Everyday (feat. Rod Stewart, Miguel & Mark Ronson)

Everyday is a complex exploration of the double-edged sword of fame, identity crisis, and the numbing effects of substance use. At its core, the song juxtaposes the soulful, weary yearning for a sign of purpose with the frantic, high-speed reality of a rap superstar's life.

The recurring hook, delivered by Rod Stewart and Miguel, represents the internal monologue of exhaustion. The act of "drinking wine, feeling fine" is ironic; it suggests self-medication rather than genuine happiness. The protagonist is stuck in a loop ("Everyday"), waiting for a "sign" to make sense of his existence, but he is too caught up in the momentum of his career to actually find it.

A$AP Rocky's verses dismantle the glamour of the celebrity lifestyle. He touches on the distortion of time ("flip September through August"), implying that his life is moving so fast he's losing track of reality. He criticizes the industry's artificiality, noting how "hood dudes" now copy his style, diluting his sense of unique identity. The lyrics also hint at the darker side of success—depression, the loss of friends (specifically alluding to the death of A$AP Yams), and the feeling that his "mind, body, soul" are imprisoned by his public persona. Ultimately, the song is a resignation: he accepts his "facade" and chooses to remain in his intoxicated state because it is the only way to survive the "everyday" pressures.

The song opens with a soulful, weary admission of a repetitive, hollow existence. The narrator describes a daily ritual of consuming wine and waiting for a divine sign or some form of clarity that never seems to arrive. This cycle is painted not as a celebration, but as a coping mechanism—a way to numb the senses against a reality that feels increasingly disconnected. There is a desire to slow down the frantic pace of life, yet the momentum of success and expectation makes this impossible. The voice singing these lines feels like a ghost from the past, echoing a timeless struggle with ennui and the search for meaning.

As the energy shifts, the perspective moves to a more aggressive, fast-paced recounting of the celebrity lifestyle. The narrator speaks of a disorientation where time blurs, with months flipping out of order, symbolizing a loss of control over one's own timeline. The pressure of the industry is tangible, described through images of conflict in corporate offices and the constant, nauseating scrutiny of the public eye. The lyrics depict a world where identity is fluid and easily stolen; where outsiders mimic the narrator's style and success until the original self is obscured. There is a sense of paranoia and defiance, as the narrator navigates a landscape filled with 'gorgeous hoes' and paparazzi, maintaining a facade of composure while internally spiraling.

The narrative delves deeper into the darkness of fame, touching on themes of inevitable mortality and the artificiality of the Hollywood ecosystem. The narrator acknowledges the 'facade'—the lies agreed upon to maintain status—and the spiritual cost of this bargain, feeling as though their soul is imprisoned. References to missing screws and 'drinking away the truth' highlight a deteriorating mental state. Despite the wealth, the 'brand new bag,' and the adoration, there is a profound loneliness. The 'love birds' chirping at the window represent a natural, simple beauty that the narrator no longer has a use for, having traded genuine connection for the isolating comfort of intoxication and the 'bad bitch' of success. Ultimately, the song resolves into a resignation to this fate: a decision to keep drinking the wine, feeling 'fine' in a superficial sense, and accepting that this chaotic loop is now their everyday reality.

Released on May 8, 2015, Everyday serves as a pivotal single from A$AP Rocky's second studio album, At. Long. Last. ASAP. The track is a high-profile collaboration produced by Mark Ronson, along with Emile Haynie and Jeff Bhasker. The song's foundation is a sample of the 1970 track "In a Broken Dream" by the Australian band Python Lee Jackson, which featured a then-unknown session singer named Rod Stewart.

The creation of the song involved a blend of crate-digging nostalgia and modern production. Mark Ronson reportedly brought the sample to Rocky. Interestingly, rather than relying solely on the original 1970 recording, Rod Stewart was brought into the studio to re-record parts of his vocals and add new ad-libs, bridging the gap between the classic rock era and modern hip-hop. Miguel was enlisted to add a contemporary R&B layer, harmonizing with Stewart's raspy delivery.

The song was recorded during a tumultuous time for Rocky, following the death of his close friend and mentor, A$AP Yams, in January 2015. This tragedy heavily influenced the album's darker, more psychedelic tone. Rocky premiered the track during a lecture at the Red Bull Music Academy in New York, explaining that the song reflected the reality of his life at that moment: chaotic, intoxicated, and searching for stability.

The song utilizes several potent symbols to convey its themes of excess and emptiness:

• The Wine: Represents escapism and numbing. It is a recurring motif of self-medication. While "sipping wine" sounds sophisticated, in this context, it is a tool to blur the sharp edges of reality and suppress the "truth."
• September through August: A metaphor for disorder and loss of control. By reversing the months, Rocky illustrates how his perception of time has been warped by his relentless schedule and drug use.
• The "Sign": Symbolizes spiritual guidance or purpose. The narrator is waiting for an external validation or direction that never comes, highlighting his internal spiritual void.
• Plastic Surgery/Facade: In the lyrics (and heavily emphasized in the music video), the "facade" represents the artificial construct of the celebrity persona. It suggests that the public image is a surgically altered, inorganic version of the self.
• Love Birds: Mentioned as chirping at the window, they represent natural, simple happiness or romantic connection, which the narrator dismisses ("I don't need love no more"), choosing isolation instead.

The predominant emotion of Everyday is a bittersweet melancholia masked by bravado. There is an underlying sense of exhaustion and loneliness that permeates even the most aggressive parts of the rap verses. The combination of Rod Stewart's weary voice and the minor-key organ chords creates a nostalgic, almost funeral atmosphere.

As the song progresses, the emotion shifts between defiance (in the trap sections) and resignation (in the choruses). The collision of the triumphant brass sections and the sad lyrical content creates a complex emotional landscape where success feels like a burden. It captures the specific feeling of being surrounded by people yet feeling completely alone, numb, and detached from one's own life.

Everyday is a significant track in the history of hip-hop/rock crossovers. It demonstrated A$AP Rocky's willingness to step outside traditional rap boundaries and experiment with psychedelic and classic rock textures. The collaboration with a legend like Rod Stewart was unexpected and helped bridge the generational gap between classic rock fans and modern hip-hop listeners.

Commercially, the song performed moderately well, peaking at number 92 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 56 on the UK Singles Chart. However, its critical impact was greater; Rolling Stone ranked it at number 38 on their list of the 50 Best Songs of 2015. The music video, which depicts a bloated, aging A$AP Rocky undergoing plastic surgery and living in an empty mansion, became a cult favorite for its dark, satirical take on the "Hip-Hop Hollywood Story." The song cemented Rocky's reputation as a tastemaker who prioritizes artistic vision and mood over standard radio formulas.

A$AP Rocky employs a sophisticated multi-syllabic rhyme scheme throughout his verses. For example, he chains rhymes like "September through August", "office", "bosses", "nauseous", and "faucet". This technique creates a rolling, percussive momentum that drives the song forward despite the slow tempo of the sample.

Rhythmically, the song is defined by its drastic tempo shifts. The intro and chorus sit in a slow, swung groove (reminiscent of 6/8 or 12/8 blues time), giving it a swaying, drunken feel. However, when the beat drops for the verses, it snaps into a strict 4/4 trap meter with rapid hi-hats and heavy 808 sub-bass. This rhythmic duality mirrors the song's theme: the chorus is the slow, wine-induced haze, while the verses represent the fast-paced, high-stress reality of the rapper's career.

Everyday is a masterclass in genre-blending, fusing classic rock soul with contemporary trap. The track begins with a retro aesthetic, utilizing the dusty, organ-heavy sound of the Python Lee Jackson sample to establish a melancholic, bluesy atmosphere. This is quickly juxtaposed with a jarring beat switch (a signature Mark Ronson flourish) that drops into a heavy, bass-rattling trap rhythm for Rocky's verses.

Vocal layering is a key technique here. Rod Stewart's gravelly, aged rock vocals provide a texture of wisdom and weariness, which contrasts with Miguel's smooth, ethereal falsetto. This creates a sonic dialogue between the past and the present. A$AP Rocky employs a multi-syllabic flow and internal rhyme schemes that ride the trap beat with precision, contrasting the loose, swung feel of the sample. The production also uses textural effects like vinyl crackle and radio static to enhance the feeling of listening to a memory or a transmission from another time.

What song is sampled in A$AP Rocky's Everyday?

The song samples "In a Broken Dream" by the Australian rock band Python Lee Jackson. The 1970 track features vocals by Rod Stewart, who was a session musician at the time. For A$AP Rocky's version, Rod Stewart actually returned to the studio to re-record parts of his vocals.

What is the meaning behind the 'September through August' lyric?

When Rocky raps about flipping "September through August," he is using a metaphor for the distortion of time caused by his chaotic lifestyle. It suggests that his life is moving so fast and is so disoriented that the natural order of months feels reversed or jumbled.

Who are the featured artists on Everyday?

The song features vocals from legendary British rocker Rod Stewart and R&B singer Miguel. It also features production and credit from Mark Ronson, who is known for his retro-soul production style.

What is the meaning of the Everyday music video?

The music video depicts a fictionalized "Hip-Hop Hollywood Story" where A$AP Rocky is shown as an elderly, wealthy, but lonely man. It satirizes the hollowness of fame, showing him undergoing plastic surgery and living in isolation, ultimately suggesting that a life of excess leads to a lonely end.

Does Rod Stewart actually sing on the A$AP Rocky track?

Yes, while the song is built around a sample of his 1970 performance, Rod Stewart approved the usage and contributed new vocals and ad-libs to the track, making it a true collaboration rather than just a sample.