5 Years Time
| "5 Years Time" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Noah and the Whale | ||||
| from the album Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down | ||||
| Released |
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| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:02 (video edit) | |||
| Label | Mercury | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Charlie Fink | |||
| Producer(s) |
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| Noah and the Whale singles chronology | ||||
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"5 Years Time", also known as "5 Years Time (Sun Sun Sun)", is the 2007 debut single by English folk rock band Noah and the Whale. Its re-release on 4 August 2008 made it the band's first top-ten hit.
Chart performance
"5 Years Time" did not chart upon its first release in 2007. After poor initial sales, the group chose to re-release the single, and the record made it onto the charts in a number of countries. In the UK, it debuted at number 24, and went on to become Noah and the Whale's first top-ten single, peaking at number 7. In Ireland, "5 Years Time" debuted at number 47 and peaked at number 10.
Music video
The music video features the band performing in a pub and dancing/playing in the park. During the video, Laura Marling, who provides backing vocals for the group, is seen playing a tin whistle and also giving the camera the two-fingers. The video was directed by James Copeman. The style of the video resembles a Wes Anderson film, using the same font the director uses in his films/music videos.
The music video was uploaded to YouTube on 13 June 2008, and as of July 2025 it has been viewed over 13 million times.[1]
Charts
Weekly charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[2] | 59 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[3] | 72 |
| Ireland (IRMA)[4] | 10 |
| Scotland (OCC)[5] | 3 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[6] | 7 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2008) | Position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (OCC)[7] | 78 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[8] | Platinum | 600,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
In popular culture
The song was used in a 2008 SunChips commercial,[9] in a 2008 Saturn commercial and also featured in a Volkswagen Golf commercial in 2015. It was featured in an episode of the BBC One school drama series Waterloo Road in 2009, as well as an episode in series 3 of that same broadcaster's popular show Gavin & Stacey.[10]
"5 Years Time" is featured in the 2025 DC Universe film Superman; it is played during an action sequence in which Mister Terrific (portrayed by Edi Gathegi) battles Lex Luthor's mercenaries while infiltrating their base to rescue Superman. The song's streaming numbers saw a 1,000% increase following its inclusion in the film, going from 7,300 streams to 85,400 streams by July 12, the day after Superman released.[11]
References
- ^ "Noah and the Whale - 5 Years Time - Official". 13 June 2008. Archived from the original on 11 August 2008. Retrieved 6 September 2011 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Noah and the Whale – 5 Years Time" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
- ^ "Noah and the Whale – 5 Years Time" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
- ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Noah and the Whale". Irish Singles Chart.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2008". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
- ^ "British single certifications – Noah & the Whale – 5 Years Time". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ "New SunChips Ad". 21 July 2008. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2011 – via YouTube.
- ^ "5 Years Time by Noah and the Whale | Tunefind". www.tunefind.com.
- ^ Abramovitch, Seth (15 July 2025). "Iggy Pop on Closing Out 'Superman' Soundtrack: Hero is "the Best Friend You Could Have"". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 16 July 2025.