1901 (song)

2009 single by Phoenix August 2025 1901 Phoenix - 1901.jpeg "1901" cover art single Phoenix Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix * Memory Tapes Remix "Love Like a Sunset" (Animal Collective Remix) 2009 2008 Motorbass (Paris) Synth-rockhttps://www.billboard.com/articles/review/1557470/phoenix-bankrupt-track-by-track-review Phoenix, 'Bankrupt!': Track-by-Track Review Payne Chris 15 April 2013 Billboard 14 August 2019 dance-rock Rolling Stone Staff The 250 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century So Far Rolling Stone 10 January 2025 https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-21st-century-1235177256/ 11 January 2025 ...including the sleek dance rocker “1901”... 3 13 * V2 Loyauté Glassnote * Thomas Pablo Croquet Christian Mazzalai Laurent Brancowitz Frederic Moulin * Phoenix Philippe Zdar Consolation Prizes 2006 Lisztomania 2009 "1901" is a song by French indie pop band Phoenix. It was released in 2009 as the lead single from their fourth studio album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (2009). It peaked at number 73 in Canada and number 84 in the United States, making "1901" the band's first song to chart there. Furthermore, it also reached number one on the US Alternative Songs chart. The song has been covered by English singer Birdy and also featured in the UK comedy series Friday Night Dinner. Origin and description It was released in February 2009 as the album's lead single, originally as a free download from the band's official website, but was issued as a retail single due to the song's popularity. A black-and-white music video for the song was released in May.https://stereogum.com/archives/video/new-phoenix-video-1901_069482.html New Phoenix Video - '1901' 2009-05-14 Stereogum 2009-10-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20090517093745/http://stereogum.com/archives/video/new-phoenix-video-1901_069482.html 2009-05-17 live In July, the song entered the U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs chart, where it later reached number one, phoenix all '1901' - Phoenix Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc.) 2009-10-05 becoming only the fourth independent label single to achieve the feat. https://www.billboard.com/pro/chart-beat-wednesday-phoenix-black-eyed-peas-kutless/ Chart Beat Wednesday: Phoenix, Black Eyed Peas, Kutless Billboard (Nielsen Business Media, Inc.) 2010-02-17 The single was reissued in the UK in February 2010. http://www.clashmusic.com/news/phoenix-add-extra-london-date Phoenix Add Extra London Date Clash 2009-12-10 According to lead singer Thomas Mars, the song is about Belle Époque Paris. Mars said, "Paris in 1901 was better than it is now. So the song is a fantasy about Paris."2009-12-31 12 Best Spin Sessions of 2009 http://www.spin.com/gallery/12-best-spin-sessions-2009?page=1 Spin 2010-01-13 Phoenix performed "1901" on television programs such as The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien,2009-09-16 Phoenix Play Conan, Cadillac Crossover Commercial https://stereogum.com/archives/commercial_appeal/phoenix-play-conan-cadillac-crossover-commercial_090191.html Stereogum 2009-10-05June 2026 InternetArchiveBot Late Show with David Letterman,2009-06-19 Phoenix Play '1901' For Alexa Chung, David Letterman https://stereogum.com/archives/video/phoenix-play-1901-for-alexa-chung-david-letterman_074732.html Stereogum 2009-10-05 27 June 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090627191209/http://stereogum.com/archives/video/phoenix-play-1901-for-alexa-chung-david-letterman_074732.html dead Saturday Night Live,2009-04-05 Uninspired SNL At Least Yields Extra Phoenix https://stereogum.com/archives/video/uninspired-snl-at-least-yields-extra-phoenix_062511.html Stereogum 2009-10-05June 2026 InternetArchiveBot and MTV's It's On with Alexa Chung. Critical reception The song has received very positive reviews from music critics; Pitchfork's Jason Crock chose the song as a "Best New Track" and added that it's "just as smooth and spirited and dementedly catchy as any of their best singles".2009-03-08 Crock Jason Track Reviews - Phoenix - '1901' https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/11094-1901/ Pitchfork Media 2009-10-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20090925154008/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/11094-1901/ 2009-09-25 live The Village Voices Pazz & Jop critics' poll ranked "1901" at number two to find the best music of 2009, after Jay-Zs "Empire State of Mind".Pazz + Jop Critics' Poll 2009: Singles 2010 https://www.villagevoice.com/pazznjop/singles/2009/ https://web.archive.org/web/20100122085408/https://www.villagevoice.com/pazznjop/singles/2009/ 22 January 2010 In October 2009, "1901" ranked number 228 in Pitchforks list of The Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s,2009-08-17 The Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s: 500-201 https://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7685-the-top-500-tracks-of-the-2000s-500-201/6/ Pitchfork Media 2009-10-05 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20100622031202/http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7685-the-top-500-tracks-of-the-2000s-500-201/6/ 2010-06-22 the fifth-highest placement on the list amongst 2009 songs.2009-08-21 Pitchfork's 20 Greatest Songs of the '00s (and 15 Greatest Songs of 2009 So Far) https://stereogum.com/archives/list/pitchforks_20_greatest_songs_of_the_00s_085571.html Stereogum 2009-10-05 13 December 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20091213041412/http://stereogum.com/archives/list/pitchforks_20_greatest_songs_of_the_00s_085571.html dead The NME'''s Gavin Haynes praised the song's "rave-like stop-go guitars",2009-05-15 Haynes Gavin Album review - Phoenix https://www.nme.com/reviews/10446 NME (IPC Media) 2009-10-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20090521104956/http://www.nme.com/reviews/10446 2009-05-21 live while Evan Sawdey of PopMatters said it might be Phoenix's "finest song to date".2009-05-27 Sawdey Evan It's Not a Miracle They Needed... https://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/phoenix-wolfgang-amadeus-phoenix/ PopMatters 2009-10-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20090530123653/http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/phoenix-wolfgang-amadeus-phoenix 2009-05-30 live Philadelphia Inquirer music critic Dan DeLuca described the song as "joyously exultant riff-happy pop".2009-07-05 A Playlist of the Best for Your Summer Mix http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/celebrities/49858397.html The Philadelphia Inquirer 2009-12-10 2009-07-06 https://web.archive.org/web/20090706074942/http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/celebrities/49858397.html dead The song was ranked number two on Spin magazine's list of the 20 Best Summer Songs of 2009.2009-09-08 20 Best Summer Songs of 2009 http://www.spin.com/gallery/20-best-summer-songs-2009?page=18#main Spin 2009-11-11 Usage in media The song was featured in a couple commercials in 2009 for the second generation 2010 Cadillac SRX. The intro of the song was featured heavily in the 2011 British sitcom Friday Night Dinner as intermission music between scenes. The song was featured in the 2011 video game Test Drive Unlimited 2 as a song on the in-game radio station, RoadRock. It was also featured in the 2012 racing video game Forza Horizon, NHL 2K10, NBA 2K13, and NBA 2K26. In 2024, Phoenix performed the song at the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in Paris.LeDonne Rob 2024-08-12 Two Weeks of Planning & ‘Joyful Chaos’: Behind the Scenes of Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony With Phoenix https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/phoenix-paris-olympics-closing-ceremony-1235751375/ 2025-08-16 Billboard en-USLegaspi Althea 2024-08-11 Phoenix Perform With Air, Ezra Koenig, More at the Olympics Closing Ceremony https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/phoenix-air-ezra-koenig-perform-olympics-closing-ceremony-paris-1235077965/ 2025-08-16 Rolling Stone en-US Track listing Promo CD single "1901" – 3:13 Charts For the week ending 19 December 2009, "1901" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at number 90. It peaked at number 84 for the week ending 23 January 2010. The single reached number 73 on the Canadian Hot 100. The single topped the Billboard'' alternative chart for two weeks and became the second-longest-running song on the chart at the time, at 57 weeks.January 2023 Chart (2009–11)PeakpositionCanada (Canadian Hot 100)73Canada Rock (Canadian Rock)28UK Physical Singles (OCC)31US Billboard Hot 10084US Alternative Songs (Billboard)1US Rock Songs (Billboard)3US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)6US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)34 Certifications New Zealand single Phoenix 1901 Platinum 2026 2009 radioscope 26 June 2026 United Kingdom single Phoenix 1901 Silver 2009 2022 17973-4702-1 1 April 2022 United States single Phoenix 1901 Platinum 2009 2012 true 1 April 2022 true true Accolades PublicationCountryAccoladeYearRankSpinU.S.Best Songs of 2009http://spin.com/articles/20-best-songs-2009?page=0%2C3 The 20 Best Songs of 2009 Spin 2009-12-1020092Pitchfork MediaU.S.Top 100 Tracks of 2009 https://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7742-the-top-100-tracks-of-2009/10/ Pitchfork Staff Lists: The Top 100 Tracks of 2009 Pitchfork Media 2010-01-14 2016-02-29 https://web.archive.org/web/20160229132940/http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7742-the-top-100-tracks-of-2009/10/ dead20093Slant MagazineU.S.Top 25 Songs of 2009https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/features/2009yearinmusic.asp 2009: Year in Music Slant Magazine 2010-01-1420093ConsequenceU.S.Top 50 Songs of 2009CoS Year-End Report: The Top 50 Songs of '09: 25-1 - Consequence https://consequence.net/cos-year-end-report-the-top-50-songs-of-09-25-1/ 2024-04-03 en-US20091Rolling StoneU.S.Best Songs of 2009https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/31364221/the_25_best_songs_of_2009/6 https://web.archive.org/web/20091221060702/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/31364221/the_25_best_songs_of_2009/6 dead 21 December 2009 The 25 Best Songs of 2009 Rolling Stone 2010-01-1420095Rolling StoneU.S.Best Songs of the Decadehttps://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/31248926/100_best_songs_of_the_decade/27 100 Best Songs of the Decade Rolling Stone 2009-12-10200980PitchforkU.S.Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s2009228Triple JAustraliaHottest 100 Countdown 2009http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/09/countdown/cd_list.htm Hottest 100 Countdown 2009 January 2010 Triple J 2010-02-04201013 Birdy version 1901 1901Birdysong.jpg single Birdy Birdy 2012 03 09 y 2011 Indie folk 5:11 Warner * Thomas Pablo Croquet Christian Mazzalai Laurent Mazzalai Frederic Moulin Rich Costey People Help the People 2011 Wings 2013 English singer Birdy released a cover version of the song on 9 March 2012, as a digital download in the United Kingdom.August 2025 Music video The music video for "1901" was uploaded to YouTube on 25 October 2009. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL548cHH3OY https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/HL548cHH3OY 2021-12-20 live Phoenix - 1901 YouTube.com 25 October 2009 20 October 2017 Featured artists include Helen George and Ian Roe. October 2017 Track listing Digital download 1901 5:11 Charts Chart (2012) PeakpositionFlanders Tip 12 Birdy 1901Wallonia Tip 11 Birdy 1901 Release history Country Date Format Label United Kingdom 9 March 2012 Digital download Warner See also List of Billboard number-one alternative singles of the 2010s References 30em Category:2009 songs Category:2009 singles Category:2012 singles Category:Phoenix (French band) songs Category:Birdy (singer) songs Category:V2 Records singles Category:Black-and-white music videos Category:Songs written by Thomas Mars Category:Songs written by Laurent Brancowitz Category:Songs about Paris Category:Electronic rock songs Category:Songs used as jingles Category:Warner Music Group singles Category:Synth rock songs