"The Final Countdown" | ||||
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Single by Europe | ||||
from the album The Final Countdown | ||||
B-side | "On Broken Wings" | |||
Released | ||||
Recorded | 1985 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length |
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Label | Epic | |||
Songwriter(s) | Joey Tempest | |||
Producer(s) | Kevin Elson | |||
Europe singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"The Final Countdown" on YouTube | ||||
Audio sample | ||||
"The Final Countdown" |
"The Final Countdown" is a song by Swedish rock band Europe,released in 1986. Written by lead singer Joey Tempest,it was based on a keyboard riff he made in the early 1980s,with lyrics inspired by David Bowie's "Space Oddity". Originally made to just be a concert opener,it is the first single and title track from the band's third studio album. The music video by Nick Morris,made to promote the single,has received 1 billion views on YouTube. The video features footage from the band's two concerts at Solnahallen in Solna,as well as extra footage of the sound checks and footage from Stockholm. The song "Pictures",from the 2017 album Walk the Earth ,is a sequel to "The Final Countdown".
The song was based on a keyboard riff which Joey Tempest had written,as early as 1981 or 1982, [7] with a Korg Polysix keyboard which he had borrowed from keyboardist Mic Michaeli. [8] [9] In 1985,bassist John Levén suggested that Tempest should write a song based on that riff. [7] Tempest recorded a demo version of the song and played it for the other band members. [10] At first,the members expressed mixed reactions to it,including guitarist John Norum who was put off by the synth intro but later said that he was glad that they didn't listen to him. [11] Tempest described their uncertainty:"Some of the guys in the band thought it was too different for a rock band. But in the end,I fought hard to make sure it got used." [11]
The song's lyrics were inspired by David Bowie's song "Space Oddity". [11] The sound of the keyboard riff used in the recording was achieved by using a Yamaha TX-816 rack unit and a Roland JX-8P synthesizer, [12] as described by Michaeli:"I made a brassy sound from the JX-8P and used a factory sound from the Yamaha,and just layered them together." [12]
When it was time to choose the first single from the album The Final Countdown,Tempest suggested the song "The Final Countdown". [10] The band had not originally planned to release the song as a single,and some members wanted "Rock the Night" to be the first single. [10] [11] "The Final Countdown" was written to be an opening song for concerts,and they never thought it would be a hit. [10] When their record company Epic Records suggested,however,that it should be the first single,the band decided to release it. [13]
As Tempest stated in 2005:
It's always a nice feeling. Sometimes,you hear it on the streets or someone has it on their mobile phone or something…it's a nice feeling! Actually,I did an interview about a year ago with a newspaper from America and they talked about how much it's been used in sports in America…which I didn't know so much about. Apparently,it has been used a lot and it was nice to hear. The ironic thing,though,is that the song was actually written for the fans. It was over six minutes long and was never meant to be a hit or anything like that. It was meant to be an opening for the 'live' show. We were putting out our third album and we wanted a really 'grand' opening for the show. So,I had that 'riff' tucked away in a drawer since my college years and I took it out,found a tempo for it,wrote lyrics,and it turned out to be a great opening for that album and for the show,as well. Nowadays,we don't rehearse it,but when we play it live,it is still just so amazing! It does communicate so well with the audience and we really love playing it. [14]
In 2009,Tempest told the BBC's Liam Allen,"I can trace bands like UFO in it,sort of a galloping theme like Iron Maiden had on The Number of the Beast album on quite a few songs. I wanted to make a combination of guitars and keyboards. That was a statement on that and it sort of worked out nicely." [15] It is set in the key of F♯minor. [16]
"The Final Countdown" became a success on the charts worldwide following its release during 1986 and 1987,reaching number one in 25 countries (including the UK,where it spent two weeks at the top and is Europe's only Top 10 hit to date), [17] and is widely regarded as the band's most popular and recognizable song. The single reached number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart,and is the most successful song from the album on the Album Rock Tracks chart,peaking at number 18 (and charting for 20 weeks). [18]
The song is also the band's highest-charting single in Australia and Canada,peaking at number 2 and at number 5.
Blender listed "The Final Countdown" as the 27th worst song ever, [19] and both VH1 and Blender included it at 16 on the list of the "Most Awesomely Bad Songs...Ever". [20] VH1 ranked it at number 66 on their list of the best hard rock songs of all time. [6]
The music video,directed by Nick Morris,contains footage from two concerts the band did at Solnahallen in Solna,Sweden on 26 and 27 May 1986,as well as some extra footage filmed at the sound checks for those concerts. [10]
The song has been a regular in Europe concerts ever since its live debut on the premiere of their Final Countdown Tour in April 1986. One of the most memorable performances of the song took place in Stockholm,Sweden on 31 December 1999,as part of the Millennium celebrations,as it was the first,and to date only,Europe performance with both of the band's lead guitarists,the original guitarist John Norum and his replacement,Kee Marcello. [21] [22]
The song reached number one in 25 countries, [17] including the United Kingdom,and was certified gold in that country in 1986. [23] In the United States,the song peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 18 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart.
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [64] | Gold | 50,000^ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [65] | Platinum | 90,000‡ |
France (SNEP) [66] | Platinum | 1,000,000 [66] |
Germany (BVMI) [67] | Gold | 250,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI) [68] sales since 2009 | Platinum | 70,000‡ |
Japan (RIAJ) [69] 2003 digital release | Gold | 100,000* |
Netherlands (NVPI) [70] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Portugal (AFP) [66] | Platinum | 60,000 [66] |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [71] | Platinum | 20,000* |
United Kingdom (BPI) [23] Physical and digital combined sales | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
"The Final Countdown 2000" | ||||
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Single by Europe | ||||
from the album 1982–2000 | ||||
B-side | "The Final Countdown" (Original Radio Edit) | |||
Released | 7 December 1999 [72] | |||
Length | 3:47 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Songwriter(s) | Joey Tempest | |||
Producer(s) |
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Europe singles chronology | ||||
|
In 1999, the dance remix "The Final Countdown 2000" was released. It was produced by Brian Rawling, who had previously had success with "Believe" by Cher. The band's reaction to the remix was less than enthusiastic. "That remix was a disaster", drummer Ian Haugland said, "I wouldn't pass water on it if it was on fire!" [73] In a 2013 interview with The National , Joey Tempest commented on the remix, saying, "The band were not happy with it. We were trying to get some other people to do the remix and it just didn't pan out, so it ended up becoming a last-minute thing." [74]
Chart (1999–2000) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [72] | 33 |
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) [75] | 12 |
Germany (Official German Charts) [76] | 35 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [77] | 60 |
Norway (VG-lista) [78] | 12 |
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [79] | 6 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [41] | 33 |
UK Singles (OCC) [80] | 36 |
Chart (1999) | Position |
---|---|
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [81] | 99 |
YouTube Billion Views Award
Year | Nominee/Work | Award | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
2022 | The Final Countdown | Won | [82] |
This section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: covers may not meet WP:SONGCOVER.(October 2018) |
The song is a favourite at sporting events, often being played to rally crowds. It has also become a staple of high school and college pep bands for the same purpose. [14]
On 26 December 1987, the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ΕΡΤ), used the song as the theme for the documentary "The Road to Glory" about EuroBasket 1987, which was won by the Greece national team. Since then, the song is considered by fans as the unofficial anthem of the team. [83]
On 2 October 1990, just a few hours before the German reunification, the English segment of international radio broadcaster of former East Germany RBI , played the intro of the song while the female radio announcer says: "Our broadcast came to you from Radio Berlin International, the voice of the disappearing German Democratic Republic". [84]
The song and band Europe appeared in a 2015 USA television commercial for GEICO insurance, playing in a lunchroom as a microwave oven's timer is counting down toward zero seconds, saying if you're Europe, "you love a final countdown: it's what you do." [45]
The song was used as entrance music for professional wrestler Bryan Danielson on the independent circuit and in Ring of Honor until September 2010, and again occasionally in All Elite Wrestling since 2023. [85]
"The Final Countdown" is a particular favourite of guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, who incorporated elements of it into "Gone with the Wind", his 1999 reimagining of Lev Knipper's "Polyushko-polye". [86] [87]
American husband-and-wife banjo-players Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn performed an interpretation of the song in May 2015 for The A.V. Club 's A.V. Undercover series. [88] Time magazine called out the cover as "really, really lovely." [89]
Europe is a Swedish rock band formed in Upplands Väsby in 1979, by lead vocalist Joey Tempest, guitarist John Norum, bassist Peter Olsson, and drummer Tony Reno. They obtained a major breakthrough in Sweden in 1982 by winning the televised competition "Rock-SM" ; it was the first time this competition was held, and Europe became a larger success than the competition itself.
Fine Young Cannibals (FYC) were an English pop rock band formed in Birmingham, England, in 1984 by former The Beat band bassist David Steele and guitarist Andy Cox with singer Roland Gift. Their self-titled 1985 debut album contained "Johnny Come Home" and a cover of "Suspicious Minds", two songs that were top 40 hits in the UK, Canada, Australia and Europe. Their 1989 album, The Raw & the Cooked, topped the UK, US, Australian and Canadian album charts, and contained their two Billboard Hot 100 number ones: "She Drives Me Crazy" and "Good Thing".
Scoundrel Days is the second studio album by Norwegian band a-ha, released on 6 October 1986 by Warner Bros. Records. A remastered edition with additional tracks was released in 2010.
The Final Countdown is the third studio album by the Swedish rock band Europe. Released on 26 May 1986 through Epic Records, the album was a commercial success, peaking at number 8 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and reaching high positions in charts worldwide. It was recorded at Powerplay Studios in Zürich, Soundtrade Studios in Stockholm, Mastersound Studios in Atlanta and Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The Final Countdown is the first album to feature keyboardist Mic Michaeli and drummer Ian Haugland and the last to feature guitarist John Norum until 2004's Start from the Dark.
Out of This World is the fourth studio album by the Swedish rock band Europe. Released on 9 August 1988 through Epic Records, the album was a commercial success selling over 3 million units worldwide, peaking at number 19 on the US Billboard 200 chart and reaching high positions in charts worldwide. It was recorded at Olympic Studios and Townhouse Studios, London, England. Out of This World is the first Europe album to feature former Easy Action and Noice guitarist Kee Marcello.
"Walk Like an Egyptian" is a song by the American band the Bangles. It was released in September 1986 as the third single from the band's second studio album, Different Light (1986). It was the band's first number-one single, being certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and was ranked Billboard's number-one song of 1987.
"Rock Me Amadeus" is a song recorded by Austrian musician Falco for his third studio album, Falco 3 (1985). The single was made available for physical sale in 1985 in German-speaking Europe, through A&M. "Rock Me Amadeus" was written by Falco along with Dutch music producers Bolland & Bolland. To date, the single is the only German language song to peak at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, which it did on 29 March 1986.
1982–1992 is a compilation album by the Swedish rock band Europe, released in 1993 by Epic Records. Vocalist Joey Tempest chose the songs for this album. The album reached the top 10 in France compilation charts in April 1993.
"Rock the Night" is a song by Swedish rock band Europe, released as a single in 1986. The song was written by vocalist Joey Tempest in 1984 and premiered on the band's Wings of Tomorrow tour the same year.
"Livin' on a Prayer" is a song by the American rock band Bon Jovi, and is the band's second chart-topping single from their third album Slippery When Wet. Written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Desmond Child, the single, released in late 1986, was well received at both rock and pop radio and its music video was given heavy rotation at MTV, giving the band their first No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and their second consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit.
"Sledgehammer" is a song by the English rock musician Peter Gabriel. It was released in April 1986 as the lead single from his fifth studio album, So (1986). It was produced by Gabriel and Daniel Lanois. It reached No. 1 in Canada on 21 July 1986, where it spent four weeks; No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States on 26 July 1986; and No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart, thanks in part to its music video. It was his biggest hit in North America and ties with "Games Without Frontiers" as his biggest hit in the United Kingdom.
"Daddy Cool" is a song produced and co-written by Frank Farian who had founded the group Boney M. to visually perform to his songs on TV and while touring discos. Farian also provided the male voice parts on the record. The song was included on their debut album Take the Heat off Me. It was a 1976 hit and a staple of disco music and became Boney M.'s first hit in the United Kingdom.
"Celebration" is a 1980 song by American band Kool & the Gang. Released as the first single from their twelfth album, Celebrate! (1980), it was the band's first and only single to reach No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In 2016, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
"Walk of Life" is a song by the British rock band Dire Straits, being the third track on their fifth studio album Brothers in Arms (1985). It was released as a single in the US in October 1985 and in the UK in January 1986.
The discography of A-ha, a Norwegian synthpop/rock band, consists of eleven studio albums, eight compilation albums, six box sets, ten extended plays, and fifty singles. This list does not include solo material or other projects recorded by A-ha band members.
"You're in the Army Now" is a song by the South African-born Dutch duo Bolland & Bolland, released in 1982. The song spent six consecutive weeks on the top of the Norwegian singles chart. A cover by British rock band Status Quo, simplified as "In the Army Now", was internationally successful in 1986.
American rock band Bon Jovi has released 16 studio albums, three live albums, five compilation albums, five EPs, 66 singles, 14 video albums, and 71 music videos. Bon Jovi has sold over 130 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time. As of 2018, the band has sold 21.8 million albums in the US Nielsen SoundScan era. Billboard ranked Bon Jovi as the 45th Greatest Artist of all time, achieving 6 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 & 4 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. According to Recording Industry Association of America, Bon Jovi has sold 34.5 million albums in the United States.
"Lessons in Love" is a single by English jazz-funk band Level 42, released in 1986 from the album Running in the Family, issued one year later. This single is the band's biggest hit in their homeland, where it reached number three on the UK Singles Chart, and internationally, entering the top 10 in numerous countries, reaching the number-one spot in five of them: Spain, Germany, South Africa, Switzerland, and Finland.
"Live Is Life" is a 1984 song by Austrian pop rock band Opus. It was released as the first single from their first live album, Live Is Life (1984), and was also included on the US version of their fourth studio album, Up and Down (1984). The song was a European number-one hit in the summer of 1985, and also reached number one in Canada and the top 40 in the US in 1986. It has been covered by many artists. The title is sometimes mistaken as "Life Is Life": German phonology has final-obstruent devoicing, so that the word "live" sounds like "life".
Walk the Earth is the eleventh studio album by the Swedish rock band Europe. It was released on 20 October 2017. The album was produced by Dave Cobb and recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London.
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