 For Sixth Week, Post Malone and Swae Lee Debut in Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2018.
- ^ "Ariana Grande's 'Thank U, Next' Tops Hot 100 For Second Week, Panic! at the Disco's 'High Hopes' Hits Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved 2018-11-19.
- ^ "Hottest 100 2018". Triple J. 11 November 2018. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ Holmes, Charles (October 19, 2018). "'Sicko Mode' Is the 'Citizen Kane' of Travis Scott Music Videos". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
- ^ Video on YouTube
- ^ Holmes, Charles (August 20, 2018). "Travis Scott's VMA Performance Was A Thrilling Theme Park Adventure and with the Astroworld Experience". MTV News.
- ^ "Travis Scott crowd surfs during Super Bowl LIII halftime performance". NFL.com. Retrieved 2022-08-31.
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- ^ "ARIA End of Year Singles 2018". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
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- ^ "EESTI TIPP-100 MUUSIKAS Neid artiste ja lugusid kuulati möödunud aastal Eestis kõige rohkem". Eesti Ekspress (in Estonian). January 18, 2019. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
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- ^ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved March 5, 2021. Type Travis Scott in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Sicko Mode in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
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External links
- 2018 singles
- 2018 songs
- Travis Scott songs
- Drake (musician) songs
- Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
- Epic Records singles
- Music videos directed by Dave Meyers (director)
- Song recordings produced by Cubeatz
- Songs written by Cyhi the Prynce
- Song recordings produced by Hit-Boy
- Song recordings produced by Mike Dean (record producer)
- Song recordings produced by Tay Keith
- Songs written by Ali Shaheed Muhammad
- Songs written by Busta Rhymes
- Songs written by DJ Premier
- Songs written by Drake (musician)
- Songs written by Easy Mo Bee
- Songs written by Harry Wayne Casey
- Songs written by Hit-Boy
- Songs written by Kevin Gomringer
- Songs written by Mike Dean (record producer)
- Songs written by Phife Dawg
- Songs written by Q-Tip (musician)
- Songs written by Richard Finch (musician)
- Songs written by Rogét Chahayed
- Songs written by Swae Lee
- Songs written by the Notorious B.I.G.
- Songs written by Tim Gomringer
- Songs written by Travis Scott
- Cactus Jack Records singles
- Grand Hustle Records singles
- Swae Lee songs