“Murder On the Dancefloor” was a certified hit in its day. Ellis-Bextor secured top 10 chart placements across Europe and Australia, and traveled the world to perform the single in concert. Even now, the English singer-songwriter remains fond of the song — but she admits that its resurgence came as a huge surprise. “I have a really good relationship with ‘Murder on the Dancefloor,'” she told Magic FM, “So having it have this moment again feels really special. I don’t think anything could have prepared me for this, really. It’s quite magical and unexpected.”
When the “Saltburn” team first approached Ellis-Bextor for her blessing, she was given a “synopsis” of how it would be used. “I knew that a character from the film would be dancing to it with no clothes on for the entirety of [the song],” she continued. “And I actually just thought, ‘I think I have to see that.'”
With the release of “Saltburn,” “Murder on the Dancefloor” has become a viral phenomenon. It inspired its own dance trend on TikTok, and even broken through the charts in a way that it didn’t when it was originally released, debuting for the first time in the United States on Billboard’s Hot 100 list (at No. 98). It’s also back in a big way in UK charts, reclaiming the No. 2 spot it once held in 2001, and has climbed to No. 25 on Australia’s ARIA singles chart.
The resurgence of “Murder” comes at a moment where disco is enjoying a major reappraisal. The same goes for the early 2000s: the noughties have become an era that everyone is willing to celebrate, whether they lived through the decade or not. “Saltburn” could be setting the tone for a new wave of nostalgia: the film may not be for everyone, but at least it’s got great taste in music.
“Saltburn” is currently streaming on Prime Video.
