Digital Love (Daft Punk song)

"Digital Love"
Single by Daft Punk
from the album Discovery
B-side
Released11 June 2001 (2001-06-11)
GenreSynth-pop[1]
Length4:58
LabelVirgin
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Daft Punk
Daft Punk singles chronology
"Aerodynamic"
(2001) 		"Digital Love"
(2001) 		"Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger"
(2001)
Audio sample
Daft Punk – "Digital Love"
Music video
"Digital Love" on YouTube

"Digital Love" is a song by the French electronic music duo Daft Punk. It was released as the third single from their second album, Discovery, on 11 June 2001. It reached number 33 in France, number 28 in Italy, and number 14 in the United Kingdom. The song appears in the 2003 film Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem.

Composition

"Digital Love" features a sample of the 1979 song "I Love You More" by George Duke. The sample was worked into an electronic pop song about unspoken love with lyrics by DJ Sneak[2] and vocals performed by Daft Punk.[3] The Daft Punk collaborator Chilly Gonzales said the sample contains an unresolved chord progression that contributes to the sense of longing and desire.[4]

Thomas Bangalter said that the solo was created using a mixture of elements, aided by music sequencers: "No one plays solos in their songs anymore, but we wanted to include some on the album."[5] For the bridge, Daft Punk used a Wurlitzer electronic piano to create a sound they likened to the band Supertramp.[6]

Music video

The video was released in 2001 and was later included in the 2003 anime film Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem.

Immediately following the events that occurred in the "Aerodynamic" video, the alien planet's security guards regain enough consciousness to send a distress signal to a distant astronaut named Shep. At first, Shep is seen cleaning his spaceship's exterior while singing along with the song's lyrics. After completing the task, he returns to the ship and lounges around in his bedroom, filled with memorabilia of the alien band. He drifts into a daydream where he dances with his crush, the band's female bass player (later named Stella), in mid-air.

Shep's dream comes to an abrupt halt when he is awakened by the distress signal sent to him. To his horror, he learns of the band's abduction and current state of the alien planet, immediately pursuing after the kidnappers. After the chase leads through a warp hole, the kidnappers make a safe landing with the unconscious alien band at their base on Earth, with Shep crash-landing into a nearby forest, temporarily rendering him unconscious. The kidnappers take the sedated captives into the base's lab for the events that take place in the "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" video.

Reception

"Digital Love" charted backed with "Aerodynamic" due to equal club play. It charted at number 14 on the UK Singles Chart and reached number nine on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in the United States. It also reached number 67 in Australia, promoted along with its B-side, "Aerodynamic".

The song was featured in a GAP television advertisement. It featured both members of Daft Punk wearing their robotic helmets and gloves as well as GAP denim shirts and jeans. They appeared dancing with Juliette Lewis. When asked about Daft Punk's dancing in the ad, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo stated "It looks really simple to do, but when you're on a step with the crew, it's really not, even though the choreographer was really nice."[7]

Track listings

French limited-edition 7-inch single[8]
No.TitleLength
1."Digital Love" (radio edit)3:59
2."Digital Dub" (radio edit)3:59
Total length:7:58
UK and European CD single, UK cassette single[9][10][11]
No.TitleLength
1."Digital Love" (radio edit)3:59
2."Digital Love" (album version)4:58
3."Digital Love" (digital dub)4:58
Total length:13:55
UK 12-inch single[12]
No.TitleLength
1."Digital Love"4:58
2."Digital Dub"4:58
Total length:9:56
Australian CD single[13]
No.TitleLength
1."Digital Love" (radio edit)3:59
2."Digital Love" (album version)4:58
3."Digital Love" (digital dub)4:58
4."Aerodynamite"7:47
Total length:21:42
Japanese CD EP[14]
No.TitleLength
1."Digital Love" (radio edit)3:59
2."Digital Love" (album version)4:59
3."Digital Dub"5:00
4."Aerodynamic"3:45
5."Aerodynamite"7:47
Total length:25:30

Charts

Weekly chart performance for "Digital Love"
Chart (2001) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[15]
with "Aerodynamic" 		67
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[16] 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[17] 38
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[18] 30
France (SNEP)[19] 33
Germany (GfK)[20] 85
Ireland (IRMA)[21] 35
Ireland Dance (IRMA)[22] 4
Italy (FIMI)[23] 28
Scotland (OCC)[24] 16
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] 60
UK Singles (OCC)[26] 14
UK Dance (OCC)[27] 8
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[28] 9
Chart (2021) Peak
position
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[29] 23

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[30] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Digital Love"
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref(s).
United Kingdom 11 June 2001
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
 Virgin [31][32]
Japan 16 June 2001 CD [33]
Australia 18 June 2001 [34]

References

  1. ^ NME (12 September 2005). "Album Reviews - Daft Punk: Discovery". NME. Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  2. ^ Carlos Sosa (aka DJ Sneak) received a songwriter credit in the liner notes of Discovery (2001) and full lyrical acknowledgement in the end credits of Interstella 5555 (2003).
  3. ^ Discovery liner notes: "performed by Daft Punk."
  4. ^ Lachman, Ed (30 April 2013). "Daft Punk | Random Access Memories | The Collaborators, Episode 6: Chilly Gonzales". The Creators Project. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2013 – via YouTube.
  5. ^ Chris Gill. "ROBOPOP". Archived from the original on 3 January 2006. Retrieved 3 January 2006.
  6. ^ Bryan Reesman, Interview at mixonline.com Archived 10 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Michael Hamersly, ""Ask the DJ"". Retrieved 5 September 2016.[dead link‍] The Miami Herald. Retrieved on 6 March 2007.
  8. ^ Digital Love (French limited 7-inch single sleeve). Daft Punk. Virgin Records. 2001. 7243 8 97699 7 5.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ Digital Love (UK CD single liner notes). Daft Punk. Virgin Records. 2001. VSCDT1810, 724389769920.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ Digital Love (European CD single liner notes). Daft Punk. Virgin Records. 2001. 724389768626.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ Digital Love (UK cassette single sleeve). Daft Punk. Virgin Records. 2001. VSC 1810.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ^ Digital Love (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Daft Punk. Virgin Records. 2001. VST1810, 724389769968.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ^ Digital Love (Australian CD single liner notes). Daft Punk. Virgin Records. 2001. 89977002.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ^ Digital Love (Japanese CD EP liner notes). Daft Punk. Virgin Records. 2001. VJCP-61055.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. ^ "Issue 591" ARIA Top 100 Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  16. ^ "Daft Punk – Digital Love" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  17. ^ "Daft Punk – Digital Love" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  18. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 19, no. 27. 30 June 2001. p. 10. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 August 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  19. ^ "Daft Punk – Digital Love" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  20. ^ "Daft Punk – Digital Love" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  21. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Daft Punk". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  22. ^ "Top 10 Dance Singles, Week Ending 14 June 2001". GfK Chart-Track. Retrieved 2 June 2019.[permanent dead link‍]
  23. ^ "Daft Punk – Digital Love". Top Digital Download. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  24. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  25. ^ "Daft Punk – Digital Love". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  26. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  27. ^ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 December 2018.
  28. ^ "Daft Punk Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  29. ^ "Daft Punk Chart History (Hot Dance/Electronic Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  30. ^ "British single certifications – Daft Punk – Digital Love". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  31. ^ "New Single Out June 11" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 18, no. 22. 26 May 2001. p. 15. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  32. ^ "New Releases – For Week Starting June 11, 2001: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 9 June 2001. p. 31. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 August 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  33. ^ "最新のCD リリース一覧" [Latest CD Releases] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 2 July 2001. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  34. ^ "The ARIA Report: ARIA New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 18th June 2001" (PDF). ARIA. 18 June 2001. p. 24. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 February 2002. Retrieved 21 April 2021.