No Limit (2 Unlimited song)
"No Limit" is a song recorded by Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited in 1993. It was their fifth single in total and the first to be released from their second album No Limits!. The song is one of their most commercially successful singles, especially in Europe, reaching the number-one spot in at least 13 countries and the top 10 in several others. Like previous releases, the UK version of the single removed all of the raps from Raymond Slijngaard, leaving just Anita Dels' vocals. One word from the rap was kept, the word 'Techno' (from the line "I'm making techno and I am proud") which was looped and repeated during the middle of the song, turning the line into "Techno! Techno! Techno! Techno!" and giving the song an extra vocal hook.
"No Limit" | ||||
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Widely distributed variant of the standard artwork | ||||
Single by 2 Unlimited | ||||
from the album No Limits! | ||||
Released | 1993 | |||
Genre | ||||
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Songwriter(s) |
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2 Unlimited singles chronology | ||||
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Audio sample | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"No Limit" on YouTube |
Release and reception
Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "After several weeks at the top of Britain's pop charts, European rave duo is ready tackle the U.S. radio market with a bright ditty that melds techno, hi-NRG, and rap elements. The hook is irresistible, and the pace is heart-racing. Will please fans of last year's hit, "Twilight Zone," while reeling in newcomers."[4] Matt Stopera and Brian Galindo from BuzzFeed said that "this is possibly the most aggressive beat from the '90s. It's like they're strumming a GIANT rubber band."[5] Tom Ewing of Freakytrigger felt the track's "echoey hi-hat hits and the union of steam-hammer bass and rubber-ball synths" carry the industrial, "piston-powered aggression" of Belgian rave music. He also noted the presence of a cowbell in the back of the track.[6] Per Reinholdt from Danish magazine Gaffa called it a "dance-powerhit", noting its "inciting up-tempo" and a rhythm and theme "with the same temper as a dressed beeswarm". He added that the song is a "piece of pop art".[7] Irish Independent described "No Limit" as "a humugous global hit".[8] Johnny Lee from Smash Hits called it a "stormtrooper".[9] Woroni said "it's tremendously exciting and highly recommended."[10] They also noted the song as a "obvious higlight" of the No Limits! album.[11] Graham Clark from The Yorkshire Times stated that "the track at the time sounded unlike anything else but you can hear how it has influenced so many of today's Electronic Dance Music tracks".[12]
To this day, "No Limit" is one of the most well-known Eurodance songs and was a worldwide hit, selling 2.8 million copies. It was Europe's biggest-selling song for 1993.
Chart performance
"No Limit" was very successful on the charts, becoming a huge hit on several continents. In Europe, it went to number-one in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100. In the UK, the single reached number-one in its fourth week on the chart, on February 7, 1993,[13] and stayed at the top of the UK Singles Chart for 5 weeks. Additionally, it also managed to climb into the Top 10 in Germany, Greece, Iceland and Italy. Outside Europe, "No Limit" peaked at number 2 on the RPM Dance Chart in Canada, number 7 in Australia, number number 16 in Zimbabwe, number 21 on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play and number 40 in New Zealand. It was awarded with a gold record in Australia Austria, France and Germany, and a platinum record in the Netherlands and Switzerland.
Music video
The music video for "No Limit" was directed by British director Nick Burgess-Jones. It features Anita and Ray performing the song inside a pinball machine. The video was uploaded to YouTube in July 2014. In August 2020, it has got more than 24 million views.[14]
Track listings
CD single
- "No Limit" (Radio Edit No Rap) (3:08)
- "No Limit" (Radio Edit Rap) (3:30)
CD maxi
- "No Limit" (Radio Edit) (3:15)
- "No Limit" (Extended Mix) (5:40)
- "No Limit" (Automatic Remix) (4:54)
- "No Limit" (Rio and Le Jean Remix) (3:53)
- "No Limit" (Automatic Breakbeat Remix) (4:45)
CD maxi
- "No Limit" (Radio Edit No Rap) (3:08)
- "No Limit" (Extended No Rap) (5:44)
- "No Limit" (Extended Rap) (5:55)
- "No Limit" (Rio and Le Jean Version) (3:57)
7" single
- "No Limit" (3:15)
- "No Limit" (Rio and Le Jean Remix) (3:53)
UK 7" single
- "No Limit" (3:15)
- "No Limit" (Automatic Breakbeat Remix) (4:45)
12" maxi
- "No Limit" (Extended) (5:44)
- "No Limit" (Extended Rap) (5:55)
- "No Limit" (Rio and Le Jean Remix) (4:56)
12" maxi Italy
- "No Limit" (Extended No Rap 2) (5:55)
- "No Limit" (Extended Rap) (5:55)
- "No Limit" (Rio and Le Jean Remix) (4:56)
- "No Limit" (Automatic Remix) (4:54)
- "No Limit" (Automatic Breakbeat Remix) (4:45)
- "No Limit" (Radio Rap Edit) (3:30)
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
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Millennium remixes
"Millennium remixes" | |
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Single by 2 Unlimited | |
Released | 2000 |
Label | Byte |
Songwriter(s) |
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CD single
- "No Limit" (Moon Project Edit) (3:50)
- "No Limit" (Starfighter Remix Edit) (3:15)
CD maxi
- "No Limit" (Starfighter Remix Edit) (3:15)
- "No Limit" (Starfighter Remix) (7:55)
- "No Limit" (Push's Trancendental Rmx) (8:26)
- "No Limit" (Moon Project Remix) (7:43)
- "No Limit" (Razzor and Guido Remix Dub) (10:38)
12" single
- "No Limit" (Starfighter Remix) (7:55)
- "No Limit" (Razor and Guido Dub) (10:38)
- "No Limit" (Push's Trancendental Remix) (8:26)
- "No Limit" (Moon Project Remix) (7:43)
No Limit 2.3
"2.3 remixes" | ||||
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Single by 2 Unlimited | ||||
Released | 2003 | |||
Label | Byte | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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2 Unlimited singles chronology | ||||
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"No Limit 2.3" peaked number 41 in the German Top 100 Singles chart.[53]
CD single
- "No Limit 2.3" (Master Blaster Radio Edit) (3:12)
- "No Limit 2.3" (Master Blaster Remix) (5:25)
- "No Limit 2.3" (DJ Digress Hamburg Style Remix) (7:23)
- "No Limit 2.3" (DJ Sputnik Remix) (6:54)
- "No Limit 2.3" (Original Extended Mix) (5:42)
12" single
- "No Limit 2.3" (Master Blaster Remix) (5:25)
- "No Limit 2.3" (Marco De Jonge Club Mix) (5:38)
- "No Limit 2.3" (DJ Digress Hamburg Style Remix) (7:25)
- "No Limit 2.3" (Original Extended Mix) (5:40)
Irene Moors and de Smurfen cover
A Dutch cover version by Irene Moors en de Smurfen topped the Dutch charts for six weeks in 1995.
Standard CD single
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CD maxi-single
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beFour cover
"No Limit" | ||||
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Single by beFour | ||||
from the album Friends 4 Ever | ||||
Released | January 2009 | |||
Recorded | 2009 | |||
Label | Universal | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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BeFour singles chronology | ||||
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"No Limit" was covered by German band beFour on their fourth studio album Friends 4 Ever, and as a single in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The song entered the German Singles Chart in January 2009.
Track listings
CD maxi
- "No Limit" (Single version) (3:25)
- "No Limit" (Remix) (3:41)
- "All Around The Planet" (3:53)
- "No Limit" (Video) (3:25)
Digital download
- "No Limit" (Single version) (3:25)
- "No Limit" (Remix) (3:41)
- "All Around The Planet" (3:53)
Charts
Charts (2009) | Peak position |
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Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[59] | 13 |
Germany (Official German Charts)[60] | 21 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[61] | 29 |
See also
- List of number-one hits of 1993 (Austria)
- List of Dutch Top 40 number-one singles of 1993
- List of European number-one hits of 1993
- List of number-one singles of 1993 (France)
- List of number-one singles of 1993 (Ireland)
- List of number-one songs in Norway
- List of number-one singles of 1993 (Spain)
- List of number-one singles and albums in Sweden
- List of number-one singles of the 1990s (Switzerland)
- List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1990s
References
- "Whatever happened to: 2 Unlimited". Archived from the original on 28 October 2014.. AltSounds. 27 July 2011.
- "Pump up the Jam revives the 90s". Meath Chronicle. 10 February 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
the eurodance cheese of 2 Unlimited's "No Limit"
- Bush, John. "Push It! Classic Party & Dance Tracks". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
- Flick, Larry (27 March 1993). "Single Reviews > Pop" (PDF). Billboard. p. 82.
- Stopera, Matt; Galindo, Brian (11 March 2017). "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
- Ewing, Tom (25 November 2011). "2 UNLIMITED – "No Limit"". Freaky Trigger. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
- Reinholdt, Per (1 June 1993). "2 Unlimited: No Limits". Gaffa (in Danish). p. 24. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- "2 Unlimited". Irish Independent. 13 February 2009. p. 67.
- Lee, Johnny (20 January 1993). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 49. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
- "Crazy Dog". Woroni. 1 February 1993. pp. 26–27. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- "Music". Woroni. 1 September 1993. p. 35. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- Clark, Graham (6 August 2015). "Album Review: No Limits Compilation". The Yorkshire Times. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "2 Unlimited – No Limit (Rap Version) (Official Music Video)". YouTube. 26 July 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
- "Australian-charts.com – 2 Unlimited – No Limit". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Austriancharts.at – 2 Unlimited – No Limit" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Ultratop.be – 2 Unlimited – No Limit" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 1751." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
- "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10 no. 15. 10 April 1993. p. 24. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
- "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 105 no. 19. 8 May 1993. p. 41. ISSN 0006-2510.
- Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
- "Lescharts.com – 2 Unlimited – No Limit" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – 2 Unlimited – No Limit". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10 no. 11. 13 March 1993. p. 24.
- "Íslenski Listinn: Topp 40: Vikan 2. – 8. April" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir. 1 April 1993. p. 29. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
- "The Irish Charts – Search Results – No Limit". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 105 no. 11. 13 March 1993. p. 60. ISSN 0006-2510.
- "Nederlandse Top 40 – 2 Unlimited - No Limit" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – 2 Unlimited – No Limit" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Charts.nz – 2 Unlimited – No Limit". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Norwegiancharts.com – 2 Unlimited – No Limit". VG-lista. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Swedishcharts.com – 2 Unlimited – No Limit". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Swisscharts.com – 2 Unlimited – No Limit". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "2 Unlimited – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- Kimberley, Chris (2000). Zimbabwe : Zimbabwe Singles Chart Book. Harare.
- "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Singles 1993". ARIA Charts. ARIA. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Jahreshitparade 1993" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Jaaroverzichten 1993" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "The RPM Top 50 Dance Tracks of 1993". RPM. Vol. 58 no. 23. 18 December 1993. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
- "1993 Year-End Sales Charts" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10 no. 51/52. 18 December 1993. p. 15. Retrieved 18 November 2019.
- "Jahrescharts – 1993". Offiziellecharts.de (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Archived from the original on 9 May 2015.
- "Árslistinn 1993". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 4 January 1994. pp. 16–17. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1993" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1993" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1994" (in German). Hitparade.ch. Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Australian Fun Countdowns – Accreditation Awards". Australian Fun Countdowns. 7 April 2011. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Austrian single certifications – 2 Unlimited – No Limit" (in German). IFPI Austria.
- "French single certifications – 2 Unlimited – No Limit" (in French). InfoDisc. Select 2 UNLIMITED and click OK.
- "Les Singles / Titres Certifiés "Or"" (in French). InfoDisc. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
- "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (2 Unlimited; 'No Limit')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
- "Dutch single certifications – 2 Unlimited – No Limit" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Enter No Limit in the "Artiest of titel" box.
- "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (2 Unlimited; 'No Limit')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
- "Single – 2 Unlimited, No Limit 2.3". Officialcharts.de. GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
- "Ultratop.be – Irene Moors & De Smurfen – No Limit" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Nederlandse Top 40 – Irene Moors De Smurfen - No Limit" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – Irene Moors & De Smurfen – No Limit" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1995" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1995" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Austriancharts.at – beFour – No Limit" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – beFour – No Limit". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- "Swisscharts.com – beFour – No Limit". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved 24 January 2014.