"Butterflies"
Spotify Exclusive Golden Hour 7 (Vinyl, 7", Single, Limited Edition, White) - Side 2
Single by Kacey Musgraves
from the album Golden Hour
A-side"Space Cowboy" (double A-side)
Written2016
ReleasedFebruary 23, 2018 (2018-02-23)
Genre
Length3:39
LabelMCA Nashville
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Kacey Musgraves singles chronology
"Dime Store Cowgirl"
(2015)		 "Space Cowboy" / "Butterflies"
(2018)		 "High Horse"
(2018)
Music video
"Butterflies" on YouTube

"Butterflies" is a song by American country singer–songwriter Kacey Musgraves from her fourth studio album, Golden Hour (2018). It was released on February 23, 2018 alongside "Space Cowboy" as the second[1][2] single from the album through MCA Nashville Records.[3] Musgraves wrote the song with Luke Laird and Natalie Hemby, and produced it alongside Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk.[4] According to Musgraves, "Butterflies" was co-written with Shane McAnally;[1] however, he was not credited as one its songwriters in the album's liner notes.[4]

Composition

A "genre-defying"[5] song described as country pop,[3][6] pop,[7] and disco[8] with a "reggae-fied twang",[9] "Butterflies" departs from the lyrical cynicism expressed in Musgraves' previous songs.[10] With lyrics "[representing] those feelings that you have when you're first meeting somebody and you fall in love".[11]

Background

The song was written in early 2016 shortly after Musgraves had met singer–songwriter Ruston Kelly.[1] The pair were married in 2017 before filing for divorce three years later.[12]

Critical reception

Rolling Stone compared the "earnest" lyrics of "Butterflies" to Taylor Swift's work from Fearless (2008).[10] NPR compared its sound to Little Big Town, with its production "stepping easily beyond any genre category".[9]

Live performance

Musgraves first performed "Butterflies" on January 21, 2017 on the radio show A Prairie Home Companion.[10] In 2018, Musgraves performed the song on Today in March,[13] Austin City Limits in November,[14] and at the 13th Billboard Women in Music event in December.[15] In April 2018, Musgraves recorded an acoustic performance of the song in London to serve as one of the original videos for the Hot Country playlist on Spotify.[16]

Music video

The music video for "Butterflies", like the clip for "Space Cowboy", was directed by Courtney Phillips and shot in Mexico City.[17] It was released on May 4, 2018 and shows Musgraves walking around a city at night.[8][18]

Accolades

"Butterflies" won the Grammy Award for Best Country Solo Performance at the 61st annual awards ceremony in 2019.[5]

Chart performance

On Billboard's weekly charts, the song peaked at number 32 on the Hot Country Songs chart and number 56 on the Country Airplay chart, spending two weeks on the latter.[19][20]

Cover versions

Rock band Hawthorne Heights covered "Butterflies" for their two-track project Dads of Sad (2019); Musgraves reacted positively to the emo cover.[21] The song was performed by contestant Cali Wilson on the 17th season of the American music competition series The Voice.[22]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Golden Hour.[4]

Charts

Chart performance for "Butterflies"
Chart (2018) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[19] 32
US Country Airplay (Billboard)[20] 56

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[23] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Fields, Taylor (March 30, 2018). "Kacey Musgraves on 'Golden Hour,' Recording At Sheryl Crow's Studio & More". iHeartRadio. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  2. ↑ Arcand, Rob (February 23, 2018). "Kacey Musgraves – "Butterflies"". Spin. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  3. 1 2 DeVille, Chris (February 23, 2018). "Kacey Musgraves – "Butterflies" & "Space Cowboy"". Stereogum. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 Golden Hour (Liner notes). Kacey Musgraves. MCA Nashville Records. 2018. 00602567334460.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. 1 2 Roberts, Madison (February 10, 2019). "Kacey Musgraves Celebrates Best Country Solo Performance Win with a Shot of Tequila at 2019 Grammys". People. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  6. ↑ Ross, Alex Robert (February 23, 2018). "Kacey Musgraves's Two New Songs Prove She's Still One of Pop-Country's Best". Vice. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  7. ↑ Helman, Peter (May 4, 2018). "Kacey Musgraves – "Butterflies" Video". Stereogum. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  8. 1 2 Darville, Jordan (May 4, 2018). "Kacey Musgraves shares "Butterflies" music video". The Fader. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  9. 1 2 Powers, Ann (February 23, 2018). "Kacey Musgraves, Champion Of New Nashville, Announces 'Golden Hour' With Two Songs". All Things Considered. NPR. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  10. 1 2 3 Freeman, Jon (March 9, 2017). "Hear Kacey Musgraves Perform Sweet New Song 'Butterflies'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  11. ↑ McCammon, Sarah; Baker, Elizabeth (April 1, 2018). "Kacey Musgraves On Trusting Emotion At The 'Golden Hour' Of Her Life". All Things Considered. NPR. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  12. ↑ Tenbarge, Kat (July 4, 2020). "Grammy winner Kacey Musgraves and country singer Ruston Kelly have filed for divorce after 3 years of marriage". Insider.com. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  13. ↑ Freeman, Jon (April 2, 2018). "See Kacey Musgraves' Shimmering 'Butterflies' on 'Today'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  14. ↑ Gage, Jeff (November 8, 2018). "See Kacey Musgraves' Serene 'Butterflies' on 'Austin City Limits'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  15. ↑ Payne, Chris (December 6, 2018). "Kacey Musgraves Gives Crowd 'Butterflies' at Billboard Women in Music: 'I Feel More Connected Than Ever'". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  16. ↑ Betts, Stephen L. (April 27, 2018). "Spotify Beefs Up Hot Country Playlist and Taps Keith Urban, Kacey Musgraves". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  17. ↑ Betts, Stephen L. (May 4, 2018). "See Kacey Musgraves' Glittering 'Butterflies' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  18. ↑ Jones, Abby (May 4, 2018). "Kacey Musgraves Soars With Newfound Love in 'Butterflies' Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  19. 1 2 "Kacey Musgraves Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  20. 1 2 "Kacey Musgraves Chart History (Country Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  21. ↑ Aniftos, Rania (July 15, 2019). "Kacey Musgraves Approves of Hawthorne Heights' 'Butterflies' Cover". Billboard. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  22. ↑ Porter, Serra A. (November 18, 2019). "Iowan Cali Wilson performs soothing falsetto on NBC's 'The Voice'". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  23. ↑ "American album certifications – Kacey Musgraves – Butterflies". Recording Industry Association of America.
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