This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-45810659
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Africa by Toto: Why are your friends still obsessed with it? | Africa by Toto: Why are your friends still obsessed with it? |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| "It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you." | "It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you." |
| Whether it's being requested by your pal on a night out for the billionth time or the punch line to a meme, Africa by Toto is the song the internet just can't seem to shake off. | Whether it's being requested by your pal on a night out for the billionth time or the punch line to a meme, Africa by Toto is the song the internet just can't seem to shake off. |
| It was one of the most streamed songs in 2017 and has an impressive 396 million views on YouTube and over 426 million streams on Spotify but check this: it was first released in 1982. | It was one of the most streamed songs in 2017 and has an impressive 396 million views on YouTube and over 426 million streams on Spotify but check this: it was first released in 1982. |
| So what makes this soft rock song still popular? | So what makes this soft rock song still popular? |
| The birth of a bop | The birth of a bop |
| 1983 saw the beginning of a lot of things that are now just part of our everyday lives. | |
| It became compulsory for both the driver and passenger in the front seat of a car to wear a seatbelt. | It became compulsory for both the driver and passenger in the front seat of a car to wear a seatbelt. |
| In gaming, plumbers Mario and Luigi made their video game debut as the Mario Bros. | In gaming, plumbers Mario and Luigi made their video game debut as the Mario Bros. |
| And in the music world, well - we saw the British chart debut of Africa, a song by American rock band Toto. | And in the music world, well - we saw the British chart debut of Africa, a song by American rock band Toto. |
| It was up against tough competition, including Michael Jackson's Billie Jean. | It was up against tough competition, including Michael Jackson's Billie Jean. |
| The song peaked at number three before falling down and out of the charts. And it didn't trouble the British charts again 'til 2013 where it spent a week at number 67 before it vanished once again. | The song peaked at number three before falling down and out of the charts. And it didn't trouble the British charts again 'til 2013 where it spent a week at number 67 before it vanished once again. |
| Memes, glorious memes | Memes, glorious memes |
| But why did it chart in 2013 and become relevant again in 2018? Time for a quick lesson into the history of the internet. | But why did it chart in 2013 and become relevant again in 2018? Time for a quick lesson into the history of the internet. |
| From early 2013, covers and parodies of the song ended up on YouTube and a subreddit dedicated to Africa covers - /r/TotoAfricaCovers. | From early 2013, covers and parodies of the song ended up on YouTube and a subreddit dedicated to Africa covers - /r/TotoAfricaCovers. |
| The song then appeared in everything from a sex scene in Stranger Things to a parody on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. | The song then appeared in everything from a sex scene in Stranger Things to a parody on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. |
| Although, sometimes the obsession is taken a little too far. Take this Twitter bot account that tweets Africa lyrics... | Although, sometimes the obsession is taken a little too far. Take this Twitter bot account that tweets Africa lyrics... |
| Every | Every |
| Single | Single |
| Day. | Day. |
| Then earlier this year, a Twitter account led a campaign to try and get Weezer to cover the 80s banger which boosted interest in it again. | Then earlier this year, a Twitter account led a campaign to try and get Weezer to cover the 80s banger which boosted interest in it again. |
| Why do people love it so much? | Why do people love it so much? |
| The obsession for Africa goes way beyond the memes (just about). | The obsession for Africa goes way beyond the memes (just about). |
| Last year some of the most streamed songs were One Last Time by Ariana Grande and Ed Sheeran's Shape Of You and - you guessed it - Africa by Toto. | Last year some of the most streamed songs were One Last Time by Ariana Grande and Ed Sheeran's Shape Of You and - you guessed it - Africa by Toto. |
| On Spotify alone, the song had been streamed a whopping 426,699,549 times at the time of writing. | On Spotify alone, the song had been streamed a whopping 426,699,549 times at the time of writing. |
| And Britain's one of the top countries searching for "Africa by Toto" on Google. | And Britain's one of the top countries searching for "Africa by Toto" on Google. |
| Even Radio 1's Greg James described it as "euphoric" and "one of the greatest songs ever recorded" on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show. | Even Radio 1's Greg James described it as "euphoric" and "one of the greatest songs ever recorded" on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show. |
| However, not everybody finds it as "euphoric" as Greg. | However, not everybody finds it as "euphoric" as Greg. |
| Senior lecturer Barbara Lebrun, who has researched popular music, says the song is a lot sadder than people think. | Senior lecturer Barbara Lebrun, who has researched popular music, says the song is a lot sadder than people think. |
| "My own perception is that its very emphatic but it's also a very sad mood with a sense of despair. | "My own perception is that its very emphatic but it's also a very sad mood with a sense of despair. |
| "For example, 'nothing is going to take me away from you', it's defiant." | "For example, 'nothing is going to take me away from you', it's defiant." |
| She also told Newsbeat about the confusion about the song's geographical location. | She also told Newsbeat about the confusion about the song's geographical location. |
| "Is he welcoming the rains in a land of desert? Where in Africa are we? | "Is he welcoming the rains in a land of desert? Where in Africa are we? |
| "I think it's a white person's idea of exoticism," says Barbara, who nevertheless believes the tune is "very well crafted". | "I think it's a white person's idea of exoticism," says Barbara, who nevertheless believes the tune is "very well crafted". |
| "The synthesisers have aged a little bit but maybe the younger generation find it attractive? It's distant." | "The synthesisers have aged a little bit but maybe the younger generation find it attractive? It's distant." |
| A fan favourite | A fan favourite |
| A self-confessed fan of Africa, Grace Shademan, tells Newsbeat there are different "levels" as to why people will like the song. | A self-confessed fan of Africa, Grace Shademan, tells Newsbeat there are different "levels" as to why people will like the song. |
| "The harmonies on that song are fused with magic, in my opinion," she says. | "The harmonies on that song are fused with magic, in my opinion," she says. |
| "It transports you to an 80s synth paradise." | "It transports you to an 80s synth paradise." |
| Clifford Stumme, a fan of the track from Virginia, also thinks it's a timeless classic. | Clifford Stumme, a fan of the track from Virginia, also thinks it's a timeless classic. |
| "It's been around long enough that people have had the opportunity to remember it, large portions of people will recognise it and it's more of a community gathering. | "It's been around long enough that people have had the opportunity to remember it, large portions of people will recognise it and it's more of a community gathering. |
| "Not everyone will remember a song from last Thursday but we've all heard this classic and can all enjoy it together." | "Not everyone will remember a song from last Thursday but we've all heard this classic and can all enjoy it together." |
| Though there are clear no signs of Africa dominating the charts anytime soon, we can probably all agree on one thing... | Though there are clear no signs of Africa dominating the charts anytime soon, we can probably all agree on one thing... |
| "There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do." | "There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do." |
| Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. | Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. |
| Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here | Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here |