Christian Friedrich Johannes Büttner (German pronunciation: [ˈkʁɪsti̯an ˈfʁɪdʁɪç joˈhanəs ˈbʏtnɐ]; born 1 June 1979), known professionally as TheFatRat, is a German DJ, record producer and musician. His genre is often described as "glitch-hop."[1] He is best known for his 2016 extended play Jackpot which reached 23 on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart.[2] He peaked at 15 on Billboard's Next Big Sound chart in February 2015.[3]
TheFatRat | |
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Birth name | Christian Friedrich Johannes Büttner |
Born | Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany | 1 June 1979
Genres | |
Occupations |
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Instruments | |
Years active | 2001–present |
Labels |
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Music career
editBüttner originally aspired to become a classical conductor.[4] He began producing music in 2001 under his real name. He began by making background music for television, radio and advertisements and produced music for DJs.[5]
In 2010, Büttner produced the song Mignon Mignon for René la Taupe, which became a number-one single in France.[6] Around that time, he also produced the song "Audubon Ballroom" on Lupe Fiasco's album Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album Pt. 1, which charted at #5 on the Billboard 200.[7]
In July 2011, he began making solo music under the pseudonym TheFatRat, a nickname given to him in his youth. His career began with the release of his first EP, Do Be Do Be Do.[5]
By 2016, Büttner's music was used in over 1.5 million YouTube videos.[8] His single "Unity" was included on the album Sounds of Syndication Vol. 1[9] curated by Tom Cassell, one of the most subscribed streamers on Twitch.
In November 2016, Büttner released his second EP, Jackpot on the Universal Music label.[8] The EP reached #23 on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart.[2] In December 2016, Büttner started a record label, The Arcadium, in collaboration with Universal Music.[10]
In June 2017, he released the single "Fly Away" featuring vocalist Anjulie. In July, he performed at the Electric Forest Festival.[11] In October 2017, he released the single "Oblivion" featuring vocalist Lola Blanc.[12]
In March 2018, he released the single "MAYDAY".[13] In July 2018, he released "Warrior Songs", a music pack for the video game Dota 2, which has been made available in the game as of 13 September 2018, according to Matthew "Cyborgmatt" Bailey, director of operations of Team Secret.[14]
In December 2018, he posted a video about how YouTube's content ID system is "broken", as one anonymous user known as Ramjets claimed all the earnings for his song "The Calling" and YouTube refused to settle the dispute.[15][16][17] The claim was removed by YouTube later.[18] As an act of gratitude towards the YouTube community standing up for him, he announced that all of his music would be free to use for creative videos on the platform, without fear of him claiming or copyright striking any video.[19]
In February 2020, Redbull.com made a 10-minute documentary about Büttner and his career titled, TheFatRat: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Him. They released this within their article, "TheFatRat: Meet the EDM DJ who's elevated video game music to high art."[20]
On 7 February 2020, Büttner released a sci-fi music video on YouTube starring himself and Maisy Kay for Büttner's song, "The Storm," which he performed with Kay.[21] The music video was filmed in Iceland, with Surtshellir Cave on the first day, Hekla Mountain on the second day, and Hjörleifshöfði on the third and final day. Accompanying the music video is a game for mobile dubbed The Storm - Interactive, where one can play through the story of the video.[22]
Discography
editAlbums
editYear | Title | Information |
---|---|---|
2018 | Warrior Songs (From Dota 2) |
|
2021 | Parallax |
|
Extended Plays
editYear | Title | Information | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|---|
US Dance[2] | |||
2011 | Do Be Do Be Do |
|
– |
2016 | Jackpot |
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23 |
2020 | Classics Remixed |
|
– |
2024 | Ray Tracer |
|
– |
Singles
editTitle | Date | Album | Label |
---|---|---|---|
"Some Body" | 2011 | Do Be Do Be Do EP | Self-released |
"Less Than Three" | |||
"Do Be Do Be Do" | |||
"Splinter" | 2013 | Non-album singles | Spinnin Records |
"Dancing Naked" | The Arcadium | ||
"Infinite Power!" | 2014 | Rocket League OST | |
"Unity" | Non-album singles | ||
"Windfall" | |||
"Xenogenesis" | |||
"Never Be Alone" | 2015 | ||
"Time Lapse" | |||
"Telescope" | Seeking Blue | ||
"Monody" (featuring Laura Brehm)[29] |
The Arcadium | ||
"The Calling" (featuring Laura Brehm) |
2016 | ||
"No No No" | |||
"Youtubers Life Rap" (with Kronno Zomber) | |||
"Fly Away" (featuring Anjulie)[30] |
2017 | Universal Music | |
"Oblivion" (featuring Lola Blanc)[31] | |||
"Mayday" (featuring Laura Brehm)[32] |
2018 | ||
"Chosen"[33] (with Anna Yvette and Laura Brehm) |
2019 | ||
"Solitude"[34] (with Slaydit) | |||
"Sunlight"[35] (with Phaera) |
The Arcadium | ||
"Stronger"[36] (with Slaydit and Anjulie) |
Monstercat | ||
"Close To The Sun"[37] (with Anjulie) |
The Arcadium | ||
"Rise Up"[38] | Enter Records | ||
"The Storm"[39] (with Maisy Kay) |
2020 | The Arcadium | |
"Electrified"[40] | |||
"We'll Meet Again"[41] (with Laura Brehm) | |||
"Rule the World"[42] (with AleXa) | |||
"Hiding in the Blue"[43] (with Riell) |
2021 | Parallax | |
"Arcadia"[44] | |||
"Pride & Fear"[45] (with Riell) | |||
"Upwind"[46] | |||
"Our Song"[47] (with Cecilia Gault) | |||
"Violet Sky"[48] (with Cecilia Gault) | |||
"Warbringer"[49] (featuring Lindsey Stirling and with Everen Maxwell) | |||
"Fire"[50] | |||
"Love It When You Hurt Me"[51] (with Anjulie) | |||
"Let Love Win"[52] (with Anjulie) | |||
"Ghost Light"[53] (with EVERGLOW) |
2022 | Non-album singles | Pharisade |
"Ghost Light (Nightcore)"[54] (with EVERGLOW) | |||
"Ghost Light (Korean)"[55] (with EVERGLOW) | |||
"Back One Day"[56] (with NEFFEX) | |||
"Monkeys"[57] | 2023 | ||
"Out of the Rain"[58] (with Shiah Maisel) | |||
"Hunger"[59] | |||
"Escaping Gravity"[60] (with Cecilia Gault) | |||
"Sail Away"[61] (featuring Laura Brehm) |
2024 | ||
"Still Here With You"[62] | |||
"Myself & I"[63] (with RIELL) |
References
edit- ^ Bein, Kat (12 July 2016). "Go Your Own Way: How German Producer TheFatRat Finds Creative Freedom in Label Independence". Billboard.com. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- ^ a b c "TheFatRat Chart History | Billboard". Billboard. Archived from the original on 6 April 2019. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ "Next Big Sound". Billboard. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
- ^ "TheFatRat Biography". Concerty.com.
- ^ a b "TheFatRat | Artist info". PM Label Group. Retrieved 23 January 2020.[permanent dead link ]
- ^ "René la Taupe - "Mignon Mignon", French Singles Chart" (in French). Lescharts. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (16 March 2011). "Green Day, No Doubt & Lupe Fiasco Headed for Big Billboard 200 Debuts". Billboard. Los Angeles: Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
- ^ a b "TheFatRat Releases 'Jackpot' EP". BroadwayWorld.com. 22 November 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
- ^ "Twitch Streamer Curates Album for Millions". Vice Media. 6 May 2016. Archived from the original on 11 February 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
- ^ "Zwei Millionen YouTube-Abonnenten". Göttinger Tageblatt. 14 November 2018. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
- ^ "TheFatRat | Electric Forest". Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
- ^ TheFatRat - Oblivion (feat. Lola Blanc) - YouTube, retrieved 23 January 2020
- ^ Watts, Nick (27 March 2018). "TheFatRat - MAYDAY ft. Laura Brehm". Your EDM. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
- ^ Bailey, Matthew (13 September 2018). "The @ThisIsTheFatRat music pack is now available to purchase on the @DOTA2 store". Twitter. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
- ^ "YouTube star TheFatRat is highly 'frustrated' with the platform's copyright claim system". The Daily Dot. 20 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
- ^ "A Fed Up Musician Demands That YouTube Fix Its Broken Content ID System. More Than 100,000 People Have Signed His Petition". Digital Music News. 27 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
- ^ "YouTube let a contentID scammer steal a popular video". Boing Boing. 26 December 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
- ^ "YouTube Gives Content Creators More Control Over Copyright Claim Disputes With New Update". Mashable India. 27 December 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
- ^ "TheFatRat Biography". Concerty.com.
- ^ "TheFatRat: Meet the EDM DJ who's elevated video game music to high art". Redbull.com. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
- ^ Büttner, Christian (TheFatRat) & Kay, Maisy (7 February 2020). The Storm (Official Music Video). The Arcadium. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
- ^ "Expedition Island: Das steckt hinter dem TheFatRat-Video zu "The Storm"". Redbull.com (in German). 7 February 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
- ^ "Parallax". Apple Music. Apple Music. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
- ^ "Do Be Do Be Do - EP by TheFatRat | The Fat Rat | Free Listening on SoundCloud". SoundCloud. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
- ^ "Jackpot - EP by TheFatRat on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 15 October 2017.
- ^ "Gaming Music Pioneer TheFatRat Drops 'Jackpot' EP". DJ Mag. 24 November 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
- ^ "Classics - EP". iTunes. iTunes. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
- ^ "Ray Tracer - EP - Album by TheFatRat on Apple Music". Apple Music. Apple Music. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
- ^ "TheFatRat Releases 'Monody' feat. Laura Brehm". BroadwayWorld.com. 25 November 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
- ^ "June 2, 2017: New Music Released This Week". EDM Sauce. 2 June 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
- ^ "New Music Releases For 27 October 2017". Noise11. 27 October 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
- ^ "Thefatrat reveals 'Mayday' ft. Laura Brehm at last". Noiseporn. 23 March 2018. Archived from the original on 1 January 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
- ^ "Chosen - Single by TheFatRat on Apple Music". iTunes Store. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
- ^ "Solitude - Single by TheFatRat & Slaydit". iTunes. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
- ^ "Sunlight (feat. Phaera) - Single by TheFatRat on Apple Music". iTunes Store. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ "Stronger - Single by TheFatRat, Slaydit & Anjulie on Apple Music". iTunes Store. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ "Close To the Sun - Single by TheFatRat & Anjulie on Apple Music". iTunes Store. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ "Rise Up - Single by TheFatRat on Apple Music". iTunes Store. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ "The Storm - Single by TheFatRat & Maisy Kay". Apple Music. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
- ^ "Electrified - Single by TheFatRat". Apple Music. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
- ^ "We'll Meet Again - Single by TheFatRat & Laura Brehm". Apple Music. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
- ^ "Rule the World - Single by TheFatRat & AleXa". Apple Music. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
- ^ "Hiding In the Blue - Single by TheFatRat & Riell on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ^ "Arcadia - Single by TheFatRat on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
- ^ "Pride & Fear - Single by TheFatRat & Riell on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
- ^ "Upwind - Single by TheFatRat on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
- ^ "Our Song - Single by TheFatRat & Cecilia Gault on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ "Violet Sky - Single by TheFatRat & Cecilia Gault on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ "Warbringer (feat. Lindsey Stirling) - Single by TheFatRat & Everen Maxwell on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ "Fire - Single by TheFatRat on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
- ^ "Love It When You Hurt Me - Single by TheFatRat & Anjulie on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ "Let Love Win - Single by TheFatRat & Anjulie on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ "Ghost Light - Single by TheFatRat & EVERGLOW on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ "Ghost Light (Nightcore) - Single by TheFatRat & EVERGLOW on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ "Ghost Light (Korean) - Single by TheFatRat & EVERGLOW on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ "Back One Day (Outro Song) - Single by TheFatRat & NEFFEX on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
- ^ "Monkeys - Single by TheFatRat on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
- ^ "Out of the Rain - Single by TheFatRat & Shiah Maisel on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
- ^ "Hunger - Single by TheFatRat on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
- ^ "Escaping Gravity - Single by TheFatRat & Cecilia Gault on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ^ "Sail Away - Single by TheFatRat & Laura Brehm on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ "Still Here With You - Single by TheFatRat on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
- ^ "Myself & I - Single by TheFatRat & RIELL on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 26 April 2024.