Animals (Martin Garrix song)

Composition and release

Prior to release, the track gained buzz after being played anonymously with speculation increasing about the author after Dutch record label Spinnin' Records released a clip of the track online only titled "Animals (Teaser)". It started to reach even more speculation after a Vine video featuring Agnes from Despicable Me was posted. The track was, at various times, attributed to other acts like Hardwell, GTA, Sidney Samson and Bassjackers before the actual identity of the producer was revealed.

According to Garrix, the melody was based on a previous, never-released track that he composed two years prior, and the "ruthlessly minimalist" rhythmic sound (the drop) is an interpretation of Busta Rhymes' "What It Is". and the first part is inspiring to a song by Aura Qualic called D.A.T.A. The song is mostly instrumental; the only sung verse to appear here is We're the fucking animals, which is spoken by a friend of Garrix, has a low pitch and appears two events.

Critical reception

In 2016, Billboard named "Animals" Garrix's second-best song, behind "In the Name of Love". The review noted how Garrix "ushered in a new dance era and crowned the then-17-year-old, leader of the new school", further describing the song as "big, brash and infectious, everything a festival anthem should be. It still sounds dope so many years later".

Commercial performance

Animals booked initial success at electronic music festivals and venues like Ultra Korea, Tomorrowland, Governors Beach Club, Amsterdam Dance Event, and Ultra Music Festival, to name a few. Subsequently, it rose to number one at the online music store, Beatport 100. In the period of August to October, the track began to climb up dance hit-lists as well as mainstream singles charts across continental Europe, getting all the way to top on Belgium's Ultratop 50. In November, the single debuted at number one on UK's Official Singles Chart, ahead of tough competition from Lily Allen's 2013 John Lewis Christmas advert cover single "Somewhere Only We Know" (which reached number one the following week) and Ellie Goulding's Children in Need 2013 cover "How Long Will I Love You?". Garrix became the second-youngest artist to enter at the top of the UK Singles Chart with their debut single behind Billie's "Because We Want To" in July 1998.

In the United States, "Animals" was the first instrumental track to reach the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 since Kenny G's "Millennium Mix" of "Auld Lang Syne" in 1999.

As of June 2020, the song's music video has over 1.5 billion views on YouTube.

Usage in media

"Animals" was used in a commercial for video game Madden NFL 25. It was added in the March 2014 update of another game, Asphalt 8: Airborne. "Animals" was also featured on Just Dance 2016 along with an extreme routine. The instrumental version of the song was also featured in FIFA Online 3, an online free-to-play version of the FIFA series video game.

In April, the track was also used in the Dior advertisement for their "Addict Fluid Stick" lipstick and lipgloss range.

Track listing

"Animals"
Martin Garrix - Animals.png
Single by Martin Garrix
from the EP Gold Skies
Released17 June 2013 (2013-06-17)
GenreBig room house
Length
  • 5:04 (original mix)
  • 2:56 (US radio edit)
  • 2:45 (UK radio edit)
LabelSpinnin'
Songwriter(s)Martijn Garritsen
Producer(s)Martin Garrix
Martin Garrix singles chronology
"Just Some Loops"
(2013)
"Animals"
(2013)
"Wizard"
(2013)
Digital download
No.TitleLength
1."Animals" (original mix)5:04
position Australia (ARIA) 29 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 5 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) 1 Belgium Dance (Ultratop Flanders) 1 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) 1 Belgium Dance (Ultratop Wallonia) 4 Canada (Canadian Hot 100) 40 Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard) 10 CIS (TopHit) 30 Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100) 8 Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100) 25 Denmark (Tracklisten) 12 Euro Digital Song Sales (Billboard) 3 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista) 2 France (SNEP) 2 Germany (Official German Charts) 4 Hungary (Dance Top 40) 1 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40) 7 Hungary (Single Top 40) 5 Ireland (IRMA) 3 Italy (FIMI) 14 Mexico Airplay (Billboard) 38 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 3 Netherlands (Single Top 100) 3 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) 10 Norway (VG-lista) 12 Romania (Airplay 100) 11 Romania (Romanian Radio Airplay) 5 Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100) 16 Poland (Dance Top 50) 2 Russia Airplay (TopHit) 3 Scotland (OCC) 1 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100) 29 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100) 60 Spain (PROMUSICAE) 6 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 4 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 2 UK Singles (OCC) 1 UK Dance (OCC) 1 Ukraine Airplay (TopHit) 95 US Billboard Hot 100 21 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard) 1 US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard) 3 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard) 12 US Rhythmic (Billboard) 23

Year-end charts

Chart (2013) Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 40
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders) 4
Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia) 7
France (SNEP) 21
Germany (Media Control AG) 26
Hungary (Dance Top 40) 19
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40) 51
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 16
Netherlands (Single Top 100) 12
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 21
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 14
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 64
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard) 25
Chart (2014) Position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 42
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders) 70
Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia) 63
Germany (Official German Charts) 45
Hungary (Dance Top 40) 15
Italy (FIMI) 74
Russia Airplay (TopHit) 45
Spain (PROMUSICAE) 29
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 49
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) 33
US Billboard Hot 100 71
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard) 8

Decade-end charts

Chart (2010–2019) Position
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard) 42

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) Platinum 70,000^
Belgium (BEA) 2× Platinum 60,000*
Canada (Music Canada) 2× Platinum 160,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) Gold 15,000^
Germany (BVMI) Platinum 300,000^
Italy (FIMI) 2× Platinum 60,000double-dagger
New Zealand (RMNZ) Gold 7,500*
Norway (IFPI Norway) 2× Platinum 20,000*
Sweden (GLF) Platinum 40,000double-dagger
United Kingdom (BPI) Platinum 600,000double-dagger
United States (RIAA) 2× Platinum 2,000,000double-dagger
Streaming
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) 2× Platinum 3,600,000dagger
Spain (PROMUSICAE) Gold 4,000,000dagger

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
dagger Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Country Date Version Format(s) Label Ref.
Worldwide 1 July 2013


This page was last updated at 2023-05-14 20:25 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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