"Shake It" is a song by American pop rock band Metro Station, released as the third single (and debut British single) from their 2007 self-titled debut studio album. "Shake It" was the band's first charting single, peaking at number ten on the US Billboard Hot 100. Outside of the United States, "Shake It" peaked within the top ten of the charts in Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The single was certified Gold by the RIAA on June 13, 2008, and later Platinum that year, until finally reaching 2× Platinum status at the end of January 2009. The song has sold over 1.2 million copies in the US and over 4 million copies worldwide.

Composition

"Shake It" was written in the key of E major, but Metro Station played the song in D major for live performances.

Critical reception

"Shake It" was generally well received by music critics. Nick Levine of Digital Spy stated, "everything about this track - the fairly standard verses, the weedy vocals, the rather tedious lyrics - is passable at best. Except, crucially, for the chorus, which is big, chanty and as easy to resist as a Krispy Kreme donut being dangled down on a rope in front of your PC." Bill Lamb of About.com noted how the track "has a distinctly 80's pop vibe with a bass and keyboard foundation strongly reminiscent of the Cars. The sound of the vocals here drips the possibility of salacious intent, courtesy of Trace Cyrus, but ultimately the lyrics themselves are filled with rather silly schoolboy come-ons. Despite a certain immaturity in the words, the sound itself is likely to lure you out on to the dancefloor." Seventeen Magazine called the track, "the perfect summer fun tune." AltSounds stated that the track, "gets in your head ridiculously easily." The song has garnered over 110 million streams on Spotify.

Music video

The music video for the song "Shake It" was inspired by fans who created their own versions of the video, 63 of which the band posted as a playlist on the band's YouTube account. The band has commented that the final product was based on the cult film The Warriors, with rival dance crews in place of gangs. MTV calls the video, "the musical equivalent of Snakes on a Plane." The video features the four band members as they enter the Los Angeles Theatre. Once inside the theatre, the band performs the song while various dancers compete against each other around the band members. Cameos are made by online celebrity Jeffree Star and vocalist/guitarist Trace Cyrus' ex-girlfriend Hanna Beth as audience members watching the dancers perform. The video ends with the band and everyone else being forced to exit the theatre by the police.

Awards and nominations

Accolades

Track listings

Digital single CD single UK CD single Digital Remix single

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Decade-end charts

Certifications

Release history

Use in media