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"Space Man" is a song by the British singer and songwriter
Sam Ryder Sam Ryder Robinson (born 25 June 1989) is a British singer, songwriter, producer, composer and social media personality. He rose to prominence in 2020, after posting music covers on TikTok, during the first UK lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic ...
, released as a single on 22 February 2022 through
Parlophone Records Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a German–British record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 192 ...
. It represented the United Kingdom at the
Eurovision Song Contest 2022 The Eurovision Song Contest 2022 was the 66th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Turin, Italy, following the country's victory at the with the song "" by Måneskin. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and ...
in
Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The ...
, Italy, after being internally selected through TaP Music and the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
, the British broadcaster for the Eurovision Song Contest. It was co-written by Ryder alongside Grammy-winning singer-songwriter
Amy Wadge Amy Victoria Wadge (born ) is an English singer and songwriter. She has co-written tracks with Ed Sheeran, including " Thinking Out Loud" for which she won the 2016 Grammy Award for Song of the Year. Early life Wadge was born and brought up i ...
and Max Wolfgang in London, amid the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, a year before it was chosen as the UK entry for Eurovision. The song is featured on Ryder's debut album ''
There's Nothing but Space, Man! ''There's Nothing but Space, Man!'' is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter Sam Ryder, released on 9 December 2022 through Parlophone Records. Primarily a pop and pop rock record with elements of various genres including dance- ...
'', which was released on 9 December 2022. "Space Man" was met with positive reviews from critics, with praise for Ryder's vocals, positive attitude and desire to change how the British public and press view the Eurovision Song Contest. The song was recorded at Cube Recording Studios in
Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. Described as an uplifting pop track with comparisons made to Elton John, it became one of the favourites to win the contest. Ryder embarked on a promotional tour for the song, including giving televised performances at Capital's Summertime Ball and at the
Platinum Party at the Palace The Platinum Party at the Palace was a British music concert, held outside Buckingham Palace on The Mall in London on 4 June 2022, in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The concert began at 20:00 ( BST). Comedian Lee ...
. At the contest in Italy, Ryder finished in second place with 466 points, becoming the highest scoring UK Eurovision entrant and winning the jury vote with 283 points, and scoring the third highest jury votes by a contestant. He scored the UK their best result since
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...
and its first top three result since 2002. "Space Man" peaked at number two on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
, becoming the highest-charting UK Eurovision entry since
Gina G Gina G (born Gina Mary Gardiner, 3 August 1970) is an Australian singer who represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1996, with the song " Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit", which reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart. The ...
's " Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit" in 1996. It has been certified gold by the
British Phonographic Industry British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with ...
(BPI).


Release

The song was released on 22 February 2022 on all major streaming platforms. , it has received 45 million streams on
Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...
, becoming the most streamed UK Eurovision entry on the platform. An acoustic version was released on April 20. The song was available to purchase in three limited editions. On 6 May, physical copies of the song were available to pre-order, and was released on 13 May. On 18 May, a Eurovision guitar solo version was released. On 1 June, a limited signed Platinum Jubilee edition was made available for pre-order, and released on 7 June. The song was later included on the 2022 edition of ''Now That's What I Call Music!''. The music video, filmed in
Budapest Budapest (, ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Hungary. It is the ninth-largest city in the European Union by population within city limits and the second-largest city on the Danube river; the city has an estimated population ...
,
Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the ...
, was released onto the Eurovision YouTube channel on 10 March 2022. As of December 2022, it has been received over 7 million views.


Critical reception

"Space Man" was met with universal acclaim, and became a fan favourite to win the contest. The ''
Evening Standard The ''Evening Standard'', formerly ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), also known as the ''London Evening Standard'', is a local free daily newspaper in London, England, published Monday to Friday in tabloid format. In October 2009, after be ...
'' described the song as "a solidly written pop song; whether it'll win over our European cousins remains to be seen." James Hall in ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...
'' stated "Ryder represents our greatest hope of rising from the Eurovision ashes for years. ..Not only can he sing, but he can perform too thanks to his time on the metal circuit and in Nashville. He has charisma. ..Picking him is a clever move." Simon Duke in the ''
Chronicle Live The ''Evening Chronicle'', now referred to as ''The Comical'', is a daily newspaper produced in Newcastle upon Tyne covering North regional news, but primarily focused on Newcastle upon Tyne and surrounding area. The ''Comical'' is published by ...
'' stated "Following his first rehearsal in Turin, Italy, he has been declared as the UK's best Eurovision hope in years". El Hunt for magazine ''
Bustle A bustle is a padded undergarment used to add fullness, or support the drapery, at the back of women's dresses in the mid-to-late 19th century. Bustles are worn under the skirt in the back, just below the waist, to keep the skirt from dragging. ...
'' described "Space Man" thus: "Covered with galactic sliding guitars and more than a hint of Elton John, the song imagines floating in space as a lonely, isolated astronaut with the longing to be grounded back down to earth again. And fair play, it's not too bad." Caroline Frost in ''
The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving weekly magazine in the world. It is owned by Frederick Barclay, who also owns ''The ...
'' said "Listen to this year's entry, and you will hear hints of Sir
Elton Elton may refer to: Places England * Elton, Cambridgeshire (formerly Huntingdonshire), a village ** Elton Hall, a baronial hall * Elton, Cheshire, a village and civil parish * Elton, County Durham, a village and civil parish * Elton, Derbyshire ...
's ' Rocket Man''''' and '
Tiny Dancer "Tiny Dancer" is a song written by English musician Elton John and songwriter Bernie Taupin, and performed by John. It was originally released on John's 1971 album '' Madman Across the Water,'' and was later released as a single in 1972. It was ...
.'' At last we’re taking it seriously, and we're channelling the best of British pop music, one of our greatest soft powers. But this year, for the first in decades, we can at least say we tried. And everyone loves a trier." George Griffiths from
The Official Charts Company The Official Charts (legal name: The Official UK Charts Company Limited) is a British inter-professional organization that compiles various "official" record charts in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France. In the United Kingdom, its charts inc ...
said "'Space Man' is one of the most exciting entries the UK has sent in recent memory. ..Ryder'sentry, is a scatter-shot pop banger, with an electrifying chorus that does seem at points like it's lifting up into the atmosphere. One thing is certain the UK are taking Eurovision seriously this year." Angelica Frey in ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' stated "'Space Man' has filching celestial vibes from Elton John’s 'Rocket Man', to
the Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...
’ ' Across the Universe' and
R.E.M. R.E.M. was an American rock band from Athens, Georgia, formed in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. One of the first alternati ...
's ' Man on the Moon'. His strident chorus notes really hit you between the eyes but 'Space Man' is our best entry for many years." William Lee Adams from ''
Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character t ...
'' and ''
Wiwibloggs Wiwibloggs is a fansite and YouTube channel focusing on the Eurovision Song Contest, launched in 2009. It has a seasonal audience, peaking at 250,000 page views per day during the week of Eurovision in May 2016, based on Google Analytics data. ...
'' described his entry as a "emotive ballad with his voice gliding across varied terrain, from deep to gritty to a glorious falsetto. I still can’t help but root for Sam." Nick Reilly for ''Rolling Stone'' UK stated: "Ryder is the UK’s brightest Eurovision hope we've had in years and is the strongest song that we have sent in a decade. A good song is nothing without a great singer, and Ryder’s impressive vocal range proves that he’s a huge talent in his own right. His entry allows those vocals to soar once more. Anchored by a soaring, stadium-sized chorus that is bound to grab the hearts of the continent." Rachel Aroesti for ''The Guardian'' stated: "the song is a rollicking power ballad about loneliness that recalls classic British pop such as Elton John’s 'Rocket Man', Bowie’s ' Starman', and
Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
. Co-written with Ed Sheeran collaborator Amy Wadge, it is slick, dramatic and formidably catchy, and it’s not hard to see why Ryder is our best bet in ages."


Promotion

Ryder embarked on a European tour to promote his single. Following the announcement that he would be representing the UK at Eurovision, Space Man had its TV debut performance on BBC's ''
The One Show ''The One Show'' is a British television magazine and chat show programme. Broadcast live on BBC One weeknights at 7:00 pm, it features topical stories and studio guests. It is currently co-hosted by Alex Jones, Jermaine Jenas, and Ronan K ...
,'' and he was interviewed on the same day. He travelled to
Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...
to perform the song on ''The Nikolaos Tsitiridis Show'' and also recorded the UK 'live-on-tape' backup performance for Eurovision. He continued with his promotions in Netherlands, Serbia, and San Marino, and to other countries within Europe. Besides televised performances he attended radio events and Eurovision pre parties throughout Europe. For his interviews on '' This Morning'' and '' Good Morning Britain,'' he was praised for his positive attitude to see change in how the British public and press views the Eurovision Song Contest. On 22 April 2022, the song was performed at the
York Hall The York Hall, officially known as York Hall Leisure Centre, is a multi-purpose indoor arena and leisure complex in Bethnal Green, London, and is situated on Old Ford Road. The building opened in 1929 with a capacity of 1,200 and is now an inte ...
for ''Eurovision House Party''. On 7 May 2022, following his second rehearsal run in
Turin, Italy Turin ( , Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. T ...
, Ryder's live performance received positive reviews from critics and fans. It was confirmed that he had brought the biggest prop of the competition, a huge illuminated metallic structure. Following Ryder's rehearsal, he rose up in the betting odds and became one of the favourites to win the contest. On 12 May 2022, the BBC aired a documentary detailing Ryder's journey to Eurovision. Ryder continued with promotional activities following the Eurovision final. He gave interviews across the UK on daytime and night time talk shows, including ''The One Show'' and ''Good Morning Britain''. He continued his promotions on radio stations including
BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
, BBC Radio 2, and Capital. He performed the single at the
Platinum Party at the Palace The Platinum Party at the Palace was a British music concert, held outside Buckingham Palace on The Mall in London on 4 June 2022, in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The concert began at 20:00 ( BST). Comedian Lee ...
, in which he received positive reviews. He later performed a orchestral version of the track at the 2022
Royal Variety Show The ''Royal Variety Performance'' is a televised variety show held annually in the United Kingdom to raise money for the Royal Variety Charity (of which King Charles III is life-patron). It is attended by senior members of the British royal f ...
.


Eurovision Song Contest


Selection

On 21 October 2021, the day after the official list of participants in Eurovision 2022 was released, the BBC announced its plans for the British national selection, opting for an internal process no longer in collaboration with record label BMG, but with TaP Music instead. The management company's leading artists include Dua Lipa, Ellie Goulding and
Lana Del Rey Elizabeth Woolridge Grant (born June 21, 1985), known professionally as Lana Del Rey, is an American singer-songwriter. Her music is noted for its cinematic quality and exploration of tragic romance, glamour, and melancholia, with frequent r ...
. Kate Phillips (BBC commissioning editor) stated that the new collaboration "will enable the BBC to tap into some great music talent" and that the broadcaster has "big ambitions for the 2022 contest". On 25 January 2022, TaP revealed that they had started shortlisting potential acts for the contest – with established, emerging and brand new artists having approached them for the Eurovision project – and that they had worked with
BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
and Scott Mills in order to choose the British representative.
Sam Ryder Sam Ryder Robinson (born 25 June 1989) is a British singer, songwriter, producer, composer and social media personality. He rose to prominence in 2020, after posting music covers on TikTok, during the first UK lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic ...
was announced as the chosen entrant with the song "Space Man" on 10 March 2022. The entry was revealed by Scott Mills on BBC Radio 1's breakfast show with
Greg James Gregory James Alan Milward (born 17 December 1985) is an English radio and television presenter, comedian and author. He is the host of BBC Radio 1's breakfast show, co-presenter on the cricket podcast '' Tailenders'' alongside Felix White and ...
, with "Space Man" having previously featured as 'Tune of the Week' on Mills' afternoon show on Radio 1. It was later announced that TaP Music would donate their consultancy fees to the
Migrant Offshore Aid Station The Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) is an international humanitarian non-governmental organization based in Malta that provides aid and emergency medical relief to refugees and migrants. Most activities between 2014 and 2017 have focused on se ...
, to support those affected by the
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. ...
.


At Eurovision

The
Eurovision Song Contest 2022 The Eurovision Song Contest 2022 was the 66th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. It took place in Turin, Italy, following the country's victory at the with the song "" by Måneskin. Organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and ...
was held at the PalaOlimpico in
Turin Turin ( , Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The ...
, Italy. The two semi-finals were held on 10 and 12 May and the grand final on 14 May 2022. Since the United Kingdom is a member of the " Big Five", they qualified directly for the final. In addition to their participation in the final, the United Kingdom was also required to broadcast and vote in one of the two semi-finals. This was decided via a draw held during the semi-final allocation draw on 25 January 2022, when it was announced that the United Kingdom would be voting in the second semi-final. Despite winning the jury vote, the United Kingdom ultimately finished second behind Ukraine, but nevertheless, Ryder achieved the United Kingdom's best result at the contest since
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The ''Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently s ...
.


Cover versions

The song has been covered by Dutch singer and YouTuber Davina Michelle, Norwegian singer and violinist
Alexander Rybak Alexander Igorevich Rybak (russian: Александр Игоревич Рыбак) or Alyaxandr Iharavich Rybak ( be, Аляксандр Ігаравіч Рыбак; born 13 May 1986) is a Belarusian-Norwegian singer-composer, violinist, pian ...
, and Swedish singer
Måns Zelmerlöw Måns Petter Albert Sahlén Zelmerlöw (; born 13 June 1986) is a Swedish pop singer, songwriter and television presenter. He took part in ''Idol 2005'', eventually finishing fifth, won the first season of '' Let's Dance,'' and scored a hit wit ...
. Ryder himself performed a mashup of the song with elements of "
I Wanna Be Your Slave "I Wanna Be Your Slave" (stylized in all caps) is a song by Italian rock band Måneskin, from their second studio album, '' Teatro d'ira: Vol. I'' released on 19 March 2021 by Sony. Prior to its release as a single, the song managed to reach top-te ...
" by Italian rock band
Måneskin Måneskin are an Italian rock band formed in Rome in 2016. The band are composed of vocalist Damiano David, bassist Victoria De Angelis, guitarist Thomas Raggi, and drummer Ethan Torchio. Performing in the streets in their early days, they rose ...
, during "Your Lyrics, Different Song" with Scott Mills on
BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
. The song was performed by both Ryder and Swedish Eurovision entrant Cornelia Jakobs on the social media app
TikTok TikTok, known in China as Douyin (), is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 15 seconds to 10 minutes. TikTok is an international version o ...
.


Commercial performance

"Space Man" debuted at number seventy-eight on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
. Following the Eurovision final, the OCC reported that at the midweek stage, it was a contender for the number one spot. On 20 May, it reached a new peak of number two, becoming the highest-charting UK Eurovision entry since
Gina G Gina G (born Gina Mary Gardiner, 3 August 1970) is an Australian singer who represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1996, with the song " Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit", which reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart. The ...
's " Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit" in 1996. It marked 53 years since a UK runner up at Eurovision last had a number two single and fifty years since a UK runner up at Eurovision last had a top ten, five and three UK Single. It topped the Official Singles Sales and Downloads Charts. It was ranked as the third best-selling song of 2022 in the UK. "Space Man" reached number one on The Official Big Top 40 charts, and achieved moderate success in other European countries. The song peaked at number five in Iceland and reached the top fifteen in Lithuania, Sweden, and the German Download Charts. It reached the top twenty in Belgium, the Australian Digital Tracks and also number twenty-two in Ireland, becoming the highest charting UK Eurovision entry on the Irish Singles Chart since 2014. It also charted in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey, Slovakia and on the ''Billboard'' Global 200.


Year-end lists


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


Awards


References

{{Eurovision Song Contest 2022 2020s ballads 2022 songs 2022 singles Eurovision songs of the United Kingdom Eurovision songs of 2022 Parlophone singles Pop ballads Songs written by Amy Wadge