Rock with You (Seventeen song) explained

"Rock with You" is a song by South Korean boy band Seventeen. It was released as the lead single of their ninth extended play (EP) Attacca on October 22, 2021.

Background and release

Following the release of Seventeen's previous EP Your Choice, Attacca served as the next installment of their 2021 "Power of Love" project.^{[1] [2]} This marked the band's first album release since the renewal of their contracts with Pledis Entertainment.^[3] Conceptualized with the theme of a "loud, passionate, and unapologetic" love, the mini-album spans six tracks and a digital exclusive song, including its lead single "Rock with You",^[2] which was released on October 22, 2021. The song's accompanying music video was also released on the same day.^[4]

Composition

"Rock with You" was described to be a guitar-and-synth-heavy pop rock track,^[3] which expressed "the deepening emotions of love against a very energetic melody".^[1] Elaborating on the creative process of the song, Seventeen revealed that "Rock with You" had gone through several revisions regarding its melody, key, and recording processes; the group further identified the guitar riff as the song's "key point", interspersing the sound throughout the whole track.^[5]

The song was composed by Woozi, Bumzu, Josh McClelland, Matt Terry, Jordan Wittzigreuter, Cameron Walker, and Tim Tan; its lyrics were written by Woozi, Bumzu, Vernon, Joshua, Kim In-Hyung, Jordan Wittzigreuter, Cameron Walker, and Tim Tan.^[6]

Music video

Released on October 22, 2021, the music video featured Seventeen individually scattered across various sets — including the interiors of a planetarium, a recording studio, and a beaming stage, among many others — before coming together to perform a "dynamic and spirited" dance performance of the song's choreography. The video was described to thematically provide perspective of one who is ready to break free of the world to meet their lover.^[7]

Two special videos of "Rock with You", which include a James Bond-inspired 007 version and a live band version, were later released.^{[8] [9]}

Commercial performance

In South Korea, "Rock with You" peaked at number six on the Gaon Digital Chart and at number two on its component Download Chart, as recorded on the charts dated October 24–30, 2021.^{[10] [11]} The song also debuted at number five on the World Digital Song Sales chart for the issue dated November 6, 2021.^[12]

Critical reception

Sara Delgado of NME opined that for a track that was intended to redefine Seventeen's sonic identity, "Rock with You" came off as a "restrained performance" but otherwise recognized it as "an energetic pop rock track that doubles as a passionate love letter" and a "promising reflection" of the group's future.^[13] Divyansha Dongre of Rolling Stone India commended Seventeen's vocal prowess and praised the group for "a stellar job at maintaining an energetic tempo with a careful amalgamation of percussion and synth".^[14] Reviewing for Teen Vogue, Sara Delgado commented on the song's infectious nature, deeming it "instantly catchy".^[2]

Accolades

Program! scope="col"

Date
M Countdown		[15]
Music Bank
		[16]
Show Champion		[17]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2021)! scope="col"

Peak position
Japan Combined Singles (Oricon)[18]	18
South Korea (Gaon)	6
US World Digital Song Sales (Billboard)	5

Monthly charts

Chart (2021)! scope="col"

Position
South Korea (Gaon)[19]	34

Notes and References

1. Web site: Basbas. Francheska Judine. Seventeen dive deep into love with new mini-album 'Attaca' - listen. October 22, 2021. June 9, 2024. Bandwagon Asia. December 31, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221231162747/https://www.bandwagon.asia/articles/seventeen-release-attacca-mini-album-9th-ep-rock-wth-you-music-video-watch-2-minus-1-comeback-pledis-entertainment-hybe-october-2021. live.
2. Web site: Delgado. Sara. SEVENTEEN Amp It Up With 9th Mini Album “Attacca” — Review. October 22, 2021. June 9, 2024. Teen Vogue. June 9, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230609025019/https://www.teenvogue.com/story/seventeen-9th-mini-album-attacca-review. live.
3. Web site: Park. Jun-hee. Seventeen ready to rock the stage with ‘Rock with You’. October 22, 2021. June 9, 2024. The Korea Herald. October 31, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211031120102/https://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20211022000658. live.
4. Web site: Legaspi. Althea. Seventeen Want to ‘Rock With You’ in New Video. October 22, 2021. Rolling Stone. June 9, 2024. May 28, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230528222939/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/seventeen-rock-with-you-song-video-attacca-1246091/. live.
5. Web site: Yeo. Gladys. SEVENTEEN reveal ‘Rock With You’ went through “endless revisions”. November 10, 2021. NME. June 9, 2024. May 9, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240509110552/https://www.nme.com/news/music/seventeen-reveal-rock-with-you-went-through-endless-revisions-3091840. live.
6. Web site: 곡 정보 - Rock With You. Song Information - Rock With You. ko. Melon. June 9, 2024. June 9, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240609171744/https://www.melon.com/song/detail.htm?songId=34140616. live.
7. Web site: Kim. Min-ji. 세븐틴 '락 위드 유' MV, 1억 뷰 돌파…통산 일곱 번째 기록. SEVENTEEN's 'Rock with You' MV exceeds 100 million views... Seventh record overall. July 26, 2023. News1. June 10, 2024. June 10, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240610180213/https://www.news1.kr/articles/?5120624. live.
8. Web site: Lee. Sum-min. Seventeen releases new version of 'Rock with You' music video. Korea JoongAng Daily. October 31, 2021. June 10, 2024. May 30, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240530175352/https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2021/10/31/entertainment/kpop/Seventeen/20211031181320440.html. live.
9. Web site: Suacillo. Angela Patricia. SEVENTEEN unveil energetic “band live” version of ‘Rock With You’. NME. November 2, 2021. June 10, 2024. June 9, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240609194819/https://www.nme.com/news/music/seventeen-rock-with-you-band-live-session-version-3085243. live.
10. Web site: Digital Chart – Week 44 of 2021. Circle Chart. ko. June 9, 2024.
11. Web site: Circle Download Chart - Week 44 of 2021. Circle. ko. June 9, 2024.
12. Seventeen Chart History (World Digital Song Sales). Billboard. June 9, 2024.
13. Web site: Suacillo. Angela Patricia. SEVENTEEN – ‘Attacca’ review: an exercise in reinvention that succeeds for the most part. NME. October 26, 2021. June 9, 2024. June 4, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240604181031/https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/seventeen-attacca-review-rock-with-you-3079508. live.
14. Web site: Dongre. Divyansha. SEVENTEEN Embrace the Global Punk Resurgence on “Rock With You”. October 22, 2021. Rolling Stone India. June 9, 2024. June 1, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230601200830/https://rollingstoneindia.com/seventeen-embrace-the-global-punk-resurgence-on-rock-with-you/. live.
15. Web site: ko:세븐틴, '엠카' 이어 '뮤뱅'도 1위…'락 위드 유' 2관왕. Seventeen, following ‘M Countdown’, ‘Music Bank’ also ranked first... ‘Rock with You’ wins 2 awards. https://www.news1.kr/articles/?4476871. News1. ko. Kim. Min-ji. October 30, 2024. June 9, 2024.
16. Web site: ko:세븐틴, ‘Attacca’로 ‘뮤뱅 1위+日 오리콘 데일리 앨범 랭킹 1위 탈환’. Seventeen, ‘No. 1 on Music Bank + Retake No. 1 on Japan’s Oricon Daily Album Ranking’ with ‘Attacca’. https://sports.donga.com/ent/article/all/20211106/110109258/1. Sports Dong-a. ko. Cho. Sung-woon. November 6, 2021. June 9, 2024.
17. Web site: ko:세븐틴, 2021 유일 2연속 초동 밀리언셀러 주인공. Seventeen, 2021's only first-week million-seller for two consecutive years. https://www.hankookilbo.com/News/Read/A2021110414150002441. Hankook Ilbo. ko. Hong. Hye-min. November 4, 2021. June 9, 2024.
18. Web site: Oricon Top 50 Combined Singles: 2021-11-08. Oricon. ja. June 9, 2024. March 17, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230317111433/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/cos/w/2021-11-08/p/2/. live.
19. Web site: Digital Chart – October 2021. Gaon. ko. June 9, 2024.