Pompeii (song)

"Pompeii"
Single by Bastille
from the album Bad Blood
B-side "Poet"
Released 11 January 2013[1]
Format
Recorded 2012
Genre
Length 3:34
Label Virgin
Writer(s) Dan Smith
Producer(s)
Bastille singles chronology
"Flaws"
(2012)		 "Pompeii"
(2013)		 "Laura Palmer"
(2013)
"Of the Night"
(2013)
"Pompeii/Waiting All Night"
(2014)
"Oblivion"
(2014)

"Pompeii" is a song by English indie rock band Bastille. It is the fourth single from their debut studio album Bad Blood and the first to get major airplay and promotion. The song was released as the album's fourth single on 11 January 2013. It reached number 2 in the UK Singles Chart, number 4 in Australian ARIA Chart, and number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Alternative Songs chart. Furthermore, according to the Official Charts Company, it was the UK's most streamed song up to June 2014.[2]

Lyrically, the song is about the Roman town of the same name, which met its fate with the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. It was nominated for British Single of the Year at the 2014 BRIT Awards.[3] A mashup of the song with Rudimental and Ella Eyre's "Waiting All Night" was performed live by Rudimental, Eyre and Bastille at the aforementioned ceremony.[4]

Composition

According to the sheet music on Musicnotes.com, the song has a tempo of 128 beats a minute and is written in the key of A major with a chord progression of D-A-F#m-E.[5]

Music video

The official music video was filmed in Los Angeles and Palm Springs, California. It was directed by Jesse John Jenkins and produced by Tova Dann. The video was first released onto YouTube on 20 January 2013 at a total length of three minutes and fifty-two seconds.[6]

The video follows Bastille frontman Dan Smith, as he wanders about an empty-looking Los Angeles, before realizing the few people around all have unnatural vacant black eyes. He steals a car and drives into the desert to escape them, but the car breaks down and he soon realizes he's been infected as well. He climbs a mountain and looks out at the view, before turning around to reveal his own eyes meanwhile have turned black as well. The story is an allegory for the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Pompeii.

Grammy Award nomination

A popular dance remix of the track by Audien was nominated for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classic at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. It lost to Tiesto's remix of John Legend's "All of Me".[7]

Track listing

Digital download[8]
  1. "Pompeii" – 3:34
  2. "Poet" – 2:44
  3. "Pompeii" (Tyga Remix) – 4:22
  4. "Pompeii" (Monsieur Adi Remix) – 4:23
  5. "Pompeii" (Alex Krazy Remix) – 3:37
  6. "Pompeii" (Audien Remix) — 4:52
7" vinyl single[9]
  1. "Pompeii" – 3:34
  2. "Poet" – 2:44
CD single[10]
  1. "Pompeii" – 3:34
  2. "Pompeii" (Kat Krazy Remix) – 3:36
BRITs performance digital download[11]
  1. "Pompeii/Waiting All Night" (with Rudimental featuring Ella Eyre) – 5:47

Commercial performance

The song reached number one in Ireland, and peaked at number two in Italy and the UK.[12] Previously, the single also held the record (now belonging to Clean Bandit's "Rather Be") for the longest time at number one on the Official Streaming Chart, remaining at the peak for seven weeks,[13] and was the second most streamed track of 2013 in the UK.[14] "Pompeii" spent the anniversary of its debut at number 30, having re-entered the top 40 the previous week following a live performance (a mash-up with Rudimental's "Waiting All Night") at the 2014 BRIT Awards.[15]It spent a record 92 consecutive weeks in the top 100 (since matched by "Happy" by Pharrell Williams). With over 26 million streams by June 2014, "Pompeii" became the most streamed song of all time in the UK at that time[2] and has sold 895,000 copies there.[16] The B-side track "Poet" has also managed to chart in the UK at #121.[17]

The song reached number one on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart in October 2013 and began climbing the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[18] It reached No. 9 in the Hot 100 in January 2014 and reached a million in sales in the US.[19] By March 2014, the song had reached top 5 in the Hot 100 in its 29th week, and has sold over two million digital copies.[20] By the end of its US run, Pompeii had managed to chart for a total of 53 weeks in the top 100 as well as sell 3 million digital sales mark by June 2014.[21] As of December 2014, the song has sold 3.4 million copies in the US.[22]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Bad Blood.

Media

The arcade machine featured in the cover art is Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes.

The song is featured in the trailer for the 2014 animated film Mr. Peabody & Sherman. The Kat Krazy remix is featured in the 2013 video game Need for Speed Rivals. It was also featured in the British soap opera Hollyoaks and the TV series Reign in the third episode of the first season, "Kissed".[23] The song also features in the official soundtrack of First Touch game, First Touch Soccer 15 as no.1 and Konami game, Pro Evolution Soccer 2015 as no.3. The song is performed by the cast of Glee as the closing number of the season 5 finale.

Events

The song is featured in the official trailer of the Earth Hour 2015.

Cover versions

Belgian singer Heleen Uytterhoeven recorded a cover version in Latin, the original language of Pompeii. The YouTube video became inundated with commenters arguing in Latin over whether Uytterhoeven's translation was grammatically correct or not.[24]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2013–14) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[25] 4
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[26] 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[27] 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[28] 35
Brazil (Billboard Brasil Hot 100)[29] 34
Brazil Hot Pop Songs[30] 13
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[31] 6
Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[32] 6
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[33] 30
Denmark (Tracklisten)[34] 21
France (SNEP)[35] 96
Germany (Official German Charts)[36] 6
Ireland (IRMA)[37] 1
Israel (Media Forest)[38] 4
Italy (FIMI)[39] 2
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[40] 41
Luxembourg Digital Songs (Billboard)[41] 6
Mexico Ingles Airplay (Billboard)[42] 2
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[43] 14
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[44] 8
Norway (VG-lista)[45] 13
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[46] 4
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[47] 1
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[48] 13
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[49] 80
South Africa (EMA)[50] 8
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[51] 6
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[52] 5
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[53] 2
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[53]
"Pompeii/Waiting All Night"		 21
US Billboard Hot 100[54] 5
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[55] 1
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[56] 1
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[57] 11
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[58] 2
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[59] 1
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[60] 3

Year-end charts

Chart (2013) Position
Australia (ARIA)[61] 15
Germany (Media Control AG)[62] 29
Ireland (IRMA)[63] 6
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[64] 25
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[65] 11
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[66] 15
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[67] 25
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[68] 16
Chart (2014) Position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[69] 14
Italy (FIMI)[70] 78
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[71] 79
US Billboard Hot 100[72] 12
US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard)[73] 1
US Rock Airplay (Billboard)[74] 6
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[75] 17
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[76] 25
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[77] 2
US Alternative Songs (Billboard)[78] 8
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[79] 11

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[80] 4× Platinum 280,000^
Belgium (BEA)[81] 2× Platinum 60,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[82] 3× Platinum 240,000^
Germany (BVMI)[83] Platinum 300,000^
Italy (FIMI)[84] 3× Platinum 90,000*
Mexico (AMPROFON)[85] Platinum 60,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[86] Platinum 15,000*
Sweden (GLF)[87] 3× Platinum 120,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[88] Gold 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[89] 2× Platinum 895,000[16]
United States (RIAA)[90] 5× Platinum 5,000,000[22]
Streaming
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[91] 2× Platinum 3,600,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[92] Gold 5,000,000^

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

Release history

Region Date Format Label
Italy[1] 05 March 2013 Contemporary hit radio EMI
United Kingdom[8][9] 05 February 2013 Digital download Virgin
05 February 2013 7"
United States[93] 25 June 2013 Modern rock radio
Germany[10] 5 July 2013 CD Virgin
United States[94][95][96] 9 September 2013 Adult album alternative radio
  • Virgin
  • Capitol
15 October 2013 Contemporary hit radio
29 October 2013 Hot adult contemporary radio
United Kingdom[11] 19 February 2014 Digital download ("Pompeii/Waiting All Night") Brit Awards Ltd.
United Kingdom[97] 31 March 2014 Digital download (Audien remix) Virgin
United States[98]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Bastille – Pompeii (EMI)" (in Italian). Radio Airplay SRL. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  2. 1 2 Lane, Daniel (23 July 2014). "The top 10 most streamed songs and artists of all time revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  3. ↑ "Brits 2014: Nominations in full". BBC News. Retrieved 9 January 2014
  4. ↑ "Bastille and Rudimental perform 'Pompeii/Waiting All Night'". YouTube. 2014-02-19.
  5. ↑ "Unsupported Browser or Operating System". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved 2014-06-08.
  6. ↑ Bastille – Pompeii. YouTube
  7. ↑ http://www.grammy.com/nominees/%27%20img_path%20%27?genre=30&=Go
  8. 1 2 "Pompeii – EP by Bastille". iTunes Store (GB). Apple. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  9. 1 2 "Pompeii [7" Vinyl] [Single]". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  10. 1 2 "Pompeii (2-Track) [Single, Maxi]" (in German). Amazon.de. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  11. 1 2 "Download the BRITs 2014 performances". Brit Awards. 19 February 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  12. ↑ Corner, Lewis (19 April 2013). "Bastille hold on to Irish singles No. 1 with 'Pompeii'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  13. ↑ Wade, Ian (23 April 2013). "Pompeii is STILL the UK's most listened to song!". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  14. ↑ "The Official Top 40 Most Streamed Songs of 2013". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2014-06-08.
  15. ↑ "2014-03-08 Top 40 Official Singles Chart UK Archive". Official Charts Company. 2014-03-08. Retrieved 2014-06-08.
  16. 1 2 Myers, Justin (30 May 2015). "Ask Official Charts: Your questions answered!". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
  17. ↑ Zywietz, Tobias. "UK Chart Log: Update 9.03.2013 (wk9)". Zobbel.de. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  18. ↑ Emily Zemler (6 December 2013). "Bastille's 'Pompeii' Erupts: From the U.K. to Alternative to Top 40". Billboard.
  19. ↑ Grein, Paul (15 January 2014). "Chart Watch: Katy Perry's Even Dozen". Yahoo Music. Retrieved 18 January 2014.
  20. ↑ Grein, Paul (2014-03-12). "Chart Watch: Thanks Oscar. Love, Idina". Yahoo Music. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  21. ↑ Paul Grein (11 June 2014). "Chart Watch: Sam Smith Zooms Into Top 10". Yahoo Music.
  22. 1 2 "The Big 9 in 2014: Capitol". HITS Daily Double. HITS Digital Ventures. 8 December 2014. Retrieved 11 December 2014.
  23. ↑ Graeve, Nikki. "Reign – Season 1 Soundtrack Song List". entertainmentoutlook.com. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  24. ↑ "Girl Sings "Pompeii" In Actual Language Of Pompeii".
  25. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Bastille – Pompeii". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  26. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Bastille – Pompeii" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  27. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Bastille – Pompeii" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  28. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Bastille – Pompeii" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  29. ↑ "Top 100 Billboard Brasil – weekly". Billboard Brasil. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  30. ↑ "Hot 100 Billboard Brasil – weekly". Billboard Brasil. April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  31. ↑ "Bastille – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Bastille. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  32. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201323 into search. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  33. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201433 into search. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  34. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Bastille – Pompeii". Tracklisten. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  35. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Bastille – Pompeii" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  36. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Bastille – Pompeii". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  37. ↑ "Chart Track: Week 15, 2013". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  38. ↑ "Bastille – Pompeii Media Forest". Israeli Airplay Chart. Media Forest. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  39. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Bastille – Pompeii". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  40. ↑ "Bastille – Chart history" Japan Hot 100 for Bastille. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  41. ↑ "Bastille – Chart history" Billboard Luxembourg Digital Songs for Bastille. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  42. ↑ "Mexico Ingles Airplay". Billboard. 8 March 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2014. (subscription required (help)).
  43. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Bastille search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  44. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Bastille – Pompeii". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  45. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Bastille – Pompeii". VG-lista. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  46. ↑ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved 27 May 2013.
  47. ↑ "Archive Chart: 16 March 2013". Scottish Singles Top 40. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  48. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201313 into search. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  49. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201435 into search. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
  50. ↑ "South African Airplay Chart Top 10 – May 21, 2013". Entertainment Monitoring Africa. Archived from the original on 25 April 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  51. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Bastille – Pompeii". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  52. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Bastille – Pompeii". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  53. 1 2 "Archive Chart: 2013-03-09" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  54. ↑ "Bastille – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Bastille. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  55. ↑ "Bastille – Chart history" Billboard Hot Rock Songs for Bastille. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  56. ↑ "Bastille – Chart history" Billboard Rock Airplay for Bastille. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  57. ↑ "Bastille – Chart history" Billboard Adult Contemporary for Bastille. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  58. ↑ "Bastille – Chart history" Billboard Adult Pop Songs for Bastille. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  59. ↑ "Bastille – Chart history" Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs for Bastille. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
  60. ↑ "Bastille – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Bastille. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  61. ↑ "ARIA Top 100 Singles 2013". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  62. ↑ "Top 100 Singles Jahrescharts 2013" (in German). VIVA. Viacom International Media Networks. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  63. ↑ ">> IRMA << Irish Charts – Best of 2012 >>". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  64. ↑ "End Of Year Charts 2013". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  65. ↑ "The Official Top 40 Biggest Selling Singles Of 2013". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  66. ↑ "Alternative Songs: Year End 2013". Billboard. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
  67. ↑ "Hot Rock Songs: Year End 2013". Billboard. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  68. ↑ "Rock Airplay Songs: Year End 2013". Billboard. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  69. ↑ "Canadian Hot 100: Year End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  70. ↑ "FIMI - Classifiche Annuali 2014 "TOP OF THE MUSIC" FIMI-GfK: un anno di musica italiana" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  71. ↑ Copsey, Rob (31 December 2014). "The Official Top 100 Biggest Songs of 2014 revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  72. ↑ "Hot 100 Songs: Year End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  73. ↑ "Hot Rock Songs: Year End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  74. ↑ "Rock Airplay Songs: Year End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  75. ↑ "Adult Alternative Songs: Year End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  76. ↑ "Adult Contemporary Songs: Year End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  77. ↑ "Adult Pop Songs: Year End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  78. ↑ "Alternative Songs: Year End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  79. ↑ "Pop Songs: Year End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  80. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2014 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  81. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – 2016". Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved 19 March 2016.
  82. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Bastille – Pompeii". Music Canada. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  83. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Bastille; 'Pompeii')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  84. ↑ "Italian single certifications – Bastille – Pompeii" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 10 January 2015. Select Online in the field Sezione. Enter Bastille in the field Filtra. The certification will load automatically
  85. ↑ "Certificaciones – Bastille" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  86. ↑ "New Zealand single certifications – Bastille – Pompeii". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  87. ↑ "Bastille - Pompeii" (in Swedish). Grammofon Leverantörernas Förening. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  88. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Bastille; 'Pompeii')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  89. ↑ "British single certifications – Bastille – Pompeii". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 3 September 2013. Enter Pompeii 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
  90. ↑ "American single certifications – Bastille – Pompeii". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 13 June 2014. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  91. ↑ "Certificeringer - Bastille - Pompeii" (in Danish). IFPI Denmark. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
  92. ↑ "Canciones - 29-12-2014 a 4-1-2015" (PDF) (in Spanish). PROMUSICAE. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
  93. ↑ "Alternative > Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on 23 June 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  94. ↑ "Triple A > Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on 25 August 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  95. ↑ "Top 40/M Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  96. ↑ "R&R Going For Adds: Hot AC (Week Of: October 29, 2013)". Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  97. ↑ "Pompeii (Audien Remix) – Single by Bastille". iTunes Store (GB). Apple. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  98. ↑ "Pompeii (Audien Remix) by Bastille". 7digital (US). Retrieved 8 June 2014.
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