Bruno Mars | 24K Magic (2016)
"24K Magic" is a song by American singer Bruno Mars from his studio album of the same name (2016). Atlantic Records released it as the album's lead single on October 7, 2016, for digital download and streaming.
2016-10-07 19:00:00 - Bruno Mars
Atlantic provided it as an instant grat track for those who pre-ordered the album. Mars, Philip Lawrence and Christopher Brody Brown wrote the single. Calling themselves Shampoo Press & Curl the three of them handled production, with additional production by the Stereotypes. The song has been described as a funk, disco and contemporary R&B track, heavily influenced by hip hop.
The A.V. Club noticed the synthesizer riff and backbeat resembled the one in "The Message" (1982) by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. The song's lyrics address extravagances, glamour, and the party lifestyle.
"24K Magic" was generally well received by music critics. Some of them complimented Mars's vocals and compared them to James Brown, describing the song as engaging, fun and evoking feeling of nostalgia. Others criticized it for not being innovative as it tried to emulate "Uptown Funk" (2014). The song was a commercial success.
It peaked at number four in the United States and number three in Canada and Australia. It has been certified five times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). It was certified six times platinum by Music Canada (MC).
The single reached number one in New Zealand, France, Belgium (Flanders) and Argentina. It has received a diamond certification in France and a platinum one in New Zealand. In the United Kingdom and Spain, the song peaked at number five, being certified two times platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) and by Productores de Música de España (PROMUSICAE).
Director Cameron Duddy shot the song's music video with Mars. It depicts Mars and his bandmates partying and having fun in a Las Vegas casino. At the end of the video, Mars is riding a jet ski in the Fountains of the Bellagio Hotel. He performed "24K Magic" on television shows such as Saturday Night Live, The Late Late Show and it was first included on his 24K Magic World Tour (2017–18).
The song received several nominations and won Record of the Year at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards in 2018. The film Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation has used portions of the track in the film.
Kendrick Lamar's single "Loyalty" (2017) featuring Rihanna sampled the song's introduction.