Released: 2015
“Number One” by Tove Styrke showcases the tough, ruthless, but ironically self-deprecating world of pop music where everybody is fixated on being the top, the number one. The song metaphorically plays around concepts of ambition and the struggle for individuality amidst the clamor for conformity and acceptance.
The first verse, “Praise cool, I’m sorry, but there’s no can do/My youth ain’t tangled up in bad decisions/Poor you, you thought you could dictate the rules/Boohoo”, sets the tone for pitting individualism against the pressures of the industry. Here, Tove is assertively expressing her refusal to follow suit or play by the ‘cool’ rules just to fit in. She is guarding her individuality and not allowing her youth, represented by her career, to be entangled in poor decisions due to societal pressures.
By using the phrase “You’re only eighteen”, she seems to be calling out the industry’s predilection for younger, easily moldable artists, while using “With stomps to the beat” as a metaphor for adhering to mainstream trends. This could also be an inner dialogue, reminding herself of how young she was when she started.
The chorus, “Oh my, the world’s on fire, and maybe I’m just chasing rhymes/Taking is easy, and I don’t care where it leads me baby/Oh, my the more I try, the closer I get to wasting time”, captures the anguish of an artist trapped in the pursuit of success, yet disillusioned by its fleeting nature. “No one ever wants to give you some/ But everybody loves a number one” sharply exposes the music industry’s obsession with chart-topping hits, underscoring their unwillingness to give chances to lesser-known artists.
In the second verse, “Hot glam seems far away from where I am/ I can neither understand it nor demand it/ Your tears don’t shake my world like Britney Spears/ She’s fierce”, Styrke navigates the glitz and glam of the industry that often eclipses the struggle and hardships. The reference to Britney Spears, a pop icon who’s had her share of ups and downs, further punctuates the harsh realities of fame.
In the concluding lines, “I can’t praise your cool/ There’s just no can do/ And it’s that easy/ Baby can’t you see/ You got nothing on me”, Tove denounces conformity once again, standing firm in her individuality. The repetition of “everybody loves a number one” drives home the point that being on top isn’t everything – what matters more is integrity and authenticity as an artist.
Through “Number One”, Tove Styrke artfully wraps the raw reality of pop industry – its ruthless competition, the mania for number one, and the sacrifice of authenticity for fame – in the catchy upbeats, making it not just a pop song but a commentary that reverberates beyond the dance floor.
