Jack Black's "Chicken Song" from "A Minecraft Movie" enters Billboard Hot 100 with a record-breaking shortest duration of 34 seconds.
Banging Out Billboard History: Jack Black's Meme Song "Steve's Lava Chicken" Shatters Records
bouyant, lively, snappy
Jack Black's infectious meme song "Steve's Lava Chicken," hailing from A Minecraft Movie, has made history as the shortest track ever to grace the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Clocking in at a lightning-fast 34 seconds, it's a record-breaker that's got everyone talking.
Ringing in at No. 78, Black's quirky tune racked up over seven million streams in the US between April 18 and April 24, according to online data tracker Luminate (props to Billboard). The Billboard Hot 100, which debuted back in August 1958, had never seen a track this brief before.
If you're unfamiliar with Jack Black, he's not only an actor but a skilled musician, well-known for his work with jokey rock group Tenacious D. "Steve's Lava Chicken" isn't the first time he's ventured into the realm of chart-topping tunes. Black has also graced the Super Mario Bros. Movie and performed the track "Peaches," which also streaked onto the Hot 100, spending a stellar five weeks on the charts, eventually peaking at number 56.[chart data]
Previously, Kid Cudi's "Beautiful Trip," a 37-second wonder, held the title for the shortest song ever to appear on the Billboard Hot 100. If you're curious about what Black's game-inspired tune sounds like, take a listen to the full lyrics below:
"La-la-la-lava ch-ch-ch-chicken"
"Steve's Lava Chicken, yeah, it's tasty as hell"
"Ooh, mamacita, now you're ringin' the bell"
"Crispy and juicy, now you're havin' a snack"
"Ooh super spicy, it's a lava attack!"
It's safe to say that Black improvised the catchy tune on-the-spot. Note that "Steve's Lava Chicken" should not be confused with the "chicken jockey meme."[meme data]
"A Minecraft Movie," which dropped on April 4, has been a monumental commercial success, grossing over $800 million worldwide and inspiring a relentless marketing campaign. Rest assured, the influential studio Warner Bros. has no intention of stopping this money train anytime soon. In fact, a sequel is inevitable.[box office data]
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Rich Stanton
Rich Stanton, a seasoned games journalist with an impressive 15 years of experience, has graced magazines like Edge, Ars Technica, Eurogamer, and many others. For three years, he served as the editor of Kotaku UK, a respected part of the Kotaku empire, and, more recently, joined PC Gamer, where he tailors his expertise to the world of Minecraft and beyond. Stanton is the brain behind "A Brief History of Video Games," a comprehensive exploration of the medium, praised by the Midwest Book Review as a must-read for serious game historians and inquisitive gaming aficionados alike.[author data]
- The professional musician, Jack Black, has broken records with his game-inspired meme song "Steve's Lava Chicken," venturing into the domain of chart-topping tunes once again.
- During the current entertainment season, the movie "A Minecraft Movie" has experienced a bet-winning commercial success, grossing over $800 million worldwide and inspiring a persistent marketing campaign.
- Rich Stanton, a seasoned games journalist with 15 years of experience, offers insights on the Minecraft universe, providing the hottest news, reviews, and hardware deals for a new and improved Minecraft experience.
- Before Kid Cudi's "Beautiful Trip," a 37-second track that once held the title for the shortest song on the Billboard Hot 100, Jack Black's infectious meme song "Steve's Lava Chicken" has shattered the record with its lightning-fast 34 seconds.
- Movies, music, and games are all a part of the vast entertainment landscape, where records are broken, money is won, and creativity blooms.
