"Hung Up" is a pop song written by American singer-songwriter Madonna, Stuart Price, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and produced by Madonna and Price. The song was released in October 2005, the first single to be lifted from Madonna's tenth studio album Confessions on a Dance Floor.

"Hung Up" is Madonna's biggest selling single to date, and one of the most successful singles of all time, reaching number one in a record-breaking 45 countries. According to the United World Chart, it is the 5th most successful song since 1999 and the forty-third most successful song in music history. The song is the seventh most successful single by a female artist and thirteenth best-selling single in Europe.

Song information

"Hung Up" was inspired by the 1970s disco era, in particular ABBA, Giorgio Moroder and Saturday Night Fever. A sample of ABBA's 1979 hit "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)" featuring a flute hook forms the basis of the song. After The Fugees, who got written permission to sample a bit from The Name of the Game for their 1996 hit "Rumble In The Jungle", Madonna is only the second artist the Swedish band has allowed to sample its music, as ABBA songwriters Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus have a strict "no sample" policy.

According to Madonna, she approached Andersson and Ulvaeus by sending her "emissary to Stockholm with a letter and the record imploring them, telling them how much I worship their music; telling them it was a homage to them, which is all true". Andersson and Ulvaeus quickly gave their permission. They stated, "'Hung Up' is really good. If it wasn't any good we would not have said yes. It is a wonderful track - 100% solid pop music. Andersson and Ulvaeus asked for co-writer credits and a percentage of the profits. As a gesture of thankfulness for the permission, she also added another stealth ABBA reminiscence to her lyrics: Ring, ring, ring goes the telephone is supposed to point to another big hit of the group, Ring Ring (Why don't you give me a call?).

Following the ABBA reunion at the Swedish premiere of "Mamma Mia!" on July 4, Ulvaeus spoke to the Sunday Telegraph about the song. "Madonna wrote a very, very nice letter saying please please we have had a wonderful idea which involves Gimme Gimme," Ulvaeus said. "We said we would have to listen to it first but after half a minute I knew it was brilliant. That is one of the few we have allowed. Five years earlier we said yes to the Fugees. But to everyone else we said No. I think the Madonna record shows that ABBA is part of the DNA set up of Pop."

Madonna also samples herself in the song, with references to her previous recordings in the lyrics, including "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" and "Love Song" (her 1989 duet with Prince). She commented at the time of the song's release that the new breed of female pop stars had been copying her for years, "so I thought it was about time I copied myself!"

On September 6, 2005, two thirteen-second clips of the song leaked onto the Internet. By October 13, 2005, the entire track had leaked, prompting Madonna's label to release it to radio the same day, a week ahead of schedule. It was officially made available as a download (via Apple iTunes) on October 17, 2005, before the U.S. maxi CD release date of November 15, 2005. "Hung Up" became Madonna's first single to be released digitally through online stores before a physical format was available.

Madonna had opened the 2005 MTV Europe Music Awards, and the 2006 Grammy Awards with "Hung Up". She performed this song at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California, and during her Confessions Tour, of which is available in DVD/CD. She also ended the London leg of Live Earth concert with "Hung Up". A rock version of the song was included in her 2008 world tour, the Sticky & Sweet Tour in the closing segment.

It was awarded as "The Best Selling Single" in Greek Arion Music Awards by IFPI Greece. The song was used on the commercial for Motorola which also features Madonna in the commercial. The song also appeared in an episode of CSI: NY.

Chart performance

"Hung Up" reached number one in 45 countries, Madonna's first international chart-topper since "Music" in 2000.

In the United States, "Hung Up" debuted at #20 on the Billboard Hot 100 — one of the highest debuts of 2005 — due to strong digital downloads. It became Madonna's 36th Top 10 single when it reached #7, tying her with Elvis Presley's record of 36 Top 10 hits. Its success was also significant as her previous three singles failed to reach the Billboard Hot 100. "Hung Up" went on to become her biggest single since "Die Another Day" in late 2002.

In the UK, "Hung Up" debuted at number-one, where it remained for three weeks, Madonna's 11th number one single there. It remained in the chart for 29 weeks, her longest run on the singles chart. It spent what was at the time a record seven weeks at number-one on the UK Download Chart. Upon the 2008 release of 4 Minutes, Madonna's first single from her 11th studio album Hard Candy, Hung Up re-entered the UK Charts at #183 and has since peaked at #153 on the May 18th chart.

"Hung Up" also reached number-one in Australia (one week, and the tenth chart-topper of her career), Canada (fifteen weeks, her longest stay atop the singles chart), South Africa (two weeks) and France (five weeks), becoming one of her biggest selling songs in the French market to date. In Italy, "Hung Up" spent 14 consecutive weeks at the top of the chart.

Its worldwide popularity was displayed on the United World Chart, where it spent 15 consecutive weeks at number-one, selling over 5 million copies (8.698.000 points inclusive of airplay) before its follow-up single "Sorry" replaced it at the top. This marked the first time that the same artist had occupied the number-one and number two positions. In the EURO 200 (European Union Top 200) the single remained at number one for fifteen weeks also.

In Latin America, "Hung Up" topped the chart for eight weeks in a row, and spent 15 weeks in the Top 10. It was also Madonna's first number one on the Latin American chart.

In Russia, "Hung Up" became Madonna's first number one single and the second song by an American artist to reach number-one (the first being Cher with her 2001 hit single "The Music's No Good Without You"). It is also the longest chart run at number-one for a song performed in a language other than Russian.

In Romania, the song debuted at #65 reaching No.1 after only 7 weeks, and stayed in the top spot for 9 consecutive weeks. It's also her first #1 since Die Another Day.

"Hung Up" is arguably the biggest hit single of Madonna's career. In March 2007, the United World Chart ranked "Hung Up" as the 43rd most successful song in music history. Referring to that same list, "Hung Up" is also the seventh most successful song released by a solo female musician, the third most successful single of the 21st Century thus far and the second biggest selling dance single of all time, after Cher's single, "Believe".

Due to the single's worldwide success, it currently holds the record of reaching the number-one position in the most countries for a single. This record was listed in the 2007 edition of "Guinness Book of World Records". "Hung Up" is also the second biggest-selling dance single of all time. With this song, Madonna achieved her 25th gold single, surpassing the Beatles for the most gold singles of all time.

Music video

Originally the video for "Hung Up" was scheduled to be directed by photographer David LaChapelle. LaChapelle wanted the video to have a "documentary"-style look, much like that of his film Rize, of which five of the dancers in the "Hung Up" video appear. LaChapelle and Madonna disagreed on the concept, prompting the project to be reassigned to Johan Renck. The video was filmed from October 8-10, 2005 at Pineapple Dance Studios, Great Guildford Street, the London Underground and Trocadero Centre, while other location scenes were shot in Los Angeles, California. Most of the dancers that appear in the video followed Madonna on tour and also appear in the music video for the follow up single, "Sorry".

Madonna broke eight bones in a horseback-riding accident a few weeks before shooting the video for "Hung Up". She stated: "When I shot the video, none of the bones had gone together. Pharmaceuticals and my will got me through the shoot.

The video also contains several scenes of the physical discipline parkour. It premiered worldwide on October 27, 2005. It was nominated for five MTV Video Music Awards and two MuchMusic Video Awards in 2006.

• Director: Johan Renck
• Producers: Lene Bausager, John Winter
• Director of Photography: Gosta Reiland
• Editor: Johan Söderberg
• Production Company: Black Dog Films

Track listings and formats

US 2 x 12" vinyl (0-42845)

• A1 "Hung Up" (Album Version) — 5:36
• A2 "Hung Up" (SDP Extended Vocal) — 7:57
• B1 "Hung Up" (Bill Hamel Remix) — 6:58
• B2 "Hung Up" (SDP Extended Dub) — 7:57
• C "Hung Up" (Chus & Ceballos Remix) — 10:21
• D "Hung Up" (Tracy Young's Get Up And Dance Groove) — 9:03EU CD single (5439-15896-2)UK CD single 1 (W695CD1)
• "Hung Up" (Radio Version) — 3:23
• "Hung Up" (Tracy Young's Get Up And Dance Groove Edit) — 4:16EU Maxi-CD (9362 42845-2)
• "Hung Up" (Radio Version) — 3:23
• "Hung Up" (SDP Extended Vocal) — 7:57
• "Hung Up" (Tracy Young's Get Up And Dance Groove Edit) — 4:16
• "Hung Up" (Bill Hamel Remix) — 6:58
• "Hung Up" (Chus & Ceballos Remix) — 10:21
• "Hung Up" (SDP Extended Dub) — 7:57 UK 12" vinyl (W695T)
• A1 "Hung Up" (Album Version) — 5:36
• A2 "Hung Up" (SDP Extended Dub) — 7:57
• B1 "Hung Up" (SDP Extended Vocal) — 7:57
• B2 "Hung Up" (Tracy Young's Get Up And Dance Groove Edit) — 4:51

UK CD single 2 (W695CD2)

1. "Hung Up" (Radio Version) — 3:23
2. "Hung Up" (Tracy Young's Get Up and Dance Groove Edit) — 4:15
3. "Hung Up" (SDP Extended Vocal) — 7:57US Maxi-CD (42845-2)CA Maxi-CD (CDW 42845)
4. "Hung Up" (Radio Version) — 3:23
5. "Hung Up" (SDP Extended Vocal) — 7:57
6. "Hung Up" (Tracy Young's Get Up and Dance Groove Edit) — 4:15
7. "Hung Up" (Bill Hamel Remix) — 6:58
8. "Hung Up" (Chus & Ceballos Remix) — 10:21
9. "Hung Up" (SDP Extended Dub) — 7:57FR CD single (limited edition)(9362 42886-2)JP Maxi-CD (WPCR-12187)AU Maxi-CD (9362-42848-2)
10. "Hung Up" (Radio Version) — 3:23
11. "Hung Up" (Tracy Young's Get Up and Dance Groove Edit) — 4:15
12. "Hung Up" (SDP Extended Vocal) — 7:57

Official versions

• Album Version #1 (Mixed) (5:36)
• Album Version #2 (Unmixed) (5:36)
• Radio Version #1 (Promo/Digital Sales & US Maxi CD — Instrumental Fade Out) (3:23)
• Radio Version #2 (European Maxi CD — Vocal Fade Out) (3:23)
• Album Instrumental (5:36) (Promo only)
• Tracy Young Get Up and Dance Groove (9:03) (US Vinyl 12'' only)
• Tracy Young Get Up and Dance Groove Edit (4:15)
• SDP Extended Vocal (7:57)
• SDP Extended Dub (7:57)
• SDP Extended Vocal Edit (4.57) (iTunes Exclusive)
• LEX Massive Club Mix (8:51) (Promo only)
• LEX Massive Instrumental Mix (8:51) (Promo only)
• LEX Reggaeton Mix (4:35) (Unreleased)
• Bill Hamel Remix (6:58)
• Bill Hamel Remix Edit (4.59) (iTunes Exclusive)
• Chus & Ceballos Remix (10:21)
• Chus & Ceballos Edit (9:40)
• Chus & Ceballos 12" Remix (5:48)(Promo only)
• Chus & Ceballos Remix Edit (5:00) (iTunes Exclusive)
• Archigram Remix (6:59) (Free download for visitors of madonna.com)

Charts

It was the first English language song to top the Latin America Top 40 since the creation of the chart in May 2004.

World record

Chart (2005) Peak position Argentine Top 40 Singles Chart 1 Australia ARIA Singles Chart 1 Austrian Singles Chart 1 Belgian Flemmish Ultratop 50 1 Belgian Wallonie Ultratop 40 1 Brazilian Hot 100 Singles Chart 1 Canadian Singles Chart 1 Czech IFPI Singles Chart 1 Danish Singles Chart 1 Dutch Top 40 1 Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1 Finnish Singles Chart 1 French SNEP Singles Chart 1 German Singles Chart 1 Greek IFPI Singles Chart 1 Hong Kong International Singles Chart 1 Hungarian Airplay Chart 1 Israeli Singles Chart 1 Italian FIMI Singles Chart 1 Irish Singles Chart 2 Japanese Oricon Weekly International Singles 1 Japanese Oricon Weekly Singles Chart 59

Chart (2005) Peak position Japanese J-Wave Tokio Hot 100 1 Latin America Top 40 1 Latvian Airplay Top 1 México Top 100 2 New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart 2 Norwegian VG-lista Singles Chart 1 Philippine Airplay Chart RX Monster Radio 93.1 1 Polish Airplay Chart 1 Portuguese Airplay Chart 1 Romanian Singles Chart 1 Russian Airplay Hit Detection 1 South African Singles Chart 1 Spanish Singles Chart 1 Swedish Singles Chart 1 Swiss Singles Chart 1 Slovakian AirPlay Chart 1 UK Singles Chart 1 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 7 U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Airplay 1 U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 1 U.S. ARC Weekly Top 40 6 United World Chart 1

Worldwide sales

Country	Certification	Sales
		Singles	Digital
Australia	Platinum	70,000
Belgium	Platinum	20,000
Denmark	Platinum		24,000
France	Diamond	700,000
Germany	Platinum	450,000
Greece	Gold	7,500
Italy	2x Platinum	40,000	120,000
Japan	2x Platinum	7,000	500,000
Sweden	3x Platinum	60,000
United States	Platinum	49,000	1,035,000
United Kingdom	Platinum	517,036

Notes

References

• MadonnaTribe News — Worldwide charts and sales information.
• MoCaW: Madonna on Charts around the World — Worldwide charts and sales information.
• UKMix forums — Worldwide charts and sales information.