Wikipedia

Dragostea din tei

(Redirected from Numai Numai)
For the viral video that uses the song, see Numa Numa (video).

"Dragostea din tei"[B] (pronounced [ˈdraɡoste̯a din ˈtej] ⓘ; Romanian: "The Love from the Linden Tree"[7]) is a song recorded by Moldovan group O-Zone, released in Romania around June 2003[A] by Media Services as the lead single from their third studio album DiscO-Zone (2003). It was written by the band's founder Dan Balan and produced by Bogdan Popoiag [ro]. A 1980s-inspired track blending dance-pop, Eurodance, Eurodisco, Europop and synth-pop, "Dragostea din tei" is performed in Romanian. According to Balan, the lyrics reference sexual encounters beneath trees, although critics have alternatively interpreted them as nonsensical or depicting a phone conversation with a romantic interest. The song incorporates humorous elements and is particularly noted for its prominent yodeling motif.

"Dragostea din tei"
Cartoon-style illustrated cover of O‑Zone's "Dragostea din tei", showing the three band members in front of an airplane interior. Arsenie Todiraș (left) and Dan Bălan (middle) wear glasses and black-and-white outfits, while Radu Sîrbu (right) sports a yellow shirt.
One of multiple covers used for the song
Single by O-Zone
from the album DiscO-Zone
LanguageRomanian
ReleasedJune 2003[A]
RecordedApril 2003
StudioMOF Records studio (Bucharest, Romania)
Genre
Length3:33
LabelMedia Services
Songwriter(s)Dan Balan
Producer(s)Bogdan Popoiag [ro]
O-Zone singles chronology
"Despre tine"
(2002) 		"Dragostea din tei"
(2003) 		"Despre tine"
(2004;
re-release)
Music video
"Dragostea din tei" on YouTube

Critics described the song's melody and rhythm as catchy and thought it had a universal appeal despite the language barrier for non-Romanian-speaking audiences. At the 2005 Echo Music Prize ceremony in Germany, "Dragostea din tei" was awarded Single of the Year. Commercially, the song first topped the Romanian Top 100 in late 2003 before attaining international success throughout 2004 and 2005, reaching number one in Austria, Wallonia, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Switzerland―something unprecedented for a track in Romanian. It was certified diamond by France's Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique (SNEP) and quadruple million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). By October 2007, it had sold over 12 million copies worldwide.

Multiple observers have credited the song's international breakthrough to a dance cover released in December 2003 by Italy-based Romanian singer Haiducii through Universo. Her version topped the Italian singles chart in early 2004 and later reached number one in Austria and Sweden. Haiducii's rendition competed with O-Zone's original in several markets, sometimes preceding or even outperforming it on regional charts. A controversy emerged when Balan claimed the cover had been released without his authorization. The original "Dragostea din tei" gained further visibility through a Japanese animated video that circulated online, which later inspired American amateur vlogger Gary Brolsma to use the song in his viral video Numa Numa Dance in December 2004. In the clip, Brolsma cheerfully lip-synchs and dances to "Dragostea din tei" while seated at his computer. The video became one of the most-watched Internet clips of all time and emerged as an early predecessor to the modern Internet meme, solidifying the song's status as a meme itself.

The music video for "Dragostea din tei," directed by Dmitri Voloshin, features the members of O-Zone in the cockpit of an airplane, performing the song both inside the aircraft and atop its wings. To promote the single, the group embarked on live performances across Europe, Russia, and Japan. In the United States, Balan appeared on Today to perform "Ma Ya Hi",[C] an English-language version of the song released exclusively in that market in collaboration with American musician Lucas Prata. Over the years, "Dragostea din tei" has been referenced in numerous other works, achieving varied levels of commercial success. In 2008, American rapper T.I. and Barbadian singer Rihanna sampled and interpolated it in their song "Live Your Life", which topped the North American and British charts. "Dragostea din tei" was later also interpolated in French DJ David Guetta and American band OneRepublic's successful 2024 single "I Don't Wanna Wait". Additionally, it has been featured in several films, including Chicken Little (2005) and Happy Feet Two (2011).

Background

edit
 
 
 
From left to right: O-Zone members Dan Balan, Radu Sîrbu (both pictured in 2009) and Arsenie Todiraș (pictured in 2006). Internal tensions within the band reportedly intensified following the recording of their third studio album, DiscO-Zone, in 2003—which included "Dragostea din tei"—leading to an initial agreement between the members to disband upon the completion of the album's promotional cycle.[8]

O-Zone was a Moldovan Eurodance group formed in 1999 by Dan Balan.[9] The original lineup included Balan and Petru Jelihovschi, both of whom had previously performed in the gothic and doom metal band Inferialis during the 1990s. Seeking a more commercially viable sound, the duo released O-Zone's debut studio album Dar, unde ești... later in 1999. The album found success in Moldova, however, Jelihovschi subsequently departed the project to pursue a career in television.[10]

In 2001,[9] Balan cast two new members—Radu Sîrbu and Arsenie Todiraș—and, in 2002, relocated the group to neighboring Romania in search of a larger music market.[11] The move was facilitated by the absence of a language barrier, as Romanian is spoken in both countries.[12] Moldova had been part of Romania until World War II, and its population remains Romanian to a significant extent, fostering a sense of unity between the two countries.[13] O-Zone achieved their first major success in Romania with the single "Despre tine", which reached number one on the Romanian Top 100 in February 2003.[14]

Throughout 2003, O-Zone recorded their third studio album, DiscO-Zone (2003), at MOF Records studio in Bucharest. Recording sessions held in April, with assistance from Bogdan Popoiag [ro], yielded the follow-up single "Dragostea din tei",[15] which was released in Romania later that year.[16] According to Balan, these were the group's final recordings, as internal tensions had begun to escalate―both among the members and with their management. Disputes reportedly centered on the authorship and ownership of the O-Zone brand, as well as the group's future direction. Despite these conflicts, Balan stated that the band ultimately agreed to delay their disbandment until the promotional cycle for DiscO-Zone was completed and contractual obligations to their record label fulfilled.[8]

Media outlets later reported that O-Zone had initially planned to disband as early as December 2003 to pursue solo careers. Solo renditions of "Dragostea din tei" were allegedly recorded during this period, anticipating the group's separation. However, the Italian commercial success of a cover released by Romanian singer Haiducii around that time reportedly led their label to postpone those plans.[17] O-Zone's official disbandment was eventually announced in January 2005, at a time when the group remained at the height of their international popularity.[18]

Writing and authorship dispute

edit

"Dragostea din tei" was written and composed by Balan, while Popoiag produced and mastered it.[15] Balan worked on the song for two months, with particular emphasis on refining the refrain. The track was originally intended to be titled "Luna mai" (Romanian: "The Month of May"), which is the origin of the "Ma-ia-hii, Ma-ia-huu, Ma-ia-hoo, Ma-ia-haha"[D] sequence featured throughout the song. Balan also stated that he had not encountered the phrase "Dragostea din tei" prior to composing the track.[20]

In September 2004, Popoiag filed a lawsuit against Balan and Media Services—the label that had signed O-Zone—at the Bucharest Court [ro], alleging that he had not been credited for his purported role as a co-composer of "Dragostea din tei".[21] In response, Balan filed a countersuit for defamation.[22] During the trial, Todiraș and Sîrbu reportedly testified in Balan's defense.[23] The court ultimately ruled in Balan's favor in February 2005, ordering Popoiag to pay 60 million ROL[E] after he failed to provide sufficient evidence for his claims. Following the verdict, Balan announced that he would donate the awarded sum to the winner of a songwriting competition.[25]

Release

edit
 
An English language-version of the song, titled "Ma Ya Hi", was released in the United States in 2004 and features American musician Lucas Prata (pictured in 2006).[26]

"Dragostea din tei" was first released as the lead single from O-Zone's album DiscO-Zone in Romania by local label Media Services.[27] While the precise release date remains unclear, the track debuted on the Romanian Top 100 chart in June 2003, suggesting that it had received radio airplay by that time.[1] Mentions of the song in Romanian media date back to at least July 2003,[16] and its copyright was officially registered in the region [ro] in August of that year.[28] A Romanian CD release followed in 2003 through Cat Music, which also included the music videos for the group's earlier singles "Numai tu" and "Despre tine".[29]

Following its release in Romania, "Dragostea din tei" was licensed to the Italian label Time Records on 29 January 2004 as part of a deal signed by Media Services valued at nearly €100,000.[30] This agreement enabled Time Records―who had reportedly become interested in O-Zone through the popularity of Haiducii's cover in Italy[8]―to subsequently authorize a number of other European labels to distribute the track.[31] Another label considered for the same distribution role was Hit Mania, which, according to Tudor Horațiu of Jurnalul Național, was a British imprint of Universo, the label managing Haiducii. Had a contract been signed, Hit Mania allegedly planned to block the release of O-Zone's original version in the Italian market.[32]

Over the course of 2004, the song received physical releases in several countries, including France,[33] Germany,[34] Italy,[35] the Netherlands,[36] Spain,[37] and the United Kingdom.[38] According to Todiraș, however, international radio stations had begun playing the track prior to its official release.[13] "Dragostea din tei" was also included as the B-side to select international editions of the single "Despre tine", which was reissued in 2004.[39] On 22 June 2004, "Dragostea din tei" was made available for digital download in the United States by Media Services under the title "Mai Ai Hee (Dragostea din tei)".[3] In 2005, a CD of the track was issued in Japan by Avex Trax under the localized title "恋のマイアヒ" ("Koi no maiahi"; "Maiahi of Love").[5]

English-language version

edit

"Ma Ya Hi",[C] an English-language adaptation of the song performed by Balan and American musician Lucas Prata, was first included on American DJ Denny Tsettos' compilation album Club Anthems, Vol. 1, released on 7 September 2004 by Ultra Records.[42] Also in 2004, the label issued two 12-inch vinyl editions of the song in the United States.[43] One of these releases further included the Valentin Remix[F] of "Ma Ya Hi".[41] The English version was recorded in Milan, Italy, and co-written by Balan and Prata.[46] Media reports at the time suggested that the project may have led to internal friction within the band since it only featured Balan from O-Zone.[47] In a 2013 interview, Balan recalled feeling vilified by the press, stating he had been portrayed as the one responsible for breaking up O-Zone in order to pursue a solo career.[8] The Valentin Remix of "Ma Ya Hi" later appeared on the North American edition of DiscO-Zone and was serviced to radio stations there in early 2005.[48] It was also included on Prata's studio album Let's Get It On (2006).[45]

Composition and lyrics

edit
 
"Dragostea din tei"
A 23-second sample of "Dragostea din tei", showcasing its prominent yodeling sequence,[49] and the use of the words "nu mă, nu mă iei" (Romanian: "won't, won't take me") in the refrain, which have led the track to also be known as the "Numa Numa Song".[50]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Dragostea din tei" is a 1980s-inspired[51] dance-pop,[52] Eurodance,[12] Eurodisco,[53] Europop,[54] and synth-pop track,[55] characterized by its use of synthesized bass and what Rolling Stone Australia described as "robotic stop-start rhythms".[56] Billboard staff have categorized "Dragostea din tei" as a novelty song,[57] while Der Spiegel's Ulf Lippitz described it as "trash-pop" and Balan himself as "funny pop".[58] Composed in the key of A minor, the track maintains a tempo of 130 beats per minute (BPM) and follows a chord progression of F-C-G-Am.[59] Sung entirely in Romanian, the song references the "tei" (English: linden tree), a motif frequently employed in Romanian literature.[60] According to Balan, the linden tree symbolizes romanticism and the essence of summertime.[61] Notably, the pronunciation of the song's title is ambiguous, leading select listeners to mishear it as "Dragostea dintâi" ("First love").[62]

While Balan has claimed that the lyrics allude to sexual encounters beneath trees, various critics and publications have interpreted them as nonsensical.[63] Douglas Wolk of The Believer described the lyrics as "nonspecific", elaborating that they appear to capture one half of a phone conversation with a romantic partner.[64] A Radio Eska editor added that the lyrical subject seems to seek the affection of their love interest, though the unilateral nature of the dialogue leaves it ambiguous whether those efforts succeed.[65] The act of "beeping"―a term often referring to missed calls as a form of communication―is also mentioned throughout the lyrics, which Rivista Studio [it]'s Pietro Minto described as emblematic of adolescent life in the early 2000s.[66] The lyrics also see O-Zone referring to themselves as hajduks―a term for Balkan outlaws—and invoking the name of Pablo Picasso.[67] In the English version, "hajduk" is rendered as "duke", while the Picasso reference is expanded with lines such as: "I will paint my words of love / With your name on every wall."[26]

The sequence "Ma-ia-hii, Ma-ia-huu, Ma-ia-hoo, Ma-ia-haha" is prominently yodeled at the beginning and during the track.[68] Lippitz likened Balan's vocal delivery in the song to traditional Romanian folk singing, considering this an element through which the track connected folkloristic with international sounds.[69] In the refrain, the line "nu mă, nu mă iei" (Romanian: "you won't, you won't take me") is repeated as the lyrical subject details their romantic interest wanting to leave them;[70] this has been misheard as "numa numa yay" by non-Romanian audiences, prompting "Dragostea din tei" to also be popularly known as the "Numa Numa Song".[71] In the English-language version, this sequence is replaced by "Oo-aa-oo-aa-ay", a change that Wolk criticized for lacking the "baby-talk singability" of the original.[64]

Critical reception and analysis

edit

Music critics have described "Dragostea din tei" as catchy and straightforward.[72] The Believer's Wolk wrote that "[t]here's scarcely a second without some extraordinary hook",[64] and Hugh Morris of The Calvert Journal described them as "bright" and as the song's defining strength, observing “not one but two choruses” in the "nu mă, nu mă iei" and yodelled sequences.[19] While The Guardian's Alexis Petridis remarked that the track "wobbles unsteadily along the line that separates catchy from infuriating",[73] Lauren Murphy of Entertainment.ie conceded its infectious quality, but deemed it "terrible".[74] laut.de's Alexander Cordas described "Dragostea din tei" as "unpretentious" and characterized it as "simple light music".[75] Dana Dorian of Jurnalul Național echoed this sentiment, calling the composition "puerile and very predictable", suggesting it was designed to appeal to a wide, multilingual audience. She further critiqued the vocal performance as unpolished and lacking technical skill, but concluded that a more sophisticated delivery was unnecessary for the track.[51]

The song's lyrics also drew critical attention, particularly for their perceived nonsensical nature. While Libertatea's Petre Dobrescu criticized this aspect, comparing it unfavorably to the band's other work,[16] Harald Peters of Die Tageszeitung argued that such lyrical absurdity linked "Dragostea din tei" to other international hits like "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" (2002) by Spanish group Las Ketchup.[76] Other commentators suggested that the Romanian lyrics posed no barrier to success, emphasizing that the song's melody and rhythm had a universal appeal and accessibility that transcended language.[77] Wolk summarized the song's accessibility by describing its chorus as "as big as an abandoned government building", one that "huge legions of drunk people [could] sing easily [to]".[64]

Some critics positioned "Dragostea din tei" within a broader trend of music from Eastern Bloc countries gaining popularity across Europe at that time. Artists such as Russian duo t.A.T.u. and Ukrainian singer Ruslana were similarly cited as part of this cultural wave.[78] Lippitz of Der Spiegel attributed this phenomenon in part to the 2004 enlargement of the European Union, which facilitated increased exposure to Western media and trends in Eastern Europe.[69] Others compared the song to works by artists like Austrian singer DJ Ötzi,[75] Swiss musician DJ BoBo's "Chihuahua" (2003),[79] and Finnish band Ultra Bra's "Sinä lähdit pois" (1997).[12]

Accolades

edit
Awards and nominations received by "Dragostea din tei"
Ceremony Year Award Result Notes Ref.
MTV Romania Music Awards
2004
 Best Single Nominated
[80]
Echo Music Prize
2005
 Single of the Year Won O-Zone attended the awards ceremony in Berlin
on 2 April 2005 to accept the prize, despite having
disbanded earlier that year.
[81]
Russian Music Industry Awards [ru] Foreign Radio Hit Nominated
[82]
Ringtone of the Year

Commercial performance

edit

"Dragostea din tei" was a commercial success. As of October 2007, it had sold over 12 million copies worldwide.[83] With the majority of its sales in physical format, it is notably the only song from the 21st century to sell over 10 million copies.[84] Among several other achievements, it became the third-most successful single of the 2000s in Germany,[85] and at one point, it was also the best-selling digital single in Japan with four million units sold, before being surpassed by Japanese-American singer Hikaru Utada "Flavor of Life" in 2007.[86] In a 2004 interview on Observator [ro], Balan attributed the international success of "Dragostea din tei" to its cheerful nature, which he saw as a stark contrast to the melancholic R&B tracks that dominated popular music at the time.[20]

Initial 2003 success in Romania and international recognition in 2004

edit
For the role of Haiducii's cover, see § Dispute over legality and impact on the original version.

 
At one point, five versions of the song were present in the French top 20, including a cover by Romanian singer Haiducii (pictured in 2025).[87]

The song first achieved commercial success in Romania. It debuted at number 87 on the Romanian Top 100 in June 2003,[1] eventually reaching number one and holding that position for three consecutive weeks in September 2003.[88] It was the group's second Romanian chart-topper following "Despre tine" earlier that year.[14] By April 2004, "Dragostea din tei" had sold over 250,000 copies in Romania.[79]

The song began gaining traction internationally in early 2004. In March, it reached number 17 on the Italian singles chart,[89] and the following month debuted at number one in Spain―the first market outside Romania to provide radio support. It returned to the top position in Spain twice more during May and June 2004.[90] In April, "Dragostea din tei" topped the French singles chart and maintained the number-one position for 15 consecutive weeks.[91] At one point, five different versions of the song appeared simultaneously in France's top 20: O-Zone's original, Haiducii's cover, and three parodies―"Ma cé ki? Massimo" by Italian media figure Massimo Gargia [fr], "Le poulailler" by French radio programme Le 6–9 [fr], and "Argent-Argent" by French television host Cauet and Mopral.[87] "Dragostea din tei" was eventually certified diamond by the Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique (SNEP).[92]

By June 2004, the song had shipped approximately 500,000 copies across Europe.[31] From June to August, it continued to impact charts in multiple territories. It reached number one in all DACH countries, maintaining that position for 14 weeks in Germany and Switzerland,[93] and for 13 weeks in Austria.[94] In Germany, it received a double platinum certification from Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI).[95] The song also topped the Dutch Single Top 100,[96] and achieved success in the Nordic countries, reaching number one in Norway and Denmark,[97] number two in Finland, and number three in Sweden.[98]

On Billboard's European Hot 100 Singles chart, "Dragostea din tei" spent 12 weeks at number one,[99] at one point being followed by Haiducii's version at number two and "Le poulailler" at number 18.[100] In the British Isles, the song reached number one in Ireland,[101] number two in Scotland, and number three in the United Kingdom.[102] A remixed version titled "Unu' in the Dub Mix" peaked at number nine on the radio airplay chart in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).[103] Around September 2004, "Dragostea din tei" appeared on multiple charts monitoring the most frequently played tracks by DJs across Canada, including in the region of Quebec.[26] The song topped the 2004 year-end charts in Austria,[104] France,[105] Germany,[106] Netherlands and Switzerland,[107] and ranked number one on the year-end list of the European Hot 100 Singles chart.[108]

Continued success in the United States and Japan in 2005

edit

In the United States, the Valentin Remix of the Lucas Prata version of the song peaked at number 14 on Billboard's Dance Airplay chart at the end of August 2004, however its broader crossover came in March 2005, when it reached number 16 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100, number 69 on the Digital Songs chart, and number 72 on the Pop 100.[109] By that time, the song had sold over 32,000 digital downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan,[44] and it was later certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[110]

In his book The Click Moment: Seizing Opportunity in an Unpredictable World, author Frans Johansson remarked that the track received minimal radio support in the United States due to its introduction to the North American market at a time when techno-driven club music was declining in popularity, with radio dominated by R&B and hip-hop.[111] A Billboard article from March 2005 cited radio station WKTU as an example of local broadcasters reluctant to play the track, viewing it as "too novelty" for mainstream audiences, especially in the wake of the viral Numa Numa Dance video.[44] In Japan, the original version of "Dragostea din tei" peaked at number 72 on the Oricon Singles Chart in June 2005.[112] The song was certified quadruple million, platinum, and gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) across various formats.[113]

Virality

edit

On the Japanese Internet

edit
 
 
American vlogger Gary Brolsma (left; pictured in 2006) used "Dragostea din tei" in his viral video Numa Numa Dance. He had come across the song through a Japanese clip that paired it with animations of what resembles the cat figure Monā (right).[64]

In Japan, an anonymous user known as Ikari created an animated video using "Dragostea din tei", featuring a character resembling Monā, a popular Shift_JIS art cat frequently illustrated by users of the Japanese textboard 2channel. The video purposefully misinterprets the Romanian lyrics as English or Japanese phrases, accompanied by corresponding visuals. For instance, "salut" (Romanian: "hello") is visually paired with a monkey (Japanese: "saru"), "fericirea" (Romanian: "happiness") is misheard as "panchira" (Japanese: "looking up a skirt"), and "nu mă, nu mă iei" becomes "noma, noma, yay" (Japanese: "drink, drink, yay"). The clip gained popularity online and inspired a wave of similarly styled videos from users around the world. In response to its success, O-Zone's Japanese label Avex Trax released merchandise based on the video's central figure, branding it as the "Noma neko" ("Noma Cat").[64]

Numa Numa Dance

edit
Main article: Numa Numa (video)

Reportedly discovering the song through Ikari's video, American amateur vlogger Gary Brolsma created a lip-sync video to "Dragostea din tei" titled Numa Numa Dance, which he uploaded to the website Newgrounds on 6 December 2004. The video shows Brolsma seated at his computer, cheerfully singing and dancing along to the song.[114] Wren Graves of Consequence characterized Brolsma's performance as marked by "sly humor" and "full commitment". He noticed the use of expressive gestures—such as a "perfectly timed raised eyebrow" and fist pumps thrown overhead—as key elements that contributed to the video's animated quality.[55]

The video quickly went viral, reportedly amassing over 700 million views by November 2006,[115] giving Brolsma mainstream media coverage and sparking numerous parodies and remakes.[114] In their essay Memes as genre: A structurational analysis of the memescape, scholars Bradley E. Wiggins and G. Bret Bowers identified Numa Numa Dance as an early prototype of user-generated content and modern Internet memes, before the latter were commonly used in Internet culture. Wiggins and Bowers further positioned it as a point of transition from passive to participatory culture, where content is not solely consumed, but invites response.[116] Numa Numa Dance remains one of the most-viewed Internet videos of all time,[117] and helped to establish "Dragostea din tei" as a meme itself.[114] The Believer's Wolk referred to the phenomenon as "numanumamania", and wrote that Brolsma's video functioned as more effective promotion for "Dragostea din tei" than any marketing efforts a record label could have financed.[64] Similarly, Michael Paoletta, writing for Billboard, credited Numa Numa Dance with playing a key role in increasing the song's visibility in the United States.[44]

Promotion

edit

Marketing

edit

Distinct marketing strategies were developed to promote "Dragostea din tei" across various regions, with Time Records' then–international manager Monica Marcangeli highlighting Balan's involvement in this process during a 2013 interview.[8] In France, the track was aided by an advertising campaign across television and radio.[79] A similar promotional effort took place in Germany, where the song was publicized during halftime segments at football matches and through a collaboration with travel agencies.[40] Additionally, the German CD single was accompanied by a promotional contest in which purchasers could win a German–Romanian dictionary, enabling them to translate and understand the song's lyrics.[118] Johannson attributed the modest performance of "Dragostea din tei" in the United States to the limited promotional capabilities of Ultra Records, stating that the label lacked the necessary expertise and resources to promote it effectively. According to him, disappointing sales and minimal radio support eventually led the label to cancel the track's promotional campaign.[111]

Music video

edit
 
O-Zone are seen performing what Balan has described as a traditional Moldovan dance atop the wings of an airplane in the music video.[119]

An accompanying music video for "Dragostea din tei", directed and animated by Dmitri Voloshin,[120] was released in 2003.[116] The low-budget clip includes scenes filmed on an only partially constructed aircraft after the crew was last-minute denied permission to shoot on an operational plane at an airport. Footage was also shot at Lake Komsomolskoye in Russia. As "Dragostea din tei" had been freshly written at the time, the band members reportedly did not yet memorize all of its lyrics and read them from a sheet of paper during filming.[120] The music video also features scenes of the group performing what Balan described in an interview as a traditional Moldovan dance, in which the members stand side by side with their arms linked over each other's shoulders, jumping from one foot to the other in unison.[119]

The video opens with Todiraș lounging on a couch as elements of "Despre tine" play in the background. This is followed by computer-generated shots of a city—originally featured in the "Numai tu" music video—and a magazine promoting O-Zone's comeback, paired with excerpts from the video for "Despre tine".[121] The narrative then shifts to the group members running out of a building toward an aircraft. Upon boarding and entering the cockpit, they take off as "Dragostea din tei" begins. The trio are shown dancing both inside the aircraft and atop its wings mid-flight, as well as recording the song in a studio. Throughout the video, they wear white pants and colored shirts—Todiraș and Balan with shirts open to the waist, accessorized with suspenders and sunglasses.[122]

The video also features numerous computer-generated sequences of the aircraft, which includes an "on air" sign and jet engines that transform into speakers. Interspersed throughout are animated cartoon stills: Balan depicted as a cyborg, Sîrbu in a bodybuilding competition, Balan and Todiraș in a laboratory with an alien or appearing as vampires, Batman, three men of varying ethnicities in traditional attire before a dove with an olive branch, and the Moldovan flag. The song ends with an animated shot of the group standing before a crashed, burning plane, followed by them leaving the site. The narrative then returns to the opening scene of Todiraș on the couch as a softer reprise of "Dragostea din tei" plays. Balan sits beside him sketching on his pencil board, and all three band members gather smiling to look at the drawing—revealed to be a storyboard of the music video.[122]

In her book New Media Literacies and Participatory Popular Culture Across Borders, Bronwyn Williams likened the animation style to anime and called the visuals "inexplicable", ultimately describing the video as "eminently forgettable".[123] Conversely, Minto of Rivista Studio found the video "spectacular", though he commented that the dance scenes were out of context and the special effects appeared low quality and "botched".[66] Fred Guilledoux of La Provence described the video as "rather well-edited", commenting on the band members' "pre-pubescent Playboy poses" and singling out the scene in which they perform atop the wing of an airplane as "legendary".[124] The Calvert Journal's Morris referred to the video as "slightly off-the-wall", comparing its animated sequences to those in Tekken video games and viewing both them and the scenes of dancing on an airplane's wings as a nod to the clip for the Vengaboys' "We're Going to Ibiza" (1999).[19] In Von Hora, Doina und Lăutaren, scholar Marina Cap-Bun explored possible symbolic connections between the video and the Romanian Zburător myth.[62] In a 2017 interview, Balan reflected on the video's legacy, stating that it contributed to the song's emergence as a gay anthem, in part due to the group's outfits and display of affection for each other.[125]

Live performances

edit

O-Zone performed "Dragostea din tei" at a number of high-profile television events across multiple countries. In a 2013 retrospective interview, Balan reflected on the intense demands surrounding the song's promotional cycle, describing a sense of mounting pressure and fatigue as numerous television appearance requests arrived simultaneously, driven by the track's overlapping rise in multiple international markets.[8] O-Zone performed "Dragostea din tei" at the MTV Romania Music Awards 2003 on 5 June 2003.[126] In Germany, the group appeared on The Dome 30 on 21 May 2004,[127] followed by performances on Wetten, dass..? on 3 July 2004,[128] Bravo Super Show [de] on 1 October 2004,[129] and the German edition of Top of the Pops on 8 January 2005.[130] In France, O-Zone presented the song on Hit Machine on 24 April 2004,[131] and later performed it during the fourth season of Star Academy on 22 October 2004.[132] The track was also featured during their appearance on the fifth season of Russia's Fabrika Zvyozd in 2004,[133] and on Top of the Pops in both the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, aired on 25 and 31 December 2004, respectively.[134]

In Japan, O-Zone performed "Dragostea din tei" on major music programs including Music Station and SMAPxSMAP in 2005,[135] however, according to Todiraș, plans for a more extensive tour throughout the country were ultimately cancelled.[23] Marcangeli of Time Records later stated that, following the group's disbandment that same year, several international television appearance requests also had to be withdrawn, despite efforts by the label to persuade the band to fulfill them.[8] Later in 2005, Balan appeared on the American morning show Today alongside Prata to perform the Valentin Remix of "Ma Ya Hi". Their appearance on the program, broadcast on 22 February 2005, was prompted by the viral success of Brolsma's Numa Numa Dance video.[136] Ultra Records scapped plans for a tour in the United States due to the modest sales and radio performance of "Ma Ya Hi", according to Johansson.[111] Before disbanding in 2005, O-Zone gave a performance of "Dragostea din tei" at the Golden Stag Festival in Romania in September of that year.[137] The group later reunited on three occasions to perform the song: on Europe Day, 9 May 2017, in Bucharest's University Square and Chişinău's Great National Assembly Square,[138] and during the New Year's Eve celebration held in Constitution Square in 2019 in Bucharest.[139]

Legacy and aftermath

edit
 
Critics have remarked the song's atypical global success despite being performed in a non-English language, with one drawing a comparison to the viral impact of the 2012 hit "Gangnam Style" by South Korean rapper Psy (pictured in 2012), sung in Korean.[140]

Critics have highlighted the cultural and historical significance of "Dragostea din tei" to Romania and Moldova. Reflecting on its sustained chart presence, Andrei Vulpescu of Curentul characterized the track's global impact—spanning over nine months—as an unparalleled milestone in the history of Romanian music.[26] In 2015, the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office ranked "Dragostea din tei" among the five songs that best represented Romania, notably being the only contemporary release on the list. Author Paul Brummell commented that its inclusion as a track of Moldovan origin underscored the prevailing perception that the ethnic Romanian community of Moldova shares a common cultural space with Romania.[141][G]

Libertatea remarked that "Dragostea din tei" had "done more for Romania's image than all politicians put together",[143] while Balan stated in an interview that his greatest source of pride was promoting the Romanian language through the song.[144] Commenting on its symbolic importance to Moldova, Yle's Tuukka Tuomasjukka wrote that the track's widespread popularity signified a cultural shift, ushering Moldova into the European cultural landscape in an unprecedented manner, following its period as part of the Soviet Union.[12]

Another examined aspect of the song's legacy has been its linguistic and cross-cultural resonance. Paul Sexton of Billboard described "Dragostea din tei" as a testament to music's ability to transcend national borders, writing that it "managed to convey uninhibited joy better than any phrase in the English language probably could".[145] Rivista Studio's Minto similarly reflected on the track's unusual linguistic breakthrough, describing its success in Western markets―despite being sung in a language rarely heard in mainstream pop―as an exceptional occurrence, comparing it to South Korean rapper Psy's viral 2012 single "Gangnam Style", performed in Korean.[66] Expanding on the impact of "Dragostea din tei", Wolk of The Believer argued that "not even the words but the sound of the recording [are] now part of the fabric of the Internet", having become a "standard".[64]

"Do you know 'Dragostea din tei' by O-Zone?" ― "No?" ― "'Course you do! The one that goes 'Maya hee, maya hoo, maya ha, maya ha-ha', then 'Nu mă nu mă iei, nu mă nu mă iei, nu mă nu mă nu mă iei'"

—The Calvert Journal's Hugh Morris elaborating on the global recognizability of the song's hooks, offering what he considered a typical mode of how the track is circulated among friends[19]

Minto further discussed the track's influence on internet culture, characterizing "Dragostea din tei" as a precursor to modern Internet virality. He situated its spread at a cultural crossroads between the pre-Internet phenomenon of Los del Río's 1993 single "Macarena" and the ascent of "Gangnam Style" to global recognition through social media.[66] Reflecting on the status of "Dragostea din tei" as the sole song of the 21st century to exceed 10 million copies sold, Lauren Hunter of Far Out highlighted the track's significance as a symbol of the twilight of the physical single era—characterized by the decline of tangible formats amid the rise and dominance of digital streaming in the music industry.[84]

Following the commercial success of "Dragostea din tei", some publications referred to O-Zone as one-hit wonders.[146] In a 2020 interview, Sîrbu acknowledged that it took him nearly a decade to rebuild his career after the song, remarking that sustaining momentum after such success was challenging.[19]

Listicles

edit
Listicle inclusions of "Dragostea din tei"
Publication Year List Rank Ref.
Rolling Stone
2015
 50 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time
18
[147]
Billboard
2018
 100 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time
82
[145]
Rolling Stone Australia
2020
 75 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time
27
[6]
edit
 
 
US Billboard Hot 100 number-one "Live Your Life" (2008) by T.I. (left; pictured in 2008) and Rihanna (right; pictured in 2011) samples and interpolates "Dragostea din tei".[148]

"Dragostea din tei" has been adapted into over 35 languages.[149] Among numerous parodies produced,[150] "Le poulailler" by Le 6–9 and "Ma cé ki? Massimo" by Gargia—both released in 2004—became top 10 hits in France, competing on the charts with both O-Zone's original and Haiducii's cover.[151] Another notable parody, "Pluma Gay" released by Spanish comedy duo Los Morancos de Triana in 2005, featured gay-themed lyrics and gained popularity throughout Latin America. According to La Provence's Guilledoux, the parody contributed to the gay icons status of the O-Zone members within the region's LGBTQ community.[152] In 2008, American rapper T.I. and Barbadian singer Rihanna released "Live Your Life", which prominently samples and interpolates "Dragostea din tei".[148] The song achieved global commercial success, topping the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and reaching number two in the United Kingdom, among other territories.[153]

Balan has reinterpreted "Dragostea din tei" in multiple projects. In 2006, he recorded a grunge version titled "Sugar Tunes Numa Numa" with his band Balan,[154] and in 2008, he released "Numa Numa 2" as a B-side to his single "Mm-ma-ma" under the moniker Crazy Loop.[155] A separate reinterpretation, also titled "Numa Numa 2", was issued in 2018 featuring American singer Marley Waters.[156] In 2024, French DJ David Guetta and American band OneRepublic interpolated "Dragostea din tei" in their single "I Don't Wanna Wait", which reached the top 20 in several countries, including Germany and the United Kingdom.[157] Other artists have also performed the song live, either as covers or parodies, such as Romanian singer Inna and American group Bloodhound Gang.[158] It has additionally been featured in episodes of various international editions of Your Face Sounds Familiar—a show where celebrity contestants impersonate singers.[159]

Both the original and derivative versions of "Dragostea din tei" have appeared in a variety of media. The song was included in the animated film Chicken Little (2005) for a reported licensing fee of US$$1 million,[160] and was also used in Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005),[161] Happy Feet Two (2011),[162] and It's Only the End of the World (2016).[149] Additionally, it was featured in an episode of the series Stargate Universe in 2011.[163] Paired with Brolsma's "Numa Numa", "Dragostea din tei" was notably included in episodes of South Park and NCIS in 2008.[164] The song also appeared as a playable track in the video game Just Dance 2017,[165] and in Fortnite Battle Royale in 2022, where an emote―a preset animation―enabled players to have their in-game characters perform Brolsma's dance set to the soundtrack of "Dragostea din tei".[166] It has also been used in various commercials, including for Yakult,[167] and Berlin's public transit company BVG.[168] In 2010, Brolsma appeared performing a segment of "Dragostea din tei" in an ad for Vizio that aired during Super Bowl XLIV.[169]

Comprehensive list of notable derivative recordings

edit
Key
‡ Indicates cover, with original or rewritten lyrics
# Indicates sample and/or interpolation
List of releases, with origin and selected chart positions
Year Title
Artist 		Country of origin Peak chart positions Notes
AUT
[94] 		BEL (Fl)
[170] 		BEL (Wa)
[171] 		CIS
[172] 		FRA
[173] 		GER
[174] 		JPN
[175] 		NLD
[176] 		SWI
[177] 		UK
[178] 		US
[179]
2003 "Dragostea din tei"‡[28]
Haiducii 		Romania
Italy 		See § Haiducii version
2004 "Allo!"‡<[180]
De Feestridders 		Belgium — 3 — — — — — — — — —
"Argent-Argent"‡[181]
Cauet featuring Mopral 		France — — — — 14 — — — — — —

Parody[181]

"Festa no Apê"‡[149]
Latino 		Brazil — — — — — — — — — — —

Lyrics rewritten in Portuguese. Experienced notable commercial success in Brazil.[182]

"Kumimies"‡[183]
Frederik 		Finland — — — — — — — — — — —

Lyrics rewritten in Finnish[184]

"Le poulailler"‡[185]
Le 6–9 [fr] 		France — — 8 — 2 ― — — 30 — —

Parody in French[185]

"Ma cé ki? Massimo"‡[186]
Massimo Gargia [fr] 		— — 13 — 9 — — — 38 — —

Parody[186]

"Muggen hier, muggen daar"‡[187]
Gebroeders Ko 		Netherlands — — — — — — — 5[H] — — —

Parody[187]

"Net Die Een Vir My (Maia Hee)"‡[188]
Nicholis Louw and Shine4 [af] 		South Africa — — — — — — — — — — —
"Ra la la (Rudi hier, Rudi da)"‡[189]
Bangman 		Germany — — — — — 41 — — — — —

Lyrics rewritten to delve on football themes. Used to promote Germany's participation in the UEFA Euro 2004 championship.[190]

"Rumba rej"‡[191]
Toxic Babe 		Czech Republic — — — — — — — — — — —

Lyrics rewritten in Czech[192]

"Unsichtbar"‡[193]
Lisa Aberer [de] 		Austria — — — — — — — — — — —

Won the 2004 Kiddy Contest[193]

"Wenn der Hafer sticht"‡[194]
Antonia aus Tirol [de] 		7 — — — — 90 — — — — —

Lyrics rewritten in German language[194]

"Я её хой" ("Ya Yeyo Khoy")‡[195]
Professor Lebedinsky [ru] featuring Russkiy Razmer and Dmitry Nagiyev 		Russia — — — 40 — — — — — — —
"Zauberschule"‡[196]
Die Schlümpfe 		Germany — — — — — — — — — — —
2005 "恋のブチアゲ" ("Koi no buchiage")‡[197]
Maeken Trance Project 		Japan — — — — — — — — — — —

Medley of multiple songs, including a cover of "Dragostea din tei"[64]

"Pluma Gay"‡[198]
Los Morancos de la Triana 		Spain — — — — — — — — — — —

Also known as "Marica tú" (Spanish: "Gay You"). With lyrics rewritten in Spanish and altered to talk about partying and coming out,[199] the parody attained commercial success in several Spanish-speaking territories and became popular with the LGBTQ community there.[200] Also covered by Argentine band Los Sultanes.[201]

2006 "Sem Drama Aguardarei"‡[202]
Onda Choc [pt] 		Portugal — — — — — — — — — — —
"누나의 꿈" ("Sister's Dream")‡[203]
Hyun Young 		South Korea — — — — — — — — — — —

Experienced commercial success in South Korea[204]

"Sugar Tunes Numa Numa"‡[154]
Balan 		Moldova — — — — — — — — — — —

Grunge version[64]

2007 "Bu Pa Bu Pa"‡[205]
Jocie Guo 		Singapore — — — — — — — — — — —

Lyrics rewritten to delve on overcoming the fear of cockroaches[64]

"Người Tình Mai-Ya-Hee"‡[206]
Vũ Hà [vi] 		Vietnam — — — — — — — — — — —

Lyrics rewritten in Vietnamese.[207] Experienced commercial success in Vietnam.[208] "Dragostea din tei" has also been covered in Vietnamese by Đan Trường.[207]

2008 "Live Your Life"#[148]
T.I. featuring Rihanna 		United States
Barbados 		5 15 19 49 17 12 — 21 8 2 1 The song's producer Just Blaze came up with the idea of sampling and interpolating "Dragostea din tei" through Brolsma's viral video.[148]
"Numa Numa 2"‡[155]
Crazy Loop 		Moldova — — — — — — — — — — —

Not to be confused with an unrelated video of Brolsma's of the same name[209]

"When You Leave (Numa Numa)"‡[210]
Alina 		Romania — — — — — — — — — — —[I]

Released as a remix produced by Swedish artist Basshunter[212]

2011 "Dragostea din tei"‡[213]
Hank Azaria and Happy Feet Two Chorus 		United States — — — — — — — — — — —

Recorded in a humppa version and included on the soundtrack of Happy Feet Two (2011)[213]

"Ma-Ya-Hi"‡[214]
Jamatami 		Germany — — — — — 84 — — — — —
2012 "Girls"#[215]
Gille 		Japan — — — — — — 11 — — — —
"My Life Is a Party"‡[216]
ItaloBrothers 		Germany 18 — —[J] — 103 43 — — 62 — —
2018 "Numa Numa 2"#[156]
Dan Balan featuring Marley Waters 		Moldova
United States 		— — — 78 — — 64 — — — —

Marketed as a continuation of "Dragostea din tei".[156] Not to be confused with an unrelated video of Brolsma's of the same name.[209] Released under the title "恋のマイアヒ2018" ("Koi no maiahi 2018") in Japan.[135]

2019 "Dragostea din tei"‡[218]
Dan Balan featuring Katerina Begu [ro] 		Moldova
Ukraine 		— — — — — — — — — — —

Viral cover performed on Holos Krainy by contestant Begu and juror Balan[218]

2020 "Dragostea din tei"‡[219]
Mira 		Romania — — — — — — — — — — —
2021 "Dragostea din tei"‡[220]
Julien Doré featuring Simone and Jean-Marc 		France — — — — — — — — — — —
"Faded Love"#[221]
Leony 		Germany 11 31 — — — 17 — 58 24 — —
2022 "Dragostea din tei"‡[222]
Feuerschwanz 		— — — — — — — — — — —

Rock cover.[222] Also performed while competing in the German national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.[223]

2024 "I Don't Wanna Wait"#[149]
David Guetta and OneRepublic 		France
United States 		8 10 4 3 13 10 —[K] 12 7 19 96
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Track listings

edit

Charts

edit

Certifications and sales

edit
Certifications and sales for "Dragostea din tei"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[280] Platinum 30,000*
Belgium (BRMA)[281] 2× Platinum 100,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[282] Gold 4,000^
France (SNEP)[92] Diamond 750,000*
Germany (BVMI)[95] 2× Platinum 600,000^
Italy (FIMI)[283] Gold 50,000‡
Japan (RIAJ)[113]
Ringtone 		4× Million 4,000,000*
Japan (RIAJ)[113]
Full-length ringtone 		Platinum 250,000*
Japan (RIAJ)[113]
PC download 		Gold 100,000*
Netherlands (NVPI)[284] Platinum 60,000^
Romania — 250,000[79]
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[285] Gold 30,000‡
Sweden (GLF)[286] Gold 10,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[287] Platinum 40,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[288] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[110]
Lucas Prata version 		Gold 500,000*
Summaries
Worldwide — 12,000,000[83]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

edit
Release dates for "Dragostea din tei"
Region Date Format Label Version Ref.
Romania June 2003[A] Unknown Media Services
Original
[289]
2003
 CD single Cat
[225]
DACH
2004
 Universal
[2]
Europe
[290]
France 14 April 2004 Unknown
[79]
2004
 CD single Universal
[291]
12-inch single
[292]
Germany CD single
[34]
Mini CD
[293]
Italy CD single Time
[35]
12-inch single
[232]
Mexico CD single Musart
[294]
Netherlands BMG
[36]
Spain Vale
[37]
12-inch single[L]
[233]
Sweden CD single Bonnier
[296]
United Kingdom 24 May 2004 Unknown
[13]
2004
 CD single Time
[297]
12-inch single Jive
[235]
United States Ultra
Lucas Prata version
[298]
Lucas Prata original version
and Valentin Remix
[41]
22 June 2004 Digital download Media Services
Original
[3]
30 November 2004 Time
Remix EP incl.
Lucas Prata original version
and Valentin Remix
[4]
Early 2005 Radio airplay Unknown
Lucas Prata version
(Valentin Remix)
[44]
Japan
2005
 CD single Avex Trax
Original
[5]
2006
 12-inch single Rhythm Republic
[237]
Various Unknown Digital download Cat
Remix album
[299]

Haiducii version

edit
"Dragostea din tei"
 
Cover for the Belgian and Dutch physical release.[300]
Single by Haiducii
from the album Paula Mitrache in Haiducii
LanguageRomanian
ReleasedDecember 2003
StudioMM Studio
GenreDance
Length3:35
LabelUniverso
Songwriter(s)Balan
Producer(s)Max Minoia
Haiducii singles chronology
"Dragostea din tei"
(2003) 		"Nara Nara Na Na (Mne s Toboy Horosho)"
(2004)
Music video
"Dragostea din tei" on YouTube

Background and composition

edit

Italy-based Romanian singer Paula Monica Mitrache, professionally known as Haiducii, recorded a cover of "Dragostea din tei" after being advised to do so by her label Universo,[301] despite initially opposing the idea.[302] Her stage name was inspired by the song's reference to hajduks (Romanian: haiduci).[303] The cover was produced and mixed by Max Minoia at MM Studio in Rome, Italy,[304] and features uncredited vocals by Italian singer Vittorio Centrone, who notably provides the "Ma-ia-hii, Ma-ia-huu, Ma-ia-hoo, Ma-ia-haha" sequence.[305] In Haiducii's dance version of the song, both a man and a woman are heard conversing—a concept which Rivista Studio's Francesco Gerardi compared to "Buonasera dottore [it]" (1974) by Italian singer Claudia Mori.[306] Wolk of The Believer unfavorably categorized the cover as a "badly sung boy-and-girl duet".[64]

Release

edit

Haiducii's "Dragostea din tei" was released as her debut single in Italy in December 2003 by Universo.[28] The track was later physically distributed in multiple territories throughout 2004, including France,[307] Germany,[308] Italy,[309] Netherlands,[310] Spain and the United States.[311] These releases included a remix by Italian DJ and Eiffel 65 member Gabry Ponte.[312] A digital remix EP became available for download on 3 August 2004 in various countries.[313] In 2005, the track was issued in Taiwan under the title "嘜阿喜" ("Mai A Hi") by Avex Trax, featuring cartoon imagery used to promote the song locally.[314] The cover was later included on Haiducii's only studio album, Paula Mitrache in Haiducii (2008).[315] A remix titled "Dragostea din tei 2k13", featuring vocals from Eiffel 65 lead singer Jeffrey Jey, was released in 2012.[316] On 11 August 2023, Haiducii issued a solo re-recording of the song to mark its 20th anniversary.[317]

Commercial performance

edit
 
A remix produced by Italian DJ Gabry Ponte (pictured in 2011) significantly aided the song's performance on the Italian charts.[318]

Haiducii's version achieved considerable commercial success, in some cases preceding O-Zone's original in international markets such as Germany,[319] Italy,[320] Spain,[321] and France.[322] In January 2004, it debuted at number one on the Italian singles chart, selling 200,000 copies and peaking higher than O-Zone's version.[323] Aided by the Gabry Ponte remix,[318] the single remained at number one for six weeks and spent over four months in the top 10.[324]

The cover debuted and peaked at number four in Spain in March 2004,[325] followed by number one in Austria and number two in France in April.[326] In May, it reached number two in Wallonia, ranking just below O-Zone's version.[327] In June 2004, the track similarly peaked at number two in both Germany and Switzerland,[328] number four in Norway, and number six in Flanders.[329] It climbed to number two on the European Hot 100 Singles chart in July,[246] and reached the top 10 in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Hungary.[330] In Sweden, Haiducii's version topped the singles chart in August, outperforming O-Zone's, and remained at number one for five consecutive weeks, spending a total of five months in the top 10.[331] In the United States, the single peaked at number four on the Dance Singles Sales chart in November 2004.[332]

By year's end, the track had ranked among the top 10 best-performing singles of 2004 in Austria,[104] Germany,[106] Italy,[333] Sweden,[274] Switzerland,[275] as well as on the European Hot 100 Singles chart.[108] It also received gold certifications in Austria,[334] Belgium,[281] France,[335] Sweden and Switzerland.[336] As of February 2021, cumulative European sales of the single surpassed one million units.[337]

Promotion

edit

A music video accompanied the release of Haiducii's version, appearing in 2004 at the latest.[338] The video opens with a man entering a hotel room and throwing himself on a bed before roaming the room and hallway. Meanwhile, Haiducii watches him via surveillance footage from a separate room. The man eventually discovers the hidden camera and arrives at Haiducii's room, only to find it empty. There, he then views footage of her leaving, dressed in a red fur outfit. The video incorporates frequent four-way split screens and features Haiducii dancing in various outfits.[339]

To promote the single, Haiducii performed on the Italian edition of Top of the Pops on 28 February 2004,[340] and appeared at the Sanremo Music Festival 2004 on 4 March 2004.[341] In France, she performed on La Chanson de l'année [fr] on 5 June 2004,[342] and in Germany on Top of the Pops later that month and on Interaktiv [de] on 24 June 2004.[343] Haiducii became the subject of controversy in Germany after multiple scheduled appearances in cities such as Mannheim, Karlsruhe, and Leipzig were fulfilled by unprofessional impersonators lip-syncing as her. The deception went unnoticed for several days, reportedly misleading event organizers and broadcasters, until it was revealed that Haiducii had been performing live in Italy at the same time. Legal proceedings were subsequently initiated against the agency responsible for the fraudulent bookings.[344] In later years, Haiducii appeared on Die ultimative Chartshow [de] in Germany on 3 January 2020,[345] and on ZDF-Fernsehgarten on 7 May 2023 in the same region.[346] That same year, she also performed on Dai 60 ai 2000 [it] in Italy on 27 September.[347] In 2024, she made a surprise appearance on the Italian version of The Voice Senior during Centrone's audition to perform the song with him.[348]

Dispute over legality and impact on the original version

edit

In February 2004, Balan alleged that, although credited as the songwriter, Haiducii's[N] version had been released without his permission. He threatened legal action against Haiducii and Universo unless the single was withdrawn. According to Balan, the label had cited an Italian law that allegedly allowed such covers without explicit consent; however, he contended that no such law existed or applied in this case, particularly as Haiducii was Romanian and the original song was recorded in Romania.[28] Gerardi of Rivista Studio argued that Haiducii's approach was legally permissible at the time.[350] According to Romanian media, both parties ultimately reached an agreement without any lawsuit ever being filed.[351] In a 2016 interview, Haiducii confirmed that no legal action had been taken against her version.[303]

Several commentators argued that Haiducii's cover played a pivotal role in drawing international attention to the original track.[352] Gerardi wrote that O-Zone's version had enjoyed success in Romania and Moldova before being largely forgotten. However, once Haiducii's cover gained popularity, opportunities arose to initiate international distribution for the original version.[350] Nonetheless, Balan described the coexistence of the cover as an obstacle in promoting the original internationally, stating that the band had to persuade record labels that the track was their own.[28]

Other usage

edit

In 2009, a version of the song titled "Maya Hi, Maya Hu", credited to Swedish animated character Crazy Frog, was released.[353] In 2019, Haiducii collaborated with Catholic priest Don Allessandrou Cosu to release "Parliamo di Gesú" (Italian: "Let's Talk About Jesus"), a religious adaptation of the song, published on YouTube.[354] The music video, filmed inside a church, went viral on Italian social media in 2021.[355] In June 2023, Italian artist Caffellatte and Haiducii released the single "Troppo Chic (Dragostea din tei)", incorporating portions of "Dragostea din tei" that Haiducii re-recorded. The duo performed the song live on the Italian music programme Radio Norba Cornetto Battiti Live [ro].[356]

Track listings

edit

Charts

edit

Certifications and sales

edit
Certifications and sales for Haiducii's version of "Dragostea din tei"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Austria (IFPI Austria)[334] Gold 15,000*
Belgium (BRMA)[281] Gold 25,000*
France (SNEP)[335] Gold 250,000*
Italy — 200,000[28]
Sweden (GLF)[286] Gold 10,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[287] Gold 20,000^
Summaries
Europe — 1,000,000[337]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

edit
Release dates for Haiducii's version of "Dragostea din tei"
Region Date Format Label Version Ref.
Italy December 2003 Unknown Universo
Original
[28]
Austria
2004
 CD single Edel
[378]
Belgium ARS Productions
[379]
France Universo
[307]
12-inch single Bertelsmann
[359]
Germany CD single
[380]
Italy Sony
[309]
12-inch single Spy
[360]
Netherlands CD single Digidance
[310]
Spain Blanco y negro
[361]
Sweden
  • Media Services
  • EMI
[381]
Switzerland Ministry of Sound
[308]
United States Empire Musicwerks
[382]
Various 3 August 2004 Digital download Unknown
Remix EP
[313]
Taiwan
2005
 CD single Avex Trax
Original
[383]

See also

edit

References

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ a b c Although the exact release date of "Dragostea din tei" is unclear, the song opened on the Romanian Top 100 chart in June 2003, indicating that it had received radio airplay by that time.[1]
  2. ^ Also known as "Dragostea din teï",[2] "Mai Ai Hee (Dragostea din tei)",[3] "Ma Ya Hi (Dragostea din tei)",[4] "恋のマイアヒ" ("Koi no maiahi"; "Maiahi of Love"),[5] and as the "Numa Numa Song".[6]
  3. ^ a b Also referred to as "Words of Love",[40] "Dragostea din tei (Ma Ya Hi)",[41] and the "Mai Ai Hee Song".[26]
  4. ^ The yodelling sequence has been transcribed in various ways by different sources, including as "Maya hee, maya hoo, maya ha, maya ha-ha".[19]
  5. ^ In July 2005, the Romanian leu (ROL) was replaced by the revalued leu (RON). For context, at the time Balan received the monetary award in February 2005, the average gross monthly salary in Romania for 2004 stood at approximately 8.2 million ROL.[24]
  6. ^ Also referred to as "Dragostea din tei (Ma Ya Hi)",[44] and "The Ma Ya Hi Song".[45]
  7. ^ Some sources misattribute "Dragostea din tei" as being of Romanian origin.[142]
  8. ^ Charted as "Zonnebril/Muggen hier, muggen daar".[176]
  9. ^ "When You Leave (Numa Numa)" did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100, but reached number six on the magazine's Hot Dance Airplay chart.[211]
  10. ^ "My Life Is a Party" did not chart on the Ultratop, but reached number 34 on the Ultratip extension chart.[217]
  11. ^ "I Don't Wanna Wait" did not chart on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, but reached number eight on the magazine's Japan Hot Overseas chart.[224]
  12. ^ a b Reissued in 2025 by Blanco y Negro Music, replacing the "Original Italian Version" in favor of the "DJ Aligator vs. CS-Jay Club Version".[295]
  13. ^ This is a summary of all digital versions of the single that differ from those found on the CD releases.[238]
  14. ^ Initially, a Romanian male group of the same name was mistakenly implicated in the controversy.[349]
  15. ^ This is a summary of all digital versions of the single that differ from those found on the CD releases.[363]

Citations

edit
  1. ^ a b c Romanian Top 100 2003b.
  2. ^ a b c Universal Music Group 2004g.
  3. ^ a b c Media Services n.d.
  4. ^ a b Time Records n.d.-a.
  5. ^ a b c d Avex Trax 2005.
  6. ^ a b Rolling Stone Australia 2020.
  7. ^ Feuer and George 2005; Morris 2020.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Cușnir 2013.
  9. ^ a b AllMusic n.d.
  10. ^ Tuomasjukka 2024; Dima 2024.
  11. ^ Tuomasjukka 2024; Dima 2024; Adevărul 2004b.
  12. ^ a b c d Tuomasjukka 2024.
  13. ^ a b c Tomiuc 2004.
  14. ^ a b Romanian Top 100 2003a.
  15. ^ a b Cat Music 2003a.
  16. ^ a b c Dobrescu 2003.
  17. ^ Dobrescu 2005.
  18. ^ Dima 2024.
  19. ^ a b c d e Morris 2020.
  20. ^ a b Antena 1 2004.
  21. ^ Evenimentul Zilei 2004; Vulpescu 2004b.
  22. ^ Adevărul 2005b.
  23. ^ a b Petrişor 2013.
  24. ^ Statista 2025.
  25. ^ Adevărul 2005a.
  26. ^ a b c d e Vulpescu 2004d.
  27. ^ Graves 2023; Sexton 2004.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g Horațiu 2004a.
  29. ^ laut.de n.d.-b; Cat Music 2003b.
  30. ^ Sexton 2004; Dobrescu 2004a.
  31. ^ a b Sexton 2004.
  32. ^ Horațiu 2004b.
  33. ^ a b Universal Music Group 2004i.
  34. ^ a b c Polydor Records 2004.
  35. ^ a b Time Records 2004c.
  36. ^ a b BMG Rights Management 2004a.
  37. ^ a b Vale Music 2004b.
  38. ^ a b Time Records 2004e.
  39. ^ Time Records 2004a.
  40. ^ a b Avex Inc. n.d.-b.
  41. ^ a b c d Ultra Records 2004a.
  42. ^ Vulpescu 2004d; Birchmeier n.d..
  43. ^ Ultra Records 2004a; Ultra Records 2004b.
  44. ^ a b c d e Billboard 2005c, p. 28.
  45. ^ a b Ultra Records 2006.
  46. ^ Vulpescu 2004d; Ultra Records 2004a.
  47. ^ Dobrescu 2005; Gardianul 2005.
  48. ^ Billboard 2005c, p. 28; Ultra Records 2004c.
  49. ^ Sexton 2004; Wolk 2006.
  50. ^ Welch 2005; Rolling Stone Australia 2020; Wolk 2006.
  51. ^ a b Dorian 2008.
  52. ^ laut.de n.d.-b; Billboard 2005b, p. 38.
  53. ^ Welch 2005.
  54. ^ Petridis 2024; Dobrescu 2004b.
  55. ^ a b Graves 2023.
  56. ^ Rolling Stone Australia 2020; Wolk 2006.
  57. ^ Billboard 2006a.
  58. ^ Lippitz 2004; Kühling 2004.
  59. ^ Wolk 2006; EMI Music Publishing n.d..
  60. ^ Stocker 2013.
  61. ^ M6 2004b.
  62. ^ a b Cap-Bun 2016, pp. 597–598.
  63. ^ Rolling Stone Australia 2020; Peters 2004; Hamburger Abendblatt 2004.
  64. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Wolk 2006.
  65. ^ Radio Eska 2020.
  66. ^ a b c d Minto 2014.
  67. ^ laut.de n.d.-b; Dobrescu 2003; Wolk 2006.
  68. ^ Sexton 2004; Wolk 2006; laut.de 2024.
  69. ^ a b Lippitz 2004.
  70. ^ Wolk 2006; Guilledoux 2011; Morris 2020.
  71. ^ Rolling Stone Australia 2020; Welch 2005; Wiggins and Bowers 2014.
  72. ^ Graves 2023; Wolk 2006.
  73. ^ Petridis 2024.
  74. ^ Murphy 2021.
  75. ^ a b Cordas n.d.
  76. ^ Peters 2004.
  77. ^ Wolk 2006; Hamburger Abendblatt 2004; Kot 2014; Morris 2020.
  78. ^ Lippitz 2004; Hamburger Abendblatt 2004.
  79. ^ a b c d e Ciobanu 2004.
  80. ^ MTV Romania 2004.
  81. ^ Lippitz 2005; Vulpescu 2005a.
  82. ^ TopHit 2005.
  83. ^ a b AllMusic n.d.; Badea 2007.
  84. ^ a b Hunter 2025.
  85. ^ a b GfK Entertainment charts n.d.-a.
  86. ^ Billboard 2007.
  87. ^ a b Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique 2004.
  88. ^ Romanian Top 100 2003c; Romanian Top 100 2003d; Romanian Top 100 2003e.
  89. ^ a b Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana n.d.-c.
  90. ^ Avex Inc. n.d.-b; Productores de Música de España n.d.-b.
  91. ^ a b Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique n.d.-e.
  92. ^ a b Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique n.d.-b.
  93. ^ GfK Entertainment charts n.d.-e; Swiss Hitparade n.d.-b.
  94. ^ a b Ö3 Austria Top 40 n.d.-a.
  95. ^ a b Bundesverband Musikindustrie n.d.
  96. ^ a b Dutch Single Top 100 n.d.-d.
  97. ^ VG-lista n.d.-b; Hitlisten n.d.-b.
  98. ^ Musiikkituottajat n.d.; Sverigetopplistan n.d.-c.
  99. ^ Sexton 2006.
  100. ^ a b Billboard 2005a, p. 61.
  101. ^ a b Irish Singles Chart n.d.
  102. ^ Official Charts Company n.d.-a; Official Charts Company n.d.-c.
  103. ^ a b c TopHit n.d.-c.
  104. ^ a b c d Ö3 Austria Top 40 n.d.-c.
  105. ^ a b c Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique n.d.-f.
  106. ^ a b c d GfK Entertainment charts n.d.-f.
  107. ^ Dutch Single Top 100 n.d.-c; Swiss Hitparade n.d.-c.
  108. ^ a b c d Sexton 2005.
  109. ^ Billboard n.d.-a; Billboard 2005a, p. 61.
  110. ^ a b Recording Industry Association of America 2005.
  111. ^ a b c Johansson 2012.
  112. ^ a b Oricon n.d.
  113. ^ a b c d Recording Industry Association of Japan n.d.
  114. ^ a b c Wolk 2006; Gerardi 2022.
  115. ^ BBC News 2006.
  116. ^ a b Wiggins and Bowers 2014.
  117. ^ Cooper 2014.
  118. ^ a b Universal Music Group 2004f.
  119. ^ a b RTL 2004b.
  120. ^ a b Dmitri Voloshin 2019.
  121. ^ Time Records 2011a; Time Records 2011b; Cat Music 2011.
  122. ^ a b Time Records 2011a.
  123. ^ Williams 2012.
  124. ^ Guilledoux 2011.
  125. ^ Click! 2017.
  126. ^ MTV Romania 2003.
  127. ^ RTL 2 2004.
  128. ^ Vulpescu 2005b.
  129. ^ MTV Germany 2004.
  130. ^ RTL 2004a.
  131. ^ M6 2004a.
  132. ^ Inathèque 2004b.
  133. ^ Channel One 2004.
  134. ^ BBC One 2004; BNN 2004.
  135. ^ a b Avex Inc. n.d.-a.
  136. ^ Billboard 2005c, p. 28; NBC 2005.
  137. ^ TVR 2005; Libertatea 2005.
  138. ^ Gheorghe 2017; Pro TV Chișinău 2017.
  139. ^ Lixandru 2020.
  140. ^ Minto 2014; Sexton 2018.
  141. ^ Brummell 2015.
  142. ^ Ștefan 2018; Popescu 2004.
  143. ^ Schuster 2004.
  144. ^ Ion and Schiau 2011.
  145. ^ a b Sexton 2018.
  146. ^ Gómez Ruiz 2018; laut.de 2012.
  147. ^ Constanda 2015.
  148. ^ a b c d Breihan 2023.
  149. ^ a b c d Cristescu 2024.
  150. ^ Gómez Ruiz 2018.
  151. ^ Jurnalul Național 2004; Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique 2004.
  152. ^ Guilledoux 2011; Los Morancos n.d.; Infobae 2005.
  153. ^ Official Charts Company n.d.-b; Billboard n.d.-c.
  154. ^ a b Wolk 2006; Wei 2010.
  155. ^ a b Polydor Records 2008.
  156. ^ a b c Constanda 2018.
  157. ^ Official Charts Company n.d.-b; GfK Entertainment charts n.d.-d.
  158. ^ Kiss FM 2019; Revenco 2006.
  159. ^ Antena 1 2016; Antena 3 2022; Tvoje tvář má známý hlas 2016.
  160. ^ Gheorghe et al. 2006.
  161. ^ Libertatea 2005.
  162. ^ Adevărul 2011.
  163. ^ Syfy 2011.
  164. ^ Comedy Central 2008; CBS 2008.
  165. ^ Schneider 2018.
  166. ^ Coles 2022.
  167. ^ Theobald 2024.
  168. ^ Nauhaus 2013.
  169. ^ Ad Age 2010.
  170. ^ Ultratop n.d.-a.
  171. ^ Ultratop n.d.-j.
  172. ^ TopHit n.d.-a.
  173. ^ Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique n.d.-d.
  174. ^ GfK Entertainment charts n.d.-d.
  175. ^ Billboard Japan 2012; Billboard Japan 2018.
  176. ^ a b Dutch Single Top 100 n.d.-a.
  177. ^ Swiss Hitparade n.d.-d.
  178. ^ Official Charts Company n.d.-b.
  179. ^ Billboard n.d.-c; Billboard n.d.-b.
  180. ^ ARS Productions 2004b.
  181. ^ a b Universal Music Group 2004b.
  182. ^ Cristescu 2024; Folha de S.Paulo n.d..
  183. ^ Tuomasjukka 2024; National Library of Finland n.d..
  184. ^ Manninen 2014.
  185. ^ a b NRJ 2004.
  186. ^ a b Sony Music 2004a.
  187. ^ a b NPO 3FM n.d.
  188. ^ Radio Eska 2020; SME Africa n.d..
  189. ^ Pfuhler 2004; Universal Music Group 2004a.
  190. ^ Pfuhler 2004.
  191. ^ EMI Records 2004; Mladá fronta dnes 2017.
  192. ^ Mladá fronta dnes 2017.
  193. ^ a b MusicWoche 2004.
  194. ^ a b Kaumuni 2004.
  195. ^ TopHit n.d.-h.
  196. ^ Geisenhanslüke 2004.
  197. ^ JVC n.d.; Wolk 2006.
  198. ^ Los Morancos n.d.; Infobae 2005.
  199. ^ Wolk 2006; Infobae 2005.
  200. ^ Infobae 2005; Troquel 2015; Gómez Ruiz 2018.
  201. ^ Infobae 2005; Vazquez 2024.
  202. ^ Radio Eska 2020; Farol Música n.d..
  203. ^ Beom-Seok 2009; Kakao M n.d..
  204. ^ Beom-Seok 2009.
  205. ^ Wolk 2006; Warner Music Group Singapore n.d..
  206. ^ Nguyen 2012; Vũ Hà 2020.
  207. ^ a b Nguyen 2012.
  208. ^ 2sao 2021.
  209. ^ a b Gary Brolsma n.d.
  210. ^ Adevărul 2008; Asylum Records 2008.
  211. ^ Billboard 2009, p. 53.
  212. ^ Adevărul 2008.
  213. ^ a b WaterTower Music n.d.; Kabelitz n.d..
  214. ^ Coconut Music n.d.; Blick 2019.
  215. ^ Universal Music Japan 2012.
  216. ^ Aovisi 2016; Zooland Digital n.d..
  217. ^ Ultratop n.d.-d.
  218. ^ a b Mărăcine 2019.
  219. ^ Păun 2020; Cat Music n.d.-b.
  220. ^ Nakhla 2022.
  221. ^ oe24 Radio n.d.
  222. ^ a b Grigorescu 2022.
  223. ^ Geockel and Berger 2025.
  224. ^ Billboard Japan 2024.
  225. ^ a b Cat Music 2003b.
  226. ^ BMG Rights Management 2004b; Bonnier Music 2004c.
  227. ^ Universal Music Group 2004h.
  228. ^ Universal Music Group 2004d.
  229. ^ Universal Music Group 2004c.
  230. ^ Universal Music Group 2004e; Time Records 2004d.
  231. ^ Time Records 2004c; BMG Rights Management 2004a; Vale Music 2004b; Musart Records 2004; Bonnier Music 2004a.
  232. ^ a b Time Records 2004b.
  233. ^ a b Vale Music 2004a.
  234. ^ Bonnier Music 2004b.
  235. ^ a b Jive Records 2004.
  236. ^ Ultra Records 2004b.
  237. ^ a b Rhythm Republic 2006.
  238. ^ Time Records n.d.-a; Cat Music n.d.-d; Cat Music n.d.-c; Cat Music and Rassada Music n.d.; Ultra Records n.d.; Cat Music n.d.-a.
  239. ^ Ö3 Austria Top 40 n.d.-d.
  240. ^ Ultratop n.d.-f.
  241. ^ Ultratop n.d.-g.
  242. ^ a b TopHit n.d.-d.
  243. ^ a b c TopHit n.d.-b.
  244. ^ IFPI ČR n.d.
  245. ^ Hitlisten n.d.-b.
  246. ^ a b c Billboard 2004a, p. 53.
  247. ^ Billboard 2004b, p. 61.
  248. ^ Musiikkituottajat n.d.
  249. ^ GfK Entertainment charts n.d.-e.
  250. ^ Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége n.d.-c.
  251. ^ Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége n.d.-d.
  252. ^ Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége n.d.-b.
  253. ^ Dutch Top 40 n.d.-b.
  254. ^ VG-lista n.d.-b.
  255. ^ Romanian Top 100 2003c.
  256. ^ TopHit 2004a.
  257. ^ TopHit 2004b.
  258. ^ Official Charts Company n.d.-a.
  259. ^ Productores de Música de España n.d.-b.
  260. ^ Sverigetopplistan n.d.-c.
  261. ^ Swiss Hitparade n.d.-b.
  262. ^ Official Charts Company n.d.-c.
  263. ^ a b c Billboard n.d.-a.
  264. ^ TopHit 2024.
  265. ^ Romanian Top 100 n.d.
  266. ^ a b Ultratop n.d.-e.
  267. ^ a b Ultratop n.d.-h.
  268. ^ TopHit n.d.-e.
  269. ^ Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége n.d.-f.
  270. ^ Irish Recorded Music Association n.d.
  271. ^ a b Dutch Top 40 n.d.-c.
  272. ^ a b Dutch Single Top 100 n.d.-c.
  273. ^ TopHit n.d.-f.
  274. ^ a b c Sverigetopplistan n.d.-a.
  275. ^ a b c Swiss Hitparade n.d.-c.
  276. ^ Official Charts Company n.d.-d.
  277. ^ TopHit n.d.-g.
  278. ^ a b IFPI Austria n.d., p. 14.
  279. ^ Dutch Single Top 100 n.d.-e.
  280. ^ IFPI Austria 2004b.
  281. ^ a b c Ultratop n.d.-i.
  282. ^ IFPI Danmark 2004.
  283. ^ Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana n.d.-b.
  284. ^ Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers n.d.
  285. ^ Productores de Música de España & n.d.-c.
  286. ^ a b IFPI Sweden 2004.
  287. ^ a b IFPI Switzerland n.d.
  288. ^ British Phonographic Industry n.d.
  289. ^ Romanian Top 100 2003b; Sexton 2004.
  290. ^ Universal Music Group 2004f; BMG Rights Management 2004b.
  291. ^ Universal Music Group 2004i; Universal Music Group 2004h.
  292. ^ Universal Music Group 2004d; Universal Music Group 2004c.
  293. ^ Universal Music Group 2004e.
  294. ^ Musart Records 2004.
  295. ^ Blanco y Negro Music 2025.
  296. ^ Bonnier Music 2004c; Bonnier Music 2004a; Bonnier Music 2004b.
  297. ^ Time Records 2004e; Time Records 2004d.
  298. ^ Billboard 2005b, p. 38; Ultra Records 2004b.
  299. ^ Cat Music n.d.-d; Cat Music n.d.-e; Cat Music n.d.-f; Cat Music n.d.-g; Cat Music n.d.-h.
  300. ^ ARS Productions 2004a; Digidance 2004.
  301. ^ Adevărul 2009; Pasqui 2016.
  302. ^ Longoni 2023.
  303. ^ a b Pasqui 2016.
  304. ^ Media Services and EMI 2004b.
  305. ^ Puricella 2024; BariToday 2024.
  306. ^ Minto 2014; Gerardi 2022.
  307. ^ a b Universo 2004.
  308. ^ a b c Ministry of Sound 2004.
  309. ^ a b Sony Music 2004b.
  310. ^ a b Digidance 2004.
  311. ^ Blanco y Negro Music 2004; Empire Musicwerks 2004.
  312. ^ Sony Music 2004b; Spy Records 2004.
  313. ^ a b 2008 Records n.d.-b; 2008 Records n.d.-c; 2008 Records n.d.-d; 2008 Records n.d.-e.
  314. ^ Avex Trax 2004; Avex Taiwan n.d..
  315. ^ 2008 Records n.d.-a.
  316. ^ Dance and Love n.d.
  317. ^ Warner Chappell Music n.d.; BariToday 2023b.
  318. ^ a b Hamburger Abendblatt 2004; laut.de n.d.-a.
  319. ^ GfK Entertainment charts n.d.-e; GfK Entertainment charts n.d.-c.
  320. ^ Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana n.d.-c; Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana n.d.-a.
  321. ^ Productores de Música de España n.d.-b; Productores de Música de España n.d.-a.
  322. ^ Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique n.d.-e; Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique n.d.-c.
  323. ^ Horațiu 2004a; Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana n.d.-c; Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana n.d.-a.
  324. ^ a b Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana n.d.-a.
  325. ^ a b Productores de Música de España n.d.-a.
  326. ^ Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique n.d.-c; Ö3 Austria Top 40 n.d.-b.
  327. ^ Ultratop n.d.-g; Ultratop n.d.-c.
  328. ^ GfK Entertainment charts n.d.-c; Swiss Hitparade n.d.-a.
  329. ^ VG-lista n.d.-a; Ultratop n.d.-b.
  330. ^ Dutch Single Top 100 n.d.-b; Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége n.d.-a; Hitlisten n.d.-a.
  331. ^ Sverigetopplistan n.d.-c; Sverigetopplistan n.d.-b.
  332. ^ a b Billboard 2004c, p. 26.
  333. ^ a b Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana n.d.-d.
  334. ^ a b IFPI Austria 2004a.
  335. ^ a b Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique n.d.-a.
  336. ^ IFPI Sweden 2004; IFPI Switzerland n.d..
  337. ^ a b Pasqui 2021.
  338. ^ a b Mach1 Records 2004.
  339. ^ Embassy One 2009.
  340. ^ Rai 2 2004.
  341. ^ Horațiu 2004c.
  342. ^ Inathèque 2004a.
  343. ^ RTL 2004b; VIVA Germany 2004.
  344. ^ Kronen Zeitung 2004.
  345. ^ RTL 2020.
  346. ^ ZDF 2023.
  347. ^ BariToday 2023a.
  348. ^ BariToday 2024.
  349. ^ Vulpescu 2004a; Vulpescu 2004c.
  350. ^ a b Gerardi 2022.
  351. ^ Vulpescu 2004c.
  352. ^ Schuster 2004; Adevărul 2004a; Könau 2004.
  353. ^ Mach1 Records n.d.
  354. ^ Pasqui 2021; Rolling Stone Italia 2021.
  355. ^ Pasqui 2021; Gheorghe 2020.
  356. ^ Longoni 2023; BariToday 2023c.
  357. ^ Digidance 2004; Media Services and EMI 2004b; Sony Music 2004b; Empire Musicwerks 2004; Avex Trax 2004; Edel Records 2004.
  358. ^ ARS Productions 2004a; Universo 2004.
  359. ^ a b Bertelsmann Music Group 2004.
  360. ^ a b Spy Records 2004.
  361. ^ a b Blanco y Negro Music 2004.
  362. ^ Media Services and EMI 2004a.
  363. ^ Dance and Love n.d.; Overbeat Records n.d..
  364. ^ Ö3 Austria Top 40 n.d.-b.
  365. ^ Ultratop n.d.-b.
  366. ^ Ultratop n.d.-c.
  367. ^ Hitlisten n.d.-a.
  368. ^ Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique n.d.-c.
  369. ^ GfK Entertainment charts n.d.-c.
  370. ^ Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége n.d.-a.
  371. ^ Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége n.d.-e.
  372. ^ Dutch Top 40 n.d.-a.
  373. ^ Dutch Single Top 100 n.d.-b.
  374. ^ VG-lista n.d.-a.
  375. ^ Sverigetopplistan n.d.-b.
  376. ^ Swiss Hitparade n.d.-a.
  377. ^ GfK Entertainment charts n.d.-b.
  378. ^ Edel Records 2004.
  379. ^ ARS Productions 2004a.
  380. ^ Ministry of Sound 2004; Mach1 Records 2004.
  381. ^ Media Services and EMI 2004b; Media Services and EMI 2004a.
  382. ^ Empire Musicwerks 2004.
  383. ^ Avex Trax 2004.

Sources

edit

"O-Zone – Dragostea din teï". VG-lista. Archived from the original on 11 April 2025. Retrieved 7 August 2025 – via Hung Medien.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dragostea_din_tei&oldid=1308307364"