Levels (Avicii song)
"Levels" (stylised as "LE7ELS") is a song by Swedish DJ Avicii. An early instrumental version of the song was first played by Avicii during an appearance on BBC Radio 1's 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 October 28, 2011, peaking at number one in Sweden and on the Dance music charts in the United States, and becoming a top ten hit in Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.[2]
"Levels" | ||||
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Single by Avicii | ||||
Released | 28 October 2011 | |||
Recorded | 2010–2011 | |||
Genre | Progressive house[1] | |||
Length |
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Label |
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Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | Avicii | |||
Avicii singles chronology | ||||
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"Levels" contains a vocal sample from the 1962 gospel-inspired song "Something's Got a Hold on Me" by Etta James, as written by Leroy Kirkland, Pearl Woods and James. It is the same sample previously used in Pretty Lights' 2006 song "Finally Moving" from his debut 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.[3][4] Several critics consider "Levels" to be Avicii's greatest song and one of the greatest EDM songs of all time, mostly due to its chart success and the recognizable synth riff.[5][6]
Development and release
In an interview with Artist Direct's editor-in-chief, Rick Florino, Avicii said that he really wanted to use a vocal sample from Etta James' "Something's Got a Hold of Me." He said that "after [he] came up with the "Le7els" hook, [he] tried using the vocal over it, and it worked really well." He then mentioned that his producer, Arash Pournouri, "landed an incredible deal with our label and did an amazing job getting publicity for the track."[7] In an interview with Bryce, a host from the radio station, WNYL-FM, Mike Posner claimed that he was sent "Levels" by Avicii while it was still in production to provide vocals to it. He produced 6 "toplines," but did not use them, saying that, "they were good, but not... the thing."[8]
"Levels", or rather, an early prototype, was first played in BBC Radio 1's Essential Mix[9][10] on December 11, 2010,[lower-alpha 1] originally called "Unnamed."[12] On May 12, 2011, Avicii linked to a preview version of the song on SoundCloud on Facebook, referring to it as "ID".[13] The first time the final version was played was during the Ultra Music Festival on March 25, 2011, but still referred to as "ID".[14][15] The first known referral of its official name, "Levels," was on May 15, 2011, when Avicii tweeted an acknowledgement of a leaked version of the song saying that it "...is NOT the final version of the track..." and is "...a version [he's] been using for [his] livesets!"[16]
After the 2011 Ultra Music Festival, "Levels" played in many festivals and clubs around the world before its release. On October 27, 2011, Avicii posted on his YouTube channel a promo trailer of the song "Levels," which featured clips of many of the pre-release performances of "Levels" and placed the release date to October/November 2011.[17] "Levels" was released on iTunes on October 28, 2011 in Australia,[18] Denmark,[19] Ireland,[20] Netherlands,[21] the United Kingdom,[22] and Sweden.[23] On October 31, 2011, Universal Music Sweden posted a teaser trailer on YouTube.[24] It featured the album cover of "Levels" with added effects on it including the elevator door opening and the light flickering. The same day, "Levels" was released on iTunes in the United States[25][lower-alpha 2] and on Amazon in Germany[27]
Composition
"Levels" is a progressive house[1] song produced in the key of C♯ minor and a tempo of 126 BPM.[28] It has simple but recognizable synth hook[5] with background instruments that rise up and lower throughout the song, slowly building up for about a minute and 30 seconds until the drop[6] with a simple chord progression of C♯m–E–B–A.[28]
After the drop, there is an dreamy interlude that samples the intro lyrics from Etta James's 1962 single, "Something's Got a Hold on Me", consisting of "Oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah. Get a feeling that I never, never, never, never had before, no, no. I get a good feeling, yeah," described by Billboard as "a heavenly siren's call beaming down on the masses, a burst of sunlight after what feels like weeks of synth-storming."[6] It then does a second run of the synth hook, with the background instruments slowly playing again along with a "...briefly burbling whistle sound that augments the hook..."[6] The music builds up for another minute before dropping again. The difference between the original version and the radio edit is that the original version has a one minute introduction that is later used as one of the background instruments, and after the second drop, the song ends with a 30 second drum beat.
Critical reception
Since its release, "Levels" has generated very positive reviews for its catchy and recognizable synth riff and has become known as one of the biggest EDM songs of all time.[5][6]
AllMusic critic, David Jefferies, described "Levels" as a "...simple and effective EDM monster that launched Swedish producer Avicii to Swedish House Mafia, Afrojack, or Tiesto, erm, levels."[29] Anje Riberra, on the Spanish news site, El Correo, calls "Levels" a "...very danceable tune that makes you enjoy it continuously,"[30] while on New York's subsidiary focused on pop culture, The Vulture, Emily Yoshida praised "Levels" for its "...central hook, stabbing, skyscraper-tall synth line, shiny and sleek and feeling like it could touch God..."[31] In Billboard's Avicii's 10 Best Songs: Critics' Picks, "Levels" was placed in number one and described as, "...quite possibly one of the biggest dance music songs ever recorded."[32] Pitchfork ranked the song as the 200th best song of the 2010s, praising it for its "...monumental synths and jetstream whooshes..."[33]
Commercial performance
Sweden was where "Levels" was most successful in the charts. After 2 weeks of entry, "Levels" reached a peak position of #1 on the week of November 11, 2011. It maintained its peak positiion for 7 weeks.[34] It was Avicii's 5th song to make it to Sverigetopplistan's weekly charts. "Levels" was part of three consecutive year-end charts, reaching #21 in 2011,[35] #3 in 2012,[36] and #43 in 2013.[37] After leaving the charts in 2013, it made a return in the week of April 24, 2018 as #4 and was on charts for four months.[34] That same year, it was placed as #54 on the year-end charts.[38] "Levels" was also on the charts on two non-consecutive weeks on 2019, the week of January 4 as #94, and the week of April 19 as #77.[34] It has received 8 platinum certifications from the Swedish Recording Industry Association, indicating that "Levels" has been shipped to Sweden 320,000 times.[39]
"Levels" was also very successful in United States, "Levels" entered the weekly Hot 100 charts in the week of December 11, 2011 as #66.[40] It was the first song Avicii released that entered Billboard's Weekly Hot 100 charts. It stayed on the Hot 100 for 20 weeks, reaching its peak as #60 on the week of February 17, 2020.[41] On other charts, It stayed on the Mainstream Top 40 for 5 weeks, reaching its peak position of #33 on March 9, 2012.[42] It reached a peak position of #2 on Dance/Mix Show Airplay on February 24, 2012 and was on the chart for 29 weeks,[43] and it reached a peak position of #1 on Dance Club Songs on December 30, 2011 and was on the chart for 20 weeks.[44] On the year-end charts, It reached #32 on the year-end Dance Club Songs charts,[45] and #11 on the year-end Dance/Mix Show Airplay charts.[46] It earned a platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America on January 9, 2013, indicating that it was shipped to the United States over 1 million times.[47] It had previously been awarded the gold certification on March 27, 2012.
"Levels" was also successful in the United Kingdom and Norway. In the United Kingdom, it entered the "Official Singles Chart Top 100" on the week of November 27, 2011 on its peak position as #4.[48] It stayed on the chart for 50 weeks and left the charts after its position of #96 in the week of September 16, 2012.[49] On UK's "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40," it peaked as #1 on the week of December 25, 2011.[50] In the year-end charts of UK, it was #101 in 2011,[51] and #59 in 2012.[52] In Norway, it entered the charts on the week of November 7, 2011 as #4. It peaked as #1 on the week of December 17, 2011 and stayed #1 for 4 weeks. It was on the Norwegian charts for around 30 weeks.[53] "Levels" was certified in both the United Kingdom and Norway. In Norway, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry awarded "Levels" five platinum certifications, indicating that 50,000 copies were sold in Norway.[54] In the United Kingdom, "Levels" earned two platinum certifications from the British Phonographic Industry, indicating that it was sold and streamed 1,200,000 times in the United Kingdom.[55]
In other nations, it reached a peak position of #5 in Switzerland, #4 in Austria, Dutch, and Belgium, and #3 in Denmark and Ireland.[56] It has also been certified at least one platinum certification from Australia,[57] Austria,[58] Belgium,[59] Denmark,[60] Germany,[61] Italy,[62] Norway,[54] and Switzerland.[63]
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.[64] The song was re-worked to feature vocals from South Korean K-pop singer Seulong of 2AM. The single was released in South Korea on 5 May 2013 via digital music outlets.[65] Another version was made in collaboration with Indian singer Sonu Nigam, titled "Indian Levels".[66] It was released in 2012.[67]
Live performances
Before the its release, "Levels" was first played by Avicii in a live performance during the 2011 Ultra Music Festival,[15] on March 25, 2011.[14] It was then played during the Summerburst Festival[68] on June 4, 2011[69] On June 23, 2011,[70] Avicii played "Levels" during the 2011 Electric Daisy Carnival.[71] It was then played by Avicii during the music festival, Tomorrowland,[72] on July 23, 2011[73]
A month after its release, "Levels" was performed by Avicii as part of his repertoire during the 2011 Stereosonic Festival.[74] From 2012-2015, Avicii played "Levels" during the Tomorrowland festival.[75] It was played by Avicii during the music festival, T in the Park 2015, on July 12, 2012.[76]
After Avicii's death, the 2018 Tomorrowland Festival had many famous DJs play tracks produced by Avicii. One of them was DJ Hardwell playing "Levels."[77] On December 5, 2019, a 30 piece concert, known as the Avicii Tribute Concert took place as part of a mental awareness campaign, known as Tim Bergling Foundation.[78] One of the songs they played was "Levels."[79]
Music video
Background
According to director Petro Papahadjopoulos' website, he was approached by Universal Music Group for a concept of a music video for Avicii that would get him famous. Petro contacted Avicii to understand the symbolism behind the song "Levels" and to create a concept that would match the song. He created an Office-space like concept of a that he described as, "...about a man who wakes up to realize he is living in hell. Everyone around him just thinks he's crazy. But his craziness is infectious."[80] Avicii later received the concept of the music video from his production manager, Arash Pournouri, and showed support for it.[81] He posted the concept on his official website on December 8, 2011.[82][83] Petro collaborated with Richie Greenfield for direction and choreography of the music video.[84][85] It was then released on YouTube on November 29, 2011[86]
Synopsis
The music video depicts a weary businessman (played by Richie Greenfield)[87] walks into an office holding some files through the elevator. He sits down in front of his computer with pictures next to them with people that have faces similar to Avicii's. The music video then cuts to the businessman talking to a female co-worker in a different room when the businessman starts dancing and writing "Avicii" on the tables and walls. The co-worker walks out of the room in confusion and brings the boss over to see the businessman dancing. After the boss and the co-worker leave, the businessman jumps into the office and briefly pauses and then starts dancing again, amusing his co-workers and leaving the boss shocked. A security guard walks into the office, brings out an electroshock weapon and stuns the businessman unconscious. During the interlude with a sample from "Something's Got a Hold on Me", the man is dreaming of pushing a big boulder up a mountain. The music video then cuts to him being restrained to a table in the hospital. A flower blossoms from his mouth. Two hospital workers who were in the same room as him notice and walk towards the businessman. One of them pick up a piece of the flower, eats a part of it, and then touches it to the other hospital worker. As both of them are walking away, the businessman swallows the flower and he and the two hospital workers start going into a seizure. A nurse notices and goes into the nearest room and starts dialing on a phone, 911. She then notices the two hospital workers recovering and starting to dance. She starts dancing with them and running rampantly throughout the hospital. The music video cuts between the businessman dancing in the hospital room and everyone starting dancing against their own will. The music video ends with everybody dancing in front of the camera.[88][89]
Symbolism
The intended symbolism of the music video was described in an early concept page on Avicii's website that has since been subject to link rot.[83]
The concept describes the idea that "...we are already in Avici,[lower-alpha 3] and that maybe we at times are aware of this and the existence of other levels." It goes on to describe that reality is "... an infinite loop of reality. Day in and day out. The reality looks just like our own, but shot through a gritty and unsaturated lens." The concept page then describes in a short summary of the original concept story, how the symbolism ties into the music video. "We watch as the man’s reality implodes, he’s experiencing awareness of other levels and his entire reality all around him transforms to something new."[83]
Awards
The music video was nominated for the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards for "Best Electronic Dance Music Video"[91] and "Best Choreography"[85]
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Levels" | 3:19 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Levels" (Radio Edit) | 3:19 |
2. | "Levels" (Original Version) | 5:38 |
3. | "Levels" (Instrumental Radio Edit) | 3:19 |
4. | "Levels" (Instrumental Version) | 5:38 |
Total length: | 17:54 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Levels" | 5:38 |
2. | "Levels" (Skrillex Remix) | 4:41 |
3. | "Levels" (Cazzette's NYC Mode Mix) | 5:54 |
4. | "Levels" (Instrumental) | 5:38 |
Total length: | 21:51 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Levels" (Radio Version) | 3:19 |
2. | "Levels" (Skrillex Remix) | 4:38 |
3. | "Levels" (Cazzette's NYC Mode Mix) | 5:55 |
4. | "Levels" (Instrumental) | 5:36 |
5. | "Levels" | 5:36 |
Total length: | 25:04 |
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[57] | 4× Platinum | 280,000^ |
Austria (IFPI Austria)[58] | Platinum | 30,000* |
Belgium (BEA)[59] | Platinum | 30,000* |
Canada (Music Canada)[148] | Gold | 40,000* |
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[60] | Platinum | 30,000^ |
Germany (BVMI)[61] | 2× Platinum | 600,000^ |
Italy (FIMI)[62] | 2× Platinum | 60,000* |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[149] | Gold | 7,500* |
Norway (IFPI Norway)[54] | 5× Platinum | 50,000* |
Sweden (GLF)[39] | 8× Platinum | 320,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[63] | 2× Platinum | 60,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[55] | 2× Platinum | 1,200,000 |
United States (RIAA)[47] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
Streaming | ||
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[150] | 3× Platinum | 2,700,000^ |
*sales figures based on certification alone |
Release history
Country | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
Australia[18] | 28 October 2011 | Digital download | Universal Music |
Denmark[19] | |||
Ireland[20] | |||
Netherlands[21] | |||
United Kingdom[22] | |||
Sweden[23] | |||
Germany | 31 October 2011[27] | ||
15 November 2011[151] | CD single | ||
United States[25] | 31 October 2011 | Digital download | Geffen, Interscope |
Notes
References
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Avicii's career really took off with 2011's "Levels" – a progressive house single featuring an Etta James sample – which became the subject of a six-figure bidding war.
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Contiene una sintonía muy bailable que te hace disfrutar continuamente.
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