MURDER ON THE DANCEFLOOR
by SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR


Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Murder On The Dancefloor was released 3 December 2001. The follow-up to lead single Take Me Home, Murder On The Dancefloor was the second single taken from Sophie's debut studio album Read My Lips, released in August of the same year.

Written by Gregg Alexander and Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and produced by Alexander and Matt Rowe, Murder On The Dancefloor entered the UK Official Singles Chart at its peak position of Number 2 on 9 December 2001, held off the top spot by Daniel Bedingfield's Gotta Get Thru This. The song stayed in the UK Top 40 for 13 weeks while its parent album Read My Lips also peaked at Number 2.

On 2 January 2024 Official Charts announced in a midweek bulletin that, thanks to its feature on the soundtrack to the movie Saltburn which had begun streaming over Christmas 2023 on Amazon Prime Video, Murder On The Dancefloor was on its way back into the UK Official Chart Top 40 for the first time in 22 years. The song placed at Number 27 on the first Official Chart Update of the new year and was expected to climb higher still as the week progressed. By 4 January Murder On The Dancefloor surged all the way into the midweek Top 10 at Number 8 with another 24 hours of the chart week to go.  On 5 January Official Charts confirmed The Saltburn Effect had sent Murder On The Dancefloor back into the Top 10 for the first time since January 2002, 22 years earlier.

The music video for Murder On The Dancefloor was directed by Sophie Muller, the concept was based on a dance competition that parodies the gym dance sequence in Grease. Desperate to win, one-by-one Sophie Ellis-Bextor sneakily injures the other dancers through tripping one, poisioning another, causing one to slip, and framing another for cheating on his partner. Using chloroform she then incapacitates the only female judge on the panel before beguiling the lead judge who appears to have a weak spot for her and succeeds in persuading the remaining judge to have Sophie declared the winner. The video concludes with Ellis-Bextor and her dance partner happily clutching the prize on the winner's podium.

teaser image

Official Charts logo Official Singles Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position2
  • LabelPOLYDOR
  • Catalogue number5704942
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 0No. 1
  2. 13Top. 10
  3. 19Top. 20
  4. 23Top. 40
  5. 26Top. 75
  6. 26Top. 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

16 weeks - 15/12/2001 to 30/03/2002

10 weeks - 11/01/2024 to 14/03/2024

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Official Charts logo Official Singles Sales Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position1
  • LabelPOLYDOR
  • Catalogue numberGBAKW0100329
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 1No. 1
  2. 7Top. 10
  3. 10Top. 20
  4. 10Top. 40
  5. 10Top. 75
  6. 12Top. 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

1 week - 15/03/2018

11 weeks - 04/01/2024 to 14/03/2024

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Official Charts logo Official Singles Downloads Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position2
  • LabelPOLYDOR
  • Catalogue numberGBAKW0100329
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 0No. 1
  2. 8Top. 10
  3. 10Top. 20
  4. 10Top. 40
  5. 11Top. 75
  6. 12Top. 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

1 week - 15/03/2018

11 weeks - 04/01/2024 to 14/03/2024

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Official Charts logo Official Physical Singles Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position1
  • LabelPOLYDOR
  • Catalogue number5704942
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 1No. 1
  2. 8Top. 10
  3. 14Top. 20
  4. 17Top. 40
  5. 20Top. 75
  6. 20Top. 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

16 weeks - 15/12/2001 to 30/03/2002

4 weeks - 22/02/2024 to 14/03/2024

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Official Charts logo Official Vinyl Singles Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position1
  • LabelPOLYDOR
  • Catalogue number5704941
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 1No. 1
  2. 2Top. 10
  3. 3Top. 20
  4. 3Top. 40
  5. 3Top. 75
  6. 3Top. 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

2 weeks - 22/02/2024 to 29/02/2024

1 week - 14/03/2024

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Official Charts logo Official Dance Singles Chart

Chart facts

  • Peak position1
  • LabelPOLYDOR
  • Catalogue number5704941
  • First Chart Date

Weeks on chart

  1. 8No. 1
  2. 10Top. 10
  3. 13Top. 20
  4. 20Top. 40
  5. 20Top. 75
  6. 20Top. 100

Chart run

= Peak position = This week

2 weeks - 15/12/2001 to 22/12/2001

1 week - 19/01/2002

1 week - 02/02/2002

1 week - 21/09/2013

15 weeks - 07/12/2023 to 14/03/2024

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