Music Sounds Better with You

"Music Sounds Better with You"
Single by Stardust
Released	27 July 1998
Format	12" CD
Recorded	1998
Length	6:48 (12" version) 4:24 (Radio edit)
Label	Roulé
Writer(s)	Thomas Bangalter Dominic Bugatti Benjamin Cohen Frank Musker Alain Quême
Producer(s)	Thomas Bangalter

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

"Music Sounds Better with You" is the only song by French house band Stardust, a collaborative effort consisting of producers Thomas Bangalter, Alan Braxe, and vocalist Benjamin Diamond. The song uses a sample of the song "Fate" by Chaka Khan,^[2] which appeared on her 1981 album What Cha' Gonna Do for Me. 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 by Daft Punk productions, 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 Media's Top 200 songs of the '90s.^[4] The publication included "Music Sounds Better with You" in its collection of The Pitchfork 500.^[5] In 2001 the UK magazine Mixmag listed the 100 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time with "Music Sounds Better with You" listed at #11.^[6][7] The song also appears at #6 on Mixmag's 50 Greatest Dance Tracks of All Time in 2013.^[8]

Music video

Directed by Michel Gondry, set in Texas, United States, the song's music video depicts the story of a boy building a model airplane over several 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 TV, on which 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 1986 hit "Addicted to Love". When the boy has completed the plane, he takes it to a field 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 Top 5 video. They throw it back to the boy with a wave; he recovers it, waves at them, and runs off.

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)[9] 4 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[10] 24 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[11] 18 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[12] 12 Canada (Canadian Singles Chart)[13] 2 Canada Dance (RPM)[14] 5 France (SNEP)[15] 10 Germany (Official German Charts)[16] 26 Ireland (IRMA)[17] 5 Italy (FIMI)[18] 7 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[19] 17 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[20] 8 Norway (VG-lista)[21] 14 Scotland (Official Charts Company)[22] 2 Spain (AFYVE)[23] 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[24] 27 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] 7 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[26] 2 US Billboard Hot 100[13] 62 US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play[13] 1

Certifications Country Certification Australia[27] Platinum France[28] Silver United Kingdom[29] Platinum

Use in other media

• The song is remixed in the encore of Daft Punk's Alive 2007 world tour.
• The song is featured in Grand Theft Auto V on fictional radio station Non-Stop-Pop FM.
• The song is featured in By Any Means in episode six of season one as the opening.
• The song is sampled in Madonna's song "Get Together".
• The song is sampled in Big Time Rush's song "Music Sounds Better with U".
• The song was remixed by Giraffage in 2013.
• The song is sampled in Katy Perry's "California Gurls" – The Prismatic World Tour version.
• The song was used as an opening theme for the final season of Telemundo's MTV Dance Mix in 1998.
• The song is sampled in Statik Selektah's song "Beautiful Life", featuring Joey Bada$$ & Action Branson

References

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

External links

• Music Sounds Better with You at Discogs