Song · Olivia Rodrigo
“Drivers License” by Olivia Rodrigo
From the album SOUR (2021)
“Drivers License” by Olivia Rodrigo appears on 2 radio countdowns from 2 stations between 2021 and 2025. It was first released in 2021 on the album SOUR. Its best result is #13 on the Triple J Hottest 100 of 2021. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #101 alternative song of 2021.
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Video from YouTube (OliviaRodrigoVEVO). Pressing play loads YouTube's player. Watch on YouTube
"Drivers License" was Olivia Rodrigo's first single, out on Geffen and Interscope in January 2021 as the opening shot from her debut album Sour, and it's the song that launched her career. She wrote it with Dan Nigro, who produced it and plays nearly everything on it: piano, synth, bass, drums, percussion and backing vocals.
It's a power ballad built from almost nothing, a piano, a kick drum, stacked harmonies and a few offbeat hand-claps, until a dreamy bridge lets the heartbreak spill over. Critics heard Taylor Swift and Lorde in it; the Hot 100 heard a new champion, making her the youngest artist ever to debut at the top, where she stayed for eight weeks. In the video she drives the suburbs on her new license, replaying memories of the person who pushed her to get it. It won the Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
RockLists rankings
Alternative & Modern Rock
Indie & Adult Alternative
All Rock Formats
Year-end countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 13 | Triple J Australia (national) | Triple J Hottest 100 of 2021 | 100 |
All-time and decade countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 420 | 90.9 The Bridge | 90.9 The Bridge Top 909 Songs of the 21st Century | 909 |
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