"Nice" is the 34th single by British pop band Duran Duran

Duran Duran

Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...

. Released in 2005 to radio in Europe and as download only, it was the third single to be lifted from the group's Astronaut album.

About the song

The infectious pop song was one of the first that the band wrote after its reunion in 2001, but a final version was not recorded until 2004 with producer Don Gilmore at Sphere Studios in London.

David Medsker of PopMatters

PopMatters

PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...

 said:

"If there is a single moment where things fall seamlessly into place on Astronaut, it is "Nice", a magnificent melding of Andy's power chords, Nick's wall of synths, and John's octave-jumping disco bass that recalls the best moments of Rio all rolled into one. It's not particularly complex, but neither was "Hold Back The Rain", a fan favorite to this day. "Nice" is simple in all the right ways and, like all good pop songs, it knows when to quit, with a cold ending at a mere three minutes and 27 seconds. The label is nuts if they don't release this as the second single."

The song, even more energetic live than on recording, was a crowd-pleaser among new and old fans at the band's live shows in 2004 and 2005.

Music video

Gary Oldknow, who created most of the videos for The Devils

The Devils (band)

The Devils is the name of an English electronic pop band, formed by Nick Rhodes and Stephen Duffy.The first incarnation of Duran Duran in 1978 included Rhodes as keyboardist, John Taylor on guitar and Duffy as songwriter/vocalist and bassist...

 and on-stage visuals for Duran Duran's concerts since 1998, was commissioned to make a music video for "Nice". As the track was relegated to radio play and download only, with no marketing push, the video got cancelled before it was completed.

B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes

There were no b-sides made for "Nice", but there were a myriad of remixes available via download. These consist of mixes by Eric Prydz

Eric Prydz

Eric Sheridan Prydz is a Swedish DJ and producer based in London, United Kingdom. The pronunciation of his surname is often questioned; it is pronounced "prids", but when under his alias, Pryda, it is pronounced "pride-ah"...

, Pablo La Rosa, Mike Greig, Dready

Dready

Dready is a character and a style of art created by West Indian artist Shane Aquart.Since its beginnings in 2004, Dready art has evolved from just images of that character, to a style of art embodying the colours, humor and style. Images of stingrays and turtles of houses and boats in the Dready...

 and Johnson Somerset.

CD for Promotion (Europe only)

Download

Other appearances

Apart from the single, "Nice" has also appeared on:

Albums:

• Astronaut (2004)

Personnel

Duran Duran are:

• Simon Le Bon
  Simon Le Bon
  Simon John Charles Le Bon is an English musician, best known as the lead singer, lyricist and musician of the band Duran Duran and its offshoot, Arcadia.-Early life:...
  
   - vocals
• Nick Rhodes
  Nick Rhodes
  Nick Rhodes is an English musician, is best known as the keyboardist of the pop rock band Duran Duran...
  
   - keyboards
• John Taylor
  Nigel John Taylor
  John Taylor is an English musician who is best known as the bass guitarist and co-founder of pop rock band Duran Duran....
  
   - bass guitar
• Roger Taylor
  Roger Andrew Taylor
  Roger Andrew Taylor is an English double grammy award winning musician who is best known as the drummer of British rock band Duran Duran from their inception until 1985, and again from 2001 onwards, the band selling in excess of 80 million records worldwide in the process.-Early life:Taylor began...
  
   - drums
• Andy Taylor
  Andy Taylor (guitarist)
  Andy Taylor is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer, best known as a member of Duran Duran and The Power Station....
  
   - guitar

Also credited:

• Don Gilmore - producer
• Duran Duran
  Duran Duran
  Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
  
  - producer