Dance Apocalyptic

"Dance Apocalyptic"
"Dance Apocalyptic"
Single by Janelle Monáe
from the album The Electric Lady
Released	July 2, 2013
Genre	Dance-pop; new wave; rock; doo-wop; Motown; hip-hop;
Length	3:26
Label	Wondaland Arts Society; Bad Boy; Atlantic;
Songwriters	Janelle Monáe; Charles Joseph II; Nathaniel Irvin III;
Producers	Wonder; Lightning; Monáe;
Janelle Monáe singles chronology
Music video
	"Dance Apocalyptic" on YouTube

"Dance Apocalyptic" is a song by Janelle Monáe, issued as the second single from her second studio album, The Electric Lady. The song was co-written with Charles Joseph II and Nathaniel Irvin III, and Monae, Chuck Lightning and Nate "Rocket" Wonder providing production. "Dance Apocalyptic" is a dance-pop song with elements of hip-hop, doo-wop, rock, Motown, and new wave. The song is built on kick-drums, keyboards, an electric guitar, scratching and synthesizers. Lyrically, the song is about dancing and liberation.

"Dance Apocalyptic" received widespread positive reviews, with critics noting its catchiness and feel-good lyrics.

Composition and lyrics

"Dance Apocalyptic" is a dance-pop,^[3] new wave rock,^[4] doo-wop, Motown and hip-hop song.^[5]

Reception

Keith Murphy of Vibe praised the song, calling it an "infectious rave-up" and "the soundtrack to endless summer cookouts".^[6]

Music video

The music video was directed by Wendy Morgan.^[7] The video features Janelle performing in a vintage style club accompanied by a band wearing black and white. in the midpoint of the video, there is a interruption where a news reporter (played by Janelle) reports on an Apocalypse, similar to the one described in Book of Revelation, with locusts, fires, earthquakes, and the raising of the dead. The video then returns back to Janelle performing as her band destroys their instruments. The video ends with a gang of bikers taking Janelle and her band away. ^[8]

Live performances

On September 9, 2013, Monáe performed the song on the Late Show with David Letterman.^[9] She then performed the song (along with "Electric Lady") on Saturday Night Live on October 26.^[10]

Track listing

Dance Apocalyptic Remixes ^[11]
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Dance Apocalyptic" (Chocolate Puma Remix)	5:32
2.	"Dance Apocalyptic" (Olugbenga Edit)	4:09

Charts

Chart (2013)	Peak position
Japan (Japan Hot 100) (Billboard)^[12]	83

References

^ "Amazon.com: Dance Apocalyptic: Janelle Monáe: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
^ "The Electric Lady - Janelle Monáe - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". Allmusic. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
^ Widianto, Stanley (May 18, 2018). "Album Review: 'Dirty Computer' by Janelle Monáe". The Jakarta Post. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020. ...from the dance-pop of "Dance Apocalyptic"...
^ Kot, Greg (October 21, 2014). "Janelle Monae: Science fiction in African-American pop". BBC. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
^ Rosen, Jody (September 5, 2013). "Rosen on Janelle Monáe's The Electric Lady: An Intermittingly Thrilling Failure". Vulture. Archived from the original on April 20, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
^ Murphy, Keith. "Review: Janelle Monáe's 'Dance Apocalyptic' Is Weird, Genre-Bending Fun - Vibe". Vibe. Archived from the original on March 20, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
^ Martins, Chris. "Janelle Monae Boogies While the World Burns in 'Dance Apocalyptic' Video - SPIN - Videos". Spin. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
^ Janelle Monáe (2013-07-02). Janelle Monáe - Dance Apocalyptic [Official Video]. Retrieved 2025-05-13 – via YouTube.
^ "Janelle Monáe Performs "Dance Apocalyptic" On David Letterman's Desk Okayplayer". Okayplayer. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
^ Navaroli, Joel. "SNL Archives - Episodes - 10.26.2013 #9". SNL Archives. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
^ "Janelle Monáe - Dance Apocalyptic Remixes". Spotify. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
^ "Janelle Monáe Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-10-12.

External links

"Dance Apocalyptic" Music video on YouTube

[amazon-1] "Amazon.com: Dance Apocalyptic: Janelle Monáe: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.com. Retrieved March 19, 2014.

[allmusic-2] "The Electric Lady - Janelle Monáe - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". Allmusic. Retrieved March 19, 2014.

[3] Widianto, Stanley (May 18, 2018). "Album Review: 'Dirty Computer' by Janelle Monáe". The Jakarta Post. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020. ...from the dance-pop of "Dance Apocalyptic"...

[4] Kot, Greg (October 21, 2014). "Janelle Monae: Science fiction in African-American pop". BBC. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.

[5] Rosen, Jody (September 5, 2013). "Rosen on Janelle Monáe's The Electric Lady: An Intermittingly Thrilling Failure". Vulture. Archived from the original on April 20, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020.

[vibe-6] Murphy, Keith. "Review: Janelle Monáe's 'Dance Apocalyptic' Is Weird, Genre-Bending Fun - Vibe". Vibe. Archived from the original on March 20, 2014. Retrieved March 19, 2014.

[spin-7] Martins, Chris. "Janelle Monae Boogies While the World Burns in 'Dance Apocalyptic' Video - SPIN - Videos". Spin. Retrieved March 19, 2014.

[8] Janelle Monáe (2013-07-02). Janelle Monáe - Dance Apocalyptic [Official Video]. Retrieved 2025-05-13 – via YouTube.

[okayplayer-9] "Janelle Monáe Performs "Dance Apocalyptic" On David Letterman's Desk Okayplayer". Okayplayer. Retrieved March 19, 2014.

[snlarc-10] Navaroli, Joel. "SNL Archives - Episodes - 10.26.2013 #9". SNL Archives. Retrieved March 19, 2014.

[Spotify_remixes-11] "Janelle Monáe - Dance Apocalyptic Remixes". Spotify. Retrieved March 22, 2021.

[sc_Billboardjapanhot100_Janelle_Monáe-12] "Janelle Monáe Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-10-12.

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v t e Janelle Monáe
Awards and nominations Discography
Studio albums	The ArchAndroid The Electric Lady Dirty Computer The Age of Pleasure
Other releases	The Audition Metropolis: The Chase Suite
Songs	"Many Moons" "Come Alive (The War of the Roses)" "Tightrope" "Cold War" "Q.U.E.E.N." "Dance Apocalyptic" "PrimeTime" "Electric Lady" "Yoga" "Hell You Talmbout" "Make Me Feel" "Django Jane" "Pynk" "I Like That"
Collaborations	"We Are Young" "Special Education"
Related topics	Wondaland Presents: The Eephus Dirty Computer (film) The Memory Librarian: And Other Stories of Dirty Computer Hooligans in Wondaland Tour (with Bruno Mars)

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