Fade into You

For the episode of The Vampire Diaries, see Fade into You (The Vampire Diaries).

"Fade into You"
Single by Mazzy Star
from the album So Tonight That I Might See
B-side	"I'm Gonna Bake My Biscuit" "Under My Car" "Bells Ring" (acoustic) "Halah"
Released	September 1993 (1993-09) [1]
Genre	Alternative rock [2] [3] alternative country [3] dream pop [4] [3]
Length	4:55
Label	Capitol
Composer(s)	David Roback
Lyricist(s)	Hope Sandoval
Producer(s)	David Roback
Mazzy Star singles chronology
"Five String Serenade" (1993) "Fade into You" (1993) "She's My Baby" (1995)
Audio sample
Album version, as it appeared on So Tonight That I Might See file help

"Fade into You" is a song by American alternative rock band Mazzy Star from their second studio album, So Tonight That I Might See (1993). The song was written by lyricist Hope Sandoval and composer David Roback, who also served as producer. The song reached number three on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1994 and is Mazzy Star's only single to appear on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 44. The song also charted at number 48 on the UK Singles Chart and number three in Iceland.

In 2021, Rolling Stone ranked "Fade into You" at number 468 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". ^[5] Pitchfork included the song at number 19 on their list of the "Top 200 Tracks of the 90s". ^[6] Listeners of Australian alternative music radio station Triple J ranked the song the 32nd greatest of 1994. ^[7] Evan Rytlewski of Pitchfork conferred the title of "the dreamiest single of the '90s" on the track. ^[8]

Music videos

Two music videos were made for "Fade into You". The first was directed by Merlyn Rosenberg and premiered on MTV's late-night alternative rock program 120 Minutes in October 1993, ^[9] a few weeks after the album's release. Known as the Black and White version for its monochromic content throughout, the intentionally grainy, distorted footage shows the band performing in a darkened Burlesque-era ballroom, and is interspersed with footage of Sandoval and Roback at various sites around San Francisco, including the All Seasons Hotel (now the Crescent Hotel)^{[ when? ]} and neighboring Stockton Street tunnel, coupled with genuine footage of the same sites shot in the 1930s.

The second music video was directed by Kevin Kerslake and first aired in March 1994. ^[10] The video features the band performing in front of a projection screen depicting white clouds in a black sky, and is interlaced with slow-motion footage of the band in various locales in the Mojave Desert. The tree that can be seen in the video behind Sandoval could still be seen standing in 2024. It has the initials JC and SW carved into the tree in tribute to a deep connection of two of the bandmates. It is located just off of Route 66.^{[ citation needed ]} Conversely, the old building seen in the video has decayed significantly and is partially collapsed, though it can still be found off of Interstate 40. Only the first music video was broadcast internationally.

Additionally, a recording of a live performance of the song, "Mazzy Star - Fade Into You | Live at Shoreline Amphitheatre (1994)", was uploaded to the Alt Vault YouTube page in 2021 and has accumulated over 31M views. ^[11]

Track listings

All songs were written and composed by Hope Sandoval and David Roback except where noted.

US and Australasian CD single (C2 7243 8 58121 2 5; 88114482) [12] [13] "Fade into You" – 4:52 "I'm Gonna Bake My Biscuit" – 3:37 (Minnie McCoy) "Under My Car" – 3:35 "Bells Ring" (acoustic version) – 4:36 US cassette single (4 km 7243 8 58286 4 5) [14] "Fade into You" – 4:52 "Halah" – 3:12 UK CD single (CDCL 720) [15] "Fade into You" "Blue Flower" (Peter Blegvad, Anthony Moore) "I'm Gonna Bake My Biscuit" (McCoy) UK 10-inch vinyl (10CL 720) [16] "Fade into You" "Five String Serenade" (album version) (Arthur Lee) "Under My Car" "Bells Ring" (acoustic version)

Australian cassette single (8814484) [17] "Fade into You" (LP version) – 4:52 "I'm Gonna Bake My Biscuit" (McCoy) – 3:37 US limited-edition in-store play CD (DPRO-79401) [18] "Fade into You" (album version) "Into Dust" (live from MTV Europe) "Ride It On" (live from MTV Europe) "Ghost Highway" (live from MTV Europe) "Blue Light" (live from MTV Europe) "I'm Gonna Bake My Biscuit" (McCoy) "Under My Car" "Bells Ring" (acoustic version) "Fade into You"

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Fade into You" Chart (1994–1995) Peak position Australia (ARIA) [19] 72 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [20] 83 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [21] 3 Scotland (OCC) [22] 54 UK Singles (OCC) [23] 48 US Billboard Hot 100 [24] 44 US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [25] 3 US Pop Airplay ( Billboard ) [26] 19 US Top 100 Pop Singles ( Cash Box ) [27] 33 2025 weekly chart performance for "Fade into You" Chart (2025) Peak position Israel International Airplay (Media Forest) [28] 20 Norway (IFPI Norge) [29] 98

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Fade into You" Chart (1994) Position Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [30] 51 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard) [31] 18

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Fade into You"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [32]	Gold	45,000‡
Italy (FIMI) [33]	Gold	50,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ) [34]	2× Platinum	60,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [35]	Gold	30,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [36]	Platinum	600,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Fade into You"

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	September 1993	Modern rock radio	Capitol	[1]
	April 1994	CD		[37]
United Kingdom	August 1994	10-inch vinyl CD		[38]

Cover versions

• The Irish rock band Inhaler released a cover of the song in 2020. ^[39]
• The Australian singer Mallrat released a cover of the song in 2022. ^[40]
• The American rock band Sponge released a cover of the song in 2024. ^[41]
• The Australian alt rock band The Rubens released a cover of the song in 2024. ^[42]
• The side-project of Interpol singer Paul Banks, The Walkmen's Matt Barrick, Josh Kaufman, and Muzz covered the song in 2020. ^{[43] [44]}

Usage in media

In 2013, Vulture named "Fade into You" the most overused song in film and television, giving examples such as Gilmore Girls , CSI: Crime Scene Investigation , The Following , Psych , Starship Troopers and End of Watch . ^[45] The song was used in several additional films and television shows, such as American Horror Story: Hotel , Showtime's Yellowjackets , ABC's Desperate Housewives , Netflix's Virgin River , Hulu's Dopesick and Amazon Prime Video's Catherine Called Birdy . ^[46]

References

1. Borzillo, Carrie (August 13, 1994). "Capital Catches a Rising Mazzy Star". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 33. p. 7. Capitol has been working the first single, 'Fade Into You,' since last September, but modern rock radio only began to show serious support in the last few months.
2. Terich, Jeff (April 5, 2012). "10 Essential Dream Pop Albums". Treble. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
3. "The 50 Best Alt-Rock Love Songs". Spin.com.
4. Moreland, Quinn (June 14, 2020). "Mazzy Star: So Tonight That I Might See Album Review". Pitchfork . Retrieved July 8, 2020.
5. "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone . September 15, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
6. "The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s: 20-01". Pitchfork. September 3, 2010.
7. "The Hottest 100 Archive: 1994". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. November 11, 2017. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
8. Pitchfork (September 28, 2022). "The 150 Best Albums of the 1990s". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
9. "MTV 120 Minutes" (PDF). Gavin Report. November 5, 1993. p. 44.
10. "MTV 120 Minutes + Dreamtime (March 20, 1994)". YouTube. March 20, 1994. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
11. Alt Vault (November 14, 2020). Mazzy Star - Fade Into You | Live at Shoreline Amphitheatre (1994) . Retrieved April 16, 2025– via YouTube.
12. Fade into You (US CD single liner notes). Capitol Records. 1994. C2 7243 8 58121 2 5.
13. Fade into You (Australasian CD single liner notes). Capitol Records. 1994. 88114482.
14. Fade into You (US cassette single sleeve). Capitol Records. 1994. 4KM 7243 8 58286 4 5.
15. Fade into You (UK CD single liner notes). Capitol Records. 1994. CDCL 720, 7243 8 81534 2 3.
16. Fade into You (UK 10-inch vinyl sleeve). Capitol Records. 1994. 10CL 720, 7243 8 81534 0 9.
17. Fade into You (Australian cassette single sleeve). Capitol Records. 1994. 8814484.
18. Fade into You (US limited in-store play CD liner notes). Capitol Records. 1994. DPRO-79401.
19. "Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 12 Mar 1995". The ARIA Report – via Imgur.
20. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2662." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
21. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (24.–29.11 '94)". DV (in Icelandic). November 24, 1994. p. 16. ISSN   1021-8254 – via Timarit.is.
22. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
23. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
24. "Mazzy Star Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
25. "Mazzy Star Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
26. "Mazzy Star Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
27. "Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles – Week Ending November 12, 1994". Cash Box . Retrieved March 21, 2021.
28. "מדיה פורסט – המצעד הבינלאומי השבועי – Week 26 – 22/06 – 28/06/2025" [Media Forest – International Weekly Chart – Week 26 – 22/06 – 28/06/2025] (Select the year 2025 and the option "26 22-06-25 28-06-25" from the stretched lists, then click "שירים מובילים - רדיו - בינלאומי" to see the chart.) (in Hebrew). Media Forest. June 29, 2025. Retrieved June 30, 2025.
29. "Singel topp 100 − Uke 37, 2025" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norge . Retrieved September 13, 2025.
30. "Árslistinn 1994". DV (in Icelandic). January 2, 1995. p. 25. ISSN   1021-8254 – via Timarit.is.
31. "The Year in Music 1994 – Hot Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 52. December 24, 1994. p. YE-62. ISSN   0006-2510 – via Google Books.
32. "Danish single certifications – Mazzy Star – Fade into You". IFPI Danmark . Retrieved December 18, 2024.
33. "Italian single certifications – Mazzy Star – Fade into You" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved April 13, 2025.
34. "New Zealand single certifications – Mazzy Star – Fade into You". Radioscope. Retrieved January 10, 2025.Type Fade into You in the "Search:" field.
35. "Spanish single certifications – Mazzy Star – Fade into You". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España . Retrieved April 13, 2025.
36. "British single certifications – Mazzy Star – Fade into You". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved September 7, 2024.
37. Borzillo, Carrie (April 23, 1994). "Capital Catches a Rising Mazzy Star". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 17. p. 1. CD-5 with unreleased bonus tracks out now.
38. "Single Releases" (PDF). Music Week . August 13, 1994. p. 25.
39. Matthew Neale (July 24, 2020). "Inhaler share sweeping cover of Mazzy Star's 'Fade Into You'". nme.com. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
40. Disalvo, Tom. "Listen to Mallrat's new cover of Mazzy Star's 'Fade Into You'". nme.com. NME. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
41. Danielle Chelosky (October 10, 2024). "Sponge – 'Fade Into You' (Mazzy Star Cover)". stereogum.com. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
42. "Behind The Rubens' cover of Mazzy Star 'Fade Into You' for Like A Version". triple j. August 15, 2024. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
43. Muzz - Topic (December 8, 2020). Fade Into You . Retrieved April 18, 2025– via YouTube.
44. "Muzz interview: Supergroup delve into their stellar Covers EP and influences - Daily Star". December 12, 2020. Archived from the original on December 12, 2020. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
45. Riesman, Abraham Josephine (October 1, 2013). "Video: Is Mazzy Star's 'Fade Into You' the Most Overused Song in Film and TV?". Vulture. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
46. December 8, Jessica Leon; EST, 2022 at 10:00 AM. "Best of 2022: How the song 'Fade into You' made its way into multiple shows (and a movie)". EW.com. Retrieved August 28, 2023.