Norwegian comedy song ‘The Fox’ enters US top 10 charts

Screen grab from the music video “The Fox”

OSLO—”The Fox,” a cheesy Norwegian music video that started out as a joke has become an Internet sensation, storming into the US top 10 music charts.

The zany song and video by Norwegian comedy brothers Baard and Vegard Ylvis, released on Sept. 3 to promote a comedy show, asks the question: “What does the fox say?”

With over 80 million views on YouTube, some have compared the viral success of the video—which features people in animal costumes dancing in a forest—to the global hit “Gangnam Style,” which still has a comfortable lead with nearly 1.8 billion views.

“The Fox” shot to eighth place in the popular music chart compiled by US music magazine Billboard this week, ahead of major artists such as Lady Gaga and Lana Del Rey.

The Ylvis brothers are not letting success go to their heads, however, with Baard calling the catchy tune a “rubbish song.”

But that has not stopped them from making star appearances on leading US talk shows.

The song has spawned a multitude of remixes—some attracting fans of their own—including one made by a brass band in Ohio.