"Dream On" is a song by the British musical group Depeche Mode. It was released in the United States on 17 April 2001 and in the united Kingdom on 23 April 2001 as the first single from the band's 10th studio album, Exciter (2001). The song topped the charts of Denmark, Germany, Italy, and Spain and reached the top 10 in Austria, Canada, Finland, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Wallonia. The song's music video was directed by Stéphane Sednaoui. Critical reception In a review for Billboard magazine, Eric Aiese said of "Dream On", "It's hard to remember the last time the group did anything so organic, and 'Dream On' proves to be surprisingly refreshing. The guitar line is a catchy head-bobber, and the minimal melody sounds like a winner". Another review from the same magazine called the track "rock-solid". The song is rated three out of five stars on AllMusic, with reviewer Ned Raggett comparing the composition to works by Timbaland and noting that Dave Gahan's lyrical delivery was "one of his best". Music & Media named it their "Pick of the Week" on their 7 April 2001 issue, with Ville Vilén of Radiomafia complimenting the "classic" songwriting with its "modern" sound. Kristian Bartos of Swedish radio station WOW! 105.5 said that although the song would take a second listen to appreciate fully, it would become a "long-lasting" single. Sandra Boussu, head of music at FM Limburg in Belgium, gave the song a positive review but doubted that "Dream On" would become a hit Europe, citing Depeche Mode's stylistic changes. British trade paper Music Week compared the song to Björk's album Homogenic (1997), noting its "nagging acoustics" and "slithery dark beats". Chart performance In the band's native United Kingdom, "Dream On" debuted at its peak of number six on the week beginning 29 April 2001, topping the UK Indie Singles Chart the same week. It quickly fell down the UK Singles Chart after its debut, staying in the top 40 for only two weeks and the top 100 for nine weeks. In Ireland, it debuted on the Irish Singles Chart on 26 April, peaking at number 24 and spending two weeks on the chart. Across Europe, the single made chart-topping debuts in Denmark, Germany, Italy, and Spain, staying one week at the top in the first three countries and remaining at number one for three weeks in Spain.