9 PM (Till I Come)
A trance anthem born from a missed cinema date.
"9 PM (Till I Come)" is the debut single by German DJ and producer ATB, released on 26 October 1998 through Kontor Records. It later appeared on his first studio album, Movin' Melodies (1999). The track includes vocals from Spanish model Yolanda Rivera and a synthesizer hook that was originally created using a guitar sound. A remix of the song reached number one on both the UK Singles Chart and the Irish Singles Chart, and it also broke into the top ten in Australia, Denmark, Greece, Italy, and Norway.
ATB—born André Tanneberger—began his career in the German dance project Sequential One. After that group disbanded in 1999, he launched his solo project in 1998 with this track. The song's hook came about accidentally while he was showing a girl his studio before a planned cinema date. When he played a guitar sound and improvised a melody, he realized it was interesting and began building the track around it. He saved the file as "9 PM" because that was the time they left for the cinema. The next day, he finished the track and added an a cappella called "Till I Come" provided by his management. Initially, he doubted anyone would buy it, but positive reactions from record labels led to its release.
For the UK release via Ministry of Sound, a remix by Sequential One was used instead of the original version. The single first charted at number 68 on 12-inch sales alone, then re-entered and climbed to number one. ATB performed the song on Top of the Pops, standing atop a large box surrounded by dancers. The original track is in A minor at 130 beats per minute; the UK radio edit (an edit of the Sequential One remix) is in the same key but at 135 beats per minute.
Critics noted the song's "purring titillation" and described it as "the woozy sound of Ibiza when it's just too hot," with Rivera's vocals called "suitably breathy." In Germany, it peaked at number 14. In the UK, it became the first trance song to top the chart, staying at number one for two weeks before being replaced by Ricky Martin's "Livin' La Vida Loca." It was Britain's fifth-best-selling single of 1999, and as of July 2014, had sold over 890,000 copies in the UK. In Ireland, it held the top spot for four weeks. It reached number three in Denmark, Italy, and Norway, number five in Belgium's Flanders region, and number ten in Australia.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- ATB
- Album
- Movin' Melodies
- Released
- 26 October 1998
- Genre
- Dance
- Label
- Kontor
- Writer
- André Tanneberger
- Angel Ferrerons
- Julio Posadas
- Yolanda Rivera
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
ATB, born André Tanneberger, began his music career in the German dance project Sequential One. In 1998, he started a solo project named ATB, and his first track under this name was "9 PM (Till I Come)". The song's hook originated when Tanneberger met a girl and they planned to go to the cinema. She was interested in his music production, and during a tour of his studio, he played a guitar sound and melody. Recognizing the melody's potential, he began working on it, eventually forgetting she was there. She reminded him they had to go to the cinema; because the clock was 9 p.m., he saved the track as "9 PM". The next day, he finished the track and added an a cappella titled "Till I Come" provided by his management. Initially thinking nobody would buy it, positive reactions from record companies led to its release.
For the Ministry of Sound release, a remix by Sequential One was used rather than the original version. The track initially charted at number 68 on the UK Singles Chart on 12-inch sales only. Upon re-release with the Sequential One remix, it peaked at number one. ATB performed the song on Top of the Pops, standing atop a large box surrounded by dancers. The music video, which Tanneberger said has no story, was arranged by the record company; he later stated he would take more care with future videos.
Reader's Guide
"9 PM (Till I Come)" is significant as the first trance song to top the UK Singles Chart, reaching number one on 27 June 1999 and remaining there for two weeks. It became Britain's fifth-best-selling single of 1999, with over 890,000 copies sold in the UK as of July 2014. The song's success established ATB as a prominent figure in trance music and influenced the genre's mainstream popularity. Its distinctive synthesizer hook, created on guitar, and Rivera's breathy vocals became hallmarks of late-1990s trance. The track's legacy includes a 2021 remake titled "Your Love (9PM)" with German DJ Topic and Swedish singer A7S, which reached number eight on the UK Singles Chart and number nine on the US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. Tiësto also released a remix of this remake. The original song's hook was reworked into ATB's 1999 single "Don't Stop!", which also proved very popular. Critical reception noted the song's "purring titillation" (Barney Hoskyns, The Independent) and its evocation of "the woozy sound of Ibiza when it's just too hot" (Sarah Anderson, NME).
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