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"Barbie Girl"
Single by Aqua
from the album Aquarium
Released	8 April 1997
Genre	Bubblegum pop dance-pop Europop Eurodance novelty
Length	3:16
Label	Universal MCA
Songwriter(s)	Søren Rasted Claus Norreen René Dif Lene Nystrøm
Producer(s)	Johnny Jam Delgado Søren Rasted Claus Norreen
Aqua singles chronology
"My Oh My" (1997) "Barbie Girl" (1997) "Doctor Jones" (1997)
Music video
"Barbie Girl" on YouTube
Audio sample
file help

"Barbie Girl" is a song by Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group Aqua. It was released in April 1997 by Universal and MCA as the third single from the group's debut studio album, Aquarium (1997). The song was written by band members Søren Rasted, Claus Norreen, René Dif, and Lene Nystrøm, and was produced by the former two alongside Johnny Jam and Delgado. It was written after Rasted saw an exhibit on kitsch culture in Denmark that featured Barbie dolls. The accompanying music video was directed by Danish directors Peder Pedersen and Peter Stenbæk.

The song topped the charts worldwide, particularly in European countries such as the United Kingdom, where it was a number-one hit for four weeks and remains one of the best-selling singles of all time. It also reached number two in the group's homeland and peaked at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100. It is Aqua's most popular work and was also performed as the interval act in the Eurovision Song Contest 2001. Mattel accused Aqua's label of diluting the image of Barbie, leading to the controversial lawsuit Mattel, Inc. v. MCA Records, Inc.. Twenty-five years later, Mattel licensed the song in the 2023 film Barbie and additionally sampled it for a new song, "Barbie World". That same year, Billboard magazine ranked it among the "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time".

Background and composition

Rene came up with the original lyric Come on Barbie, Let's go party! and we wanted to put voices to the dolls and imagine what they would say to each other.

The lyrics of the song are about Barbie and Ken, the dolls made by Mattel. Both the song and its music video feature Lene Nystrøm as Barbie and René Dif as Ken. As such, the lyrics drew the ire of Barbie's corporate owners, and a lawsuit was filed by Mattel.

A footnote on the back of the Aquarium CD case precisely stated that "The song 'Barbie Girl' is a social comment and was not created or approved by the makers of the doll." "Barbie Girl" is written in the key of C-sharp minor, using major chords and an upbeat tempo to create an effect Rasted calls "the plus and minus". The song has a tempo of 130 beats per minute.

"Barbie Girl" was released the same year as the pitch correction software Auto-Tune, although it was not yet available when the song was recorded and mastered. Rasted said that Nystrøm naturally portrayed the high-pitched Barbie voice in the studio.

Reception

Critical reception

"Barbie Girl" received critical acclaim. Larry Flick from Billboard wrote that "with her squeaky, high-pitched delivery, Lene Grawford Nystrøm fronts this giddy pop/dance ditty as if she were Barbie, gleefully verbalizing many of the twisted things people secretly do with the doll." He noted that "at the same time, she effectively rants about the inherent misogyny of Barbie with a subversive hand", adding that René Dif is an "equally playful and biting presence, as he embodies male counterpart Ken with an amusing leer." Scottish Daily Record stated, "Love them or hate them, you have to admit Aqua's silly doll song is pure pop and the video is great, too". David Browne from Entertainment Weekly described it as a "dance-floor novelty that alludes to the secret, less-than-wholesome life of every little girl's fave doll." Another EW editor, Jeremy Helligar, commented, "There must be something in that Northern European water. Like recent tunes by their Swedish-pop counterparts Ace of Base and the Cardigans, these Danish newcomers' frothy debut is fun, fun, fun—but oh so disposable."

Kevin Courtney from Irish Times named it Single of the Week, calling it "a supreme slice of cheese which out-hums even the mighty Whigfield" and saying that Aqua had "hit the perfect wally beat, and this awful tune is set to dominate the dance-floor and do kinky things to it." British magazine Music Week gave the song five out of five and also named it Single of the Week, concluding, "Bleached and blonde this bouncy Europop tune may be, but dumb it isn't. Its mix of perky vocals, barbed lyrics and infectious energy has already brought it success in Scandinavia and the US. The video is irresistible." A reviewer from People Magazine called it "the year's best novelty record, a cartoonish anthem you'll need surgery to remove from your head." James Hyman from the RM Dance Update gave the song top score, declaring it as "a Balearic-tinged Euro pop smash hit". He added, "My niece refuses to go to bed unless the video is played several times over; I think that speaks for itself with regard to ongoing single success."

Retrospective response

Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic called "Barbie Girl" "one of those inexplicable pop culture phenomena" and "insanely catchy", describing it as a "bouncy, slightly warped Euro-dance song that simultaneously sends up femininity and Barbie dolls." Insider stated that the song is "sugary sweet" and "totally catchy", viewing it as one of the best songs of the 90s. In a retrospective review, Pop Rescue wrote that "this song is fun, undoubtedly catchy, and bouncy, with the personas of Barbie and Ken fitting perfectly with the vocal contrast." The song ranked number 88 in a VH1 countdown, "VH1's 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders". In 2017, Billboard ranked it number nine in their list of "The 100 Greatest Pop Songs of 1997", writing, "'Barbie Girl' was like the cartoon rendering of Jill Sobule's more obviously snarky 'Supermodel', so over-the-top in its kitschiness that you could be forgiven for not noticing its impressive self-awareness." Same year, BuzzFeed ranked it number 76 in their list of "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s". In October 2023, Billboard ranked "Barbie Girl" number 220 in their "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time". They praised its "magic moment"; "Put on your best Ken voice — René Dif, not Ryan Gosling — for every "Come on Barbie, let's go party!" shout-along." In 2024, MTV 90s ranked it number two in their list of "Top 50 Rhythms of Eurodance".

Commercial performance

"Barbie Girl" has sold more than eight million copies worldwide. It went on becoming a huge hit on several continents, remaining the most successful song by the band. It reached number one in more than 10 countries. In Europe, the single peaked at the top position in Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100. In the band's native Denmark, the song debuted and peaked at number two. In the United Kingdom, it debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number two and reached number one the next week, on 26 October 1997. It stayed at that position for four weeks and has sold and streamed 2.4 million units in the United Kingdom as of September 2023. Outside Europe, "Barbie Girl" peaked at number-one in Australia and New Zealand, number four in Canada and number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100. On the latter, it debuted at that position. It sold 82,000 copies in its first week and debuted at number five on the Billboard Hot Singles Sales chart.

Music video

The accompanying music video for "Barbie Girl" was directed by Danish directors Peder Pedersen and Peter Stenbæk, and depicts the band members in different scenes that a Barbie doll would be in. It has Nystrøm dressed as various Barbie dolls skulking around her swimming pool at home after Dif, dressed as Barbie's love interest Ken, accidentally pulls her arm off. The video was also the number one most requested video in the US, having shot from 30 to number one on The Box. The video was uploaded to their official YouTube channel in August 2010 and reached 1 billion views in February 2022.

Controversies

Mattel lawsuit

In September 1997, six months after the release of the song by Aqua, Mattel, the toy manufacturer of the Barbie doll line, sued MCA Records, Aqua's North American record label. The company claimed that "Barbie Girl" violated their trademark and turned the doll into a sex-object, and referred to her as a "blonde bimbo". Their case also alleged that the song infringed its copyrights and trademarks on the Barbie doll and that the lyrics had ruined the longtime popularity and reputation of their trademark, impinging on their marketing plan. Aqua and MCA Records claimed that Mattel injected their own meanings into the song's lyrics, contesting Mattel's claims and countersuing for defamation, after Mattel had likened MCA to a "bank robber". The lawsuit filed by Mattel was ultimately dismissed by the lower courts, with this dismissal upheld and a certiorari petition denied by the Supreme Court of the United States.

In 2002, a Court of Appeals ruled that the song was protected as a parody under the trademark doctrine of nominative use and the First Amendment to the United States Constitution; the judge Alex Kozinski also threw out the defamation lawsuit that Aqua's record company filed against Mattel, concluding his ruling thus: "The parties are advised to chill." The case was dismissed.

In 2009, as part of a marketing strategy to revive sales, Mattel released a series of advertisements and a promotional music video featuring the song, with modified lyrics. In 2023, with the global release of the Mattel-produced film Barbie (starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken), a new song entitled "Barbie World" (performed by rappers Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice) was included on the film's soundtrack.

Eurovision Song Contest 2001

As the interval act during the Eurovision Song Contest 2001, Aqua performed a medley of their singles along with percussion ensemble Safri Duo. There were several complaints due to the profanity used during the performance, both at the beginning and end of "Barbie Girl".

Track listings

Credits

Credits are adapted from liner notes of the "Barbie Girl" CD single and Aquarium.

• Written by Claus Norreen, Lene Nystrøm, René Dif, and Søren Rasted
• Performed by Norreen, Rasted
• Vocals by Nystrøm, Dif
• Hair and make-up by Fjodor Øxenhave
• Styling by Aqua, Bjarne Lindgreen
• Artwork by Peter Stenbæk
• Photo by Robin Skoldborg
• Produced, arranged, and mixed by Norreen, Jam, Delgado, Rasted

Charts

Certifications and sales

Release history

Cover versions and parodies

The song has been covered by several artists over the years. Alternative metal band Faith No More covered the song live in 1997 during their Album of the Year tour. Identical twin sisters Amanda and Samantha Marchant, better known as Samanda, released their cover of the song on 8 October 2007, and it entered the UK Singles Chart at number 26. Girls' Generation's Jessica Jung covered this song as her solo performance during the first Asian concert tour Girls' Generation 1st Asia Tour: Into the New World. The Swedish artist Loke Nyberg did a new version of this song for the Swedish radio show Morgonpasset. He interprets the song as criticism of today's beauty ideals. In 2013, Ludacris sampled the song in his single "Party Girls" featuring Wiz Khalifa, Jeremih and Cashmere Cat. In 2016, Caramella Girls released a version called "Candy Girl" on iTunes, as well as a YouTube music video. The most recent rendition of the song was recorded by Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj, accompanied by Aqua, titled "Barbie World". The track was released as the fourth single on the official Barbie soundtrack Barbie the Album in June 2023, ahead of the film's release on 21 July 2023.

There are also many parodies of the song, including a parody called "Ugly Girl", with an unverified author (often wrongly credited to "Weird Al" Yankovic, Adam Henderson, or Jack Off Jill) . German duo Lynne & Tessa made a lip-synched Internet video of the song in 2006, and on British Indian sketch comedy show Goodness Gracious Me, where a version titled "Punjabi Girl" was featured in the radio series and later on television, performed by Asifa Lahore. In 2012, the song was parodied in an Australian lamb advertising campaign, relying on the Australian use of the term "barbie" to refer to the outdoor barbecue popularly held in Australia. The advertisement starred Melissa Tkautz and Sam Kekovich. In 2014, the song was used in the South Park episode "Cock Magic". Ava Max recorded a version with new lyrics, titled "Not Your Barbie Girl", in 2018.

Kelly Key version

"Barbie Girl"
Single by Kelly Key
from the album Kelly Key
Released	15 August 2005
Recorded	2004
Length	3:19
Label	Warner
Songwriter(s)	Claus Norreen Søren Nystrøm Rasted Gustavo Lins Humberto Tavares
Producer(s)	DJ Cuca
Kelly Key singles chronology
"Escuta Aqui Rapaz" (2005) "Barbie Girl" (2005) "Papinho" (2005)

In 2005, Brazilian recording artist Kelly Key recorded a version in Portuguese for her third studio album Kelly Key, which was released as the album's second single on August 15, 2005. Key said she loved the song and wanted to cover it as a tribute to the original, stating: "I've loved this song ever since I heard it. I made a point of recording it, without worrying about whether it was for my audience or not."

Barbie Girl received generally negative reviews from music critics. Vinícius Versiani Durães of IMHO felt it was humorous and would later become a hit. Marcos Paulo Bin of Universo Musical commented that the song was significantly different from her previous releases, which were known for explicit lyrics, but ultimately give it a positive review. Rodrigo Ortega of Pilula Pop said Barbie Girl was sensational and funny, calling it the best song on the album. He also stated that Key should have released Escuta Aqui Rapaz as her first single because "the song was boring", but "Barbie Girl" saved the album. Carlos Eduardo Lima of Scream & Yell said the song was "childish, silly and boring" and killed Kelly Key's status as a sex symbol.

The music video for "Barbie Girl" was directed by Ricardo Vereza, Bidu Madio, Rentz and Mauricio Eça. It was filmed on August 17 and August 18, later premiering on August 30. The video features Key playing a determined and feminist woman.

A YouTube video of Czech model Dominika Myslivcová lip syncing to the song became a viral video worldwide. Due to its success, it has often been wrongly attributed to Myslivcová.

Track listing

1. "Barbie Girl" – 3:20
2. "Barbie Girl" (Cuca Mix) – 5:12
3. "Barbie Girl" (Music video) – 3:23

Release history

References in media

Environmental movements, like Fridays for Future, when trying to bring attention to the heavy amounts of plastic thrown by humans into the seas, have referred the song lyrics in their slogans with the words "Life in plastic is not fantastic".

In 2022, British singer Tom Aspaul named his album Life in Plastic after a line from the song.

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External links

• Aqua: Barbie Girl at IMDb
• Text of Mattel, Inc. v. MCA Records, Inc., the verdict that favored MCA (PDF file)

• 1997 songs
• 1997 singles
• Aqua (band) songs
• Barbie
• Bubblegum pop songs
• Dutch Top 40 number-one singles
• Eurodance songs
• European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles
• Irish Singles Chart number-one singles
• Kelly Key songs
• Male–female vocal duets
• Obscenity controversies in music
• Novelty songs
• Number-one singles in Australia
• Number-one singles in Germany
• Number-one singles in Italy
• Number-one singles in New Zealand
• Number-one singles in Norway
• Number-one singles in Scotland
• Number-one singles in Sweden
• Number-one singles in Switzerland
• SNEP Top Singles number-one singles
• Songs about fictional female characters
• Songs written by Claus Norreen
• Songs written by Søren Rasted
• Songs written by Lene Nystrøm
• Songs written by René Dif
• Viral videos
• Techno songs
• UK singles chart number-one singles
• MCA Records singles
• Universal Music Group singles
• Warner Music Group singles
• Compositions in C-sharp minor