Rats (Ghost song)

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For other songs with this title, see Rat (disambiguation) § Music.

"Rats"
This 7" picture disc release of the single features artwork of a rat king.
Single by Ghost
from the album Prequelle
ReleasedApril 13, 2018 (2018-04-13)
Recorded2017–2018
Genre
Length4:21
LabelLoma Vista
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Tom Dalgety
Ghost singles chronology
"Square Hammer"
(2016) 		"Rats"
(2018) 		"Dance Macabre"
(2018)

"Rats" is a song by the Swedish

Grammy Award at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards
.

Background and release

The song debuted on April 12, 2018, on

Cardinal Copia,[7] and was performed by a separate set of anonymous band members than prior material, with all prior band members leaving the band in 2017 following a lawsuit with Forge regarding pay.[8] The song's music video was also released on April 13.[5] Journalists noted that the video's style and dancing appeared to be influenced by Michael Jackson's music video for his song "Thriller".[5]

Themes and composition

Forge wrote the track to serve as "a big opening track that just blows people's minds immediately".

I Don't Know" off of their 1980 album Blizzard of Ozz in the 1980s.[9]

Lyrically, the song is about humanity's tendency to rush to judgement and

mob mentality.[10] Forge explained:

"In many ways, [humanity has] gone back a few steps, because now it's closer to how it was back in the old days when people were standing at the square and all of a sudden, it's like in Monty Python's Life of Brian: 'Stone him! Ra! Ra! Ra!' Public trials are very unsupervised and extremely swift and speak to the most primordial parts of us...It's actually not technically about rodents, it's about something spreading as wildfire and completely destroying things quicker than you know. It was how the plague started in Europe.[10]

Reception

Kennelty praised the song for being "darker" and "heavier" than the material from their prior album

Metal Sucks similarly praised it for its catchy guitar riffs.[11]

Track listing

Digital download

Digital download
No.TitleLength
1."Rats"4:22

7" single

Side A
No.TitleLength
1."Rats"4:22
Side B
No.TitleLength
1."Rats (Instrumental)"4:22

Awards and nominations

Year Ceremony Award Result
2019
Grammy Awards (61st
) 		Best Rock Song Nominated

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.[12]

  • Cardinal Copia
    ")
  • A Group of Nameless Ghouls – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass guitar, drums, keyboards

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[20] Gold 40,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Rodriguez, David (April 13, 2018). "Ghost Unveil New Album Details Along With Single "Rats"". It Djents. Archived from the original on June 15, 2018. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Kennelty, Greg. "Listen: GHOST Premiere New Song "Rats!" On The Radio". Metal Injection. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  3. ^ "Ghost puts references to Sepultura in new album cover". April 13, 2018. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  4. ^ Zukowski, Zenae. "Oh "Rats," Ghost's new single leaks online". Metal Insider. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  5. ^ a b c DiVita, Joe. "Ghost Debut Theatrical 'Rats' Video, Announced New Album". Loudwire. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  6. ^ Fanelli, Damian. "host Premiere "Rats" Music Video, Announce New Album, 'Prequelle'". Guitar World. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  7. Consequence of Sound
    . Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  8. ^ Hartmann, Graham. "Ghost: Four Former Nameless Ghouls Reveal Identities, Ex-Guitarist Speaks Out on Papa Emeritus Lawsuit". Loudwire. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  9. ^ a b c "GHOST Leader Reveals Why He Wrote 'Rats'". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  10. ^ a b "Read Biting Lyrics to Ghost's Black Plague-Inspired New Song "Rats"". Revolver. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  11. ^ Neilstein, Vince. "Listen to Ghost's New Song "Like Rats" in Full Right Now!". MetalSucks. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  12. ^ Prequelle (CD liner notes). Loma Vista Recordings. 2018. LVR00383. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
  13. Ultratip
    . Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  14. ^ "Ghost (dupe 1) Chart History (Canada Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  15. ^ "Ghost – Rats". Singles Top 100. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  16. ^ "Ghost (dupe 1) Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  17. ^ "Ghost (dupe 1) Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  18. ^ "Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  19. ^ "Rock Airplay Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved January 21, 2022.
  20. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Ghost – Rats". Music Canada. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
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