Unbelievable (EMF song)

"Unbelievable" is a song written and recorded by British band EMF, originally appearing on their debut album, Schubert Dip (1991). It was released as a single in the UK in October 1990, peaking at number three on the UK Singles Chart on 1 December 1990. It was the 32nd-best-selling single of 1990 in the UK, and a top 10 hit also in Belgium, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden. In the United States, it hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991. The song was produced by Ralph Jezzard, and contains samples of US comedian Andrew Dice Clay[3] and a Black Panther Party member shouting "What the fuck?"[4]

"Unbelievable"
Standard release
Single by EMF
from the album Schubert Dip
B-side"EMF" (live at The Bilson)
Released22 October 1990 (1990-10-22)[1]
Genre
Length3:30
Label
Songwriter(s)EMF
Producer(s)Ralph Jezzard
EMF singles chronology
"Unbelievable"
(1990)		 "I Believe"
(1991)
Music video
"Unbelievable" on YouTube

Background and release

Guitarist and principal songwriter of the band, Ian Dench, has stated that the melody to the song came into his head as he was riding on his bike.[5] Still obsessed by his girlfriend who had dumped him, the idea came to him while on his way home. Dench had learned to play classical guitar and also loved the blues. The guitar riff in the song goes from blues mode to flamenco mode, "like the two conflicting sides of his life", as he told in an interview with The Guardian.[5] Singer James Atkins had suggested to do Chicago house and Detroit techno, but Dench went for crossover indie/dance music.

The band made a four-track demo and were invited to London by the record labels. Instead the band suggested that they should come to witness the band perform live in the Forest of Dean. Virgin, Island and EMI wanted to sign them.[5] The latter drew the longest straw. The “Oh” sample comes from US comedian Andrew Dice Clay, that was released on Def Jam. The band therefore had to get hold of anyone in the Def Jam office to clear the sample. They were flown to Los Angeles to meet EMI. Dench then happened to see Rick Rubin, founder of Def Jam, in a bar. He answered, “Fax my office in the morning” and did it for free. Another sample in the song is of a member of Black Panther Party shouting "What the fuck?"[4] "Unbelievable" was released on 22 October 1990 as the first single from Schubert Dip.

The band drew inspiration from American hip-hop for their fashion style, using their first advance to buy puffer jackets like East 17.[5]

Chart performance

"Unbelievable" was very successful on the charts across several continents. In Europe, the song entered the top 10 in Belgium (4), Germany (9), Ireland (5), the Netherlands (6), Norway (8), Spain (6), Sweden (9), Switzerland (3), and the UK. In the latter, it peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart in its fifth week, on November 25, 1990. The song spent two weeks at the number two position before dropping to number six, seven and ten the following weeks. The single was also a top 10 hit on the Eurochart Hot 100, peaking at number eight in December 1990.[6]

Outside Europe, "Unbelievable" was a top 20 hit in New Zealand (12), while entering the top 10 also in Australia (8). In the US, the song achieved huge success, charting on four different Billboard charts; number one on the Hot 100, number nine on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, number five on the Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales chart and number three on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. It also hit number one on the Cash Box Top 100. In Canada, "Unbelievable" reached number four on the RPM Top Singles chart and number three on the RPM Dance/Urban chart.

The single earned a gold record in Australia (35,000), Canada (50,000) and the United States (500,000), and a silver record in the United Kingdom (200,000).

Critical reception

In 2018, Bill Lamb from About.com noted that the song "mixed intoxicating rhythms, sweet high vocals from lead singer James Atkin, and rousing shouts to storm to the top of the pop charts."[7] In his review of Schubert Dip, AllMusic editor Alex Henderson described the song as "so insanely infectious",[8] remarking its "dizzying infectiousness". Upon the release, J.D. Considine from The Baltimore Sun felt the group's material appeals as much to the brain as the body, so that songs such as "Unbelievable" "end up danceable, hummable, and utterly irresistible."[9] Larry Flick from Billboard declared it as a "insinuating, Manchester-influenced rave. Scratchy, neopsychedelic guitar riffs nicely contrast track's hip hop groove, promising extensive exposure here at both club and radio levels."[10] John Earls from Classic Pop called it "mighty".[11] Annette Petruso from The Michigan Daily stated that the boys from the Forest of Dean "have created an undeniably perfect pop single with the ultra-simple, ultra-catchy and ultra-overplayed "Unbelievable"."[12] Andrew Collins from NME complimented it as a "special record", writing, "It's their first, and it's crunchier than the breakfast cereal Start. Sex-flavoured bass, hoppity drums, unfettered guitar, and a shouting sample that might be stupid old Andrew Dice Clay for all I know — yes, it's got the lot. Drenched in all the same juices that make PWEI so cool, it even sounds like five people were involved in its construction. I believe."[13]

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by American music video director Josh Taft.[14] It received heavy rotation on MTV Europe.[15]

Impact and legacy

The song was ranked no. 31 on VH1's "100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders" in 2002 and no. 98 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the 90s" in 2007.[16] Australian music channel Max placed it at number 547 in their list of "1000 Greatest Songs of All Time" in 2011.[17] Rolling Stone listed "Unbelievable" at number 12 in their "20 Biggest Songs of the Summer: The 1990s" list in July 2014.[18] In 2020, Cleveland.com listed it at number 41 in their ranking of the best Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 song of the 1990s.[19]

Formats and track listings
  • UK 7" (R 6273)
  1. "Unbelievable" – 3:30
  2. "EMF" (live at The Bilson) – 3:53
  • UK CD (CDR 6273)
  1. "Unbelievable" – 3:30
  2. "Unbelievable" (The Cin City Sex Mix) – 5:14
  3. "EMF" (live at The Bilson) – 3:53
  • US CD (E2-56210)
  1. "Unbelievable" (single version) – 3:30
  2. "Unbelievable" (Cin City Sex Mix) – 5:14
  3. "Unbelievable" (Boot Lane Mix) – 6:20
  4. "Unbelievable" (House Mix) – 4:26
  5. "Unbelievable" (Hip Hop Mix) – 4:10
  6. "EMF" (live at The Bilson) – 3:53

Charts and sales

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[50] Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[51] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[52] Silver 200,000^
United States (RIAA)[53] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

References
  1. "New Singles". Music Week. 20 October 1990. p. 37.
  2. Smith, Troy L. (21 October 2020). "Every No. 1 song of the 1990s ranked from worst to best". Cleveland.com. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  3. Talevski, Nick (2006). Rock Obituaries – Knocking on Heaven's Door. Omnibus Press. p. 179. ISBN 978-1-8460-9091-2.
  4. Quantick, David (September 1991). "The Unbelievable Truth". Spin. Vol. 7, no. 6. p. 62. ISSN 0886-3032.
  5. Pelley, Rich (4 April 2022). "'My mother thought I'd ruined my life': how EMF made Unbelievable". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  6. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 50. 15 December 1990. p. IV.
  7. Lamb, Bill (23 September 2018). "The Best 100 Songs from the 1990s". ThoughtCo. Archived from the original on 7 May 2019.
  8. Henderson, Alex. "EMF – Schubert Dip". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  9. Considine, J.D. (1991). "EMF – Schubert Dip". Baltimore Sun – via Milwaukee Journal. (9 June 1991).
  10. Flick, Larry (9 March 1991). "Single Reviews > New and Noteworthy" (PDF). Billboard. p. 79.
  11. Earls, John (March 2021). "Boxset review – EMF 30th Anniversary Boxset". Classic Pop. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  12. Petruso, Annette (13 November 1991). "Sexy EMF needs a little bit o' respect". The Michigan Daily. p. 5. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  13. Collins, Andrew (27 October 1990). "Singles". NME. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  14. "Unbelievable (1990) by EMF". IMVDb. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  15. "Station Reports > TV > MTV/London" (PDF). Music & Media. 2 February 1991. p. 21. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  16. Ali, Rahsheeda (23 May 2013). "The 100 Greatest Songs of the '90s". VH1. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  17. "Top 1000 Greatest Songs of All Time – 2011". Max. 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  18. Shipley, Al (23 July 2014). "20 Biggest Songs of the Summer: The 1990s". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  19. Smith, Tony L. (21 October 2020). "Every No. 1 song of the 1990s ranked from worst to best". Cleveland.com. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  20. "EMF – Unbelievable". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  21. "EMF – Unbelievable" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  22. "EMF – Unbelievable" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  23. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1570." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  24. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 1541." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  25. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  26. "EMF – Unbelievable" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  27. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Unbelievable". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
  28. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 51, 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  29. "EMF – Unbelievable" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  30. "EMF – Unbelievable". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  31. "EMF – Unbelievable". VG-lista. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  32. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  33. "EMF – Unbelievable". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  34. "EMF – Unbelievable". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  35. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  36. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. 20 July 1991. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  37. "Dance Singles Sales". Billboard. 4 May 1991. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  38. "Dance Club Songs". Billboard. 27 April 1991. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  39. "Alternative Airplay". Billboard. 23 March 1991. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  40. "CASH BOX Top 100 Pop Singles – Week ending JULY 13, 1991". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 15 September 2012.
  41. "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 50 Singles 1991". ARIA Charts. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  42. "Jaaroverzichten 1991" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  43. "RPM 100 Hit Tracks of 1991". RPM. Vol. 55, no. 3. 21 December 1991. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  44. "Dance Tracks of 1991". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. 21 December 1991. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  45. "End of Year Charts 1991". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  46. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1991" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  47. "1990 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England: Spotlight Publications. 2 March 1991. p. 41.
  48. "Top 100 Hits for 1991". Longbored Surfer. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  49. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1991". Cash Box. Archived from the original on 27 August 2012.
  50. "Australian Fun Countdowns – Accreditation Awards". Australian Fun Countdowns. 7 April 2011. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  51. "Canadian single certifications – E.M.F. – Unbelievable". Music Canada.
  52. "British single certifications – EMF – Unbelievable". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  53. "American single certifications – EMF – Unbelievable". Recording Industry Association of America.
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