Fight Song (Rachel Platten song)

"Fight Song" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Rachel Platten, released as a single by Columbia Records on February 19, 2015. It appears on her extended play (EP) of the same name (2015) and on her major label debut studio album, and third overall, "Wildfire" (2016). Platten co-wrote the song with Dave Bassett.
The song peaked at number six on the "Billboard" Hot 100 and topped the charts in the United Kingdom and Poland. It also peaked within the top ten of the singles charts in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland, and the top twenty in Slovakia. It has sold six million copies in the United States, earning a 6× platinum certification by the RIAA.
Background.
Rachel Platten said of her inspiration: "'Fight Song' was inspired by a lot of experiences that were hurting me and that were making me feel like maybe I didn’t have a chance in this industry. I wrote it because I needed to remind myself that I believed in myself. No matter what, I still was gonna make music, even if it was on a small scale. Even if it was just for me." She also said: "I really challenged myself in writing the past couple of years to be vulnerable in my lyrics. I didn't want to skate past what was hurting. It didn’t scare me to be vulnerable because I think that's when you get something great."
Composition.
In the version published at Musicnotes.com by Platten Music Publishing, the sheet music is in the key of G major with a moderate tempo of 88 beats per minute. The song follows a chord progression of G – D – Em – C, and Platten's vocals span from G3 to E5.
Critical reception.
"Fight Song" has received positive reviews from critics, who agree that the song's positive message and Platten's vocals were the song's strongest features. A review by Markos Papatados from the "Digital Journal" stated "The lyrics for 'Fight Song' are captivating and they tug at the heartstrings. It is a track from her "Fight Song" EP, which was released on May 15. Platten's vocals are crisp and impressive, where the listener can recall such songstresses as Taylor Swift and Tristan Prettyman. Her lyrics are powerful and they paint a vivid picture in the minds of her listeners."
Commercial performance.
The song first charted in Australia, debuting at 35 on the ARIA Charts on April 12, 2015. The song eventually peaked at number 2 in Australia on July 12, 2015. It later reached number 8 in New Zealand after first being covered as a charity single by "The X Factor" top 12.
The song debuted on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart of May 2, 2015 at number 80, becoming Platten's first entry on the chart. On July 18, 2015, the song entered the top 10 at number 10, becoming her first top 10. On August 19, 2015, the song eventually peaked at number 6. It has also reached quadruple platinum sales in the US, selling over 2 million copies in Platten's home country. "Fight Song" also peaked at number one on the "Billboard" Adult Top 40 chart for 4 weeks, number one on the "Billboard" Adult Contemporary chart for 4 weeks, number 3 on the "Billboard" Digital Songs chart, number 1 on the "Billboard" Radio Songs chart, and number 8 on the Pop Songs chart. Elsewhere, it peaked at number 5 on the "Billboard" Canadian Hot 100.
In the United Kingdom, the song jumped from number sixty eight to the top of the UK Singles Chart on August 28, 2015 – for the week ending date September 3, 2015 – becoming Platten's first chart-topping song, and overall top ten hit, in Britain.
In the Republic of Ireland, the song peaked at number six on the Irish Singles Chart.
On April 25, 2016, this song peaked at number nine on the "Billboard" Japan Hot 100 chart.
Music video.
An accompanying music video directed by James Lees was released on May 19, 2015. The shooting lasted four days. Platten said of the concept: "I wanted my video to show both sides of that – my fear and pain – but I also hoped to show that sometimes to overcome battles we just have to let go."
Live performances.
On April 25, 2015, Platten performed the song for the first time at the 2015 Radio Disney Music Awards. Platten appeared as a special guest during Taylor Swifts 1989 World Tour in Philadelphia on June 13, 2015, where Platten and Swift performed "Fight Song" together. On August 16, 2015, Platten performed the song at the 2015 Teen Choice Awards in Los Angeles. On July 12, 2016, Platten performed "Fight Song" at the 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Petco Park in San Diego, where baseball fans and players held up cards with the names of people they knew were battling cancer to dedicate the performance to them. On New Year's Eve 2016−17, Platten sang the song as part of her lineup during the Times Square Ball festivities in New York City's Times Square, which she co-headlined.