Dopamine (Robyn song)

"Dopamine"
Single by Robyn
from the album Sexistential
Released12 November 2025 (2025-11-12)
GenreSynth-pop
Length3:35
Label
Songwriters
Producers
  • Klas Åhlund
  • Robyn
Robyn singles chronology
"Life"
(2024) 		"Dopamine"
(2025) 		"Sexistential" / "Talk to Me"
(2026)
Music video
"Dopamine" on YouTube

"Dopamine" is a song by Swedish singer Robyn. It was released on 12 November 2025 through Konichiwa Records and Young as the lead single from her ninth studio album, Sexistential (2026). Robyn and Klas Åhlund produced the song and co-wrote it with Taio Cruz.

"Dopamine" was praised by music critics. It peaked at number nine on the Swedish singles chart and became her first top-ten entry on the chart since "Indestructible" (2010).

Background and release

Robyn originally wrote "Dopamine" with Klas Åhlund in 2015. At one point, she sent an early demo to Daft Punk to see if they would be interested in producing it. When she returned to the studio in 2020, "Dopamine" was one of the first songs she revisited. In an interview for Vogue, she described the original version of the track: "Before Honey, I didn't really know how to make a pop album, and I knew this was a pop song. What I was making before was much more nonlinear. It didn't have choruses in the same way. It was referencing the way you listen to music in a club."[1] Robyn and Åhlund then re-wrote the verses.[1] Robyn is credited as the sole lyricist, while composer credit is shared between her, Åhlund, and Taio Cruz.[2] Robyn and Åhlund produced the song.[3]

Konichiwa and Young released "Dopamine" as a single on 12 November 2025, Robyn's first solo release since Honey (2018).[4] It was followed by official remixes by Jamie xx and Marlon Hoffstadt.[5]

Composition and lyrics

"Dopamine" is a synth-pop song[4][6] with lyrics speaking of not being able to control one's dopamine rushes.[1] Robyn said, "The doubleness of 'Dopamine' is having an emotion that is super real, super strong, intense, enjoyable or painful, and at the same time knowing that this is just a biological process in my body."[7] Alexis Petridis from The Guardian interpreted the lyrics as "about the first rush of falling in love" and noted "a curious tension between trying to explain attraction away as something scientific – an excess of the titular chemical – and something more spiritual and intangible".[8] Music critics compared elements of the production to works by Daft Punk and Giorgio Moroder.[3][8][9]

Critical reception

"Dopamine" was met with critical acclaim. Petridis, writing for The Guardian, called it an "unequivocal pop banger" and rated it four stars out of five.[8] Pitchfork critic Harry Tafoya selected the song as "Best New Track" at the time of its release and wrote: "'Dopamine' is a gorgeous riff on a classic Robyn formula, taking the synthetic shimmer of a dance track and catalyzing its underlying passion with the warm caress of her voice."[9] Similarly, Megan Lapierre of Exclaim! designated it a "Staff Pick" and deemed it "another worthy addition to Robyn's ubiquitous catalogue".[10] Steffanee Wang of The Fader wrote that the singer "sounds fresh as ever" and singled out the latter part of the song as its best part, "when things get quiet before the beat drops back in like an hundred ton weight."[3] Rolling Stone's Brittany Spanos called it a "euphoric dance floor banger".[11]

Chart performance

"Dopamine" debuted and peaked at number nine on the Sverigetopplistan singles chart,[12] becoming her first top-ten entry in Sweden since "Indestructible" reached number four in 2010.[13] "Dopamine" also reached number 98 in Norway[14] and number 33 on the UK Singles Downloads chart.[15]

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Dopamine" was directed by Marili Andre, who also shot the single artwork.[6]

Live performances

Robyn premiered "Dopamine" live during a one-off concert hosted by Spotify and Acne Studios at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles on 19 November 2025.[16] She performed the song during a New Year's Eve set at Times Square in New York City for CNN's New Year's Eve Live.[17] Later that same night, she performed it in concert at the Brooklyn Paramount.[18]

Track listing

  1. "Dopamine" – 3:35
  1. "Dopamine" (Jamie xx remix) – 5:02
  1. "Dopamine" (Marlon Hoffstadt remix) – 3:41

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from Tidal.[2]

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Dopamine"
Chart (2025) Peak
position
Denmark Airplay (Hitlisten)[22] 14
Germany Airplay (BVMI)[23] 90
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[24] 29
Norway (VG-lista)[14] 98
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[12] 9
UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[15] 33
US Hot Dance/Pop Songs (Billboard)[25] 14

Release history

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Version(s) Label(s) Ref.
Various 12 November 2025
Original
[19]
3 December 2025 Jamie xx remix [20]
15 December 2025 Marlon Hoffstadt remix [21]

References

  1. ^ a b c Exposito, Suzy (21 November 2025). "'Writing a Good Song Is Still What Gets Me Off': Robyn on Her Grand Return to the Pop Sphere". Vogue. Retrieved 2 January 2026. (subscription required)
  2. ^ a b "Dopamine / Robyn / Credits". Tidal. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  3. ^ a b c Wang, Steffanee (12 November 2025). "Robyn's 'Dopamine' is an earned, exalted return". The Fader. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  4. ^ a b DeVille, Chris (12 November 2025). "Robyn – 'Dopamine'". Stereogum. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  5. ^ Murray, Robin (15 December 2025). "Marlon Hoffstadt Remixes Robyn's 'Dopamine'". Clash. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  6. ^ a b Trendell, Andrew (12 November 2025). "Robyn makes euphoric return with 'Dopamine': 'An emotion that is super real, super strong, intense, enjoyable or painful'". NME. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  7. ^ Monroe, Jazz (12 November 2025). "Robyn Returns With New Song and Video 'Dopamine': Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  8. ^ a b c Petridis, Alexis (13 November 2025). "Robyn: Dopamine review – complex emotions, instant euphoria: no wonder pop's A-list love her". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  9. ^ a b Tafoya, Harry (12 November 2025). "Robyn: 'Dopamine' Track Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  10. ^ Lapierre, Megan (12 November 2025). "Robyn's 'Dopamine' Hits'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  11. ^ Spanos, Brittany (12 November 2025). "Robyn Returns With First Original Solo Single in 7 Years, 'Dopamine'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  12. ^ a b "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 47, 2025". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  13. ^ "Discography Robyn". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  14. ^ a b "Singel 2025 uke 47". IFPI Norge. Retrieved 22 November 2025.
  15. ^ a b "Official Singles Downloads Chart on 21/11/2025 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  16. ^ Atkinson, Katie (20 November 2025). "Robyn Live-Debuts 'Dopamine' at Surprise LA Show: Inside Her First Full Concert Since 2019 (Full Setlist)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  17. ^ Lopez, Julyssa; Greene, Andy (1 January 2026). "Robyn Unveils New Songs During New Year's Eve Performances". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 4 January 2026. (subscription required)
  18. ^ Koellner, Amanda (1 January 2026). "Robyn's Dopamine-Dipped New Year's Eve at Brooklyn Paramount". Consequence. Retrieved 4 January 2026.
  19. ^ a b "Dopamine – Single by Robyn". Apple Music. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  20. ^ a b "Dopamine (Jamie xx Remix) – Single by Robyn". Apple Music. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  21. ^ a b "Dopamine (Marlon Hoffstadt Remix) – Single by Robyn". Apple Music. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  22. ^ "Airplay Top-20: Uge 46 - 2025". Hitlisten (in Danish). Retrieved 26 November 2025.
  23. ^ "Radio-Charts Deutschland – Chartwoche 8/2026" [Radio Charts Germany – Chart Week 8/2026] (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Archived from the original on 2 March 2026. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
  24. ^ "Hot 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. 21 November 2025. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  25. ^ "Robyn Chart History (Hot Dance/Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
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