In 2015, Mike Posner unintentionally created the ultimate “sad boy” anthem for the club circuit. ‘I Took a Pill in Ibiza’. Now, a decade later, Posner has returned with an acoustic, ‘I Went Back to Ibiza,’ and the vibe has shifted significantly. This is a song that will get everyone feeling emotional. The new version touches on how different his life is a decade later: “I moved out of LA / I’m trying to start a little family / ‘Cause all the things I was chasing / and the things I was taking / had me headed toward tragedy.”-Mike Posner It’s a reflection of how the generation that grew up during the Golden Age of EDM has now fully grown up, and it’s not necessarily the fun carefree life of partying that it was in 2015. People grow older, slow down, find different priorities, and see life through a new lens. That is especially true concerning one of the main points of the original track. The original track talked about taking a pill in Ibiza to show Avicii I was cool, and we all know the tragic end that came with that type of mindset. It’s a sobering re-evaluation of the Golden Era of EDM, and a lament on how that era is firmly in the rearview mirror, and perhaps for the better. The original ‘I Took A Pill in Ibiza’ became a worldwide crossover hit, and has amassed over a billion streams. The song reached #1 in 5 countries & top 10 in over 27 countries. It peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 37 weeks on the chart. Since Posner began teasing ‘I Went Back To Ibiza’ in January, fans have been expressing their excitement and love for the track online. His teasers have a combined view count of over 30M, with his initial Instagram reel hitting 7.8M & TikTok video at 15.1M views with many fan comments leaning into the nostalgic and emotional lyrics, and encouraging its official release. “On my 26th birthday, I wrote, ‘I Took A Pill in Ibiza.’ It was a sad but honest song about the state of my life. Twelve years later, I feel proud to look at the song lyrics and know that NONE of them are true anymore. I’ve grown into a completely new man…one that I’m proud of. So I went back and wrote a completely new version of the song. This is, ‘I Went Back To Ibiza.’ This song is the soundtrack to my personal transformation and I hope it becomes the soundtrack to others coming closer to faith, love, and the life that they deserve. I hope this song is a vehicle for transformation for other people. If you’re reading this and you’re going through some version of suffering, keep going. You might just be amazed at who you become.”– Mike Posner Mike Posner Returns with a Sobering Sequel to His Classic Song
Original (2015)
New (2026)
“I took a pill in Ibiza / to show Avicii I was cool”
“I went back to Ibiza / and got a hotel by shore”
“When I finally got sober / felt 10 years older”
“I’m 12 years older / and I’m 10 years sober”
“But f*** it, it was something to do”
“But Avicii isn’t here no more”