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Jungle (X Ambassadors and Jamie N Commons song)

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"Jungle"
Single by X Ambassadors and Jamie N Commons
from the album VHS and the EP The Reason
Released18 December 2013 (2013-12-18)
Genre
Length3:09
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Alex da Kid
X Ambassadors singles chronology
"Unconsolable"
(2013) 		"Jungle"
(2013) 		"Renegades"
(2015)
Jamie N Commons singles chronology
"Rumble and Sway"
(2013) 		"Jungle"
(2013) 		"Immigrant Song"
(2014)
Music video
"Jungle" on YouTube

"Jungle" is a song by American rock band X Ambassadors and British blues rock singer Jamie N Commons. It was released as a single on 18 December 2013 by KIDinaKORNER and Interscope.[1] The track appeared on X Ambassadors' 2014 EP The Reason and their 2015 studio album VHS.

Composition

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"Jungle" has been described as an "amped up" alternative rock[2] and electronic song,[3] as well as a "rock-heavy, upbeat track".[4] The song features "a drum-beat reminiscent of Queen's 'We Will Rock You'".[5] Jeff Benjamin of Fuse compared it to an Imagine Dragons track, stating it "is full of Alex [da Kid]'s booming electronic-rock percussion, but with soulful humming and bluesy belting in place of Dragons singer Dan Reynolds' signature shouty approach."[6] "Jungle" was co-written by X Ambassadors, Jamie N Commons, Alex da Kid and Mike Del Rio. Alex da Kid and Mike Del Rio also produced the song.[1]

Speaking about the goal of the song in a Billboard interview, Alex da Kid stated, "It was my goal to write and produce an anthemic song that would resonate with anyone that has grown up in or been around underprivileged surroundings."[5] In an interview with The News & Observer, X Ambassadors member Sam Harris commented on the writing process: "I had written a hook for it, and Alex had the beat. I thought he was gonna put a rapper on it, but then he gave it to Jamie, and Jamie wrote these great verses on it."[7] According to Sam Harris, the negative experiences that his brother and bandmate Casey Harris had encountered as a blind person after relocating to New York City served as an inspiration for the song.[5]

Release and reception

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"Jungle" was made available for digital download on 18 December 2013 by KIDinaKORNER and Interscope Records.[1]

Jason Warshof of Ithaca.com described the song as a "thumping, gritted-teeth anthem".[8] Harlew Brown of Spin called it "a soulful heavy hitter".[9] Andy Gensler of Billboard regarded it as a "pounding, foot-stomping blues beat", noting that it sounds like "John Bonham with a shotgun, holding up a guttural-sounding blues vocal."[10]

Music video

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The official music video for the song was exclusively premiered on 16 June 2014 on the website of Billboard magazine.[5] It was co-directed by Emile Rafael and Alex da Kid. The video features members of various subcultures in Los Angeles.[5] AXS contributor William Pankey described it as "a fly-covered, grubby slice of life centered around the piss-stained, impoverished streets of Los Angeles."[11]

Live performances

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X Ambassadors and Jamie N Commons included the song on the setlist for their Into the Jungle U.S. Tour, which lasted from 30 September to 18 October 2014.[12] On 31 January 2017, X Ambassadors performed "Jungle" alongside "Collider" at the Opening Night celebration of Super Bowl LI at Minute Maid Park, Houston.[13]

Remixes

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Jay-Z remix

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On 14 June 2014, a remix version featuring a rap segment by American rapper Jay-Z debuted during Game 5 of the NBA Finals between Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs.[2] On the same day, the remix was made available exclusively on Beats Music,[14][15][16] before it was released as a single for digital download on 23 June.[17] The remix was commissioned as part of an advertising campaign by Beats Electronics for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[18]

In a VH1 interview, X Ambassadors singer Sam Harris commented on the background of the remix version: "Our producer calls me up out of the blue. He's like, 'Hey, guess what? I got Jay-Z to do a remix of "Jungle"!' Came out of nowhere."[19] One of the interludes on X Ambassadors' album VHS, titled "Good News on the Remix", features a recording of the conversation between Sam Harris and the producer discussing Jay-Z's remix.[19] The lyrics of the additional verse contain references to Brazilian favelas, religious persecution, Muhammad Ali as well as several films, including A Bronx Tale (1993), Training Day (2001) and City of God (2002).[18][20]

Colin Stutz of Billboard stated that while the remix "isn't much different from the original", Jay-Z "gets his point across, going nonstop for more than a minute straight", with "a heavy hitting verse".[2] According to Colin Joyce of Spin, the rapper "manages to transform the bombastic single into [a] stadium-sized banger".[21]

Usage in media

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The song was used as the official theme for WWE Battleground in 2014.

"Jungle" was used in a five-minute promotional video titled "The Game Before the Game" by Beats Electronics, released in June 2014 for the FIFA World Cup and intended to promote Beats by Dre's redesigned Solo2 headphones. Directed by Nabil Elderkin, the advertisement features, among others, Neymar, Cesc Fàbregas, Luis Suárez, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, LeBron James and Serena Williams.[10][22][23] Speaking about the selection of "Jungle" for the campaign, Beats by Dre's chief marketing officer Omar Johnson told Billboard magazine, "We had a really huge track from a really huge artist. The moment we heard this song, we literally said 'nope, that's the right song.'"[10] Billboard placed the track at number three in its list of the Top 10 Songs From World Cup Spots.[24]

The song was featured in a trailer for the second season of Netflix web television series Orange Is the New Black.[6] It was also used in trailers for the films Horrible Bosses 2 (2014)[25] and Project Almanac (2015)[5] and the video game Battlefield Hardline (2015).[7] It appeared in the crime thriller television series The Blacklist.[13][25]

In April 2015, a promotional video featuring the cast of Pitch Perfect 2 and basketball player Kyle Lowry was released for the 2015 NBA Playoffs. The video featured an a cappella cover version of the track, with Anna Kendrick performing as lead vocalist.[26][27] "Jungle" also appeared in a television commercial for the video game Deus Ex: Mankind Divided (2016).[28] A remix version of the song by Steve Aoki was used in a launch trailer for the video game Injustice 2 (2017).[29][30] The song was included on the soundtrack of the basketball simulation video game NBA 2K18 (2017).[31] The song was used in the latest spot of Ahora Noticias, a chilean news network on Channel Mega.[citation needed] A cover of the song by BTS was used in a January 2021 advertisement of Coca-Cola in Indonesia.[32][33]

Controversy

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On 25 November 2016, a copyright lawsuit was filed by Songs Music Publishing, LLC in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee against German automobile manufacturer Porsche and the Cramer-Krasselt advertising agency which alleged that one of the company's advertisements for the sports car Porsche 718 Cayman "copies several quantitatively and qualitatively important portions of 'Jungle'". According to the complaint, the defendants copied the original drum rhythms, organ stabs and background vocals from the song, which together "negates any suggestion of independent creation".[34][35]

Track listing

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  • Digital download[1]
  1. "Jungle" – 3:09
  • Digital download – remix[17]
  1. "Jungle" (Remix) (feat. Jay-Z) – 3:27
  • Digital download – Remixes[36]
  1. "Jungle" (Great Good Fine OK Remix) – 3:06
  2. "Jungle" (KDrew Remix Edited) – 3:12
  3. "Jungle" (KDrew Remix Extended) – 3:43
  • Digital download – The MADE Edit[37]
  1. "Jungle" (The MADE Edit) – 4:34

Charts and certifications

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Jamie N Commons / X Ambassadors: Jungle". AllMusic. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Stutz, Colin (15 June 2014). "Jay-Z Gets Into the Game on 'Jungle' Remix in New Beats Commercial (Video)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  3. ^ Goble, Corban (20 June 2014). "Mixdown: Don't Tread on This Edition". Pitchfork. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  4. ^ Alexis, Nadeska (16 June 2014). "Dr. Dre Welcomes Jay Z To The 'Jungle' With NBA Finals Remix". MTV. Archived from the original on June 19, 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Brandle, Lars (16 June 2014). "X Ambassadors & Jamie N Commons 'Jungle' Video: Exclusive Premiere". Billboard. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  6. ^ a b Benjamin, Jeff (18 April 2014). "Listen to Full Song in New 'Orange Is the New Black' Trailer, "Jungle"". Fuse. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  7. ^ a b Lindsey, Craig D. (16 October 2014). "X Ambassadors: Out of the 'Jungle' and into Chapel Hill". The News & Observer. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  8. ^ Warshof, Jason (18 May 2016). "X Ithacans: Ambassadors rock the State". Ithaca.com. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  9. ^ Brown, Harley (6 June 2014). "Star-Studded Beats Commercial Shows World Cup Game Faces". Spin. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  10. ^ a b c Gensler, Andy (5 June 2014). "Jimmy Iovine's 'Secret iPod': How 'Jungle' Became the New Beats Song". Billboard. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  11. ^ Pankey, William (26 February 2015). "Karma in the Jungle: the five best Jamie N Commons songs". AXS. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  12. ^ "X Ambassadors and Jamie N Commons announce fall "Into the Jungle U.S. Tour"". Clizbeats. 22 July 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  13. ^ a b Ruggieri, Melissa (1 February 2017). "X Ambassadors mix rock with sports at Super Bowl 2017 'Opening Night'". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on 13 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  14. ^ Popper, Ben (16 June 2014). "Beats Music is using big exclusives to battle Spotify, starting with new Jay-Z remix 'Jungle'". The Verge. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  15. ^ Kosoff, Maya (16 June 2014). "Beats Music Gets An Exclusive Song Featuring Jay-Z Before Spotify Does". Business Insider. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  16. ^ Gensler, Andy (15 June 2014). "New Jay Z Remix Available Only on Beats Music". Billboard. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  17. ^ a b "Jungle (Remix) [feat. JAY Z] – Single by X Ambassadors & Jamie N Commons". iTunes Store. 23 June 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  18. ^ a b Coplan, Chris (16 June 2014). "Listen: Jay Z jumps on "Jungle" remix". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  19. ^ a b Thorpe, Isha (22 September 2015). "X Ambassadors Reveal The Real Story Behind Jay Z's Remix Of "Jungle"". VH1. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  20. ^ Grow, Kory (16 June 2014). "Jay Z Adds Sporty Verse to Beats by Dre Ad Song 'Jungle'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  21. ^ Joyce, Colin (16 June 2014). "Hear Jay Z Hop on X Ambassadors' Jubilant 'Jungle' for Beats by Dre". Spin. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  22. ^ Nudd, Tim (5 June 2014). "Did Beats by Dre Just Out-Nike Nike With This Incredible World Cup Ad?". Adweek. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  23. ^ Grow, Kory (6 June 2014). "Beats by Dre Pairs Soccer's Finest With Nicki Minaj and Lil Wayne". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  24. ^ Cantor-Navas, Judy (19 June 2014). "Top 10 Songs From World Cup Spots (Watch)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  25. ^ a b Mantzouranis, Tom (7 May 2015). "Commercial Sounds: Who's Singing About 'Renegades' In That Jeep Ad?". Uproxx. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  26. ^ Tan, Emily (18 April 2015). "'Pitch Perfect 2′ Cast Teams Up with Kyle Lowry in New Promo for 2015 NBA Playoffs". PopCrush. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  27. ^ Spieler, Alexa (30 July 2015). "X Ambassadors tackle difficulties and enjoy the surreal with 'VHS' success". AXS. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  28. ^ Carter, Justin (4 August 2016). "Deus Ex: Mankind Divided's First Commercial Has Plenty of Killing and Stealth". Twinfinite. Archived from the original on 13 September 2017. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  29. ^ Beck, Adam (15 May 2017). "Injustice 2 Lands a Launch Trailer". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  30. ^ Leack, Jonathan (15 May 2017). "Watch: Injustice 2 Launch Trailer Features Gameplay And Steve Aoki's Music". Game Revolution. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  31. ^ Pereira, Chris (21 July 2017). "NBA 2K18 Soundtrack Revealed". GameSpot. Retrieved 13 September 2017.
  32. ^ Ong, Grace (19 January 2021). "Coca-Cola rides K-pop wave with global BTS campaign starting in Indonesia". Marketing Interactive. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  33. ^ Basbas, Franchesca Judine (7 January 2021). "BTS unveil an electronic rendition of X Ambassadors' rock hit 'Jungle' – listen". Bandwagon. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  34. ^ Hampton, Chris (6 December 2016). "Did Porsche create a fake song to get out of paying X Ambassadors for theirs?". Chart Attack. Archived from the original on December 7, 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2017.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  35. ^ Fordyce, Niall A. "Songs Music Publishing v. Porsche, et al. – M.D. Tenn. (2016)". Music Copyright Infringement Resource. USC Gould School of Law. Archived from the original on 13 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.
  36. ^ "Jungle (Remixes) – Single by X Ambassadors & Jamie N Commons". iTunes Store. 1 January 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  37. ^ "Jungle (The MADE Edit) – Single by X Ambassadors & Jamie N Commons". iTunes Store. 1 January 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2017.
  38. ^ "Jamie N Commons Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  39. ^ "Jamie N Commons & X Ambassadors – Jungle" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  40. ^ "Jamie N Commons & X Ambassadors – Jungle" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  41. ^ "Chart Track: Week 30, 2014". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  42. ^ "Jamie N Commons & X Ambassadors – Jungle" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  43. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  44. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  45. ^ "Jamie N Commons Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  46. ^ "Jamie N Commons Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  47. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2019 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  48. ^ "Canadian single certifications – X Ambassadors – Jungle". Music Canada. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  49. ^ "British single certifications – X Ambassadors/Jamie N Commons – Jungle". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 30, 2022.
  50. ^ "American single certifications – X Ambassadors & Jamie N Commons – Jungle". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
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