Gracie Abrams switched up gears to release a song from her vault at a time when more voices should be speaking on this topic. “Sold Out” talks about gun violence, specifically on school shootings in America, among other topics such as suicide and isolation.
“Sold Out” was written in 2024 after an unnamed school shooting. The song was released on December 22, 2025, yet again after the tragic events of the Brown University shooting on December 18, 2025. It is rather unfortunate that school shootings have become so common in the United States, which speaks volumes regarding gun violence and mental health in the country.
Gracie Abrams teamed up with Aaron Dessner and Bon Iver to bring this very important song to life. She released the song exclusively on her Bandcamp profile captioning; “We made this song last year in the wake of a school shooting. I was reminded of it this week as our hearts were broken yet again. It’s a sad one to share during the holidays, but the world is hurting and we shouldn’t look away. We are proud to support @everytown , an organization dedicated to ending gun violence in America. We are releasing this song to raise awareness of their mission of reducing gun violence. Please visit their website for more information on the unbelievable work they do. Sending so much love to you all.” All proceeds from the song go towards supporting Everytown.
Everytown For Gun Safety is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to ‘end gun violence’ in America. Take some time to visit their website and see what you can do to keep the children safe, at least in schools.
Listen to “Sold Out” by Gracie Abrams on Bandcamp
In the first verse of the song, Gracie speaks on the chilling feeling of being under the threat of a shooting at a school. From many previous school shootings, we have heard accounts from survivors about how they hid in classrooms, bathrooms, and under desks, clutching on to their friends and teachers, praying to whatever god.
Just another Tuesday, normal, old news
The tragic part of this verse is how often this occurs in the United States. In 2025, there were 230 school shootings, shockingly still lower than the 336 school shootings in 2024. These numbers are way too high as long as they are not zero.
In the pre-chorus of the song, Gracie Abrams shifts the blame to policymakers on gun control. The problem of gun ownership doesn’t find equilibrium until either everyone owns a gun or nobody owns a gun. The easier solution is to disarm everyone.
The politicians release their heartfelt condolences after every mass shooting and go on about their days. The survivors carry trauma for their entire lives. The families of the victims grieve for their lives. Nothing changes. The system works.
The second verse of the song talks about loneliness and isolation of, primarily, the youth of the country. Lack of social connection has led to more negative outcomes than positive outcomes that could lead one down a vicious cycle of behaviours towards society. Gracie Abrams attributes much of the isolation to “blue screen,” hinting at the usage of digital screens.
And the right-wing force
And the brutal hell of it
Gracie Abrams takes a stern political stand in the lyrics of “Sold Out.” The right wing is to have nationalist and conservative ideologies. However, in these lyrics, Gracie is likely directly hinting at the extreme policies put forth by the current United States president, Donald Trump. In relation to the context of the song, President Trump has closed the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, removed the Surgeon General’s declaration of gun violence being a public health issue from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website, and cut more than 50% of funding toward gun violence prevention programs, among many other similar acts.
The third and final verse of the song speaks of suicide among teens. Gracie mentions a Jake who took his own life after being cyberbullied by peers. This, too, is a very common issue among the American youth. A lot of them spend a major amount of their lives online and could easily be subject to racism, scams, bullying, and extortion. Often, these paths lead to irreversible consequences.
Gracie also touches on the various online platforms that have gained popularity, which can have damaging effects on one’s personality. Social media has brainwashed us into thinking that everyone’s life is a highlight reel filled with happiness and success. Dating apps have brainwashed us into ranking faces based on appearances. X (formerly Twitter) has empowered most of us to be ruthless to another person behind a keyboard.
A change is long overdue. But a change is something we cannot see over the horizon. A change needs to come from within. We cannot always look up to the man in the suit to make the changes we want to see.
Let us hear what you think about this song in the comments below. Read the complete lyrics to the song on Genius.