"I Believe in a Thing Called Love" is a song by English
rock band
the Darkness, released as the third single from their debut studio album, Permission to Land. When released as a single in September 2003, it peaked at number two on the
UK Singles Chart. The song also charted worldwide, becoming a top-10 hit in Ireland, New Zealand, and Sweden, as well as on the US BillboardModern Rock Tracks chart.
Background and release
"I Believe in a Thing Called Love" was originally issued as a 3-track EP in August 2002; however, as only a small number of copies were printed, it was ineligible to chart. The EP also included early versions of "Love on the Rocks with No Ice" and "
Love Is Only a Feeling". A live version of the song recorded at
Knebworth House in
Knebworth,
Hertfordshire, in 2003 was included as a
B-side on the group's Christmas single, "
Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)".
Commercial performance
When released as a single in September 2003, "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" peaked at number two on the
UK Singles Chart.[2] Sales and streams in the UK have surpassed 600,000 units, allowing it to receive a platinum
certification from the
British Phonographic Industry (BPI).[3] The single helped the album sell 647,000 copies in the United States as of February 2012.[4] The song became the second highest charting single from a UK band in 2003, finishing behind
Lostprophets' single "
Last Train Home", released in December of that year.[5]
Music video
The
music video for the song was designed to launch the band onto the US market.[6] Directed by Alex Smith, the band are shown on a spaceship, performing and battling aliens and monsters.[7][8]
Accolades
In March 2005,
Q magazine placed "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" at number 47 in its list of the 101 Greatest Guitar Tracks.[citation needed] It was named the 276th best track of the 2000s by Pitchfork.[9] It is also placed 493 on The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born on Blender magazine[citation needed] and was ranked number one for Classic Rock magazine's list of "The Greatest Rock Songs of the Noughties."[citation needed] The song was also named the 94th best
hard rock song of all time by
VH1.[10] In a 2020 poll, Classic Rock readers awarded the song the "Greatest Song of the Century (so far)."[11]
^I Believe in a Thing Called Love (UK CD single liner notes).
The Darkness. Must... Destroy!!,
Atlantic Records. 2003. DARK01CD, 5050466889720.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
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^I Believe in a Thing Called Love (UK limited 7-inch picture disc sleeve). The Darkness. Must... Destroy!!, Atlantic Records. 2003. DARK01, 5050466889676.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^I Believe in a Thing Called Love (UK DVD single liner notes). The Darkness. Must... Destroy!!, Atlantic Records. 2003. DARK01DVD, 5050466889850.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^I Believe in a Thing Called Love (Australian CD single liner notes). The Darkness. Must... Destroy!!, Atlantic Records. 2003. 2564610712.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)
^Permission to Land (UK CD album booklet). The Darkness. Must... Destroy!!, Atlantic Records. 2003. 5050466-7452-2-4.{{
cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (
link)