"Levels " (stylised as "LE7ELS ") is a Big Room House piece by Avicii . An early instrumental version of the song was first played by Avicii during an appearance on BBC Radio 1's Essential Mix in December 2010, while the final version with Etta James's vocals was first performed at the Ultra Music Festival in March 2011. "Levels" was officially released on 28 October 2011 and peaked at number one in Sweden and on the Dance music charts in the United States and became a top ten hit in Austria , Belgium , Bosnia-Herzegovina , Denmark , Germany , Greece , Hungary , Ireland , Italy , the Netherlands , Norway , Switzerland and the United Kingdom .[ 1]
"Levels" contains a vocal sample from the 1962 gospel -inspired song "Something's Got a Hold on Me " by Etta James , as written by Leroy Kirkland , Pearl Woods and James. It is the same sample previously used in Pretty Lights ' 2006 song "Finally Moving" from his debut album, Taking Up Your Precious Time . Flo Rida's single "Good Feeling ", which became a worldwide hit in late 2011, was primarily influenced by "Levels" and its Etta James sample.[ 2] [ 3] Many fans and critics consider "Levels" to be Avicii's greatest song and one of the greatest EDM songs of all time, mostly due to its chart success and the recognisable synth riff.[ 4]
Composition
"Levels" is a big room house song containing elements of soul, EDM and house, featuring heavy and high-pitched synths, a quiet bassline and beat. The song is set in common time with a tempo of 126 beats per minute. It was produced in the key of C♯ minor , with a simple chord progression of C#m-E-B-A. It samples lyrics from Etta James's 1962 single, "Something's Got a Hold on Me ", only consisting of "Oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah. Get a feeling that I never never never had before. No, no. I get a good feeling, yeah".
Remixes
The song has been remixed by several artists, including Cazzette and Skrillex . It has been used in a mashup with "Somebody That I Used to Know " by Gotye featuring Kimbra titled "Levels That I Used to Know" and another mashup with "Good Feeling " by Flo Rida titled "Good Levels" which has been played on some club radio stations. George Monev made a popular edit to this song which reverses the track.[ 5] The song was re-worked to feature vocals from South Korean K-pop singer Im Seulong of 2AM . The single was released in South Korea on 5 May 2013 via digital music outlets.[ 6]
Usage in popular culture
"Levels" was featured in the pilot of American action-adventure TV series Arrow .[ 7] [ 8] It is also in the repertoire of the University of Southern California Spirit of Troy marching band, including being used at USC Trojans football games whenever an opponent is penalised.[ 9]
Track listing
Digital download[ 10] Title 1. "Levels" 3:19
Digital download – EP[ 11] Title 1. "Levels" (Radio Edit) 3:19 2. "Levels" (Original Version) 5:38 3. "Levels" (Instrumental Radio Edit) 4. "Levels" (Instrumental Version) 5:38 Total length: 17:54
Digital download – Remixes EP[ 12] Title 1. "Levels" 5:38 2. "Levels" (Skrillex Remix) 4:41 3. "Levels" (Cazzette 's NYC Mode Mix) 5:54 4. "Levels" (Instrumental) 5:38 Total length: 21:51
Charts and certifications
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Chart (2012)
Position
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40 )[ 48]
11
Germany (Media Control AG)[ 49]
23
UK Singles Chart[ 50]
59
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs[ 51]
32
Certifications
Release history
See also
References
^ Chart history of Levels at acharts.us
^ "ACE Title Search - GOOD FEELIN' " . ASCAP. Retrieved 3 November 2011 .
^ Good Feeling (liner notes). David Guetta . Atlantic Records , Poe Boy Entertainment , Warner Music . 2011. 075678824685.{{cite AV media notes }}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link )
^ "Avicii's 10 Best Songs: Critics' Picks" . Billboard . Retrieved 2017-08-25 .
^ "Levels (Remixes) [LE7ELS] :: Beatport" . Beatport.com. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2012 .
^ [싱글] Levels With 슬옹 From 2AM | Daum 뮤직 :: 언제 어디서나 Music on Daum
^ "Arrow Music | Season 1 - Episode 1" . Cwtv.com. Retrieved April 28, 2014 .
^ "Arrow Review: A Man in a Green Hood" . TV Fanatic . October 10, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2014 .
^ Hannah Karp (Dec 28, 2012). "What to Play After Every Play". Wall Street Journal .
^ "Levels - Single by Avicii on Apple Music" . iTunes . Retrieved 2017-02-09 .
^ "Levels - EP by Avicii on Apple Music" . iTunes . Retrieved 2017-02-09 .
^ "Levels (Remixes) - EP by Avicii on Apple Music" . iTunes . Retrieved 2017-02-09 .
^ "Avicii – Levels" . ARIA Top 50 Singles .
^ "Avicii – Levels" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40 .
^ "Avicii – Levels" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50 .
^ "Avicii – Levels" (in French). Ultratop 50 .
^ "Brazil" (PDF) . ABPD . October 6, 2001. Retrieved April 1, 2014 .
^ "Avicii Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)" . Billboard .
^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 15. týden 2012 in the date selector .
^ "Avicii – Levels" . Tracklisten .
^ "Avicii: Levels" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat .
^ "Avicii – Levels" (in French). Les classement single .
^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Dance Top 40 lista . Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista . Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
^ "Chart Track: Week 44, 2011" . Irish Singles Chart .
^ "Avicii – Levels" . Top Digital Download .
^ "Luxembourg Digital Songs - February 4, 2012" . Billboard . Retrieved 30 April 2013 .
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Avicii" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 .
^ Dance Top 30 : 26/11/2011 (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
^ "Avicii – Levels" (in Dutch). Single Top 100 . Retrieved January 5, 2014.
^ 3fm Mega Top 50 : 05/11/2011 (in Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
^ "Avicii – Levels" . VG-lista .
^ "Avicii – Levels" . Top 40 Singles .
^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video" . Polish Dance Top 50 . Retrieved 2011-12-15.
^ "Top 100 radio and tv" . Media forest. Retrieved 12 Feb 2012 .
^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100" . Official Charts Company .
^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201212 into search .
^ "Avicii – Levels" Canciones Top 50 .
^ "Avicii – Levels" . Singles Top 100 .
^ "Avicii – Levels" . Swiss Singles Chart .
^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40" . Official Charts Company .
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100" . Official Charts Company .
^ "Avicii Chart History (Hot 100)" . Billboard .
^ "Avicii Chart History (Pop Songs)" . Billboard .
^ "Avicii Chart History (Dance Club Songs)" . Billboard .
^ 2011 MTV EMA - News - MTV.de Archived 2012-01-09 at the Wayback Machine
^ " "Loca People" - Hit of the Year 2011 in Poland!" . ZPAV . Dj Promotion. 2011. Archived from the original on 2015-12-25. Retrieved 2012-01-07 .
^ "MAHASZ Rádiós TOP 100 2012" (in Hungarian). Mahasz. Retrieved 18 January 2013 .
^ "Top 100 Singles Jahrescharts 2012" (in German). VIVA . Viacom International Media Networks . Archived from the original on 6 January 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2013 .
^ "Top 100 Singles of 2012" . BBC Radio 1 . BBC Online . 31 December 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2013 .
^ "The Best of 2012: The Year In Music" . Retrieved 2012-12-16 .
^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2014 Singles" (PDF) . Australian Recording Industry Association .
^ "Austrian single certifications – Avicii – Levels" (in German). IFPI Austria.
^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 2012" . Ultratop . Hung Medien.
^ "Canadian single certifications – Avicii – Levels" . Music Canada . Retrieved 23 August 2013 .
^ "Certificeringer" . IFPI Denmark . Retrieved 25 January 2012 .
^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Avicii; ' Levels' )" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie .
^ "Italian single certifications – Avicii – Levels" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Select "2012" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "Levels" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Singoli" under "Sezione".
^ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart" . Recording Industry Association of New Zealand . Archived from the original on March 6, 2012. Retrieved March 6, 2012 .
^ "Trofe Oversikt" (in Norwegian). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry of Norway. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2013 .
^ "Veckolista Singlar - Vecka 23, 8 juni 2012" . Sverigetopplistan (in Swedish). GLF . Archived from the original on 2014-05-31. Retrieved 2013-05-24 .
^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (' Levels' )" . IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
^ id MUST BE PROVIDED for UK CERTIFICATION.
^ "RIAA" . Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved April 13, 2012 .
^ Grein, Paul (March 26, 2014). "Chart Watch: Two Movie Songs In Top 5" . Yahoo Music . Retrieved March 30, 2014 .
^ "Certificeringer - Avicii - Levels" . IFPI Denmark . Retrieved 6 September 2014 .
^ iTunes - Music - Levels - EP by Avicii
^ iTunes - Music - Levels - EP by Avicii
^ iTunes - Music - Levels - EP by Avicii
^ iTunes - Muziek - 'Levels - EP' van Avicii
^ Levels - EP by Avicii iTunes
^ Levels: Avicii: Amazon.de: MP3-Downloads
^ Levels (2-Track): Amazon.de: Musik
^ iTunes - Music - Levels - Single by Avicii
^ Levels - EP by Avicii iTunes
External links
Studio albums Extended plays Singles Featured singles Other songs Concert tours Film Related articles