| "Sandstorm" | ||||||||||||||||
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| Single by Darude | ||||||||||||||||
| from the album Before the Storm | ||||||||||||||||
| Released | November 15, 1999 | |||||||||||||||
| Format | CD single, 12" single | |||||||||||||||
| Recorded | JS16 Studios | |||||||||||||||
| Genre | Trance | |||||||||||||||
| Length | 7:21 (Original Mix) 3:45 (Radio Edit) |
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| Label | 16 Inch | |||||||||||||||
| Writer(s) | Ville Virtanen | |||||||||||||||
| Producer | JS16 | |||||||||||||||
| Darude singles chronology | ||||||||||||||||
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"Sandstorm" is a song by Finnish trance producer and DJ Darude.[1] It was released on November 15, 1999 in Finland by 16 Inch Records, and re-released in Europe in 2000. "Sandstorm" was the best-selling 12" single worldwide in 2000.[2] On March 1, 2010, over ten years after its release, the song was certified Gold in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of over 500,000.[3]
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Soon after release, the song became popular on pop radio stations, reaching #1 in Norway,[4] though its popularity waned quickly. The song itself has also spawned many remixes. Sandstorm is popular at U.S. sporting events and is regularly played to excite the crowd.[5]
The video for the song features Darude with headphones viewing two people (a man and a woman) chasing a woman with a case. It was filmed at Helsinki Senate Square. Darude seems to appear at every place the pursuers and the pursued go. Near the end, the woman with the case stumbles and one of her pursuers (the other woman) betrays her partner, knocking him out. The woman and the partner take the case onto a boat with Darude.
The song appeared in the 2005 comedy film Fun With Dick And Jane starring Jim Carrey and Téa Leoni.
The song appeared as a licensed song on DDRMAX Dance Dance Revolution, UBeat, Jukebeat, Jubeat Knit and Dance Central 2. The song was also featured on the NHL 11 soundtrack.
In October of 2006, Sandstorm was played for the first time, (on a trial basis and almost by accident), by The University of South Carolina Gamecocks Williams-Brice stadium audio/video crew. The South Carolina Gamecocks are an American college football team and member of the Southeastern Conference. The song, on a whim, was being tried as a new pump-it-up sound. The fans loved it, particularly the students in the North End-zone section of the stadium, and it stuck. USC students and fans, almost instantly, made Sandstorm their unofficial anthem.[6] The song is now played over the Williams-Brice Stadium speakers before kickoffs and it is timed to end when the kicker makes contact with the football. Gamecock fans jump to the beat of the music while swinging white "Gamecock Spirit Rags" rapidly above their heads in unison. (The genesis of the Gamecock Spirit Rag is traceable to Carolina students, in 2007, who began ripping-their-shirts-off and swinging them over their heads when Sandstorm was played. This practice led to obvious issues which eventually forced officials to hand-out properly stenciled towels before big games.)
The Chicago Blackhawks currently play this song when a penalty is called on their opponent, resulting in a power play at home games at the United Center.
MMA Fighter Wanderlei Silva has used Sandstorm throughout his career in Pride Fighting Championships and in the Ultimate Fighting Championship as his walkout song.
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Certifications
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| Preceded by "It Feels So Good" by Sonique |
Norwegian Singles Chart number-one single July 27, 2000 – August 31, 2000 |
Succeeded by "Music" by Madonna |
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