The Final Countdown (song)

"The Final Countdown"
Single by Europe
from the album The Final Countdown
B-side"On Broken Wings"
Released
  • 19 May 1986 (US)[1]
  • 6 October 1986 (UK)[2]
Recorded1985
Genre
Length
  • 5:09 (album version)
  • 4:56 (video version)
  • 4:03 (radio edit)
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)Joey Tempest
Producer(s)Kevin Elson
Europe singles chronology
"Rock the Night"
(1985) 		"The Final Countdown"
(1986) 		"Love Chaser"
(1986)
Music video
"The Final Countdown" on YouTube
Audio sample
"The Final Countdown"

"The Final Countdown" is a song by Swedish rock band Europe, released in 1986. Written by lead singer Joey Tempest, it was based on a keyboard riff he made in the early 1980s, with lyrics inspired by David Bowie's "Space Oddity". Originally intended only to be a concert opener, it is the first single and title track from the band's third studio album of the same name. The music video by Nick Morris, made to promote the single, has received 1 billion views on YouTube. The video features footage from the band's two concerts at Solnahallen in Solna, Sweden as well as extra footage of the sound checks and footage from Stockholm. The song "Pictures", from the 2017 album Walk the Earth, is a sequel to "The Final Countdown".

  1. ^ "FMQB" (PDF). p. 44.
  2. ^ "Music Week" (PDF). p. 41. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 October 2024. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  3. ^ Burgess, Mick (9 March 2015). "Review: Europe and Black Star Riders at the O2 Academy Newcastle". Chronicle Live. Archived from the original on 13 April 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  4. ^ Sleazegrinder (4 December 2015). "The 20 Greatest Hair Metal Anthems of All Time". Louder. Archived from the original on 13 April 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  5. ^ Monger, James Christopher. "Various Artists – 100 Hits: Total Rock". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2 October 2024. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  6. ^ Winistorfer, Andrew (5 January 2009). "VH1's 100 Greatest Hard Rock Songs list only slightly less annoying than their hip-hop list". Prefix Magazine. Archived from the original on 21 January 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2014.