Maximum Overdrive (song)

"Maximum Overdrive" is a song by Belgian-Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited, released in November 1993 by Byte, ZYX and PWL as the fourth single from their second album, No Limits! (1993). The song was written by band members Ray Slijngaard and Anita Dels with Phil Wilde and Filip Martens, while Wilde produced it with Jean-Paul De Coster. The UK release was the first UK single to maintain all the rap lyrics from Ray used in the European release. "Maximum Overdrive" reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart, and was also a number-one hit in Finland and on the European Dance Radio Chart by Music & Media. Its accompanying music video was directed by David Betteridge and filmed in London.

"Maximum Overdrive"
Artwork for continental European and Australian releases
Single by 2 Unlimited
from the album No Limits!
Released	8 November 1993 (1993-11-08)^[1]
Genre	Eurodance
Length	3:58 3:43 (single remix)
Label	Byte ZYX PWL
Songwriter(s)	Phil Wilde Filip Martens Ray Slijngaard Anita Dels
Producer(s)	Phil Wilde Jean-Paul De Coster
2 Unlimited singles chronology
"Faces" (1993) "Maximum Overdrive" (1993) "Let The Beat Control Your Body" (1994)
Music video
"Maximum Overdrive" on YouTube

Critical reception

In his weekly UK chart commentary, James Masterton stated, "In as much as it is possible to classify things like this, 2 Unlimited are the most successful dance act ever."^[2] In Pan-European magazine Music & Media's review of No Limits!, they viewed the song as a "potential single", "with a racing car breaking all speed limits."^[3] Alan Jones from Music Week commented, "He raps, she sings, the music ponds in typical pop/rave style...yes, the usual 2 Unlimited hallmarks are present and correct, though melodically this is perhaps the weakest single they've released yet. Even so, this will probably scrape into the Top 10."^[4] James Hamilton from the Record Mirror Dance Update described it as "typical rapped and chanted revving techno-pop".^[5] Alex Kadis from Smash Hits gave the song three out of five, writing that "it all hangs together in such a pleasant, catchy way that you're spirited to the record shop in a most unhesitant manner."^[6]

Chart performance

The release scored chart success in many European countries, topping the chart in Finland as well as Music & Media's European Dance Radio Chart.^[7] It peaked at number two in Portugal and Spain. And at number four in Belgian Flanders and number five in the Netherlands. On MTV's European Top 20, it reached number three. In Portugal, the single was held off reaching the number-one position by Depeche Mode's "Condemnation".^[8] It was also a top-20 hit in Austria (13), Denmark (14), Germany (16), Ireland (11), Sweden (18), and the UK. In the latter, it peaked at number 15 in its second week at the UK Singles Chart, on 21 November 1993,^[9] and number 13 on the UK Dance Singles Chart.^[10] "Maximum Overdrive" stormed into the Eurochart Hot 100 on 28 November at number 19 and peaked three weeks later at number seven.^[11] Outside Europe, it made it to number 32 in Australia.

Airplay

"Maximum Overdrive" entered the European airplay chart Border Breakers at number 19 on 14 November 1993 following crossover airplay in North West-Europe. It peaked at number five on 18 December.^[12]

Music video

The music video for "Maximum Overdrive", directed by British director David Betteridge and produced by A&R Filmstudios in London.^[13] The concept of the video is a Wacky Races style chase with rivals on skateboards and pogo sticks. It was filmed in a warehouse in Northern London in the fall of 1993^[14] and released on 8 November.^[15] The video received heavy rotation on MTV Europe^[16] and was A-listed on Germany's VIVA.^[17] In December 2013, it was also made available on 2 Unlimited's official YouTube channel, and as of early 2024, the video had generated more than a half million views. Betteridge had previously directed the videos for "Get Ready for This", "Twilight Zone", "Workaholic" and "The Magic Friend".

Track listings

UK 7-inch single "Maximum Overdrive" (Radio edit without intro) – 3:21 "Maximum Overdrive" (X-Out In-Trance) – 4:53 Belgian 12-inch maxi "Maximum Overdrive" (extended) – 5:18 "Maximum Overdrive" (album version) – 3:58 "Maximum Overdrive" (Speedaumatic remix) – 5:45 "Maximum Overdrive" (X-Out In Trance) – 4:53 UK CD single "Maximum Overdrive" (radio edit without intro) – 3:28 "Maximum Overdrive" (extended) – 5:20 "Maximum Overdrive" (Speedaumatic remix) – 5:45 "Maximum Overdrive" (X-Out In-Trance) – 4:51

Australian CD maxi "Maximum Overdrive" (radio edit) – 3:43 "Maximum Overdrive" (extended) – 5:18 "Maximum Overdrive" (Speedaumatic remix) – 5:46 "Maximum Overdrive" (X-Out In Trance) – 4:55 Netherlands CD maxi "Maximum Overdrive" (radio edit) – 3:43 "Maximum Overdrive" (extended) – 5:18 "Maximum Overdrive" (album version) – 3:58 "Maximum Overdrive" (Speedaumatic remix) – 5:45 "Maximum Overdrive" (X-Out In Trance) – 4:53

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1993) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[18] 32 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[18] 13 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[19] 4 Denmark (IFPI) 14 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[11] 7 Europe (MTV European Top 20)^[20] 3 Europe (European Dance Radio)^[7] 1 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)^[21] 1 France (SNEP)^[18] 35 Germany (Media Control Charts)^[22] 16 Ireland (IRMA)^[23] 11 Lithuania (M-1)^[24] 10 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[18] 5 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[25] 6 Portugal (AFP)^[8] 2 Spain (AFYVE)^[26] 2 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[18] 18 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[18] 23 UK Singles (OCC)^[9] 15 UK Dance (Music Week)^[10] 13 UK Club Chart (Music Week)^[27] 55

Year-end charts Chart (1993) Position Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[28] 85 Chart (1994) Position Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[29] 98 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)^[30] 78 Europe (European Dance Radio)^[31] 15

References

1. "Single Releases". Music Week. 6 November 1993. p. 23.
2. Masterton, James (14 November 1993). "Week Ending November 20th 1993". Chart Watch UK. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
3. "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 22. 29 May 1993. p. 14. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
4. Jones, Alan (6 November 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 14. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
5. Hamilton, James (13 November 1993). "Dj directory" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 7. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
6. Kadis, Alex (10 November 1993). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 53. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
7. "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 5. 29 January 1994. p. 26. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
8. "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 50. 11 December 1993. p. 24. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
9. "Official Singles Chart Top 75 21 November 1993 - 27 November 1993". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
10. "Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 20 November 1993. p. 24. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
11. "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 51/52. 18 December 1993. p. 31. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
12. Holt, Karen (19 November 1994). "Border Breakers: Monitoring The Impact Of Euro Talent" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 47. p. 20. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
13. "2 Unlimited - Maximum Overdrive music video". Eurokdj.com. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
14. Sutherland, Mark (23 November 1993). "Lights! Cameras! Techno!". Smash Hits. p. 20. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
15. "Promos In Production" (PDF). Music Week. 30 October 1993. p. 14. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
16. "Station Reports > MTV Europe/London" (PDF). Music & Media. 18 December 1993. p. 35. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
17. "Station Reports > VIVA TV/Cologne" (PDF). Music & Media. 5 February 1994. p. 29. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
18. "Maximum Overdrive", in various Singles Chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved 15 February 2008)
19. "2 Unlimited – Maximum Overdrive" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
20. Musik-Charts durchsuchen
21. Billboard: Hits of the World, January 15, 1994
22. German Singles Chart Charts-surfer.de 8 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved 10 April 2008)
23. Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved 15 February 2008)
24. . M-1.fm. 16 January 1994. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
25. "2 Unlimited – Maximum Overdrive" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
26. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
27. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 13 November 1993. p. 4. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
28. "Single top 100 over 1993" (PDF) (in Dutch). Top40. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
29. "jaaroverzichten 1994" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 7 December 2019.
30. "1994 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 24 December 1994. p. 12. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
31. "1994 in Review: European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 52. 24 December 1994. p. 8. Retrieved 1 March 2024.