| Magic | |
| Cover: | Magic Front.jpg |
| Caption: | Picture sleeve of the US and Australasian releases |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Olivia Newton-John |
| Album: | Xanadu |
| Released: | May 1980 |
| Recorded: | 1979 |
| Studio: | Musicland (Munich, Germany) |
| Producer: | John Farrar |
| Prev Title: | Rest Your Love on Me |
| Prev Year: | 1980 |
| Next Title: | Xanadu |
| Next Year: | 1980 |
"Magic" is a song recorded by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John for the soundtrack to the 1980 musical fantasy film Xanadu, which starred Newton-John and Gene Kelly. Written and produced by Newton-John's frequent collaborator John Farrar, "Magic" was released as the soundtrack's lead single in May 1980 and topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks beginning on August 2.[1] On August 30, it was displaced from the top by Christopher Cross's "Sailing".
In Canada, "Magic" spent two weeks at No. 1 on the RPM Top Singles chart, and also reached No. 4 in Australia and No. 32 in the United Kingdom. "Magic" became Newton-John's biggest Billboard Adult Contemporary hit, spending five weeks at the top of the chart, and also topped the RPM Adult Contemporary chart for a week.[2] Billboard ranked "Magic" as the third most popular single of 1980. Record World called it an "infectious pop ballad [that] has a big beat production treatment".
Both US and UK B-sides also appear in Xanadu:
All tracks written and produced by John Farrar.
A1. "Magic" – 4:25
B1. "Fool Country" – 2:29
A1. "Magic" – 4:25
B1. "Whenever You're Away from Me" – 4:22
Additional personnel
| Chart (1980) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[3] | 4 | |
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) | 20 | |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[4] | 1 | |
| Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[5] | 1 | |
| Germany (GfK) | 36 | |
| Japan (Oricon) | 43 | |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[6] | 12 | |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) | 4 | |
| South Africa (Springbok)[7] | 5 | |
| Sweden | 12 | |
| UK Singles (OCC) | 32 | |
| US Billboard Hot 100[8] | 1 | |
| US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[9] | 1 | |
| US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[10] | 1 |
| Chart (2022) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Canada Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[11] | 37 | |
| US Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[12] | 11 |
| Chart (1980) | Rank position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[13] [14] | 30 | |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM)[15] | 10 | |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[16] | 36 | |
| US Billboard Hot 100[17] | 3 |
| Magic (Peach & DJ Dan Murphy remix) | |
| Cover: | MagicRemix.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Olivia Newton-John featuring Wacci |
| Released: | 22 May 2011 |
| Genre: | Electropop, dance-pop |
| Length: | 3:37 |
| Producer: | DJ Dan Murphy, Steve Peach |
| Prev Title: | Help Me to Heal |
| Prev Year: | 2010 |
| Next Title: | When You Wish upon a Star |
| Next Year: | 2011 |
"Magic (Peach & DJ Dan Murphy remix)" is a remix of the song. In May 2011, it was remixed by two Australians, DJ Dan Murphy and Steve Peach, to create a dance version. Newton-John went back to the studio to re-sing the vocals. The version was sponsored by WACCI, a humanitarian group.
Everybody who worked on the project volunteered their time, with all proceeds being donated to Newton-John's charity, the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre.
Newton-John was presented the world premiere of the song on the Australian edition of Dancing with the Stars on Sunday May 22, 2011. The song was released exclusively on Australian iTunes that same day.
A video was shot for the new remix in Sydney in an attempt to break the Guinness Book World Record for largest cast in a music video by featuring 350 people. Newton-John does not appear in the video, which was directed by DJ Dan Murphy.
| Chart (2011) | Peak position | |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[19] | 79 | |
| Australia Dance (ARIA) | 19 |