Known for their eclectic influences and multi-faceted sounds, Sofi Tukker has made quite the name for themselves. With 7+ million monthly Spotify listeners, a pair of Grammy Award nominations and remixes for the likes of Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish and Vintage Culture under their belt, it’s safe to say the American duo is here to stay. Scroll down to check out the top 10 songs (in no particular order!) from the dynamic duo!
Purple Hat
Easily one of their most recognizable songs; ‘Purple Hat’ has amassed well over 100 million cumulative streams. Having earned Platinum certification in Australia and Gold in Canada, the single also spawned remixes from the likes of Dillon Francis and KC Lights. In an interview with Australian news station ABC, the duo explained the inspiration behind the track;
“Tucker was DJing wearing a purple hat and a cheetah print shirt, there was people on top of people, I was crowd surfing a lot… The first time that we ever threw an Animal Talk party was in San Francisco, and the morning after we threw the party we felt so inspired, we started writing [Purple Hat] on the tour bus.”
It Don’t Matter
Teaming up with Alok and Romanian singer Inna, this song truly showcases the best of each of the acts involved. Alok, who sits among the top 200 Spotify artists on the globe, makes his presence known with the dark soundscapes and signature Brazilian bass. Meanwhile, Inna’s crystal-clear vocals add a silky-smooth touch to the song, with her catchy hooks reeling listeners in.
Released in May earlier this year, ‘It Don’t Matter’ struck a chord with Eastern European audiences, having peaked at #38 and #34 on the Polish and Russian charts respectively. Furthermore, the colossal collaboration peaked at #27 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart.
House Arrest
Undoubtedly hitting things off on a good note with the house music community, ‘House Arrest’ with Gorgon City explored both artists’ underground sides. Earning support from the likes of Oliver Heldens, Tiësto, Kryder, Dyro, EDX, Armin van Buuren, Pete Tong and Alison Wonderland, the cross-continental collaboration hit mainstages and radio stations across the globe. Like many songs in their arsenal, ‘House Arrest’ made its way onto the Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart, peaking at #21. However, despite the fact that the track has been streamed more than 33 million times, it’s still not enough to crack their top 5 most-streamed songs – a testament to their ever-expanding discography.
Best Friend
Another one of their most popular singles, ‘Best Friend’ is a mammoth cross-continental collaboration between NERVO, The Knocks and Alisa Ueno, boasting 100m+ Spotify streams and a myriad of chart appearances across the globe. Having peaked at #5 on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart, the single earned itself a gold-certified plaque in the U.S. Having been quite successful in North America, ‘Best Friend’ also notched up Platinum certification in Canada despite peaking at only #61 on the Canadian Hot 100.
This was the first time fans had seen Sofi Tukker & The Knocks work together before they worked on ‘Brazilian Soul’ together. While the original version seemed to do quite well, it was the Bossa Nova cover version that seemed to resonate with fans.
Drinkee
If there’s a song that exemplifies the Sofi Tukker sound, it’s ‘Drinkee’. Driven by a funky bassline and catchy vocals, paired with lively percussion, this would prove to be one of their earliest, and most recognizable songs to date. The song charted in Italy and Australia while also earning Platinum certification in Australia too. Having also received a remix from Carl Cox, as well as support from the likes of The Chainsmokers, Jauz, Fedde Le Grand and Hugel, ‘Drinkee’ was also nominated for “Best Dance Recording” at the 2017 Grammys.
Batshit
Alongside ‘Best Friend’, ‘Fuck They’ and ‘Good Time Girl’, ‘Batshit’ featured on the duo’s highly successful debut album; ‘Treehouse’. The plucky bass and crunchy guitar combo found in so many of their best songs once again proved to be a winning duo. Having received a Grammy nomination for Best Dance/Electronic Album, ‘Treehouse’ undoubtedly made its mark on the scene – as did ‘Batshit’. Receiving airplay on Oliver Heldens’ Heldeep Radio, ‘Batshit’ also reached as high as #22 on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart and #47 in France. Once again, Sofi Tukker struck a chord with the Canadian market, having pulled in another Gold-certified plaque.
Mon Cheri
Just released earlier this year, ‘Mon Cheri’ hasn’t had the chance to reach its full potential yet. Teaming up with the Malian duo Amadou & Miriam, the 2 acts came together to create an eclectic, multilingual masterpiece. Containing verses in Portuguese, French and Bambara, the song showcases the duo’s Malian roots, whereby Mali’s national languages are in fact, French and Bambara. Sofi Tukker is also no stranger to foreign languages, with their singles ‘Swing’, and ‘Brazilian Soul’ with The Knocks also featuring Portuguese verses. ‘Mon Cheri’ however, is quite an interesting piece, with its acoustic feel, blended with an electronic/club type feel in the latter half of the song – thereby exhibiting the American duo’s musical prowess.
Swing
Another song that can sometimes fly under the radar, ‘Swing’ catches the listener’s attention almost instantaneously as the rhythm switches to a triplet, giving the song an incredibly bouncy feel. Featuring alongside the highly successful ‘Purple Hat’ on their 2019 EP ‘Dancing On The People’, has since notched up more than 20 million streams on Spotify and has also earned support from Timmy Trumpet and MOGUAI. The orchestral-inspired strings combined with the brooding bassline and suave Portuguese vocals all come together to make for an encapsulating listening experience.
Brazilian Soul (feat. Sofi Tukker) Acoustic Bossa Nova Version
Paying homage to the Portuguese elements found in so many of their songs, it was only fitting that a bossa nova version of ‘Brazilian Soul’ was made. While the original was already a smooth, funk-filled floor-filler in its own right, the acoustic bossa nova version offered a whole new perspective without compromising the original’s sound or integrity, with the gentle guitar and shakers seamlessly complimenting Sophie Hawley-Weld’s smooth vocals. It would prove to be a great success, more than doubling the original song’s streams, whereby it currently sits at just over 15 million Spotify streams.
COPYCAT – Sofi Tukker Remix
Last, but not least on this list is the duo’s remix of Billie Eilish’s ‘COPYCAT’. Matching Eilish’ melancholic vocals with equally dark & sombre sound design, the pulsating synths and vivid drums convey a controlled chaos-type vibe, making it a surefire club tune. Sitting at more than 81 million streams, it’s one of Sofi Tukker’s most played songs, and understandably so. The duo also played the remix during their sets on the Ultra Music Radio Show and Annie Nightingale’s show on the prestigious BBC Radio 1. Furthermore, the remix also caught Armin van Buuren’s attention.
