We Are the People (Empire of the Sun song)

"We Are the People" is a song by Australian electronic music duo Empire of the Sun, released as the second single from their debut studio album, Walking on a Dream (2008). It was released in Australia on 20 September 2008^[1] and debuted at number 85 on the ARIA Singles Chart before peaking at number 24 on 12 January 2009. It reached number one in Germany in December 2010.

"We Are the People"
Single by Empire of the Sun
from the album Walking on a Dream
Released	20 September 2008 (2008-09-20)
Studio	Soundworks Music and Linear Recording, Sydney
Genre	Electronic rock dance-rock electropop
Length	4:27 (album version) 4:02 (radio edit)
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Luke Steele Nick Littlemore Jonathan Sloan
Producer(s)	Empire of the Sun Donnie Sloan Peter Mayes
Empire of the Sun singles chronology
"Walking on a Dream" (2008) "We Are the People" (2008) "Standing on the Shore" (2009)
Alternative cover
Australian iTunes single cover
Audio sample
"We Are the People" file help

Music video

The music video for the song, directed by Josh Logue, was shot in Mexico, and was inspired by the ancient Mexican festival Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos). Locations included the surreal gardens of Sir Edward James at Las Pozas of Xilitla in the state of San Luis Potosí, Monterrey, Nuevo León and García, Nuevo León.^[2]

The Josh Logue of Mathematics directed music video was nominated for Best Video at the ARIA Music Awards of 2008.^[3]

Usage in media

The song has been used in media productions such as advertisements for the Special Broadcasting Service, Vizio televisions, and Idents for Channel V. From October 2010, the song was used in Vodafone TV commercials in Germany,^[4] upon which it reentered the charts and reached number 1. The song was also used in the 2011 films The Roommate and Hall Pass, as well as in episode 11 of season 6 of Entourage.

Track listings

Australian CD

1. "We Are the People" – 4:34
2. "We Are the People (Shazam remix)" – 5:44
3. "We Are the People (Sam La More remix)" – 7:32
4. "Walking on a Dream (Neon Neon mix)" – 3:50
5. "Walking on a Dream (Danger racing remix)" – 4:37

UK iTunes EP 1

1. "We Are the People" – 4:32
2. "We Are the People (Burns remix)" – 6:52
3. "We Are the People (The Golden Filter remix – UK edit)" – 6:57
4. "We Are the People (We Are the Cagedbaby mix – UK edit)" – 6:56
5. "We Are the People (Crazy P remix – UK edit)" – 6:49

UK iTunes EP 2

1. "We Are the People" – 4:32
2. "We Are the People (Wawa remix) [UK edit]" – 6:55
3. "We Are the People (The Shapeshifters vocal remix) [UK edit]" – 6:47
4. "We Are the People (Sam La More remix) [UK edit]" – 6:47
5. "We Are the People (Shazam remix)" – 5:44
6. "We Are the People (Style of Eye remix) [UK edit]" – 6:58

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2009–2012) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[5] 24 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6] 2 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 20 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[8] 16 Czech Republic (Rádio – Top 100)[9] 57 Denmark (Tracklisten)[10] 33 Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[11] 15 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[12] 20 Germany (GfK)[13] 1 Ireland (IRMA)[14] 23 Israel (Media Forest)[15] 5 Italy (FIMI)[16] 19 Luxembourg Digital Songs (Billboard)[17] 1 Norway (VG-lista)[18] 12 Scotland (OCC)[19] 49 Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[20] 51 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[21] 40 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[22] 20 UK Singles (OCC)[23] 14 Chart (2024) Peak position Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100)[24] 97

Year-end charts Chart (2009) Position Australia (ARIA)[25] 98 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[26] 78 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[27] 80 Italy (FIMI)[28] 90 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[29] 99 UK Singles (OCC)[30] 119 Chart (2010) Position Germany (Official German Charts)[31] 16 Chart (2011) Position Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[32] 23 Germany (Official German Charts)[33] 33

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[34]	5× Platinum	350,000‡
Austria (IFPI Austria)[35]	Gold	15,000*
Austria (IFPI Austria)[36] Southstar remix	Gold	15,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[37]	Gold	30,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[38]	Gold	45,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[39]	3× Gold	450,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[40]	Gold	50,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[41]	2× Platinum	60,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[42] Southstar remix	Gold	25,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[43]	Gold	30,000‡
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[44]	Gold	15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[45]	Platinum	600,000‡
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Country	Date	Label	Format
Australia	20 September 2008[1]	Capitol EMI	Digital single
	20 February 2009[46]		Digital EP
	20 February 2009[47]		CD single
	1 May 2009[48]		Digital remix EP
Germany	8 May 2009[49]	EMI	Digital EP
United Kingdom	24 May 2009[50]	Virgin
	31 May 2009[51]
	1 June 2009		7" single
Germany	26 November 2010[52]	EMI	CD single

References

1. "We Are the People – Single by Empire of the Sun". iTunes Store. Australia. 20 September 2008. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
2. "Empire of the Sun's We Are the People shot in Mexico". The Daily Telegraph. 5 December 2008. Retrieved 5 January 2009.
3. ARIA Award previous winners. "Winners by Award – Artisan Awards – Best Video". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 12 December 2019.
4. ""We are the people" als Song für die neue Vodafone-Kampagne" (in German). EMI Music Germany. 28 October 2010. Archived from the original on 7 December 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
5. "Empire of the Sun – We Are the People". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
6. "Empire of the Sun – We Are the People" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
7. "Empire of the Sun – We Are the People" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
8. "Empire of the Sun – We Are the People" (in French). Ultratop 50.
9. "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 32. týden 2012 in the date selector.
10. "Empire of the Sun – We Are the People". Tracklisten.
11. "Hits of the World: European Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Vol. 122, no. 49. 11 December 2010. p. 91.
12. "Empire of the Sun: We Are the People" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
13. "Empire of the Sun – We Are the People" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
14. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – We Are the People". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
15. "Media Forest Week 16, 2010". Israeli Airplay Chart. Media Forest.
16. "Empire of the Sun – We Are the People". Top Digital Download.
17. "Luxembourg Digital Songs". Billboard. 11 December 2010.
18. "Empire of the Sun – We Are the People". VG-lista.
19. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
20. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 200933 into search.
21. "Empire of the Sun – We Are the People". Singles Top 100.
22. "Empire of the Sun – We Are the People". Swiss Singles Chart.
23. "Empire of the Sun: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
24. "OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży – single w streamie" (Select week 02.02.2024–08.02.2024.) (in Polish). OLiS. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
25. "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2009". ARIA. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
26. "Jaaroverzichten 2009". Ultratop. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
27. "Rapports Annuels 2009". Ultratop. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
28. "Classifiche annuali dei cd, dvd, compilation più venduti e digital download più scaricati online nel 2009" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. 19 January 2010. Archived from the original on 23 January 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
29. "Swiss Year-End Charts 2009". swisscharts.com. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
30. "UK Year-End Charts 2009" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
31. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 2010" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
32. "Jahreshitparade Singles 2011". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 16 April 2019.
33. "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 2011" (in German). Offizielle Deutsche Charts. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
34. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2024 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
35. "Austrian single certifications – Empire of the Sun – We Are the People" (in German). IFPI Austria. 22 February 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
36. "Austrian single certifications – Empire of the Sun & Southstar – We Are the People" (in German). IFPI Austria. 14 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
37. "Brazilian single certifications – Empire of the Sun – We Are the People" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
38. "Danish single certifications – Empire of the Sun – We Are the People". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
39. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Empire of the Sun; 'We Are the People')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
40. "Italian single certifications – Empire of the Sun – We Are the People" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
41. "New Zealand single certifications – Empire of the Sun – We Are the People". Radioscope. Retrieved 20 February 2025. Type We Are the People in the "Search:" field.
42. "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 20 February 2025. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter We Are the People - Southstar Remix in the search box.
43. "Spanish single certifications – Empire of the Sun – We Are the People". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
44. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('We Are the People')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
45. "British single certifications – Empire of the Sun – We Are the People". British Phonographic Industry. 31 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
46. "We Are the People – EP by Empire of the Sun". iTunes Store. Australia. 20 February 2009. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
47. "WE ARE THE PEOPLE – Empire Of the Sun". JB Hi-Fi. 20 February 2009. Archived from the original on 14 March 2009. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
48. "We Are the People (Remixes) by Empire of the Sun". iTunes Store. Australia. 1 May 2009. Archived from the original on 9 December 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
49. "We Are the People von Empire of the Sun". iTunes Store (in German). Germany. 8 May 2009. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
50. "We Are the People by Empire of the Sun (#1)". iTunes Store. United Kingdom. 24 May 2009. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
51. "We Are the People by Empire of the Sun (#2)". iTunes Store. United Kingdom. 31 May 2009. Archived from the original on 11 November 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
52. "EMPIRE OF THE SUN // We Are The People" (in German). EMI Music Germany. Archived from the original on 27 November 2010. Retrieved 27 November 2010.