Back in 2021, Olivia Rodrigo became the youngest artist to debut at number one on the charts. And she was the rare artist to pull it off with her very first single, ‘Drivers License’. The single spent eight weeks at the top of the charts and catapulted her to the top of the pop stratosphere. Soon, she went from a fresh face to a Saturday Night Live
cast with a sketch dedicated to her song and a performance.
As the single hit its fourth anniversary today, Rodrigo’s fans dove back into the ballad. ‘Drivers License’ told the story of a high school breakup with a partner with whom she built many dreams. The mysterious backstory only fueled even more attention—particularly around her love life. The rumor mill went wild upon the release and fans scoured the lyrics for clues about whether or not they held real meaning.
4 years ago today, Olivia Rodrigo released “drivers license.” pic.twitter.com/AoSbUE4ZJc
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) January 8, 2025
Sure, Rodrigo never explicitly confirmed it, but everyone was convinced that the Disney graduate had a thing with fellow High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
star Joshua Bassett before he supposedly moved on to Sabrina Carpenter, another pop sensation climbing her own stardom ladder. But beyond the endless gossip, ‘Drivers License’ cemented its place in the hearts of fans—especially Gen Z—when it became the center of a viral TikTok trend. In fact, many believe TikTok played a huge role in fast-tracking Rodrigo’s rise to fame.
Four years later, fans are still celebrating Olivia Rodrigo’s massive impact on the pop scene and her iconic debut single.
Fans fondly recall Olivia Rodrigo’s epic debut
Where there is stardom, there is controversy. Olivia Rodrigo, since her very first release, was reported to having feuds with many of her peers. From rumors about a feud with her current big competition Sabrina Carpenter
to speculation that her song ‘Vampire’ was aimed at Taylor Swift
, drama seems to follow Rodrigo around like a shadow. Even on the fourth anniversary of ‘Drivers License’, fans are still going at it. While it is sure exhausting, at least Rodrigo’s fans think she is leagues above everyone else.
And she ended Taylor btw
— 🕷️ (@y94i__) January 8, 2025
now we have donald trump and sabrina carpenter pic.twitter.com/cahG9gfIRp
— fem top (@gayandold) January 8, 2025
4 years ago me and sabrina laughed
— MORGAN 🎀 (@MMONlKA) January 8, 2025
Meanwhile, the rest of the fans were just enjoying how that moment, when Rodrigo debuted in 2021, completely shifted the music landscape.
the world was actually never the same like https://t.co/m18cCoOkS7
— zara (@missqdventures) January 8, 2025
something shifted in the WORLD https://t.co/wxL73M7Jh3
— ian longboard (@hurricane_ian_) January 8, 2025
a moment in time https://t.co/W7KNZkbxED
— mads (@maddwomxn) January 8, 2025
Since the release of ‘Drivers License,’ Rodrigo has gone on to achieve incredible success. She has won three Grammy Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards, and four MTV Video Music Awards. And with the re-release of her second album, ‘Brooklyn,’ about to drop soon, fans are excited to see Rodrigo’s star only shining brighter in 2025 as well.
Read More: Olivia Rodrigo Owes It to Fans Achieving a Historic Spotify Milestone With ‘Sour’
What do you think about fans’ celebration of ‘Drivers License’? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!