Ugh! (song)

"Ugh!"
Single by the 1975
from the album I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It
Released10 December 2015 (2015-12-10)
Genre
Length3:00
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
The 1975 singles chronology
"Love Me"
(2015)
"Ugh!"
(2015)
"The Sound"
(2016)
Music video
"Ugh!" on YouTube

"Ugh!" is a song by English band the 1975 from their second studio album, I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It (2016). The song was written by Matty Healy, George Daniel, Adam Hann and Ross MacDonald. Mike Crossey handled the production alongside Daniel and Healy. The song was released on 10 December 2015 by Dirty Hit and Polydor Records as the second single from the album. The band's obsession with syncopation and rhythm drove the song's creation, while Healy explained the lyrics are about coming down from cocaine, drug-fuelled conversations and social interactions.

"Ugh!" is a stripped-down funk, R&B and synth-pop ballad containing disco, art pop, jazz, electro-funk, and new wave elements. The song's tropical production consists of a synthetic funk groove, an electro-indie rhythm and a 1970s-style funk beat. The song is about Healy's cocaine addiction, narrating a struggle between attempting to quit and the desire to continue. Themes explored on the song include sexual frustration, self-obsession and self-disgust, among others.

Upon release, "Ugh!" received generally positive reviews from contemporary music critics, who praised the song's sonic innovation, production, lyrics and Healy's vocals. Commercially, it reached number 42 on the UK Singles Chart, number 26 in Scotland, number 80 in Ireland and number 10 on the US Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. The song was later certified silver in the United Kingdom by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). An accompanying music video, directed by Adam Powell, was released on 18 December 2015. The visual features the 1975 performing the song on a neon-lit stage.