" Yellow Flicker Beat " received mostly positive reviews from music critics . Writing for '' Spin '' , Carley praised the metaphorical and mature lyrics of " Yellow Flicker Beat " . Meanwhile , Reed complimented on the song 's production , writing that the song " fits comfortably within the 17-year-old 's sonic wheelhouse . " On behalf of '' The Sydney Morning Herald '' , Zuel labelled the track " another smart musical , as much as career , step by Lorde " . '' Billboard '' Steven J. Horowitz opined that Lorde 's voice complemented the song 's beat well , and rated it three and a half out of five stars . The single was ranked at number four on '' Cosmopolitan '' 's year-end list . " Yellow Flicker Beat " was nominated for Best Original Song at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards , and Best Song at the 20th Critics ' Choice Awards . Despite its praise , several critics noted its conventional sound . Chris Schulz of '' The New Zealand Herald '' wrote that " Yellow Flicker Beat " sounded too similar to Lorde 's previous work , and lamented the lack of a catchy hook and chorus . Echoing Schulz ' statements , Lydia Jenkin , also from the '' Herald '' , pointed out that while its sound was reminiscent of the singer 's early works , it was still " a perfect musical depiction of Katniss Everdeen " . In the United States , " Yellow Flicker Beat " debuted at number 17 on the '' Billboard '' s Alternative Songs chart . In doing so , Lorde logged the highest launch by a female artist on the chart since 1995 when Juliana Hatfield 's " Universal Heart-Beat " also debuted at number seventeen . Additionally , the single appeared on the Adult Alternative Songs at number 19 with 5.2 million radio audience impressions in first-week audience . On the '' Billboard '' Hot 100 , the single peaked at number 34 . " Yellow Flicker Beat " also charted moderately on several national record charts , including Australia , Canada , Ireland , and the United Kingdom . The single was a success in New Zealand , peaking at number four on the New Zealand Singles Chart . It was certified gold by the Recorded Music NZ and gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association ( ARIA ) . The song was ranked the 18th greatest song of 2014 by Australian alternative music station Triple J
20th Critics ' Choice Awards
20th Critics' Choice Awards
Yellow Flicker Beat