Sound of the Underground (song)
Encyclopedia
"Sound of the Underground" is the debut single by British all-female pop
group Girls Aloud
, later featured on their debut album of the same name. The song was written by Miranda Cooper
, Brian Higgins
, and Niara Scarlett
, and produced by Higgins and his production team Xenomania
. Following Girls Aloud's formation on the ITV1
reality television show Popstars: The Rivals, "Sound of the Underground" was released just sixteen days later on 16 December 2002. It became the year's Christmas number one. The single spent four consecutive weeks at number one, achieving a platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry
.
The music video was filmed days after Girls Aloud were formed in an empty London warehouse. The song has been performed by Girls Aloud in a number of live appearances including Popstars: The Rivals and each of Girls Aloud's concert tours. Critically appreciated for its juxtaposition of surf guitar against electronic
beats
, "Sound of the Underground" was praised for its originality for both a girl group and a reality television act. The song was referred to as a defining moment of the decade musically, credited with reshaping British pop for the 2000s.
." The song is written in E-flat minor with a time signature
in common time
and a tempo
of 163 beats per minute. The vocal range spans from G3
to D5
. The chord progression
varies throughout different sections of the song, but the specific chords used are Am
, C
, D, E
, Em, and G. Following typical verse-chorus form
, the song consists of a verse followed by a bridge and chorus. The bridge is also employed as a middle 8.
"Sound of the Underground" was one of sixty songs that Brian Higgins
and Miranda Cooper
had written with the aim of launching their own girl group. The song was originally recorded in 2001 by London girl group Orchid, who disbanded before gaining a firm record deal. Irish artist, Samantha Mumba
, was due to record this as her comeback song in 2002 but she opted for "I'm Right Here
" instead. It was chosen by Girls Aloud's manager Louis Walsh
as their debut single. The six finalists of the ITV1
programme Popstars: The Rivals
rehearsed the song a week before the finals.
who would be "rivals" and compete for the Christmas number one single in 2002. Girls Aloud competed against One True Voice
, managed by music producer Pete Waterman
. Both groups were sent on huge promotional tour. They used a combative "Buy girls, bye boys" slogan to persuade the public to buy their single. A cover of One True Voice's single "Sacred Trust
" appears on the special edition bonus disc of Girls Aloud's greatest hits album The Sound of Girls Aloud
, alongside an extended performance version of "Sound of the Underground" which includes an instrumental breakdown.
The single was released on two different CD single
formats and on cassette
. The first CD included a cover of East 17
's "Stay Another Day
" and Brian Higgins' remix of "Sound of the Underground", while the second CD included the instrumental of "Stay Another Day" and an interview with the girls. In some countries, a Flip & Fill
remix of the single was featured.
s" version, making it Girls Aloud's and not a cover as some articles suggested. This is not uncommon in the music industry. Due to the press attention, the members of Orchid are credited on the single release and remain backing singers on the single. Sarah Harding
explained that this just pads out the track and is not uncommon in the industry. Girls Aloud also sang "Sound of the Underground" live throughout promotion to prove it was them singing and rubbish Pete Waterman
's attempt to sabotage the release.
called the song "an icy confection very different from the normal run of girl-band things."
"Sound of the Underground" and another Xenomania production, Sugababes
' "Round Round
", have been called "two huge groundbreaking hits", credited with reshaping British pop music for the 2000s. Peter Robinson
wrote, "Instead of what would become the predictable 'victory lap' ballad, here was an upbeat attitude-soaked celebration of life, partying, and being young." In 2002, "Sound of the Underground" was voted Best Single at the Disney Channel Kids Awards. The Telegraph
placed the song at number 15 on a list of 100 songs that defined the noughties, while NME
included it at number 39. Spinner.com
named "Sound of the Underground" the eighth best British song of the 2000s.
on December 22, 2002. Girls Aloud sold just over 213,000 copies, while One True Voice's "Sacred Trust" sold only 147,000. Girls Aloud stayed at number one for a second and third week, the final chart of 2002 and the first chart of 2003. The single spent another week at number one, bringing "Sound of the Underground" to a total of four consecutive weeks at number one in the UK. It spent two weeks in the top five at numbers three and five respectively, before slipping to number nine. The single spent fourteen further weeks inside the UK's top 75. It was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry
in March 2003 for shipments of over 600,000 and sold over 557,000 copies.
The song had similar success on the Irish Singles Chart
. "Sound of the Underground" debuted at number two behind Eminem
's "Lose Yourself
", while One True Voice only managed to chart at number nine. They held on at number two for a second and thirdweek. In the song's fourth week on the Irish chart, "Sound of the Underground" managed to rise to number one, finally dethroning Eminem. It spent two weeks at the pole position. The song peaked inside the top twenty on Belgium
's Ultratop
Flanders
chart and the Netherlands
' Single Top 100 chart. The song also charted in Australia
and various Europe
an countries.
warehouse just days after Girls Aloud's formation on the last week of competition of Popstars: The Rivals
. It was directed by Phil Griffin, who would later direct the videos for "No Good Advice
" and "Life Got Cold".
It features the band members in various scenes "underground". In the group scene, they perform the song backed by a band in a large metal enclosure. As the song progresses, each band member also incorporates a tall microphone stand into the choreography, echoed in many live performances in the song. In the solo scenes, each member is shown sitting or standing in the "underground" setting while various other shots, such as a light bulb spontaneously cracking open and catching on fire, are shown.
The music video is available on the "No Good Advice" DVD single, Girls on Film
, and Style
.
store in Manchester
's Trafford Centre
. They also made many television appearances, performing on programmes such as CD:UK
, GMTV
, Popworld
, RI:SE
, Richard and Judy
, Smile
, This Morning
, Top of the Pops Saturday
, and UK Top 40: CBBC Viewers' Vote
. They performed on Popstars again on 22 December, just moments after finding out their single was the Christmas number one. Wearing all-white outfits, the performance included lights and smoke as well as adlibs referencing the number one. They also sang "Sound of the Underground" on the Top of the Pops
Christmas special, which airs annually on Christmas day.
The song was performed on shows like Tops of the Pop and The Saturday Show
during 2003. It was also performed at a number of live events in 2003, such as Ireland's ChildLine Concert
, Spring Break, Pepsi
Silver Clef
, Party in the Park
, Live & Loud, and the West Belfast Festival. Girls Aloud began to promote the song's release across continental Europe
, which involved appearances at Belgium
's TMF Awards and on Germany
's VIVA Interaktiv and the German version of Top of the Pops. In the United Kingdom, Girls Aloud performed "Sound of the Underground" at the 2003 Disney Channel Kids Awards (where it was named Best Single), the Children in Need
telethon, and once again at 2003's Top of the Pops Christmas special. Girls Aloud returned to Ireland's ChildLine in 2004. It was also performed for the group's MTV special, as seen on their DVD Girls on Film
.
Since its release, "Sound of the Underground" has been included on each of Girls Aloud's tours. The track was included as the encore
to their 2005 tour What Will the Neighbours Say? Live
. The performance included a dance break
and ended with an explosion of pyrotechnics
. For 2006's Chemistry Tour
, the song was accompanied by new choreography
involving chairs, while 2007's The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits Tour
saw the group in black-and-white variations on a suit
. The song was slightly remixed for 2008's Tangled Up Tour
, during which Girls Aloud performed it in the first section alongside male dancers. "Sound of the Underground" was also included on 2009's Out of Control Tour
; flames burst out of the stage as the group sang and danced.
The single has also been performed at Girls Aloud's appearances at V Festival
in 2006 and 2008, as well as their two nights supporting Coldplay
at Wembley Stadium
. It was showcased during Girls Aloud's 2007 appearance on The Album Chart Show
, where they performed songs from their greatest hits album. They also performed it on their one-off variety show The Girls Aloud Party
. The group was accompanied by Kaiser Chiefs
, who led into "Sound of the Underground" with their own track "Never Miss a Beat
".
In 2011 it was confirmed by Girls Aloud
's manager Hilary Shaw that a brand new remix of "Sound Of The Underground" will be recorded for the band with new lyrics for their tenth anniversary.
UK CD2 (Polydor / 0658202)
Germany (Polydor / 0654325)
The Singles Boxset (CD1)
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
group Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
, later featured on their debut album of the same name. The song was written by Miranda Cooper
Miranda Cooper
Miranda Eleanor De Fonbrune Cooper has been on the UK charts longer than any other female songwriter in the country. In 2007 Harper's Bazaar wrote of her: ‘If it's a hit you want, you'd better talk to Cooper...
, Brian Higgins
Brian Higgins (producer)
Brian Thomas Higgins is a British music producer who has written and produced albums and tracks for several highly successful pop music singers and groups, most notably Girls Aloud, through his Xenomania production group...
, and Niara Scarlett
Niara Scarlett
Niara Scarlett is a British born singer-songwriter, perhaps most famous for her work with British production house Xenomania. Scarlett appeared on a number of dub, garage, grime, and house singles in the latter half of the 1990s and the 2000s.-Background:...
, and produced by Higgins and his production team Xenomania
Xenomania
Xenomania is a British songwriting and production team founded by Brian Higgins and based in Kent, England. Formed after Higgins met Miranda Cooper, Xenomania has written and produced for renowned artists such as Cher, Kylie Minogue, Dannii Minogue, Pet Shop Boys, and Sugababes...
. Following Girls Aloud's formation on the ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
reality television show Popstars: The Rivals, "Sound of the Underground" was released just sixteen days later on 16 December 2002. It became the year's Christmas number one. The single spent four consecutive weeks at number one, achieving a platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
.
The music video was filmed days after Girls Aloud were formed in an empty London warehouse. The song has been performed by Girls Aloud in a number of live appearances including Popstars: The Rivals and each of Girls Aloud's concert tours. Critically appreciated for its juxtaposition of surf guitar against electronic
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
beats
Beat (music)
The beat is the basic unit of time in music, the pulse of the mensural level . In popular use, the beat can refer to a variety of related concepts including: tempo, meter, rhythm and groove...
, "Sound of the Underground" was praised for its originality for both a girl group and a reality television act. The song was referred to as a defining moment of the decade musically, credited with reshaping British pop for the 2000s.
Background and composition
The song has been described as "a mechanistic sashay of twangy surf guitar and sultry gang vocals — Girls Aloud explodes like a five-headed Kylie MinogueKylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
." The song is written in E-flat minor with a time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
in common time
Common Time
"Common Time" is a science fiction short story written by James Blish. It first appeared in the August 1953 issue of Science Fiction Quarterly and has been reprinted several times: in the 1959 short-story collection Galactic Cluster; in The Testament of Andros ; in The Penguin Science Fiction...
and a tempo
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:...
of 163 beats per minute. The vocal range spans from G3
G (musical note)
Sol, So, or G is the fifth note of the solfège starting on C. As such it is the dominant, a perfect fifth above C.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 Hz, the frequency of Middle G note is approximately 391.995 Hz...
to D5
D (musical note)
D is a musical note a whole tone above C, and is known as Re within the solfege system.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 Hz, the frequency of middle D is approximately 293.665 Hz. See pitch for a discussion of historical variations in...
. The chord progression
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
varies throughout different sections of the song, but the specific chords used are Am
A (musical note)
La or A is the sixth note of the solfège. "A" is generally used as a standard for tuning. When the orchestra tunes, the oboe plays an "A" and the rest of the instruments tune to match that pitch. Every string instrument in the orchestra has an A string, from which each player can tune the rest of...
, C
C (musical note)
C or Do is the first note of the fixed-Do solfège scale. Its enharmonic is B.-Middle C:Middle C is designated C4 in scientific pitch notation because of the note's position as the fourth C key on a standard 88-key piano keyboard...
, D, E
E (musical note)
E or mi is the third note of the solfège.When calculated in equal temperament with a reference of A above middle C as 440 Hz, the frequency of Middle E is approximately 329.628 Hz. See pitch for a discussion of historical variations in frequency.-Designation by octave:...
, Em, and G. Following typical verse-chorus form
Verse-chorus form
Verse-chorus form is a musical form common in popular music and predominant in rock since the 1960s. In contrast to AABA form, which is focused on the verse , in verse-chorus form the chorus is highlighted...
, the song consists of a verse followed by a bridge and chorus. The bridge is also employed as a middle 8.
"Sound of the Underground" was one of sixty songs that Brian Higgins
Brian Higgins (producer)
Brian Thomas Higgins is a British music producer who has written and produced albums and tracks for several highly successful pop music singers and groups, most notably Girls Aloud, through his Xenomania production group...
and Miranda Cooper
Miranda Cooper
Miranda Eleanor De Fonbrune Cooper has been on the UK charts longer than any other female songwriter in the country. In 2007 Harper's Bazaar wrote of her: ‘If it's a hit you want, you'd better talk to Cooper...
had written with the aim of launching their own girl group. The song was originally recorded in 2001 by London girl group Orchid, who disbanded before gaining a firm record deal. Irish artist, Samantha Mumba
Samantha Mumba
Samantha Tamania Anne Cecilia Mumba is an Irish singer and actress.Her first album was released in 2000. Her most notable role was Mara in the 2002 film The Time Machine. She has also appeared in a number of Irish independent films.-Early life, education and early career:Mumba was born in Dublin,...
, was due to record this as her comeback song in 2002 but she opted for "I'm Right Here
I'm Right Here
"I'm Right Here" is a song by Samantha Mumba, the first single release from her aborted second album Woman . The single had poor sales despite its high #5 chart position in the UK, and it flopped on the US Hot 100 but reached #24 on the US Dance Chart. The poor performance of this single is...
" instead. It was chosen by Girls Aloud's manager Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh
Louis Walsh is an Irish music manager and judge on the British television talent show The X Factor.-Band manager:...
as their debut single. The six finalists of the ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
programme Popstars: The Rivals
Popstars
Popstars is an international reality television franchise and a precursor to the Idol series. The series first began in New Zealand in 1999 when producer Jonathan Dowling formed the five member all-girl group TrueBliss...
rehearsed the song a week before the finals.
Release
Girls Aloud were formed through the show by a public vote on 30 November 2002. The concept of the programme was to produce a boyband and a girlbandGirl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
who would be "rivals" and compete for the Christmas number one single in 2002. Girls Aloud competed against One True Voice
One True Voice
One True Voice were a British boyband created on the ITV television series Popstars: The Rivals, which also produced girl group Girls Aloud. The band was created by the public, who voted for their favourite hopefuls each week...
, managed by music producer Pete Waterman
Pete Waterman
Peter Alan Waterman OBE is an English record producer, occasional songwriter, radio and club DJ, television presenter, president of Coventry Bears rugby league club and a keen railway enthusiast. As a member of the Stock Aitken Waterman songwriting team he wrote and produced many hit singles...
. Both groups were sent on huge promotional tour. They used a combative "Buy girls, bye boys" slogan to persuade the public to buy their single. A cover of One True Voice's single "Sacred Trust
Sacred Trust/After You're Gone
"Sacred Trust/After You're Gone" is the debut double-A side single by One True Voice. It was released on 16 December 2002, the same day that female winners Girls Aloud released their single Sound of the Underground. The two songs were competing for the coveted Christmas Number One spot in the UK...
" appears on the special edition bonus disc of Girls Aloud's greatest hits album The Sound of Girls Aloud
The Sound of Girls Aloud
The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits anthology by British and Irish all-female pop group Girls Aloud. It was released in the United Kingdom on 30 October 2006 and entered the UK Albums Chart at number one, making it Girls Aloud's first number one album. As of...
, alongside an extended performance version of "Sound of the Underground" which includes an instrumental breakdown.
The single was released on two different CD single
CD single
A CD single is a music single in the form of a standard size Compact Disc, not to be confused with the 3-inch CD single, which uses a smaller form factor. The format was introduced in the mid-1980s, but did not gain its place in the market until the early 1990s...
formats and on cassette
Cassette single
A cassette single is a music single in the form of a Compact Cassette.- History :...
. The first CD included a cover of East 17
East 17
East 17 are a pop boy band comprising Tony Mortimer, John Hendy and Terry Coldwell. Tony Mortimer is the group's frontman and primary songwriter. Formed in Walthamstow, London in 1991, the group have achieved eighteen Top 20 singles and four Top 10 albums, and were one of the UK's most popular boy...
's "Stay Another Day
Stay Another Day
"Stay Another Day" is an award-winning 1994 pop song recorded by British boy band East 17. It was released in late 1994 and became their first and only UK number-one single reaching Christmas number one, and also topped the charts in Sweden, Ireland and Denmark.-Background and release:"Stay Another...
" and Brian Higgins' remix of "Sound of the Underground", while the second CD included the instrumental of "Stay Another Day" and an interview with the girls. In some countries, a Flip & Fill
Flip & Fill
Flip & Fill are a Manchester, England based electronic dance music duo, consisting of the producers/remixers, DJs Graham Turner and Mark Hall. They are signed to the All Around The World record label.-Career:...
remix of the single was featured.
Controversy
Pete Waterman caused a media frenzy after accusing Girls Aloud of being unoriginal and not singing on "Sound of the Underground" (after they claimed it was better to release a new song than a cover as the A-side). Many articles falsely claim that this track was then "stolen" from Orchid by Girls Aloud. The track was actually owned by Xenomania (the producers) and the original version was used as a "session singerSession musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
s" version, making it Girls Aloud's and not a cover as some articles suggested. This is not uncommon in the music industry. Due to the press attention, the members of Orchid are credited on the single release and remain backing singers on the single. Sarah Harding
Sarah Harding
Sarah Nicole Harding is an English singer-songwriter, actress and model best known for being a member of the pop group Girls Aloud, formed through ITV's reality television programme Popstars: The Rivals...
explained that this just pads out the track and is not uncommon in the industry. Girls Aloud also sang "Sound of the Underground" live throughout promotion to prove it was them singing and rubbish Pete Waterman
Pete Waterman
Peter Alan Waterman OBE is an English record producer, occasional songwriter, radio and club DJ, television presenter, president of Coventry Bears rugby league club and a keen railway enthusiast. As a member of the Stock Aitken Waterman songwriting team he wrote and produced many hit singles...
's attempt to sabotage the release.
Critical reception
"Sound of the Underground" received a positive response from most music critics. It "proved a first: it was a reality pop record that didn't make you want to do physical harm to everyone involved in its manufacture." A review for Girls Aloud's debut album stated that the song has "become a pulsating pop classic with a modern, metallic beat, catchy chorus and just the right amount of sleaze." The song was further described as "an enticing blend of spiky guitars and Fatboy Slim beats topped off with an irresistibly catchy chorus." Michael Osborn said that "Sound of the Underground" offers "a fresh tune that has no intentions of following the road to seasonal schmaltzville." An article from The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
called the song "an icy confection very different from the normal run of girl-band things."
"Sound of the Underground" and another Xenomania production, Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
' "Round Round
Round Round
"Round Round" is a song performed by British girl group Sugababes, released on 12 August 2002 through Island Records. It was written by band members Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Heidi Range, as well as Miranda Cooper, Niara Scarlett, Brian Higgins, Tim Powell, Nick Coler, Shawn Lee, and Lisa...
", have been called "two huge groundbreaking hits", credited with reshaping British pop music for the 2000s. Peter Robinson
Peter Robinson (journalist)
Peter Robinson is a British music journalist. He is the creator of the pop music-based blog Popjustice. Robinson first came to the attention of music fans with his self-published biography/fanzine of The KLF, Justified and Ancient History...
wrote, "Instead of what would become the predictable 'victory lap' ballad, here was an upbeat attitude-soaked celebration of life, partying, and being young." In 2002, "Sound of the Underground" was voted Best Single at the Disney Channel Kids Awards. The Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
placed the song at number 15 on a list of 100 songs that defined the noughties, while 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...
included it at number 39. Spinner.com
Spinner.com
Spinner is an AOL Music property, which bills itself as "the ultimate music blog for free MP3s, free CD listening, [and] discovering new artists."...
named "Sound of the Underground" the eighth best British song of the 2000s.
Chart performance and sales
"Sound of the Underground" debuted at number one on the UK Singles ChartUK 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 ...
on December 22, 2002. Girls Aloud sold just over 213,000 copies, while One True Voice's "Sacred Trust" sold only 147,000. Girls Aloud stayed at number one for a second and third week, the final chart of 2002 and the first chart of 2003. The single spent another week at number one, bringing "Sound of the Underground" to a total of four consecutive weeks at number one in the UK. It spent two weeks in the top five at numbers three and five respectively, before slipping to number nine. The single spent fourteen further weeks inside the UK's top 75. It was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
in March 2003 for shipments of over 600,000 and sold over 557,000 copies.
The song had similar success on the Irish Singles Chart
Irish Singles Chart
The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured...
. "Sound of the Underground" debuted at number two behind Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
's "Lose Yourself
Lose Yourself
"Lose Yourself" is an Academy Award winning song by American hip-hop artist Eminem, released as the first single from the original soundtrack to the movie 8 Mile on October 22, 2002. It was written and produced by Eminem himself, along with longtime collaborator Jeff Bass, one half of the...
", while One True Voice only managed to chart at number nine. They held on at number two for a second and thirdweek. In the song's fourth week on the Irish chart, "Sound of the Underground" managed to rise to number one, finally dethroning Eminem. It spent two weeks at the pole position. The song peaked inside the top twenty on Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
's Ultratop
Ultratop
Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts...
Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
chart and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
' Single Top 100 chart. The song also charted in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and various Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an countries.
Music video
The video for "Sound of the Underground" was shot in an empty LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
warehouse just days after Girls Aloud's formation on the last week of competition of Popstars: The Rivals
Popstars The Rivals
Popstars The Rivals was a British television talent show series that was broadcast on ITV1 in late 2002. It was the second UK series of the international Popstars franchise...
. It was directed by Phil Griffin, who would later direct the videos for "No Good Advice
No Good Advice
"No Good Advice" is a song by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, taken from their debut album Sound of the Underground . The song was written by Aqua's Lene Nystrøm Rasted, Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania, and produced by Higgins and Xenomania...
" and "Life Got Cold".
It features the band members in various scenes "underground". In the group scene, they perform the song backed by a band in a large metal enclosure. As the song progresses, each band member also incorporates a tall microphone stand into the choreography, echoed in many live performances in the song. In the solo scenes, each member is shown sitting or standing in the "underground" setting while various other shots, such as a light bulb spontaneously cracking open and catching on fire, are shown.
The music video is available on the "No Good Advice" DVD single, Girls on Film
Girls on Film (DVD)
Girls On Film is the first music DVD by Girls Aloud and was released in 2005. The video contained all of their music videos at the time of release. It contained some of their most memorable television performances, and footage from their MTV special Girls Aloud - The Show...
, and Style
Style (DVD)
Style is the fifth DVD featuring Girls Aloud, was released on November 12, 2007. It features commentary from Girls Aloud on all of their favourite and least favourite outfits from their careers, as well as fashion tips...
.
Live performances
Girls Aloud performed "Sound of the Underground" live for the first time on Popstars: The Rivals on 7 December 2002, wearing coordinating pink-and-black outfits as seen on the single's music video. Small puffs of smoke were sent up into the air each time the song reached its chorus. In order to promote the single, the group performed the single at various locations across the country, including a signing at an HMVHMV
His Master's Voice is a trademark in the music business, and for many years was the name of a large record label. The name was coined in 1899 as the title of a painting of the dog Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone...
store in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
's Trafford Centre
Trafford Centre
The Trafford Centre is a large indoor shopping centre and leisure complex situated in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford in Greater Manchester, close to the Trafford Park industrial estate and approximately 5 miles from Manchester city centre. It is the highest valued shopping centre in the...
. They also made many television appearances, performing on programmes such as CD:UK
CD:UK
CD:UK was a British music television programme. Originally run in conjunction with SMTV Live, the programme was first aired on ITV on 29 August 1998 to rival the BBC's Live & Kicking and was the replacement for The Chart Show, which had been airing on the network for nine and a half years.In...
, GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
, Popworld
Popworld
Popworld was a British television programme that was broadcast on Channel 4, offering pop news, trivia, gossip, interviews and music videos, as well as musical performances from the most recent top artists....
, RI:SE
RI:SE
RI:SE was a breakfast television show made by Princess Productions in collaboration with BSkyB for Channel 4 in the UK. It was scheduled to replace The Big Breakfast after declining ratings. It launched on 29 April 2002...
, Richard and Judy
Richard and Judy
Richard and Judy is the name informally given to Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, a married couple who are both British television presenters and columnists. Since their marriage, their television appearances have been largely made as a couple. They are best known for presenting This Morning and...
, Smile
Smile (TV series)
Smile was a British Sunday morning children's programme created by production company Darrall Macqueen Ltd for CBBC. It first aired in 2002 and was originally shown on the CBBC Channel. It was moved to BBC Two to make way for Dick and Dom in da Bungalow. Although Dick and Dom finished in 2006,...
, This Morning
This Morning (TV series)
This Morning is a British daytime television programme broadcast on ITV. As of September 2011, its main presenters are Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, and Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes, with various other presenters standing in for illness or contributing to sections of the programme.The...
, Top of the Pops Saturday
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
, and UK Top 40: CBBC Viewers' Vote
UK Top 40 (TV series)
UK Top 40 was a charts-based programme which aired on Sundays at 6pm on the CBBC channel from 2002 to 2005. The Show relaunched in Autumn 2002 along with the new CBBC line up...
. They performed on Popstars again on 22 December, just moments after finding out their single was the Christmas number one. Wearing all-white outfits, the performance included lights and smoke as well as adlibs referencing the number one. They also sang "Sound of the Underground" on the Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
Christmas special, which airs annually on Christmas day.
The song was performed on shows like Tops of the Pop and The Saturday Show
The Saturday Show (BBC TV series)
The Saturday Show was a BBC children's Saturday morning show that first aired in 2001, replacing the popular Live & Kicking. It had a mix of audience participation, cartoons, games and gunge. Initially it was presented by Dani Behr and Joe Mace. They left in 2002 and were replaced by Fearne Cotton...
during 2003. It was also performed at a number of live events in 2003, such as Ireland's ChildLine Concert
ChildLine Concert
The ChildLine Concert is an annual pop music charity event which has taken place in Ireland since 1997. As the name suggests the money raised by the concert is donated to the young person's charity, ChildLine and many of the attendants are also children...
, Spring Break, Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
Silver Clef
Silver Clef Award
The Silver Clef Award is an annual music award event based in the UK, which has been running since as early as 1976.-History:The Silver Clef fund-raising organization was founded in 1976 by musicians and managers from the British music industry to support all the charity and awarding activities of...
, Party in the Park
Party in the Park
Party in the Park is the generic name given to music concerts organised by various radio stations and local authorities in England and Wales, typically in large parks during the summer.-Leeds' Party in the Park:...
, Live & Loud, and the West Belfast Festival. Girls Aloud began to promote the song's release across continental Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, which involved appearances at Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
's TMF Awards and on Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
's VIVA Interaktiv and the German version of Top of the Pops. In the United Kingdom, Girls Aloud performed "Sound of the Underground" at the 2003 Disney Channel Kids Awards (where it was named Best Single), the Children in Need
Children in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
telethon, and once again at 2003's Top of the Pops Christmas special. Girls Aloud returned to Ireland's ChildLine in 2004. It was also performed for the group's MTV special, as seen on their DVD Girls on Film
Girls on Film (DVD)
Girls On Film is the first music DVD by Girls Aloud and was released in 2005. The video contained all of their music videos at the time of release. It contained some of their most memorable television performances, and footage from their MTV special Girls Aloud - The Show...
.
Since its release, "Sound of the Underground" has been included on each of Girls Aloud's tours. The track was included as the encore
Encore (concert)
An encore is an additional performance added to the end of a concert, from the French "encore", which means "again", "some more"; multiple encores are not uncommon. Encores originated spontaneously, when audiences would continue to applaud and demand additional performance from the artist after the...
to their 2005 tour What Will the Neighbours Say? Live
What Will the Neighbours Say? Live
What Will the Neighbours Say? Live is Girls Aloud's first concert tour, in support of the group's second studio album What Will the Neighbours Say?...
. The performance included a dance break
Break (music)
In popular music, a break is an instrumental or percussion section or interlude during a song derived from or related to stop-time – being a "break" from the main parts of the song or piece....
and ended with an explosion of pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics is the science of using materials capable of undergoing self-contained and self-sustained exothermic chemical reactions for the production of heat, light, gas, smoke and/or sound...
. For 2006's Chemistry Tour
Chemistry Tour
The Chemistry Tour is Girls Aloud's second concert tour, in support of the group's third studio album Chemistry. Girls Aloud performed ten dates in various arenas across the United Kingdom, making it their shortest tour. The tour began in Nottingham on 22 May 2006 and concluded in London on 3 June...
, the song was accompanied by new choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
involving chairs, while 2007's The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits Tour
The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits Tour
The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits Tour is Girls Aloud's third concert tour, in support of the group's first greatest hits album The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits...
saw the group in black-and-white variations on a suit
Suit (clothing)
In clothing, a suit is a set of garments made from the same cloth, consisting of at least a jacket and trousers. Lounge suits are the most common style of Western suit, originating in the United Kingdom as country wear...
. The song was slightly remixed for 2008's Tangled Up Tour
Tangled Up Tour
The Tangled Up Tour was the fourth concert tour third arena tour, by British pop group Girls Aloud, in support of the group's fourth studio album Tangled Up. The tour was initially announced to reach arenas across the United Kingdom in November 2007. The shows commenced in Belfast on 3 May 2008 and...
, during which Girls Aloud performed it in the first section alongside male dancers. "Sound of the Underground" was also included on 2009's Out of Control Tour
Out of Control Tour
The Out of Control Tour is Girls Aloud's fourth arena-based concert tour and their fifth tour overall. The tour started on 24 April 2009 in Manchester's MEN Arena, with the final show on 6 June 2009 in Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena...
; flames burst out of the stage as the group sang and danced.
The single has also been performed at Girls Aloud's appearances at V Festival
V Festival
The V Festival is an annual music festival held in England during the penultimate weekend in August. The event is held at two parks simultaneously which share the same bill; artists perform at one location on Saturday and then swap on Sunday. The sites are located at Hylands Park in Chelmsford and...
in 2006 and 2008, as well as their two nights supporting Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
. It was showcased during Girls Aloud's 2007 appearance on The Album Chart Show
The Album Chart Show
The Album Chart Show is a British television programme shown on Channel 4 that showcases the biggest and best album releases from the UK Top 100 Album Chart. It also gives up-and-coming talent a chance to make their mark on a 1000 strong audience by performing live...
, where they performed songs from their greatest hits album. They also performed it on their one-off variety show The Girls Aloud Party
The Girls Aloud Party
The Girls Aloud Party was a one-off Christmas variety show starring British girl group Girls Aloud, produced for ITV. The show was aired on 13 December 2008, in between The X Factor series finale and its results show....
. The group was accompanied by Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 1996. They were named after the South African football club Kaizer Chiefs....
, who led into "Sound of the Underground" with their own track "Never Miss a Beat
Never Miss a Beat
"Never Miss a Beat" is a song by the British indie rock band Kaiser Chiefs that was released as the lead single from the band's third album Off with Their Heads on 6 October 2008. The song was produced by Mark Ronson and features backing vocals from Lily Allen and members of the rock group New...
".
In 2011 it was confirmed by Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud
Girls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
's manager Hilary Shaw that a brand new remix of "Sound Of The Underground" will be recorded for the band with new lyrics for their tenth anniversary.
Cover versions
- The 4 Of UsThe 4 of UsThe 4 Of Us are a rock band from Newry, County Down, Northern Ireland, best known outside Ireland for their output in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
on Even Better than the Real Thing Vol. 1Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 1Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 1 is an Irish charity album featuring a variety of artists performing acoustic cover versions of popular songs. It was released in 2003 by RMG Chart Entertainment Ltd. The songs on the album were recorded live and acoustic on The Ray D'Arcy Show on Today FM.The... - SnuffSnuff (band)Snuff are a British punk rock band formed in Hendon in 1986. Their name reportedly came about after a long discussion about names ended up with one of them claiming "That's Enough", which was then shortened to Snuff...
on Greasy Hair Makes Money
Track listings and formats
UK CD1 / Australia / New Zealand (Polydor / 0658272)- "Sound of the Underground" — 3:41
- "Stay Another DayStay Another Day"Stay Another Day" is an award-winning 1994 pop song recorded by British boy band East 17. It was released in late 1994 and became their first and only UK number-one single reaching Christmas number one, and also topped the charts in Sweden, Ireland and Denmark.-Background and release:"Stay Another...
" (Tony MortimerTony MortimerAnthony Michael "Tony" Mortimer is a British songwriter, composer, singer and rapper.-Career:Mortimer is a member of the 1990s, UK chart-topping boy band, East 17, with who had seven Top 10 singles and four hit albums between 1992 and 1997...
, Rob Kean, Dominic HawkenDominic HawkenDominic J. Hawken was a keyboard player and session musician in the 1990s, originally playing with Boy George and Marilyn.In 1994, he co-wrote 'Stay Another Day', the UK number one selling single performed by East 17...
) — 4:24 - "Sound of the Underground" (Brian Higgins Remix) — 4:40
UK CD2 (Polydor / 0658202)
- "Sound of the Underground" — 3:41
- "Stay Another Day" (Instrumental) — 4:24
- "Girls Aloud Interview" — 7:13
Germany (Polydor / 0654325)
- "Sound of the Underground" — 3:41
- "Stay Another Day" — 4:24
- "Sound of the Underground" (Brian Higgins Remix) — 4:40
- "Sound of the Underground" (Flip & Fill Remix) — 5:36
- "Girls Aloud Interview" — 7:13
The Singles Boxset (CD1)
- "Sound of the Underground" — 3:41
- "Stay Another Day" — 4:24
- "Sound of the Underground" (Brian Higgins Remix) — 4:40
- "Stay Another Day" (Instrumental) — 4:24
- "Girls Aloud Interview" — 7:13
- "Sound of the Underground" (Flip & Fill Remix) — 5:36
- "Sound of the Underground" (Instrumental Breakdown Mix) — 3:36
Credits and personnel
- Guitar: Shawn Lee
- Mastering: Dick Beetham for 360 Mastering
- Mixing and additional production: Jeremy Wheatley for 365 Artists
- Production: Brian Higgins, Xenomania
- Programming and keyboards: Nick Coler, Matt Gray, Tim "Rolf" Larcombe, Tim Powell
- Songwriting: Miranda CooperMiranda CooperMiranda Eleanor De Fonbrune Cooper has been on the UK charts longer than any other female songwriter in the country. In 2007 Harper's Bazaar wrote of her: ‘If it's a hit you want, you'd better talk to Cooper...
, Brian HigginsBrian Higgins (producer)Brian Thomas Higgins is a British music producer who has written and produced albums and tracks for several highly successful pop music singers and groups, most notably Girls Aloud, through his Xenomania production group...
, Niara ScarlettNiara ScarlettNiara Scarlett is a British born singer-songwriter, perhaps most famous for her work with British production house Xenomania. Scarlett appeared on a number of dub, garage, grime, and house singles in the latter half of the 1990s and the 2000s.-Background:... - Vocals: Girls AloudGirls AloudGirls Aloud are a British and Irish pop girl group based in London. They were created through the ITV1 talent show Popstars The Rivals in 2002. The group consists of Cheryl Cole , Nadine Coyle, Sarah Harding, Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh. They are signed to Fascination Records, a Polydor...
- Published by Warner/Chappell MusicWarner/Chappell MusicWarner/Chappell Music, Inc. is an American music publishing company, and a division of the Warner Music Group. The company traces its origins back to 1811 and the founding of Chappell & Company, a music publishing company and instrument shop on London’s Bond Street that, in 1929, began a rapid...
and Xenomania Music - Special thanks to Eve Bicker, Giselle Sommerville, and Louise Griffiths.
Charts
| Chart (2002/2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
Certifications
| Country | Certification Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... (sales thresholds) |
Sales | Shipments |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Platinum | 557,000 | 600,000 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2002–2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (2002 2002 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2002.-Events:*February 3 – U2 perform during the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXVI... ) |
17 |
| Ireland (2003 2003 in music -January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested... ) |
10 |
| UK Singles (2003 2003 in music -January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested... ) |
21 |
Decade-end charts
| Chart (2000–2009) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles | 40 |