“Set in an alternate dystopian reality that shares similarities with our own world,” Sam Fender’s “Play God” revolves around the idea of an Orwellian overlord who controls society and generates mistreatment of the working class.

The track was originally released on 31 March 2017 as Fender’s official debut single and was later included as part of the soundtrack for FIFA 19 in September 2018. Fender performed the song during the pre-ceremony of the 2019 BRIT Awards in February, where he was also honored as the recipient of the Critics' Choice Award. In January 2019, an official music video was released to coincide with the song’s re-release as a single, which led to a peak at 89 on the UK Singles Chart. “Play God” also features on Fender’s debut album, Hypersonic Missiles.

Fender has previously discussed his dislike for modern politicians:

Pretty much every prime minister since I can remember has made me mad. The negative effects of greedy politicians have haunted the North East for years, it’s very apparent. I’m not an expert on politics, but there’s a bunch of bad people at the top who care about lining their own pockets before creating a society that looks after the vulnerable."