
Peak
77
Weeks
1
Score
73
Chart Year
2026
"Rather Be" is a track from The Kid Laroi's second album, Before I Forget, which documents the fallout from his July 2025 breakup with Tate McRae. While he aches for their physical closeness, his deeper longing is for the friendship they shared, the soul-deep connection that made her his "bestie." The hook - "Rather be with you" – captures the difficulty of moving on from their deep connection. This fixation places the song squarely in the lineage of Laroi's greatest emotional hits, sitting somewhere between the raw abandonment of "Without You," the push-pull desperation of "Love Again," and the reluctant letting-go heard later on "A Cold Play." The track includes a verse from Lithe (Josiah Ramel), an independent Melbourne-based artist whose contribution adds a second voice to the mourning process. His lines, centered on the idea that life will never feel the same, expand the song from a personal confession into a shared emotional disaster zone. Lithe's appearance also marks a step up into higher-profile territory following the success of his 2024 breakout "Fall Back," which won Most Performed Hip Hop/Rap Work at the 2025 APRA Music Awards. Laroi and Lithe wrote "Rather Be" alongside Khaled Rohaim, Antonio Zito, Finatik, Zac, AuzTheKid, and Omid Khasrawy, with production handled by Rohaim, Dopamine, FNZ, and AuzTheKid, the latter being Laroi's younger brother, Austin Howard. Austin's role focused on drum programming, though his influence runs deeper than just beats. Laroi told iHeartRadio how much he values having his brother in the studio, calling it "really awesome" to share the process. Laroi praised his brother's artistic judgment implicitly, stating: "I send him everything I make... He'll always tell me. He'll be completely honest. If he loves a song, I really really trust it." Laroi told iHeartRadio the breakup felt like a "death," going from best friends to strangers almost overnight, and that emotional chaos heavily influenced his songwriting on Before I Forget. Tracks like "A Cold Play" (released as the lead single in September 2025) act as a direct commentary on the split. "Rather Be" fits within this narrative arc, representing the phase where Laroi accepts the relationship is over but struggles with emotional residue and unresolved attachment.
Rather be with you Rather be with you Rather be with you With you This club don't close 'til 6 a.m. She say that she'll be here 'til then Ask what's up with me after I'll probably be in bed She only strips on the weekend She told me that she's a fan I'll just sit here and pretend That I don't wanna be with you instead Rather be with you (said I would) Rather be with you (okay) Rather be with you With you, oh I told you I'd focus on me, but I've been on bullshit since you left me That wasn't my plan, but you out here again doin' shit, tryna test me You movin' spiteful and doin' shit, hopin' that it gets back to me, babe I would rather be back at your place, tell me, can I come back there again? 'Cause I'm over us bein' messy I'm reminiscin' on that one time we were fuckin' crazy in the backseat Yeah, the sex was cool and all, but, honestly, I miss my bestie I got so much to update you on, I'm beggin' you, baby, to text me Rather be with you (said I would) Rather be with you (okay) Rather be with you With you, oh It's 5 a.m. and my head is spinnin' I got so drunk, now I can't feel shit now At least it makes it easier to pretend That I don't wanna be with you instead Rather be with you Rather be with you Rather be with you With you Rather be with you Rather be with you Rather be with you With you, ooh It's plain to say life will never be the same It's way too late, still fuckin' 'round, I'm out this bitch I'm drunk, I'm gone, but you and me don't never bend Take me out 'cause this shit gettin' lonely now Love-drunk, love-drunk, you want me come home tonight Fucked up, iced out, 1942 tonight I'm too love-drunk, I miss me and my brothers But I'm too drunk, love-drunk, only wantin' you tonight It's plain to say life will never be the same (rather be with you) It's way too late, still fuckin' 'round, I'm out this bitch (rather be with you) I'm drunk, I'm gone, but you and me don't never bend (rather be with you) Take me out 'cause this shit gettin' lonely now (with you, ooh) Yeah, I can't hide this shit, I feel lost I can't lie to you, girl, I feel crossed Hit the strip, now I'm throwin' up, ayy Now I'm throwin' up ones Take the AMEX 'til I go dumb I told Dev, "Go take out some funds" I'm tryna pour up 'til I can't feel, uh, ayy 'Til I can't feel nothin' No matter how much that shit cost I still can't get you out of my thoughts I still think about you when I'm sauced (facts) No matter how much shit that I bought No matter how many times we fought It made me only wanna be with you more It's safe to say, sometimes I still get lonely, girl It's safe to say, I'd rather you be on me, girl I ain't to blame, babe, I won't take the fall for you I can't just fake, it ain't easy gettin' over you Rather be with you Rather be with you Rather be with you With you, ooh
| Week | Chart Date | Position | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jan 24, 2026 | 77 | 49 |