"Around the World" is a song by the Danish-Norwegian dance-pop group Aqua. It was released as the second single from their second studio album, Aquarius, in April 2000. In the UK, it was released the following month, serving as the group's final single in the country before their split in mid-2001. The song reached the top 10 in Denmark, Romania and Sweden.
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Background and release
"Around the World" was originally called "Larger than Life", but was renamed after American boy band Backstreet Boys released a single with the same title in 1999. The group has described the song as a "happy-dancing song with a huge, massive choir." "Around the World" was released on 25 April 2000, with the United Kingdom release following on 29 May 2000.
Commercial performance
"Around the World" was a top-five chart hit in Denmark and Sweden, reaching number four in both countries. In Sweden, the song sold enough copies to be certified gold a week into its release, debuting at number four and maintaining its peak position for three weeks. It stayed in the top 10 for three more, becoming the country's 54th-highest-selling single of 2000. In Denmark, the song debuted in the top 10 at number nine, before moving to number four the following week, spending a total of three weeks in the top 10. "Around the World" was Aqua's last and lowest-peaking entry on the UK Singles Chart, as well as their first to fail to reach the top 20, peaking at number 26.
Elsewhere, the song entered the top 20 in Italy, Norway and Spain. By the end of May, "Around the World" reached its peak on the Eurochart Hot 100, at number 51. In terms of airplay, it peaked within the top 40 of the European airplay chart and entered the top 10 on the airplay charts of Romania, Scandinavia and Spain. According to Music & Media's Border Breakers chart, it was the 18th-most played song released on a mainland European label in the areas outside its country of signing.