God Is a DJ (Faithless song)

"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.[1]

"God Is a DJ"
UK and European cover
Single by Faithless
from the album Sunday 8PM
Released24 August 1998 (1998-08-24)
GenreTrance
Length8:01
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Faithless singles chronology
"Don't Leave"
(1997)		 "God Is a DJ"
(1998)		 "Take the Long Way Home"
(1998)
Alternative cover
12-inch cover
Audio sample
"God Is a DJ" excerpt
  • file
  • help
Music video
"God Is a DJ" on YouTube

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.[2] 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."[3] Daily Record described it as a "pumping, hypnotic track".[4]

Track listings

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)[42] Gold 25,000*
Germany (BVMI)[43] Gold 250,000^
Norway (IFPI Norway)[44] Gold  
United Kingdom (BPI)[45] Gold 400,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States 11 August 1998 Rhythmic contemporary radio
[46]
United Kingdom 24 August 1998
  • 12-inch
  • CD
  • cassette
 Cheeky [47]

See also

References
  1. The story behind "Faithless - God Is A DJ" by Maxi Jazz | Muzikxpress 039, retrieved 26 December 2022
  2. Billboard, 23 January 1999, Vol. 111 Issue 4, p34, Accessed through EBBSCO Publishing, 20 May 1999
  3. "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 34. 22 August 1998. p. 16. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
  4. "Chartslot". Daily Record. 4 September 1998. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  5. "Faithless – God Is a DJ". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  6. "Faithless – God Is a DJ" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  7. "Faithless – God Is a DJ" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  8. "Faithless – God Is a DJ" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  9. "Faithless – God Is a DJ" (in Dutch). Ultratop Dance. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  10. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 7069." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  11. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 44. 31 October 1998. p. 12. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  12. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 42. 17 October 1998. p. 10. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  13. "Faithless: God Is a DJ" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
  14. "Faithless – God Is a DJ" (in French). Les classement single.
  15. "Faithless – God Is a DJ" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  16. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 47. 21 November 1998. p. 22. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  17. "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 42. 17 October 1998. p. 14. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  18. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – God Is a DJ". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  19. "Hits of the World – Italy" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 50. 12 December 1998. p. 52. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  20. "Nederlandse Top 40 – Faithless" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  21. "Faithless – God Is A DJ" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  22. "Faithless – God Is a DJ". Top 40 Singles.
  23. "Faithless – God Is a DJ". VG-lista.
  24. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  25. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  26. "Faithless – God Is a DJ". Singles Top 100.
  27. "Faithless – God Is a DJ". Swiss Singles Chart.
  28. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  29. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  30. "Faithless Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
  31. "Faithless Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  32. "Official Singles Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  33. "Jaaroverzichten 1998" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  34. "Rapports Annuels 1998" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  35. "RPM's Top 50 Dance Tracks of '98". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  36. "Year in Focus – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1998" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 51. 19 December 1998. p. 8. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  37. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1998" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  38. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1998". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  39. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1998" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  40. "Årslista Singlar, 1998" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  41. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1998". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  42. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – singles 1998". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  43. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Faithless; 'God Is a DJ')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  44. "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  45. "British single certifications – Faithless – God Is a DJ". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  46. "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1261. 14 August 1998. p. 49.
  47. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 22 August 1998. p. 35. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
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