| "Space Man" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single bySam Ryder | ||||
| from the albumThere's Nothing but Space, Man! | ||||
| Released | 22 February 2022 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length |
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| Label | Parlophone | |||
| Songwriters |
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| Producer | Koz | |||
| Sam Ryder singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Space Man" onYouTube | ||||
| Eurovision Song Contest 2022 entry | ||||
| Country | ||||
| Artist | ||||
| Composers |
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| Lyricists |
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| Finals performance | ||||
| Final result | 2nd | |||
| Final points | 466 | |||
| Entry chronology | ||||
| ◄ "Embers" (2021) | ||||
| "I Wrote a Song" (2023) ► | ||||
| Official performance video | ||||
| "Space Man" (Grand Final) onYouTube | ||||
"Space Man" is a song by British singer-songwriterSam Ryder, released as a single on 22 February 2022 throughParlophone Records.[2][3] Itrepresented the United Kingdom at theEurovision Song Contest 2022 inTurin, Italy, after being internally selected through TaP Music and theBBC, the British broadcaster for theEurovision Song Contest.[4] Co-written by Ryder,Amy Wadge and Max Wolfgang, it appears on Ryder's debut studio albumThere's Nothing but Space, Man!, which was released on 9 December 2022.[5]
"Space Man" received positive reviews from critics, who praised Ryder's vocals, and they additionally commended his positive attitude and desire to see change how the British public and press view the Eurovision Song Contest.[6][7][8] Described as an upliftingpop track, it became a fan favourite to win the contest.[9] Ryder embarked on a promotional tour for the song, including giving televised performances atCapital's Summertime Ball and at thePlatinum Party at the Palace.[10]
At the contest in Italy, Ryder finished in second place with 466 points, becoming the highest scoring UK Eurovision entrant and winning the jury vote with 283 points, and scoring the third highest jury votes by a contestant.[11] He gave the UK their best result since1998 and its first top three result since2002.[12][13][14] "Space Man" peaked at number two on theUK Singles Chart, becoming the highest-charting UK Eurovision entry sinceGina G's "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit" in 1996.[15] It has been certified Platinum by theBritish Phonographic Industry (BPI).
"Space Man" was released on 22 February 2022 onto all streaming platforms.[16] Ryder was announced as the UK's Eurovision entry on March 10, 2022, byScott Mills onBBC Radio 1, with the song being previously featured on ‘Tune of the Week’.[17] The music video premiered onto theEurovision Song Contest's officialYouTube channel on the same day and was filmed inBudapest,Hungary.[18] It was included on the 2022 edition ofNow That's What I Call Music!.[19] It appears on Ryder's debut studio albumThere's Nothing but Space, Man!.
On 18 May, Ryder released a Eurovision guitar solo version after his performance at theEurovision Song Contest 2022.[20] On 1 June, limited signed Platinum Jubilee editions were released on 7 June.[21] On 23 March 2023, Ryder's jumpsuit that he had worn at the Eurovision final was displayed in Liverpool, ahead of the city hosting the contest in May.[22]
"Space Man" was co-written and composed bySam Ryder, Grammy nominated winning singer-songwriterAmy Wadge, and Max Wolfgang. It was recorded at Cube Recording Studios inCornwall, amid theCOVID-19 pandemic, in London.[23][24] It was also produced by Canadian record producerKoz. "Space Man" is apop track, showing 70s pop influences likeElton John and Queen, and runs for a total of 3 minutes and 4 seconds.[25]
"Space Man" was met with universal acclaim, and became a fan favourite to win the contest.[26] TheEvening Standard described the song as "a solidly written pop song; whether it'll win over our European cousins remains to be seen."[27] James Hall inThe Daily Telegraph stated "Ryder represents our greatest hope of rising from the Eurovision ashes for years. [...] Not only can he sing, but he can perform too thanks to his time on the metal circuit and in Nashville. He has charisma. [...] Picking him is a clever move."[28] Simon Duke in theChronicle Live stated "Following his first rehearsal in Turin, Italy, he has been declared as the UK's best Eurovision hope in years".[29] El Hunt for magazineBustle described "Space Man" thus: "Covered with galactic sliding guitars and more than a hint of Elton John, the song imagines floating in space as a lonely, isolated astronaut with the longing to be grounded back down to earth again. And fair play, it's not too bad."[30] Caroline Frost inThe Spectator said "Listen to this year's entry, and you will hear hints of SirElton's 'Rocket Man' and 'Tiny Dancer'. At last we’re taking it seriously, and we're channelling the best of British pop music, one of our greatest soft powers. But this year, for the first in decades, we can at least say we tried. And everyone loves a trier."[31]
George Griffiths fromThe Official Charts Company said "'Space Man' is one of the most exciting entries the UK has sent in recent memory. [...Ryder's] entry, is a scatter-shot pop banger, with an electrifying chorus that does seem at points like it's lifting up into the atmosphere. One thing is certain the UK are taking Eurovision seriously this year."[32] Angelica Frey inThe Guardian stated "'Space Man' has filching celestial vibes from Elton John’s 'Rocket Man', tothe Beatles’ 'Across the Universe' andR.E.M.'s 'Man on the Moon'. His strident chorus notes really hit you between the eyes but 'Space Man' is our best entry for many years."[33] William Lee Adams fromVice andWiwibloggs described his entry as a "emotive ballad with his voice gliding across varied terrain, from deep to gritty to a glorious falsetto. I still can’t help but root for Sam."[34] Nick Reilly forRolling Stone UK stated: "Ryder is the UK’s brightest Eurovision hope we've had in years and is the strongest song that we have sent in a decade. A good song is nothing without a great singer, and Ryder’s impressive vocal range proves that he’s a huge talent in his own right. His entry allows those vocals to soar once more. Anchored by a soaring, stadium-sized chorus that is bound to grab the hearts of the continent."[35] Rachel Aroesti forThe Guardian stated: "the song is a rollicking power ballad about loneliness that recalls classic British pop such as Elton John’s 'Rocket Man',Bowie’s 'Starman', andQueen. Co-written with Ed Sheeran collaborator Amy Wadge, it is slick, dramatic and formidably catchy, and it’s not hard to see why Ryder is our best bet in ages."[36]
Attitude ranked the song at number seven on their list of Best Eurovision UK entries of the 21st century. In 2023, "Space Man" was named as the UK's favourite Eurovision UK entry in a voting poll withBBC Radio 2.[37][38]The Daily Telegraph included "Space Man" as number three on their 2023 list of worst to best UK Eurovision entries.[39] In February 2024,I news, named it as the UK's best Eurovision entry.[40] In April 2025, it was voted as the "greatest Eurovision entry of the 21 century" by theBBC Radio 2 listeners.[41]
Ryder embarked on a European tour to promote his single. Following the announcement that he would be representing the UK at Eurovision, "Space Man" had its TV debut performance on BBC'sThe One Show, and he was interviewed on the same day.[42] He travelled toBulgaria to perform the song onThe Nikolaos Tsitiridis Show and also recorded the UK 'live-on-tape' backup performance for Eurovision.[43] He continued with his promotions in Netherlands, Serbia, and San Marino, and to other countries within Europe.[44]
Besides televised performances he attended radio events and Eurovision pre parties throughout Europe. For his interviews onThis Morning andGood Morning Britain, he was praised for his positive attitude to see change in how the British public and press views the Eurovision Song Contest. On 22 April 2022, the song was performed at theYork Hall forEurovision House Party.[45]
On 7 May 2022, following his second rehearsal run inTurin, Italy, Ryder's live performance received positive reviews from critics and fans. It was confirmed that he had brought the biggest prop of the competition, a huge illuminated metallic structure. Following Ryder's rehearsal, he rose up in the betting odds and became one of the favourites to win the contest.[46] On 12 May 2022, the BBC aired a documentary detailing Ryder's journey to Eurovision.[47]
Ryder continued with promotional activities following the Eurovision final. He gave interviews across the UK on daytime and night time talk shows, includingThe One Show andGood Morning Britain. He continued his promotions on radio stations includingBBC Radio 1,BBC Radio 2, andCapital. He performed the single at thePlatinum Party at the Palace, in which he received positive reviews.[48] He later performed an orchestral version of the track at the 2022Royal Variety Show.[49]
On 21 October 2021, the day after the official list of participants in Eurovision 2022 was released, the BBC announced its plans for the British national selection, opting for an internal process no longer in collaboration with record label BMG, but with TaP Music instead. The management company's leading artists includeDua Lipa,Ellie Goulding andLana Del Rey. Kate Phillips (BBC commissioning editor) stated that the new collaboration "will enable the BBC to tap into some great music talent" and that the broadcaster has "big ambitions for the 2022 contest".[50] On 25 January 2022, TaP revealed that they had started shortlisting potential acts for the contest – with established, emerging and brand new artists having approached them for the Eurovision project – and that they had worked withBBC Radio 1 andScott Mills in order to choose the British representative.[51]
Sam Ryder was announced as the chosen entrant with the song "Space Man" on 10 March 2022.[52][53] The entry was revealed byScott Mills on BBC Radio 1's breakfast show withGreg James, with "Space Man" having previously featured as 'Tune of the Week' on Mills' afternoon show on Radio 1.[54] It was later announced that TaP Music would donate their consultancy fees to theMigrant Offshore Aid Station, to support those affected by the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[55]
TheEurovision Song Contest 2022 was held at thePalaOlimpico inTurin, Italy. The two semi-finals were held on 10 and 12 May and the grand final on 14 May 2022. Since the United Kingdom is a member of the "Big Five", they qualified directly for the final.[56] In addition to their participation in the final, the United Kingdom was also required to broadcast and vote in one of the two semi-finals. This was decided via a draw held during the semi-final allocation draw on 25 January 2022, when it was announced that the United Kingdom would be voting in the second semi-final.[57]
Leading after the jury vote with 283 points, the United Kingdom would finish in second place behind Ukraine with 466 points overall after the televote—its best result at Eurovision since1998, and its first top three finish since2002.[58][59]
The song has been covered by Dutch singer and YouTuberDavina Michelle,[60] Norwegian singer and violinistAlexander Rybak,[61] and Swedish singerMåns Zelmerlöw.[62]
Ryder himself performed a mashup of the song with elements of "I Wanna Be Your Slave" by Italian rock bandMåneskin, during "Your Lyrics, Different Song" withScott Mills onBBC Radio 1.[28] The song was performed by both Ryder and Swedish Eurovision entrantCornelia Jakobs on the social media appTikTok.[63]
"Space Man" made its first appearance on theUK Singles Chart at number seventy-eight.[64] Following the Eurovision final, theOCC reported that at the midweek stage, it was a contender for the number one spot.[65] On 20 May, it reached a new peak of number two, becoming the highest-charting UK Eurovision entry sinceGina G's "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit" in 1996.[66] It marked 50 years since a UK runner up at Eurovision last had a number two single and fifty years since a UK runner up at Eurovision last had a top ten, five and three UK Single.[67] It topped the Official Singles Sales and Downloads Charts.[68][69] It was ranked as the third best-selling song of 2022 in the UK.[70]
"Space Man" reached number one on The Official Big Top 40 charts,[71] and achieved moderate success in other European countries.[72] The song peaked at number five in Iceland and reached the top fifteen in Lithuania, Sweden, and the German Download Charts. It reached the top twenty in Belgium, the Australian Digital Tracks and also number twenty-two in Ireland, becoming the highest charting UK Eurovision entry on theIrish Singles Chart since 2014.[73] It also charted in the Netherlands, Switzerland, Greece, Turkey, Slovakia and on theBillboard Global 200.[72]
| Critic/Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official Charts | Best-selling songs of 2022 | 3 | [74] |
| Chart (2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia Digital Tracks (ARIA)[75] | 30 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[76] | 22 |
| Germany Download (GfK)[77] | 12 |
| Global 200 (Billboard)[78] | 93 |
| Greece (IFPI)[79] | 51 |
| Iceland (Tónlistinn)[80] | 5 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[81] | 22 |
| Lithuania (AGATA)[82] | 13 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[83] | 27 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100)[84] | 71 |
| Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[85] | 46 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[86] | 15 |
| Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[87] | 45 |
| Turkey (Radiomonitor Top 100)[88] | 48 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[89] | 2 |
| Chart (2022) | Position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[90] | 72 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[91] | 66 |
| UK Singles Sales (OCC)[92] | 3 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[93] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Year | Award ceremony | Category | Nominee(s)/work(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Marcel Bezençon Awards | Press Award | Himself | Won | [94] |
| The Official Big Top 40 | UK Number One | "Space Man" | Won | [95] | |
| Edinburgh International Television Festival | TV Moment of the Year | "Space Man" – Eurovision Performance | Nominated | [96] | |
| Eurovision Awards | Best Video | "Space Man" | Won | [97] | |
| ESC Eurovision Radio Awards | Best Song & Best Male Artist | "Space Man" | Won | [98] |