Salt (song)

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For other songs with this title, see Salt (disambiguation)#Songs.

"Salt"
Salt is sprinkled across a black background, forming Max's signature haircut logo. There is no text on the cover.
Re-released 2019 cover artwork
Single by Ava Max
from the album Heaven & Hell
A-side"Torn"
PublishedJuly 27, 2018 (2018-07-27)
ReleasedDecember 12, 2019 (2019-12-12)
StudioA Studios, West Hollywood, California
GenreDance-pop
Length3:00
LabelAtlantic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Cirkut
Ava Max singles chronology
"Tabú"
(2019) 		"Salt"
(2019) 		"Alone, Pt. II"
(2019)
Alternate cover
Original 2018 cover artwork
Original 2018 cover artwork
Lyric video
"Salt" on YouTube

"Salt" is a song by American singer Ava Max, released on December 12, 2019, through Atlantic Records as the fourth single from her debut studio album, Heaven & Hell (2020). The song was initially released on YouTube and SoundCloud in 2018, before being re-released on streaming services. It was written by Max, Autumn Rowe, Madison Love, Nicole Morier, and the producer Cirkut. The dance-pop song was regarded as a "fan-favorite" by several publications, who praised the upbeat production. "Salt" peaked at number one in Poland, and charted in the top 10 in Austria, Finland, Germany, Norway, Russia, Ukraine, and Switzerland. It received a quadruple platinum certification in Poland and a double platinum certification in Norway.

Background and composition[]

"Salt" was initially released on YouTube and SoundCloud in 2018, where it gained 4 million views on the former by December 2019.[1][2] On December 5, 2019, Max revealed the release date on social media,[3] which was subsequently re-released as a single on several streaming services on December 12, 2019.[4] She acknowledged that the song's re-release was due to its high streaming numbers, despite containing no prior marketing or promotion.[5] It was written by Max, Autumn Rowe, Madison Love, Nicole Morier, and the producer Cirkut.[6]

"Salt" is a dance-pop song,[2] with elements of disco.[1] It contains "pumping disco beats from the seventies and eighties" blended with Max's "vocal inflexions". A violin is heard in the introduction, while Wonder Woman and Marilyn Monroe are lyrically mentioned throughout the song, due to their icon status in femininity.[7] The song's lyrics describes the carefree nature of not crying over an ex.[8][9]

Critical reception[]

Several publications have regarded "Salt" to be a "fan-favorite" since its 2018 release.[1][2][4] Rania Aniftos of Billboard described the song as an "upbeat, sassy track about having fun after a sad spell",[4] while Madeline Roth of MTV News called it "dance-pop blissfulness".[2] Writing for Stereogum, Chris DeVille wrote that "Salt" is the best song out of Max's discography despite sounding similar to Lady Gaga.[8] Shaoni Das of Music Talkers stated that the song is an "exhilarating dance number, awash in pools of glitter, glamour, and confidence".[7] However, Nicholas Hautman of Us Weekly criticized the song's lyrics for being cliché, specifically noting that it is "about crying so much that you literally run out of the electrolytes needed to form tears".[10]

Commercial performance[]

"Salt" topped the Polish Airplay Top 100 on the chart issued April 4, 2020, where it was ultimately certified quadruple platinum by the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry (ZPAV) for track-equivalent sales of 80,000 units on August 11, 2021.[11][12] In Norway, the song debuted at number 37 on the VG-lista, before peaking at number five.[13] On the Ö3 Austria Top 40 chart, "Salt" debuted at number 71 on the chart dated March 13, 2020. It peaked at number eight on the chart dated April 17, 2020, and was certified platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) for track-equivalent sales of 30,000 units in the country.[14][15] In Germany, "Salt" debuted at number 99 on the Offizielle Deutsche Charts dated February 21, 2020, and peaked at number 10 on the chart issued April 10, 2020.[16] The song received a gold certification by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI) for track-equivalent sales of 200,000 units in the country.[17] "Salt" charted in the top 10 in Finland, Russia, Ukraine, and Switzerland,[18][19][20][21] while receiving gold certifications in Brazil and France.[22][23]

Track listing[]

Credits and personnel[]

Credits adapted from "Torn" German CD single and Tidal.[28][6]

Publishing and locations
Personnel
  • Amanda Ava Koci – vocals, songwriting
  • Henry Walter – songwriting, production, mixing, programming, vocal recording
  • Autumn Rowe – songwriting
  • Madison Love – songwriting
  • Nicole Morier – songwriting
  • Chris Gehringer – mastering
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing
  • John Hanes – engineering

Charts[]

Certifications[]

Certifications and sales for "Salt"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[15] Platinum 30,000double-dagger
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[22] Gold 20,000double-dagger
Canada (Music Canada)[67] Gold 40,000double-dagger
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[68] Platinum 90,000double-dagger
France (SNEP)[23] Gold 100,000double-dagger
Germany (BVMI)[17] Gold 200,000double-dagger
Norway (IFPI Norway)[69] 2× Platinum 120,000double-dagger
Poland (ZPAV)[12] 4× Platinum 80,000double-dagger

double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history[]

Release dates and formats for "Salt"
Region Date Format Version Label Ref.
Various July 27, 2018 SoundCloud Original Self-released [70]
December 12, 2019
Atlantic [24]
Russia January 22, 2020 Contemporary hit radio [32]
Various April 8, 2020
  • Digital download
  • streaming
 Acoustic [25]
April 16, 2020 Remixes [26]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Nied, Mike (December 12, 2019). "Ava Max Is All Cried Out & Feeling Fabulous On Fierce New Single Salt". Idolator. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Roth, Madeline (December 12, 2019). "Ava Max Finally Unleashes The Fan-Favorite Anthem 'Salt'". MTV News. Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  3. ^ Ava Max [@AvaMax] (December 5, 2019). "Your wish is my command ❣️