Cliff Notes – Jack Black makes history as incredibly short Minecraft song enters the charts
- Jack Black’s new song “Steve’s Lava Chicken,” at just 34 seconds, has set a record as the shortest song to chart in the UK Top 40, surpassing the previous record by two seconds.
- The song’s success is attributed to the popularity of the Minecraft Movie, which has achieved significant box office success despite critical backlash, grossing $301 million globally in its opening weekend.
Jack Black makes history as incredibly short Minecraft song enters the charts
Jack Black has not only beaten his own UK solo record but he has also set a new record for the shortest song ever to chart.
Steve’s Lava Chicken from the Minecraft Movie has officially entered the UK Top 40 thanks to the film’s popularity.
While it has been slammed by critics, the film smashed box office records and enjoyed one of the biggest-grossing weekends of 2025 so far.
It has encouraged a disturbing trend in cinemas, which sees fans scream and throw popcorn at certain lines such as ‘chicken jockey’.
The popularity of the movie has clearly leaked across into viewers’ everyday listening habits as Jack, 55, secures a chart record.
At just 34 seconds long, Steve’s Lava Chicken is the shortest song ever to chart in the Top 40, beating the previous record holder, Jonny Trunk and Wisbey, by just two seconds.
Jack Black has secured a brand new UK chart record
Their track The Ladies’ Bras peaked at number 27 in 2007 and at 36 seconds managed to keep the title of shortest charting song for almost 20 years.
Steve’s Lava Chicken has also beaten the Ladies’ Bras’ peak chart position as it climbs to number 26.
This also makes it Jack’s highest charting solo song ever in the UK, one-upping his previous soundtrack hit, Peaches, from 2023’s The Super Mario Bros.
He has previously also had chart hits as one half of Tenacious D, with partner Kyle Gass.
Wonderboy, released in 2002, peaked at 34, while cult classic Tribute from 2012 couldn’t even crack the top 75, limping along at 84.
Steve’s Lava Chicken song is only 34 seconds long. The track is sung by his Minecraft Movie character Steve.
2006’s POD remains his highest ever UK charting song, which peaked at 24 — maybe by next week, Steve’s Lava Chicken will have climbed those two places.
‘I just heard that Steve’s Lava Chicken has cracked the UK Top 40,’ said Jack in a statement to Official Charts.
‘I want to send big love to all the Minecraft fans for getting us up there – it’s insane! Love you!’
It’s unclear how long the Minecraft Movie hype will continue, as cinemas continue to clamp down on unruly behaviour.
The blockbuster, which is a big screen adaptation of the 2011 3D sandbox video game, managed to rake in a massive $301million (£234m) globally during its first three days on release, far beyond even hopeful projections.
Jack has beaten his previous chart record by climbing to number 26.
The Minecraft Movie has beaten all the odds
It earned $157m (£122m) in the US, where analysts had predicted it to manage somewhere between $70m – $90m (£54.5m – £70m) according to Variety, and then added $144m (£112m) from international territories to make its enviable total.
A Minecraft Movie’s plot follows four misfits – Garrett ‘The Garbage Man’ Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Eugene Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers) and Dawn (Danielle Brooks) – as they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld: a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination.
To get back home, they’ll have to master this world while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Jack).