Dancing on My Own

Robyn released "Dancing on My Own" on 20 April 2010 through Konichiwa Records as the lead single from her fifth studio album, Body Talk Pt. 1. Written and produced by Robyn and Patrik Berger, the song exists in three distinct versions: the stark mid-tempo electropop album cut, a layered synth-pop radio edit, and a downtempo piano ballad recorded for BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge. Its lyrics follow a woman in a crowded club near closing time, watching her ex-boyfriend dance with another woman as she dances alone, torn between confronting him and letting go. Robyn drew inspiration from her own experiences clubbing in Stockholm after tour dates, her love for what she called "inherently sad gay disco anthems," and the end of her engagement.

Critics hailed "Dancing on My Own" as a bittersweet anthem, with many naming it the best song of 2010 and later the decade. It became Robyn's signature song, a gay anthem, and what some called the ultimate sad banger of the poptimist movement. Rolling Stone ranked the original album version at number 20 on their 2021 list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song hit number one in Sweden after a live premiere on the TV show Sommarkrysset and reached the top ten in Denmark, Norway, and the United Kingdom. Its music video, directed by frequent collaborator Max Vitali and inspired by Rosie Perez's dance in Do the Right Thing, dropped on 21 May 2010 and showed Robyn as the song's protagonist in club and rehearsal settings. The track earned a Grammy nomination for Best Dance Recording and won Best Song at the Grammisgalan in Sweden.

Numerous artists covered "Dancing on My Own." Calum Scott's downtempo ballad version became a sleeper hit in Europe after its release on 15 April 2016, going viral on streaming services in the UK despite minimal radio play. Robyn publicly praised the cover, though some critics compared it unfavorably to her original. Other notable covers include those by Tiffany and Ellie Goulding.[edit]