chords were formed following a jam session in the studio featuring Sia on the piano and Jesse Shatkin playing a marimba. In the United States, "Chandelier" was released for digital download onto iTunes Stores on 17 March 2014 through Monkey Puzzle, with distribution by RCA Records. In the United Kingdom, "Chandelier" was released digitally on 29 June 2014. A day later, it was sent by RCA Records to US hot adult contemporary radio. Composition "Chandelier" was written by Sia and Shatkin and was produced by Kurstin and Shatkin. It was described as an electropop ballad, featuring "soaring" synthesisers, "militant" drums, and hip hop beats with electronica, R&B, and reggae influences. The song features Sia's "jaw-dropping" vocal performance. The song is written in the key of B minor and it follows the chord progression of Bbm–Gbmaj7–Ab–Fm in the verses, Gbmaj7–Bbm-Ab in the pre-chorus, and Gbmaj7–Ab–Db/F–Gbmaj7 in the chorus. The acoustic version is recorded in G minor. The song's BPM is 90. Lyrically, "Chandelier" has a sad theme talking about "the glitter and fatigue of a party girl's life". John Walker from MTV Buzzworthy opined that the song has a dark theme, "toeing the line between celebration and self-destruction as it becomes increasingly more blurred". The song's opening lyrics, "Party girls don't get hurt, can't feel anything ... I push it down", are sung over a reggae-influenced background. Walker noted that during the chorus, Sia sings, "I'm gonna swing from the chandelier, from the chandelier/ I'm gonna live like tomorrow doesn't exist, like it doesn't exist". A few critics, including Jeremy Gordon from Pitchfork Media, and Melinda Newman of HitFix, compared the song's musical style to works done by Rihanna. Critical reception "Chandelier" has received critical acclaim. Andrew Trendall from Gigwise wrote that the song "springboards Sia from a behind-the-scenes genius into a superstar in her own right". Gordon from Pitchfork praised Sia's vocal performance on the track and commented that the track "is enough to make you want to swing from a chandelier". Bradley Stern from the website MuuMuse labelled "Chandelier" the best pop single of 2014, complimenting Sia's songwriting credits and her voice on the song. In a VH1 article, Emily Exton shared that thought, deeming it the best song Sia had ever written. Writing for Time magazine, Jamieson Cox deemed "Chandelier" a "disarming, unforgettable listen that'll make you glad Sia kept this one for herself." Maura Johnston of Spin