GOTYE – AUSTRALIA’S MOST UNLIKELY GLOBAL CHART-TOPPER

Belgium-born and Australian citizen Gotye [real name: Wally De Bakker] reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 last week with his single “Somebody That I Used To Know” [featuring New Zealand solo artist Kimbra]. Gotye is now part of a select club of Australian artists [Helen Reddy, Olivia Newton-John, Rick Springfield, Men At Work, INXS and Savage Garden] who can proudly claim to have held the Number One single in the USA for at least 1 week.

This is an incredible feat; let’s have a look at some of the compelling statistics generated by Gotye’s seminal song:

• The single sold 500,000 copies in the USA alone last week
• Sales of the single have now reached 5,000,000 worldwide
• Asides from the USA, the single has reached the Number One position in another 32 countries
• The accompanying CD “Making Mirrors” is presently sitting in the USA Top Ten CD Chart
• “Making Mirrors” has sold 1,000,000 units worldwide.

“Somebody That I Used To Know” is a catchy pop song [albeit sounding very much like Peter Gabriel], however the most interesting aspect of the single’s global success revolves around why it has been so successful. The accompanying music video is quite unique, with records indicating that it is one of the most viewed music videos on You Tube at this time. One feels that the concept of this music video has been the catalyst for Goyte’s massive popularity presently in play. In a sense, Goyte’s success in Australia [the song was Number One for 8 weeks during 2011] has “gone viral” and spread to the rest of the world.

Goyte’s European heritage has also been of benefit in helping break the song in the United Kingdom and the Continent, where it has enjoyed much success. This being said, all roads lead to the USA, and “Somebody That I Used To Know” made steady progress up the USA Charts during the initial months of 2012 to reach the Top Ten in early April. On the back of some strategic marketing moves [the song was recently featured in an episode of “Glee” and Goyte performed the song on “Saturday Night Live” earlier this month], Australia is now enjoying the success of its most unlikely global music superstar.

So where to now for Goyte? His music can be described as “experimental” pop at best, thus we may be looking at another One Hit Wonder. Let’s hope that Goyte enjoys the financial benefit of writing & performing a monster hit single, whilst being allowed to progress as a musician on his own terms.