Music Sounds Better with You

This article is about the Stardust song. For the Big Time Rush song, see Music Sounds Better with U.
"Music Sounds Better with You"
Single by Stardust
Released 20 July 1998 (1998-07-20)
Format
Recorded 1997 at Daft House (Paris, France)
Genre French house
Length
  • 6:48 (12" version)
  • 4:24 (radio edit)
Label Roulé
Writer(s)
Producer(s) Thomas Bangalter
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

"Music Sounds Better with You" was released by 20 July 1998 by French house band Stardust, a collaborative effort consisting of producers Thomas Bangalter, Alan Braxe, and vocalist Benjamin Diamond. It is their only release. The song uses a sample of the song "Fate" by Chaka Khan,[2] which appeared on her album What Cha' Gonna Do for Me (1981).

It was also one of the highest-selling singles of the year in the United Kingdom, where it debuted at number 2 in August 1998, and maintained the position for two weeks.[3] That same month, the song also enjoyed two weeks atop the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.[2] It is also used in the encore of Daft Punk's Alive 2007 world tour.

Production

The track was recorded in Paris at Daft House,[4] where Bangalter (one half of the French group Daft Punk) is based. The song was conceived in Rex Club, Paris, where the trio were playing a live set. Bangalter and Braxe created the instrumental, which Diamond instinctively sang the title words over. The next day they laid down the track in the studio, adding the Chaka Khan sample.

The song remains the only release of the trio. It is referred to as the best-selling track of the house music genre worldwide. Shortly after the release Bangalter was offered 3 million dollars to produce a full Stardust album, but Bangalter, Braxe and Diamond have not worked together since. Diamond and Braxe resumed their ongoing solo careers, and Bangalter, along with his usual partner Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, went on to release the second Daft Punk album, Discovery, as well as releasing other house music tracks solo or with other partners.

Critical reception

John Bush from AllMusic gave the single 4.5 stars out of 5 and also labels it as an "Album Pick" calling it "One of the most irresistible, sublime dance singles of the decade".[1] It was ranked 46th on Pitchfork's Top 200 songs of the '90s.[5] The publication included "Music Sounds Better with You" in its collection of The Pitchfork 500.[6] In 2001, the magazine from the United Kingdom, Mixmag, listed the 100 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time with "Music Sounds Better with You" listed at number 11.[7][8] The song also appears at number 6 on Mixmag's 50 Greatest Dance Tracks of All Time in 2013.[9]

Music video

Directed by Michel Gondry, set in Texas, United States, the song's music video depicts the story of a boy building a balsa wood model airplane over several summer days (it's implied that his parents are arguing, and this is his distraction from this). As he works, he watches a "Top 5" video countdown on television, on which the band Stardust move up one spot a day past other, fictional artists.

Braxe, Diamond, and Bangalter appear wearing metallic costumes in the video — a trend Bangalter would follow as a member of Daft Punk. One of the fictional videos, "Hollipz" by "Dave Stavroz", is a parody of the music video of Robert Palmer's hit "Addicted to Love" (1986). When the boy has completed the plane, he takes it into the large fields next to the house and throws it in the air, only to watch it become stranded on top of a cloud. It is the same cloud Stardust were performing on in their video Top 5. They throw it back to the boy with a wave; he recovers it, waves at them, and runs away.

Track listing

12" vinyl
  1. "Music Sounds Better with You" – 6:50
Compact disc
  1. "Music Sounds Better with You" (radio edit) – 4:21
  2. "Music Sounds Better with You" (12" club mix) – 6:48
  3. "Music Sounds Better with You" (Bob Sinclar Remix) – 6:46
Compact disc (re-release)
  1. "Music Sounds Better with You" (radio edit) – 4:23
  2. "Music Sounds Better with You" (12" club mix) – 6:50
  3. "Music Sounds Better with You" (Bibi & Dim's Anthem from Paris Mix) – 10:30
  4. "Music Sounds Better with You" (Chateau Flight Remix) – 7:17
Music Sounds Better with You Remixé EP
  1. "Music Sounds Better with You" (Bibi & Dim's Anthem from Paris Mix) – 10:30
  2. "Music Sounds Better with You" (DJ Sneak 32 On Red Dub Mix) – 5:41
  3. "Music Sounds Better with You" (Chateau Flight Remix) – 7:17
  4. "Music Sounds Better with You" (DJ Sneak's 32 On Red Mix) – 8:16

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (1998) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[10] 4
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[11] 24
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[12] 18
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[13] 12
Canada (Canadian Singles Chart)[14] 2
Canada Dance (RPM)[15] 5
France (SNEP)[16] 10
Germany (Official German Charts)[17] 26
Ireland (IRMA)[18] 5
Italy (FIMI)[19] 7
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[20] 17
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[21] 8
Norway (VG-lista)[22] 14
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[23] 2
Spain (AFYVE)[24] 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[25] 27
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 7
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[27] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[14] 62
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[14] 1

Certifications

Country Certification
Australia[28] Platinum
France[29] Silver
United Kingdom[30] Platinum

Preceded by
"God Is a DJ" by Faithless		 U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single
3 October 1998 – 10 October 1998 		Succeeded by
"Let Me Go...Release Me" by Veronica

Use in other media

References

  1. 1 2 http://www.allmusic.com/album/music-sounds-better-with-you-ep-mw0000043371
  2. 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco 1974–2003, (Record Research Inc.), page 244.
  3. ↑ UK Singles Chart info Chartstats.com. Retrieved 7 July 2009.
  4. ↑ "Music Sounds Better with You" (single liner notes). Stardust. Roulé. 1997.
  5. ↑ pitchfork.com Retrieved 10 February 2011.
  6. ↑ Plagenhoef, Scott; Schreiber, Ryan, eds. (November 2008). The Pitchfork 500. Simon & Schuster. p. 152. ISBN 978-1-4165-6202-3.
  7. ↑ nwoutpost.com Retrieved 10 February 2011.
  8. ↑ clubxtrem.net Retrieved 10 February 2011.
  9. ↑ http://www.mixmag.net/words/news/what-is-the-greatest-dance-track-of-all-time
  10. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Stardush – Music Sounds Better with You". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  11. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Stardush – Music Sounds Better with You" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  12. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Stardush – Music Sounds Better with You" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  13. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Stardush – Music Sounds Better with You" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  14. 1 2 3 Billboard Allmusic.com (Retrieved August 31, 2008)
  15. ↑ Canadian dance peak
  16. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Stardush – Music Sounds Better with You" (in French). Les classement single.
  17. ↑ "Musicline.de – Stardust Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  18. ↑ Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
  19. ↑ Hit parade Italia (Retrieved May 30, 2008)
  20. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Stardush search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
  21. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Stardush – Music Sounds Better with You". Top 40 Singles.
  22. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Stardush – Music Sounds Better with You". VG-lista.
  23. ↑ "Archive Chart: 1998-08-28". Scottish Singles Top 40.
  24. ↑ Billboard: Hits of the World, September 19, 1998
  25. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Stardush – Music Sounds Better with You". Singles Top 100.
  26. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Stardush – Music Sounds Better with You". Swiss Singles Chart.
  27. ↑ "Archive Chart: 1998-08-28" UK Singles Chart.
  28. ↑ Australian certifications, database Bpi.co.uk (Retrieved August 31, 2008)
  29. ↑ French certifications, database Infodisc.fr (Retrieved April 15, 2010)
  30. ↑ UK certifications, database BPI (Retrieved August 31, 2008)

External links

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