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Midnight City
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Midnight City
| cover = Midnight city.jpeg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = M83
| album = Hurry Up, We're Dreaming
| released =
| recorded = 20102011
| studio = Creekside River Studios
| genre =
| length = 4:03
| label =
| writer =
| producer =
| prev_title = Black Hole
| prev_year = 2010
| next_title = Reunion
| next_year = 2012
| misc =
}}
"'Midnight City'" is a song by French electronic music band M83. The track was first released in France on 16 August 2011, as the lead single from the group's sixth studio album, 'Hurry Up, We're Dreaming' (2011). The song was written by Anthony Gonzalez, Yann Gonzalez, Morgan Kibby and Justin Meldal-Johnsen. The track saw international success, peaking at number eight in France and charting on 'Billboard' Alternative Songs and Rock Songs charts. Due to French network TF1's use of the song as the closing theme after the UEFA Euro 2012 football matches, the song topped the digital French chart. Elsewhere, "Midnight City" rose to acclaim in the United Kingdom in 2012, following its selection as the theme to reality TV show 'Made in Chelsea' and prominent usage for the BBC's London 2012 Olympic Games coverage; it peaked at number thirty-four on the UK Singles Chart.
Recording and release
Gonzalez's observations of Downtown Los Angeles at night helped inspire "Midnight City"'s lyrics.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4XnD6s66x8 M83 interview - Anthony Gonzalez (part 5)]. YouTube. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2011. Gonzalez created the song's opening riffs by heavily distorting his own voice. The song ends on a saxophone solo played by Fitz and the Tantrums' James King.Siese, April. [http://www.antiquiet.com/interviews/2011/11/jazzin-it-up-with-fitz-and-the-tantrums/ Doin That Voodoo With Fitz And The Tantrums]. Antiquiet.com. 21 November 2011. Retrieved 18 December 2011. Regarding the solo, Gonzalez said: "Sometimes a song needs an element to be finished. You know that this element has been overused in the past and is considered clichd or cheesy, but the song needs it."
Going with 'Hurry Up, We're Dreaming's theme of childhood, the artwork for the "Midnight City" single was meant to reflect the fascination a kid experiences while watching a fantasy, mystery, or science fiction film. Gonzalez described the single's cover as "a crazy looking alien, a sort of mix of owls and 'E.T.' and science fiction and fantasy movies like 'The Neverending Story.'"[http://blog.urbanoutfitters.com/features/m83 Features - M83's - Anthony Gonzalez] . Urban Outfitters. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
The song premiered online on 19 July 2011 as an MP3 download, and was officially released on 16 August 2011.
Critical reception
"Midnight City" received universal acclaim, and was hailed as one of the best songs of 2011. Pitchfork Media's Brandon Stosuy wrote: "'Midnight City' comes off like Gonzalez's '1979.' The parallels are there, from the instantly memorable riff to the gentle sense of longing".[http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/8726-the-top-100-tracks-of-2011/10/ The Top 100 Tracks of 2011]. Pitchfork Media. 12 December 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2011. Ryan Reed of PopMatters also praised the song, writing: "On this transcendent standout [...] Anthony Gonzalez and co-synth-scientist Justin Meldal-Johnsen build layer upon layer of keys, arena-sized drums, and vocal atmospherics (not mentioning one of the tastiest sax solos this side of a Springsteen record). The result? The synth Sistine Chapel."[http://www.popmatters.com/pm/feature/152008-the-75-best-songs-of-2011/P7 The 75 Best Songs of 2011]. PopMatters. 5 December 2011. Retrieved 5 December 2011. Josh Jackson of 'Paste' wrote that the song "[...] sees Anthony Gonzalez at his spacey, dramatic best," while 'Spin's Charles Aaron described the song as "[...] Korg synths set to 'stunned.'"Aaron, Charles. [https://www.spin.com/2011/12/spins-20-best-songs-2011/?page=0%2C8 SPIN's 20 Best Songs of 2011]. Spin. 9 December 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
The track was ranked fifth on Triple J's Hottest 100 listing for 2011.
Accolades
Music video
A music video for "Midnight City", directed by Fleur & Manu, was released on 17 October 2011. The video features telekinetic children who escape a federal facility and test their powers in an abandoned factory.Smith, K. [http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2011/10/watch-the-video-for-m83s-midnight-city.html Watch M83's "Midnight City" Video]. Paste. 18 October 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2011. The video is the first part of a trilogy which continues in the video for "Reunion" and is concluded in the video for "Wait".
According to M83, the video is a tribute to 'Akira', 'Village of the Damned', and 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX3k_QDnzHE Midnight City]. ilovem83.com. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
The orphanage from which the children escape was filmed at the Orphelinat Saint-Philippe in Meudon.
The warehouse where they try their power is the Hangar Y, also in Meudon.
The final scene where the children hold hands together as they watch the sun sets was shot on a rooftop of the "Indy bowling Paris La chapelle" in Porte de la Chapelle, in Paris.
The video had over 376 million views on YouTube as of August 2nd, 2022.
Performance and usage in media
M83 performed the song live on 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon' on 21 November 2011.Hogan, Marc. [https://www.spin.com/2011/11/m83-visit-saxy-midnight-city-fallon/ M83 Visit Saxy 'Midnight City' on 'Fallon']. Spin. 22 November 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011. In December 2011, the song was performed live on 'Last Call with Carson Daly'.Phillips, Amy. [http://pitchfork.com/news/44870-watch-m83-on-carson-daly/ Watch M83 on "Carson Daly"]. Pitchfork Media. 15 December 2011. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
"Midnight City" has appeared in several commercials, TV shows, games and movies after its release. The song was featured in a Victoria's Secret commercial, an advertisement for Renault Captur, a Gucci perfume commercial featuring Blake Lively, an advertisement for Ariel 3-in-1 Pods and a video commercial for Polish beer Lech.Jagernauth, Kevin. [http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/watch-nicolas-winding-refn-directed-gucci-premiere-ad-starring-blake-lively-20120801 Watch: Nicolas Winding Refn Directed Gucci Premiere Ad Starring Blake Lively]. Indiewire.com. 1 August 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2012.New campaign for Polish brewery LECH [http://www.schubertmusic.com/licensing,15 Licensing]. Schubert Music Publishing. Retrieved 8 March 2013. It served as the theme song to 'Made in Chelsea', something Gonzalez said was "an opportunity for people to hear my music who'd never listen to it otherwise."Richards, Sam. [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/dec/17/m83-anthony-gonzalez-synthpop?newsfeed=true M83's Anthony Gonzalez is ready for the fast lane]. The Guardian. 16 December 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2011. It was also featured in the final scene and closing credits of the HBO television series 'How to Make It in America.' In 2020, the song was used in the beginning of the first episode of the Danish-Norwegian television show Ragnarok. The song was used in the feature films 'Young & Beautiful' (2013), 'Katy Perry: Part of Me' (2012) and 'Warm Bodies' (2013). In 2013 the song was used in the first-season finale of 'The Mindy Project.' The song is featured in the pilot of 'Beauty & the Beast'. The song was also used in the soundtrack of Dutch TV movie 'Boys' (2014) and came out briefly in the movie '22 Jump Street'. In late 2012, the song was used in the seventh generation Nissan Sentra and the popular Disney Channel sitcom 'Liv and Maddie' premiered on September 15, 2013. In 2014, the song was used on Non Stop Pop FM in the Sony PlayStation 4, Microsoft Xbox One and PC update of 'Grand Theft Auto V', as well as featured on the soundtrack of the film 'Beyond the Lights' and the game GT Racing 2: The Real Car Experience.
The song was also used in several sports broadcasts. On 21 December 2011, "Midnight City" was used in the final moments of the second episode of HBO's television series, '24/7 Flyers-Rangers: The Road to the Winter Classic'.[http://www.hbo.com/sports/24-7-flyers-rangers-road-to-the-nhl-winter-classic/music/24-7-music.html 24/7 Music]. HBO. Retrieved 27 December 2011. The BBC used "Midnight City" as the theme music to their trail for the BBC coverage of the London 2012 Olympic Games. The trail was first broadcast just after midnight on the morning of 1 January 2012.Mosey, Roger. "Anticipating the BBC's 2012 coverage" [https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/rogermosey/2012/01/anticipating_the_bbcs_2012_cov.html]. BBC Sport. 1 January 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2012. ESPN used the song in its trailer for the second season of '30 for 30.'[http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=7925035 30 For 30 Volume 2 Trailer]. ESPN. 13 May 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2012. In its home country, the song was used by French network TF1 as the closing theme following the UEFA Euro 2012 football matches, which helped the song to top the digital chart.
The song was used in 2016 in the Emmy-winning episode of 'Black Mirror', "San Junipero".
In 2012, the song was used as the soundtrack for a campaign video of Julien Rochedy, the President of the youth electoral support committee of Front National. Gonzalez objected to the song's usage in the video, writing in a Facebook post that the Front National did not ask permission from him for use, and that M83 did not associate with any political parties.Snapes, Laura. [http://pitchfork.com/news/46083-m83-outraged-over-midnight-city-association-with-french-right-wing-political-party-le-front-national/M83 Outraged Over "Midnight City" Association With French Right Wing Political Party Le Front National]. Pitchfork Media. 10 April 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012.Valerio, Ivan. [https://archive.today/20120712015539/http://lelab.europe1.fr/t/le-fn-a-t-il-pille-les-droits-du-groupe-electro-m83-1767 Le FN a-t-il pill les droits du groupe lectro M83?]. Europe 1. 9 April 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
The song has been streamed over 764 million times on Spotify as of July 2022.
Track listing
Remix EP
On 27 September 2011, M83 released a remix EP in advance of the album. The following tracks were on the EP:[https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/midnight-city-remixes-ep/id466156352 Midnight City (Remixes) - EP]. iTunes Store. 27 September 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2011.Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
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