# No Better

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"**No Better**" is a song by New Zealand singer-songwriter [Lorde](/source/Lorde), taken from the extended version of her debut studio album *[Pure Heroine](/source/Pure_Heroine)* (2013). The track was released on 13 December 2013 by [Universal Music Group](/source/Universal_Music_Group) as a promotional tool for the album. "No Better" is an [electropop](/source/Electropop) and [trip hop](/source/Trip_hop) ballad with elements of [hip hop](/source/Hip_hop_music), in which Lorde discusses an infatuation. [Music critics](/source/Music_journalism) opined that the single has similar musical style to songs from *Pure Heroine*.

## Background and composition

"No Better" was written by Lorde (credited under her birth-name Ella Yelich-O'Connor) and [Joel Little](/source/Joel_Little).[1] On 13 December 2013, the track was released as a [digital download](/source/Music_download) [single](/source/Single_(music)) on the [iTunes Store](/source/ITunes_Store).[2] The single was made available for free until 19 December as a part of the iTunes Store's "12 Days of Gifts" [Christmas](/source/Christmas) promotion.[3]

"No Better" is an [electropop](/source/Electropop) and [trip hop](/source/Trip_hop) [ballad](/source/Ballad_(music)) with [hip hop](/source/Hip_hop_music) elements.[4][5] The song has a similar sonority to that of other songs from *Pure Heroine*, featuring Lorde's "feathery" vocals and [minimal](/source/Minimal_music) [production](/source/Production_(music)).[6] It incorporates "woozy" [basslines](/source/Bassline),[7] and "pulsing" [synthesisers](/source/Synthesiser) in its [instrumentation](/source/Instrumentation_(music)),[8] making the song's melody "dreamy", according to Whitney Phaneuf of [HitFix](/source/HitFix).[9] Lyrically, the song features Lorde "[celebrating] an infatuation that deepens as the seasons change".[8] At the first verse, she sings "We roll in every summer when there's strength in our numbers / And your breath's hot and gross but I kiss you like a lover".[9] During the [chorus](/source/Chorus_effect), the [bass](/source/Bass_(sound)) [beat](/source/Beat_(music)) becomes more intense as Lorde sings "Go all the way / Have your fun, have it all".[9]

## Reception

Marc Hogan from *[Spin](/source/Spin_(magazine))* wrote that the song "flits between fairly vivid first-person details",[4] while Whitney Phaneuf from HitFix labelled "No Better" a "sexy" track.[9] Eric Danton of *[Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone)* opined that the lyrics of the song are "girlish and knowing".[8] Writing for *[Slate](/source/Slate_(magazine))*, L. V. Anderson shared that "No Better" is reminiscent of some of the best tracks on *Pure Heroine*, but also "lighter, simpler [...] and more confectionary than most of her debut album", in spite of its dark theme.[10] "No Better" entered the [New Zealand Artists Singles Chart](/source/New_Zealand_Artists_Singles_Chart) at number seven on 23 December 2013. It dropped to number nineteen the following week,[11] before falling out of the chart.[12] The song was released on streaming services in 2021.[13]

In 2025, during the [Ultrasound World Tour](/source/Ultrasound_World_Tour), Lorde performed the song for the first time since 2014.[14]

## Track listing

- **Digital download**[2]

1. "No Better" – 2:50
1. "[Royals](/source/Royals_(Lorde_song))" (music video) – 4:03

## Release history

Region Format Date Label Ref. Australia Digital download 13 December 2013 Universal [2] Belgium [15] Finland [16] Germany [17] India [18] Ireland [19] New Zealand [20] Portugal [21] Spain [22] Switzerland [23] United Kingdom [24] United States [25]

## References

### Notes

1. "No Better" appeared on the extended version of *Pure Heroine* exclusively on the iTunes Store from 2013-2021.

### Citations

1. ["No Better"](https://web.archive.org/web/20141021015339/https://www.apra.com.au/cms/worksearch/worksearch.srvlt?action=workSearch). [Australasian Performing Right Association](/source/Australasian_Performing_Right_Association). Archived from [the original](https://www.apra.com.au/cms/worksearch/worksearch.srvlt?action=workSearch#) on October 21, 2014. Retrieved 2014-05-23.

1. ["No Better – Single by Lorde"](https://music.apple.com/au/album/no-better-single/732835277). Australia: [iTunes Store](/source/ITunes_Store) ([Apple](/source/Apple_Inc)). Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. ["iTunes 12 Days of Gifts"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/promotions/10515390/itunes-12-days-of-gifts.html). *[The Daily Telegraph](/source/The_Daily_Telegraph)*. 2013-12-13. Retrieved 2014-05-23.

1. Hogan, Marc (2013-12-13). ["Hear Lorde's Bassy Stealth Single 'No Better'"](https://www.spin.com/2013/12/lorde-no-better-single-itunes-stream/). *[Spin](/source/Spin_(magazine))*. Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. Coplan, Chris (2013-12-13). ["Listen: Lorde's surprise new single, 'No Better'"](https://consequence.net/2013/12/listen-lordes-surprise-new-single-no-better/). [Consequence of Sound](/source/Consequence_of_Sound). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20131213152805/http://consequenceofsound.net/2013/12/listen-lordes-surprise-new-single-no-better/) 2013-12-13 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. Williams, Tom (2013-12-14). ["Listen To Lorde's New Single 'No Better'"](http://musicfeeds.com.au/news/listen-to-lordes-new-single-no-better/). *[Music Feeds](/source/Music_Feeds)*. Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. Williott, Carl (2013-12-13). ["Lorde Drops 'No Better': Hear The 'Pure Heroine' Leftover"](https://archive.today/20140522081609/http://www.idolator.com/7498034/lorde-no-better-stream). [Idolator](/source/Idolator_(website)). Archived from [the original](http://www.idolator.com/7498034/lorde-no-better-stream) on May 22, 2014. Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. Danton, Eric (2013-12-13). ["Lorde Breezes Through Seasons In 'No Better'"](https://web.archive.org/web/20180405214840/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/lorde-breezes-through-seasons-on-no-better-20131213). *[Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone)*. Archived from [the original](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/lorde-breezes-through-seasons-on-no-better-20131213) on 2018-04-05. Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. Phaneuf, Whitney (2013-12-13). ["Lorde raps about teenage lust on surprise new single 'No Better'"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304070545/http://www.hitfix.com/news/lorde-raps-about-teenage-lust-on-surprise-new-single-no-better). *[HitFix](/source/HitFix)*. Archived from [the original](http://www.hitfix.com/news/lorde-raps-about-teenage-lust-on-surprise-new-single-no-better) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. Anderson, L. V. (2013-12-13). ["Lorde's 'No Better': A light, confectionary contender for song of the summer"](http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/12/13/lorde_s_no_better_a_light_confectionary_contender_for_song_of_the_summer.html). *[Slate](/source/Slate_(magazine))*. Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. ["Top 20 New Zealand Singles Chart"](https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/aotearoa-singles/2013-12-27). [Recorded Music NZ](/source/Recorded_Music_NZ). 30 December 2013. Retrieved 21 June 2014.

1. ["Top 20 New Zealand Singles Chart"](https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/aotearoa-singles/2014-01-03). Recorded Music NZ. 6 January 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2014.

1. Georgi, Maya (2025-09-18). ["Lorde Pulls Out 'No Better' for the First Time in Over a Decade at Ultrasound World Tour Opener"](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lorde-ultrasound-world-tour-performs-no-better-1235430315/). *Rolling Stone*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250918192510/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lorde-ultrasound-world-tour-performs-no-better-1235430315/) 2025-09-18 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-10-02.

1. Jones, Abby (2025-09-18). ["Lorde Sings “No Better” For The First Time In 11 Years At Ultrasound World Tour Opener"](https://www.stereogum.com/2323391/lorde-sings-no-better-for-the-first-time-in-11-years-at-ultrasound-world-tour-opener/news/). *[Stereogum](/source/Stereogum)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250919081812/https://www.stereogum.com/2323391/lorde-sings-no-better-for-the-first-time-in-11-years-at-ultrasound-world-tour-opener/news/) 2025-09-19 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-10-02.

1. ["No Better – Single by Lorde"](https://music.apple.com/be/album/no-better-single/732835277). Belgium: iTunes Store (Apple). Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. ["No Better – Single by Lorde"](https://music.apple.com/fi/album/no-better-single/732835277). Finland: iTunes Store (Apple). Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. ["No Better – Single von Lorde"](https://music.apple.com/de/album/no-better-single/732835277) (in German). Germany: iTunes Store (Apple). Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. ["No Better – Single by Lorde"](https://music.apple.com/in/album/no-better-single/732835277). India: iTunes Store (Apple). Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. ["No Better – Single by Lorde"](https://music.apple.com/ie/album/no-better-single/732835277). Ireland: iTunes Store (Apple). Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. ["No Better – Single by Lorde"](https://music.apple.com/nz/album/no-better-single/1445864588). New Zealand: iTunes Store (Apple). Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. ["No Better – Single de Lorde"](https://music.apple.com/pt/album/no-better-single/732835277) (in Portuguese). Portugal: iTunes Store (Apple). Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. ["No Better – Single de Lorde"](https://music.apple.com/es/album/no-better-single/1445864588) (in Spanish). Spain: iTunes Store (Apple). Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. ["No Better – Single von Lorde"](https://music.apple.com/ch/album/no-better-single/732835277) (in German). Switzerland: iTunes Store (Apple). Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. ["No Better – Single by Lorde"](https://music.apple.com/gb/album/no-better-single/732835277). United Kingdom: iTunes Store (Apple). Retrieved 2014-05-22.

1. ["No Better – Single by Lorde"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131221115427/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/no-better-single/id748863826). United States: iTunes Store (Apple). Archived from [the original](https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/no-better-single/id748863826) on December 21, 2013. Retrieved 2013-12-17.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [No Better](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Better) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Better?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.