Levels (Avicii song)

"Levels"
Single by Avicii
Released 28 July 2011
Format
Recorded 2010–11
Genre Progressive house
Length 5:37 (original version)
3:20 (radio edit)
Label Universal
Writer(s)
Producer(s) Avicii
Avicii singles chronology
"Fade into Darkness"
(2011)		 "Levels"
(2011)		 "Blessed"
(2012)

"Levels" (stylized as "LE7ELS") is a song by Avicii, containing a vocal sample from the 1962 gospel-inspired "Something's Got a Hold on Me" by Etta James, as written by Leroy Kirkland, Pearl Woods and James. An early instrumental version of the song was first played by Avicii during an appearance on Essential Mix in December 2010, while the final version with Etta James's vocals was first performed at the Ultra Music Festival in March 2011. "Levels" was officially released on 28 October 2011 and peaked at number one in Sweden and on the Dance music charts in United States and became a top ten hit in Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.[1]

"Levels" uses the same Etta James sample as Pretty Lights's 2006 song "Finally Moving" from album Taking Up Your Precious Time.

Flo Rida's single "Good Feeling", which became a worldwide hit in late 2011, was primarily influenced by "Levels" and its Etta James sample.[2][3]

"Levels" was featured in the pilot of Arrow.[4][5]

"Levels" is a progressive house song containing elements of soul, EDM, and house, featuring heavy and high-pitched synths, a quiet bassline and beat. The song is set in common time with a tempo of 126 beats per minute. It was produced in the key of C♯ minor, with a simple chord progression of C#m-E-B-A. It samples lyrics from Etta James' 1962 single, "Something's Got a Hold on Me", only consisting of "Oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah. I get a feeling that never never never had before. No, no. I get a good feeling, yeah".

Music video

The official music video for the song was uploaded to YouTube on 29 November 2011. The clip starts with a man in an office environment, talking to a fellow co-worker, when he suddenly starts to dance. He scribbles Avicii's name on various surfaces, and dances on tables, while co-workers disapprovingly observe. Later, he gets immobilised by a taser and falls into a coma, where he has a vision of himself pushing a boulder up a mountain while lip-syncing Etta James' lyrics. At the hospital, just before he wakes up, a flower sprouts from his mouth, which infects the male nurses looking after him with an unknown substance, making them collapse to the ground. At the end of the clip, all the doctors and nurses end up dancing, also presumably infected.

Remixes

The song has been remixed by several artists, including Cazzette and Skrillex. It has been used in a mashup with "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye featuring Kimbra titled "Levels That I Used to Know" and another mashup with "Good Feeling" by Flo Rida titled "Good Levels" which has been played on some club radio stations. George Monev made a popular edit to this song which reverses the track.[6] The song was recently re-worked to feature vocals from South Korean K-pop singer Im Seulong of 2AM. The single was released in South Korea on 5 May 2013 via digital music outlets.[7]

Track listing

  1. "Levels" (Radio Edit) – 3:19
  2. "Levels" (Original Version) – 5:37
  3. "Levels" (Instrumental Radio Edit) – 3:19
  4. "Levels" (Instrumental Version) – 5:38
  1. "Levels" (Original Version) – 5:37
  1. "Levels" (Skrillex Remix) – 4:41
  2. "Levels" (Cazzette's NYC Mode Mix) – 5:54
  3. "Levels" (Cazzette's NYC Mode Radio Mix) – 3:37

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (2011–12) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[9] 24
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[10] 4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[11] 4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[12] 5
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[13] 36
Croatia (Airplay Radio Chart)[14] 7
Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[15] 9
Denmark (Tracklisten)[16] 3
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[17] 10
France (SNEP)[18] 14
Germany (Media Control Charts)[19] 6
Hungary (Dance Top 40)[20] 1
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[21] 1
Ireland (IRMA)[22] 3
Italy (FIMI)[23] 4
Luxembourg (Billboard)[24] 5
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[25] 4
Netherlands (Mega Dance Top 30)[26] 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[27] 4
Netherlands (Mega Top 50)[28] 4
Norway (VG-lista)[29] 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[30] 14
Poland (Dance Top 50)[31] 11
Romania (Romanian Top 100) [32] 36
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[33] 1
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[34] 1
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[35] 28
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[36] 1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[37] 5
UK Dance (Official Charts Company)[38] 1
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[39] 4
US Billboard Hot 100[40] 60
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[41] 33
US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[42] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2011) Position
German Singles Chart[43] 75
Polish Dance Singles Chart[44] 63
Chart (2012) Position
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[45] 11
Germany (Media Control AG)[46] 23
UK Singles Chart[47] 59
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs[48] 32

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Australia (ARIA)[49] 4× Platinum 280,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[50] Platinum 30,000x
Belgium (BEA)[51] Platinum 30,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[52] Gold 40,000^
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[53] Platinum 30,000^
Germany (BVMI)[54] 3× Gold 450,000^
Italy (FIMI)[55] 2× Platinum 60,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[56] Gold 7,500*
Norway (IFPI Norway)[57] 5× Platinum 50,000*
Sweden (GLF)[58] 8× Platinum 320,000x
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[59] 2× Platinum 60,000x
United Kingdom (BPI)[60] Platinum 600,000^
United States (RIAA)[61] Platinum 1,660,000[62]
Streaming
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[63] 3× Platinum 2,700,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

Release history

Country Date Format Label
Australia[64] 28 October 2011 Digital download Universal Music
Denmark[65]
Ireland[66]
Netherlands[67]
Sweden[68]
Germany 31 October 2011[69]
15 November 2011[70] CD single
United States[71] 31 October 2011 Digital download
United Kingdom[72] 20 November 2011

See also

References

  1. ↑ Chart history of Levels at acharts.us
  2. ↑ "ACE Title Search - GOOD FEELIN'". ASCAP. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  3. ↑ Good Feeling (liner notes). David Guetta. Atlantic Records, Poe Boy Entertainment, Warner Music. 2011. 075678824685.
  4. ↑ "Arrow Music | Season 1 - Episode 1". Cwtv.com. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Arrow Review: A Man in a Green Hood". TV Fanatic. October 10, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Levels (Remixes) [LE7ELS] :: Beatport". Beatport.com. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
  7. ↑ [싱글] Levels With 슬옹 From 2AM | Daum 뮤직 :: 언제 어디서나 Music on Daum
  8. ↑ iTunes - Music - Levels (Remixes) - Single by Avicii
  9. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Avicii – Levels". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  10. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Avicii – Levels" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  11. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Avicii – Levels" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  12. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Avicii – Levels" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  13. ↑ "Avicii Album & Song Chart History" Canadian Hot 100 for Avicii.
  14. ↑ "ARC, Issue Date: March 26, 2012" (in Croatian). HRT. 2012-03-28. Retrieved 2012-03-31.
  15. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201215 into search.
  16. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Avicii – Levels". Tracklisten.
  17. ↑ "Avicii: Levels" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  18. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Avicii – Levels" (in French). Les classement single.
  19. ↑ "Chartverfulgong > Avicii > Levels – musicline.de" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  20. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Dance Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  21. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  22. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 44, 2011". Irish Singles Chart.
  23. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Avicii – Levels". Top Digital Download.
  24. ↑ "Luxembourg Digital Songs - February 4, 2012". Billboard. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
  25. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Avicii search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
  26. ↑ Dance Top 30 : 26/11/2011 (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Avicii – Levels" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  28. ↑ 3fm Mega Top 50 : 05/11/2011 (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  29. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Avicii – Levels". VG-lista.
  30. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Avicii – Levels". Top 40 Singles.
  31. ↑ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Dance Top 50. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  32. ↑ "Top 100 radio and tv". Media forest. Retrieved 12 Feb 2012.
  33. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2011-12-03". Scottish Singles Top 40.
  34. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201212 into search.
  35. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Avicii – Levels" Canciones Top 50.
  36. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Avicii – Levels". Singles Top 60.
  37. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Avicii – Levels". Swiss Singles Chart.
  38. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2011-12-31" UK Dance Chart.
  39. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2011-12-03" UK Singles Chart.
  40. ↑ "Avicii Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Avicii.
  41. ↑ "Avicii Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Pop Songs for Avicii.
  42. ↑ "Avicii Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs for Avicii.
  43. ↑ 2011 MTV EMA - News - MTV.de
  44. ↑ ""Loca People" - Hit of the Year 2011 in Poland!". ZPAV. Dj Promotion. 2011. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
  45. ↑ "MAHASZ Rádiós TOP 100 2012" (in Hungarian). Mahasz. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  46. ↑ "Top 100 Singles Jahrescharts 2012" (in German). VIVA. Viacom International Media Networks. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  47. ↑ "Top 100 Singles of 2012". BBC Radio 1. BBC Online. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2013.
  48. ↑ "The Best of 2012: The Year In Music". Retrieved 2012-12-16.
  49. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2014 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  50. ↑ "Austrian single certifications – Avicii – Levels" (in German). IFPI Austria. Enter Avicii in the field Interpret. Enter Levels in the field Titel. Select single in the field Format. Click Suchen
  51. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – 2012". Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.
  52. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Avicii – Levels". Music Canada. Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  53. ↑ "Certificeringer". IFPI Denmark. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  54. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Avicii; 'Levels')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  55. ↑ "Italian single certifications – Avicii – Levels" (in Italian). Federation of the Italian Music Industry. Select Online in the field Sezione. Enter Avicii in the field Filtra. The certification will load automatically
  56. ↑ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
  57. ↑ "Trofe Oversikt" (in Norwegian). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry of Norway. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2013.
  58. ↑ "Veckolista Singlar - Vecka 23, 8 juni 2012". Sverigetopplistan (in Swedish). GLF. Retrieved 2013-05-24.
  59. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Avicii; 'Levels')". Hung Medien.
  60. ↑ "British single certifications – Avicii – Levels". British Phonographic Industry. Enter Levels in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select single in the field By Format. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  61. ↑ "RIAA". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 13, 2012.
  62. ↑ Grein, Paul (March 26, 2014). "Chart Watch: Two Movie Songs In Top 5". Yahoo Music. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
  63. ↑ "Certificeringer - Avicii - Levels". IFPI Denmark. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  64. ↑ iTunes - Music - Levels - EP by Avicii
  65. ↑ iTunes - Music - Levels - EP by Avicii
  66. ↑ iTunes - Music - Levels - EP by Avicii
  67. ↑ iTunes - Muziek - 'Levels - EP' van Avicii
  68. ↑ Levels - EP by Avicii iTunes
  69. ↑ Levels: Avicii: Amazon.de: MP3-Downloads
  70. ↑ Levels (2-Track): Amazon.de: Musik
  71. ↑ iTunes - Music - Levels - Single by Avicii
  72. ↑ Levels - EP by Avicii iTunes

External links