One year ago today, Chappell Roan released ‘The Subway.’ Chappell Roan released 'The Subway' through Amusement and Island Records, a single that had been building anticipation for well over a year. She first debuted it live at New York's Governors Ball in June 2024, dressed as the Statue of Liberty, and the performance instantly became a fan favorite on TikTok and Reddit, with listeners repeatedly begging for a studio version. For much of that following year Roan stayed publicly undecided about releasing it, telling Rolling Stone in September 2024 she preferred keeping it a live-only moment, before eventually confirming and formally announcing the release date via Instagram just days ahead of launch. Written and produced with her longtime collaborator Dan Nigro, the song is a dream-pop, '80s-synth-tinged breakup ballad, built around the ache of a fleeting subway encounter that becomes a metaphor for lost love across New York City. Roan has described writing it while wandering the cit...