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God Is a DJ (Faithless song)

{{Short description|1998 single by Faithless}}

{{Use British English|date=June 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox song

| name = God Is a DJ

| cover = Faithless God Is A DJ1.jpg

| alt =

| caption = UK and European cover

| type = single

| artist = Faithless

| album = Sunday 8PM

| released = {{start date|1998|8|24|df=y}}

| recorded =

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Trance

| length = 8:01

| label =

| writer =

| producer =

| prev_title = Don't Leave

| prev_year = 1997

| next_title = Take the Long Way Home

| next_year = 1998

| misc = {{Extra album cover

| cover = Faithless God Is A DJ3.jpg

| type = single

| border =

| alt =

| caption = 12-inch cover

}}

{{Audio sample

| type = single

| file = Faithless - God Is A DJ.ogg

| description = "God Is a DJ" excerpt

}}

{{External music video|{{YouTube|bhSB8EEnCAM|"God Is a DJ"}}

}}

}}

"God Is a DJ" is a song by British group Faithless, written by Maxi Jazz, Rollo, Sister Bliss, and Jamie Catto. It was released on 24 August 1998 as the lead single from their second studio album, Sunday 8PM (1998). The single reached number six in the United Kingdom and also reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in September 1998. The title and core lyric originated from words on a T-shirt worn to rehearsal by the band guitarist Dave Randall.{{Citation |title=The story behind "Faithless - God Is A DJ" by Maxi Jazz {{!}} Muzikxpress 039 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6XANDAVs-Y |access-date=26 December 2022}}

Faithless won a Brit Award for Best British Act in 1999 for their work on the song and other tracks on Sunday 8PM. Billboard claimed in an article in early 1999 that many people involved with dance music thought that "God Is a DJ" should have been nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording of 1998.Billboard, 23 January 1999, Vol. 111 Issue 4, p34, Accessed through EBBSCO Publishing, 20 May 1999 The song re-entered the UK chart in 2005 following the release of Forever Faithless and reached number 66. After Maxi Jazz died in December 2022, the song charted at number 40 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart.

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that Faithless are "melding electronic elements into a trance-disco beat." He noted further that vocalist Maxi Jazz "strides atop the track with a hypnotic chant that boldly declares the club a church. As he rants "this is my church," organ lines swoop and surround him as the beat pumps with intense authority."{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1998/BB-1998-08-22.pdf|title=Single Reviews|magazine=Billboard|volume=110|issue=34|page=16|date=22 August 1998|access-date=9 February 2020}} Daily Record described it as a "pumping, hypnotic track"."Chartslot". Daily Record. 4 September 1998. Retrieved 3 December 2020.

Track listings

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UK CD release

  1. "God Is a DJ" (radio edit) – 03:34
  2. "God Is a DJ" (Monster mix) [edit] – 06:52
  3. "God Is a DJ" (Serious Danger remix) [edit] – 05:09
  4. "God Is a DJ" (Sharp remix) [edit] – 04:27

European CD release

  1. "God Is a DJ" (radio edit) – 03:33
  2. "God Is a DJ" (Monster mix) [edit] – 06:53
  3. "God Is a DJ" (Serious Danger remix) [edit] – 05:09
  4. "God Is a DJ" (Sharp remix) [edit] – 04:26

French CD release

  1. "God Is a DJ" (radio mix) – 03:32
  2. "God Is a DJ" (Sharp remix) – 04:26

{{col-2}}

Greek CD release

  1. "God Is a DJ" (radio edit) – 03:33
  2. "God Is a DJ" (Monster mix) – 06:53
  3. "God Is a DJ" (Serious Danger remix) – 05:09
  4. "God Is a DJ" (Sharp remix) – 04:26

12-inch release

  1. "God Is a DJ" (Monster mix) – 08:01
  2. "God Is a DJ" (Sharp remix) – 09:21

{{col-end}}

Charts

{{Col-start}}

{{col-2}}

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1998)

!Peak
position

{{single chart|Australia|37|artist=Faithless|song=God Is a DJ|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Austria|9|artist=Faithless|song=God Is a DJ|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Flanders|4|artist=Faithless|song=God Is a DJ|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Wallonia|5|artist=Faithless|song=God Is a DJ|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Flanders Dance|4|artist=Faithless|song=God Is a DJ|rowheader=true|access-date=4 November 2020}}
{{single chart|Canadadance|1|chartid=7069|rowheader=true|access-date=18 January 2020}}
scope="row"|Denmark (IFPI){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1998/MM-1998-10-31.pdf|title=Top National Sellers|magazine=Music & Media|volume=15|issue=44|page=12|date=31 October 1998|access-date=12 July 2021}}

|4

scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1998/MM-1998-10-17.pdf|title=Eurochart Hot 100 Singles|magazine=Music & Media|volume=15|issue=42|page=10|date=17 October 1998|access-date=6 February 2020}}

|4

{{single chart|Finland|6|artist=Faithless|song=God Is a DJ|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|France|43|artist=Faithless|song=God Is a DJ|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Germany|2|artist=Faithless|song=God Is a DJ|songid=3746|rowheader=true|access-date=18 January 2020}}
scope="row"|Greece (IFPI){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1998/MM-1998-11-21.pdf|title=Top National Sellers|magazine=Music & Media|volume=15|issue=47|page=22|date=21 November 1998|access-date=8 June 2020}}

|6

scope="row"|Hungary (Mahasz){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1998/MM-1998-10-17.pdf|title=Top National Sellers|magazine=Music & Media|volume=15|issue=42|page=14|date=17 October 1998|access-date=8 June 2020}}

|10

{{single chart|Ireland2|11|song=God Is a DJ|rowheader=true|access-date=18 January 2020}}
scope="row"|Italy (Musica e dischi){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1998/BB-1998-12-12.pdf|title=Hits of the World – Italy|magazine=Billboard|volume=110|issue=50|page=52|date=12 December 1998|access-date=4 June 2020}}

|17

{{single chart|Dutch40|1|artist=Faithless|song=God Is a DJ|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Dutch100|3|artist=Faithless|song=God Is A DJ|rowheader=true|access-date=15 June 2018}}
{{single chart|New Zealand|10|artist=Faithless|song=God Is a DJ|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Norway|4|artist=Faithless|song=God Is a DJ|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Scotland|6|date=19980830|rowheader=true}}
scope="row"|Spain (AFYVE){{cite book|last=Salaverri|first=Fernando|title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002|edition=1st|date=September 2005|publisher=Fundación Autor-SGAE|location=Spain|isbn=84-8048-639-2}}

|6

{{single chart|Sweden|20|artist=Faithless|song=God Is a DJ|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Switzerland|2|artist=Faithless|song=God Is a DJ|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|UK|6|date=19980830|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|UKdance|4|date=19980830|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboarddanceclubplay|1|artist=Faithless|rowheader=true}}
{{single chart|Billboarddancesales|44|artist=Faithless|rowheader=true|access-date=12 July 2021}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (2022)

!Peak
position

{{single chart|UKdownload|40|date=20230105|rowheader=true|access-date=30 December 2022|refname="uk2022"}}

{{col-2}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

!Chart (1998)

!Position

scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders){{cite web|url=http://www.ultratop.be/nl/annual.asp?year=1998&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten 1998|publisher=Ultratop|language=nl|access-date=21 October 2019}}

|31

scope="row"|Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia){{cite web|url=http://www.ultratop.be/fr/annual.asp?year=1998&cat=s|title=Rapports Annuels 1998|publisher=Ultratop|language=fr|access-date=21 October 2019}}

|45

scope="row"|Canada Dance (RPM){{cite web|url=http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.7003&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.7003.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.7003|title=RPM's Top 50 Dance Tracks of '98|magazine=RPM|via=Library and Archives Canada|access-date=4 November 2020}}

|4

scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100){{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1998/MM-1998-12-19.pdf|title=Year in Focus – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1998|magazine=Music & Media|volume=15|issue=51|page=8|date=19 December 1998|access-date=6 February 2020}}

|33

scope="row"|Germany (Official German Charts){{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/single-jahr/for-date-1998|title=Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1998|publisher=GfK Entertainment|language=de|access-date=7 August 2015}}

|31

scope="row"|Netherlands (Dutch Top 40){{cite web|url=https://www.top40.nl/bijzondere-lijsten/top-100-jaaroverzichten/1998|title=Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1998|publisher=Dutch Top 40|access-date=21 October 2019}}

|34

scope="row"|Netherlands (Single Top 100){{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1998&cat=s|title=Jaaroverzichten – Single 1998|publisher=MegaCharts|language=nl|access-date=21 October 2019}}

|35

scope="row"|Sweden (Sverigetopplistan){{cite web|url=https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/43?dspy=1998&dspp=1|title=Årslista Singlar, 1998|publisher=Sverigetopplistan|language=sv|access-date=21 October 2019}}

|92

scope="row"|Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade){{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/1998|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1998|website=hitparade.ch|language=de|access-date=21 October 2019}}

|27

scope="row"|US Dance Club Play (Billboard){{cite magazine|title=The Year in Music 1998: Hot Dance Club-Play Singles|magazine=Billboard|volume=110|issue=52|page=YE-54|date=26 December 1998}}

|16

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Certifications

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Belgium|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1998|certyear=1998|access-date=1 May 2020}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|type=single|artist=Faithless|title=God Is a DJ|award=Gold|relyear=1998|certyear=1998|access-date=1 May 2020}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Norway|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=1998|certyear=1998|nosales=true|access-date=1 May 2020}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=single|artist=Faithless|title=God Is a DJ|award=Platinum|relyear=1998|certyear=2025|id=13339-1256-1|access-date=19 February 2025}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

scope="row"|United States

|11 August 1998

|Rhythmic contemporary radio

|{{hlist|Arista|Cheeky}}

|{{cite magazine|title=New Releases|magazine=Radio & Records|issue=1261|page=49|date=14 August 1998}}

scope="row"|United Kingdom

|24 August 1998

|{{hlist|12-inch|CD|cassette}}

|Cheeky

|{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1998/Music-Week-1998-08-22.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|page=35|date=22 August 1998|access-date=12 July 2021}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070907121756/http://www.faithlessweb.com/ FaithlessWeb.com]}}
  • [http://www.tursa.franken.de/RolloBliss_discog.html Faithless / Rollo / Sister Bliss & related artists - Unofficial Discography]

{{Faithless}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:God Is A Dj (Faithless Song)}}

Category:1998 songs

Category:1998 singles

Category:Arista Records singles

Category:Cheeky Records singles

Category:Dutch Top 40 number-one singles

Category:Faithless songs

Category:Songs written by Maxi Jazz

Category:Songs written by Rollo Armstrong

Category:Songs written by Sister Bliss