Round Round

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title: "Round Round" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["2002-songs", "2002-singles", "island-records-singles", "music-videos-directed-by-phil-griffin", "number-one-singles-in-scotland", "song-recordings-produced-by-jonathan-quarmby", "song-recordings-produced-by-kevin-bacon-(producer)", "songs-written-by-brian-higgins-(producer)", "songs-written-by-heidi-range", "songs-written-by-keisha-buchanan", "songs-written-by-lisa-cowling", "songs-written-by-miranda-cooper", "songs-written-by-mutya-buena", "songs-written-by-nick-coler", "songs-written-by-tim-powell-(producer)", "sugababes-songs", "uk-singles-chart-number-one-singles", "universal-records-singles"] description: "2002 single by Sugababes" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Round_Round" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary 2002 single by Sugababes ::

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

Field	Value
name	Round Round
cover	Round Round (Sugababes single - cover art).jpg
border	yes
type	single
artist	Sugababes
album	Angels with Dirty Faces
B-side	Groove Is Going On
released
genre	Dance-pop
length	3:54
prev_title	Freak like Me
prev_year	2002
next_title	Stronger
next_title2	Angels with Dirty Faces
next_year	2002
misc	{{Audio sample
type	single
file	RoundRoundSample.ogg
::

| name = Round Round | cover = Round Round (Sugababes single - cover art).jpg | border = yes | type = single | artist = Sugababes | album = Angels with Dirty Faces | B-side = Groove Is Going On | released = | recorded = | studio = | genre = Dance-pop | length = 3:54 | label =

• Island
• Universal | writer =
• Brian Higgins
• Miranda Cooper
• Lisa Cowling
• Tim Powell
• Nick Coler
• Keisha Buchanan
• Mutya Buena
• Heidi Range
• Florian Pflueger
• Felix Stecher
• Robin Hofmann
• Rino Spadavecchia | producer =
• Kevin Bacon
• Jonathan Quarmby | prev_title = Freak like Me | prev_year = 2002 | next_title = Stronger | next_title2 = Angels with Dirty Faces | next_year = 2002 | misc = {{Audio sample | type = single | file = RoundRoundSample.ogg "Round Round" is a song performed by British girl group Sugababes. It was written by group members Keisha Buchanan, Mutya Buena, and Heidi Range, as well as Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Tim Powell, Nick Coler, and Lisa Cowling. It samples the song "Tango Forte" by German production team Dublex Inc., so the songwriters of that track are credited as well. Produced by Kevin Bacon and Jonathan Quarmby, the song was released as the second single from the group's second studio album, Angels with Dirty Faces (2002).

Following its release on 12 August 2002, "Round Round" peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the group's second number-one single domestically. In August 2022, it was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). "Round Round" also reached the top 10 in Austria, Ireland, Italy, and New Zealand, among other countries. In 2003, it became the group's first single to chart in the United States, peaking at number seven on the Billboard Dance Singles Sales chart. Alongside "Sound of the Underground" by Girls Aloud, this song has been credited in reshaping British pop music for the 2000s.

Background

"Round Round" was written by Brian Higgins, Miranda Cooper, Lisa Cowling, Tim Powell, Nick Coler, Keisha Buchanan, Mutya Buena, and Heidi Range. Due to the inclusion of a sample from "Tango Forte" by Dublex Inc., Florian Pflueger, Felix Stecher, Robin Hofmann, and Rino Spadavecchia are also credited as songwriters. In turn, "Tango Forte" is based around an uncredited sample from "Whatever Lola Wants" performed by American composer Les Baxter. Production on "Round Round" was helmed by Kevin Bacon and Jonathan Quarmby for Manna Productions based on an original track Higgins and Powell had created for Xenomania Records, while Jeremy Wheatley provided additional production and handled the mixing. Guitar recording and programming were overseen by Yoad Nevo for 247 Arists.

Musically, "Round Round" was actually built up of a number of different songs. On the BBC2 series Secrets of the Pop Song, Brian Higgins described the genesis of the song: "We had a drum track which was just stunning and so I sat down with Miranda [Cooper] on the one day we had the Sugababes in the studio and said 'Right, you know, this is a hit, this piece of music is a hit. I haven't got anything on it, we don't have any song attached to it. So what are we gonna do about that? You've got three hours to come up with something'." Subsequently, Cooper went through her catalogue of unused tracks that she had written over the last two or three years and sang the chorus of every single song against Higgins' piece of drumming. Three hours later, she sang the lyrics "round round baby round round" to Higgins, who said "that's it, that's amazing."

Chart performance

"Round Round" debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart and remained at the top spot for a week, giving the Sugababes their second consecutive UK number one single following "Freak like Me". The song was eventually certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) denoting units of 400,000 sales and streams, and as of August 2020, the song had sold 277,000 pure copies in the UK. "Round Round" was also a success worldwide, reaching number two in Ireland, the Netherlands and New Zealand. The song also reached number three in Denmark and number four in Norway, Romania, and Switzerland. In Australia, "Round Round" debuted at number 21 and rose to a peak of number 13, giving the group their first Australian top-20 hit. It was certified Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), making it the Sugababes' best-selling Australian single up until the release of their 2005 single "Push the Button", which reached number three and was certified Platinum.

Music video

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/64/Round_Round.jpg" caption="The Sugababes featured as a band performing on a rotating platform in the video for "Round Round"."] ::

The music video for "Round Round" was directed by Phil Griffin. It has the group performing on a rotating platform, while being surrounded by a tornado with dust and rubble accumulating in it. There is a rusty caged wall with an audience watching, a pair of sunglasses and a ring get sucked into the tornado from them. When Heidi's verse comes up, everything moves in slow-motion, including the tornado, before speeding up again. The girls slowly walk around three male dancers in the middle, and for the end chorus it appears the tornado has dissipated.

Cover versions

The song was covered by Hong Kong singer Emme Wong in Cantonese in 2003. It was Wong's first single after her record label Universal Music modified her image for a sexier direction. The song quickly became a hit, due to its sexually explicit lyrics and dance moves, as well as the TV-banned video. The song reached the top of several music charts across Southeast China. In the year end, it won a number of awards, including "Best Covered Song", "Best Dance Record", and "Best Stage Performance".

Track listings

| headline = UK CD1 and Japanese CD single | extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Round Round | note1 = album version | writer1 = | extra1 = | length1 = 3:59

| title2 = Groove Is Going On | writer2 = | extra2 = Themis | length2 = 4:04

| title3 = Freak like Me | note3 = Girls on Top dancehall mix | writer3 = | extra3 = Richard X | length3 = 3:30 | headline = UK CD2 | extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Round Round | note1 = album version | writer1 = | extra1 = | length1 = 3:55

| title2 = Round Round | note2 = Craigie & Crichton remix | writer2 = | extra2 = | length2 = 4:59

| title3 = Round Round | note3 = Soulwax remix | writer3 = | extra3 = | length3 = 4:11

| title4 = Round Round | note4 = Seani B. remix featuring Zaguzaar | writer4 = | extra4 = | length4 = 4:25 | headline = UK cassette single | extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Round Round | note1 = album version | writer1 = | extra1 = | length1 = 3:59

| title2 = Groove Is Going On | writer2 = | extra2 = Themis | length2 = 4:04

| title3 = Round Round | note3 = Craigie & Crichton remix | writer3 = | extra3 = | length3 = 4:59 | headline = European CD single | extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Round Round | note1 = album version | writer1 = | extra1 = | length1 = 3:59

| title2 = Groove Is Going On | writer2 = | extra2 = Themis | length2 = 4:04 | headline = Australian CD single | extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Round Round | note1 = album version | writer1 = | extra1 = | length1 = 3:59

| title2 = Round Round | note2 = Craigie & Crichton remix | writer2 = | extra2 = | length2 = 4:59

| title3 = Round Round | note3 = Soulwax remix | writer3 = | extra3 = | length3 = 4:11

| title4 = Freak Like Me | note4 = Girls on Top dancehall mix | writer4 = | extra4 = Richard X | length4 = 3:28

| title5 = Groove Is Going On | writer5 = | extra5 = Themis | length5 = 4:04 Notes

• denotes additional producer(s)
• denotes original producer(s)

Personnel

Personnel are adapted from the liner notes of Angels with Dirty Faces.

• Brian Higgins – writing
• Miranda Cooper – writing
• Lisa Cowling – writing
• Tim Powell – writing
• Nick Coler – writing
• Keisha Buchanan – writing
• Mutya Buena – writing
• Heidi Range – writing
• Florian Pflueger – writing
• Felix Stecher – writing
• Robin Hofmann – writing
• Rino Spadavecchia – writing
• Kevin Bacon – production
• Brian Higgins – original production
• Yoad Nevo – guitar, programming
• Tim Powell – original production
• Jonathan Quarmby – production
• Jeremy Wheatley – additional production, mixing

Charts

Weekly charts

::data[format=table] | Chart (2002–2003) | Peak position | Croatia (HRT) | Czech Republic (IFPI) | Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) | Greece (IFPI) | Poland (Music & Media) | Romania (Romanian Top 100) | UK Airplay (Music Week) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 17 | | | | | | | | | | 9 | | | | | | | | | | 6 | | | | | | | | | | 15 | | | | | | | | | | 4 | | | | | | | | | | 1 | | | | | | | | | ::

Year-end charts

::data[format=table]

Chart (2002)	Position	Australia (ARIA)	Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)	Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)	Ireland (IRMA)	Italy (FIMI)	Lithuania (M-1)	Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)	Netherlands (Single Top 100)	New Zealand (RIANZ)	Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)	UK Singles (OCC)	UK Airplay (Music Week)
95
82
58
25
37
36
34
67
44
58
31
9
::

::data[format=table]

Chart (2003)	Position	Australia (ARIA)
85
::

Certifications

Release history

::data[format=table]

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref(s).	United Kingdom	United States	Australia	Japan
12 August 2002		Island
16 September 2002		Universal
4 November 2002	CD	Island
19 February 2003
::

References

References

1. [https://xenomanianews.blogspot.com/2009/11/end-of-decade-sound-of-overground-nme.html End of Decade: Sound of the Overground (NME article, November 2009)]
2. Kheraj, Alim. (12 November 2016). "The surprising stories behind 6 of Sugababes' biggest hits". [[Digital Spy]].
3. Myers, Justin. (20 August 2020). "Official Charts Flashback 2002: Sugababes – Round Round". [[Official Charts Company]].
4. {{cite certification
5. (November 2006). "Overloaded: The Singles Collection". Island Records.
6. (2002). "Round Round". [[Island Records]].
7. (2003). "Round Round". Island Records.
8. (2002). "Round Round". Island Records.
9. (2002). "Round Round". Island Records.
10. (2002). "Round Round". Island Records.
11. (2002). "Round Round". Island Records.
12. (2002). "Angels with Dirty Faces". Island Records.
13. "Top Lista Hrvatskog Radija". [[Croatian Radiotelevision]].
14. "Oficiální Česká Hitparáda – Pro týden 41/2002". IFPI ČR.
15. (24 September 2002). "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles".
16. "Top 50 Singles". [[IFPI Greece.
17. (23 November 2002). "Major Market Airplay – Week 48/2002".
18. "Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 48, saptamina 2.12–8.12, 2002". [[Romanian Top 100]].
19. (31 August 2002). "Top 50 Airplay Chart".
20. "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2002". [[Australian Recording Industry Association.
21. "Jaaroverzichten 2002". [[Ultratop]].
22. (11 January 2003). "Year in Review – Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 2002".
23. (2002). "Top 100 Songs of 2002". [[Raidió Teilifís Éireann]].
24. "Top of the Music – Mix e Singoli". [[FIMI]].
25. "LITHUANIA – Radio M-1 Top 100 of 2002". M-1.
26. "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 2002". [[Dutch Top 40]].
27. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2002". [[MegaCharts]].
28. "End of Year Charts 2002". [[Recorded Music NZ]].
29. "Swiss Year-End Charts 2002".
30. "Charts Plus Year End 2002". [[UKChartsPlus]].
31. (18 January 2003). "Most Broadcast of 2002 – Airplay Top 50".
32. "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2003". [[Australian Recording Industry Association.
33. Hubner, Miriam. (10 August 2002). "Airborne".
34. (10 August 2002). "New Releases – For Week Starting 12 August 2002: Singles".
35. (13 September 2002). "Going for Adds".
36. (4 November 2002). "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 4th November 2002". [[Australian Recording Industry Association.
37. "2003/2月新譜リリース表". [[Universal Music Japan]].

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