Page move-protected

Blurred Lines

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
For the album, see Blurred Lines (album). For blurred lines in photography, see Defocus aberration.
"Blurred Lines"
Single by Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams
from the album Blurred Lines
Released March 26, 2013
Format
Recorded 2012
Genre
Length 4:25
Label
Writer(s)
Producer(s) Pharrell Williams
Robin Thicke singles chronology
"Love After War"
(2011)
"Blurred Lines"
(2013)
"For the Rest of My Life"
(2013)
T.I. singles chronology
"We Still in This Bitch"
(2013)
"Blurred Lines"
(2013)
"Pour It Up (Remix)"
(2013)
Pharrell Williams singles chronology
"Celebrate"
(2012)
"Blurred Lines"
(2013)
"Get Lucky"
(2013)
Music video
"Blurred Lines" on YouTube

"Blurred Lines" is a single written and performed by American recording artists Robin Thicke, T.I., and Pharrell Williams. Produced by Pharrell, it serves as the lead single from Thicke's album of the same name. It was released on March 26, 2013 through Pharrell's label Star Trak Recordings.[2] Recorded in 2012, the song was primarily inspired by the Marvin Gaye song "Got to Give It Up", and apart from T.I.'s rap was entirely the work of Williams.[3][4][5] However, Thicke clearly laid claim to writing credits on the track according to a Reuters article.[6] The song became the subject of a bitter legal dispute with the family of Gaye and Bridgeport Music as to whether the song infringed copyrights to "Got to Give It Up". Thicke and Williams were found liable for copyright infringement by a federal jury in March 2015, and Gaye was awarded posthumous songwriting credit based on the royalties pledged to his estate.[7]

The song's music video was released in two versions, with one featuring models Emily Ratajkowski, Jessi M'Bengue, and Elle Evans being topless, while the other censored nudity. The uncut version of the video was at one time removed from YouTube for violating the site's terms of service regarding nudity; it was later restored, but with an age restriction. The song's lyrics and music video have proven controversial with some groups, with claims that it is misogynistic and promotes date rape. This has led to the song being banned at universities and other institutions in the United Kingdom and prompted a rebuttal from Thicke.

"Blurred Lines" was an immense success worldwide, peaking at number one in at least 25 countries and becoming the number one song of 2013 in several of them. It became Thicke's first, T.I.'s fourth, and Pharrell's third number-one single in the US, where it was also the longest running number one single of 2013. The song subsequently became one of the best-selling singles of all time, with sales of 14.8 million,[8] simultaneously breaking the record for the largest radio audience in history.[9] The single was nominated for two Grammys at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.[10] The song has been parodied and covered numerous times.

Background[edit]

"Blurred Lines" was produced by Thicke and Pharrell with an intention of creating a sound similar to Marvin Gaye's "Got to Give It Up" (1977). The song was completed in less than an hour.[11] In an interview with GQ's Stelios Phili, Thicke explained:

In a separate interview, Thicke clarified the meaning of the song's title, saying it referred to "the good-girl/bad-girl thing and what's appropriate".[13]

Thicke and manager Jordan Feldstein decided the song would not have much impact through radio and would need an innovative approach to become a hit.[14] Feldstein told HitQuarters: "We had an artist that had never had a hit on radio. It was a non-traditional song; it didn't sound like a Timbaland or Benny Blanco record. So we had to approach the market in an interesting way." Feldstein came up with the idea of creating a video designed to go viral and brought in experienced music video director Diane Martel to shoot it. Its controversial nature was designed to attract attention with Feldstein saying: "I knew it would get it banned quickly ... Getting something banned actually helps you."[14]

Music videos[edit]

The music video, directed by Diane Martel, was released on March 20, 2013.[15] The video features Thicke, T.I., and Pharrell casually standing in front of light-pink backdrop as they flirt with models (Emily Ratajkowski, Elle Evans, and Jessi M'Bengue) who pose and dance. At various points, the hashtag "#THICKE" flashes, whilst towards the end, "ROBIN THICKE HAS A BIG DICK" is spelled out in silver balloons. In the unrated version of the video, the models wear nothing but skin-colored G-strings. In the edited version, they are scantily clad and the hashtag "#BLURREDLINES" is seen at various points. This is the second time that director Diane Martel and Pharrell join together for a music video project involving two differently rated versions. The 2001 video for the N.E.R.D single "Lapdance" also featured models in two variant editions, one of which, like "Blurred Lines", is a topless version.[16][17] The video was filmed at Mack Sennett Studios in Silver Lake.

After being on the site for just under one week, the unrated version of the video was removed from YouTube on March 30, 2013, citing violations of the site's terms of service that restricts the uploading of videos containing nudity, particularly if used in a sexual context.[18] However it was later restored on July 12, 2013.[19] The unrated video remains available on Vevo, while the edited version is available on both Vevo and YouTube.[20][21][22] The unrated version of "Blurred Lines" generated more than 1 million views in the days following its release on Vevo.[18] As of March 2014, the unrated version of "Blurred Lines" is available on YouTube.[23]

Concept and background[edit]

“I wanted to have beautiful bodies and crazy, fucked-up sets. I thought about cheap props, crappy fun stuff. The video is goofy and innocent. I was channeling Benny Hill and 1960s variety shows.”

—Diane Martel Q&A with Eric Ducker, Grantland, June 26, 2013.[24]

During a Q&A for Grantland Diane Martel explained that her desire was “to make videos that sell records” and “not to make videos that express my own obsessions, but to make videos that move units.” Martel at first turned down the offer to direct the video after being told there could be no nudity but agreed to direct when it was decided to shoot two versions. The video was shot as a white cyclorama. Martel favorably referred to the large hashtags that flash throughout the video as “awkward” and noted she enjoyed their obstructive quality. The fashion in which the women in the video are dressed was in part inspired by the work of photographer Helmut Newton. When asked about what references she drew from for the video, Martel cited the ballets of George Balanchine as performed by the New York City Ballet, noting their minimalism, as well as the work of Richard Avedon. The manner in which Martel directed the action and interaction of those in the video was intended to convey playfulness while also presenting the women “in the power position.” Martel also sought out intentionally “gross” and “oversized” props to utilize in the video.[24]

Critical reception[edit]

Critical reactions to Blurred Lines were mostly positive. The Michigan Daily's Jackson Howard graded it an "A" and praised it as "one of Pharrell's best beats in years ... by the time the multilayered and carnal harmonies of the chorus come in, the song is completely on fire."[25] Writing for Billboard, Chris Payne compared it with Justin Timberlake's "Suit & Tie" and called it a "bubbly bit of disco-shuffling R&B", while also noting its racy content.[26] Digital Spy's Lewis Corner, who gave the song three out of five stars, was more wary of the single and remarked: "It's a subject that when in the right hands can be smooth and soulful, but in the wrong, crass and chauvinistic ... you need the right balance of charm and swagger to pull it off."[27] The Village Voice's Pazz & Jop annual critics' poll ranked "Blurred Lines" at number four to find the best music of 2013, tied with Kanye West's "New Slaves".

On the other hand, Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone named the song "The Worst Song of This or Any Other Year."[28]

Chart performance[edit]

"Blurred Lines" peaked at number one in 25 countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Republic of Ireland, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Poland, Canada, New Zealand and the United States, becoming Thicke's highest charting song in all of these countries. In Australia, the song was certified quadruple platinum for shipments of 280,000 and triple platinum in New Zealand for sales of 45,000.[29] "Blurred Lines" peaked within the top five of 14 countries including France and Switzerland. The song is currently the longest-running number-one single of 2013 in Australia and New Zealand, having topped the ARIA Singles Chart for eight consecutive weeks in Australia, and the RIANZ Singles Chart for 11 non-consecutive weeks in New Zealand.[30] For the Latin American market, a version featuring Colombian rapper J Balvin was released on Spanish-language radio stations.[31] This version peaked at number 7 in Colombia.[32]

In the United States, the song debuted at number 94 on the Billboard Hot 100,[33] the following week the song rose to number 89, then to number 70, then to number 54.[34] The single's progress appeared to stabilize in middle of the U.S. charts when, in mid-May, Robin Thicke and Pharrell performed it live on NBC's The Voice. Immediately afterwards the song flew up to number 12 on the Hot 100.[35] Not long thereafter it peaked at number one, becoming Thicke's highest peaking song on the chart in his recording history. It also became Thicke's first chart entry since "Sex Therapy" and his second top 20 ever, after "Lost Without U". The track is also Pharrell's third Billboard Hot 100 number one single and T.I.'s fourth. As of June 12, 2013, "Blurred Lines" has sold 1 million copies in the United States since its release, becoming Thicke's first single to do so.[36] As of the chart issue dated September 7, 2013, the song is the longest-running number-one single of 2013 with 12 weeks at the top.[37] The song is also the first to claim the top "Digital Gainer", top "Airplay Gainer" and the top "Streaming Gainer" simultaneously, and to be awarded the top "Airplay Gainer" for 9 (and afterwards 10) weeks.[36][38] As of August 8, it also broke the record for the all-time highest number of radio impressions during a single week in the US, with 219.8 million impressions (which it later extended to 228.9 million impressions the week after), surpassing the eight-year-old record of 212.2 million impressions, set by Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together", and is the first song to have four or more weeks of downloads of over 400,000 in the US.[38] On week ending September 14, 2013 it was knocked off number one by Katy Perry with her single "Roar".[39] Blurred Lines was also the No. 1 song of the year on iHeart Radio's Top 100 Countdown for 2013. It became the best-selling song of 2013 in the US, selling 6,498,000 downloads in 2013.[40] By April 2014, the single had reached its 7 million mark in sales, taking 56 weeks to reach this mark.[41] It has sold 7,380,000 copies in the US as of April 2015, making it the country's eighth all-time best-selling digital single.[42]

In Canada, the song reached number one for 13 consecutive weeks, becoming the longest-running number-one single of 2013. Since the launch of the Canadian Hot 100 in 2007, the song has become third with most weeks at number one, tying "Apologize" by Timbaland featuring OneRepublic, and just behind "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars and "I Gotta Feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas, with 15 and 16 weeks on top of the charts respectively.[43] It was Canada's best-selling song of 2013 with 692,000 copies sold (706,000 for all versions combined).[44]

In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart on June 2, 2013 ― for the week ending date June 8, 2013 ― selling 190,000 copies in its first week and becoming Britain's fastest-selling single of the year, though it was later passed by Avicii's "Wake Me Up" on July 21, 2013.[45] "Blurred Lines" then remained at number one the following week, selling even more than it did in its first with 199,000 copies sold.[46] On its fifth week in the charts, the single dropped a place to number two although it shifted a further 100,000 copies, having the fastest one-week sales at number two of 2013 so far. After a two-week break from the top spot, the song returned to number one on July 14, 2013 ― for the week ending date July 20, 2013 ― to claim its fifth week at the top, becoming the first song to spend two weeks off the top-spot before reclaiming the position, since Rihanna's single "We Found Love" in 2011. "Blurred Lines" was confirmed to have sold 1 million copies on its 50th day of release, becoming Pharrell's second song in only a month to achieve that feat in Britain (the other being Daft Punk collaboration "Get Lucky").[47] According to the Official Charts Company, the single became Britain's best-selling single of 2013 with sales of 1,472,681 copies.[48]

On April 21, 2014, it was announced that "Blurred Lines" was the most downloaded song of all time in the UK,[49] with digital sales of more than 1.54 million, a total since surpassed by Pharrell Williams' own single "Happy". Its current UK sales stand at 1,630,000.[50]

On July 28, 2013, "Blurred Lines" broke the record for radio audience previously held by Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" in 2005. A press release from Interscope said as of the last week in July 2013, the track reached more than 242.65 million listeners.[9]

Blurred Lines is Thicke's most successful song, being his first to reach number one on the Hot 100 (he previously peaked at number 14 in 2007 with "Lost Without U"). It also marks Pharrell's third Hot 100 number one, after "Drop It Like It's Hot" with Snoop Dogg in 2004 and "Money Maker" with Ludacris in 2006, and T.I.'s fourth Hot 100 number one after "My Love" with Justin Timberlake in 2006, and his own singles "Whatever You Like" and "Live Your Life" in 2008.[51]

In the United States, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for twelve consecutive weeks, becoming the longest running number one single of 2013 and of the 2010s decade, surpassing Rihanna's "We Found Love" (2011),[52] but was later replaced by Mark Ronson's "Uptown Funk" in 2015.[53] This feat also gave him the eighth lead male solo artist in Billboard history to rack ten or more weeks at the number one spot for a single.[52] It sold over 5 million copies in just 22 weeks in the US, and 6 million in 29 weeks, faster than any other song in digital history.[37][54]

According to the IFPI, by the end of 2013, the song had sold 14.8 million copies, becoming the best selling song of the year worldwide.

As of August 2016, it is currently the seventh best-selling digital single of all time. It was the second best-selling song of 2013 in the US and the best-selling song of 2013 in the UK.[40][48]

Controversies[edit]

Content, banning, and subject matter[edit]

Critics such as Tricia Romano of The Daily Beast wrote that the song and the music video trivialize sexual consent. She asserts that many fans were uncomfortable with both the song and the video. Her article quoted many critics who believe that the song promotes rape culture because the title "Blurred Lines" and lyrics like "I know you want it" encourage the idea "no doesn't always mean no" and that some women who are raped are asking for it.[55] Criticism was also leveled at the song's video, which has been labelled "eye-poppingly misogynist".[56] In the United Kingdom, more than 20 universities banned the song from use at student events. At the University of Edinburgh, students' association officials stated that the song violates its policy against "rape culture and lad banter" and promotes an unhealthy attitude towards sex and consent.[57][58] It was also banned at other British institutions, including Plymouth University, Leeds University,[59] University of Derby, Queen Mary University of London, Kingston University, University of Bolton, Queen's University Belfast, University of Birmingham, University of East Anglia, University of the West of Scotland, and a number of Oxford and Durham colleges.[60] Students at the University of Exeter voted for a condemnation of the lyrics to be issued by the Students' Guild.[61] In Marshfield, Wisconsin, Lisa Joling, head coach of the Marshfield High School dance team, was fired in August 2013, three days after a halftime performance by her dance class to the song.[62]

Jennifer Lai of Slate, while noting that the video "undoubtedly objectifies women", countered criticism that the song itself connotes rape by citing lyrics such as "go ahead/get at me" and "So I'm just watchin' and waitin'/ for you to salute the truly pimpin'", among others, in which Robin and T.I. invite the woman's own sexual agency and are "putting the ball in her court".[63] Lai also states:

Thicke, noting that all three male singers are married and have children, said that the Diane Martel-directed video was tongue-in-cheek.[12] When defending the song on NBC's The Today Show, the 36-year-old singer explained that encouraging conversation about the song's content was his intention, saying "It's actually a feminist movement within itself. It's saying that women and men are equals as animals and as power".[64] After its banning at University College London, Thicke declared the song was about his wife, and that after 20 years together, he indeed knew she wanted it from him.[65]

During an interview with NPR, "Blurred Lines" producer and co-writer Pharrell defended the song, highlighting the lyric "that man is not your maker", saying, "I don't know anything that could be more clear about our position in the song" and "... if you're looking at the lyrics, the power is right there in the woman's hand. That man—me as a human being, me as a man, I'm not your maker, I can't tell you what to do."[66] Pharrell reiterated and expounded on his defense during an interview with Pitchfork Media, in response to the idea of the song being "sexually predatory", saying:

In a Q&A for Grantland.com, video director Diane Martel had this to say about the music video:

Thicke at first appears to contradict his claims that the song is about women empowerment in an interview given to GQ in May 2013, stating:

When asked about this, Diane Martel denied that there was any such intention calling the idea that it was ever discussed and Thicke's GQ statement "crazy".[24] Thicke later clarified his comment during an interview for Oprah's Next Chapter, describing it as a "bad joke", noting that the GQ interview that was published did not mention that he had been joking back and forth with the interviewer and doing an impersonation of Will Ferrell's Ron Burgundy character while making the remark, thus not providing the facetious context.[69]

In an interview for CBC Radio's Q, Thicke dismissed the idea that the song is about a man forcing himself sexually onto a woman as "an impossible reality".[70] Thicke continues, "For them to take that lyric [I know you want it] and not take the lyrics that man is not your maker, you're an animal, and we're equals, and all of the other lyrics that are in the song and only to take I know you want it from a guy like Ron Burgundy who's standing there going, [does impression of Ron Burgundy] 'I know you want it, baby'. It's a joke. If they can't get the joke, I feel bad for them, but I'm not going to change the joke."[70]

In the interview, Thicke noted that part of video director Diane Martel's intention was to generate attention, but Thicke defended the song, saying: "The song and the video are two completely different things. The song has nothing to do with belittling a woman or misogyny or anything. Obviously, when a guy's standing there fully clothed and the girls are naked, I totally welcome the conversation of what does this video say about men and women, but the song itself, the title, 'Blurred Lines', is about men and woman are equals."[70]

Marvin Gaye lawsuit and authorship questions[edit]

In August 2013, Thicke, Williams, and Harris (T.I.) sued the family of Marvin Gaye and Bridgeport Music for a declaratory judgement that "Blurred Lines" did not infringe copyrights of the defendants. Gaye's family accused the song's authors of copying the "feel" and "sound" of "Got to Give It Up" (the song which Thicke personally claimed was an influence on "Blurred Lines"), while Bridgeport claimed that the song illegally sampled Funkadelic's song "Sexy Ways". In the lawsuit, Gaye's family was accused of making an invalid copyright claim since only expressions, not individual ideas can be protected.[71] Pharrell Williams responded to the lawsuit by calling the two songs "completely different", further stating: "Just simply go to the piano and play the two. One's minor and one's major. And not even in the same key."[72] In an interview, Questlove also echoed Williams' statement, saying:

Look, technically it's not plagiarized. It's not the same chord progression. It's a feeling. Because there's a cowbell in it and a Fender Rhodes as the main instrumentation—that still doesn't make it plagiarized. We all know it's derivative. That's how Pharrell works. Everything that Pharrell produces is derivative of another song—but it's a homage.[73]

In September 2014, The Hollywood Reporter released files relating to a deposition from the case. Within the deposition Thicke stated that, he was "high on Vicodin and alcohol when [he] showed up at the studio", and that as a result, "Pharrell had the beat and he wrote almost every single part of the song".[74][75] Within Williams' respective deposition file, the producer noted that he was "in the driver's seat" during the song's creation and agreed that Thicke, in past interviews, "embellished" his contributions to the songwriting process.[76][77]

On October 30, 2014, United States District Court for the Central District of California Judge John A. Kronstadt ruled the Gaye family's lawsuit against Thicke and Williams could proceed, stating the plaintiffs "have made a sufficient showing that elements of 'Blurred Lines' may be substantially similar to protected, original elements of 'Got to Give It Up'." The trial began on February 10, 2015.[78] Williams and Thicke filed a successful motion in limine to prevent a recording of "Got to Give it Up" from being played during the trial.[79][80] The motion was granted because the family's copyright covered the sheet music and not necessarily other musical elements from Gaye's recording of the song. Judge Kronstad remarked: "I don't expect Marvin Gaye's voice to be part of this case."[80]

On March 10, 2015, a jury found Thicke and Williams, but not T.I., liable for copyright infringement.[81] The unanimous jury awarded Gaye's family US$7.4 million in damages for copyright infringement.[82] Thicke, Williams, and TI have appealed the verdict in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.[83] The response among observers regarding the decision was that it was incorrect; bassist and entertainment law attorney Joe Escalante stated that the jury's verdict "must have been based on emotions because it is not based on any notions of what is protectable under copyright law today."[84] Singer-songwriter Keith Urban said: "My initial reaction from it, I was shocked, honestly. Seems more like a sound and a feel and a style and a genre and an era, none of which can be copyrighted."[85] Comedian and music parody artist Weird Al, described the ruling as “a raw deal”, calling the song “Marvin Gaye pastiche.”[86] The verdict was also questioned by recording artists and musicians John Legend,[87] Nile Rodgers,[88] and Bill Withers.[89] Classical music critic Mark Swed of the Los Angeles Times pointed out that many classical composers used material from previous composers saying that "John Williams all but lifted the core idea of his Star Wars soundtrack score from the Scherzo of Erich Korngold's Symphony in F-sharp Minor, written 25 years earlier."[90] However, Motown legend Smokey Robinson stated that it was a mistake to use the same melody, and that he thought it was "absolutely a rip off." [91]

In August 2016, an appeal to the verdict was filed with the Ninth Circuit Court Of Appeals citing a "cascade of legal errors".[92] Later that same month, more than 200 musicians - including among others Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, John Oates of Hall & Oates, R. Kelly, Hans Zimmer, Jennifer Hudson as well as members of Train, Linkin Park, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Black Crowes, Fall Out Boy, The Go-Gos and Tears for Fears - filed an amicus curiae brief in support of the appeal, stating that "the verdict in this case threatens to punish songwriters for creating new music that is inspired by prior works."[93][94]

The court hearing between the two songs drew comparisons to that of the 1970s case between George Harrison and Bright Tunes over the song "My Sweet Lord", which a judge ruled had similarly plagiarized the earlier "He's So Fine" by The Chiffons; Harrison later bought the rights to "He's So Fine".[95]

Live performances[edit]

On May 14, 2013, Thicke performed the song for the first time live on NBC's The Voice alongside Pharrell and T.I. The website of Rap-Up magazine described Thicke as looking "dapper" in "black suit", and that the trio were joined on stage by "sexy ladies during the steamy set".[33] Thicke also performed the song on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on May 16 with Pharrell and three models doing backup.[34] Thicke performed the song live at the finale of Germany's Next Topmodel, Cycle 8 on May 30, 2013, at SAP Arena in Mannheim. The performance featured the top 20 contestants of the cycle who danced to the song on chairs. The four finalists walked the runway during the performance, as well as performing a burlesque-like dance on different items of furniture.[96] On June 7, 2013, Thicke performed the song alongside Pharrell on the British television chat show The Graham Norton Show.[97] He also performed the song (with recorded T.I. and Pharrell backing vocals) on The Voice Australia season 2 finale on June 17, 2013.[98] Thicke performed the song on the 2013 BET Awards on June 30, 2013.[99] Thicke also performed the track solo on British morning TV show Lorraine on July 8, 2013, as well as This Morning on July 10, 2013.[100] Thicke also performed the song complete with dancers in studio on The Howard Stern Show on Sirius XM Radio July 29, 2013.[101] He also performed the song on The Colbert Report on August 6, 2013.[102] On September 20, he performed Blurred Lines at the 2013 iHeartRadio Music Festival. On November 10, Thicke performed the song with Iggy Azalea at the 2013 MTV Europe Music Awards.[103] In December, he performed the song at Jingle Ball 2013 concerts. In May 2014, Williams performed the song as part of a medley at the iHeartRadio Awards where he received the iHeartRadio Innovator Award.[104]

MTV Video Music Awards[edit]

Thicke performed Blurred Lines as a duet with Miley Cyrus at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, medleyed with Cyrus' "We Can't Stop" and "Give It 2 U", featuring 2 Chainz. The performance began with Cyrus performing "We Can't Stop" in bear-themed attire. Following this, Thicke entered the stage and Cyrus stripped down to a small skin-colored two-piece outfit. Cyrus subsequently touched Thicke's crotch area with a giant foam finger and twerked against his crotch.[105] The performance drew extensive reactions and became the most tweeted about event in history, with Twitter users generating 360,000 tweets about the event per minute; breaking the previous record held by Beyoncé's Super Bowl XLVII halftime show performance six months earlier.[106][107]

In popular culture[edit]

An ad was created for Radio Shack to market the Beats Pill, a small stereo, that showed Thicke, Pharrell, and the models repeating the look of the (clothed) music video, but with the models holding up the Beats Pill.[108]

A cover featuring Thicke himself with classroom instruments was performed by Jimmy Fallon and The Roots, with Black Thought filling in for T.I.'s verse.[109]

Parodies[edit]

On June 12, 2013 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, in which Thicke and Pharrell were both guests, they aired a parody version of the "Blurred Lines" video in which host Jimmy Kimmel and his sidekick Guillermo attempt to join Thicke, Pharrell, and the dancers but keep getting rebuffed. The parody video was also placed on YouTube, and received over 2 million views in less than a month.[110]

On June 30, 2013 Remy Munasifi released a parody on his GoRemy YouTube channel entitled "Blurred Lines: The Anthony Weiner version" mocking Anthony Weiner's entry into the 2013 New York City mayoral elections.[111]

On July 30, 2013 A gender swapped parody video was created for the Nikki and Sara Live show airing during the season two premiere, featuring the hostesses of the show being increasingly weirded out by naked male dancers and the unusual barnyard theme.[112]

On August 2, 2013 Bart Baker released a parody of "Blurred Lines" on his YouTube channel. It currently has over 39 million views.[113]

On August 31, 2013, The University of Auckland's Law Revue produced a feminist inspired parody called "Defined Lines". The video received over 290,000 views in its first weekend on YouTube before being temporarily removed due to sexual content.[114] It was subsequently reinstated a couple of days later, with YouTube owner Google admitting it 'made a mistake'.[115]

On September 11, 2013, the drag queen group DWV (Detox, Willam Belli, and Vicky Vox), released a parody called "Blurred Bynes." The song is about Amanda Bynes and her behavior in the previous months.[116]

On September 26, 2013, Yuko Oshima and Haruna Kojima of Japanese idol group AKB48 were featured in a parody video, together with Thicke and some of the original video's members to raise the profile of AKB48 in America while raising Thicke's profile in Japan.[117]

On November 5, 2013, Dave Callan, as part of his review of Just Dance 2014 on the ABC show Good Game performed a parody of the music video in response to the incorrect choreography of the song in the game.[118][119]

On December 19, 2013, the Canadian sketch comedy group Royal Canadian Air Farce released a parody of the music video called "Rob Ford's Blurred Lines" highlighting the recent admissions by Toronto mayor Rob Ford of public drunkenness and using crack cocaine.[120]

In their reunion show transmitted on 26 May 2014, the cast of Goodness Gracious Me Special 2014 performed a parody of the song and video entitled "No Blurred Lines". The video begins with the three male leads being shown under on-screen labels of "#Thicke", "#Thicker" and "#Thickest" ('thick' being British slang for 'stupid'). The lyrics make fun of the stereotype of the rowdy male Asian-Indian teenage boy. As pointed to by its title, the lyrics also mock and refute the sexist attitudes of the original song.

Rucka Rucka Ali has created his own parody, entitled "Obama Been Watching" which satirizes, among other things, the NSA and Edward Snowden.

On July 15, 2014, "Weird Al" Yankovic released a parody of the song entitled "Word Crimes" from his album Mandatory Fun.[121] The music video was released online the same day.[122]

On September 24, 2014, Glove and Boots, a production of Bento Box Entertainment, published a comedic recap of the legal dispute in the form of a music video parody entitled "A Brief History of Robin Thicke's 2013 Summer Hit".[123]

Cledus T. Judd, who is primarily a country music parodist, released a parody in November 2014 titled "Luke Bryan", which features guest vocals from Colt Ford.[124]

Media[edit]

In Chile, the song was used on Via X's TV show Super Bueno and Zona Latina's No eres tu soy yo; it was also included in the soundtrack of TV soap opera Somos Los Carmona, and was featured on TV adverts from Chilean department store chain La Polar.

The song appears in the video games NBA 2K14 and Just Dance 2014.

The song was featured in both the TV ads and theatrical trailer for the 2013 film The Best Man Holiday.

The song was featured in an episode of the 11th season of the hit CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men.

It has been used as the first song on several radio stations flipping to CHR or similar formats, most recently on March 31, 2014, when CKZZ-FM in Vancouver, BC, Canada, rebranded from Virgin Radio 95.3 back to their original name as Z95.3.

In Poland, the song was used on Taniec z Gwiazdami (Polish version of Strictly Come Dancing format) 15th season's trailer in 2014.[125]

The song was played before the end of the special episode of Eat Bulaga! entitled Sa Tamang Panahon performed by Jose Manalo as Frankie with thanking the sponsors in October 24, 2015 at the Philippine Arena.

In Albania contestant Kastro imitated Robin on the Albanian version of Your Face Sounds Familiar (Albanian TV Series)

Covers[edit]

The bands Queens of the Stone Age, Vampire Weekend and The Mend have performed cover versions of the song.[126][127][128]

The song was covered in the Glee episode "The End of Twerk"[129] which aired on November 14, 2013 by the show's main characters Will Schuester (Matthew Morrison) and the members of New Directions.

The song was also performed by the Tusker Project Fame season 6 Contestants in their eighth week.

Rockabye Baby! released a lullaby cover of the song.

Track listing[edit]

  • Digital download
  1. "Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell Williams and T.I.) – 4:22[130]
  • Colombia single
  1. "Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell Williams and J Balvin) – 4:22[131]
  1. "Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell Williams and T.I.) [Clean] – 4:22
  2. "Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell & T.I.) [Laidback Luke Remix] – 4:39
  1. "Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell Williams) [No Rap Version] – 3:50
  2. "Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell and T.I.) [Laidback Luke Remix] – 4:40
  3. "Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell Williams and T.I.) [Music Video] – 4:33
  4. "Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell Williams and T.I.) [Music Video – Clean] – 4:33
  1. "Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell and T.I.) [Laidback Luke Remix] – 4:40
  2. "Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell and T.I.) [Will Sparks Remix] – 5:08
  3. "Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell and T.I.) [DallasK Remix] – 5:00
  1. "Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell Williams and T.I.) – 4:23
  2. "Blurred Lines" (featuring Pharrell & T.I.) [Laidback Luke Remix] – 4:40
  3. "When I Get You Alone" – 3:36
  4. "Lost Without U" – 4:14
  5. "Magic" – 3:53
  6. "Sex Therapy" – 4:35

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[219] 9× Platinum 630,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[220] Platinum 30,000*
Belgium (BEA)[221] Platinum 30,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[222] 9× Platinum 720,000[44]
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[223] Platinum 60,000^
France (SNEP)[224] Diamond 250,000*
Germany (BVMI)[225] 2× Platinum 600,000^
Italy (FIMI)[226] 4× Platinum 200,000*
Mexico (AMPROFON)[227] 3× Platinum 180,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[228] 5× Platinum 75,000*
Norway (IFPI Norway)[229] 2× Platinum 20,000*
South Korea (Gaon Chart)
Single version
86,552[230]
South Korea (Gaon Chart)
Album version
101,293[230]
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[231] Gold 20,000^
Sweden (GLF)[232] 2× Platinum 80,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[233] 3× Platinum 90,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[234] 3× Platinum 1,630,000[50]
United States (RIAA)[235] 6× Platinum 7,380,000[42]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

Radio and release history[edit]

Country Date Format Version Label
Australia March 26, 2013 Digital download Main version Star Trak
United States
Germany[236] March 27, 2013
Italy April 5, 2013 Contemporary hit radio Universal
United States
April 16, 2013[237] Rhythmic hit radio Star Trak
May 21, 2013[238] Contemporary hit radio
United Kingdom[239] May 26, 2013 Digital download
Germany[240] May 31, 2013 CD single
Colombia[131] July 23, 2013 Digital Download J Balvin remix

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Gaye was not credited as a songwriter, but a court later ruled that the song plagiarized Gaye's song "Got to Give It Up".

References[edit]

  1. ^ Sisario, Ben; Smith, Noah (March 11, 2015). "'Blurred Lines' Infringed on Marvin Gaye Copyright, Jury Rules". The New York Times. Retrieved August 24, 2016. 
  2. ^ "Blurred Lines (feat. T.I. & Pharrell) - Single". iTunes. Apple. March 26, 2013. Retrieved April 5, 2013. 
  3. ^ "Robin Thicke jealous of Pharrell Williams while creating Blurred Lines, admits being high during Oprah interview". Sydney Morning Herald. September 16, 2014. Retrieved August 24, 2016. 
  4. ^ "Thicke: 'I was too drunk to write Blurred Lines'". News.com.au. September 16, 2014. Retrieved August 24, 2016. 
  5. ^ Walker, Tim (September 16, 2014). "Robin Thicke's hit 'Blurred Lines' lands him in court, and he had almost no part in writing it". The Independent. Retrieved August 24, 2016. 
  6. ^ Fleeman, Michael (March 10, 2015). "Marvin Gaye's heirs win $7.4 million for 'Blurred Lines' plagiarism". Reuters. 
  7. ^ "Judge trims Blurred Lines song dispute verdict to $5.3million". The Daily Mail. July 15, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2016. 
  8. ^ "Global music sales fell in 2013 despite strong growth for streaming services". The Guardian. 
  9. ^ a b Wood, Mikael (July 26, 2013). "Robin Thicke's 'Blurred Lines' sets radio audience record, label says". LA Times. Retrieved 30 July 2013. 
  10. ^ "Grammy Awards 2014: Full Nominations List". Billboard. 
  11. ^ Reuter, Annie. "Robin Thicke On His First No. 1, 'Blurred Lines': 'We Didn't Know It Would Be This Big'". Radio.com. Retrieved June 14, 2013. 
  12. ^ a b Phili, Stelios. "Robin Thicke on That Banned Video, Collaborating with 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar, and His New Film". GQ. Retrieved June 14, 2013. 
  13. ^ Payne, Chris. "Robin Thicke Talks 'Happier' New Album, Calls 'Blurred Lines' Video 'Semi-Existential'". Billboard. Retrieved June 14, 2013. 
  14. ^ a b "Interview with Jordan Feldstein". HitQuarters. October 30, 2013. Retrieved October 31, 2013. 
  15. ^ "Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines ft. T.I., Pharrell". YouTube. Retrieved April 6, 2013. 
  16. ^ "Scott Kara: Nudey rudey comeback". The New Zealand Herald. April 25, 2013. 
  17. ^ ""Lapdance" (uncensored version)". Dailymotion. 
  18. ^ a b "'Blurred Lines' Banned By YouTube As Robin Thicke's Video Features Nude Models". Huffington Post (via the Associated Press). April 1, 2013. Retrieved April 13, 2013. 
  19. ^ Peter Ha (April 1, 2013). "Officially NSFW: YouTube's Naked Lady Problem (NSFW) (Updated)". Gizmodo. Retrieved April 6, 2013. 
  20. ^ "'Blurred Lines' Banned By YouTube As Robin Thicke's Video Features Nude Models". Huffington Post. April 1, 2013. Retrieved April 6, 2013. 
  21. ^ Gicas, Peter (April 2, 2013). "Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" Topless Music Video Banned from YouTube". E! Online. Retrieved April 6, 2013. 
  22. ^ Chiderah Monde. "Robin Thicke's music video 'Blurred Lines' banned by YouTube for featuring nude models". New York Daily News. Retrieved April 6, 2013. 
  23. ^ "Blurred Lines Unrated Version on YouTube". Retrieved March 4, 2014. 
  24. ^ a b c d Ducker, Eric (June 26, 2013), Q&A: Veteran Music Video Director Diane Martel on Her Controversial Videos for Robin Thicke and Miley Cyrus, Grantland.com, retrieved February 18, 2014 
  25. ^ Howard, Jackson. "Single Review: Robin Thicke's 'Blurred Lines' successfully samples classic beats for layered product". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved June 8, 2013. 
  26. ^ Payne, Chris. "R&B Single Review: "Blurred Lines" Robin Thicke". Billboard (magazine). Retrieved June 8, 2013. 
  27. ^ Corner, Lewis. "Robin Thicke ft. Pharrell & TI: 'Blurred Lines' - Single review". Digital Spy. Retrieved June 8, 2013. 
  28. ^ "'Blurred Lines': The Worst Song Of This Or Any Other Year - Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. 
  29. ^ "ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2013 Singles". Aria.com.au. May 31, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2013. 
  30. ^ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). 2013-07-01. Retrieved 2013-06-29. 
  31. ^ "J Balvin se codea con Pharrel y Robin Thicke". Caracol Radio (in Spanish). PRISA. June 19, 2013. Retrieved July 1, 2013. 
  32. ^ a b "National Report - Top Nacional" (in Spanish). National Report. 2013-08-12. Archived from the original on 2013-08-05. 
  33. ^ a b "Robin Thicke, Pharrell, & T.I. Perform 'Blurred Lines' on 'The Voice'". Rap-Up.com. May 14, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2013. 
  34. ^ a b "Robin Thicke and Pharrell Perform 'Blurred Lines' on 'Ellen'". Rap-Up.com. May 16, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2013. 
  35. ^ Everett, Matthew (3 July 2013). "Summer Jams: Daft Punk, Robin Thicke, and Miguel Compete for Song of the Summer". Metro Pulse newspaper, Knoxville, Tennessee. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. 
  36. ^ a b Trust, Gary (June 12, 2013). "Robin Thicke's 'Blurred Lines' Hits No. 1 on Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved June 12, 2013. 
  37. ^ a b Grein, Paul (2013-08-28). "Week Ending Aug. 25, 2013. Songs: Robin & Marvin". Nielsen SoundScan. Yahoo! Music. Retrieved 2013-08-28. 
  38. ^ a b "Robin Thicke Extends Hot 100 Run to Nine Weeks, Sets Audience and Sales Record". Billboard. Retrieved 9 August 2013. 
  39. ^ Trust, Gary (2013-09-04). "Katy Perry Dethrones Robin Thicke Atop Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-09-04. 
  40. ^ a b Paul Grein (January 2, 2014). "The Top 10 Albums and Songs of 2013". Chart Watch. Yahoo. 
  41. ^ Grein, Paul (April 23, 2014). "Chart Watch: Former Teen Stars Make Good!". Yahoo! Music. Yahoo!. Retrieved April 27, 2014. 
  42. ^ a b "The Rise of Uptown Funk: Could It Become the All-Time #1 Seller?". HITS Daily Double. HITS Digital Ventures. April 9, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2015. 
  43. ^ Billboard Canadian Hot 100#Songs with most weeks at number one
  44. ^ a b Bliss, Karen (January 10, 2014). "Canada's Digital Music Sales Rise in 2013 Unlike the U.S.; Eminem, Robin Thicke Among Top Selling Artists". Billboard. Retrieved January 11, 2014. 
  45. ^ "Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines becomes fastest selling single of 2013!". Officialcharts.com. Retrieved June 18, 2013. 
  46. ^ Barstein, Brand; Kreisler, Lauren (June 9, 2013). "Robin Thicke beats own record to score biggest one-week sale of the year!". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 9, 2013. 
  47. ^ "Blurred Lines Becomes UK's Latest Million Selling Single". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 9 August 2013. 
  48. ^ a b "Official Charts Analysis: Pharrell Williams hits No.1 with 106k sales". Music Week. December 29, 2013. 
  49. ^ Lane, Daniel (April 21, 2014). "The UK's Top 100 most downloaded tracks of all-time revealed!". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 21, 2014. 
  50. ^ a b Copsey, Rob (June 11, 2015). "The Official Top 40 Biggest Selling Singles of the Millennium so far revealed". Official Charts Company. 
  51. ^ "Robin Thicke Chart History for Billboard Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2013. 
  52. ^ a b "Robin Thicke Leads Hot 100 For 10th Week, Katy Perry's 'Roar' Debuts". Billboard.com. Retrieved 15 August 2013. 
  53. ^ Trust, Gary (April 1, 2015). "Uptown Funk Is Longest-Leading Hot 100 No. 1 of the 2010s". Billboard. Retrieved April 1, 2015. 
  54. ^ Paul Grein (October 16, 2013). "Week Ending Oct. 13, 2013. Songs: A New #1 (For The Year)". Chart Watch. Yahoo. 
  55. ^ Tricia Romano, "'Blurred Lines,' Robin Thicke's Summer Anthem, Is Kind of Rapey", The Daily Beast, 17 June 2013.
  56. ^ Day, Elizabeth (July 21, 2013). "Renault's sexist advert drives me absolutely mad". The Guardian. London. 
  57. ^ O'Neill, Brendan. "The moral McCarthyism of the war on lads". Retrieved 2014-10-23. 
  58. ^ Michaels, Sean (September 13, 2013). "Blurred Lines banned by Edinburgh University". The Guardian. 
  59. ^ "NME News Robin Thicke's 'Blurred Lines' banned by Leeds University - NME.COM". NME.COM. September 20, 2013. 
  60. ^ "University of Bolton students' union bans controversial Robin Thicke song Blurred Lines". The Bolton News. Newsquest. 
  61. ^ "Exeter University students vote against banning Robin Thicke hit 'Blurred Lines'". 
  62. ^ WAOW, MARSHFIELD. "Marshfield coach fired after "Blurred Lines" dance". WAOW. Retrieved October 1, 2013. 
  63. ^ a b Lai, Jennifer. ""Blurred Lines" Is Cocky, Yes. But Rapey? No.". Slate.com. Retrieved 28 December 2014. 
  64. ^ "They Don't Want It:UK Universities Ban - Robin Thicke 'Blurred Lines' - Pulp Interest". Pulp Interest. 
  65. ^ "Robin Thicke's 'Blurred Lines' Banned At Another British University – TIME.com". Time. November 12, 2013. 
  66. ^ "Pharrell Williams On Juxtaposition And Seeing Sounds". npr.org. December 31, 2013. Retrieved January 18, 2014. 
  67. ^ Battan, Carrie (February 28, 2014), Pharrell Williams, Pitchfork.com, retrieved March 6, 2014 
  68. ^ "Robin Thicke on That Banned Video, Collaborating with 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar, and His New Film". gq.com. May 7, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2014. 
  69. ^ Oprah Winfrey.Oprah's Next Chapter.Season 2, Episode 39, Robin Thicke.2013. Television. Approx. at the 17min 30sec mark. via hotnewhiphop.com.
  70. ^ a b c Interviewer:Stephen Quinn (August 14, 2013). "Robin Thicke defends Blurred Lines and being 'naughty'". Q. CBC Radio. 
  71. ^ Gardner, Eriq (August 15, 2013). "Robin Thicke Sues to Protect 'Blurred Lines' from Marvin Gaye's Family (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 18 August 2013. 
  72. ^ Murrow, Emerald (September 13, 2013). "Pharrell Talks About Battle Over 'Blurred Lines'". ABC News. Retrieved September 13, 2013. 
  73. ^ Rosen, Jody (2013-08-18). "Questlove on His New Album With Elvis Costello". Vulture. Retrieved 19 September 2013. 
  74. ^ O'Neal, Sean. "Robin Thicke says he can't be blamed for "Blurred Lines" because he was high". A.V Club. Retrieved September 16, 2014. 
  75. ^ Gardner, Eric (September 15, 2014). "Robin Thicke Admits Drug Abuse, Lying to Media in Wild "Blurred Lines" Deposition (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 16, 2014. 
  76. ^ Gardner, Eric (September 15, 2014). "Robin Thicke Admits Drug Abuse, Lying to Media in Wild "Blurred Lines" Deposition (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 3, 2014. 
  77. ^ Michaels, Sean. "Robin Thicke reportedly says he lied about co-writing Blurred Lines". The Guardian. Retrieved November 3, 2014. 
  78. ^ Lewis, Randy (October 30, 2014). "Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams lose first round in 'Blurred Lines' case". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 31, 2014. 
  79. ^ Gardner, Eriq (January 6, 2015). "Will a Jury Get to Hear Marvin Gaye Sing at the 'Blurred Lines' Trial Next Month?". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 11, 2015. 
  80. ^ a b Lowrey, Brandon (January 26, 2015). "Marvin Gaye Recordings Barred From 'Blurred Lines' Trial". Law360. Retrieved March 11, 2015. 
  81. ^ Chelin, Pamela. "Breaking: Thicke and Williams infringed copyright. Not T.I. Jury in favor of Gayes. More soon!". Twitter. 
  82. ^ Ann Oldenburg, USA TODAY (March 10, 2015). "'Blurred Lines' jury finds for Marvin Gaye". USA TODAY. 
  83. ^ Gardner, Eriq (August 24, 2016). ""Blurred Lines" Creators Urge Appeals Court to Reverse Marvin Gaye Family's Trial Victory". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 22, 2016. 
  84. ^ Lewis, Randy (2015-03-14). "Brian Wilson, Bonnie McKee and others react to 'Blurred Lines' verdict - LA Times". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles: Tribune Co. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 14 March 2015. 
  85. ^ Dowd, Kathy Erich (2015-03-14). "Nick Lachey, Keith Urban Speak Out Against Blurred Lines Verdict". people.com. Retrieved 14 March 2015. 
  86. ^ Weird Al (July 22, 2015). Heading to the Mann Center July 31, “Weird Al” Yankovic talks about his multifaceted comedy. Pottsmerc.com. Interview with Brian Bingaman. Retrieved 12 October 2015. 
  87. ^ Fekadu, Mesfin. "Q&A: John Legend on race, Common, Sam Smith, 'Blurred Lines'". yahoo.com. The Associated Press. Retrieved 4 November 2015. 
  88. ^ Watson, Sian. "Nile Rodgers: 'Blurred Lines' court verdict 'shocking'". yahoo.com. The Associated Press. Retrieved 4 November 2015. 
  89. ^ Mitchell, Gail. "Bill Withers Talks 'Blurred Lines' Verdict, Kardashian Family & More at ASCAP Expo". Billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved 4 November 2015. 
  90. ^ Swed, Mark (2015-03-14). "'Blurred Lines' verdict would rock Amadeus and other great composers". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles: Tribune Co. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 14 March 2015. Mark Swed 
  91. ^ Ferdinand, Elmer (June 2, 2016). "Smokey Robinson on Howard Stern Show Full Interview 2015". Retrieved August 24, 2016 – via YouTube. 
  92. ^ Legaspi, Althea (August 24, 2016). "Pharrell Williams, Robin Thicke, T.I. File Appeal Brief on 'Blurred Lines' Verdict". rollingstone.com. Retrieved 1 September 2016. 
  93. ^ Gardner, Erig (August 30, 2016). ""Blurred Lines" Appeal Gets Support From More Than 200 Musicians". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved September 1, 2016. 
  94. ^ CBC News: More than 200 musicians support Blurred Lines appeal - Arts & Entertainment - CBC News
  95. ^ "Your Favorite Band Probably Plagiarized More Than 'Blurred Lines'". Newsweek. November 3, 2015. 
  96. ^ "Watch: Robin Thicke, Psy & Bruno Mars Perform on 'Germany's Next Top Model' Finale". Idolator. Spin Media. May 30, 2013. Retrieved May 30, 2013. 
  97. ^ "Robin Thicke Performs 'Blurred Lines' With Pharrell On 'The Graham Norton Show'". Hiphop-n-more. June 8, 2013. Retrieved June 11, 2013. 
  98. ^ "'Blurred Lines' - Robin Thicke performs live on The Voice (Australia)(video)". YouTube. Retrieved 9 August 2013. 
  99. ^ "Robin Thicke". BET Awards 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2013. 
  100. ^ "Robin Thicke Performs "Blurred Lines" on 'This Morning':watch". idolator.com. Retrieved 10 August 2013. 
  101. ^ "Robin Thicke performs "Blurred Lines" in Studio 69". howardstern.com. Retrieved 9 August 2013. 
  102. ^ "Watch Robin Thicke Perform "Blurred LInes" on The Colbert Report". highsnobiety.com. Retrieved 9 August 2013. 
  103. ^ "Robin Thicke Performs with Iggy Azalea at MTV EMA". Rap-Up. November 10, 2013. Retrieved November 11, 2013. 
  104. ^ Fekadu, Mesfin (May 1, 2014). "Tears of joy: Pharrell 'happy' at awards show". Philly.com. Retrieved May 4, 2014. 
  105. ^ "Parents' fury at Miley Cyrus' VMA performance as she desperately tried (and succeeded) to shed her wholesome Disney image by simulating sex acts with a foam finger". Daily Mail. London: Daily Mail and General Trust. August 26, 2013. Retrieved August 27, 2013. 
  106. ^ "VMAs 2013: Miley Cyrus, Robin Thicke performance draws negative reactions from fellow celebrities - NY Daily News". Daily News. New York. 
  107. ^ "Thanks Miley! 2013 VMAs Shatter Twitter Records". MTV. Retrieved August 24, 2016. 
  108. ^ Dicker, Ron (May 8, 2013). "RadioShack 'Beats By Dr. Dre Pill' Ad: Phallic Imagery, Half-Naked Women And Robin Thicke (VIDEO)". The Huffington Post. 
  109. ^ Jimmy Fallon, Robin Thicke & The Roots Sing "Blurred Lines" (w/ Classroom Instruments) on YouTube (uploaded Aug 1, 2013)
  110. ^ Jimmy Kimmel and Guillermo in "Blurred Lines" (feat. Robin Thicke and Pharrell) on YouTube (uploaded June 13, 2013)
  111. ^ Video on YouTube
  112. ^ "Nikki & Sara LIVE - Blurred Lines". MTV. 
  113. ^ Baker, Bart (August 2, 2013). "Robin Thicke - "Blurred Lines" PARODY". Retrieved August 24, 2016 – via YouTube. 
  114. ^ Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines [Feminist Parody] "Defined Lines" on YouTube
  115. ^ Liam Hyslop (2013-09-03). "YouTube reinstates Defined Lines". Fairfax Media NZ. 
  116. ^ Blurred Bynes by DWV (Detox, Willam & Vicky Vox) on YouTube
  117. ^ ロビン・シック×AKB48「ブラード・ラインズ~今夜はヘイ・ヘイ・ヘイ♪」 on YouTube
  118. ^ "Dave Callan's Bearded Lines". ABC: Good Game, Episode 39 Season 9. Retrieved 9 November 2013. 
  119. ^ "Good Game Episode 39 Season 9". ABC: Good Game. Retrieved 9 November 2013. 
  120. ^ Video on YouTube
  121. ^ "CD Promo Sticker". July 10, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2014. 
  122. ^ Blisten, Jon (July 15, 2014). "Weird Al Shows Off Big Dictionary in Robin Thicke Parody 'Word Crimes'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 15, 2014. 
  123. ^ "A Brief History of Robin Thicke's 2013 Summer Hit". September 24, 2014. Retrieved September 24, 2014. 
  124. ^ Stephenson, Troy (6 November 2014). "Cledus T. Judd Releases New Parody Single "Luke Bryan"". MusicRow. Retrieved 6 November 2014. 
  125. ^ "SPOT "TAŃCA Z GWIAZDAMI" W RYTMIE PRZEBOJU "BLURRED LINES"! ZOBACZ, JAK SIĘ PREZENTUJĄ PARY [WIDEO]" (in Polish). September 2, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2015. 
  126. ^ "NME News Queens Of The Stone Age cover Robin Thicke's 'Blurred Lines' – watch - NME.COM". NME.COM. June 11, 2013. 
  127. ^ "New Song: Vampire Weekend, 'Blurred Lines' (Robin Thicke Cover)". Buzzworthy. 
  128. ^ The Mend perform Blurred Lines on YouTube. Retrieved 28th October 2013
  129. ^ "Glee Cast – MP3 downloads". amazon.com. Retrieved November 5, 2013. 
  130. ^ "iTunes - Music - Blurred Lines (feat. T.I. & Pharrell) - Single by Robin Thicke". Itunes.apple.com. March 26, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2013. 
  131. ^ a b "iTunes - Music - Blurred Lines (feat. J Balvin & Pharrell) - Single by Robin Thicke". Itunes.apple.com. July 23, 2013. Retrieved August 3, 2013. 
  132. ^ "iTunes - Music - Blurred Lines (feat. T.I. & Pharrell) - Single by Robin Thicke". Itunes.apple.com. May 24, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2013. 
  133. ^ "iTunes - Musik – "Blurred Lines - Single" von Robin Thicke". Itunes.apple.com. May 30, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2013. 
  134. ^ "iTunes - Music – "Blurred Lines (The Remixes) [feat. T.I. & Pharrell Williams] - Single" by Robin Thicke". Itunes.apple.com. August 6, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2013. 
  135. ^ "iTunes - Music - Blurred Lines EP by Robin Thicke". Itunes.apple.com. May 24, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2013. 
  136. ^ "Australian-charts.com – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell – Blurred Lines". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
  137. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell – Blurred Lines" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
  138. ^ "Ultratop.be – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell – Blurred Lines" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  139. ^ "Ultratop.be – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell – Blurred Lines" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 20, 2013.
  140. ^ a b BPP, ed. (October 2013). "Billboard Brasil Hot 100 Airplay". Billboard Brasil (45): 88. 
  141. ^ "Robin Thicke – Chart history" Canadian Hot 100 for Robin Thicke. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  142. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201325 into search.
  143. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201424 into search. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  144. ^ "Danishcharts.com – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell – Blurred Lines". Tracklisten. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
  145. ^ "Robin Thicke – Chart history" Billboard Euro Digital Songs for Robin Thicke.
  146. ^ "Robin Thicke: Blurred Lines (Feat. T.I. & Pharrell)" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  147. ^ "Lescharts.com – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell – Blurred Lines" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  148. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell – Blurred Lines". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  149. ^ "Digital Singles Charts - Greece". Billboard. 
  150. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Dance Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  151. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  152. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
  153. ^ "Chart Track: Week 19, 2013". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  154. ^ "Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell – Blurred Lines Media Forest". Israeli Airplay Chart. Media Forest.
  155. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell – Blurred Lines". Top Digital Download. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  156. ^ "Japanese Music: Top Japanese Songs Chart - Billboard". Billboard. 
  157. ^ "Robin Thicke – Chart history" Billboard Luxembourg Digital Songs for Robin Thicke. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  158. ^ "Top 20 Ingles: Del 16 Al 22 de Septiembre del 2013". Monitor Latino. RadioNotas. 
  159. ^ "Mexico Ingles Airplay". Billboard. 
  160. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 16, 2013" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved April 20, 2013.
  161. ^ "Charts.org.nz – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell – Blurred Lines". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved April 20, 2013.
  162. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell – Blurred Lines". VG-lista. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  163. ^ "philcharts.com - Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke ft. Pharrell Williams & T.I.". PhilCharts. 
  164. ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved July 1, 2013.
  165. ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Dance Top 50. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  166. ^ "Robin Thicke – Chart history" Billboard Portugal Digital Songs for Robin Thicke. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  167. ^ "Archive Chart: June 8, 2013". Scottish Singles Top 40. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  168. ^ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201336 into search.
  169. ^ "South African Airplay Chart Top 10 - May 21, 2013". Entertainment Monitoring Africa. Archived from the original on April 25, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2014. 
  170. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell – Blurred Lines" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  171. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell – Blurred Lines". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
  172. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell – Blurred Lines". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved April 20, 2013.
  173. ^ "Archive Chart: 2013-06-08" UK Singles Chart. Retrieved June 2, 2013.
  174. ^ "Robin Thicke – Chart history" Billboard Hot 100 for Robin Thicke. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
  175. ^ "Robin Thicke – Chart history" Billboard Adult Contemporary for Robin Thicke.
  176. ^ "Robin Thicke – Chart history" Billboard Adult Pop Songs for Robin Thicke. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  177. ^ "Robin Thicke – Chart history" Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs for Robin Thicke. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  178. ^ "Robin Thicke – Chart history" Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for Robin Thicke. Retrieved April 20, 2013.
  179. ^ "Robin Thicke – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Robin Thicke. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
  180. ^ "Robin Thicke – Chart history" Billboard Rhythmic Songs for Robin Thicke. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  181. ^ "Record Report - Pop Rock General". Record Report (in Spanish). R.R. Digital C.A. 2013-08-31. Archived from the original on 2013-08-30. 
  182. ^ "2013 Year End Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved 2013-02-07. 
  183. ^ "JAHRESHITPARADE SINGLES 2013" (in German). Austrian Charts. Retrieved 2014-07-04. 
  184. ^ JAAROVERZICHTEN 2013 (in Dutch). ultratop.be/nl. Retrieved 03 July 2014.
  185. ^ "JAAROVERZICHTEN 2013 : Urban" (in Dutch). ultratop.be/nl. Retrieved February 24, 2014. 
  186. ^ "Ultratop Belgian Charts". ultratop.be. Retrieved 2014-01-05. 
  187. ^ "2013 Year End Charts - Top Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved December 13, 2013. 
  188. ^ "Track Top-50" (in Danish). hitlisterne.dk. Archived from the original on February 4, 2014. Retrieved July 4, 2014. 
  189. ^ "France : Qui a vendu le plus de singles en 2013 à ce jour ?". ozap.com. 
  190. ^ "Die deutschen Single- & Albumcharts - 1LIVE". 
  191. ^ "MAHASZ Rádiós TOP 100 - radios 2013" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved January 22, 2014. 
  192. ^ "Best of 2013". IRMA. Retrieved July 4, 2014.
  193. ^ "מדיה פורסט - לדעת שאתה באוויר". mediaforest.biz. 
  194. ^ "Classifiche annuali top 100 singoli digitali 2013" (PDF) (in Italian). Federation of the Italian Music Industry. Retrieved July 4, 2014. 
  195. ^ "Japan Hot 100 | Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. Retrieved 2014-07-11. 
  196. ^ Yearly Charts 2013 : Moldova. Media Forest. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
  197. ^ Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2013 (in Dutch). top40.nl. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
  198. ^ Hung, Steffen. "Dutch Charts 2013". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved August 24, 2016. 
  199. ^ "End Of Year Charts 2013 (singles)". The Official New Zealand Music Chart. NZTop40.co.nz. Retrieved 2014-07-10. 
  200. ^ "philcharts.com Over-All Top 20 Year-End Countdown (2013)". PhilCharts. 
  201. ^ "Spanish Year-End Charts 2013". PROMUSICAE. Retrieved March 7, 2014. 
  202. ^ "Årslista Singlar – År 2013" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Swedish Recording Industry Association. Retrieved April 18, 2014. 
  203. ^ Steffen Hung. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2013". hitparade.ch. Retrieved July 4, 2013. 
  204. ^ "The Official Top 40 Biggest Selling Singles Of 2013". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2014-07-03. 
  205. ^ "Best of 2013 – Hot 100 Songs". Billboard. 13 December 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2013. 
  206. ^ "Best of 2013 - Adult Contemporany Songs". Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 13, 2013. 
  207. ^ "2013 Year End Charts - Top Billboard Adult Pop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved December 13, 2013. 
  208. ^ "Best of 2013 - Adult Pop Songs". Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 13, 2013. 
  209. ^ Caulfield, Keith (January 2, 2014). "Final sales totals are in; how did 2013 stack up against previous years?". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 10, 2014. 
  210. ^ "2013 Year End Charts — R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 4, 2014. 
  211. ^ "Year End Charts – Hot Ringtones". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2013. Retrieved April 18, 2014. 
  212. ^ "2013 Year End Charts - Top Billboard Pop Songs". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2014. 
  213. ^ "2013 Year End Charts - Top Billboard Radio Songs". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2014. 
  214. ^ "IFPI Digital Music Report 2014" (PDF). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 24, 2016. 
  215. ^ "Canadian Hot 100 - Year End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved December 9, 2014. 
  216. ^ "Hot 100 Songs - Year of 2014". Billboard. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2014. 
  217. ^ "Adele and Rihanna score UK's latest million selling singles". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 7, 2014. 
  218. ^ "Greatest Of All Time - Hot 100 Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 12 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015. 
  219. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2013 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 9, 2013. 
  220. ^ "Austrian single certifications – Robin Thicke – Blurred Lines" (in German). IFPI Austria.  Enter Robin Thicke in the field Interpret. Enter Blurred Lines in the field Titel. Select single in the field Format. Click Suchen
  221. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – 2013". Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved June 9, 2013. 
  222. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Robin Thicke – Blurred Lines". Music Canada. 
  223. ^ "Track Top-40" (in Danish). FPI Denmark. Retrieved June 26, 2013. 
  224. ^ "Certifications Single - Year 2013" (PDF) (PDF) (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved March 5, 2014. 
  225. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell; 'Blurred Lines')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. 
  226. ^ "Italian single certifications – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. and Pharrell – Blurred Lines" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana.  Select Online in the field Sezione. Enter Robin Thicke feat. T.I. and Pharrell in the field Filtra. Select 2014 in the field Anno. The certification will load automatically
  227. ^ "Certificaciones – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved March 5, 2014. 
  228. ^ "New Zealand single certifications". Recorded Music NZ. 
  229. ^ "Troféoversikt" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved September 7, 2014. 
  230. ^ a b "GAON DOWNLOAD CHART – 2013년 6월". Gaon Chart (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association. Retrieved 2013-08-20. 
  231. ^ "Spanish single certifications – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. and Pharrell Williams – Blurred Lines" (PDF) (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 16 October 2013.  Select the "Chart", enter ' in the field "Year". Select ' in the field "Semana". Click on "Search Charts"
  232. ^ "Robin Thicke feat. T.I. & Pharrell - Blurred Lines" (in Swedish). Grammofon Leverantörernas Förening. Retrieved September 7, 2014. 
  233. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell; 'Blurred Lines')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved June 9, 2013. 
  234. ^ "British certifications – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. and Pharrell Williams – Blurred Lines". British Phonographic Industry.  Enter Blurred Lines in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select Platinum in the field By Award. Click Search
  235. ^ "American certifications – Robin Thicke feat. T.I. and Pharrell Williams – Blurred Lines". Recording Industry Association of America. 
  236. ^ "Blurred Lines [feat. Pharrell]". amazon.de. 
  237. ^ "Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!". FMQB. Retrieved April 24, 2013. 
  238. ^ "®R&R :: Going For Adds™ :: CHR/Top 40". radioandrecords.com. 
  239. ^ "Blurred Lines [feat. T.I., Pharrell]: Robin Thicke: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved June 18, 2013. 
  240. ^ "Blurred Lines (2-Track): Amazon.de: Musik". amazon.de. 

External links[edit]