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Times Like These (Addison Rae song)

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"Times Like These"
Song by Addison Rae
from the album Addison
ReleasedJune 6, 2025 (2025-06-06)
Genre
Length3:52
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Elvira Anderfjärd
  • Luka Kloser
Music video
"Times Like These" on YouTube

"Times Like These" is song by American singer Addison Rae from her debut studio album Addison, released through Columbia Records and As Long As I'm Dancing LLC on June 6, 2025. It is a trip hop track written by Rae and its producers, Elvira Anderfjärd and Luka Kloser. A reflective and tender number, it talks about Rae's struggles in life. "Times Like These" received an accompanying music video, set as a behind-the-scenes montage of a dance performance, directed by Ethan James Green. Rae debuted the song live during the album listening event in New York City.

Background and composition

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In April 2025, Rae announced that her debut studio album would be released on June 6 during her surprise apperance during Arca's set at Coachella 2025,[1] later revealing the album title and its cover art at the end of the month. In May, the album tracks were revealed through billboards located in various cities,[2] before Rae officially announced the track listing on May 21, placing "Times Like These" as the tenth song on the album.[3] On June 4, she unveiled that in tandem with the album's release, the music video for "Times Like These" would be released. The following day, she debuted the song live as the encore of an exclusive album release event hosted at The Box in New York City.[4] She performed it again days later at the venue's sister club in London.[5] Billboard's Kristen Wisneski opined it was an "ideal" way to finish the setlist by putting the fans in a "reflective mood".[6]

"Times Like These" was written by Addison Rae, Elvira Anderfjärd, and Luka Kloser, with the latter two handling the track's production, programming, and engineering.[7] Its lyrics have been described as "introspective",[8] "maudlin",[9] "lamenting",[10] and "affecting",[11] surrounded by "dreamy", "sultry", "gently euphoric",[10] and "meditative"[12] trip hop.[13] The track, described as "tender" and "emotional",[6] talks about daily struggles of Rae's life.[11][14] Its sound was compared to Frou Frou[15] and 1990s music,[16][10] particularly Madonna's Ray of Light (1998).[13]

Critical reception

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James Greig of Dazed called the song "so dreamy and sultry and gently euphoric," praising Rae for keeping a "distinctive sound" while being inspired by Madonna's works from the 1990s, All Saints and "that kind of Balearic The Beach soundtrack atmosphere".[10] Billboard and The Fader likened "Times Like These" to "In the Rain", with the former saying that "Times Like These" is its "angrier sister,"[17] while the latter called them "easy, unfussy, designed to just make you just feel good."[18] Maya Georgi of Rolling Stone also compared the two "R&B-inflected" tracks that "push the fantastical feel of the album incrementally further with bass lines that desperately want to boom even louder,"[19] as did Carson Mlnarik of Nylon who commented that even the album's slower moments "refuse to slump down to ballad level."[20] Marcus Adetola characterized its sound as "simultaneously nostalgic and forward-looking" which "mirrors the emotional state of the lyrics," adding that it is "moody without being depressing, danceable without being escapist."[16]

Giselle Libby of Ones to Watch called it an "introspective masterpiece," writing that, "in typical Addison fashion, not once does this confusion feel like a setback, only inspiration born from acceptance. This song feels like the real beginning of Addison's journey, a step into the unknown, fully ready to receive."[21] Clash's Sam Franzini described it as "an affecting number about quick-moving fame" and a "pop song as sleek as ever, replete with small, clever moments like a Radiohead-like melody thats starts [the track]."[11] Alexander Mooney of Slant Magazine complimented the song for its introspective lyrics paired with "rich, ebullient beats," noting that despite themes of overwhelm, "Rae’s tenor is unshakably celebratory."[22] Although Screen Rant's Paul Elliott gave the song a positive review, placing it as the third best song of Addison, he opined the track would benefit from having a featured artist on it.[14]

Music video

[edit]

The music video for "Times Like These" was released on June 6, 2025,[23] and was directed by photographer and filmmaker Ethan James Green, who also shot the album cover photoshoot, marking his directorial debut in music.[24][25] The visual is structured as a behind-the-scenes montage concluding with a dance performance.[16][26] During the video, she applies Armani Beauty make-up cosmetics;[27][28] Nylon's Chelsea Peng opined that the purple blush on her cheeks is more "editorial" than pink.[8] According to Elliott, the video "helps bring the lyrics to life",[14] while Adetola noticed that "Times Like These" visual features a reversed color progression than in the "Diet Pepsi" music video (2024).[16]

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from Tidal.[7]

Charts

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Chart performance for "Times Like These"
Chart (2025) Peak
position
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[29] 7

References

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  1. ^ Bonner, Mehera (April 14, 2025). "Addison Rae Reveals Album Release Date via a Message on Her Underwear During Coachella". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  2. ^ Jones, Abby (April 23, 2025). "Addison Rae Announces Debut Album Addison". Stereogum. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  3. ^ Mier, Tomás (May 21, 2025). "Addison Rae Unveils Her Debut Album Track List Using a Rack of Undies". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  4. ^ Dodson, P. Claire (June 6, 2025). "Addison Rae Became a Full-Blown Pop Star at The Box in New York City". Teen Vogue. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  5. ^ Giandurco, Jillian (June 6, 2025). "Addison Rae Went Full Burlesque For Her First London Show". Nylon. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  6. ^ a b Wisneski, Kristen (June 6, 2025). "5 Best Moments From Addison Rae's Live Debut Performance of New Album's Songs". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Addison / Addison Rae / Credits". June 6, 2025. Retrieved June 7, 2025 – via Tidal.
  8. ^ a b Peng, Chelsea (June 6, 2025). "The Meaning Behind Addison Rae's 'Times Like These' Blush". Nylon. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  9. ^ Jenkins, Craig (June 6, 2025). "The Emancipation of Addison Rae". Vulture. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c d Pace-McCarrick, Solomon; Greig, James; Sisley, Dominique; Diallo, Habi; van Dyke, Isobel (June 6, 2025). "The top tracks from Addison Rae's debut album, ranked". Dazed. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  11. ^ a b c Franzini, Sam (June 6, 2025). "Addison Rae - Addison | Reviews". Clash. Retrieved June 6, 2025.
  12. ^ Mlnarik, Carson (June 6, 2025). "Addison Rae Has Impeccable Taste". Nylon. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  13. ^ a b Martin, Felicity (June 6, 2025). "Addison Rae's debut album proves her evolution from influencer to pop heavyweight is complete". The Independent. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  14. ^ a b c Elliott, Paul (June 6, 2025). "All 12 Songs On Former TikTok Star Addison Rae's Self-Titled Debut Album, Ranked". Screen Rant. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  15. ^ Garvey, Meaghan (June 9, 2025). "Addison Rae: Addison Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  16. ^ a b c d Adetola, Marcus (June 6, 2025). "Times Like These Lyrics Breakdown: Addison Rae Gets Real About Growing Up". Neon Music. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  17. ^ Havens, Lyndsey; Glicksman, Josh (June 6, 2025). "Addison Rae's 'Addison' Album: All 12 Tracks Ranked". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  18. ^ Wang, Steffanee (June 6, 2025). "4 New Albums You Need: Little Simz, Addison Rae, Turnstile, and more". The Fader. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  19. ^ Georgi, Maya (June 6, 2025). "Addison Rae 'Addison' Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  20. ^ Mlnarik, Carson (June 6, 2025). "Addison Rae Has Impeccable Taste". Nylon. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  21. ^ Libby, Giselle (June 9, 2025). "Addison Rae Makes Her Entry Into Pop History with Debut Album "Addison"". Ones to Watch. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  22. ^ Mooney, Alexander (June 9, 2025). "Addison Rae 'Addison' Review: A Gauzy but Confident Bid for Self-Possession". Slant Magazine. Retrieved June 9, 2025.
  23. ^ Inman, Jessica (June 6, 2025). "Addison Rae releases debut album, 'Times Like These' music video". United Press International. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  24. ^ Spanos, Brittany (June 6, 2025). "Addison Rae Drops Debut Album 'Addison' and 'Times Like These' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  25. ^ "Addison Rae Releases Highly Anticipated Debut Album Addison & Music Video For 'Times Like These' Out Now" (Press release). Sony Music Canada. June 6, 2025. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  26. ^ Rossignol, Derrick (June 6, 2025). "Addison Rae Lets Her Choreography Shine In A New 'Times Like These' Video". Uproxx. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  27. ^ Ayoud, Amina (June 6, 2025). "How to Get Addison Rae's 'Times Like These' Makeup Look With These Beauty Products". Billboard. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  28. ^ Southwick, Hannah (June 6, 2025). "Sabrina Carpenter's favorite blush just popped up in Addison Rae's 'Times Like These' music video". Page Six. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
  29. ^ "Hot 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. June 13, 2025. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
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