Planet Funk

History

Planet Funk's first single, "Chase the Sun," reached number five on the UK Singles Chart in 2001. The melody is borrowed from Ennio Morricone's tune "Alla Luce Del Giorno," off the score of the 1969 film Metti, una sera a cena. The song gained popularity after Sky Sports began using it during coverage of the Professional Darts Corporation's major tournaments, where crowds chant and rave to the song during advert breaks.

It is also chanted by supporters at games of Australian football clubs Newcastle Jets and Adelaide United, serves as the second half opening theme for Sheffield Wednesday, is played after goals by Reading, at the end of games by Gateshead, and after successful drop-kicks by Wigan Warriors. The Melbourne spring racing carnival used it in promotional TV ads during the mid- to late 2000s, and AFC Bournemouth used the chant for their former striker Brett Pitman. Their second single, "Inside All the People," reached no. 9 in the Italian Singles Chart.

Their third single was "Who Said (Stuck In The UK)." Their 2007 single "Static" appeared on FIFA 08. They remixed New Order's "Waiting for the Sirens' Call." In May 2006, they became the first musical group to release a single exclusively as a mobile phone download, with "Stop Me" on the mobile network 3. In 2009, they released "Lemonade," featured on their album Planet Funk.

The single "Weightless" was released in 2010, a collaboration with Swedish artist Emilia de Poret. Their album The Great Shake, featuring Alex Uhlmann, was released in September 2011; that month they opened the F1 Rocks concert at Monza during the Italian Grand Prix. The first single, "Another Sunrise," was released in Italy in May 2011. In October 2015, they released "We-People," supporting Save the Children's global campaign to fight infant mortality. "Chase the Sun" was chosen as the goal song of the Colorado Avalanche for the 2017–18 NHL season.

In February 2020, they released the compilation album 20:20, followed by the remix album 20:20 Remixes in April 2020. In 2017, bassist and co-founder Sergio Della Monica left the group due to worsening health; he died on February 18, 2018, at age 58, from pneumonia. On May 26, 2025, guitarist Domenico "Gigi" Canu died at age 66 due to colon cancer.