Fade into You

For the episode of The Vampire Diaries, see Fade into You (The Vampire Diaries).

"Fade into You"
Single by Mazzy Star
from the album So Tonight That I Might See
B-side	"I'm Gonna Bake My Biscuit" "Under My Car" "Bells Ring" (acoustic) "Halah"
Released	April 1994 (1994-04)[1]
Genre	Alternative rock[2] dream pop[3]
Length	4:55
Label	Capitol
Composer(s)	David Roback
Lyricist(s)	Hope Sandoval
Producer(s)	David Roback
Mazzy Star singles chronology
"Five String Serenade" (1993) "Fade into You" (1994) "She's My Baby" (1995)
Audio sample
Album version, as it appeared on So Tonight That I Might See file help

"Fade into You" is a song by American alternative rock band Mazzy Star from their second studio album, So Tonight That I Might See (1993). The song was written by lyricist Hope Sandoval and composer David Roback, who also served as producer. The song reached number three on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1994 and is Mazzy Star's only single to appear on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 44. The song also charted at number 48 on the UK Singles Chart and number three in Iceland.

In 2021, Rolling Stone ranked "Fade into You" at number 468 on its list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".^[4] Pitchfork included the song at number 19 on their list of the "Top 200 Tracks of the 90s".^[5] Australian alternative music radio station Triple J ranked the song the 32nd greatest of 1994.^[6]

Music videos

Two music videos were made for "Fade into You". The first was directed by Kevin Kerslake and premiered on MTV in late October 1993, several weeks after the album's release. The video features the band performing in front of a projection screen depicting white clouds in a black sky, and is interlaced with slow-motion footage of the band in various locales in the Mojave Desert. The tree that can be seen in the video behind Sandoval could still be seen standing in 2024, and is located just off of Route 66. Conversely, the old building seen in the video has decayed significantly and is partially collapsed, though it can still be found off of Interstate 40.

The second music video was directed by Merlyn Rosenberg and first aired in February 1994. Known as the Black and White version for its monochromic content throughout, the intentionally grainy, distorted footage shows the band performing in a darkened Burlesque-era ballroom, and is interspersed with footage of Sandoval and Roback at various sites around San Francisco, including the All Seasons Hotel (now the Crescent Hotel)^[when?] and neighboring Stockton Street tunnel, coupled with genuine footage of the same sites shot in the 1930s. Only the latter music video was broadcast internationally.

Track listings

All songs were written and composed by Hope Sandoval and David Roback except where noted.

US and Australasian CD single (C2 7243 8 58121 2 5; 88114482)[7][8] "Fade into You" – 4:52 "I'm Gonna Bake My Biscuit" – 3:37 (Minnie McCoy) "Under My Car" – 3:35 "Bells Ring" (acoustic version) – 4:36 US cassette single (4 km 7243 8 58286 4 5)[9] "Fade into You" – 4:52 "Halah" – 3:12 UK CD single (CDCL 720)[10] "Fade into You" "Blue Flower" (Peter Blegvad, Anthony Moore) "I'm Gonna Bake My Biscuit" (McCoy) UK 10-inch vinyl (10CL 720)[11] "Fade into You" "Five String Serenade" (album version) (Arthur Lee) "Under My Car" "Bells Ring" (acoustic version)

Australian cassette single (8814484)[12] "Fade into You" (LP version) – 4:52 "I'm Gonna Bake My Biscuit" (McCoy) – 3:37 US limited-edition in-store play CD (DPRO-79401)[13] "Fade into You" (album version) "Into Dust" (live from MTV Europe) "Ride It On" (live from MTV Europe) "Ghost Highway" (live from MTV Europe) "Blue Light" (live from MTV Europe) "I'm Gonna Bake My Biscuit" (McCoy) "Under My Car" "Bells Ring" (acoustic version) "Fade into You"

Charts

Weekly charts Weekly chart performance for "Fade into You" Chart (1994–1995) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[14] 72 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[15] 83 Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[16] 3 Scotland (OCC)[17] 54 UK Singles (OCC)[18] 48 US Billboard Hot 100[19] 44 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[20] 3 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[21] 19 US Top 100 Pop Singles (Cash Box)[22] 33

Year-end charts Year-end chart performance for "Fade into You" Chart (1994) Position Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[23] 51 US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)[24] 18

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "Fade into You"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[25]	Gold	45,000^‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[26]	Platinum	600,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Fade into You"

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	September 1993	Modern rock radio	Capitol	[27]
	April 1994	CD		[1]
United Kingdom	August 1994	10-inch vinyl CD		[28]

Usage in media

In 2013, Vulture named "Fade into You" the most overused song in film and television, giving examples such as Gilmore Girls, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Following and Starship Troopers.^[29] The song was used in several films and television shows, such as American Horror Story: Hotel, Showtime's Yellowjackets, Netflix's Virgin River, Hulu's Dopesick and Amazon Prime Video's Catherine Called Birdy.^[30]

Used in Season 3 Episode 2 of That '90s Show and in the finale of season 1 of English Teacher.

Cover versions

The Irish rock band Inhaler released a cover of the song in 2020.^[31]

The American rock band Sponge released a cover of the song in 2024. ^[32]

References

1. Borzillo, Carrie (April 23, 1994). "Capital Catches a Rising Mazzy Star". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 17. p. 1. CD-5 with unreleased bonus tracks out now.
2. Terich, Jeff (April 5, 2012). "10 Essential Dream Pop Albums". Treble. Retrieved June 28, 2020.
3. Moreland, Quinn (June 14, 2020). "Mazzy Star: So Tonight That I Might See Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
4. "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 15, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
5. "The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s: 20-01". Pitchfork. September 3, 2010.
6. "The Hottest 100 Archive: 1994". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. November 11, 2017. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
7. Fade into You (US CD single liner notes). Mazzy Star. Capitol Records. 1994. C2 7243 8 58121 2 5.
8. Fade into You (Australasian CD single liner notes). Mazzy Star. Capitol Records. 1994. 88114482.
9. Fade into You (US cassette single sleeve). Mazzy Star. Capitol Records. 1994. 4KM 7243 8 58286 4 5.
10. Fade into You (UK CD single liner notes). Mazzy Star. Capitol Records. 1994. CDCL 720, 7243 8 81534 2 3.
11. Fade into You (UK 10-inch vinyl sleeve). Mazzy Star. Capitol Records. 1994. 10CL 720, 7243 8 81534 0 9.
12. Fade into You (Australian cassette single sleeve). Mazzy Star. Capitol Records. 1994. 8814484.
13. Fade into You (US limited in-store play CD liner notes). Mazzy Star. Capitol Records. 1994. DPRO-79401.
14. "Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 12 Mar 1995". The ARIA Report – via Imgur.
15. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2662." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
16. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (24.–29.11 '94)". DV (in Icelandic). November 24, 1994. p. 16. ISSN 1021-8254 – via Timarit.is.
17. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
18. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
19. "Mazzy Star Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
20. "Mazzy Star Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
21. "Mazzy Star Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
22. "Cash Box Top 100 Pop Singles – Week Ending November 12, 1994". Cash Box. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
23. "Árslistinn 1994". DV (in Icelandic). January 2, 1995. p. 25. ISSN 1021-8254 – via Timarit.is.
24. "The Year in Music 1994 – Hot Modern Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 52. December 24, 1994. p. YE-62. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
25. "Danish single certifications – Mazzy Star – Fade into You". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
26. "British single certifications – Mazzy Star – Fade into You". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
27. Borzillo, Carrie (August 13, 1994). "Capital Catches a Rising Mazzy Star". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 33. p. 7. Capitol has been working the first single, 'Fade Into You,' since last September, but modern rock radio only began to show serious support in the last few months.
28. "Single Releases" (PDF). Music Week. August 13, 1994. p. 25.
29. Riesman, Abraham Josephine (October 1, 2013). "Video: Is Mazzy Star's 'Fade Into You' the Most Overused Song in Film and TV?". Vulture. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
30. December 8, Jessica Leon; EST, 2022 at 10:00 AM. "Best of 2022: How the song 'Fade into You' made its way into multiple shows (and a movie)". EW.com. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
31. Matthew Neale (July 24, 2020). "Inhaler share sweeping cover of Mazzy Star's 'Fade Into You'". nme.com. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
32. Danielle Chelosky (October 10, 2024). "Sponge – "Fade Into You" (Mazzy Star Cover)". stereogum.com. Retrieved October 15, 2024.