Pluto Projector
| "Pluto Projector" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Rex Orange County | ||||
| from the album Pony | ||||
| Released | 17 October 2019 | |||
| Studio | Strongroom Studios, London[1] | |||
| Genre | Pop[2] | |||
| Length | 4:27 | |||
| Label | RCA | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Rex Orange County | |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Rex Orange County singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Pluto Projector" is a song by the English singer Rex Orange County, from his third studio album, Pony (2019). The song was released on 17 October 2019, as the second single from the album, and was written by Rex Orange County, who produced the song with Ben Baptie.
Background and release
[edit]Rex Orange County first teased the song on 16 October 2019, posting a telephone number on social media, which when called, played the song's first verse.[3] On the same day, he posted a video of an orchestra playing, with the caption, "Pluto Projector", to social media.[4] It was released as the second single from Pony the following day, where Rex Orange County revealed it was the album's seventh track.[5]
Composition and lyrics
[edit]The song's sheet music, published at Musicnotes.com by Universal Music Publishing, shows that the song is written in the key of C major with a tempo of 80 beats per minute. The vocals in the song span from the low note of B♭3 to the high note of G5.[6] The song is most known for its orchestral ending, which Affinity Magazine's Daryl Perry said put the listener at an "emotional climax".[7]
NME described the song as a "slow-burning cut of emotive pop",[2] while NPR described the song as a "semi-downtempo acoustic track" where Rex Orange County meditates on "the existential", singing; "What if all this counts for nothing, everything I thought I'd be/What if by the time I realize, it's too far to see?".[8] Lyrically, the song is about Rex fantasizing a future life with his lover, and includes subtle remarks from Rex Orange County about becoming famous as a teenager; "I'm still a boy inside my thoughts / Am I meant to understand my faults?"[9]
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2019) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Hot Singles Chart (Recorded Music NZ)[10] | 17 |
| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[11] | 7 |
Certifications
[edit]| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[12] | Platinum | 70,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[13] | Silver | 200,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[14] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
[edit]- ^ Kenneally, Cerys (17 October 2019). "Rex Orange County shares tender new track "Pluto Projector"". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ a b Clarke, Patrick (17 October 2019). "Take a listen to Rex Orange County's glistening new single 'Pluto Projector'". NME. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ Goodridge, Hayden (17 October 2019). "Daily Dose: Rex Orange County, "Pluto Projector"". Paste. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ @rexorangecounty (16 October 2019). "PLUTO PROJECTOR" (Tweet). Retrieved 26 February 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ Rossignol, Derrick (17 October 2019). "Rex Orange County's Lush New Single 'Pluto Projector' Is An Emotional 'Pony' Preview". Uproxx. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ "Pluto Projector by Rex Orange County - Digital Sheet Music". www.musicnotes.com. Universal Music Group. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
- ^ Perry, Daryl (20 October 2019). "Rex Orange County's 'Pluto Projector' is the Ballad We All Needed". Affinity Magazine. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ^ Jones, Zoë (17 October 2019). "Rex Orange County Shares 'Pluto Projector'". NPR. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ Milewski, Kathryn (16 March 2022). "Top 10 Rex Orange County Songs". Live365. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
- ^ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 28 October 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ "Rex Orange County - Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ "British single certifications – Rex Orange County – Pluto Projector". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
- ^ "American single certifications – Rex Orange County – Pluto Projector". Recording Industry Association of America.