Entertainment · Music · 1 hr ago
Matchbox Twenty Members Disagree Over ‘Push’ in Barbie
Matchbox Twenty members disagree about using ‘Push’ in Barbie, the 2023 film starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling.
In the movie, Ken sings the 1997 hit to Barbie as part of a joke about male dominance.
Drummer Paul Doucette says the band should not have allowed the song’s use, because some people took it as the band speaking for patriarchy.
Doucette says he did not know how the song would appear until he saw the film, and that the band lacked a good way to discuss such decisions.
Rob Thomas agreed to the use after director Greta Gerwig wrote to him describing the scene; he said he approved because he co-wrote the song.
The disagreement has highlighted the band’s need to communicate better about decisions involving its music.
Rob Thomas approved Matchbox Twenty’s song “Push” for Greta Gerwig’s 2023 film Barbie, while bandmate Paul Doucette said he believes the band should not have agreed to it.
The song is performed by Ryan Gosling’s Ken and the other Kens for Margot Robbie’s Barbie.
Thomas said Gerwig explained the scene as Ken playing “Push” at Barbie, and he liked how the scene turned out.
Doucette said he worried audiences might see the band as the voice of the patriarchy and said he had not watched the film.
Doucette also said he did not know how the song would be used until the movie came out and that the band lacked a good system for discussing such decisions.
- Who
- Matchbox Twenty members Rob Thomas and Paul Doucette.
- What
- They expressed differing views about using the song “Push” in Barbie.
- When
- The discussion took place in a recent episode of the Zach Sang Show, reported on November 14 and 15, 2026.
- Where
- In Greta Gerwig’s 2023 film Barbie.
- Why
- Thomas approved the use, while Doucette objected to how the song was featured and worried about its interpretation.
Rob Thomas
Paul Doucette
Approval
Rob Thomas
Thomas said he immediately approved the use because he wrote the song and liked the scene’s description.
Paul Doucette
Doucette said, I don't think it’s something we should have done.
Interpretation
Rob Thomas
Thomas said he understood what was happening from Gerwig’s description and thought it was a great idea.
Paul Doucette
Doucette said he did not know that everyone got the joke and worried people would see the band as the voice of the patriarchy.
Matchbox Twenty released “Push.
Barbie was released, featuring the Kens performing “Push” for Barbie.
The Daily Mail reported on Thomas and Doucette’s differing views after their Zach Sang Show discussion.
Just Jared reported that Thomas approved the song’s use and Doucette still had not watched the film.
- Song
- Push
- Film
- Barbie, released in 2023
- Director
- Greta Gerwig
- Songwriter who approved use
- Rob Thomas
- Bandmate who objected
- Paul Doucette
- Scene
- Ken and the other Kens perform “Push” for Barbie
2 sources
What people are saying
I don’t think it’s something we should have done
I had no idea how the song was going to be used until the movie was out
By the way, to this day I haven’t seen it. Won’t see it.
Unfortunately, I immediately said yes because I was a writer on it