1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back

2021 song by Olivia Rodrigo June 2020 June 2020 1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back Olivia Rodrigo May 21, 2021 Sour Amusement (Los Angeles) 2:43 Geffen Olivia Rodrigo Taylor Swift Jack Antonoff Dan Nigro w-HfMiue7-k "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" Lyric video song "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" (stylized in all lowercase) is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo. It is the 4th track on her debut studio album, Sour, which was released on May 21, 2021, via Geffen Records. Dan Nigro produced the song. Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff also received songwriting credits for its interpolation of Swift's 2017 song "New Year's Day". The song's lyrics describe the harmful effects of inconsistent communication on a romantic relationship. Musically, "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" is a tender downtempo ballad driven by a damp piano and subtle bass. Upon Sour release, "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" received positive comments from music critics, who complimented its simplistic instrumentation and vulnerable lyrics. Commercially, the song reached the top 20 in Australia, Canada, Singapore, and the United States, and the top 30 in New Zealand and Portugal. Background and release We interpolated "New Year's Day," which is Taylor's song from Reputation. I came up with the "1 step forward" concept and I sort of wrote a verse and a chorus, and when I got home — I was in the car on a road trip, and when I got home, I decided to sing it over the chords of "New Year's Day." I think they're really beautiful chords. I was lucky enough to get that approved, and it's on the record now. Rodrigo on interpolating "New Year's Day" in "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" Billboard Following the viral success of her debut single "Drivers License", on April 13, 2021, Rodrigo announced the title, track listing and cover artwork of her debut studio album, Sour; the fourth track was titled "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back".Martoccio Angie April 13, 2021 Olivia Rodrigo Details Debut Album 'Sour,' Reveals Tracklist https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/olivia-rodrigo-sour-album-tracklist-1155119/ subscription live https://web.archive.org/web/20210413173932/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/olivia-rodrigo-sour-album-tracklist-1155119/ April 13, 2021 June 30, 2021 Rolling Stone On May 20, 2021, the personnel involved in the album were revealed on digital music platforms, in which Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff were credited as songwriters on "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back". Rolling Stone reported that the song interpolates Swift's 2017 song "New Year's Day", which was written by Swift and Antonoff. Rodrigo has cited Swift as her biggest music inspirationSpanos Brittany May 20, 2021 Why Taylor Swift Got a Writing Credit on Olivia Rodrigo's Album https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-olivia-rodrigo-album-1172170/ live June 30, 2021 Rolling Stone en-US May 20, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210520171948/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-olivia-rodrigo-album-1172170/ and one of the core influences on Sour.April 21, 2021 Olivia Rodrigo talks debut album SOUR, being inspired by Alanis Morissette https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/olivia-rodrigo-talks-debut-album-sour-being-inspired-by-alanis-morissette-taylor-swift-and-kacey-musgraves__32951/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20210425051638/https://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/olivia-rodrigo-talks-debut-album-sour-being-inspired-by-alanis-morissette-taylor-swift-and-kacey-musgraves__32951/ April 25, 2021 June 30, 2021 Official Charts Company en The album was released on May 21, 2021, via retail stores, digital music and streaming platforms, as well as on Rodrigo's website.May 21, 2021 Olivia Rodrigo's 'Sour' Is Here: Stream It Now https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9575978/olivia-rodrigo-sour-stream live https://web.archive.org/web/20210521180158/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9575978/olivia-rodrigo-sour-stream May 21, 2021 June 30, 2021 Billboard en Composition and recording 1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back.ogg right "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" A sample of the final chorus in "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back", displaying Rodrigo's intimate vocals over soft piano keys and faint bass strums. "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" details the impact of inconsistent and unhealthy communication on a relationship,Paul Larisha May 21, 2021 Every Song Ranked on Olivia Rodrigo's 'Sour': Critic's Picks https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/olivia-rodrigo-sour-review-tracks-ranked-9576109 live May 22, 2021 June 30, 2021 Billboard https://web.archive.org/web/20210522091510/https://www.billboard.com/amp/articles/columns/pop/9576109/olivia-rodrigo-sour-review-tracks-ranked and the subject's mixed responses via text messages. It is a ballad led by a dampened pianoCaramanica Jon May 21, 2021 Allow Olivia Rodrigo to Introduce Herselves en-US The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/21/arts/music/olivia-rodrigo-sour-review.html May 22, 2021 0362-4331 May 21, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210521233237/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/21/arts/music/olivia-rodrigo-sour-review.html live with a descending chord progression.Wood Mikael May 21, 2021 Review: Olivia Rodrigo delivers flawless Gen Z pop on her debut album https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2021-05-20/olivia-rodrigo-sour-debut-album-review live https://web.archive.org/web/20210521180205/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2021-05-20/olivia-rodrigo-sour-debut-album-review May 21, 2021 June 30, 2021 Los Angeles Times The song interpolates the piano chords from Swift's "New Year's Day", the final track of her sixth studio album, Reputation (2017).Spanos Brittany May 20, 2021 Why Taylor Swift Got a Writing Credit on Olivia Rodrigo's Album https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-olivia-rodrigo-album-1172170/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20210520171948/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-olivia-rodrigo-album-1172170/ May 20, 2021 June 30, 2021 Rolling Stone Rodrigo stated that she had the verse and chorus of "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back", and decided to play it over the chords of "New Year's Day", which she thought were "beautiful".Iasimone Ashley May 30, 2021 Olivia Rodrigo Tells the Stories Behind Several 'Sour' Songs on 'Zach Sang Show' https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/olivia-rodrigo-sour-song-meanings-zach-sang-show-9580330/ live June 30, 2021 Billboard May 31, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210531021516/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9580330/olivia-rodrigo-sour-song-meanings-zach-sang-show/ The song is set in the key of D major with a slow tempo of 56 beats per minute. Rodrigo's vocals span from A3 to B4.Rodrigo Olivia Swift Taylor Antonoff Jack May 21, 2021 1 step forward, 3 steps back https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0234378 live June 30, 2021 MusicNotes July 9, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210709181928/https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0234378 She created the song's hook from a text message, stating that she "thought it would be a cool way to describe this toxic, sort of manipulative relationship". The bird chirping heard at the beginning of the track was an idea by Dan Nigro, the song's producer and Rodrigo's musical collaborator on Sour, who recorded them through a window at his house. The song's title is inspired by the phrase "1 steps forward and 2 steps back", but replaces the 2 with 3, which has been associated with Swift's lucky number 13.Willman Chris May 21, 2021 Olivia Rodrigo's 'Sour' Is One Sweet Entreé Into a Lifetime of Music-Making: Album Review https://variety.com/2021/music/news/olivia-rodrigo-sour-album-review-1234978321/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20210521180232/https://variety.com/2021/music/news/olivia-rodrigo-sour-album-review-1234978321/ May 21, 2021 June 30, 2021 Variety Critical reception Maura Johnston of Entertainment Weekly called the song a "regret-wracked" tune.Johnston Maura Maura Johnston May 21, 2021 Sour review: Olivia Rodrigo's debut album hints at an even brighter future https://ew.com/music/music-reviews/olivia-rodrigo-sour-review/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20210521180203/https://ew.com/music/music-reviews/olivia-rodrigo-sour-review/ May 21, 2021 June 30, 2021 Entertainment Weekly The A.V. Club critic Tatiana Tenreyro wrote that "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" blends Swift's influences with that of Regina Spektor, "inviting listeners who may have mourned failed romances while listening to Begin To Hope to feel nostalgic, while also allowing a new generation of teenagers to recognize themselves". Tenreyro added that the track "seamlessly transitions" into "Deja Vu", the succeeding track on Sour.Tenreyro Tatiana May 22, 2021 Olivia Rodrigo's SOUR is so much more than a breakup album https://www.avclub.com/olivia-rodrigo-s-sour-is-so-much-more-than-a-breakup-al-1846939048 live https://web.archive.org/web/20210603043323/https://www.avclub.com/olivia-rodrigo-s-sour-is-so-much-more-than-a-breakup-al-1846939048 June 3, 2021 June 3, 2021 The A.V. Club NME Rhian Daly said that "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" is a "perfectly fine song" but leaves "little impression" due to its location between Rodrigo's familiar singles "Drivers License" and "Deja Vu".Daly Rhian May 21, 2021 Olivia Rodrigo – 'Sour' review: this year's breakout star channels '90s alt-rock https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/olivia-rodrigo-sour-review-2942135 live https://web.archive.org/web/20210521180227/https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/olivia-rodrigo-sour-review-2942135 May 21, 2021 June 30, 2021 NME Writing for The New York Times, Jon Caramanica asserted that the song, like its fellow tracks, perfects "the precise language for an imprecise, complex emotional situation; and working through private stories in public fashion." Pitchfork Olivia Horn identified the song's "Swiftian" songwriting, in which Rodrigo "treats emotional turmoil like jet fuel, and laces her lyrics with specifics". Horn labelled it "dewy-eyed soft balladry à la Ingrid Michaelson".Horn Olivia May 21, 2021 Olivia Rodrigo: SOUR Album Review https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/olivia-rodrigo-sour/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20210521142022/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/olivia-rodrigo-sour/ May 21, 2021 June 30, 2021 Pitchfork Chris DeVille, reviewing for Stereogum, said that "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Forward" depicts "the strength of Rodrigo's conviction and her ability to condense universal frustrations into soundbites."DeVille Chris May 21, 2021 Premature Evaluation: Olivia Rodrigo Sour https://www.stereogum.com/2148461/olivia-rodrigo-sour-review/reviews/premature-evaluation/ live https://web.archive.org/web/20210521180208/https://www.stereogum.com/2148461/olivia-rodrigo-sour-review/reviews/premature-evaluation/ May 21, 2021 June 30, 2021 Evening Standard Billboard writer Larisha Paul lauded the song's mature and confessional lyricism. Commercial performance Following the release of Sour, all of the album's 11 tracks debuted on the Billboard Global 200,Billboard Global 200 Chart https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-global-200/2021-06-05 2021-06-30 Billboard June 4, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210604163338/https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-global-200/2021-06-05 live U.S. Hot 100,The Hot 100 Chart https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/2021-06-05 2021-06-30 Billboard June 5, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210605103531/https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/2021-06-05 live Canadian Hot 100,Billboard Canadian Hot 100 Chart https://www.billboard.com/charts/canadian-hot-100/2021-06-05 2021-06-30 Billboard June 3, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210603005100/https://www.billboard.com/charts/canadian-hot-100/2021-06-05 live and Australian Singles charts,ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart https://www.aria.com.au/charts/singles-chart live 2021-06-30 ARIA en November 14, 2020 https://archive.today/20201114073343/https://www.aria.com.au/charts/singles-chart simultaneously. "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" entered the Global 200 at number 17. It landed at numbers 17, 18 and 19 in Canada, Australia, and the United States, respectively. The song also reached numbers 26 and 28 in New Zealand and Portugal, respectively. Credits and personnel Credits adapted from the liner notes of Sour.Sour Olivia Rodrigo 2021 liner notes Geffen Records 00602438077441 Recording Recorded at Amusement Studios (Los Angeles) Mixed at SOTA Studios (Los Angeles) Mastered at Sterling Sound (New York City) Personnel Olivia Rodrigo – vocals, backing vocals, songwriter, co-producer, piano Daniel Nigro – producer, recording engineer, organ, bass Taylor Swift – songwriter Jack Antonoff – songwriter Dan Viafore – assistant engineer Mitch McCarthy – mixing engineer Randy Merrill – mastering engineer Charts + Chart performance for "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" Chart (2021) PeakpositionAustralia 18 Olivia Rodrigo 1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back true June 30, 2021Billboardcanadianhot100 17 Olivia Rodrigo true February 7, 2023Czechdigital 90 2021 21 true September 7, 2021Billboardglobal200 17 Olivia Rodrigo true February 7, 2023 Greece (IFPI)2021-06-10 Charts https://www.ifpi.gr/digital_ien.html 2022-02-07 https://web.archive.org/web/20210610180129/https://www.ifpi.gr/digital_ien.html 10 June 2021 dead89New Zealand 26 Olivia Rodrigo 1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back true June 30, 2021Portugal 28 Olivia Rodrigo 1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back true June 30, 2021 Singapore (RIAS)https://www.rias.org.sg/rias-top-charts/ RIAS Top Charts Recording Industry Association Singapore live https://web.archive.org/web/20210601113017/https://www.rias.org.sg/rias-top-charts/ June 1, 2021 June 3, 2021 15Slovakdigital2 86 2021 21 true September 7, 2021UKstreaming 19 20210528 true June 30, 2021Billboardhot100 19 Olivia Rodrigo true February 7, 2023 Certifications Certifications for "1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back" Australia Platinum 2 single 2024 December 24, 2024 Brazil 1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back Olivia Rodrigo single Platinum 2 2021 2024 July 10, 2024 Canada 1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back Olivia Rodrigo single Platinum 2 2021 2024 March 4, 2024 Mexico 1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back Olivia Rodrigo single Gold 2021 2023 July 5, 2023 New Zealand 1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back Olivia Rodrigo single Platinum 2021 2024 radioscope 2024-12-21 Spain 1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back Olivia Rodrigo single Gold 2021 2024 November 29, 2024 United Kingdom 1 Step Forward 3 Steps Back Olivia Rodrigo single Platinum 2021 2026 February 6, 2026 17980-5451-1 United States 1 Step Forward, 3 Steps Back Olivia Rodrigo single Platinum 2021 2023 July 6, 2023 true true true References Category:2020s ballads Category:2021 songs Category:Olivia Rodrigo songs Category:Songs written by Olivia Rodrigo Category:Songs written by Taylor Swift Category:Songs written by Jack Antonoff Category:Song recordings produced by Dan Nigro