stereophonics

"Dakota" is a song by the Welsh band Stereophonics. It was the first single from their fifth studio album Language. Sex. Violence. Other? and was released on February 28, 2005. It was the first Stereophonics single to reach #1 on the UK Singles Chart or to chart on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song spent a total of 20 weeks on the UK singles chart, and it also topped the download chart, remaining on the chart for 22 weeks, half of which were spent in the top 10. The single received good reviews, James Masterton calling it the single of the year.

"Dakota" was the first Stereophonics single to achieve success on alternative rock radio stations in the United States, and as such represents their American breakthrough single.[citation needed] Before "Dakota", no Stereophonics single had charted on any rock charts in the U.S. After its release in February, the single steadily gained ground on U.S. alternative rock radio. However, since the Stereophonics lacked a fanbase or previous popular success in America, the single was at a great disadvantage and was initially added to very few station playlists. Nevertheless, the popularity of the song and its championing by such stations as WBCN led "Dakota" slowly to gain airplay and playlist adds across the country over a period of many months. It became one of the 50 most-played songs in the US by mid-May 2005. However, the song lingered just within the top 50 for months and seemed destined to just miss the Modern Rock Tracks chart, a compilation of just the top 40 most-played alternative rock songs in the US.

But "Dakota" continued to gain support across the U.S. and eventually become the first Stereophonics song to chart on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. It first charted on July 9, 2005, almost half a year after its original release. The song reached #34 on the chart; it was their first and so-far only single to make the chart.