Avicii - Levels

[🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾]

Was surprised to not see a topic for this one here. :o

This has been out since late October. It samples some vocals from the song "Something's Got A Hold On Me" by the legendary Etta James, although the song is mostly instrumental. Flo Rida's current single "Good Feeling" also samples this and makes use of the vocal sample.

The music video set to the vocal version:

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I absolutely love this song! The production is so lush and epic. The Etta James vocal drop in the middle is just so unexpected and awesome.

I dislike the Flo Rida song though.

[Verisimilitude]

Jan 4, 2012 16:49:23 GMT -5 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 said:

I dislike the Flo Rida song though.

Don't we all? "Levels" is doing well in Europe, but imagine its success if the Flo Rida track never existed. I would have at least minded "Good Feeling" to an extent if Etta James was officially credited - she's the only decent part of his version. At least "Levels" has the nice almost trancey synths!

[frank]

I actually really hate the vocals on this one. Yes, the vocal drop in the middle is unexpected, but in a bad way imo.

I always listen to the instrumental.

[♛ The Manticore ☯]

Jan 4, 2012 16:49:23 GMT -5 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 said:

Was surprised to not see a topic for this one here. :o

Probably because there's one on the CHR/POP section.

I like this song and am glad that "Levels" reached the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 which was Avicii's first and hope it's not his only one just like how other dance artists fell victim to it by only having one U.S. hit while having several hits in their native country and across europe.

[🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾]

I recently discovered his other song "Seek Bromance" (under the name Tim Berg), particularly the vocal mix that has Amanda Wilson, although I do love the instrumental as well. I somehow missed out on that one the first time around, but I'm glad I found it.

[Deleted]

It's been years since I've been this into a dance track. Absolutely excellent.

Jan 4, 2012 16:54:17 GMT -5 Verisimilitude said:

"Levels" is doing well in Europe, but imagine its success if the Flo Rida track never existed.

I don't follow other European charts that closely, but "Levels" only took off in the UK as a reaction to "Good Feeling". I don't think it would have been anywhere near as much success if not for the Flo Rida song. Unless I misunderstood and that's what you mean.

[Verisimilitude]

Oh trust me, I know its success in the UK and surprise attention in the US was brought about because of Flo Rida but perhaps it would have had a nice life of its own either way... "Seek Bromance" already was a nice hit in Europe in 2010 and there was already alot of buzz surrounding Avicii because of the whole "Fade Into Darkness / Collide" mess with Leona Lewis.

[Deleted]

Fair enough. It would have been interesting to see what "Levels" could have done on its own, but on balance I'm glad that the Flo Rida song catapulted this one to a success that was otherwise not guaranteed.

[TechnoKelvin]

I can't get enough of it either. It was #2 on our Top 100 of 2011.

First heard Avicii play it when he stopped by Miami on July 4th. It had been leaked before that as a song called ID.

He couldn't get the legal rights to use Etta James vocals until September, that's when it got the official release.

PS: On my station, the song is called "Avicii ft. Etta James - Levels"

[Deleted]

Jan 5, 2012 10:48:41 GMT -5 TechnoKelvin said:

First heard Avicii play it when he stopped by Miami on July 4th. It had been leaked before that as a song called ID.

I knew I was hearing it a lot this summer.

This is my favorite dance song in a long time.

[Spidey]

I love this!

[Verisimilitude]

Tragic news about Etta James passing away today. :'( But at least her legacy will live on with this smashing in Europe and hopefully eventually in America too.

[♛ The Manticore ☯]

Jan 20, 2012 11:43:07 GMT -5 Verisimilitude said:

Tragic news about Etta James passing away today. :'( But at least her legacy will live on with this smashing in Europe and hopefully eventually in America too.

Yeah I read about it recently.

I wonder if her passing will help spike up the spins in radio as well as the sales in U.S. radio now for "Levels". Would be nice to see this go to at least a top 20 on the CHR/POP chart and wishful thinking a top 10.

[Verisimilitude]

According to Billboard Magazine, this has sold:

333,000 copies in the U.S. (Nielsen Soundscan)
295,000 copies in the U.K. (Official Charts Company)
1,000,000 copies internationally excluding the U.S. (Universal Label)

Total sales: 1,333,000 copies+ worldwide.

[♛ The Manticore ☯]

Jan 20, 2012 18:44:35 GMT -5 Verisimilitude said:

According to Billboard Magazine, this has sold:

333,000 copies in the U.S. (Nielsen Soundscan)
295,000 copies in the U.K. (Official Charts Company)
1,000,000 copies internationally excluding the U.S. (Universal Label)

Total sales: 1,333,000 copies+ worldwide.

So in the U.S., it needs to sell 167,000 more to be certified gold.

This is a bit off topic but does anyone know if "Mr. Saxobeat" reached gold in the U.S. yet? I know "Hello" reached platinum but did worse in the Hot 100 than Mr. Saxobeat but both charted about the same on the U.S. pop chart.

[Verisimilitude]

Even more than that, Konami! On Billboard's Hot Digital Tracks Chart:

28 98 101 102 STAN*ALEXANDRA MR. SAXOBEAT (RADIO EDIT) 19420 -23 25321 874539

Including all versions, it must be very close to or has passed a million.