Everything Is Awesome

"Everything Is Awesome" (stylized as "Everything Is AWESOME!!!") is a song by Canadian indie pop duo Tegan and Sara featuring American comedy trio the Lonely Island. The theme song to the 2014 Warner Bros. Pictures film The Lego Movie, it was written by Shawn Patterson,^[1] Joshua Bartholomew, Lisa Harriton,^[2][3] and the Lonely Island. The single and pop version featured in the end credits of the movie were produced by Mark Mothersbaugh.^[4]

"Everything Is Awesome"
Single by Tegan and Sara featuring The Lonely Island
from the album The Lego Movie: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Released	January 27, 2014
Recorded	2013
Genre	Pop synth-pop
Length	2:43
Label	WaterTower
Songwriter(s)	Shawn Patterson, JoLi, the Lonely Island
Producer(s)	Shawn Patterson, Mark Mothersbaugh, Bartholomew
Tegan and Sara singles chronology
"Goodbye, Goodbye" (2013) "Everything Is Awesome" (2014) "Boyfriend" (2016)
The Lonely Island singles chronology
"Spell It Out" (2013) "Everything Is Awesome" (2014) "When Will the Bass Drop" (2014)

The version of "Everything Is Awesome" featured in The Lego Movie and promotional material for the movie was produced by Joshua Bartholomew and performed by Bartholomew and Lisa Harriton.^[5]

On January 26, 2014, the song received its first US radio airplay via Anything Anything with Rich Russo on the WXPK, WRAT and WDHA radio stations.^[6]

Music video

The music video features Lego versions of Tegan and Sara as well as the Lonely Island's Akiva Schaffer, Andy Samberg and Jorma Taccone. Parts of the video were made using brickfilming.^[7]

Reception

Commercial performance

"Everything Is Awesome" debuted at No. 11 on the Dance/Electronic Songs chart, with 34,000 downloads in its first week.^[8] It also charted at No. 11 on the Irish charts,^{[citation needed]} and peaked at No. 35 on the Canadian Hot 100.^[9] The song spent six consecutive weeks on the UK Singles and thirty-one on the UK Indie, peaking on both charts in early March at No. 17 and No. 2, respectively.^[10][11] In the US Billboard Hot 100, the song charted No. 57.^[12] The single had sold 418,000 copies in the United States by the end of June, 2014,^[13] and became Gold certified at the end of that year. On July 14, 2017^[update], it was certified Platinum, having sold more than 1,000,000 units since its release.^[14]

Oscars performance

As one of the songs nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song, a large-scale musical performance of "Everything Is Awesome" took place at the 2015 awards ceremony. Tegan and Sara performed the song with the Lonely Island, musician and singer Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo (wearing a LEGO version of the Devo energy dome), DJ and drummer Questlove of The Roots, and actor Will Arnett, dressed as Batman, wearing the costume originally worn by Val Kilmer in the 1995 film Batman Forever.^[15] In the film, Arnett provides the voice of Batman and sings the mocking heavy metal composition "Untitled Self Portrait", an excerpt of which was incorporated into the performance of "Everything Is Awesome" at the Academy Awards.^[16]

Awards and nominations

• Nominated for Best Original Song at the 87th Academy Awards^[17]
• Nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media^[18]
• Nominated for a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Song^[19]
• 2014 Denver Film Critics Society^[20] for Best Original Song
• Nominated for a 2014 Georgia Film Critics Association^[21] for Best Original Song
• 2014 Hollywood Music In Media Award^[22] for Song - Animated Film
• 2014 Houston Film Critics Society^[23] for Best Original Song
• 2015 Talk Film Society Awards for Best Original Song
• 2014 Iowa Film Critics^[24] for Best Original Song
• Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards 2014^[25] for Best Original Song
• Nominated for a Satellite Award^[26] for Best Original Song
• Variety Artisans Award^[27]

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (2014) Peak position Australian ARIA Digital Track Chart[28] 23 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[29] 35 Ireland (IRMA)[30] 11 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[31] 24 Scotland (OCC)[32] 18 UK Singles (OCC)[33] 17 UK Indie (OCC)[34] 3 US Billboard Hot 100[35] 57 US Comedy Digital Tracks (Billboard)[36] 2 US Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[37] 7 US Heatseeker Songs (Billboard)[38] 2

Year-end Chart (2014) Rank US Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[39] 28 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales United Kingdom (BPI)[40] Silver 200,000‡ United States (RIAA)[14] Platinum 1,000,000‡ ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Legacy

• This song had been used in other works in the Lego franchise:
  • A version appears in The Lego Batman Movie, performed by Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine.
  • In January 2019, the song was reused in a music video to promote The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, whereas original characters and new characters were shown dancing to the song.^[41] A 360 degree version was also made.
  • A ukulele-driven "tween remix" with new verses by Garfunkel and Oates is featured in The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part.
  • Also in The Lego Movie 2, the characters sing a rather sad reprise of the song entitled "Everything's Not Awesome" (US)/"Everything is Awful" (UK)^{[citation needed]} at the falling point of the film.
  • The Forza Horizon 4 expansion Lego Speed Champions added an in-game radio station called Radio Awesome, which has "Everything Is Awesome" as its only song.
• In July 2014, the song was reused in a video by Greenpeace to promote their petition calling on The Lego Group to drop its partnership with Shell.^[42]
• In 2021, the Lego set Everyone Is Awesome was released in the colours of the LGBT rainbow flag, trans pride flag, and black and brown representing LGBT people of color. It was the first Lego set to represent the LGBT community.^[43][44]
• In 2024, the Lego set Retro Radio included a sound brick with one of the sound clips being a re-recorded version of "Everything Is Awesome" in an acoustic, country-inspired version

References

1. Shawn Patterson (February 14, 2014). Everything Is Awesome - Shawn Patterson (Unplugged) surprise performance (HD) (Motion). Warner Bros.Pictures: Warner Bros. Pictures/Ryan Halpern. Event occurs at 0:11. Retrieved January 12, 2015. Shawn Patterson, who wrote the music and lyrics for the hit song from The Lego Movie "Everything Is Awesome", surprises a crowd of WB employees with his unplugged rendition of the song at a conference room celebration.
2. "SOCAN presents first-ever film & TV No. 1 Song Award to Josh Bartholomew. theme". March 8, 2014. Archived from the original on September 5, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
3. "ALLMUSIC Credits". February 4, 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
4. Brown, August (February 11, 2014). "Everything is awesome, indeed, for Mark Mothersbaugh". LA Times. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
5. "ALLMUSIC Credits". February 4, 2014. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
6. "Playlists for 1/26/14"
7. Locker, Melissa (February 11, 2014). "Everything is Awesome in New Lego-Themed Tegan & Sara Video Feat. The Lonely Island". Time.com. Archived from the original on February 11, 2014. Retrieved February 12, 2014.
8. Lipshutz, Jason (February 17, 2014). "'The Lego Movie': Why Tegan & Sara Went Chirpy for 'Everything Is Awesome' (Video)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
9. "Tegan and Sara Chart History: Canadian Hot 100". Billboard.com. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
10. "Official Singles Chart Results Matching: Everything is Awesome". OfficialCharts.com. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
11. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50: 21 September 2014 - 27 September 2014". OfficialCharts.com. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
12. Lipshutz, David (February 14, 2014). "Tegan & Sara on Their 'Awesome' 'LEGO Movie' Song: 'It's a Crazy Earworm'". Billboard. Retrieved February 16, 2014.
13. Murray, Gordon (July 2, 2014). "Daft Punk, DJ Snake & Lil Jon Lead Mid-Year SoundScan Dance/Electronic Charts". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
14. "American single certifications – Tegan and Sara feat. The Lonely Island – Everything Is Awesome!!!". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 4, 2019.
15. Nick Romano, Will Arnett Wore A Piece Of Batman History At The Oscars. Cinema Blend. February 23, 2015; accessed February 25, 2015
16. WATCH: ‘Everything is Awesome’ at the Oscars Thanks to Will Arnett's Batman and Oprah, Variety. February 23, 2015; accessed February 25, 2015
17. "Best Original Song - The 87th Academy Awards (2015)". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. February 22, 2015. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved February 16, 2018.
18. "57th Annual GRAMMY Awards Nominees". December 5, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
19. "Critics' Choice Nominees". December 15, 2014. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
20. "DFCS Names 'American Sniper' 2014′s Best Film". January 12, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
21. "Georgia Film Critics Association: 2014 Awards". January 9, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
22. Feinberg, Scott (November 5, 2014). "Hollywood Music in Media Awards: Gregg Alexander Performs, Glen Campbell Feted". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
23. "Houston Film Critics Society". December 16, 2014. Archived from the original on February 10, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
24. Patches, Matt (January 7, 2015). "'Boyhood' is Iowa Critics' Best Picture of 2014". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
25. "Phoenix Film Critics Society". December 16, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
26. "International Press Academy". December 1, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
27. "Santa Barbara Film Festival Announces Full Program, Variety Artisans Awards". Variety. January 8, 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
28. ARIA Australian Top 40 Digital Tracks | Australia's Official Top 40 Digital Downloads. ARIA Charts. Retrieved on 2014-05-02.
29. "Tegan and Sara Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
30. "Chart Track: Week 09, 2014". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
31. "Tegan And Sara feat. The Lonely Island – Everything Is Awesome". Top 40 Singles.
32. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
33. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
34. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
35. "Tegan and Sara Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
36. Comedy Digital Tracks : Feb 15, 2014. Billboard biz. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
37. Hot Dance/Electronic Songs : Mar 1, 2014. Billboard biz. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
38. Tegan and Sara - Chart history for Heatseekers Songs. Billboard.com. Retrieved February 23, 2014.
39. "Hot Dance/Electronic Songs – Year-End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
40. "British single certifications – Tegan & Sara ft. Lonely Island – Everything Is Awesome". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
41. "Everything Is Awesome" Dance Together Music Video - THE LEGO MOVIE 2 - Music Video. LEGO. YouTube.
42. Vaughan, Adam. July 9, 2014. Lego told 'everything is not awesome' in viral Greenpeace video. The Guardian. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
43. Russell, Helen (May 20, 2021). "Everyone Is Awesome: Lego to launch first LGBTQ+ set". The Guardian. Billund, Denmark. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
44. de Jong, Alrik (May 19, 2021). "LEGO eert de Pride met kleurrijke bouwset en een boodschap" [LEGO honours Pride with colourful building set and a message]. Manners Magazine (in Dutch). Retrieved May 20, 2021.

External links

• YouTube music video
• Oscars live performance
• SoundCloud track