Locked Out of Heaven by Bruno Mars

"Locked Out of Heaven" is a song by American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars from his second studio album, Unorthodox Jukebox (2012). It was released as the lead single from the album on October 1, 2012. The song was written by Mars, Philip Lawrence and Ari Levine. It was produced by The Smeezingtons, Mark Ronson, Jeff Bhasker and Emile Haynie. "Locked Out of Heaven" is a reggae rock and pop rock song influenced by new wave and funk. The song's lyrics are about the rapturous feelings brought about by a relationship infused with positive emotion as well as euphoria from sex. "Locked Out of Heaven" was well received by most critics, some of whom complimented Mars' different musical direction. His vocals were compared to the ones by Sting, while its sound was lauded, with the song being called "interesting" and a "musical evolution". While some critics noted influences from various bands, Mars stated that The Police were the ones who influenced him the most to write the song. The single charted inside the top ten in over twenty countries, including the United States, where it became Mars' fourth number one single on the Billboard Hot 100, holding the spot for six consecutive weeks, and topping the Canadian Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks. "Locked Out of Heaven" was certified seven times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). The song's music video was shot by director Cameron Duddy and by Mars. It depicts Mars and his bandmates leisurely engaging in activities such as smoking, drinking and playing games. The singer performed "Locked Out of Heaven" on television shows such as Saturday Night Live and The X Factor and included it on The Moonshine Jungle Tour (2013-14) and the 24K Magic World Tour (2017-18). It was also used at his Super Bowl XLVIII halftime show set list. The song won several awards and received three Grammy nominations. The song has also been covered by various recording artists, including Leona Lewis and Bastille.