Written by: Kacey Musgraves, Natalie Hemby and Shane McAnally Produced by: Ian Fitchuk, Daniel Tashian and Kacey Musgraves Album: Golden Hour UK release: February 2019 UK chart peak: –
There are two kinds of you-can-get-through-this pop anthem, and I love them both: the Katy Perry Roar-style fist-pumpers, which send you on your way with a huge fire under your arse; and the Kacey Musgraves Rainbow-style weepies, which look you right in the eye, see every detail of every burden you’re carrying, and say very gently and very sincerely, “no but genuinely, this is gonna work out”.
Finally serviced as a single earlier this year, Rainbow is – narrowly! – my favourite song from Musgraves’ exquisite Golden Hour album; a gorgeous note to end it on, and a perfect tear-stained hug for the burnout generation. “It’ll all be alright,” she whispers at the very end, and you know what? I believe her.
I’ll be writing about my favourite 100 pop songs of the decade; one a day for the last 100 days of 2019. They’re in no particular order, except the Top 10 – which will (obviously) come in late December.