Celebrating 10 Years of Mark Ronson + Bruno Mars’ ‘Uptown Funk’
This week marks the tenth anniversary of songwriter and producer Mark Ronson’s Uptown Special album. You know, the album with that song with Bruno Mars that you can’t stop singing. Yes, it’s already been ten years since “Uptown Funk” took the world by storm. It’s a song that’s still being sung in karaoke, played at parties and it remains a timeless banger.
A New Chapter for Mark Ronson
Mark Ronson had already made a name for himself as a music producer. He had worked with Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen, among others.
However, in 2015, when he released his fourth studio album Uptown Special (which he dedicated to the late Amy Winehouse, per Time Magazine) he became a mainstream star. He teamed up with carefully chosen collaborators to make the album different from his previous ones. The Los Angeles Times’ Randall Roberts said Ronson “crafts solid, instantly catchy pop songs, the kind that strive for an everyman universality while acknowledging a rich past of soul-inspired pop music.” There are a number of great songs on the album, but one in particular stands out.
“Uptown Funk” and Its Monumental Success
It’s impossible to talk about the album without discussing the success of “Uptown Funk.” In many ways, the song became synonymous with the album and even with Ronson himself. The infectious track with meme-worthy lyrics (“Don’t believe me, just watch!”) became an anthem and a massive pop culture moment.
Ronson shared he got a call asking if he wanted to meet Bruno Mars during his honeymoon. A month later, they met in London and the first thing the “24K Magic” singer told him was, “I want to sound exactly the opposite of what a Mark Ronson collaboration with Bruno Mars is supposed to sound like.” He admitted he was blown away by Mars’ talent and called the song, “This is the most progressive music I’ve worked on yet,” per Rolling Stone.
It won the Grammys for Record of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical at the 58th Grammy Awards. The song also held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 14 weeks and is the best-selling song of 2015, per Billboard.
However, it was not without its challenges. The record producer said in an interview that they almost gave up writing the song since they couldn’t seem to recapture the magic from the first time they tried. Then there were logistics: he, Mars and their other collaborator Jeff Bhasker were in different continents at the time. “I’d wait maybe a month until everyone’s nerves cooled down and be like, ‘Hey, can we get back in and try to work on that song again?'” Fortunately, Ronson did not give up on the song.
The Legacy of “Uptown Funk”
Last year, Ronson posted on his Instagram account a video about “Uptown Funk” calling it “one of the most meaningful musical experiences of my life.” He also mentioned that performing it on SNL, the Ellen Show and the Superbowl “was a dream come true.” Ronson also said he was moved by the joy the song seems to bring to people who play and listen to it at clubs and during special events. He also thanked Trinidad James, Bruno Mars, Jeff Bhasker and Philip Lawrence for “pouring their heart and brilliance into every bit.”
Fans showed love and support for the track even after all these years. One fan even commented, “I will wait for your second collaboration.” Of course, Mars has been involved in a lot of collaborations over the years, most recently with Lady Gaga on “Die With A Smile” and Rose of BLACKPINK on “APT.”
