Music Sounds Better with You

Production

The track was recorded in Paris at Daft House, where Bangalter (one half of the French group Daft Punk) is based. The song was conceived in Rex Club, Paris, where the trio were playing a live set. Bangalter and Braxe created the instrumental, which Diamond instinctively sang the title words over. The next day they laid down the track in the studio, adding the Chaka Khan sample.

The song remains the only release of the trio. It is referred to as the best-selling track of the house music genre worldwide. Shortly after the release Bangalter was offered 3 million dollars to produce a full Stardust album, but Bangalter, Braxe and Diamond have not worked together since. Diamond and Braxe resumed their ongoing solo careers, and Bangalter, along with his usual partner Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, went on to release the second Daft Punk album, Discovery, as well as releasing other house music tracks solo or with other partners.

Critical reception

John Bush from AllMusic gave the single 4.5 stars out of 5 and also labels it as an "Album Pick" calling it "One of the most irresistible, sublime dance singles of the decade". It was ranked 46th on Pitchfork's Top 200 songs of the '90s. The publication included "Music Sounds Better with You" in its collection of The Pitchfork 500. In 2001, the magazine from the United Kingdom, Mixmag, listed the 100 Greatest Dance Songs of All Time with "Music Sounds Better with You" listed at number 11. The song also appears at number 6 on Mixmag's 50 Greatest Dance Tracks of All Time in 2013.

Music video

Directed by Michel Gondry, set in Texas, United States, the song's music video depicts the story of a boy building a balsa wood model airplane over several summer days (it's implied that his parents are arguing, and this is his distraction from this). As he works, he watches a "Top 5" video countdown on television, on which the band Stardust move up one spot a day past other, fictional artists.

Braxe, Diamond, and Bangalter appear wearing metallic costumes in the video — a trend Bangalter would follow as a member of Daft Punk. One of the fictional videos, "Hollipz" by "Dave Stavroz", is a parody of the music video of Robert Palmer's hit "Addicted to Love" (1986). When the boy has completed the plane, he takes it into the large fields next to the house and throws it in the air, only to watch it become stranded on top of a cloud. It is the same cloud Stardust were performing on in their video Top 5. They throw it back to the boy with a wave; he recovers it, waves at them, and runs away.

Track listing and formats

1. "Music Sounds Better with You" – 6:48

1. "Music Sounds Better with You" (7" Edit) – 4:24
2. "Music Sounds Better with You" (12" Club Mix) – 6:48
3. "Music Sounds Better with You" (Bob Sinclar Remix) – 6:46

1. "Music Sounds Better with You" (7" Edit) – 4:24
2. "Music Sounds Better with You" (12" Club Mix) – 6:48
3. "Music Sounds Better with You" (Bibi & Dim's Anthem from Paris Mix) – 10:30
4. "Music Sounds Better with You" (Chateau Flight Remix) – 7:17

1. "Music Sounds Better with You" (Bibi & Dim's Anthem from Paris Mix) – 10:30
2. "Music Sounds Better with You" (DJ Sneak's 32 on Red Dub Mix) – 5:41
3. "Music Sounds Better with You" (Chateau Flight Remix) – 7:17
4. "Music Sounds Better with You" (DJ Sneak's 32 on Red Mix) – 8:16

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