Shouse shuffles to an APRA AMCOS Billions Award for their “coming out of lockdown” anthem “Love Tonight.”
The Melbourne dance music duo is saluted for notching one billion streams of their song, an overnight sensation that was, in reality, five years in the making.
“Love Tonight” is the creation of Jack Madin and Ed Service, one a primary school teacher, the other an arts community manager, who were spotted performing the moody number in 2016 by OneLove head of A&R Ant Celestino. He documented the performance on video; in the cold light of day, Celestino knew it was a total banger.
Soon after, the track was recorded with a choir of local Melbourne friends and released in 2017 on the OneLove imprint Hell Beach.
The story took another turn when, in early 2017, OneLove struck a partnership deal for global digital distribution and label services with Ingrooves Music Group, an arrangement that cleared a path for “Love Tonight.”
“It was like an unhealthy obsession,” Celestino told this reporter on stage at 2022 Indie-Con. “We never stopped. I just thought the record was so good.”
The eight-minute original cut was spun off into a string of new remixes and edits, the track was serviced to radio, DJs and tastemakers in 2021, an underground swell bubbled away in European clubs, and when the doors finally burst open after the pandemic — a global hit.
The single went top 10 in over 20 countries including Germany, France, Greece, Netherlands, and Belgium. “Love Tonight” reached No. 18 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, and No. 8 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs.
According to APRA AMCOS, “Love Tonight” is certified diamond in France, triple platinum in Australia, double platinum in Belgium and Portugal, Platinum in Germany, Italy, New Zealand and Greece, and gold in Denmark, Spain, the U.K. and the U.S.
“Hearing the voices of our makeshift Melbourne choir resonate across crowds around the world will never get old,” comments Madin and Service on receiving their circular trophy. “We’re thrilled and stunned that our little moment of collective joy here in our home has made an impact on so many. They always sing along. We hope that this song inspires people to sing and create music with friends, family and their community. Music is magic!”
The 1,000,000,000 List takes into account streaming numbers from major services Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube, and is given to APRA AMCOS songwriter members and their publishers in recognition of a song surpassing one billion streams.
It’s said to be the first award of its kind to recognize a songwriter’s achievement. Other recipients include Tones And I (for “Dance Monkey”), 5 Seconds of Summer (“Youngblood”), Vance Joy (“Riptide”), Gotye (“Somebody That I Used to Know”), VASSY (“Bad”), Harry Michael and Tyron Hapi for Masked Wolf’s “Astronaut in the Ocean.”
Read more on the “Love Tonight” story here.
