Butterflies (Kacey Musgraves song)

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"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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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

Chart performance[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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

Charts[edit]

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

Certifications[edit]

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

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b DeVille, Chris (February 23, 2018). "Kacey Musgraves – "Butterflies" & "Space Cowboy"". Stereogum. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b Darville, Jordan (May 4, 2018). "Kacey Musgraves shares "Butterflies" music video". The Fader. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  9. ^ a b 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. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b "Kacey Musgraves Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  20. ^ a b "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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