"Can't Hold Us" is a song written and performed by American hip hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring American singer Ray Dalton, originally released on August 16, 2011, as the second single from the duo's debut album The Heist (2012).
The song was a sleeper hit, gaining more attention in 2012 and 2013, than when it was first released. In May 2013, it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making it their second number-one hit in the United States. It is also their third consecutive number-one single in Australia. The music video was nominated for Best Music Video at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards in 2014. The song was also listed as "The Most-Streamed Song of 2013" by Spotify.
Composition The song runs and is in the key of E minor, with a fast tempo of 146 beats per minute. The song features tribal percussion, with samples from "Bits and Pieces" by English rock band The Dave Clark Five.
Critical reception "Can't Hold Us" received critical acclaim. NJ.com named it as "Song of the Week". Lewis Corner of Digital Spy gave the song four stars out of five, praising its "infectious, soul-soaked piano line and beats more vibrant than Rio de Janeiro's finest carnival floats". Writing for The Edge, Hannah Mylrea rated the song 9/10 and complimented the duo's dynamism, deeming it "another massive summer hit". AllMusics David Jeffries also gave it four stars out of five and wrote: "Macklemore & Ryan Lewis combine the handclapping, foot-stomping, and propulsive rhythms of old-fashioned gospel music with an infectious, uplifting chorus that could have been ripped straight out of will.i.am's playbook...this motivational, "this is the moment" number is identifiably and lovably Macklemore."
Commercial performance In the United Kingdom, the song debuted in the UK Singles Chart at number 187 on March 17, 2013, climbing up to number 53 the following week. It eventually peaked at number three on the chart. In Australia, "Can't Hold Us" became Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' third consecutive number-one single after "Thrift Shop" and "Same Love", reaching the top of the chart on March 25, 2013. In the United States, the song became a sleeper hit, and following a performance of the song on Saturday Night Live, the song cracked the top 10 at number 7, becoming the duo's second top 10 hit, following the number-one single "Thrift Shop". "Can't Hold Us" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 during the chart issue May 18, 2013. They became the first duo to place their two debut singles atop the chart.
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis became the fifth act to place their two debut singles atop the Billboard Hot 100, following Mariah Carey with "Vision of Love" and "Love Takes Time", Christina Aguilera with "Genie in a Bottle" and "What a Girl Wants", Lady Gaga with "Just Dance" and "Poker Face" and Bruno Mars with "Just the Way You Are" and "Grenade". Due to the major international success of the duo's "Thrift Shop", there was a resurgence in sales of their previous singles and their album The Heist. The song stayed at number one for five consecutive weeks before being surpassed by Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines". As of December 29, 2013, the song had sold 4,383,000 downloads in the United States, with 4,260,000 sold in 2013, making it the eighth best-selling song of the year.
Music video Macklemore premiered the music video for "Can't Hold Us" on April 17, 2013. The video was directed by Ryan Lewis, Jason Koenig and Jon Jon Augustavo, and shooting took place for 17 days, on 2 continents and 16 different shoots, ranging from the Pacific Northwest to Southern California to New Zealand at Cathedral Cove where scenes for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian were also shot. Several prominent parts were filmed on the tall ship Lady Washington.
The video won two MTV Video Music Awards for Best Hip-Hop Video and Director of Photography Jason Koenig, and Mego Lin won Best Cinematography, the video was nominated for Best Direction and Best Editing Nomination to Jason Koenig and Ryan Lewis. It also was placed at No. 12 on BET Notarized Top 100 in 2013. It was nominated for Best Music Video at the 2014 Grammy Awards. It reached 1 billion views in December 2022.
Usage in media "Can't Hold Us" was used extensively at sporting events in Macklemore's hometown of Seattle. During the 2012 Seattle Seahawks season, the song became the official touchdown song for the team thanks to big fan coach Pete Carroll. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, also big supporters of the Seahawks, performed "Can't Hold Us" along with "Thrift Shop" during the NFC Championship game halftime show at CenturyLink Field on January 19, 2014.
In 2013, Macklemore objected to the Oklahoma City Thunder using the song during games since the team controversially relocated from Seattle in 2008 when they were the Seattle SuperSonics. "Can't Hold Us" was used by the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning stretch at T-Mobile Park from 2022–2024. The Mariners stopped using the song in 2024 after Macklemore made controversial comments at a Palestine Will Live Forever benefit concert. Macklemore had also performed the song at a pregame concert for the 2019 MLS Cup which featured Seattle Sounders FC and was hosted at CenturyLink Field.
In early 2013, the song was used in a U.S. television commercial for Microsoft's Outlook.com webmail service. Macklemore himself performed the song with the Detroit Youth Choir on the season 14 finale of America's Got Talent (The Detroit Youth Choir also performed the song in the audition and the finals. This came after performing with the Ndlovu Youth Choir and Kygo performing his version of the Steve Winwood song "Higher Love" with posthumous vocals from Whitney Houston)
Track listing Digital download "Can't Hold Us" – 4:10 "Can't Hold Us" (instrumental) – 4:10 7-inch single "Can't Hold Us" – 4:10 "Make the Money" – 3:45 CD single (Germany)' "Can't Hold Us" – 4:10 "Wings" – 3:45.
Charts
Weekly charts +Weekly chart performance for "Can't Hold Us"Chart (2011–2014)PeakpositionBrazil (ABPD) 10Euro Digital Tracks (Billboard) 2Greece Digital Songs (Billboard) 9 Iceland (Tónlistinn) 16 Lebanon (Lebanese Top 20) 6 Mexico (Billboard Ingles Airplay)3 Mexico Anglo (Monitor Latino)12Portugal (Billboard)9 Russia Airplay (TopHit) 4 Ukraine Airplay (TopHit) 18 Venezuela Pop/Rock General (Record Report)26 Chart (2022–2026)Peakposition Luxembourg (Billboard) 24 Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100) 89
Monthly charts + Chart (2013–2014) Peakposition CIS Airplay (TopHit) 7 Russia Airplay (TopHit) 6 Ukraine Airplay (TopHit) 59
Year-end charts +Annual chart rankings for "Can't Hold Us"Chart (2013)PositionAustralia (ARIA)9Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)7Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)5Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia)9Canada (Canadian Hot 100)15 CIS Airplay (TopHit) 103France (SNEP)8Germany (Media Control AG)6Hungary (Dance Top 40)22Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)78Italy (FIMI)34Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)6Netherlands (Single Top 100)19New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)12 Russia Airplay (TopHit) 96Spain (PROMUSICAE)41Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)4Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)9UK Singles (OCC)13US Billboard Hot 1005US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)26US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)3US Rap Songs (Billboard)2US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)4US Rhythmic (Billboard)2 Chart (2014)PositionBelgium Urban (Ultratop)20 CIS Airplay (TopHit) 25France (SNEP)122Hungary (Dance Top 40)48Italy (FIMI)68 Russia Airplay (TopHit) 26Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)75 Ukraine Airplay (TopHit) 158 Chart (2020)PositionFrance (SNEP)148 Chart (2021)PositionFrance (SNEP)164 Chart (2022) Position Australia (ARIA) 71 Germany (Official German Charts) 82 Global Excl. US (Billboard) 199 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 42 Chart (2023) Position Australia (ARIA) 67 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 21 Germany (Official German Charts) 67 Global 200 (Billboard) 138 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 62 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 16 Chart (2024) Position France (SNEP) 79 Global 200 (Billboard) 150 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 93 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 31 Chart (2025) Position France (SNEP) 101 Germany (GfK) 81 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 22
Decade-end charts +2010s chart rankings for "Can't Hold Us" Chart (2010–2019) Position Australia (ARIA) 33 Germany (Official German Charts) 14 UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 69 US Billboard Hot 100 71 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) 15
Certifications
Awards and nominations
YearCeremonyAwardResult2013Teen Choice AwardsChoice R&B/Hip-Hop SongMTV Video Music AwardsBest Hip-Hop VideoBest Direction in a VideoBest Editing in a VideoBest Cinematography in a Video2014Grammy AwardsBest Music Video
Release history Country Date Format Label Catalog no. United States August 16, 2011 Digital download Macklemore January 2013Contemporary hit radioElektra France November 2011 7-inch 45 rpm single Noiseland 11-0504 Germany May 24, 2013 CD single Rykodisc 0825646441426
See also List of highest-certified singles in Australia
References