loop", ultimately creating "a most singular fusion of rock and drum & bass". Characterised by drum patterns, synthesisers, various loops and vocal distortions, O'Leary writes that the remake retained the original's "'laughing' hook" and "synth hook pinging around an E octave". Both the original and remake are also in the key of F major. Biographer Nicholas Pegg calls the remake "darker" and "funkier" compared to the original, while Spitz compares the track's "loud/quiet/loud anthem[ic]" quality to the Pixies. Perone notes the musicality as "richer" than other Earthling tracks. Releases The original version of "I'm Afraid of Americans" was released on the Showgirls soundtrack on 26 September 1995. Earthling was released on 3 February 1997 on CD and LP formats through RCA Records in the UK, Virgin Records in the US, and Arista Records and its parent distributor BMG elsewhere. "I'm Afraid of Americans" was sequenced as the eighth and penultimate track, between "The Last Thing You Should Do" and "Law (Earthlings on Fire)". Virgin issued "I'm Afraid of Americans" as a maxi-single in North America only on 14 October 1997, where it was backed by six remixes; the 'V3' mix featured guest vocals from rapper Ice Cube while the 'V5' mix was created by producer Photek. The project was instigated by Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor, continuing his and Bowie's association following the Outside Tour. Reznor, who stated that he "tried to make it a bit darker", stripped the production to its roots to create what biographer David Buckley calls "an eerie, psychotic track". The ending result is an almost 40-minute project that, in Bowie's words, was "not just a remix [but] almost...an album piece in itself. I was absolutely knocked out when I heard what [Reznor] had done. It was great." Commercially, the single reached number 66 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained on the chart for 16 weeks, becoming Bowie's biggest hit in the country since "Day-In Day-Out" ten years earlier. It was the final Bowie single to chart on the Hot 100 until the release of "Blackstar" in 2015. It also stayed in the Canadian top 50 for six months. Reznor also starred as the titular 'Johnny' in the Dom and Nic-directed music video, which was shot in New York City in October 1997 during the American leg of the Earthling Tour. Regarding the choice of Dom and Nic, Bowie explained that the duo were