Zombie Nation’s “Kernkraft 400” is one of the biggest dance music songs of all time, a mainstay at clubs and stadiums across the globe. But the version you know—with a driving, four-to-the-floor beat and a chanting crowd in the background—wasn’t even made by the DJ who wrote it. Through a series of miscommunications, remixes, and bad deals, the original “Kernkraft 400” morphed into something DJ/producer Florian Senfter couldn’t stand. But the bastardization made him famous, sending him on tours around the world, and giving his song an audience of millions who would recognize the melody anywhere. VICE met up with Senfter to hear the story of how a fluke remix to his song wound up reaching the top of the charts—whether he liked it or not.
When Eiffel 65 released “Blue (Da Ba Dee),” it was a flop. They sold around 200 records, shrugged it off as a loss, and forgot about it. But in a wild turn of events, the track got picked up by a small local station before getting airplay on one of the biggest radio stations in Italy—and within days, it was steamrolling its way to becoming one of the biggest hits of the late 1990s, taking the electronic music group touring around the world as their song shot up the charts. We met up with the members of Eiffel 65—Jeffrey Jey, Maurizio “Maury” Lobina, and Gabry Ponte—to find out the origin story behind "Blue," and hear what it was like to become international superstars in the blink of an eye.
When Shaggy recorded his Hot Shot album, containing “It Wasn’t Me” and “Angel”, the label dismissed it as a throw-away album with “no hits”. “It Wasn’t Me” wasn’t even released as a single. But a series of happy accidents, some illegal downloading, and sheer determination, propelled “It Wasn’t Me” to become one of the first viral crossover hits. VICE met up with Shaggy on the 20th anniversary of Hot Shot which coincides with the release of his brand new Hot Shot 2020 album.
The Thong Song was never meant for Sisqo, but once he heard the track he couldn’t let it go. Although it was originally meant for Michael Jackson, producers Tim & Bob were won over by Sisqo's enthusiasm and fresh ideas. VICE met the creators of Thong Song to hear how G-strings and violin strings united to create this iconic song that brought thongs to the masses.
anessa Carlton wrote “A Thousand Miles” in her childhood home as a teenager. Little did she know the song would become an international smash hit, a film-soundtrack favorite, and would be repurposed by new artists and the internet for the next 20 years.
"Last Resort" by Papa Roach was a surprise hit given the song's raw and vivid portrayal of mental health and suicide. And although lead singer Jacoby Shaddix wrote “Last Resort” about his friends struggle, the song took on new personal relevance for Jacoby years later when he was battling his own demons. VICE learns the full, little known, story behind "Last Resort" and its journey from darkness into light.
For many, “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus captures the quintessential American high school experience. But for the song’s writer Brendan Brown, “Teenage Dirtbag” represents a fantasy adolesence that he was robbed of after a gruesome murder happened in his home town. And while “Teenage Dirtbag” was overlooked by American audiences at its time of release -- overseas it received a much more unexpected reception.
“Who Let The Dogs Out” was ubiquitous in the early aughts - emanating from sports stadiums, parties, and radio speakers alike. But few people know the story behind the song or about the group who performed the smash hit, the Baha Men. The song’s unconventional journey spans from crowded baseball stadiums in Seattle to the sandy beaches of the Caribbean. VICE meets the key players involved in the incredible success of the song that left everyone asking, “Who Let the Dogs Out?”
Nearly everyone has been RickRoll’d. But few know the real story of the artist behind the 1987 hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” nor do they know about the mysterious origins of the viral RickRoll video meme that exploded in the mid-2000s. VICE meets Rick Astley and the creators of the song to learn about Rick’s meteoric rise to fame, sudden retirement, and surprising comeback. We also meet the creator of the popular RickRoll meme that cemented this persistent hit for generations to come.
VICE meets Natasha Bedingfield to reflect on her uplifting 2000’s hit “Unwritten” and its viral moment during the peak of the 2020 pandemic. The track was vital to her cross-over success in the US, topping the radio charts for its pure pop sound and incredible vocal performance. Fast forward almost 20 years, VICE speaks to those closest to Natasha to understand the emotions of such a heartwarming track and travel to Ft Lauderdale, Florida to meet the TikTok dancers who created the viral dance craze.
After years of trying to get his rap career off the ground, Joseph Foreman (aka Afroman) struck gold with a cautionary tale about the consequences of excessive weed smoking. “Because I Got High” began gaining traction throughout the South but once it made its way onto Napster and the Howard Stern show, it became an unlikely mainstream hit. Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes starred in the iconic music video and featured the track in their film “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back”, and the song eventually became a #1 hit in 11 countries. VICE meets Afroman to retell the story of his perennial stoner anthem and speak to Kevin Smith about his experience being a part of taking the song sky high.
Growing up in Kingston, Jamaica, Sean Paul Henriques fell in love with dancehall music, but never imagined he’d one day become the genre’s most internationally renowned artist. After years of building a fanbase in Jamaica and the diaspora, his second album, Dutty Rock, became a make-or-break opportunity to prove that dancehall beats could transcend culture and break into the pop mainstream. He accomplished that and more with the timeless party anthem, “Get Busy”, accompanied by producer Steven ‘Lenky’ Marsden’s legendary Diwali Riddim as the track’s foundation. VICE met up with Sean Paul in Kingston to learn about his signature fusion of Jamaican Patois and hip-hop slang, how his upbringing influenced his musical style, and the legacy of the first-ever dancehall song to top the international charts.
From drag performances to karaoke to sold-out sports arenas, “Man! I Feel Like A Woman'' has become one of @ShaniaTwain's career-defining songs that transcends genre, gender, and generation. VICE met with Twain during her Las Vegas residency, “Let's Go!”, to learn how a young girl from Timmins, Ontario built one of the most celebrated and successful careers in country music.
