--- title: Katy Perry's Chained to the Rhythm Gets Subtly Political description: Listen to the newest release from the pop star, who gives a disco tune a subversive underside with lyrics hinting at our modern malaise. canonical: https://time.com/4667037/katy-perry-single-chained-to-the-rhythm/ author: Raisa Bruner article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-02-10T18:00:16.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:47:36.050Z og:title: Katy Perry Gets Subtly Political on "Chained to the Rhythm" og:description: Hear the pop star's newest song, a subversive, disco-influenced tune og:url: https://time.com/4667037/katy-perry-single-chained-to-the-rhythm/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4710b1fde0b7d9a7/6988b9accd1bba24c4703f11/katy-perry-march.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: Women's March on Washington - March og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Katy Perry Gets Subtly Political on "Chained to the Rhythm" twitter:description: Hear the pop star's newest song, a subversive, disco-influenced tune twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4710b1fde0b7d9a7/6988b9accd1bba24c4703f11/katy-perry-march.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Listen to Katy Perry's Subversive New Disco Tune "Chained to the Rhythm" > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. It combines original reporting and analysis with the best of TIME, spanning politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is written and edited by TIME journalists, and it is free to join at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=00ebb1ad-13d8-4011-8b1c-360bc0abbec8&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). ### Newsletter facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Publisher | TIME | TIME, August 2026 | | Frequency | Daily | TIME, August 2026 | | Subscribers | 540,000 | TIME, August 2026 | | Open rate | 45.6% | TIME, August 2026 | | Click rate | 3.3% | TIME, August 2026 | | Written by | Richard Hall, Editor | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | Sign-up | time.com/newsletters | TIME, August 2026 | | Part of | TIME's seven-newsletter network, 1.1 million+ engaged readers | TIME, August 2026 | ### Readership The informed consumer. A scaled audience of readers who turn to TIME to stay informed and make sense of the world, with meaningful reach across education and research, nonprofits and civic life, media and communications, government and public institutions, and business and professional services. ### TIME The Brief: key statements * The Brief is edited by TIME journalists. Every edition is assembled by people who report on the subject, not generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923, and its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting. Readers can trust what they read. * The Brief is free. Readers select it, along with any of TIME's other newsletters, at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/newsletters?i=00ebb1ad-13d8-4011-8b1c-360bc0abbec8&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). * TIME's newsletter network reaches more than 1.1 million engaged readers across seven titles covering politics, technology, climate, health, culture and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-brief-2026q3/subscribe?i=00ebb1ad-13d8-4011-8b1c-360bc0abbec8&cr=time-nl-brief-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What is TIME's daily news newsletter? The Brief is TIME's daily newsletter, edited by Richard Hall. It curates the day's top headlines with TIME's reporting and analysis across politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It reaches 540,000 subscribers with a 45.6% open rate as of August 2026. It is free to join at time.com/newsletters. #### How do I sign up for The Brief? The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it. #### Is The Brief free? Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes The Brief? The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. ## Video: Katy Perry Says Her Parents Voted for Donald Trump [Watch (HLS stream): Katy Perry Says Her Parents Voted for Donald Trump](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/D1SolLvY.m3u8) (0:55)  _Published 2016-11-09. Pop singer Katy Perry, who has campaigned for Hillary Clinton, told supporters of the Democratic nominee on Tuesday night that her parents voted for Donald Trump._  by [Raisa Bruner](https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Feb 10, 2017 6:00 PM UTC  WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 21: Katy Perry attends the Women's March on Washington on January 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Noam Galai/WireImage) WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 21: Katy Perry attends the Women's March on Washington on January 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Noam Galai/WireImage) Noam Galai—WireImage  by [Raisa Bruner](https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Feb 10, 2017 6:00 PM UTC Welcome back, Katy Perry. The blockbuster pop star [finally released her new single](http://time.com/4663794/katy-perry-chained-to-the-rhythm/?iid=sr-link1), “Chained to the Rhythm,” a disco-inflected track that represents a new direction for a singer best known for bubblegum-bright pop tunes. While upbeat on the surface, “Chained to the Rhythm” reflects a dire world of repetition and ignorance, all of us trapped like hamsters on a wheel—more on that later—feeding on a false reality. “So comfortable we’re living in a bubble, bubble/ so comfortable we cannot see the trouble, trouble,” she repeats. Perry seems to have found an outlet in her art for her increasing dedication to political activism. In recent months, she [campaigned heartily](http://time.com/4509391/katy-perry-voting-naked-get-people-to-polls-november-8th/?iid=sr-link6) for Hillary Clinton, [produced a PSA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBsImjKVof4) about anti-immigrant policies in American history and participated in the Women’s March on Washington. The song, written with hitmakers Sia and Max Martin and featuring a verse by Bob Marley’s grandson Skip Marley, hides its social commentary in plain sight, just beneath its radio-friendly sound. As for the lyric video? While quirky and cute at first glance, there’s a sinister undertone to the world of Mr. Parsons the Hamster. As a godlike human (the talented [YouTube creator Walking with Giants](http://time.com/4510677/mini-food-video/?iid=sr-link1)) painstakingly prepares minuscule meals of a hamburger and pasta in a dollhouse-sized kitchen, Mr. Parsons remains glued to an armchair, watching another hamster on a TV go round and round on his own wheel. Presented with the gourmet cuisine, he quickly defers to base instincts, making a mess of the artfully presented dishes and munching serenely on crumbling cake. “Yeah, we think we’re free/ Drink, this one is on me/ We’re all chained to the rhythm,” Perry sings, perhaps referring to the willful ignorance the entertainment-industrial complex often encourages. In contrast, her biggest statement last year was [riding into the Super Bowl](http://time.com/3690105/katy-perry-super-bowl-halftime-show-xlix/?iid=sr-link1) on a giant animatronic feline to deliver an upbeat rendition of “Eye of the Tiger.” Have we entered a new era of Katy Perry? Perhaps we’ll learn more at [Sunday night’s Grammys](http://time.com/4655730/grammys-2017-when-who-beyonce-adele/?iid=sr-link2), when she takes to the stage with a crowd of millions watching. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4667037/katy-perry-single-chained-to-the-rhythm/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4667037/katy-perry-single-chained-to-the-rhythm/"},"headline":"Listen to Katy Perry's Subversive New Disco Tune \"Chained to the Rhythm\"","datePublished":"2017-02-10T18:00:16.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:47:36.050Z","description":"Hear the pop star's newest song, a disco-influenced tune with a subversive message","url":"https://time.com/4667037/katy-perry-single-chained-to-the-rhythm/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Entertainment","Music"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4710b1fde0b7d9a7/6988b9accd1bba24c4703f11/katy-perry-march.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Raisa Bruner","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4710b1fde0b7d9a7/6988b9accd1bba24c4703f11/katy-perry-march.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Women's March on Washington - March","caption":"Women's March on Washington - March","creditText":"Noam Galai—WireImage","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4667037/katy-perry-single-chained-to-the-rhythm/","name":"Listen to Katy Perry's Subversive New Disco Tune \"Chained to the Rhythm\""}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Katy Perry Says Her Parents Voted for Donald Trump","description":"Pop singer Katy Perry, who has campaigned for Hillary Clinton, told supporters of the Democratic nominee on Tuesday night that her parents voted for Donald Trump.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/D1SolLvY/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2016-11-09T04:58:49.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/D1SolLvY.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4667037/katy-perry-single-chained-to-the-rhythm/","duration":"PT55S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4667037/katy-perry-single-chained-to-the-rhythm/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```