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Fireflies (Owl City song)

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This article is about the Owl City song. For other uses, see Firefly (disambiguation) § Songs.
"Fireflies"
Song

"Fireflies" is the first single from Synthpop artist Owl City's album Ocean Eyes. Relient K vocalist Matt Thiessen is featured as a guest vocalist in the song. Thiessen described the song as "a little song about bugs and not being able to fall asleep at night," though the fireflies in the song's title also serve as a metaphor for the loss of childlike imagination and wonder in adulthood.[4]

The single has attained worldwide success, topping the charts in the United States, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.

Music video

The music video for "Fireflies" was directed by Steve Hoover.[5] It features Adam Young playing the song on a Lowrey spinet organ in a toy-filled bedroom, where most of the toys (including an astronaut, toy cars, and a blimp) come to life. Most of the toys are older model toys, with most of them from the 1970s and '80s (an exception being a Robosapien). There are also vintage household devices such as a black-and-white television and a record player. The video had an exclusive premiere on MySpace, but was leaked onto Dailymotion some time before and YouTube soon after.

Cover versions

Track listings

Europe CD single
  1. "Fireflies" – 3:48
  2. "Hot Air Balloon" – 3:35[7]
US CD promo
  1. "Fireflies" – 3:48[8]

Chart performance

The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in early-September at number ninety-seven, and it reached number one in its tenth week, becoming Owl City's first number-one single.[9][10] The song stayed at number one for two non-consecutive weeks, in the top ten for fifteen weeks and on the Hot 100 for thirty-one weeks.[11] "Fireflies" contributed to sales of the album Ocean Eyes, and was credited as being responsible for its entry to the top ten on the U.S. Billboard 200.[12] On the Billboard Hot 100 2009 year-end chart, it was ranked sixtieth.[13] The RIAA certified "Fireflies" triple-platinum in June 2010.

The song entered the UK Singles Chart at number fifty due to early download sales from a fake version that got leaked onto iTunes. The song would go on to make a forty-eight place jump to number two the following week, beaten only to the top by "Replay" by Iyaz. The following week, it rose to number one, and topped the chart for three consecutive weeks. The BPI certified "Fireflies" silver in February 2010

The song has attained success worldwide. It has reached number one in Australia, Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands(for 10 weeks) and the top ten in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland and the Slovak Republic.[11]

Charts

Chart (2009/2010)
[11][14] 		Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[15] 1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[16] 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[17] 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[18] 4
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[19] 2
Czech Republic IFPI Top 100[20] 2
Denmark (Tracklisten)[21] 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[22] 1
European Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[23] 3
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[24] 7
France (SNEP)[25] 17
French Digital Singles Chart 7
French Airplay Chart[26] 3
songid field is MANDATORY FOR GERMAN CHARTS 6
Ireland (IRMA)[27] 1
Italy (FIMI)[28] 2
Japan Hot 100 3
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[29] 2
Norway (VG-lista)[30] 2
Portuguese Singles Chart 7
Russian Airplay Chart[31] 66
Slovak Republic IFPI Top 100[32] 8
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[33] 27
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[34] 1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[35] 4
UK Singles (OCC)[36] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[37] 1

Certifications and sales

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