Step It Up (song)

"Step It Up"
Single by Stereo MC's
from the album Connected
Released	23 November 1992 (1992-11-23) [1]
Genre	Acid jazz funk dance [2]
Length	4:59
Label	4th & Broadway
Songwriter(s)	Nick Hallam Rob Birch
Producer(s)	Stereo MC's
Stereo MC's singles chronology
"Connected" (1992) "Step It Up" (1992) "Ground Level" (1993)
Music video
"Step It Up" on YouTube

"Step It Up" is a song by British hip hop and electronic dance group Stereo MC's, released in November 1992 by 4th & Broadway as the second single from their third album, Connected (1992). It was written by Nick Hallam and Rob Birch, charting higher than both the band's previous single "Connected" and their next single "Ground Level". The single peaked at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart, number 13 in New Zealand, and number 87 in Australia. It appeared in the 1993 comedy film Wayne's World 2 and was also included on the 1996 compilation album The Beautiful Game .

Critical reception

American magazine Billboard described the song as a "lively unity anthem". ^[3] Billboard editor Larry Flick commented, "U.K. funketeers continue to effectively peddle their unique blend of retro-dance, traditional jazz, and hip-hop. Insinuating workout is bolstered by a smokin' trumpet solo and uplifting lyrics. Fans of the previous "Connected" will find this gem irresistible. Actually, this anthemic jam has the juice to win the group a whole new contingent of fans. Get on it". ^[4] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report found that their unique mix of musical influences place the Stereo MC's "among the freshest sounds to come along this year", remarking that "this uptempo entry contains the magic vibe that's brought them worldwide attention". ^[5] Andrew Smith from Melody Maker named it Single of the Week, ^[6] "ultra-dancey" and "this year's 'Lost In Music'". ^[7] He added, "You wonder where it's going to stop. Every time the Stereos return, they seem to have grown stronger, to have slam-shifted into a new, higher gear. Now "Step It Up" finds them racing towards the summit in overdrive (and other motoring metaphors). [...] Where it was coiled like a spring, "Step" is gregarious and free-wheeling, a monstrous work-out that grinds and shakes its way to a heart-stopping climax." ^[6]

Blake Baxter from Music Week's RM Dance Update wrote, "This has a great texture, weaving a mood for realists and sequenced bass fanatics. Hooky vocals and funky drum tracks spiced up with hot horn make this soulful but still unique". ^[8] A reviever from NME found that it's "less addicive" and "kind of like Happy Mondays would sound if they attempted an upwardly mobile career shift". ^[9] Peter Stanton from Smash Hits gave "Step It Up" four out of five, adding, "Thumping basslines, a dash of trumpets and a groove that could get the local old people's home boogeyin' till the dawn". ^[10] Jonathan Bernstein from Spin remarked that "lacerating hooks abound" on the track, describing it as "nagging". ^[11]

Track listings

• 7-inch vinyl

A: "Step It Up" (radio edit)

B: "Step It Up" (Ultimatum Trumpet mix)

• UK 12-inch vinyl

A1: "Step It Up" (extended mix)

A2: "Step It Up" (Ultimatum Trumpet mix)

A3: "Step It Up" (Ultimatum remix)

B1: "Step It Up" (Stereo Field dub)

B2: "Step It Up" (Stereo Field instrumental dub)

• US 12-inch vinyl

A1: "Step It Up" (Ultimatum remix)

A2: "Step It Up" (Ultimatum Trumpet mix)

B1: "Step It Up" (Stereo Field dub)

B2: "Step It Up" (album version)

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Step It Up" Chart (1992–1993) Peak position Australia (ARIA) [12] 87 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [13] 12 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [14] 29 Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [15] 19 Canada Dance/Urban ( RPM ) [16] 3 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [17] 44 Europe (European Dance Radio) [18] 3 Europe (European Hit Radio) [19] 20 France (SNEP) [20] 50 Greece ( Pop + Rock ) [21] 5 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [22] 5 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [23] 13 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [24] 8 UK Singles (OCC) 12 UK Dance ( Music Week ) [25] 6 US Billboard Hot 100 [26] 58 US Dance Club Play ( Billboard ) [27] 25 US Maxi-Singles Sales ( Billboard ) [28] 20 US Modern Rock Tracks ( Billboard ) [29] 16 US Top 40/Mainstream ( Billboard ) [30] 30 US Cash Box Top 100 [31] 56

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Step It Up" Chart (1993) Position Canada Dance/Urban (RPM) [32] 25 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [33] 89

References

1. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week . 21 November 1992. p. 17.
2. "Stereo MC's - DEEP DOWN & DIRTY - la recensione". rockol.it (in Italian).
3. "Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . 9 January 1993. p. 60. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
4. Flick, Larry (12 June 1993). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . p. 70. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
5. Sholin, Dave. "Singles" (PDF). Gavin Report . Retrieved 15 April 2018.
6. Smith, Andrew (28 November 1992). "Singles". Melody Maker . p. 28.
7. Smith, Andrew (10 October 1992). "Duophone Home". Melody Maker . p. 37. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
8. Baxter, Blake (5 December 1992). "Hot vinyl: Buzzing On Promo & Import" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental insert). p. 7. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
9. "Singles". NME . 21 November 1992. p. 19. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
10. Stanton, Peter (11 November 1992). "New Singles". Smash Hits . p. 53. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
11. Bernstein, Jonathan (June 1993). "Britain's Stereo MC's Connect With Success". Spin . p. 24. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
12. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 266.
13. "Stereo MC's – Step It Up" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
14. "Stereo MC's – Step It Up" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
15. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2235." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
16. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 2232." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
17. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 10, no. 4. 23 January 1993. p. 23. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
18. "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 10, no. 6. 6 February 1993. p. 13. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
19. "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 10, no. 4. 23 January 1993. p. 26. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
20. "Stereo MC's – Step It Up" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
21. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 10, no. 67. 13 February 1993. p. 20. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
22. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (09.04.1993 – 15.04.1993)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 7 April 1993. p. 43. Retrieved 9 March 2018.
23. "Stereo MC's – Step It Up". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
24. "Stereo MC's – Step It Up". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
25. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week . 5 December 1992. p. 26. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
26. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard . 28 August 1993. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
27. "Dance Club Songs" . Billboard. 14 August 1993. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
28. "Dance Singles Sales" . Billboard. 14 August 1993. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
29. "Alternative Airplay" . Billboard. 5 June 1993. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
30. "Pop Airplay" . Billboard. 21 August 1993. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
31. "Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box . Vol. LVI, no. 2. 4 September 1993. p. 10. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
32. "Canada Top 50 Dance Tracks of 1993". RPM . Retrieved 12 December 2019.
33. "Árslistinn 1993". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 4 January 1994. p. 17. Retrieved 1 June 2020.