Since its release , the video has garnered 69 million views . '' Slant '' placed the video at number three on their best music videos of 2013 list , noting that her absence from it " speaks to both the 16-year-old 's ' postcode ' shame and her friends ' suburban-teen ennui . " The video won the award for Best Rock Video at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards . Critics were divided over its placement in the rock category . Ethan Sacks of the '' New York Daily News '' wrote the singer 's win in the rock category " over actual rock bands " , angered many rock fans , but stressed Lorde was as surprised by the choice as anyone else . Alex Young of '' Consequence of Sound '' , however , explained that the reason Lorde won in the rock category was due to the absence of male nominees . Young believed that of the other nominated pop acts such as Ariana Grande , Beyoncé or Miley Cyrus , Lorde was the " easiest to justify as a ' rock ' artist due to her goth-punk persona " . Mathew Coyte of '' Rolling Stone Australia '' was unhappy with the artist 's win saying that " Royals " was by " no means a rock song by anyone 's definition , it 's an electronic track " . He found it strange the song was not nominated in the pop category . It received a nomination for Best Female Video in the aforementioned ceremony but lost to Katy Perry 's " Dark Horse " ( 2014 ) . It also won best music video at the 2013 New Zealand Music Awards
2014 MTV Video Music Awards
2014 MTV Video Music Awards
Royals (song)