Run Away with Me

That opening saxophone riff, drenched in reverb, slightly distorted, impossibly urgent, announces something different. Carly Rae Jepsen's "Run Away with Me" arrived July 17, 2015 as the second single from her third studio album Emotion, released through Universal Music Group and School Boy Records. Co-written with Jonnali Parmenius, Oscar Holter, and the production team of Mattman & Robin alongside Shellback, the track pivots hard from the bubblegum pop of "Call Me Maybe" into a sleek, synth-pop soundscape. The song layers shimmering synths, a driving beat, and Jepsen's breathy vocals into an anthemic crescendo, all anchored by that sax hook.

Critical response was immediate and emphatic. Pitchfork awarded it Best New Track, calling it "a masterclass in pop construction." The Guardian described it as "a glorious rush of saxophone and synths." Rolling Stone placed it among the 50 Best Songs of 2015 and later included it on their list of the 100 Greatest Pop Songs of All Time. Stereogum went further, declaring it "the best pop song of the decade." The song earned a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance in 2016 and won Song of the Year at the SOCAN Awards that same year.

Chart performance was modest relative to the acclaim. It peaked at No. 26 in the Czech Republic, No. 29 in Scotland, No. 33 in Slovakia, and No. 58 on the UK Singles Chart. In the US, it reached No. 13 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100. The RIAA certified it Gold in the US, while the BPI awarded Silver in the UK. The music video, shot by Jepsen's then-partner David Kalani Larkins in Paris, Tokyo, and New York, premiered on Vevo the same day as the single. It features Jepsen running through streets, dancing in neon-lit clubs, and riding a bicycle past the Eiffel Tower and Shibuya Crossing. The song has since become a cult favorite, with streaming numbers surging 150% on Spotify in 2020, and its influence cited by artists like Charli XCX and Troye Sivan.[edit]