This 80s Pop Song Can Destroy Your Laptop

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In around 2005, an undisclosed PC manufacturing company discovered that certain models of their laptops would unexpectedly crash if the user played Janet Jackson's 1989 hit "Rhythm Nation" nearby.

What on earth is happening here? Is the song a form of secret malware? How can it be fixed?

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[nationsquid]

Use code NATIONSQUID50 to get 50% OFF your first Factor box

[rad]

There is a way to do it on modern computers but it involves an extra step.

If you play the song near a modern laptop while also pressing or holding down the power button, it causes the machine to shut down.

[Zinkquer]

GOSH DAMN IT GORDON STOP PLAYING JANET JACKSON IN THE TEST CHAMBER

[TyFrom]

Janet Jackson, superstar singer by day, vigilante hacker by night

[WigWoo]

9:32 I heard radio stations intentionally play songs faster so they can cram more advertisements between the songs

[RebrandSoon]

My neighbor, who is in his 60s, swears up and own a Britney Spears song set his PC on fire somehow in the mid to late 2000. That's a crazy story.

[PlayBatty]

Video killed the radio star and Janet Jackson bricked my laptop with it

[mvrk]

whoever used Sponsorblock to clip around the "When you Microwave your Factor meals" bit unintentionally created the funniest hard cut ive seen all week. Such precision!

[aliangel]

I was just listening to the song out of curiosity and while doing so i was deleting files off of my secondary drive (which is a HDD) and it was genuinely stalling while the music was playing. I paused it and the files immediately deleted.

[Daferpi]

11:50 If you look closely, it looks like what he did was hold the power button to force a shutdown.
Windows crashes show a blue screen before rebooting, there's nothing like a system crash suddenly cutting your device's power.

[AuntieClimactic]

Fun fact to only me: Rhythm Nation was the first CD my parents bought me, preceding years of debating and budgeting which albums would be purchased on CD and which would be on tape. I made pretty good choices, as I still have the vast majority of CDs I’ve collected since 1990. OK, back to the video lol

[eaglescout]

Why would that 60s dad be okay with his kids dropping acid? I mean, wouldn't that burn a hole in the shag carpet?

[versikolorrankz]

Why is Paul McCartney talking in NationSquid's video 💀💀💀💀

[laszlosokolai]

This is where deadmau5 wrote the song "sometimes things get complicated" because the shock sensors shut down the hard drive during a show causing a bsod. I remember it quite well.

[LiquidSteel_]

Dude. Your subtle Beatles references get me EVERY TIME. as an IT major who is also a huge Beatles fan, the line about the dentist and your coffee is so insanely specific that I feel so proud that I understand it. Love love love your videos brother. You’re awesome

[melasnexperience]

When Janet sang that "Rhythm Nation" would really make your circuits fry, she meant it.

[FSAPOJake]

NationSquid: Born in the era of young millennials / older gen Z, transforming into Sgt. Pepper, with a voice like NileRed.

I don't know where I was even going with this. Maybe a multi-generational thing? Pay me no mind.

[Uber]

2:09 if im not mistaken there were VRChat avatars that could crash your entire game just based on sound

[milkbowll]

"we're gonna drop acid upstairs!" help??? 😭 nationsquid ur always catching me off guard

[literallyhow]

amazing commercial first time i didnt just skip something