Karma (Taylor Swift song)

"Karma" is a song by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, taken from her tenth studio album, Midnights (2022). Swift wrote and produced the song with Jack Antonoff, Sounwave, Keanu Beats, and Jahaan Sweet. In the lyrics, a narrator proclaims how her "good karma" brought her good things in life, as opposed to her detractors. Musically, the track combines disco, electroclash, and chillwave with elements of techno, alternative pop, and new wave. Its production is characterized by glossy beats and quivering synthesizers. Republic Records released the song to US radio on May 1, 2023, as the third single from Midnights.

"Karma"
Single by Taylor Swift
from the album Midnights
ReleasedMay 1, 2023 (2023-05-01)
Studio
Genre
Length3:24
LabelRepublic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Taylor Swift
  • Jack Antonoff
  • Sounwave
  • Keanu Beats
Taylor Swift singles chronology
"The Alcott"
(2023)		 "Karma"
(2023)
Lyric video
"Karma" on YouTube

Contemporary critics regarded "Karma" as a highlight on Midnights, praising its bright production, earworm melody, and zany lyricism. Upon the album's release, the song charted in various territories, reaching the top 10 in Australia, Canada and the United States, and the top 25 in Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Slovakia, and Vietnam; it peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 10 on the Billboard Global 200 chart. Swift performed "Karma" live as the closing song of her sixth headlining concert tour, the Eras Tour (2023).

Background

Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift became a prominent pop star after she released her fifth studio album, 1989, in 2014. During promotion of 1989, Swift's public image suffered from increasing tabloid scrutiny, in part brought by a highly publicized dispute with American rapper Kanye West and media personality Kim Kardashian over West's 2016 single "Famous". Swift went on a hiatus and secluded herself from public appearances. To a question in an April 2016 interview with Vogue, Swift replied, "Karma is real." In November 2017, Swift released her sixth studio album, Reputation, accompanied by its lead single "Look What You Made Me Do", which contained lyrics referencing karma. She released her seventh studio album, Lover, in August 2019, amidst another controversy—a dispute with her former record label, Big Machine Records, and its new owner Scooter Braun over the masters of her first six albums.[1][2]

On August 28, 2022, Swift announced her tenth studio album, Midnights, set for release on October 21, 2022. The track-list was not immediately revealed.[3] Jack Antonoff, a longtime collaborator of Swift who had worked with her since 1989, was confirmed as a producer on Midnights by a video posted to Swift's Instagram account on September 16, 2022.[4] Beginning on September 21, 2022, Swift began unveiling the track-list in a randomized order through her short video series on TikTok, called Midnights Mayhem with Me. It consisted of 13 episodes,[5] with one song revealed every episode.[6] Swift rolls a lottery cage containing 13 ping pong balls numbered from one to thirteen,[7] each representing a track of Midnights, and when a ball drops out, she disclosed the title of the corresponding track on the album.[8] In the eighth episode on October 6, 2022, Swift announced the title of the eleventh track as "Karma".[9]

Composition

"Karma" is three minutes and 24 seconds long.[10] It is an upbeat, synth-heavy,[11] disco,[12] electroclash[13] and chillwave[14] song. Lyrically, it is a "diss track"[15] with comical tones.[16] The playful track incorporates warm beats, warbled synths, and elements of new wave, alternative pop, and techno.[17][18][19] In the lyrics, a narrator talks about her "good karma" that brought her good things in life.[20][21] She does not seek revenge on her enemies and instead lets the universe takes its course; while karma makes her detractors suffer for their wrongdoings, it bolsters her for her good deeds.[22] In an interview with Apple Music, Swift said she wrote "Karma" from "a perspective of feeling really happy, really proud of the way your life is, feeling like this must be a reward for doing stuff right".[23]

Release

Midnights was released on October 21, 2022, via Republic Records.[24] In April 2023, American trade publication Hits reported that "Karma" is set to be serviced to US radio as the album's third single, following "Anti-Hero" and "Lavender Haze".[25] Mediabase affiliate AllAccess confirmed the single's release date to US hot adult contemporary radio as May 1, 2023,[26] followed by its release to contemporary hit radio on May 2.[27]

Critical reception

Rolling Stone named it the fourth best song of 2022, calling it an "album-defining" hit for combining Swift's "mastermind" lyrics and the "sleekest, most flexible" production.[28] John Wohlmacher of Beats Per Minute hailed "Karma" as an "immediate masterpiece", lauding the "bright and colorful" music.[14] American Songwriter listed it as one of the 24 best songs of 2022, calling it the "sleeper hit" of Midnights; praise was directed towards Swift's lyrical approach, the "effervescent" chorus, and Antonoff's production.[29]

Commercial performance
Taylor Swift onstage wearing boots, a faux-fur coat and a sparkling purple dress
Swift performing "Karma" on the Eras Tour in March 2023

Upon the release of Midnights, all of the album's tracks entered the Billboard Global 200, with nine of those charting within the top 10; "Karma" debuted and peaked[30] at number 10. The tracks set the record for the most simultaneous top-10 entries and made Swift the first artist to occupy the entire top five of the Global 200.[31]

In the United States, "Karma" debuted at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. All of the album's 20 tracks debuted in the top 45 of the Hot 100, giving Swift a total of 188 Hot 100 entries.[32] Swift became the first act to occupy the entire top 10 of the Hot 100 concurrently and the woman with the most top-10 entries (40), surpassing Madonna (38).[33] It peaked at number eight on the Canadian Hot 100[34] and was certified platinum by Music Canada for selling over 80,000 units.[35]

Elsewhere, "Karma" debuted on the charts in various countries, peaking within the top 25 in Australia (9),[36] Philippines (11),[37] Singapore (12),[38] Slovakia (12),[39] Malaysia (18),[40] and Vietnam (25),[41] and further reaching France, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.[note 1]

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Midnights.[10]

Recording
Personnel
  • Taylor Swift – vocals, songwriter, and producer
  • Jack Antonoff – songwriter, producer, engineer, drums, programming, percussion, synths, Juno, Omnichord, and recording
  • Sounwave – songwriter, producer, engineer, programming, and recording
  • Keanu Beats – producer, engineer, synths, and recording
  • Jahaan Sweet – songwriter, co-producer, engineer, keyboard, synth pad, and recording
  • Laura Sisk – engineer and recording
  • Megan Searl – assistant engineer
  • John Sher – assistant engineer
  • John Rooney – assistant engineer
  • Mark Aguilar – assistant engineer
  • Serban Ghenea – mix engineer
  • Bryce Bordone – assistant mix engineer
  • Randy Merrill – mastering engineer

Charts
Chart performance for "Karma"
Chart (2022–2023) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[36] 9
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[34] 8
Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[42] 18
Canada Hot AC (Billboard)[43] 19
Global 200 (Billboard)[30] 10
France (SNEP)[44] 127
Greece International (IFPI)[45] 12
Ireland (IRMA)[46] 37
Malaysia International (RIM)[40] 18
Philippines (Billboard)[37] 11
Singapore (RIAS)[38] 12
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[39] 12
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[47] 66
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[48] 38
Swiss Streaming (Schweizer Hitparade)[49] 40
UK Singles (OCC)[50] 55
US Billboard Hot 100[51] 9
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[52] 14
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[53] 12
Vietnam (Vietnam Hot 100)[41] 25

Certifications
Certifications for "Karma"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[35] Platinum 80,000double-dagger

double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Release dates and formats for "Karma"
Region Date Format Label(s) Ref.
United States May 1, 2023 Hot adult contemporary radio Republic [54]
May 2, 2023 Contemporary hit radio [55]

Notes
  1. See the charts section for the exact peaks.

References
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