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My People (The Presets song)

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"My People"
Song

"My People" is the first single from The Presets' second album Apocalypso. The song was nominated for two ARIA Awards, Single of the Year and Best Video (Kris Moyes).[1] It won the latter.[2]

On 26 October 2008—a week after their multiple ARIA Awards wins—"My People" jumped up 38 spots from number 52 to 14 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart, surpassing its previous peak of 19. The song spent 27 weeks in the ARIA Top 50.

Channel V Australia named the song as the second biggest hit of 2008, behind only "Low" by Flo Rida.

Song information

The song was written by Julian Hamilton about asylum seekers in Australian detention centres. "I wanted to write a song about [...] this horrible phenomenon where people come out here in search of a better life and we lock them up. I felt so horrible about the way we treat these destitute people that I wanted to write a desperate-sounding song – the line 'let me hear you scream if you're with me' could be understood to come from the perspective of someone who is locked up, needing to hear that there are people outside who are behind him and supporting him."[3] Kim Moyes said "In a lot of ways [the song is] a 'mega-mix' of three or four Presets ideas and it's a really glued-together, solid Presets [song]. It's very informed by the touring process and crowd reactions."[4]

Despite its eventual success, the group initially had doubts if radio would play it due to the track's heaviness. Kim Moyes told Rolling Stone Australia: "I remember when we played it to our record company and they were like 'we love it but how the heck are we going to get this on the radio?' There were even doubts about how much Triple J would get behind it, let alone any commercial stations."[5]

will.i.am from American hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas, in an interview with Billboard magazine about their album The E.N.D, remarked that "the album had been inspired by a trip to Australia, specifically the sound of The Presets' 'My People'. [...] The energy on the Presets' small little stage was crazy energy. That song 'My People' [he sings the chorus] - that [...] is wild. That's the reason why this record sounds the way it does - my three months in Australia."

On 26/27 October 2008, "My People" made its return to the Australian ARIA Singles Chart, peaking higher at number 14. This chart rebound was partly due to The Presets' appearance at the 2008 ARIA Awards a week earlier.

"My People" holds the record for the most weeks spent by an Australian-released single within the ARIA Top 100 Singles Chart—76 weeks or a year and a half.

In 2009, "My People" was sampled by Australian hip hop artist Phrase in his song "Phrase Meets The Presets". A music video was also created by DJ Flagrant to accompany it.

Usage in the media

This song's popularity has resulted in it being played frequently across the media.

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (2008) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[7] 14
Australian Physical Singles (ARIA)[8] 22
Australian Digital Track Chart (ARIA)[9] 15
Australian Club Chart (ARIA)[10] 1
Australian Artist Singles (ARIA)[11] 2
Australian Independent Records Singles (AIR)[12] 2

Year-end charts

Chart (2008) Position
Australian ARIA Singles Chart[13] 41

Certification

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[14] Platinum 70,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Track listing

  1. "My People"
  2. "My People" (Kris Menace Remix)
  3. "My People" (D.I.M. Remix)
Australian CD single
  1. "My People"
  2. "My People" (Kris Menace Remix)
  3. "My People" (D.I.M. Remix)
  4. "My People" (Mouse on Mars Acid Pretzels Remix)
  5. "My People" (Music video)

Note: Australia radio stations were issued with a 'radio edit' (3:49) promo CD single.

References

  1. ^ "Cilmi, Presets dominate ARIAs". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 October 2008. Retrieved 19 October 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ "The Academy Has Spoken: Emerging Artists Dominate 2008 ARIA Award Nominations" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. 10 September 2008. Retrieved 19 October 2008.
  3. ^ Duncan, Alasdair (1 April 2008). "The Presets". Rave Magazine. Retrieved 1 May 2008. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  4. ^ Weaver, Andrew (28 April 2008). "The Presets Interview". centralstation.com.au. Retrieved 1 May 2008.
  5. ^ Treuen, Jason. "The Presets: Apocalypso Kings". Rolling Stone Australia. Retrieved 5 April 2008.
  6. ^ Clarke, Jenna (27 April 2015). "The Presets provoke fans with Bali execution Facebook posts". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  7. ^ "The Presets – My People". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
  8. ^ Top 50 Physical Singles Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association.
  9. ^ Top 40 Digital Track Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association.
  10. ^ Top 50 Club Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association.
  11. ^ Top 20 Australian Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association.
  12. ^ http://www.air.org.au/charts_main/index.php
  13. ^ http://www.vanessaamorosi.net/2009/01/02/official-aria-charts-top-100-2008/
  14. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2008 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 1 May 2015.
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