Shooting Stars (Bag Raiders song) explained

Shooting Stars
Cover:Shooting Stars Single.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Bag Raiders
Album:Turbo Love! and Bag Raiders
Recorded:2007–2008
Genre:
Label:Modular Recordings
Producer:Bag Raiders
Prev Title:Turbo Love!
Prev Year:2008
Next Title:Way Back Home
Next Year:2010

"Shooting Stars" is a song by Australian electronic duo Bag Raiders. The song was originally featured on the band's EP, Turbo Love, which released on October 8, 2008.[2] The band signed with Modular Recordings in June 2009 and "Shooting Stars" was released in August 2009.[3] The song peaked at number 62 on the ARIA charts and was voted number 18 in the Triple J Hottest 100, 2009. The song is sung by Rhys Taylor[4] .

In 2013, "Shooting Stars" was used on Australia's Got Talent by contestant Tommy Franklin, which led to the song re-entered the ARIA charts and peaking at number 38.[5]

The song received international attention in February 2017 when the song became a part of a popular Internet meme, thus cementing the track's legacy as a sleeper hit. The song reached number 11 on Billboard's Dance/Electronic Songs chart and number 9 on the Billboard Bubbling Under chart that year.

In 2015, the song was listed at number 29 in In the Mix's '100 Greatest Australian Dance Tracks of All Time' with Dave Ruby Howe saying "[it] was a bright, euphoric tonic ... with an instantly-classic chorus".[6]

History

In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, Jack Glass, a member of the band, said that the single inspired him to create their self-titled album, claiming that "people loved Shooting Stars so much and we liked that direction of songwriting and developing a pop sensibility ourselves, too." Glass also said that the band also played half of the song in clubs before the band had realized that "people liked it and wanted to hear the whole thing."

Composition

The first part of the song is composed in E Lydian, and the second part is composed in G minor - both of which are modes of the tonic key of B major - and maintains a tempo of 125 BPM for the entire song. The song's chorus is only played at the end of the song.[7] The bass player is switched between the two band members in the verse and chorus.[8]

Reception

"Shooting Stars" was well received by music critics. Andrew Murfett of The Sydney Morning Herald described the song as "peppy track" and compared the song to works of Daft Punk.[9]

2016 and 2017 revival

After the death of Harambe the gorilla in May 2016, an animated tribute featuring the song, using clips from Ego's music video for "The Crazy Things We Do", spread on the internet.[10]

In 2017, the song received greater international attention when the song became a part of a popular internet meme. The video that boosted the popularity of the meme was an upload on Reddit titled "Fat man does amazing dive". In the meme, the song is usually accompanied with people falling with surreal, spacey backgrounds.[11] Chris Stracey, a member of the band, reacted to the meme, saying "At first we were like, ok this is funny I guess, but I didn't really get it so I thought "alright whatever". Once I started seeing a common theme though, such as the big guy jumping off the bridge into the river, that was the first one of the more recent stuff that really got me. So good! That and the Lady Gaga one is so funny" [referring to a mashup with Gaga’s performance during the [[Super Bowl LI halftime show|Super Bowl LI halftime]]].[12]

The song and its corresponding meme was later featured in the music video for the Katy Perry song "Swish Swish".[13]

New York Magazine referred to the meme as the "first big post-Vine meme."[14] Meanwhile, Daily Dot compared the meme to Neil Cicierega's 2010 viral video, Brodyquest.[15]

On 6 December 2017, Shooting Stars (along with the popular meme associated within the song) was featured in YouTube Rewind: The Shape of 2017.[16]

The official music video on YouTube has over 146.9 million views as of December 2023.[17]

Track listing

12" maxi[18]

  1. "Shooting Stars" – 3:55
  2. "Shooting Stars" (Siriusmo Remix) – 5:30
  3. "Shooting Stars" (Kris Menace Remix) – 7:29
  4. "Shooting Stars" (In Flagranti Remix) – 6:38

Covers

The song was first covered by Hidden Cat in 2009.[19] The song was later covered by American progressive house producer Elephante in 2014.[20] In 2020, Australian producer POOLCLVB and singer MARSHES officially released a cover of the song, although this cover was first uploaded to YouTube in 2015.[21]

In November 2022, Australian DJ, Flume and American singer, Toro y Moi covered the song for Triple J.[22]

In September 2023, Australian singer Troye Sivan released his song "Got Me Started", which samples the song's melody.[23]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2009–2010)Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[24] 62
Australia Dance (ARIA)[25] 12

Year-end charts

Chart (2009)Position
Australian Artist Singles (ARIA)[28] 43
Hottest 100 (Triple J)[29] 18

Use in other media

The song was featured during the end credits of Season 1, Episode 6 of the 2010 HBO series How to Make It in America.[31] In 2011, Madeon featured the song in his mashup, "Pop Culture".[32] The song was also featured on the soundtrack to NBA 2K16, in the playlist "Around the World".[33]

Notes and References

  1. News: Annabel . Ross . Music reviews: Iggy Pop, Lana Del Rey, Bon Iver and more . . 6 September 2019 . 23 October 2019 .
  2. News: Bag Raiders Turbo Love EP Release & Tour. 16 February 2017. Pedestrian.TV. 9 October 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20220901201301/https://www.pedestrian.tv/music/bag-raiders-turbo-love-ep-release-tour/. 1 September 2022. dead.
  3. Web site: Bag Raiders sign to Modular, tour. RA. 30 June 2009. 18 December 2023.
  4. Web site: 2011-11-25 . Bag Raiders . 2024-08-19 . ABC Rage . en-AU.
  5. News: El meme 'Shooting Stars' da un toque musical y psicodélico a las caídas épicas en internet. 9 August 2017. Verne. 22 February 2017. es.
  6. Web site: The 100 Greatest Australian Dance Tracks of All Time. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20151216224732/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/24303/20151216-0715/inthemix.junkee.com/the-100-greatest-australian-dance-tracks-of-all-time/27904.html. dead. 16 December 2015. 2015. 22 March 2019.
  7. News: Shooting Stars by Bag Raiders - Theorytab. 18 February 2017. Hook Theory.
  8. News: Carr. Michael. Cleopold Vs Bag Raiders: Tennis, Tambourines And Petty Theft - Music Feeds. 18 February 2017. Music Feeds. 5 August 2016.
  9. News: Murfett. Andrew. Pop can be a DJ's best friend. 18 February 2017. The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 November 2010.
  10. News: Wilson. Zanda. Here's Why Bag Raiders' Song 'Shooting Stars' Is A Meme Now - Music Feeds. 16 February 2017. Music Feeds. 14 February 2017.
  11. News: Earp. Joseph. 'Shooting Stars' meme blends epic fails with one electro track and it's taking over. 16 February 2017. Mashable. 9 February 2017.
  12. News: Bag Raiders Are Chuffed 'Shooting Stars' Is A Meme, But Have No Clue Why. 16 February 2017. Pedestrian.TV. 13 February 2017.
  13. News: Jenke. Tyler. Reid. Poppy. Finally, a 'Shooting Stars' meme reference that isn't ripping Bag Raiders off. 27 August 2017. The Industry Observer. 25 August 2017.
  14. News: Feldman. Brian. Shooting Stars Is the First Big Post-Vine Video Meme. 24 February 2017. Select All. 21 February 2017.
  15. News: Hathaway. Jay. From Trump to this naked old man, everyone's doin' the 'Shooting Stars' meme. 24 February 2017. The Daily Dot. 22 February 2017.
  16. News: Wu. Chen. YouTube's 2017 Rewind Video puts a (Mostly) Positive Spin on 2017 (and Fidget Spinners). 7 December 2017. Creativity Online. 6 December 2017.
  17. Web site: Bag Raiders-Shooting Stars (Official Video). 15 June 2021. YouTube. 22 July 2009.
  18. Web site: Bag Raiders - Shooting Stars. Discogs. 17 February 2017.
  19. News: Shepherd. Julianne Escobedo. Hidden Cat, "Shooting Stars". 18 February 2017. The FADER. 17 December 2009.
  20. News: Elephante - Shooting Stars (Bag Raiders Cover). 17 February 2017. Your EDM. 16 December 2014.
  21. News: Bag Raiders - Shooting Stars (POOLCLVB Cover). 19 June 2020. Dirty Disco. 27 April 2015.
  22. Web site: Brereton . Greta . 18 November 2022 . Watch Flume, Toro y Moi and shirtless dancers cover 'Shooting Stars' by Bag Raiders . 23 February 2023 . NME .
  23. Web site: 2023-09-20 . Troye Sivan Shares New Single "Got Me Started": Listen . 2023-09-20 . Stereogum . en.
  24. ARIA Top 100 Singles. The ARIA Report. 31 August 2009. 1018. 3–4. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20091004130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20091005-0000/issue1018.pdf. dead. 4 October 2009. 16 February 2017.
  25. ARIA Dance. The ARIA Report. 31 August 2009. 1018. 18. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20091004130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20091005-0000/issue1018.pdf. dead. 4 October 2009. 16 February 2017.
  26. ARIA Dance. The ARIA Report. 26 August 2013. 1226. 17. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20130918140000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20130919-0000/Issue1226.pdf. dead. 18 September 2013. 16 February 2017.
  27. Web site: Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés - SNEP (Week 9, 2017). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. French. 4 March 2017.
  28. News: ARIA Top 50 Australian Artists Singles 2009. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20100204130000/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/23790/20100205-0000/EOY2009.pdf. dead. 4 February 2010. 18 February 2017. www.aria.com.au.
  29. News: Triple J's 2009 Hottest 100 dissected. 18 February 2017. NewsComAu. 27 January 2010.
  30. 2017 Hot Dance/Electronic Songs. 18 December 2017. Billboard. 2017.
  31. News: Schiewe. Jessie. Bag Raiders @ The Independent. 18 February 2017. SF Weekly. 30 March 2016.
  32. News: Johnson. Bailey. "Pop Culture" mega-mash-up: 39 songs in three minutes. 27 August 2017. 12 July 2011.
  33. News: Makuch. Eddie. NBA 2K16's Biggest Soundtrack Ever Revealed. 16 February 2017. GameSpot. 25 July 2015.