Rocketeer (song)

"Rocketeer"
Single by Far East Movement featuring Ryan Tedder
from the album Free Wired
Released October 29, 2010 (2010-10-29) (US)
February 21, 2011 (UK)[1]
Format
Recorded 2010
Genre Pop Rap
Length 3:31
Label Cherrytree
Writer(s) Ryan Tedder, Jae Choung, James Roh, Kevin Nishimura, Virman Coquia, Jonathan Yip, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus, Philip Lawrence
Producer(s) The Stereotypes, The Smeezingtons
Far East Movement singles chronology
"Like a G6"
(2010)		 "Rocketeer"
(2010)		 "2gether"
(2011)

"Rocketeer" is the second single from Far East Movement's 2010 album Free Wired. The track features Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic. It was written by Far East Movement, as well as members of the production teams The Stereotypes, The Smeezingtons, and produced by The Stereotypes and The Smeezingtons. It was released as a single on October 29, 2010, and peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Two different versions of the song were recorded, one with vocals by Bruno Mars[2] (a member of The Smeezingtons) and one with vocals by Ryan Tedder. Tedder's version was the one selected for the album.

"Rocketeer" shares similarities with Justin Bieber's "Somebody to Love", which was released earlier, in April 2010. This led to speculation that "Rocketeer" copied from "Somebody to Love"; in actuality, both songs were co-produced by The Stereotypes, and "Rocketeer" was produced first; "Somebody to Love" uses samples of "Rocketeer".[3]

Background

Speaking about the song in March 2011 to noted UK urban writer Pete Lewis - Assistant Editor of Blues & Soul - group member Kev Nish stated: "'Free Wired' was basically a slang-word we came up with back in the day, that we'd use whenever we'd do something that was outside the box, that was original, that was fresh, and that mashed-up things that maybe SHOULDN'T be mashed-up! Which is why, when it came to titling this latest album, it made so much SENSE!... You know, we'd basically go in the studio and take hip hop-style drums, electronic synths, alternative-style hooks and just - as I say - mash it all UP! Which in turn became the inspiration behind a track like 'Rocketeer'... And, by featuring Ryan Tedder on the song, we were then also able to cover that credible, alternative ROCK base."[4]

Music video

Directed by Marc Klasfeld, the music video for the song premiered on Vevo and YouTube on October 29, 2010 and has a cameo appearance by DJ Quik.[5] The skateboarder in the video is Samuel Tan, a high school student from California. Steve Terada and Victor Kim from the dance group Quest Crew also makes brief appearances. Famous YouTube personalities Philip Wang and Wesley Chan from Wong Fu Productions make a short cameo posing for a picture. It shows of Samuel trying to get parts all around to make a jet pack to travel to his girlfriend who went to Japan for a job. The video features also a cameo of princess Ai Co-created by Courtney Love and D.J. Milky, Princess Ai was written and illustrated by Misaho Kujiradou and featured character designs by Ai Yazawa.

Malaysian-based low-cost airline AirAsia used the song for their "Awesome" campaign.

Far East Movement performed "Rocketeer" on the NBA All-Star Weekend 2011 and an episode of the Disney Channel TV program So Random!; both performances feature Miguel singing the chorus instead of Ryan Tedder.

Track listing

Digital download
  1. "Rocketeer" (feat. Ryan Tedder) – 3:31
CD single (Germany) [6]
  1. "Rocketeer" (feat. Ryan Tedder) - 3:31
  2. "Rocketeer" (Frankmusik Remix) - 3:23
Rocketeer Remixes[7]
  1. "Rocketeer" (Chew Fu Remix) - 5:34
  2. "Rocketeer" (Frankmusik Remix) - 3:23
  3. "Rocketeer" (DJ Enferno Remix) - 4:33
  4. "Rocketeer" (Ruxpin Remix) - 4:39
  5. "Rocketeer" (Z-Trip Afterburner Dub Remix) - 3:12
  6. "Rocketeer" (DJ Spider & Mr. Best Remix) - 5:21
Rocketeer Live At Cherrytree House
  1. "Rocketeer" (Live At Cherrytree House) [feat. Frankmusik] - 3:47

Credits and personnel

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts

Chart (2010–11) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[8] 14
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[9] 9
Belgium (Ultratip Wallonia)[10] 9
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[11] 22
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[12]
featuring Bruno Mars		 85
Czech Republic (Rádio Top 100)[13] 50
Germany (Official German Charts)[14] 40
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[15] 10
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] 47
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[17] 4
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[18] 19
South Korea (GAON)[19] 4
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[20] 11
UK R&B (Official Charts Company)[21] 4
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[22] 14
US Billboard Hot 100[23] 7
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[24] 9
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[25] 7
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[26] 6

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[27] Platinum 70,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[28] Gold 7,500*

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Year-end charts

Chart (2011) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[29] 58

References

  1. ↑ Praxis Media. "Radio1 Rodos Greece ::: UK Forthcoming Singles ::: Charts, DJ Promos, Dance, Lyrics, Free Mp3 Samples Downloads". Radio1.gr. Retrieved 2011-01-09.
  2. ↑ Far East Movement feat. Bruno Mars - Rocketeer [HD Video - YouTube]
  3. ↑ "Response". Far East Movement.
  4. ↑ Far East Movement interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' March 2011
  5. ↑ "Far East Movement - Rocketeer ft. Ryan Tedder". YouTube. Retrieved 2011-01-09.
  6. ↑ CD single
  7. ↑ iTunes - Music - Rocketeer (Remixes) (feat. Ryan Tedder) - EP by Far East Movement
  8. ↑ "Top 50 Singles Chart 14/3/2011". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Far * East Movement feat. Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic – Rocketeer" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved February 18, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Far * East Movement feat. Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic – Rocketeer" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Far East Movement – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Far East Movement.
  12. ↑ "Canadian Hot 100 – Issue Date: December 4, 2010". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on November 26, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2015.
  13. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201111 into search. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Musicline.de – Far East Movement Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  15. ↑ "Japan Hot 100: Week of April 09, 2011". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 7, 2011.
  16. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Far * East Movement feat. Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic – Rocketeer" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved February 12, 2011.
  17. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Far * East Movement feat. Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic – Rocketeer". Top 40 Singles.
  18. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2011-02-26". Scottish Singles Top 40.
  19. ↑ "South Korea Gaon International Chart (Gaon Chart". Gaon Chart. Retrieved March 20, 2011.
  20. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201111 into search. Retrieved March 23, 2011.
  21. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2011-02-26" UK R&B Chart.
  22. ↑ "Archive Chart: 2011-02-26" UK Singles Chart.
  23. ↑ "Far East Movement – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Far East Movement.
  24. ↑ "Far East Movement – Chart history" Billboard Hot Rap Songs for Far East Movement.
  25. ↑ "Far East Movement – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Far East Movement.
  26. ↑ "Far East Movement – Chart history" Billboard Rhythmic Songs for Far East Movement.
  27. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2011 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  28. ↑ THE FIELD id (chart number) MUST BE PROVIDED for NEW ZEALAND CERTIFICATION.
  29. ↑ "Best of 2011: Hot 100 Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-09.
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