Music Sounds Better with You - Stardust | 1001 Songs Challenge #870

On 11 February 2019 I set myself the challenge of reading 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die by Robert Dimery (ed.) and following the book’s advice to the letter. I’ve previously read 1001 Films… and started 1001 Albums… but felt 1001 Songs… would be a sensible place to start for what I have in mind here.

My challenge is to read about one song per day and listen to it (YouTube and Spotify, I need you tonight!) before sharing my own thoughts. Some songs I will love, others I’ll hate, and I’m sure there will be those that leave me perplexed but listen to them I shall.

I’ll also try, and most likely fail, to pinpoint the best song from the 1001 on offer but I’m nothing if not foolhardy. Instead of one song, I’m predicting I’ll have about 100 favourites by the end and may have to resort to a Top 10 so far to maintain any semblance of sanity.

So long as I post every day (including Christmas) then this challenge should come to an end on Wednesday 8 November 2021. Staying with the Barney Stinson theme I am hoping that the whole experience will prove to be… legendary!

Stardust – Music Sounds Better with You (1998)

Music Sounds Better with You – Wikipedia

” Music Sounds Better with You” is the only song by French house trio Stardust, released on 20 July 1998. Stardust comprised Thomas Bangalter from Daft Punk, DJ Alan Braxe, and vocalist Benjamin Diamond; they disbanded after the release and resumed separate careers.

We’re leaving the US behind today, dear reader, and making our way to France. Today’s guests are a bit of a novelty in the respect they released one song and nothing more. Stardust were made up of Thomas Bangalter of Daft Punk, DJ Alan Braxe and Benjamin Diamond. We join them in 1998 with the release of their solitary track – Music Sounds Better with You.

In Music Sounds Better with You, Stardust focus mainly on the music rather than lyrical output. The lyrics themselves are actually quite limited here though repeated throughout the track. The song seems to simply be about the possible reunion of two lovers and the refrain of the title that music is better when the narrator is with this person. Their back story is not covered. We are left to speculate what has happened.

The title, Music Sounds Better with You, was familiar to me and I have definitely heard the music before as well. The song was highly acclaimed upon release as one of the ultimate dance tracks, and even climbed all the way to no.2 in the UK charts. Though delighted with the song, Stardust went their separate ways after the track’s release and returned to their respective careers and commitments. Will a reunion ever take place? It seems highly unlikely.

Favourite songs so far:

The Animals – House of the Rising Sun (1964)

Simon & Garfunkel – The Sounds of Silence (1965)

The Beatles – A Day in the Life (1967)

The Doors – The End (1967)

Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here (1975)

Meat Loaf – Bat Out of Hell (1977)

Tracy Chapman – Fast Car (1988)

U2 – One (1991)

Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah (1994)

Radiohead – Paranoid Android (1997)