Flat Beat

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title: "Flat Beat" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1999-songs", "1999-singles", "electro-house-songs", "electronic-instrumentals", "french-electronic-songs", "music-videos-featuring-puppetry", "number-one-singles-in-austria", "number-one-singles-in-finland", "number-one-singles-in-germany", "number-one-singles-in-italy", "number-one-singles-in-scotland", "techno-songs", "uk-independent-singles-chart-number-one-singles", "uk-singles-chart-number-one-singles", "ultratop-50-singles-(flanders)-number-one-singles", "1990s-instrumentals"] description: "1999 single by Mr. Oizo" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat_Beat" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 1999 single by Mr. Oizo ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox song"]

Field	Value
name	Flat Beat
cover	Flat Beat single.jpg
type	single
artist	Mr. Oizo
album	Analog Worms Attack
released
* Electro house{{cite web	url
* French electronica<ref name	"bouton"
* techno<ref name	"lorenz"/
label	F Communications
writer	Mr. Oizo
producer	Mr. Oizo
prev_title	Analog Worms Attack
prev_year	1999
next_title	Last Night a DJ Killed My Dog
next_year	2000
misc
::

| name = Flat Beat | cover = Flat Beat single.jpg | alt = | type = single | artist = Mr. Oizo | album = Analog Worms Attack | B-side =

• "Monday Massacre"
• "Sick Dog Try to Speak" | released = | recorded = | studio = | venue = | genre =
• Electro house
• French electronica
• techno | length =
• 5:25 (original version)
• 4:00 (radio edit) | label = F Communications | writer = Mr. Oizo | producer = Mr. Oizo | prev_title = Analog Worms Attack | prev_year = 1999 | next_title = Last Night a DJ Killed My Dog | next_year = 2000 | misc = "Flat Beat" is an instrumental by French musician Mr. Oizo. It was released on 22 March 1999 through F Communications and was included as a bonus track on his debut studio album, Analog Worms Attack. An accompanying music video was released on VHS. The music video features Flat Eric, a puppet, head banging to the track.

Widely publicised by Flat Eric's appearance in many commercials for Levi's and the popularity of the music video, the track became a surprise European hit. "Flat Beat" peaked at number five on the French Singles Chart and reached number one in Austria, Finland, Flanders, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. In 2003, Q Magazine ranked "Flat Beat" number 175 in their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever".

Background

In an interview with XLR8R magazine, Quentin Dupieux stated that it took him only two hours with a Korg MS-20 to produce. The instrumental is mainly composed of a repeated bassline, and it samples "Put Your Love in My Tender Care" by the Fatback Band.

Reception

Critical reception

Stevie Chick from NME wrote, "Leading sociologists are calling it the 'Flat Eric Phenomenon'. Red-top tabloids print instructions for the Flat Eric window moves and White Van Man is overjoyed. Yes, helped along by his friends at the Levi's company, Mr Oizo could soon be celebrating the inevitable outcome of such a profitable partnership, a Number One record. And that would be a fine thing, not least because 'Flat Beat' is a sleek slice of supremely filtered, speaker-busting electro that would undoubtedly be a minor specialist hit in its own right if released without the might of this high-profile campaign, but also because Flat Eric, the ice-cool yellow muppet, is one of the most fascinating creatures to have entered the crazy world of rock'n'roll in recent memory."

Commercial reception

The song was a surprise international success in Europe, topping the charts in Austria, Finland, Flanders, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. In the latter country, it was the seventh song featured in a Levi's advert to top the UK Singles Chart and the 25th instrumental single to top the chart. On the Eurochart Hot 100, "Flat Beat" peaked at number two and was Europe's 11th-most-successful hit of 1999. "Flat Beat" was not as successful in France, where it peaked at number five and did not receive airplay, selling only a quarter of the copies as it did in the UK.

Legacy

In 2003, Q Magazine ranked "Flat Beat" number 175 in their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever". In September 2005, Stylus Magazine included the track's bassline at number 13 in their list of the "Top 50 Basslines of All Time", while Mixmag included it in their "The Best Basslines in Dance Music" in 2020. The magazine added, "Disclaimer: it's likely you'll be thinking there's a bees' nest in the corner of your room after listening to it. Don't let that put you off, though. "Flat Beat" boasts one of the best basslines of all time."

Music video

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Flatbeet.jpg" caption="A still from the music video"] ::

Prior to the "Flat Beat", Dupieux created Flat Eric, a fictional puppet character, for Levi's commercials for Sta-Prest One Crease Denim Clothing, built by Jim Henson's Creature Shop. The popularity of the commercials lead to a music video for the song being created, also featuring Flat Eric.

The accompanying music video for "Flat Beat" was directed by Quentin Dupieux and released alongside the single release. The video was released on VHS and later on digital download services and YouTube on the official F Communications channel. The video was listed in *Maxim*s list of Best Puppets in a Music Video.

Track listings

| headline = French VHS single | title1 = Flat Beat | length1 = 3:06 | headline = European CD single | title1 = Flat Beat | note1 = radio edit | length1 = 4:00 | title2 = Monday Massacre | length2 = 3:36 | headline = UK CD single | title1 = Flat Beat | note1 = radio edit | length1 = 4:00 | title2 = Flat Beat | length2 = 5:25 | title3 = Monday Massacre | length3 = 3:36 | headline = UK 12-inch single | title1 = Flat Beat | length1 = 5:25 | title2 = Monday Massacre | length2 = 3:36 | title3 = Sick Dog Try to Speak | length3 = 3:36 | headline = UK cassette single | title1 = Flat Beat | note1 = radio edit | length1 = 4:00 | title2 = Flat Beat | length2 = 5:25 |}} | headline = Australian and New Zealand single | title1 = Flat Beat | length1 = 5:25 | title2 = Monday Massacre | length2 = 3:36 | title3 = Sick Dog Try to Speak | length3 = 3:36 | title4 = Flat Beat | note4 = radio edit | length4 = 4:00

Charts

Weekly charts

::data[format=table title="Weekly chart performance for "Flat Beat""] | Chart (1999–2000) | Peak position | Australia (ARIA) | Denmark (Tracklisten) | Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | Greece (IFPI) | Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) | Italy (Musica e dischi) | Spain (AFYVE) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 84 | | | | | | | | | | 3 | | | | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | | | | 5 | | | | | | | | | | 5 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | | | | ::

Year-end charts

::data[format=table title="Annual chart rankings for "Flat Beat""]

Chart (1999)	Position	Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)	Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)	Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)	Europe Border Breakers (Music & Media)	France (SNEP)	Germany (Media Control)	Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	Netherlands (Single Top 100)	Spain (AFYVE)	Sweden (Hitlistan)	Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	UK Singles (OCC)
20
21
9
11
29
26
8
60
42
11
46
24
9
::

Certifications

References

References

1. Lorenz, Christian. (27 March 1999). "Eric's Prospects Anything but Flat".
2. (24 October 2016). "Discover the Story Behind Mr. Ozio's Worldwide Hit 'Flat Beat'".
3. (7 January 2015). "Sander van Doorn's label is releasing a track that sounds like 'Flat Beat' – and Mr. Oizo is not happy – FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music.".
4. (15 May 1999). "French Electronica's Domestic Strife".
5. Visser, Menno. (24 April 1999). "Airplay – On the Air".
6. "Q – 1001 best songs ever (2003)".
7. Chick, Stevie. "This Week's Singles March 27 1999".
8. Masterton, James. (28 March 1999). "Week Ending April 3rd 1999". Chart Watch UK.
9. Siegler, Dylan. (April 2000). "Mr. Oizo". [[College Music Journal]].
10. "Stylus magazine's Top 50 Bassline of All Time".
11. (7 May 2020). "The Best Basslines In Dance Music, According To You".
12. (20 March 1999). "Entertainment {{!}} Flat Eric's Cruise to the Top". [[BBC News]].
13. (20 August 2012). "Best Puppets in a Music Video". [[Maxim (magazine).
14. (1999). "Flat Beat". [[F Communications]].
15. (1999). "Flat Beat". F Communications.
16. (1999). "Flat Beat". F Communications.
17. (1999). "Flat Beat". F Communications.
18. (1999). "Flat Beat". F Communications.
19. (1999). "Flat Beat". [[Creative Vibes]].
20. "ariaNET The Chart! Top 100 Singles – Week Commencing 5th July 1999 (71–100) (from The ARIA Report Issue No. 488)". [[Australian Recording Industry Association.
21. (19 June 1999). "Danish peak".
22. (17 April 1999). "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles".
23. (3 July 1999). "Top National Sellers".
24. (18 June 2019). "Íslenski Listinn (17.6–24.6. 1999)". [[DV (newspaper).
25. (1 May 1999). "Top National Sellers".
26. (22 May 1999). "Billboard: Hits of the World, May 22, 1999".
27. "Jahreshitparade Singles 1999".
28. "Jaaroverzichten 1999". [[Ultratop]].
29. "Rapports annuels 1999". [[Ultratop]].
30. (1 January 2000). "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1999".
31. (1 January 2000). "Border Breakers Top 100 1999". [[Music & Media]].
32. "Tops de L'année {{!}} Top Singles 1999". [[Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique.
33. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1999". [[GfK Entertainment]].
34. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1999". [[Dutch Top 40]].
35. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1999". [[MegaCharts]].
36. "Tabla 16. CD-Singles Más Vendidos en 1999". [[Productores de Música de España.
37. "Årslista Singlar, 1999". [[Sverigetopplistan]].
38. "Swiss Year-End Charts 1999".
39. (22 January 2000). "Best Sellers of 1999: Singles Top 100".
40. Copsey, Rob. (23 July 2021). "Official Top 40 best-selling singles of 1999". Official Charts Company.
41. Boursier, Nadine. (10 October 2016). "Electro. Mr Oizo revient sur son arbre perche". [[Ouest France]].

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