It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 issue dated May 28, 1983, spending six weeks atop the chart. On July 9, it was succeeded by "Every Breath You Take" by the Police and spent the rest of the month in the top three. It spent 14 weeks in the top 10, thus making it the longest-running top-10 single of 1983. The song was ranked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 year-end chart of 1983. In 2008, the song was ranked at number 26 on Billboard's All Time Top 100, which commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Billboard Hot 100.[4] In the United Kingdom, the song spent one week at number two on the UK Singles Chart for the week ending July 9, 1983, behind "Baby Jane" by Rod Stewart.[2]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
American-Australian singer Marcia Hines recorded a version of the song titled "What a Feeling" in 1998. It was released as the lead single from her ninth studio album, Time of Our Lives (1999).
In 2005, Austrian house music group Global Deejays covered "Flashdance... What a Feeling" on their album Network, retitled "What a Feeling (Flashdance)".
Track listings
Austrian, German and Australian CD maxi single
"What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (Progressive Follow Up Radio Version) – 3:14
"What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (Clubhouse Radio Version) – 3:32
"What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (Pop Radio Version) – 2:46
"What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (Clubhouse Mix) – 6:11
"What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (G.L.O.W's Feelin' Da Vox Mix) – 6:25
"What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (Progressive Follow Up Mix) – 5:29
"What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (OSX Version) – 6:02
French CD maxi single
"What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (House Radio Edit) – 3:33
"What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (Progressive Follow Up Radio Version) – 3:14
"What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (Pop Radio Version) – 2:46
"What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (Clubhouse Mix) – 6:11
"What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (Progressive Follow Up Mix) – 5:27
Belgian CD maxi single
"What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (Progressive Follow Up Radio Version) – 3:14
"What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (Clubhouse Radio Version) – 3:32
"What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (Pop Radio Version) – 2:46
"What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (Progressive Follow Up Mix) – 5:29
German and Italian 12-inch single
A1. "What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (Clubhouse Mix) – 6:07
A2. "What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (G.L.O.W's Feelin' Da Vox Mix) – 6:25
B1. "What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (Progressive Follow Up Mix) – 5:28
B2. "What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (OSX Version) – 6:02
French 12-inch single
A. "What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (Clubhouse Mix) – 6:11
B. "What a Feeling (Flashdance)" (Progressive Follow Up Mix) – 5:27
Japanese singer Miki Asakura released a Japanese version of the song used as an opening song for the Japanese drama Stewardess Story.
Björn Again released a version of the song as a single in 1993, which reached number 65 on the UK Singles Chart.[63]
Swiss singer DJ BoBo released a version as a duet with Irene Cara in 2001, which reached number two in Switzerland, number three in Germany, number 10 in Spain, and number 11 in Austria.[64]
French singer Priscilla Betti released a French version of the song named "Cette vie nouvelle" as the second single from her debut album Cette vie nouvelle (2002). It peaked at number nine in France and number 36 in the Walloon region of Belgium.[65]
Marie Picasso covered the song in 2007, peaking at number 54 on the Swedish singles chart.[66]
Extensive samples of Cara's version are included in Jason Derulo's 2010 single "The Sky's the Limit".[67]