Dancing on My Own
Encyclopedia
"Dancing on My Own" is a song by Swedish recording artist Robyn
, taken from her fifth studio album, Body Talk Pt. 1
(2010). The song was written and produced by Robyn and Patrik Berger, and was inspired by gay disco anthems by Ultravox
, Sylvester and Donna Summer
. The song was released as Body Talk Pt. 1s lead single on 1 June 2010, in Sweden and the United States. "Dancing on My Own" is an electronic
ballad that speaks of a female protagonist who dances alone in a club while watching her ex-lover with another woman.
"Dancing on My Own" received positive reviews from critics, who compared its lonely theme to Robyn's previous singles "With Every Heartbeat
" and "Be Mine!
" The song peaked atop the Sverigetopplistan
chart, becoming Robyn's first number one in her native country. The song also reached the top ten in Denmark, Norway, Scotland and the United Kingdom. In the United States, the song managed to reach number three on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart. "Dancing on My Own" was nominated for a Grammy Award
for Best Dance Recording
.
The accompanying music video was directed by Max Vitali and sees Robyn walking around alone in a club, and cutscenes of her standing in front of a microphone pole on a stage-like setting. Robyn has performed the song numerous times, notably on Late Show with David Letterman
, Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
. On 12 September 2010, she performed it at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards
with DJ deadmau5
.
's "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes
" and songs by Sylvester and Donna Summer
. In an interview with Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork
, Dombal noted that the album tried new musical directions, while "Dancing on My Own" sounds "like what we've come to expect from a Robyn song", and Robyn explained, "I felt like I really found my voice on the last album, [...] And I wrote "With Every Heartbeat
", so there's a reason why "Dancing on My Own" sounds similar. For me, that's a good thing." "Dancing on My Own" was released as the first official single from Body Talk Pt. 1
via digital download
on 1 June 2010 in Sweden and the United States. The song was serviced for mainstream airplay in the United States on 2 November 2010.
of G major
. The electronic
ballad features hammerdrill throbbing synths
and electronic percussions. It incorporates elements of electro
and disco
. James Montgomery of MTV News
described the song as "a computerized kaleidoscope of chippy, chiming blips and piston-like drums." The song's emotional lyrics were compared to the themes of her previous singles, "With Every Heartbeat" and "Be Mine!
" According to sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Universal Music Publishing Group
, "Dancing on My Own" carries a metronome
of 125 beats per minute
. Robyn's vocals in the song spans from the note of D4 to E5.
"Dancing on My Own" has been described as a heartbreak anthem. It speaks of a woman who is dancing alone in a club, while watching her ex-lover with another woman. Montgomery noted that the "throughly sad song [talks] about Robyn losing her man to another woman, but also about the notion of feeling alone in a crowded room, of being lost and unloved and having no other choice but to be OK with those things." Ben Norman of About.com
wrote that "[the song] is emotive and describes Robyn's night out, morosely watching the object of her affection choose another lady while she dances in the corner with herself." The song features lines such as, "I'm in the corner, watching you kiss her. I'm right over here, why can't you see me? I'm giving it my all, but I'm not the girl you're taking home." In contrast to "With Every Heartbeat" being "grimly optimistic", a The Guardian
writer noted that "Dancing on My Own" offers "no hope that things may get better." In an interview with MTV News, Robyn spoke of the song, saying, "I mean, for me, of course it's a sad love song, but it's a strong song as well, or at least that's what I want people to feel when they listen to it." In an interview with Pitchfork, she further elaborated on the song's theme, saying;
gave the song five out of five stars and wrote that "'Dancing On My Own' is a misty-eyed electro-disco tune that's every bit as emotive as 'With Every Heartbeat' and 'Be Mine' [...] If your bottom lip's not quivering like the bassline by the time the second chorus hits, you've taken waaay too many mood stabilisers." Luke Lewis of NME
referred to the song as "a comet-trail of sadness and exhilaration that's easily the equal of Robyn's breakthrough hit, 'With Every Heartbeat'." The Guardians Michael Hann stated that song's "pulsing synths and electronic percussion manage to sound both jackbooted and ineffably melancholy." Jer Fairall wrote for PopMatters
that "[t]he aggressive stun-gun rhythm of 'Dancing on My Own' can't hide a classic drama-played-out-on-the-dancefloor scenario inherited from standard bearers like ABBA
's 'Dancing Queen
' and Madonna
's 'Into the Groove
', nor is it cold enough not to melt at the touch of Robyn's warm, yearning vocals or the song's shimmering keyboard chime." Matthew Horton of BBC Music
described "Dancing on My Own" – along with "Fembot
" and "Cry When You Get Older" – as "scorchingly catchy, and laced with Robyn's familiar cordial of sparkling hook mixed with unutterable poignancy."
Slant Magazine
named "Dancing on My Own" the best song of 2010, writing: "Few artists risk Robyn's emotional nakedness, and with "Dancing on My Own" she reveals the exquisite flipside to her more empowered "With Every Heartbeat." The Guardian named it the best song of the year as well, writing: "Dancing On My Own is an extraordinary addition to Robyn's canon of skewed love songs; thoughtful and romantic enough for stuck-on-repeat listening, but with a pop sensibility that makes you want to head out in search of a dancefloor." Pitchfork named it the fourth best of 2010, saying that it "demonstrate[s] that she is the Rocky Balboa of pop music." Rolling Stone
named it the twenty-sixth best song of 2010, writing: "The Swedish diva spots her beloved with another girl — then turns her sadness into sparkling pop, perfect for solo freakouts." The song landed at number six on MTV's Best Songs of 2010, with James Montgomery writing: "as soon as "Dancing" gets to that hair-raising build — a breathless rush of drums and adrenaline — you're no longer thinking about what Robyn's saying, really." The song was nominated at the 53rd Grammy Awards
in the category Best Dance Recording, but lost to "Only Girl (In the World)
" by Rihanna
.
chart on the issue dated 11 June 2010. The following weeks, the song ascended and descended between number two and number three, before reaching the top position on the issue dated 30 July 2010. The song became Robyn's first number one on the chart, as well as her seventh top-ten hit. In Denmark, "Dancing on My Own" debuted at number thirty-three on the issue dated 18 June 2010. After steadily ascending on the chart for several weeks, the song reached its peak of number two on the issue dated 6 August 2010. It has since then been certified platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry in Denmark for selling over 30,000 units. In Norway, the song debuted at number six, which became its peak.
The song peaked at number twenty-two on the European Hot 100 Singles chart, becoming her highest peaking song on the chart. On the UK Singles Chart
, it debuted and peaked at number eight on the issue dated 26 June 2010, immediately becoming Robyn's best charting single in the country since "With Every Heartbeat" in 2007. "Dancing on My Own" also reached number three on the UK Dance Chart
. In Scotland, the song debuted and peaked at number five. In the United States, "Dancing on My Own" debuted at number forty on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart. On the issue dated 17 July 2010, it reached its peak of number three and stayed on that position for two weeks.
" Decida choreographed it, and Nils Ljunggren served as the producer. Visually, Vitali wanted the video the be simple; it was made to resemble Robyn's live performances and her then-upcoming tour. In a behind-the-scenes video, Robyn said, "It's going to be looking a little bit like what I'm going to bring on tour. So it's a performance video but it's also going to be in I guess something like a rave or like a club or somewhere where people are dancing." She explained that the video is about being sad on the dance floor and the main focus is dancing. The video features a club setting, where Robyn is walking around and watching her ex-boyfriend with another woman. In cutscenes, Robyn is standing on a stage-like setting, while singing in front of a microphone stand.
The video premiered via Robyn's official Vimeo
account on 21 May 2010. One day earlier, a behind-the-scenes video was uploaded to her official website. Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork wrote of the video, "When you're a star, sometimes all you need to do is put on a casually stylish outfit, gaze into a lens, move your limbs around in a rhythmic manner, and-- just like that-- a high-quality music video is born. Robyn is a star. And that's exactly what happens in this video." Leslie Simon of MTV Buzzworthy named it a "Video You Need To Know" and wrote, "Amid a sea of strobe lights and PDA-stricken couples, Robyn seems cautiously fed up with dancing solo. Sad. We'll dance with you, lady!"
's Live Lounge
on 16 June 2010. She also performed the song on Capital 95.8 FM during a live session on 23 June 2010. The first live performance on US television was on the Late Show with David Letterman
on 19 July 2010. Robyn performed the song on the All Hearts joint tour with American singer Kelis
. On 30 July 2010, she took a break from the tour to appear on Iheartradio
in New York City, where she performed "Dancing on My Own" and a cover of Alicia Keys
' "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart
". On 12 September 2010, Robyn performed a remixed version of the song with in-house DJ deadmau5
at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards
. The two did not rehearse the performance until the morning of the show, and Robyn said, "I met him for, like, five minutes, and then we were playing." A few days later, Robyn spoke to MTV News about the performance, saying, "usually, awards shows can be so strange, but [the VMAs] felt really real. There were so many stars there and so many expectations, so I wanted to make sure I went up onstage and did something that felt real, and I got all this love from all the people at MTV. I felt really wanted. It was really amazing."
On 11 November 2010, she performed the song on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
. On 24 November 2010, she performed it on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
. On 11 December 2010, she performed it alongside "Indestructible
" and "Jag vet en dejlig rosa" at the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway. She also performed the song on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
on 13 April 2011, followed by a performance on the outdoor stage on Jimmy Kimmel Live! the next day. She also performed the song during the Body Talk Tour
.
Source
Robyn
Robin Miriam Carlsson , better known by her stage name Robyn, is a Swedish recording artist, singer, and songwriter. Robyn became known in the late nineties for her worldwide dance-pop hit "Do You Know " from her debut album Robyn Is Here . She co-wrote the song "Du gör mig hel igen" for...
, taken from her fifth studio album, Body Talk Pt. 1
Body Talk Pt. 1
Body Talk, Pt. 1 received an aggregate score of 76 out of 100 from Metacritic, indicating generally favourable reviews from music critics. Heather Phares of Allmusic stated: "Capturing the freedom and loneliness of independence, Body Talk, Pt...
(2010). The song was written and produced by Robyn and Patrik Berger, and was inspired by gay disco anthems by Ultravox
Ultravox
Ultravox is a British New Wave rock band. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the late 1970s/early 1980s. The band was particularly associated with the New Romantic and New Wave movements....
, Sylvester and Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
. The song was released as Body Talk Pt. 1s lead single on 1 June 2010, in Sweden and the United States. "Dancing on My Own" is an electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
ballad that speaks of a female protagonist who dances alone in a club while watching her ex-lover with another woman.
"Dancing on My Own" received positive reviews from critics, who compared its lonely theme to Robyn's previous singles "With Every Heartbeat
With Every Heartbeat
"With Every Heartbeat" is a song by Swedish recording artist Robyn with Swedish producer Kleerup. It was released on 30 July 2007 in the United Kingdom as the second single from the international edition of Robyn's self-titled fourth studio album, Robyn...
" and "Be Mine!
Be Mine!
"Be Mine!" is a song by Swedish recording artist Robyn, written and composed by herself and producer Klas Åhlund for her self-titled fourth studio album...
" The song peaked atop the Sverigetopplistan
Sverigetopplistan
Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association ....
chart, becoming Robyn's first number one in her native country. The song also reached the top ten in Denmark, Norway, Scotland and the United Kingdom. In the United States, the song managed to reach number three on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart. "Dancing on My Own" was nominated for a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best Dance Recording
Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording
The Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording is an award presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for works containing quality vocal performances in the dance music genre...
.
The accompanying music video was directed by Max Vitali and sees Robyn walking around alone in a club, and cutscenes of her standing in front of a microphone pole on a stage-like setting. Robyn has performed the song numerous times, notably on Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
, Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
. On 12 September 2010, she performed it at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards
2010 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 12, 2010 at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, honoring the best music videos from the previous year...
with DJ deadmau5
Deadmau5
Joel Thomas Zimmerman , better known by his stage name deadmau5 , is a Canadian progressive, electro, and house producer based in Toronto...
.
Background
"Dancing on My Own" was inspired by Robyn's "love of inherently sad, gay disco anthems", such as UltravoxUltravox
Ultravox is a British New Wave rock band. They were one of the primary exponents of the British electronic pop music movement of the late 1970s/early 1980s. The band was particularly associated with the New Romantic and New Wave movements....
's "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes
Dancing with Tears in My Eyes
-12" vinyl :* UK: Chrysalis - UVX 1* Germany: Chrysalis - 601 322-12" vinyl :* US: Chrysalis - 4V9 42783* Canada: Chrysalis - CS 42783-Cover versions:...
" and songs by Sylvester and Donna Summer
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines , known by her stage name, Donna Summer, is an American singer/songwriter who gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Summer is a five-time Grammy winner and was the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach...
. In an interview with Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
, Dombal noted that the album tried new musical directions, while "Dancing on My Own" sounds "like what we've come to expect from a Robyn song", and Robyn explained, "I felt like I really found my voice on the last album, [...] And I wrote "With Every Heartbeat
With Every Heartbeat
"With Every Heartbeat" is a song by Swedish recording artist Robyn with Swedish producer Kleerup. It was released on 30 July 2007 in the United Kingdom as the second single from the international edition of Robyn's self-titled fourth studio album, Robyn...
", so there's a reason why "Dancing on My Own" sounds similar. For me, that's a good thing." "Dancing on My Own" was released as the first official single from Body Talk Pt. 1
Body Talk Pt. 1
Body Talk, Pt. 1 received an aggregate score of 76 out of 100 from Metacritic, indicating generally favourable reviews from music critics. Heather Phares of Allmusic stated: "Capturing the freedom and loneliness of independence, Body Talk, Pt...
via digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
on 1 June 2010 in Sweden and the United States. The song was serviced for mainstream airplay in the United States on 2 November 2010.
Composition
"Dancing on My Own" was composed by Robyn and Patrik Berger in the keyKey (music)
In music theory, the term key is used in many different and sometimes contradictory ways. A common use is to speak of music as being "in" a specific key, such as in the key of C major or in the key of F-sharp. Sometimes the terms "major" or "minor" are appended, as in the key of A minor or in the...
of G major
G major
G major is a major scale based on G, with the pitches G, A, B, C, D, E, and F. Its key signature has one sharp, F; in treble-clef key signatures, the sharp-symbol for F is usually placed on the first line from the top, though in some Baroque music it is placed on the first space from the bottom...
. The electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
ballad features hammerdrill throbbing synths
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
and electronic percussions. It incorporates elements of electro
Electro (music)
Electro is a genre of electronic dance music directly influenced by the use of TR-808 drum machines, Moog keytar synthesizers and funk sampling...
and disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
. James Montgomery of MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
described the song as "a computerized kaleidoscope of chippy, chiming blips and piston-like drums." The song's emotional lyrics were compared to the themes of her previous singles, "With Every Heartbeat" and "Be Mine!
Be Mine!
"Be Mine!" is a song by Swedish recording artist Robyn, written and composed by herself and producer Klas Åhlund for her self-titled fourth studio album...
" According to sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Universal Music Publishing Group
Universal Music Publishing Group
Universal Music Publishing Group is a music publishing company and is part of the Universal Music Group.UMPG owns or administers more than 1 million copyrights. They are one of the largest music publishing businesses in the world with more than 47 offices in 41 countries...
, "Dancing on My Own" carries a metronome
Metronome
A metronome is any device that produces regular, metrical ticks — settable in beats per minute. These ticks represent a fixed, regular aural pulse; some metronomes also include synchronized visual motion...
of 125 beats per minute
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
. Robyn's vocals in the song spans from the note of D4 to E5.
"Dancing on My Own" has been described as a heartbreak anthem. It speaks of a woman who is dancing alone in a club, while watching her ex-lover with another woman. Montgomery noted that the "throughly sad song [talks] about Robyn losing her man to another woman, but also about the notion of feeling alone in a crowded room, of being lost and unloved and having no other choice but to be OK with those things." Ben Norman of About.com
About.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
wrote that "[the song] is emotive and describes Robyn's night out, morosely watching the object of her affection choose another lady while she dances in the corner with herself." The song features lines such as, "I'm in the corner, watching you kiss her. I'm right over here, why can't you see me? I'm giving it my all, but I'm not the girl you're taking home." In contrast to "With Every Heartbeat" being "grimly optimistic", a The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
writer noted that "Dancing on My Own" offers "no hope that things may get better." In an interview with MTV News, Robyn spoke of the song, saying, "I mean, for me, of course it's a sad love song, but it's a strong song as well, or at least that's what I want people to feel when they listen to it." In an interview with Pitchfork, she further elaborated on the song's theme, saying;
"People have so many expectations when they go out, so many wishes about what their night is going to be: if they're going to meet that person, have a fun time with their friends, have a good high, hear good music. People get drunk and turn into themselves in a way, and they go to experience some kind of emotion. But it's not always about fun. There's a destructive side to it. But I'm more into the empowerment of going out, because it's always been the place where I could be myself and get inspired. Even if I'm sad, dancing is a way to let stuff out."
Critical reception
Nick Levine of Digital SpyDigital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
gave the song five out of five stars and wrote that "'Dancing On My Own' is a misty-eyed electro-disco tune that's every bit as emotive as 'With Every Heartbeat' and 'Be Mine' [...] If your bottom lip's not quivering like the bassline by the time the second chorus hits, you've taken waaay too many mood stabilisers." Luke Lewis of NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
referred to the song as "a comet-trail of sadness and exhilaration that's easily the equal of Robyn's breakthrough hit, 'With Every Heartbeat'." The Guardians Michael Hann stated that song's "pulsing synths and electronic percussion manage to sound both jackbooted and ineffably melancholy." Jer Fairall wrote for PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
that "[t]he aggressive stun-gun rhythm of 'Dancing on My Own' can't hide a classic drama-played-out-on-the-dancefloor scenario inherited from standard bearers like ABBA
ABBA
ABBA was a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1970 which consisted of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Fältskog...
's 'Dancing Queen
Dancing Queen
"Dancing Queen" is a pop song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was released in August 1976, but was first performed two months earlier, on 18 June 1976, during a Royal Variety Show in Stockholm the evening before the Swedish royal wedding. It was the follow-up single to the hit "Fernando"...
' and Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
's 'Into the Groove
Into the Groove
"Into the Groove" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from the 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan. It was featured on the 1985 re-issue of her second studio album, Like a Virgin, and released on July 23, 1985 by Sire Records as the album's fourth single outside North America...
', nor is it cold enough not to melt at the touch of Robyn's warm, yearning vocals or the song's shimmering keyboard chime." Matthew Horton of BBC Music
BBC Music
BBC Music is a team working in the department of Audio and Music Interactive at the BBC. Responsible for the BBC Music website - the portal site to music content across the BBC website....
described "Dancing on My Own" – along with "Fembot
Fembot (song)
"Fembot" is a song by Swedish recording artist Robyn, taken from her fifth studio album, Body Talk Pt. 1 . The song was written by Robyn and Klas Åhlund, and produced by the latter. It was inspired by Robyn's personal experience of entering her thirties and contemplating children...
" and "Cry When You Get Older" – as "scorchingly catchy, and laced with Robyn's familiar cordial of sparkling hook mixed with unutterable poignancy."
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
named "Dancing on My Own" the best song of 2010, writing: "Few artists risk Robyn's emotional nakedness, and with "Dancing on My Own" she reveals the exquisite flipside to her more empowered "With Every Heartbeat." The Guardian named it the best song of the year as well, writing: "Dancing On My Own is an extraordinary addition to Robyn's canon of skewed love songs; thoughtful and romantic enough for stuck-on-repeat listening, but with a pop sensibility that makes you want to head out in search of a dancefloor." Pitchfork named it the fourth best of 2010, saying that it "demonstrate[s] that she is the Rocky Balboa of pop music." Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
named it the twenty-sixth best song of 2010, writing: "The Swedish diva spots her beloved with another girl — then turns her sadness into sparkling pop, perfect for solo freakouts." The song landed at number six on MTV's Best Songs of 2010, with James Montgomery writing: "as soon as "Dancing" gets to that hair-raising build — a breathless rush of drums and adrenaline — you're no longer thinking about what Robyn's saying, really." The song was nominated at the 53rd Grammy Awards
53rd Grammy Awards
The 53rd annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2011, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. They were broadcast on CBS with a rating of 26.6 million viewers. Barbra Streisand was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year two nights prior to the telecast on February 11. Nominations were...
in the category Best Dance Recording, but lost to "Only Girl (In the World)
Only Girl (In the World)
"Only Girl " is a song by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna from her fifth studio album, Loud . The song was released as the album's lead single on September 10, 2010 through Def Jam. It was written by Crystal Johnson, Norwegian production duo Stargate and Sandy Vee, and produced by Stargate and Vee...
" by Rihanna
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers...
.
Chart performance
"Dancing on My Own" debuted at number two on the SverigetopplistanSverigetopplistan
Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association ....
chart on the issue dated 11 June 2010. The following weeks, the song ascended and descended between number two and number three, before reaching the top position on the issue dated 30 July 2010. The song became Robyn's first number one on the chart, as well as her seventh top-ten hit. In Denmark, "Dancing on My Own" debuted at number thirty-three on the issue dated 18 June 2010. After steadily ascending on the chart for several weeks, the song reached its peak of number two on the issue dated 6 August 2010. It has since then been certified platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry in Denmark for selling over 30,000 units. In Norway, the song debuted at number six, which became its peak.
The song peaked at number twenty-two on the European Hot 100 Singles chart, becoming her highest peaking song on the chart. On the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, it debuted and peaked at number eight on the issue dated 26 June 2010, immediately becoming Robyn's best charting single in the country since "With Every Heartbeat" in 2007. "Dancing on My Own" also reached number three on the UK Dance Chart
UK Dance Chart
The UK Dance Chart is a chart compiled by The Official Charts Company from sales in record stores and digital downloads. Although the chart does not currently receive any airplay on the radio or television, the chart can be viewed on the BBC Radio 1 and The Official Charts Company website.Digital...
. In Scotland, the song debuted and peaked at number five. In the United States, "Dancing on My Own" debuted at number forty on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart. On the issue dated 17 July 2010, it reached its peak of number three and stayed on that position for two weeks.
Music video
The music video for "Dancing on My Own" was filmed in a studio in Stockholm, Sweden. It was directed by Max Vitali, who previously worked with Robyn on the second music video for her 2005 single "Be Mine!Be Mine!
"Be Mine!" is a song by Swedish recording artist Robyn, written and composed by herself and producer Klas Åhlund for her self-titled fourth studio album...
" Decida choreographed it, and Nils Ljunggren served as the producer. Visually, Vitali wanted the video the be simple; it was made to resemble Robyn's live performances and her then-upcoming tour. In a behind-the-scenes video, Robyn said, "It's going to be looking a little bit like what I'm going to bring on tour. So it's a performance video but it's also going to be in I guess something like a rave or like a club or somewhere where people are dancing." She explained that the video is about being sad on the dance floor and the main focus is dancing. The video features a club setting, where Robyn is walking around and watching her ex-boyfriend with another woman. In cutscenes, Robyn is standing on a stage-like setting, while singing in front of a microphone stand.
The video premiered via Robyn's official Vimeo
Vimeo
Vimeo is a video-sharing website on which users can upload, share, and view videos. It was founded by Zach Klein and Jake Lodwick in November 2004...
account on 21 May 2010. One day earlier, a behind-the-scenes video was uploaded to her official website. Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork wrote of the video, "When you're a star, sometimes all you need to do is put on a casually stylish outfit, gaze into a lens, move your limbs around in a rhythmic manner, and-- just like that-- a high-quality music video is born. Robyn is a star. And that's exactly what happens in this video." Leslie Simon of MTV Buzzworthy named it a "Video You Need To Know" and wrote, "Amid a sea of strobe lights and PDA-stricken couples, Robyn seems cautiously fed up with dancing solo. Sad. We'll dance with you, lady!"
Live performances
Robyn performed the song on BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
's Live Lounge
Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio station BBC Radio 1. Originally hosted by Jo Whiley on her mid-morning radio show and now hosted by Fearne Cotton, it exhibits well-known artists usually performing one song of their own and one by another artist, in an acoustic format...
on 16 June 2010. She also performed the song on Capital 95.8 FM during a live session on 23 June 2010. The first live performance on US television was on the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
on 19 July 2010. Robyn performed the song on the All Hearts joint tour with American singer Kelis
Kelis
Kelis Rogers Kelis Rogers Kelis Rogers (born August 21, 1971 is an American musical artist. She is a BRIT Award, Q Award and NME Award winner and has been nominated for two Grammy Awards. She has had nine top 10 singles on the UK Singles Chart...
. On 30 July 2010, she took a break from the tour to appear on Iheartradio
Iheartradio
iHeartRadio is a Clear Channel Radio network to aggregate local radio brands, personalities and on-demand content. It is best known as a mobile application...
in New York City, where she performed "Dancing on My Own" and a cover of Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
' "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart
Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart
"Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart" is a song performed by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It was released as the second single from her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom . The ballad has been hailed by many music critics as the best track from the album. It marks a departure in...
". On 12 September 2010, Robyn performed a remixed version of the song with in-house DJ deadmau5
Deadmau5
Joel Thomas Zimmerman , better known by his stage name deadmau5 , is a Canadian progressive, electro, and house producer based in Toronto...
at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards
2010 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2010 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 12, 2010 at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, honoring the best music videos from the previous year...
. The two did not rehearse the performance until the morning of the show, and Robyn said, "I met him for, like, five minutes, and then we were playing." A few days later, Robyn spoke to MTV News about the performance, saying, "usually, awards shows can be so strange, but [the VMAs] felt really real. There were so many stars there and so many expectations, so I wanted to make sure I went up onstage and did something that felt real, and I got all this love from all the people at MTV. I felt really wanted. It was really amazing."
On 11 November 2010, she performed the song on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
. On 24 November 2010, she performed it on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that initially aired from May 25, 1992 to May 29, 2009, and resumed production on March 1, 2010. The fourth incarnation of the Tonight Show franchise made its debut on May 25, 1992, three days following Johnny...
. On 11 December 2010, she performed it alongside "Indestructible
Indestructible (Robyn song)
"Indestructible" is a song by Swedish recording artist Robyn, taken from her seventh studio album Body Talk . The song was written by Robyn and Klas Åhlund, and produced by Åhlund. It was released as the lead single from Body Talk on 1 November 2010 in Sweden and one day later in the United States...
" and "Jag vet en dejlig rosa" at the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway. She also performed the song on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, often shortened to Ellen, is an American television talk show hosted by comedian/actress Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it is produced by Telepictures and airs in syndication, including stations owned by NBC Universal. For its first five seasons, the show...
on 13 April 2011, followed by a performance on the outdoor stage on Jimmy Kimmel Live! the next day. She also performed the song during the Body Talk Tour
Body Talk Tour
-Tour dates:Festivals and other miscellaneous performancesKerri Mason praised her performance in Miami. She wrote, "On stage, she is enigmatic, an appealing sprite with a voice that coos and chirps, but with a fighter's stance and narrow eyes...
.
Formats and track listings
- Australia digital download
- "Dancing on My Own" (Radio Version) – 4:39
- "Dancing on My Own" (Rex the Dog Remix) – 6:25
- Germany/UK CD single
- "Dancing on My Own" (Radio Edit) – 3:37
- "Dancing on My Own" (Rex the Dog Extended Remix) – 7:28
- Germany digital EP
- "Dancing on My Own" (Radio Edit) – 3:37
- "Dancing on My Own" (Radio Version) – 4:36
- "Dancing on My Own" (Buzz Junkies Edit) – 4:06
- "Dancing on My Own" (Album Edit) – 3:37
- "Dancing on My Own" (Rex the Dog Remix) – 6:22
- "Dancing on My Own" (Azzido Da BassAzzido Da BassAzzido Da Bass is a German DJ and record producer based in Hamburg, Germany.-Early life:Over the years, Martens has been influenced by a wide range of music genres: as a youth, he first became interested in hip-hop and break dance; by the mid-1980s, he began collecting electronica and synth pop...
vs. Dirty DiscoThe Dirty DiscoThe Dirty Disco are a London based Electro-Rock /Synth-Pop Musical group. The group is composed of Adam Boy , Kyle Mackenzie , Olly Dexter , Andrew Ignatius , Kyle Langley and The Retrosexuals .Several of the band's tracks including debut single "Sista", "White Room" and "Storyteller" have been...
Youth Remix) – 5:52 - "Dancing on My Own" (JakwobJakwob-Career:Jakwob began making music aged 10 as a multi-instrumentalist and has been involved in many groups from his teenage years onwards, beginning in jazz but moving on to death metal and folk. His style is notable for its transcending of genres and its relative 'accessibility' given the dubstep...
Remix) – 4:10 - "Dancing on My Own" (Buzz Junkies Remix) – 5:57
- Germany digital EP – Part 2
- "Dancing on My Own" (Michael WoodsMichael Woods (producer)Michael Woods is a UK producer and remixer of various dance music genres, including electronic, trance and jazz. He has worked under the monikers Warrior, Accadia, M1 and M3.-History:...
Remix Edit) – 4:43 - "Dancing on My Own" (Michael Woods Remix) – 7:45
- "Dancing on My Own" (Michael Woods Remix Instrumental) – 7:46
- "Dancing on My Own" (Jakwob Remix) – 4:10
- "Dancing on My Own" (Fred FalkeFred FalkeFrédérick "Fred" Falke is a French based house producer and DJ of German origin.Falke started out as a bass player around 1995 before turning his hand to production work in the late 1990s...
Radio Edit) – 4:21 - "Dancing on My Own" (Fred Falke Remix) – 7:30
- "Dancing on My Own" (Fred Falke Instrumental) – 7:30
- "Dancing on My Own" (Rex the Dog Extended Remix) – 7:28
- Sweden/US digital download
- "Dancing on My Own" – 4:48
- Sweden digital EP – Remixes
- "Dancing on My Own" (Fred Falke Remix) – 7:30
- "Dancing on My Own" (Jakwob Remix) – 4:10
- "Dancing on My Own" (Michael Woods Remix) – 7:45
- "Dancing on My Own" (Chew Fu Remix) – 5:05
- "Dancing on My Own" (Rex the Dog Remix) – 6:25
- UK digital EP
- "Dancing on My Own" (Radio Version) – 4:39
- "Dancing on My Own" (Rex the Dog Remix) – 6:25
- "Dancing on My Own" (Buzz Junkies Remix) – 6:00
- "Dancing on My Own" (Jakwob Remix) – 4:10
- "Dancing on My Own" (Azzido Da Bass vs. Dirty Disco Youth Remix) – 5:51
- "Dancing on My Own" (Fred Falke Remix) – 7:30
- "Dancing on My Own" (Michael Woods Remix) – 7:45
- US digital EP – Remixes
- "Dancing on My Own" (Michael Woods Remix Edit) – 4:42
- "Dancing on My Own" (Michael Woods Remix) – 7:44
- "Dancing on My Own" (Fred Falke Remix) – 7:30
- "Dancing on My Own" (Jakwob Remix) – 4:09
- "Dancing on My Own" (Rex the Dog Extended Remix) – 7:27
- "Dancing on My Own" (Rex the Dog Remix Edit) – 3:24
- "Dancing on My Own" (Buzz Junkies Remix) – 5:59
Credits and personnel
- Robyn – musicComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, lyricsLyricistA lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
, co-productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, instrumentsMusical instrumentA musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
, programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock... - Patrik Berger – music, lyrics, production, instruments, programming
- Niklas Flyckt – mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
Source
Charts
| Chart (2010-11) | Peak position |
|---|
Certifications
| Country | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
|---|---|
| Denmark | Platinum |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2010) | Position |
|---|---|
| Danish Singles Chart | 20 |
| Swedish Singles Chart | 6 |
| UK Singles Chart | 195 |
Radio dates and release history
| Country | Release date | Format(s) | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweden | 1 June 2010 | Digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
Konichiwa Records Konichiwa Records Konichiwa Records is a record label founded by Swedish pop singer Robyn. The label has no other artists signed. The word "Konichiwa" is an incorrect romanization of the Japanese greeting こんにちは meaning "Good Day" .... |
| United States | Interscope Records Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:... |
||
| Germany | 11 June 2010 | CD single, digital download | Ministry of Sound Ministry of Sound Ministry of Sound London, commonly referred to as simply Ministry of Sound or MoS, is a nightclub based in London, United Kingdom and an associated record label. It was ranked fourth in the 2010 DJ Magazine top 100 clubs poll 2010. As well as the nightclub in London, there is another in Egypt and... |
| United Kingdom | 13 June 2010 | Digital download | Universal Music Universal Music Group Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations... |
| 20 July 2010 | CD single | ||
| United States | 2 November 2010 | Mainstream Contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts... airplay |
Interscope Records |