"Blurred Lines" is a song by American singer
Robin Thicke featuring American rapper
T.I. and American musician
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...
from Thicke's sixth studio album
of the same name (2013). Solely produced by Williams, it was released as the album's
lead single
A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
A similar term, "debut ...
in 2013, through
Star Trak Recordings and
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label based in Santa Monica, California, owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture ...
. Thicke has said that the song's lyrics are about his then-wife
Paula Patton. Musically, "Blurred Lines" is an
R&B and
pop track with instrumentation consisting of
bass guitar
The bass guitar (), also known as the electric bass guitar, electric bass, or simply the bass, is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is similar in appearance and construction to an Electric guitar, electric but with a longer nec ...
, drums, and
percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a percussion mallet, beater including attached or enclosed beaters or Rattle (percussion beater), rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or ...
.
"Blurred Lines" spent 12 consecutive weeks atop the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100, making it the longest-running single of 2013 in the United States. In June 2018, the song was certified Diamond by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). It became
one of the best-selling singles of all time, with sales of 14.8 million, simultaneously breaking the record for the largest radio audience in history. The song was nominated for awards, including
Record of the Year
The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without re ...
and
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the
56th Annual Grammy Awards
The 56th Annual Grammy Awards presentation was held on January 26, 2014, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT and was hosted for the third time by LL Cool J. The show was moved to January to avoid co ...
. The song received generally negative reviews from music critics, with some saying it glorified
rape culture. Commercially, the song topped the charts of 25 countries and reached the top five of six others.
The
music video
A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
for "Blurred Lines" was directed by
Diane Martel. Two versions of the video exist: edited and unrated. In both of them, Thicke, T.I., and Williams are featured with models
Emily Ratajkowski,
Elle Evans, and
Jessi M'Bengue performing several activities, including the models snuggling in bed with Thicke and sitting on a stuffed dog. After being on the site for just under one week, the unrated version, featuring topless models, was removed from YouTube for violating the site's
terms of service. The unrated video has since been restored to YouTube. Many critics criticized both videos, calling them misogynist and sexist.
To promote the song, Thicke performed on televised live events including the 2013
iHeartRadio Music Festival, ''
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. The show ran for nineteen seasons from September 8, 2003, to May 26, 2022, in which it broadcast 3,339 episodes. It was produced by ...
'', and a highly controversial performance with American singer
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( , born Destiny Hope Cyrus, November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and director. Regarded as a contemporary pop icon, Cyrus has been recognized for her evolving artistry and image reinventions. She is ...
at the
2013 MTV Video Music Awards. The song became the subject of a legal dispute with the family of American singer
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. (; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He helped shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player an ...
and
Bridgeport Music, who argued the song infringed on copyrights to Gaye's 1977 single "
Got to Give It Up". Williams and Thicke were found liable for
copyright infringement
Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of Copyright#Scope, works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the c ...
by a federal jury in March 2015, and Gaye was awarded posthumous songwriting credit based on the
royalties
A royalty payment is a payment made by one party to another that owns a particular asset, for the right to ongoing use of that asset. Royalties are typically agreed upon as a percentage of gross or net revenues derived from the use of an asset or ...
pledged to his estate.
Background and production
Robin Thicke and
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...
co-wrote "Blurred Lines" during a three-day writing session in July 2012.
Williams first started to play a funk rhythm with syncopated cowbell accents on the drums, along with a simple two-chord progression. It became the spine of the track. Thicke improvised a melody and wrote lyrics about seducing another man's girlfriend. Within an hour and a half, both singers had the song recorded and completed. Thicke and Williams wanted to get a rapper from the Southern part of the United States to be part of the song. They ended up choosing
T.I. T.I. would add a rap verse to the song several months later.
In an interview with ''
GQ'' Stelios Phili, Thicke explained that he and Williams were in the studio together when he told Williams that one of his favorite songs of all time was
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. (; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He helped shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player an ...
's 1977 single "
Got to Give It Up". Thicke wanted to make a song similar to "Got to Give It Up". Thicke stated that he and Williams would go back and forth and sing lines like, "Hey, hey, hey!".
Thicke told the ''
Daily Star'' the song was "mostly throwaway fun", but said it was inspired by him and Williams being in love with their wives, having kids, and loving their mothers. He commented that both of them have a lot of respect for women.
An ad was created for
Radio Shack
RadioShack (formerly written as Radio Shack) is an American electronics retailer that was established in 1921 as an amateur radio mail-order business. Its parent company was purchased by Tandy Corporation in 1962, which shifted its focus from ma ...
to market the
Beats Pill, a small stereo, that showed Thicke, Pharrell, and the models repeating the look of the (clothed) music video, but with the models holding up the Beats Pill.
Music and lyrics
"Blurred Lines" has been described as a funk-inspired
pop and
R&B track.
Its instrumentation consists of
bass guitar
The bass guitar (), also known as the electric bass guitar, electric bass, or simply the bass, is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is similar in appearance and construction to an Electric guitar, electric but with a longer nec ...
, drums, and
percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a percussion mallet, beater including attached or enclosed beaters or Rattle (percussion beater), rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or ...
.
According to Emily Bootle of ''
New Statesman
''The New Statesman'' (known from 1931 to 1964 as the ''New Statesman and Nation'') is a British political and cultural news magazine published in London. Founded as a weekly review of politics and literature on 12 April 1913, it was at first c ...
'', the song is light-hearted in nature and its musical humor is evident in the "bouncing bassline, tongue-in cheek background yelps, the comically low pitch of the refrain 'I know you want it' and the laughter that follows the lyric 'What rhymes with 'hug me'?'."
Lyrically, "Blurred Lines" is about a woman Thicke is trying to pick up in a club. "The song is a come on", wrote
Ken Tucker
Kenneth Tucker is an American arts, music and television critic, magazine editor, and nonfiction book author.
Early life and education
Tucker was born in Manhattan, New York City, New York, and raised in Stamford, Connecticut. He earned a ...
in a review of the song and its parent album for
NPR. Tucker noted that what prevents the song from descending into creepiness is that Thicke remains "gentlemanly and debonair" when the object of his desire rejects him.
Other interpretations of the song's lyrical content were unfavorable. Elizabeth Plank of
Mic considered the lyrics offensive, particularly Thicke repeatedly singing 'I know you want it' while T.I. raps: 'I'll give you something big enough to tear your ass in two."
Sezin Koehler of ''
Pacific Standard
''Pacific Standard'', founded as ''Miller–McCune'', was an American nonprofit magazine that reported on issues of social and environmental justice. Founded in 2008, the magazine was published in print and online for its first ten years. It was ...
'' said the lyrics suggest that "women are supposed to enjoy pain during sex or that pain is part of sex" and went on to find in the lyrics other parallels to the act of rape."
Thicke told
Howard Stern during an interview on ''
The Howard Stern Show
''The Howard Stern Show'' is an American radio show hosted by Howard Stern that gained wide recognition when it was radio syndication, nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from WINS-FM, WXRK in New York City, between 1986 and 2005. The sho ...
'' that "Blurred Lines" was inspired by his then-wife
Paula Patton. He confessed to Stern: "My wife is Mrs. Good Girl, but gradually over our marriage, I've turned her into a bad girl."
Critical reception
"Blurred Lines" was criticized heavily by music critics, who stated that it glorifies
rape culture. ''
The Daily Beast
''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. Founded in 2008, the website is owned by IAC Inc.
It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief ...
'' Tricia Romano described the track as "kind of rapey." Callie Ahlgrim and Courteney Larocca of ''
Insider'' commented in 2019 that "If you could cancel a song the way fans cancel artists, 'Blurred Lines' deserves to be that song." They continued, saying its "existence is a huge injustice to women everywhere." ''
Spin'' magazine's Keith Harris remarked that the song is "a consensual two-way flirtation, a game both players get to win, with Thicke desperately launching goofball compliments at a woman who paws at him and prances away." Ann Powers for
NPR declared that the verse: "I know you want it," objectifies women and condones rape. Writing for ''
The Independent
''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'', Mollie Goodfellow described Thicke as the "weaselly face of the rape anthem 'Blurred Lines'."
Andy Hermann for ''
The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...
'' stated that Thicke and Williams tried to ruin the summer of 2013 with their "smug turd of a pop tune" and deemed the song "terrible, tacky,
ndderivative." Writing for ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason.
The magazine was first known fo ...
'',
Rob Sheffield
Robert James Sheffield (born February 2, 1966) is an American music journalist and author.
He is a long time contributing editor at ''Rolling Stone'', writing about music, TV, and pop culture. Previously, he was a contributing editor at '' Blen ...
described "Blurred Lines" as "the worst song of this or any other year". He said he couldn't "remember the last time there was a hit song this ghastly – the sound of
Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American actor, comedian, producer and screenwriter. Primarily a comedic leading actor in films, List of awards and nominations received by Adam Sandler, his accolades include an Independent Sp ...
taking a falsetto hate-whizz on Marvin Gaye's grave".
Annie Zaleski
Annie Zaleski is a ''New York Times'' best-selling author and music historian.
Career
Zaleski is a regular writer for mainstream media outlets such as The Guardian and NPR Music, and a columnist at ''Salon''. She is based in Cleveland, Ohio w ...
of ''
The A.V. Club'' said that the song's "old-man lecherousness and boys'-club friskiness . . . comes off as uncomfortable and demeaning."
Greg Kot
Greg Kot (born March 3, 1957) is an American music journalist and author. From 1990 until 2020, Kot was the rock music critic at the ''Chicago Tribune'', where he covered popular music and reported on music-related social, political and busines ...
from the ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'' described the song's lyrics as "dunderheaded", while saying Thicke "scrapes bottom with his single-entendre come-on's." Trevor Anderson of ''Billboard'' opined it is "less a recall of a celebrated classic hit, but more a cautionary tale that still divides critics, creatives and consumers alike".
Some reviews, however, were more positive. Jim Farber, writing for ''
New York Daily News
The ''Daily News'' is an American newspaper based in Jersey City, New Jersey. It was founded in 1919 by Joseph Medill Patterson in New York City as the ''Illustrated Daily News''. It was the first U.S. daily printed in Tabloid (newspaper format ...
'', called the song "irresistible" and mentioned it had an "utter lack of pretense". In her review for ''
The Christian Science Monitor
''The Christian Science Monitor'' (''CSM''), commonly known as ''The Monitor'', is a nonprofit news organization that publishes daily articles both in Electronic publishing, electronic format and a weekly print edition. It was founded in 1908 ...
'',
Nekesa Mumbi Moody labeled the song as "undeniable", and wrote that it had become a "cultural flashpoint". The staff of ''
The New Zealand Herald
''The New Zealand Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment, and considered a newspaper of record for New Zealand.
It has the largest newspaper circulation in New Zealand, ...
'' lauded the track as "cool" and "inventive". ''
The Ledger
''The Ledger'' is a daily newspaper serving Lakeland, Florida, and the Polk County area.
History
The paper was founded on August 22, 1924, as the ''Lakeland Evening Ledger''. In 1927, it bought its main competitor, the morning ''Lakeland S ...
'' James C. McKinley Jr praised "Blurred Lines" as a "catchy come-on". Brendon Veevers for ''
Renowned for Sound'' remarked the track "really shows off Thicke's vocal dexterity as he bends and blends playfully within 4 minutes of seductive, sexually charged beats and hooks alongside fellow heavyweights T.I and hit-maker Pharrell". The staff of ''Rolling Stone'' place it at number 50 on their ''100 Best Songs of 2013'', saying "thanks to its lascivious, Pharrell-spun hook, it held the whole world in its slightly skeevy grasp all summer long".
Accolades
"Blurred Lines" has been nominated for multiple awards. It was nominated for
Record of the Year
The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without re ...
and
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the
56th Annual Grammy Awards
The 56th Annual Grammy Awards presentation was held on January 26, 2014, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT and was hosted for the third time by LL Cool J. The show was moved to January to avoid co ...
, and for
Best Collaboration at the
2014 BET Awards. It was nominated for Hip-Hop/R&B Song of the Year at the
2014 iHeartRadio Music Awards, and
Single of the Year at the
2013 American Music Awards. It was nominated for
Best Collaboration and Best Song of the Summer at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards,
and for
Best Song at the 2013 MTV Europe Music Awards.
"Blurred Lines" won
Top Hot 100 Song, Top Digital Song,
Top Radio Song, and
Top R&B Song at the
2014 Billboard Music Awards
The 2014 Billboard Music Awards, ''Billboard'' Music Awards ceremony was held on May 18, 2014, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. It aired live on American Broadcasting Company, ABC at 8:00/7:00 PM Central. The show was hosted b ...
. It also won an award for Song of the Year and Best Collaboration at the
2013 Soul Train Music Awards, and
Outstanding Duo or Group at the
45th NAACP Image Awards.
Release and commercial performance
"Blurred Lines" first appeared as a video posted on
Vevo
Vevo LLC ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized in all caps until 2013) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available ...
on March 20, 2013. It was released as the
lead single
A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
A similar term, "debut ...
on March 26, 2013, from Thicke's studio album
''Blurred Lines'' (2013), through
Star Trak Recordings and
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label based in Santa Monica, California, owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture ...
.
It was released to
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio (CHR, also known as contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top ...
on May 21, 2013. It was released as a single with a remix by Filipino music producer
Laidback Luke
Lucas Cornelis van Scheppingen (born 22 October 1976), better known under his stage name Laidback Luke, is a Filipino-born Dutch DJ and record producer. He notably remixed the Robin S. song, "Show Me Love (Robin S. song)#Steve Angello and Laidba ...
in the United Kingdom on May 24, 2013.
A remix featuring Colombian singer
J Balvin
José Álvaro Osorio Balvín (born 7 May 1985), known professionally as J Balvin, is a Colombian singer. He is one of the best-selling Latin artists, with 35 million records sold worldwide. Balvin was born in Medellín. At age 17, he moved to th ...
was released on July 23, 2013, in Colombia.
A no rap version of the track was released alongside Laidback Luke's remix and both music videos.
An EP featuring remixes by Laidback Luke, Australian producer
Will Sparks, and American producer
DallasK was made for the single.
Another EP for was released for "Blurred Lines". The EP also features the Laidback Luke remix, "
When I Get You Alone", "
Lost Without U", "
Magic", and "
Sex Therapy
Sex therapy is a therapeutic strategy for the improvement of sexual function and treatment of sexual dysfunction. This includes dysfunctions such as premature ejaculation and delayed ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, lack of sexual interest or ...
".
"Blurred Lines" debuted at number 94 on the US ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
''
Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), o ...
. After the song's unrated version of the video was released, the song rose from number 54 to number 11. The track rose from number 11 to number 6, giving Thicke his first top 10 hit in the US. The song would later rise from number six to number one in June 2013, giving T.I. his fourth, Pharrell his third, and Thicke's first number one hit in the US.
"Blurred Lines" topped the Hot 100 for 12 consecutive weeks, making it the longest running single of 2013. ''Billboard'' named "Blurred Lines" the song of the summer in September 2013. On the ''Billboard''
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
chart, the song reigned at number one for 16 weeks, making it one longest tracks to stay at number one on the chart. In June 2018, The single was certified a diamond certification by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA), denoting track-equivalent sales of 10,000,000 units in the US based on sales and streams.
The song also peaked at number one on the ''Billboard''
Adult Top 40
The Adult Pop Airplay (formerly known as Adult Pop Songs and Adult Top 40) chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and ranks "the most popular adult top 40 as based on radio airplay detections measured by Nielsen Broadcast Data Syste ...
,
Mainstream Top 40
Pop Airplay (also called Mainstream Top 40, Pop Songs, and Top 40/contemporary hit radio, CHR) is a 40-song music chart published weekly by Billboard (magazine), ''Billboard'' Magazine that ranks the most popular songs of pop music being played o ...
,
and
Rhythmic charts.
In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number one on the
UK Singles Chart, selling 190,000 copies in its first week. The remained at number one the following week, selling even more than it did in its first with 200,000 copies sold. It spent five non-consecutive weeks at number one. "Blurred Lines" was confirmed to have sold 1 million copies on its 50th day of release, becoming Williams' second song in only a month to achieve that feat in Britain after being featured on
Daft Punk
Daft Punk were a French electronic music duo formed in 1993 in Paris by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. They achieved popularity in the late 1990s as part of the French house movement, combining house music, funk, disco, tech ...
single "
Get Lucky". According to the
Official Charts Company
The Official UK Charts Company Limited (formerly Music Industry Chart Services Limited), trading as the Official Charts Company (OCC) or the Official Charts (formerly the Chart Information Network), is a British inter-professional organisation ...
, the single became Britain's best-selling single of 2013 with sales of 1,472,681 copies. It became
one of the best-selling singles of all time, with sales of 14.8 million, simultaneously breaking the record for the largest radio audience in history.
Music video
Background and synopsis
A
music video
A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
for "Blurred Lines" was directed by
Diane Martel and was released on March 20, 2013, while an unrated version was released on March 28, 2013. After being on the site for just under one week, the unrated version of the video was removed from YouTube on March 30, 2013, citing violations of the site's
terms of service that restricts the uploading of videos containing nudity, particularly if used in a sexual context. However, it was later restored on July 12, 2013. The unrated version of "Blurred Lines" generated more than one million views in the days following its release on Vevo.
Thicke told ''GQ'' they wanted to do "some old men dances" whilst jesting with taboo subjects such as bestiality, drug injections, and things that are "derogatory towards women". When it came to the silver Mylar balloons arrangement, Thicke said it was Martel's idea. They wanted to "go over the top" and be as witless as possible.
In an interview with ''
Grantland'', Martel stated that Thicke wanted her to make a white
cyc video for "Blurred Lines". She heard the song and instantly fell in love with it. She sat and thought about the ideas for what the models could wear in the video. She realized they could wear shoes, and that it would get attention for the song and the artist. Martel said the hashtags were pretty obvious idea because she thought Robin's last name is strong and supposed it had subconscious connotations. Martel asked an art director named Georgia Walker to find "gross" and "oversized" props like a hose and stuffed dog. Martel said she wanted to deal with the "misogynist, funny lyrics in a way where the girls were going to overpower the men". She came up with the idea of a nude video but turned down the job after Thicke and his team refused. They came back later agreeing to do the nude video if Martel would do a clothed version.
The video features Thicke, T.I., and Williams. It also includes three models:
Emily Ratajkowski,
Elle Evans, and
Jessi M'Bengue. The video features a "Robin Thicke Has a Big Dick" sign spelled out in silver Mylar balloons.
The visual sees the topless models snuggling in bed with Thicke, meowing seductively at the camera, with one the models riding the stuffed dog while sticking her tongue out.
Reception
Kat Bein of ''
Miami New Times
The ''Miami New Times'' is a newspaper published in Miami, Florida, United States, and distributed every Thursday. It primarily serves the Miami metropolitan area, and is headquartered in Miami's Wynwood Art District.
Overview
It was acquired ...
'' described the visual as "misogynist", and said that it "objectifi
dnaked women". Bertie Brandes of ''
Vice
A vice is a practice, behaviour, Habit (psychology), habit or item generally considered morally wrong in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character trait, a defect, an infirmity, or a bad or unhe ...
'' said the video is "a masterpiece of idiocy and the level of stupidity and arrogance required in order for a video this banal, offensive and unimaginative is almost impressive". She continues, saying "except, it's not impressive at all, is it? It's ugly sexist uninspired bullshit dressed up as naughtiness, and it's creepy". Writing for ''
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous, metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade, regional metamorphism. It is the finest-grained foliated metamorphic ro ...
'', Geeta Dayal called the video "loathsome". Aidan Moffat for ''
The Quietus
''The Quietus'' is a British online music and pop culture magazine founded by John Doran and Luke Turner. The site is an editorially independent publication led by Doran with a group of freelance journalists and critics.
Content
''The Quietu ...
'' labeled it is as "awful, sexist and asinine". ''
The Cut'' Ann Friedman mentions that her issue was not the naked women and it being inappropriate. She opined it "featuring naked models and clothed men in party mode is boring, uninventive, and slightly alienating".
Thicke responded to the negative criticism of the video. He said that the video of him dancing around with the naked models should only be controversial to "extra-religious people", and stated it was Martel's idea and actually preferred the clothed version and didn't even want to use the naked version until his wife and her friends said he should put out that video. Thicke told
Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its initial launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television pro ...
the critics needed "to come up with something more original" when calling it sexist. In February 2021, Thicke said to the ''
New York Post
The ''New York Post'' (''NY Post'') is an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative
daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in New York City. The ''Post'' also operates three online sites: NYPost. ...
'' that he was never going to make a video like "Blurred Lines" ever again.
Ratajkowski at first defended the video, saying she didn't think it was sexist and was made with a "sarcastic attitude". She said that they were "being playful" and having a good time with their body. The model thought it was important for young women to have that confidence, and that it is actually celebrating women and their bodies. In an interview with ''
InStyle
''InStyle'' is an American monthly women's fashion magazine founded in 1994. It was published in the United States by Dotdash Meredith, and started originally as a brand extension of ''People (magazine), People'' before carving out its own ide ...
'' in September 2015, Ratajkowski stated the video is "the bane of my existence". The visual was nominated for Video of the Year and Best Male Video at the
2013 MTV Video Music Awards.
It was also nominated for
Best Video at the
2013 MTV Europe Music Awards.
Controversy and criticism
One of the most controversial pop songs in history, "Blurred Lines" was criticized upon release for trivializing sexual violence, objectifying women, and "reinforcing rape myths."
Katie Russell, a spokeswoman for Rape Crisis England & Wales, a feminist charity that raises awareness and understanding of sexual violence, which it defines as "any sexual activity without consent," said the lyrics glamorized violence against women and reinforced rape myths. She thought the song's lyrics and music video seemed to objectify and degrade women, using "misogynistic language and imagery that many people would find not only distasteful or offensive but also really quite old fashioned." She concluded by saying certain lyrics are "explicitly sexually violent and appear to reinforce victim-blaming rape myths."
In the United Kingdom, more than 20 universities banned the song from use at student events. At the
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...
, students' association officials stated that the song violates its policy against "rape culture and
lad banter" and promotes an unhealthy attitude towards sex and consent. It was also banned at other British institutions, including
Plymouth University
The University of Plymouth is a public research university based predominantly in Plymouth, England, where the main campus is located, but the university has campuses and affiliated colleges across South West England. With students, it is the ...
,
Leeds Trinity University
Leeds Trinity University is a public university in Horsforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Originally established to provide qualified teachers to Catholic schools, it gradually expanded and now offers foundation, undergraduate, and postgr ...
,
Leeds Beckett University
Leeds Beckett University (LBU), formerly known as Leeds Metropolitan University (LMU) and before that as Leeds Polytechnic, is a public university in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has campuses in the Leeds city centre, city centre and Hea ...
,
Leeds University
The University of Leeds is a public research university in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It was established in 1874 as the Yorkshire College of Science. In 1884, it merged with the Leeds School of Medicine (established 1831) and was renamed ...
,
University of Derby,
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London (QMUL, or informally QM, and formerly Queen Mary and Westfield College) is a public university, public research university in Mile End, East London, England. It is a member institution of the federal University ...
,
Kingston University
Kingston University London is a Public university, public research university located within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, in South London, South West London, England. Its roots go back to the Kingston Technical Institute, founded ...
,
University of Bolton
The University of Greater Manchester (legally: The University of Bolton Higher Education Corporation) is a public university in Bolton, Greater Manchester in England. The university is commonly referred to as a 'post-92' institution, which is a ...
,
Queen's University Belfast
The Queen's University of Belfast, commonly known as Queen's University Belfast (; abbreviated Queen's or QUB), is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. The university received its charter in 1845 as part of ...
,
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham (informally Birmingham University) is a Public university, public research university in Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Queen's College, Birmingham (founded in 1825 as ...
,
University of East Anglia
The University of East Anglia (UEA) is a Public university, public research university in Norwich, England. Established in 1963 on a campus university, campus west of the city centre, the university has four faculties and twenty-six schools of ...
,
University of the West of Scotland, and a number of
Oxford
Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town.
The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...
and
Durham colleges. Students at the
University of Exeter
The University of Exeter is a research university in the West Country of England, with its main campus in Exeter, Devon. Its predecessor institutions, St Luke's College, Exeter School of Science, Exeter School of Art, and the Camborne School of ...
voted for a condemnation of the lyrics to be issued by the Students' Guild. In
Marshfield, Wisconsin, Lisa Joling, head coach of the Marshfield High School dance team, was fired in August 2013, three days after a halftime performance by her dance class to the song.
Williams initially defended "Blurred Lines." The singer told NPR there was nothing misogynistic about it, and that he was grateful to everybody that supported the song. Further defending the song, Williams mentioned to ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials.
The term is also applie ...
'' that there was nothing controversial about the song and appreciated how "Blurred Lines" helped Thicke "to a place where he deserves to be vocally." In October 2019, Williams told ''GQ'' he "didn't get it" because he thought women enjoyed the song and connected to its "energetic spirit."
The singer later stated, "we live in a chauvinist culture in our country. Hadn't realized that. Didn't realize that some of my songs catered to that."
Accusations of sexual harassment
On October 3, 2021, Ratajkowski published an excerpt from her memoir ''My Body'' in the British newspaper ''
The Sunday Times
''The Sunday Times'' is a British Sunday newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of N ...
'', in which she recounts that she was sexually harassed by Thicke during filming of the music video for "Blurred Lines": The video director Diane Martel supported Ratajkowski by stating that she yelled at the singer asking for an explanation and immediately shutting down the shoot, getting a sheepish apology from Thicke, as if he knew it was wrong without understanding how it might have felt for Emily.
Lawsuit
In August 2013, Thicke, Williams, and T.I. sued
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. (; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He helped shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player an ...
's family and
Bridgeport Music for a declaratory judgment that "Blurred Lines" did not
infringe copyrights of the defendants. Gaye's family accused the song's authors of copying the "feel" and "sound" of "
Got to Give It Up". In the lawsuit, Gaye's family was accused of making an invalid copyright claim since
only expressions, not individual ideas can be protected. In September 2014, ''
The Hollywood Reporter
''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
'' released files relating to a
deposition from the case.
Within the deposition Thicke stated that he was inebriated on
Vicodin and alcohol when he showed up to record the song in the studio, and that Williams had the beat and wrote the vast majority of the song. Within Williams' respective deposition file, the producer noted that he was "in the driver's seat" during the song's creation and agreed that Thicke, in past interviews, "embellished" his contributions to the songwriting process.
On October 30, 2014,
Judge
John A. Kronstadt ruled the Gaye family's lawsuit against Thicke and Williams could proceed, stating the plaintiffs "have made a sufficient showing that elements of 'Blurred Lines' may be substantially similar to protected, original elements of 'Got to Give It Up'." The trial was set to begin on February 10, 2015. Williams and Thicke filed a successful ''
motion in limine'' to prevent a recording of "Got to Give it Up" from being played during the trial.
The motion was granted because the family's copyright covered the sheet music and not necessarily other musical elements from Gaye's recording of the song.
On March 10, 2015, a jury found Thicke and Williams, but not T.I., liable for
copyright infringement
Copyright infringement (at times referred to as piracy) is the use of Copyright#Scope, works protected by copyright without permission for a usage where such permission is required, thereby infringing certain exclusive rights granted to the c ...
. The unanimous jury awarded Gaye's family 7.4 million in damages for copyright infringement and credited Marvin Gaye as a songwriter for "Blurred Lines".
In July 2015, the judge rejected a new trial and the verdict was lowered from 7.4 million to 5.3 million.
In August 2016, Thicke, Williams, and T.I. appealed the judgment to the
9th Circuit Court of Appeals. A few days later, more than 200 musicians – including
Rivers Cuomo of
Weezer
Weezer is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1992. Since 2001, the band has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums, backing vocals), Brian Bell (guitar, keyboards, backing ...
,
John Oates of
Hall & Oates,
R. Kelly,
Hans Zimmer
Hans Florian Zimmer (; born 12 September 1957) is a German film score composer and music producer. He has won two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, five Grammy Awards, and has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards, Emmy Awards and a Tony ...
,
Jennifer Hudson as well as members of
Train
A train (from Old French , from Latin">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... , from Latin , "to pull, to draw") is a series of connected vehicles th ...
,
Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire (abbreviated as EW&F or EWF) is an American band formed in Chicago, Illinois in 1969. Their music spans multiple genres, including jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin and Afro-pop. They are among the best-selling ba ...
,
the Black Crowes,
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer A ...
,
the Go-Go's
The Go-Go's are an American all-female Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1978. Except for short periods when other musicians joined briefly, the band has had a relatively stable lineup consisting of Charlotte Caffey on lead guitar ...
and
Tears for Fears
Tears for Fears are an English pop rock band formed in Bath in 1981 by Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal. Founded after the dissolution of their first band, the mod-influenced Graduate, Tears for Fears were associated with the synth-pop bands o ...
– filed an ''
amicus curiae
An amicus curiae (; ) is an individual or organization that is not a Party (law), party to a legal case, but that is permitted to assist a court by offering information, expertise, or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case. Wheth ...
'' brief, authored by attorney Ed McPherson, in support of the appeal, stating that "the verdict in this case threatens to punish songwriters for creating new music that is inspired by prior works." In December 2018, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the district court's finding of infringement against Williams and Thicke. Both singers still had to pay Gaye's family 5.3 million. Thicke was also ordered to pay more than 1.7 million and Williams and his publishing company had to pay 357,631 in separate awards to Gaye's estate. In December 2019, Gaye's family opened the lawsuit back up again, accusing Williams of lying under oath during the trial. The plaintiffs cited a ''GQ'' interview from November of that same year in which Williams said he "reverse engineered" "Got to Give It Up", saying that it countered his statement during a deposition that he "did not go in the studio with the intention of making anything feel like, or to sound like, Marvin Gaye."
In February 2021, Kronstadt ruled that Williams did not commit perjury, saying: "The statements by Williams during the November 2019 Interview were cryptic and amenable to multiple interpretations."
Live performances
On May 14, 2013, Thicke performed the song for the first time live on NBC's ''
The Voice'' alongside Williams and T.I. Thicke also performed the song on ''
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. The show ran for nineteen seasons from September 8, 2003, to May 26, 2022, in which it broadcast 3,339 episodes. It was produced by ...
'' on May 16 with Pharrell and three models doing backup. In June 2013, Thicke performed the song alongside Williams with American actress
Hayden Panettiere
Hayden Lesley Panettiere ( ; born August 21, 1989) is an American actress and singer. She has starred as Claire Bennet on the NBC superhero series ''Heroes (American TV series), Heroes'' (2006–2010), Kirby Reed in the slasher film, slasher Ho ...
dancing to the song on the British television
chat show
A talk show is a television programming, radio programming or podcast genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Show', pp.3-4Erler, Robert (20 ...
''
The Graham Norton Show''. Thicke, Williams, and T.I. performed the song on the
2013 BET Awards on June 30, 2013. They performed against a backdrop of Thicke's name in giant red block letters. Thicke also performed the track solo on
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and Contemporary hit radio, current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including ...
Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio stations BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra. It was originally hosted by Simon Mayo, and later by Jo Whiley on her weekday mid-morning, and later weekend lunchtime radio shows, then by Fearne Cott ...
on July 8, 2013, as well as ''
This Morning'' on July 10, 2013.
Thicke also performed the song complete with dancers in studio on ''The Howard Stern Show'' on
Sirius XM Radio
Sirius XM Holdings Inc. is an American broadcasting corporation headquartered in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, that provides satellite radio and online radio services operating in the United States. The company was formed by the 2008 merger ...
on July 29, 2013. He also performed the song on ''
The Colbert Report
''The Colbert Report'' ( ) is an American late night television, late-night Late-night talk show, talk and news satire television program hosted by Stephen Colbert that aired four days a week on Comedy Central from October 17, 2005, to December ...
'' on August 6, 2013, after French duo
Daft Punk
Daft Punk were a French electronic music duo formed in 1993 in Paris by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. They achieved popularity in the late 1990s as part of the French house movement, combining house music, funk, disco, tech ...
canceled. On September 20, he performed "Blurred Lines" at the 2013
iHeartRadio Music Festival. On November 10, Thicke performed the song with
Iggy Azalea at the 2013 MTV Europe Music Awards. In December, he performed the song at Jingle Ball 2013 concerts. In May 2014, Williams performed the song as part of a medley at the iHeartRadio Awards where he received the iHeartRadio Innovator Award. In May 2017, Thicke performed the song at the
4th Indonesian Choice Awards.
MTV Video Music Awards
Thicke performed "Blurred Lines" as a duet with American singer
Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( , born Destiny Hope Cyrus, November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and director. Regarded as a contemporary pop icon, Cyrus has been recognized for her evolving artistry and image reinventions. She is ...
at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, medleyed with Cyrus' "
We Can't Stop" and "
Give It 2 U", featuring
2 Chainz
Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (formerly Tity Boi), is an American rapper and actor. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip-hop duo Playaz Ci ...
. The performance began with Cyrus performing "We Can't Stop" in bear-themed attire.
Following this, Thicke entered the stage and Cyrus stripped down to a small skin-colored two-piece outfit.
Cyrus subsequently touched Thicke's crotch area with a giant foam finger and
twerked against his crotch. The performance drew extensive reactions and became the most tweeted about event in history, with
Twitter
Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
users generating 360,000 tweets about the event per minute; breaking the previous record held by
Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and businesswoman. With a career spanning over three decades, she has established herself as one of the most Cultural impact of Beyoncé, ...
's
Super Bowl XLVII halftime show
The Super Bowl XLVII halftime show occurred on February 3, 2013, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans as part of Super Bowl XLVII. Beyoncé headlined with special guests Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams (singer), Michelle Williams f ...
performance six months earlier.
Critics universally panned the performance. Shirley Halperin for ''The Hollywood Reporter'' described the performance as "crass" and "reminiscent of a bad
acid trip
A psychedelic experience (known colloquially as a trip) is a temporary altered state of consciousness induced by the consumption of a psychedelic substance (most commonly LSD, mescaline, psilocybin mushrooms, or DMT). For example, an acid ...
". Writing for the American news program ''
Today'', Anna Chan called the performance "embarrassingly raunchy", while Katy Kroll of ''Rolling Stone'' labeled it a "hot mess". The performance was described by ''
XXL'' critic B. J. Steiner as a "trainwreck in the classic sense of the word as the audience reaction seemed to be a mix of confusion, dismay and horror in a cocktail of embarrassment". Louisa Peacock and Isabelle Kerr of ''
Telegraph
Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas ...
'' described Cyrus' actions as her going into "overdrive
..trying to kill off her Disney millstone, Hannah Montana. In July 2017, Cyrus said she felt sexualized while twerking during the performance.
Parodies
* On the June 12, 2013, episode of ''
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', sometimes shortened to ''JKL'', is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, and broadcast on ABC. The nightly hour-long show tapes and is based out of the Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywo ...
'', in which Thicke and Pharrell were both guests, they aired a parody version of the "Blurred Lines" video in which host
Jimmy Kimmel
James Christian Kimmel (born November 13, 1967), known professionally as Jimmy Kimmel, is an American television host, comedian, writer, voice actor, and producer. He has been the host and executive producer of '' Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', a late-n ...
and his sidekick
Guillermo attempt to join Thicke, Pharrell, and the dancers but keep getting rebuffed.
* On August 2, 2013,
Bart Baker
Bart Baker (born May 5, 1986) is an American social media personality, musician, and comedian. He is best known for making Parody, parody videos of notable songs, for which ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' dubbed him one of the most prolific ma ...
released a parody of "Blurred Lines" on his YouTube channel.
* On September 11, 2013, the drag queen group DWV (
Detox,
Willam Belli
Willam Belli (, born June 30, 1982), mononymously known as Willam, is an American drag queen, actor, singer-songwriter, reality television personality, author, and YouTuber. Willam came to prominence as a contestant on the RuPaul's Drag Race sea ...
, and Vicky Vox), released a parody called "Blurred Bynes". The song is about
Amanda Bynes and her behavior in the previous months.
* On September 17, 2013, a parody music video featuring then-
AKB48
AKB48 (pronounced ''A.K.B. Forty-Eight'') is a Japanese idol musical girl group named after the Akihabara area in Tokyo, where the group's theater is located. AKB48 has sold more records than any other female musical act in Japanese history. AK ...
members
Yuko Oshima
is a Japanese actress and former member of idol girl group AKB48, of which she was the captain of Team K. She was also a member of the AKB48 subunit Not Yet. In addition to the singles that involved the rock-paper-scissors tournaments, she sa ...
and
Haruna Kojima was released on YouTube as a collaboration between Thicke and AKB48 to promote the song in Japan.
* On November 5, 2013,
Dave Callan
David Gerard Callan (born ) is an Irish-born stand-up comedian, who has had a career in television and radio, and is based in Melbourne, Victoria, Melbourne, Australia. Up until 2010 he worked as a Triple J disc jockey.
Early life and educat ...
, as part of his review of ''
Just Dance 2014'' on the
ABC show ''
Good Game'' performed a parody of the music video in response to the incorrect choreography of the song in the game.
* On December 19, 2013, the Canadian sketch comedy group
Royal Canadian Air Farce released a parody of the music video called "Rob Ford's Blurred Lines", highlighting the recent admissions by
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
mayor
Rob Ford
Robert Bruce Ford (May 28, 1969 – March 22, 2016) was a Canadian politician and businessman who served as the 64th mayor of Toronto from 2010 to 2014. Before and after his term as mayor, Ford was a city councillor representing Ward 2 Etobi ...
of public drunkenness and using crack cocaine.
* On July 15, 2014,
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic ( ; born October 23, 1959) is an American comedy musician, writer, and actor. He is best known for writing and performing Comedy music, comedy songs that often Parody music, parody specific songs by contempo ...
released a parody of the song entitled "
Word Crimes
"Word Crimes" is a song by American musician "Weird Al" Yankovic from his fourteenth studio album, ''Mandatory Fun'' (2014). The song is a parody of the 2013 single "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke, featuring Pharrell Williams and T.I. The song par ...
" from his album ''
Mandatory Fun''. A music video for the song was released the same day.
* In September 2021, singer
Devon Cole released a rewritten version of the song on
TikTok
TikTok, known in mainland China and Hong Kong as Douyin (), is a social media and Short-form content, short-form online video platform owned by Chinese Internet company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which may range in duration f ...
to highlight the importance of consent.
Track listing
*Digital download and streaming
#"Blurred Lines" (featuring
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...
and
T.I.) – 4:22
*Colombia single
#"Blurred Lines" (featuring
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...
and
J Balvin
José Álvaro Osorio Balvín (born 7 May 1985), known professionally as J Balvin, is a Colombian singer. He is one of the best-selling Latin artists, with 35 million records sold worldwide. Balvin was born in Medellín. At age 17, he moved to th ...
) – 4:22
*UK single
#"Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell Williams and T.I.)
lean– 4:22
#"Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell & T.I.)
[Laidback Luke
Lucas Cornelis van Scheppingen (born 22 October 1976), better known under his stage name Laidback Luke, is a Filipino-born Dutch DJ and record producer. He notably remixed the Robin S. song, "Show Me Love (Robin S. song)#Steve Angello and Laidba ...
Remix] – 4:39
*No Rap single
#"Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell Williams) [No Rap Version] – 3:50
#"Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell and T.I.)
aidback Luke Remix– 4:40
#"Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell Williams and T.I.)
usic Video– 4:33
#"Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell Williams and T.I.)
usic Video – Clean– 4:33
*The Remixes
#"Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell and T.I.) (Laidback Luke Remix) – 4:40
#"Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell and T.I.) (
Will Sparks Remix) – 5:08
#"Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell and T.I.) (
DallasK Remix) – 5:00
*EP
#"Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell Williams and T.I.) – 4:23
#"Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell & T.I.)
aidback Luke Remix– 4:40
#"
When I Get You Alone" – 3:36
#"
Lost Without U" – 4:14
#"
Magic" – 3:53
#"
Sex Therapy
Sex therapy is a therapeutic strategy for the improvement of sexual function and treatment of sexual dysfunction. This includes dysfunctions such as premature ejaculation and delayed ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, lack of sexual interest or ...
" – 4:35
Credits and personnel
Credits and personnel adapted from ''Blurred Lines'' album liner notes.
*
Robin Thicke –
writer
A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles, genres and techniques to communicate ideas, to inspire feelings and emotions, or to entertain. Writers may develop different forms of writing such as novels, short sto ...
,
vocals
Singing is the art of creating music with the voice. It is the oldest form of musical expression, and the human voice can be considered the first musical instrument. The definition of singing varies across sources. Some sources define sing ...
*
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...
– writer, vocals,
producer, instruments
*
T.I. – writer, vocals
*
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gaye Jr. (; April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and soul singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. He helped shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player an ...
– writer
* Andrew Coleman –
recording, digital editing,
arrangement
In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orchestr ...
* Todd Hurt – recording assistant
*
Tony Maserati –
mixing at
Mirrorball Studios (North Hollywood)
* Justin Hergett – mixing assistant
* James Krausse – mixing assistant
*
Chris Tabron - mixing assistant
*
Chris Gehringer –
mastering
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
All-time charts
Certifications and sales
See also
*
2013 in American music
*
List of best-selling singles
This is a compendium of the best-selling single (music), music singles. The criterion for inclusion is to sell at least ten million copies worldwide. The singles listed here were cited by reliable sources from various media, such as digital j ...
*
List of best-selling singles in the United States
*
List of best-selling singles in Australia
This is a list of highest-certified singles in Australia according to the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Since 1983, ARIA certifies a single Platinum for shipment of 70,000 copies across Australia. Single figures can include "qu ...
*
List of highest-certified digital singles in the United States
*
List of million-selling singles in the United Kingdom
*
List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 2013
*
List of Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles in 2013
This is a list of singles that charted in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100, an all-genre singles chart, in 2013.
During the year, 62 songs and 59 acts charted in the tier, and 34 of these acts scored their first top-ten ...
*
List of number-one R&B/hip-hop songs of 2013 (U.S.)
*
List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 2013 (Canada)
*
List of number-one singles of 2013 (Australia)
*
List of number-one singles of 2013 (South Africa)
*
Word Crimes
"Word Crimes" is a song by American musician "Weird Al" Yankovic from his fourteenth studio album, ''Mandatory Fun'' (2014). The song is a parody of the 2013 single "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke, featuring Pharrell Williams and T.I. The song par ...
, the
Weird Al parody of the song.
Notes
References
External links
*
side-by-side views of the official and unrated versions of the controversial "Blurred Lines" videos
{{authority control
2012 songs
2013 singles
APRA Award winners
Robin Thicke songs
T.I. songs
Pharrell Williams songs
Songs written by Robin Thicke
Songs written by Pharrell Williams
Songs written by T.I.
Songs written by Marvin Gaye
Songs written by Ed Townsend
Song recordings produced by Pharrell Williams
Music video controversies
Number-one singles in Australia
Number-one singles in Austria
Number-one singles in Germany
Number-one singles in Israel
Number-one singles in New Zealand
Number-one singles in Poland
Number-one singles in Scotland
South African Airplay Chart number-one singles
Number-one singles in Switzerland
Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
UK singles chart number-one singles
Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Canadian Hot 100 number-one singles
Record Report Pop Rock General number-one singles
Music videos directed by Diane Martel
Interscope Records singles
Star Trak Entertainment singles
2013 controversies
Obscenity controversies in music
Songs involved in plagiarism controversies
Songs involved in royalties controversies