On the Regular

"On the Regular" is a song recorded by American musician Shamir. It was released by XL Recordings on October 28, 2014. "On the Regular" is also featured on Shamir's 2015 debut album Ratchet.[2]

"On the Regular"
Single by Shamir
from the album Ratchet
Released	October 28, 2014
Genre	Hip house, disco house
Length	2:56
Label	XL
Producer(s)	Nick Sylvester[1]
Shamir singles chronology
"If It Wasn't True" (2014) "On the Regular" (2014) "Call It Off" (2015)

The song features a prominent rhythm with cowbell and heavy bass.[3][4] Shamir uses an androgynous falsetto, delivering rhymes in contrast to his singing on Northtown.[3][5] The lyrics are an unrelated set of observations.[3] Shamir taunts others and brags about his style. In the song's bridge, he switches from rapping to innocent, soulful singing.[6] Music critics referenced Azealia Banks' 2011 debut single "212" for its bassline, dance beat, and playful reinvention of urban music.[5][7][8] The Fader likened the song's "bubblegum hip-hop" to a younger-sounding Leif.[9]

It had viral success in the United Kingdom,[10] and it reached number 36 on the Billboard Twitter Emerging Artists chart.[11] The attention brought by "On the Regular" allowed Shamir to embark on a European tour in late 2014.[12] It placed 68th on the 2014 Pazz & Jop poll of music critics.[13] Pitchfork Media named it the 11th best track of 2014,[14] Drowned in Sound placed the song 18th on its year-end list,[15] and BlackBook magazine ranked the song 12th.[16]

The music video for "On the Regular" was directed by Anthony Sylvester,[17] brother of the song's producer Nick Sylvester.[1][18] It shows Shamir with different hairstyles, flashy patterns, and a fringe jacket.[9] He plays with a rubber band gun and makes balloons burst into color.[17]

References

1. Werthman, Christine. "Shamir 'On the Regular'". Complex. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
2. Lathan, Ryan (May 20, 2015). "Ratchet". PopMatters.
3. King, Jason (October 30, 2014). "Shamir, 'On The Regular'". NPR. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
4. Oliver, Genevieve (October 29, 2014). "New: Shamir – 'On the Regular'". Pretty Much Amazing. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
5. Lester, Paul (December 24, 2014). "The playlist: the best new bands of 2014, with Shamir and Prada Mane". The Guardian. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
6. Gordon, Jeremy (October 30, 2014). "Shamir: 'On the Regular'". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
7. "Shamir airs infectious new video for 'On the Regular'". DIY. October 29, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
8. "Shamir + Yvette + Mister Small". Time Out New York. November 13, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
9. McDermott, Patrick D. (October 28, 2014). "Shamir Is An Angel And XL Knows It". The Fader. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
10. "Spotify's Top 10 Most Viral Tracks". The New York Times. December 16, 2014. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
11. "Shamir - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
12. Bland, Pete (January 2, 2015). "Singles 2014: 'She wears my favorite color/every day in her eyes'". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
13. "The Village Voice's 42nd Pazz & Jop Music Critics' Poll: The Last Word on the Year in Music". The Village Voice. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
14. Torres, Eric (December 2014). "The 100 Best Tracks of 2014". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
15. Leedham, Robert (December 8, 2014). "Drowned In Sound's 40 Favourite Songs of 2014". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
16. Rosenzweig, Mathias (2014). "The 20 Best Songs of 2014: From Nick Minaj and BANKS to Sam Smith and Sylvan Esso". BlackBook. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
17. Minsker, Evan (October 28, 2014). "Shamir Shares 'On the Regular' Video, Signs to XL". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved February 15, 2015.
18. "Channel Tres shares "Topdown" video". HighClouds. 2018-10-11. Retrieved 2019-10-21.

External links

• "On the Regular" on YouTube