Music

Charli XCX Refuses to Explain “Rock Music” While Offering Behind-the-Scenes Video Glimpse

Charli XCX

Rolling Stone·May 13, 2026·via Rolling Stone

Decide for Yourself

Charli XCX Is ‘Not Gonna Explain’ New Song ‘Rock Music’ But Offers Behind-the-Scenes Look at Video

The artist's divisive new song arrived alongside an Aidan Zamiri-directed video playing on classic rock tropes

By Larisha Paul

Larisha Paul

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May 13, 2026

Charli XCX has been taking in all the contrasting reactions to her latest song, “Rock Music.” The artist’s divisive new track arrived last week alongside an Aidan Zamiri-directed video that plays on classic rock tropes. “I think the dance floor is dead,” Charli sings on the glitching chorus. “So now we’re making rock music.” Rock and dance music defenders alike have reached for their pitchforks, but Charli isn’t interested in debating or explaining the song to them.

“I’m not gonna explain where i was coming from with ‘rock music,’ but all i know is that things can be funny, earnest, sincere, and joyful all at the same time and that’s what i feel about a lot of the things i make,” Charli wrote on Instagram . In the post, the artist compared the discourse around the song to how people reacted to A.G. Cook’s PC Music, particularly “how the label was deemed as almost critiquing or looking down on pop music or something.”