Maggots for Brains

Olivia Rodrigo shifts gears on her third studio album with "maggots for brains," a track that swaps the pop-punk energy of her previous work for a jangly post-punk and new wave sound. Released alongside You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love on June 12, 2026, the song features production by Dan Nigro and co-writing credits for Rodrigo, Nigro, and Amy Allen. The arrangement relies heavily on driving guitar riffs that evoke early 1980s UK indie rock, creating a taut atmosphere distinct from her earlier discography.

The title serves as a darker variation of the phrase "worms for brains," describing a mental state where intense codependency causes one's thoughts to deteriorate. Rodrigo drew specific inspiration from the volatile relationship between Miranda Hobbes and Steve Brady in Sex and the City, using their dynamic to explore how being consumed by a partner can lead to catatonia. Lyrics like "My day was so mundane, I don't think I left the house" paint a picture of a narrator who has lost agency and clarity due to lovesickness.

Critics noted the song's atmospheric depth immediately upon release. Rolling Stone highlighted it as a "gorgeous guitar ballad" with subtle stylistic nods to Pavement's 1992 single "Here." Dazed ranked it among the top five tracks on the album, suggesting the record represents Rodrigo's most mature work to date. Although the parent album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, the song itself was not issued as an official single and therefore lacks a separate chart run on the Hot 100 or UK Singles Chart. [edit]