"Play" | ||||
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Single by Jax Jones and Years & Years | ||||
from the EP Snacks | ||||
Released | 28 November 2018 | |||
Genre | Deep house | |||
Length | 3:06 | |||
Label | Polydor | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Producer(s) |
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Jax Jones singles chronology | ||||
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Years & Years singles chronology | ||||
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"Play" is a song by English DJ Jax Jones and English band Years & Years, released as a single on 28 November 2018. It was included on Jones' Snacks EP. Sung by Olly Alexander, it is Jones' first track to feature male lead vocals since 2016's "House Work". [1] The song is also included in the track listing of Years & Years' second studio album Palo Santo , rereleased the same day as the single. [2]
The music video for the song depicts Jax Jones and Olly Alexander at a superstore, wherein they dance around on a conveyor belt while dodging food items. There are also fairly brief scenes of Jax as a cashier in the same store at the beginning and end of the video.
Jones stated that he wanted to work with Olly Alexander of Years & Years because of his "unique voice", later saying "it was great to collaborate with someone so down to earth and open to new ideas." On working together, Alexander said the pair "giggled the whole time and danced around. I wrote loads of ideas and then we picked the ones we liked and made the song out of it." [3]
Gay Times writer Daniel Megarry called the chorus "infectious" and labelled its sound UK garage, soul and house. [3]
The Vodafone Big Top 40 called the cover art a parody of Play-Doh. [4]
Jones announced the collaboration on 26 November 2018, revealing the song would be released two days later. [1]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [20] | Gold | 20,000‡ |
Poland (ZPAV) [21] | Platinum | 20,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [22] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |