{{Infobox song | name = So Called Life | cover = TDG - So Called Life.jpg | border = yes | type = single | artist = Three Days Grace | album = Explosions | released = November 26, 2021 | recorded = 2021 | studio = | genre = Grunge, hard rock | length = 3:26 | label = RCA | writer = * Matt Walst * Brad Walst * Barry Stock * Neil Sanderson * Ted Bruner | producer = Howard Benson | prev_title = Somebody That I Used to Know | prev_year = 2020 | next_title = Lifetime | next_year = 2022 | misc = {{External music video| {{YouTube|7ViIny2YZH0|"So Called Life"}} }} }}
"'''So Called Life'''" is a single by the Canadian rock band Three Days Grace. It was released on November 29, 2021, as the lead single from the band's seventh studio album ''Explosions''.<ref name="Loudwire">{{Cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/three-days-grace-so-called-life-video-explosions-album/|title=Three Days Grace Seek Escape With Heavy New Song 'So Called Life,' Announce New Album|website=Loudwire|last=Childers|first=Chad|date=November 29, 2021|access-date=December 7, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.therockstationz93.com/2021/11/29/three-days-grace-release-official-music-video-for-new-song-so-called-life/|title=Three Days Grace Release Official Music Video for New Song 'So Called Life'|publisher=The Rock Stationz93|date=November 29, 2021|access-date=December 9, 2021}}</ref> The song was available digitally on music streaming services on December 1, 2021.<ref name="digital">{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/so-called-life-single/1596369397|title=So Called Life - Single by Three Days Grace|website=Apple Music|date=December 1, 2021|access-date=December 7, 2021|archive-date=March 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320000413/https://music.apple.com/us/album/so-called-life-single/1596369397|url-status=dead}}</ref> "So Called Life" was the most played song on rock radio in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/most-played-songs-rock-radio-2022/|title=The 40 Most-Played Songs on Rock Radio in 2022|website=Loudwire|author=Lauryn Schaffner|date=December 13, 2022|access-date=December 22, 2022}}</ref>
==Composition and lyrics== "So Called Life" has been described by critics as a grunge<ref name="Wall of Sound">{{Cite web|url=https://wallofsoundau.com/2021/11/30/three-days-grace-return-with-heavy-new-single-so-called-life/|title=Three Days Grace Return With Heavy New Single 'So Called Life'|website=Wall of Sound|last=Aarons|first=Ricky|date=November 30, 2021|access-date=October 6, 2024}}</ref> and hard rock song.<ref name="RockSound">{{Cite web|url=https://www.rocksound.tv/news/read/this-is-everything-you-need-to-know-about-three-days-graces-new-album-explo|title=This Is Everything You Need To Know About Three Days Grace'd New Album 'Explosions'|website=Rock Sound|last=Rogers|first=Jack|date=December 1, 2021|access-date=January 2, 2022|archive-date=February 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220203222120/https://www.rocksound.tv/news/read/this-is-everything-you-need-to-know-about-three-days-graces-new-album-explo|url-status=dead}}</ref> The track runs at 160 BPM and is in the key of D minor, with a duration of three minutes and twenty-six seconds.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://musicstax.com/track/so-called-life/5EIKp1TKhUNdsThloWPa53|title=Key and BPM of So Called Life by Three Days Grace|publisher=Musicstax.com|date=November 29, 2021|access-date=January 2, 2022}}</ref> The song was written by Matt Walst, Brad Walst, Barry Stock, Neil Sanderson and Ted Bruner while Howard Benson handled the production of the song.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://genius.com/Three-days-grace-so-called-life-lyrics|title=So Called Life - Three Days Grace|website=Genius|access-date=January 2, 2022}}</ref> The song was written around March 2020 and according to bassist Brad Walst, the song was originally supposed to be a "cool kind of party song".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bravewords.com/features/three-days-graces-brad-walst-distinguished-gentlemen-among-young|title=Three Days Grace's Brad Walst − "Distinguished Gentleman Among Young"|author=Greg Prato|date=May 10, 2022|access-date=October 17, 2022}}</ref> Brad Walst spoke about "So Called Life" in an interview with Jave Patterson of ''Two Doods Reviews'' explaining about how the song was written.
{{blockquote|"It's a little different. It's a pretty heavy song and definitely full of emotions and frustrations of everyday life. It was actually the first song we wrote on this record, going back almost pre-pandemic. We started jamming, actually, beside Neil's pool and it turned out really angry. I think it's a great tune. I think the fans are gonna relate to it. And it's gonna be a fun one live, I know that".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/three-days-graces-new-single-so-called-life-is-full-of-emotions-and-frustrations-of-everyday-life/|title=Three Days Grace's New Single 'So Called Life' Is 'Full Of Emotions And Frustrations Of Everyday Life'|website=Blabbermouth.net|date=November 26, 2021|access-date=December 9, 2021}}</ref>}}
==Music video== The music video for "So Called Life" premiered on November 29, 2021, and it was directed by Jon Vulpine.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ViIny2YZH0|title=Three Days Grace - So Called Life (Official Video)|publisher=YouTube|author=Three Days Grace|date=November 29, 2021|access-date=December 9, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://imvdb.com/video/three-days-grace/so-called-life|title=So Called Life (2021) by Three Days Grace|publisher=IMVDB|access-date=December 9, 2021}}</ref> Speaking about the music video, director Jon Vulpine explained how the video came together. {{blockquote|"I wanted to make this video really raw and stripped down. Something high energy with extreme angles and fast movements. A bunch of old analog gear in this 70's apartment that looked like some hoarder died in it 20 years ago and the guys just came in and recorded. I didn't want to go for a clean and super polished look so Justin Jones, my DP, suggested these rehoused 1960's Japanese lenses for a grittier more contrasty feel. That along with different lens distortions and attachments just added to the diversity of shots".<ref name="RockSound"/>}}
==Chart performance== "So Called Life" debuted on the Canada Rock chart at number 41 and later peaked at number 7 on the chart.<ref name="canada-rock"/> The song also reached the ''Billboard'' Mainstream Rock chart at number 1, topping the chart for four consecutive weeks, and on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart at number 29.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/three-days-grace/chart-history/rtt/|title=Three Days Grace (Mainstream Rock Airplay)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 26, 2022}}</ref><ref name="rock-songs"/> This marks the band's sixteenth number-one song on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, tying the record for the most number-ones with Shinedown. It earned 796,000 streams in the US.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/three-days-grace-ties-shinedown-most-mainstream-rock-airplay-number-ones/|title=Three Days Grace Ties Shinedown for Most Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1s|magazine=Billboard|last=Rutherford|first=Kevin|date=February 1, 2022|access-date=February 2, 2022}}</ref> It also peaked at number 11 on the Alternative Digital Song Sales chart.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/three-days-grace/chart-history/ald/|title=Three Days Grace Chart History (Alternative Digital Song Sales)|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 2, 2022}}</ref>
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Weekly chart performance for "So Called Life" ! Chart (2021–2023) ! Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| Canada Rock (''Billboard'')<ref name="canada-rock">{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/three-days-grace/chart-history/car/|title=Three Days Grace Chart History (Canada Rock)|magazine=Billboard|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211117211648/https://www.billboard.com/artist/three-days-grace/chart-history/car/|archive-date=November 17, 2021|access-date=March 29, 2022}}</ref> | 7 |- ! scope="row"| Germany Rock Airplay (GfK)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radio-no9.de/chartshow/index.php?selected=weeks&week=48&year=2021|title=Radio No9 Charts [Week 48/2021]|publisher=Radio-No9|access-date=January 4, 2024}}</ref> | 2 |- {{single chart|Finland|80|artist=Three Days Grace|song=So Called Life|rowheader=true|access-date=April 9, 2023}} |- {{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|29|artist=Three Days Grace|rowheader=true|access-date=March 1, 2022|refname="rock-songs"}} |- {{single chart|Billboardrockairplay|8|artist=Three Days Grace|rowheader=true|access-date=February 1, 2022|refname="mainstream-rock"}} |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Year-end chart performance for "So Called Life" ! scope="col"| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"| Position |- ! scope="row"| Canada Active Rock (''Mediabase'')<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.mediabase.com/mbapp/files/YearEndPdf/2022__YEAR_END_04db880a-44f0-4e84-bede-fb81fa665769.pdf|title=Mediabase 2022 Year-End Chart - Canadian Edition|publisher=Mediabase|p=24|access-date=December 9, 2024}}</ref> | 3 |- ! scope="row"| US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2022/hot-rock-songs|title=Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2022|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 1, 2022}}</ref> | 68 |- ! scope="row"| US Rock Airplay (''Billboard'')<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2022/rock-airplay-songs/|title=Rock & Alternative Airplay – Year-End 2022|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 2, 2022}}</ref> | 17 |} {{col-end}}
==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "So Called Life"}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Three Days Grace|title=So Called Life|award=Gold|relyear=2021|certyear=2025|access-date=November 19, 2025}} {{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders unsortable" |+Awards and nominations for "So Called Life" |- align=center ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Organization ! scope="col"| Award ! scope="col"| Result ! scope="col"| Ref(s) |- | 2022 | MTV Video Music Awards | Rock Video of the Year | {{nom}} | style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mtv.com/news/hwekgl/vmas-2022-nominees-lil-nas-x-jack-harlow-kendrick-lamar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220726133318/https://www.mtv.com/news/hwekgl/vmas-2022-nominees-lil-nas-x-jack-harlow-kendrick-lamar|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 26, 2022|title=Your 2022 VMA Nominations Are Here: Jack Harlow, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Nas X Lead The Pack|author=Athena Serrano|date=July 26, 2022|access-date=July 26, 2022|website=MTV|language=en}}</ref> |- | 2023 | iHeartRadio Music Awards | Rock Song of the Year | {{nom}} | style="text-align:center;"| <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.iheart.com/content/2023-01-10-2023-iheartradio-music-awards-see-the-full-list-of-nominees/|title=2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards: See The Full List Of Nominees|author=Taylor Fields|website=iHeartRadio|date=January 11, 2023|access-date=January 11, 2023}}</ref> |}
==Release history== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders unsortable" |+ Release history and formats for "So Called Life" ! scope="col" | Region ! scope="col" | Date ! scope="col" | Format ! scope="col" | Label ! scope="col" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! scope="row" | Canada | November 29, 2021 | Contemporary hit radio | rowspan="3" | RCA | align="center" |<ref name="Loudwire"/> |- ! scope="row" | Various | December 1, 2021 | Digital download | align="center" |<ref name="digital"/> |- ! scope="row" | United States | December 6, 2021 | Active rock | align="center" |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/213704/exclusive-mediabase-analysis-from-all-access?ref=search|title=Exclusive Mediabase Analysis From All Access|website=All Access Mediabase|date=December 6, 2021|access-date=December 9, 2021}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | Italy | January 21, 2022 | Contemporary hit radio | Sony | align="center" |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://earone.com/song/ae0dffdb58|title=Three Days Grace - Radio Date|website=EarOne|date=January 21, 2022|access-date=October 2, 2022}}</ref> |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Three Days Grace}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2021 songs Category:2021 singles Category:Three Days Grace songs Category:RCA Records singles Category:Song recordings produced by Howard Benson Category:Songs written by Barry Stock Category:Songs written by Brad Walst Category:Songs written by Matt Walst Category:Songs written by Neil Sanderson Category:Songs written by Ted Bruner Category:Songs about the COVID-19 pandemic