The therapy-inspired anthem that rewrote the record books
In short: In March 2013, Katy Perry transformed personal therapy into a global phenomenon. What began as a way to find her voice became a power pop juggernaut, eventually selling 15 million copies and becoming a defining moment of the 2010s pop era.
Written in March 2013 alongside Bonnie McKee and producers Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Cines, 'Roar' was born from a period of personal reflection. Perry has noted that the track was inspired by her time in therapy, serving as a way to stop suppressing her feelings and finally speak up for herself. Musically, the song is a power pop track with arena rock elements, featuring a B major key, a 44 time signature, and a moderate tempo of 90 beats per minute.
The song's commercial trajectory was unprecedented. Upon its release in August 2013, it achieved the highest first-week digital sales of the year, moving 557,000 copies. It eventually became the fastest song in digital history to surpass four million sales, reaching that milestone in just seventeen weeks. The track's dominance was global, topping charts in numerous countries including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and South Korea. In the US, it earned Perry her third Diamond-certified single, following 'Firework' and 'Dark Horse'.
Despite its massive success, the song was not without controversy. It faced plagiarism accusations from producer Dillon Francis regarding its lyric video, and more significantly, it was accused of copying Sara Bareilles's song 'Brave'. Bareilles, however, defended Perry, stating she knew of 'Roar' before its release and was disappointed by the negative spin on two artists sharing positive messages. Dr. Luke countered that 'Roar' was actually recorded and written before 'Brave' was released.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Roar (song)
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