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No Coke

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"No Coke"
Single by Dr. Alban
from the album Hello Afrika
Released3 November 1990
Genre
Length
  • 7:00 (album version)
  • 3:43
LabelSweMix
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Denniz PoP
Dr. Alban singles chronology
"Hello Afrika"
(1990) 		"No Coke"
(1990) 		"U & Mi"
(1991)
Music video
"No Coke" on YouTube

"No Coke" is a song recorded by Sweden-based musician and producer Dr. Alban. It was originally released as the B-side of the 12-inch version of his debut single, "Hello Afrika", and became the second single off his debut album, Hello Afrika (1990). Released in November 1990, the song was a hit in several European countries and reached number one in Sweden. To date, it is one of Dr. Alban's most successful songs, along with "It's My Life" and "Sing Hallelujah". It was produced by Denniz Pop, who recorded the song's signature bassline using a Roland Juno-106 synthesizer.[1] The song is performed in English, and the lyrics describe a tragic event outside Dr. Alban's nightclub Alphabet Street in Stockholm. In November 2017, it was the topic of SVT's Hitlåtens historia.

Critical reception

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Larry Flick from Billboard viewed the song as a "cleverly written anti-drug anthem", "particularly potent and U.S. club-friendly."[2] He added that "pure (and clever) toasting is woven into a fabric of accessible hip-hop and reggae threads"[3] and concluded that the song is "a brilliant piece of work".[4]

Chart performance

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"No Coke" was very successful on the charts in Europe, peaking at number-one in Sweden. It spent two weeks at the top spot and 5 weeks within the top 10. The single made it to the top 10 also in Austria, Germany, Greece (#3), the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. In Austria, it peaked at number two, being held off reaching number-one by Roxette's "Joyride". It spent four weeks at that position. Additionally, "No Coke" was a top 20 hit in Finland and Italy, and a top 30 hit in Belgium. It didn't chart on the UK Singles Chart, but reached number 59 on the UK Dance Singles Chart. The single earned a gold record in Sweden, where the song broke all records by staying for five consecutive weeks at number-one in national radio SR's popular show "Tracks". That's a feat not even achieved by ABBA.[5]

Music video

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A music video was produced to promote the single, directed by Scottish director Paul Boyd.[6] He also directed the video for "Hello Afrika". "No Coke" received heavy rotation on MTV Europe[7] and was later published on Dr. Alban's official YouTube channel in December 2011. By May 2025, it had generated more than 37 million views.[8]

Track listings

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Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Sweden (GLF)[32] Platinum 50,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Hitlatens historia: No Coke. SVT. Aired on 27 November 2017.
  2. ^ Flick, Larry (18 May 1991). "Dance Trax: Sweden's Hot Clubland Still Looking For U.S. label" (PDF). Billboard. p. 23. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  3. ^ Flick, Larry (21 September 1991). "Dance Trax: Moroder Back On The Dancefloor With New Readings" (PDF). Billboard. p. 30. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  4. ^ Flick, Larry (17 April 1993). "Dance Trax: 'DeNiro' Delivers; 'Gypsyland' A Trip; Exposing I.D." (PDF). Billboard. p. 24. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Spotlight: Dr. Alban" (PDF). Music & Media. 26 January 1991. p. 18. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  6. ^ "No Coke (1991) by Dr. Alban". IMVDb.com. Retrieved 15 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Station Reports > TV > MTV/London" (PDF). Music & Media. 23 March 1991. p. 28. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  8. ^ "Dr Alban - No Coke (Official HD)". YouTube. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  9. ^ "Dr. Alban – No Coke" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  10. ^ "Dr. Alban – No Coke" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  11. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 18. 4 May 1991. p. 25.
  12. ^ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  13. ^ "Dr. Alban – No Coke" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  14. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 31. 3 August 1991. p. 20. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  15. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 29 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Dr. Alban".
  16. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Dr. Alban" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  17. ^ "Dr. Alban – No Coke" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  18. ^ "Dr. Alban – No Coke". VG-lista.
  19. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 34. 24 August 1991. p. 22. Retrieved 20 March 2018.
  20. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  21. ^ "Dr. Alban – No Coke". Singles Top 100.
  22. ^ "Dr. Alban – No Coke". Swiss Singles Chart.
  23. ^ "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 16 November 1991. p. 22. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  24. ^ "Årstopplistan 1990, Singlar" (in Swedish). Grammotex. Archived from the original on 16 February 2001. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  25. ^ "Jahreshitparade Singles 1991" (in German). Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  26. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1991" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51–52. 21 December 1991. p. 21. Retrieved 17 January 2020 – via World Radio History.
  27. ^ "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1991" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  28. ^ "Top 100–Jaaroverzicht van 1991" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  29. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1991" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  30. ^ "Årstopplistan 1991, Singlar" (in Swedish). Grammotex. Archived from the original on 25 February 2001. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  31. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1991" (in German). Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  32. ^ "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
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