Riptide (Vance Joy song)

"Riptide"
Single by Vance Joy
from the EP God Loves You When You're Dancing
Released21 May 2013
RecordedMay 2011
Genre
Length3:24
Label
Songwriter(s)Vance Joy
Producer(s)
  • Vance Joy
  • Edwin White
  • John Castle
Vance Joy singles chronology
"From Afar"
(2013)
"Riptide"
(2013)
"Mess Is Mine"
(2014)
Music video
"Riptide" on YouTube

"Riptide" is a song by Australian singer-songwriter Vance Joy. It was first released as a track on his debut EP God Loves You When You're Dancing (2013), serving as its second single, and is also featured on his debut studio album Dream Your Life Away (2014). The song was written by Joy, who also produced it with drummer Edwin White. The upbeat song has been lyrically described as a "coming of age love story" and is known for its metaphors and pop culture references.[2]

The song received positive reviews from music critics, who praised its lyrics, vocals and production and drew comparisons to singer-songwriters Paul Kelly and Jeff Buckley. "Riptide" would go on to have commercial success in Australia, peaking at number six on the ARIA singles chart and subsequently being named the number one song in radio station Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2013. The following year, "Riptide" also peaked at number ten in the United Kingdom and entered Billboard's Alternative Songs chart, peaking at number 1. By May 2015, it was the second longest charting single still in the US Billboard Hot 100, appearing on that list for 43 weeks (at number 42 from its peak of number 30).[3]

In May 2015, it was announced that "Riptide" had become the longest-charting song in ARIA Chart history, having remained in the top 100 for 107 weeks and counting. It surpassed the previous record of 106 weeks, held by "Poker Face" by Lady Gaga.[4] In January 2016, the week count was at 120.[5]

As of January 2018, the single has worldwide sales over 6,000,000.[6] That month, as part of Triple M's "Ozzest 100", the 'most Australian' songs of all time, "Riptide" was ranked number 94.[7]

  1. ^ Nattress, Katrina (22 November 2019). "30 Alternative Rock Songs That Defined the 2010s". iHeartMedia. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
  2. ^ Steve Hodges (6 June 2013). "Vance Joy interview". 3 Links Music. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  3. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 Chart (archive)". Billboard.com. Billboard Magazine. 18 April 2015. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  4. ^ Cameron Adams (10 May 2015). "Vance Joy's Riptide breaks Lady Gaga's incredible record on the Australian charts". www.heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
  5. ^ "ARIA Singles: Justin Bieber 'Love Yourself' Is Australia's First No 1 Of 2016". Gavin Ryan. www.noise11.com. 2 January 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  6. ^ "Here Is The New Vance Joy Song 'We're Going Home'". noise11. 11 January 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
  7. ^ "Here Are The Songs That Made Triple M's 'Ozzest 100'". Musicfeeds. 27 January 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2020.