The Sweet Escape is the second solo
studio albumA studio album is an original collection of new tracks by a recording artist.It usually does not contain live recordings and/or remixes, and if it does, those tracks do not make up majority of the album and are often "bonus tracks"...
by American
popPop music is a music genre that developed from the mid-1950s as a softer alternative to rock 'n' roll and later to rock music. It has a focus on commercial recording, often orientated towards a youth market, usually through the medium of relatively short and simple love songs...
and
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music....
singer
Gwen StefaniGwen Renée Stefani Rossdale is an American singer and fashion designer. Stefani serves as lead vocalist for the rock band No Doubt....
, released by
Interscope RecordsInterscope Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
in December 2006 (see
2006 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 - Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band....
). Having originally intended to return to
No DoubtNo Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California, founded in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album, No Doubt , failed to make waves...
after her 2004 solo album
Love. Angel. Music. Baby.Love. Angel. Music. Baby. is the debut studio album of American pop and rock singer Gwen Stefani, released November 22, 2004 on Interscope Records. The album originally began as a small side project for Stefani, eventually growing into her first solo album following her break from the band No...
, Stefani decided to record a second album as a way to release some of the material left over from the
L.A.M.B. writing sessions. The album musically resembles its predecessor while exploring more modern
popPop music is a music genre that developed from the mid-1950s as a softer alternative to rock 'n' roll and later to rock music. It has a focus on commercial recording, often orientated towards a youth market, usually through the medium of relatively short and simple love songs...
sounds. It was released to generally mixed reviews from contemporary music critics, receiving criticism for its strong similarities to
L.A.M.B.
It was preceded by the lead single "
Wind It Up"Wind It Up" is a song written by Gwen Stefani and Pharrell originally for inclusion on Stefani's Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005. Because of favorable reception, the song was later recorded for her second solo album The Sweet Escape...
", which charted moderately across the world, and produced the follow-up single "
The Sweet Escape"The Sweet Escape" is a pop song written by Gwen Stefani, Akon, and Giorgio Tuinfort for Stefani's second solo album The Sweet Escape . Akon developed the song's beat before collaborating with Stefani...
", which proved more successful worldwide.
The Sweet Escape has reached the Canadian, U.S, & Australian top five and has peaked inside the top twenty in the UK.
The Sweet Escape TourThe Sweet Escape Tour is the second concert tour by American pop and rock singer Gwen Stefani . The tour began in April 2007 in support of her sophomore solo album The Sweet Escape.-About the show:...
, started in April 2007, covered North America, Central America, Australia, Asia and Europe.
Background
Following the release of her debut album
Love. Angel. Music. Baby., Stefani announced that she had intended to return to
No DoubtNo Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California, founded in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album, No Doubt , failed to make waves...
and record a sixth studio album with the band. After the commercial success of
L.A.M.B., she decided to release several leftover tracks from the album as an
EPAn extended play is a vinyl record, CD, or music download which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as an LP. Usually, a CD single has around 10–28 minutes of music, an EP has up to 36 minutes, and an album generally has 30–80 minutes. Mini-LPs generally contain 20–30...
or as extra tracks on a
DVDDVD, also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc,is an optical disc storage media format, and was founded in 1995. Its main uses are video and data storage...
. However,
Pharrell WilliamsPharrell Williams , commonly known as Pharrell, is an American recording artist, producer, musician and fashion designer. Along with Chad Hugo, they make the record production duo The Neptunes, where they produce pop, hip hop and R&B music. He is also the lead vocalist and drummer of rock band...
, with whom she had collaborated to write "
Hollaback Girl"Hollaback Girl" is a pop song written by singer Gwen Stefani and Pharrell for Stefani's debut solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby.. As part of Stefani's vision of creating "a silly dance record," the song is influenced by 1980s dance and pop music...
", convinced Stefani to create "a
L.A.M.B. part two", and the two recorded several songs during sessions in Miami,
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
in July 2005.
The two produced "
Wind It Up"Wind It Up" is a song written by Gwen Stefani and Pharrell originally for inclusion on Stefani's Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005. Because of favorable reception, the song was later recorded for her second solo album The Sweet Escape...
", "Orange County Girl","U Started It", "Yummy", "Breaking Up", and "Candyland" during these sessions, and the songs were used for a fashion show premiering the 2006 collection of Stefani's fashion line
L.A.M.B.L.A.M.B. is a fashion line by American singer Gwen Stefani, the lead vocalist of the rock band No Doubt and a solo artist. The line manufactures apparel and fashion accessories. The line was founded in 2003 but made its runway debut the following year in 2004. The fashion line manufactures...
She included performances of "Wind It Up" and "Orange County Girl" when she embarked on the Harajuku Lovers Tour in October 2005. Stefani put the project on hold in December 2005 when she discovered that she was pregnant, but returned to the studio in August 2006. The album's
working titleA working title, sometimes called a production title, is the temporary name of a product or project used during its development, usually a film, novel, video game, or music album...
was
Candyland, sharing its name with a never-released track that has only been looped via her fashion show soundtrack. The title was changed to
The Sweet Escape, the title of the second track, to emphasize the album's themes of wanting to escape to a better life.
Album cover
The
album coverAn album cover is the front of the packaging of a commercially-released audio recording product, or album. The term can refer to either the printed cardboard covers typically used to package sets of 10" and 12" 78 rpm records, single and sets of 12" LPs, sets of 45 rpm records , or the front-facing...
was taken by photographer
Jill GreenbergJill Greenberg is an American photographer. She is known for her portraits, editorial, advertising, and art work.-Biography:Greenberg was born in Montreal, Quebec, and grew up in a suburb of Detroit. She graduated with honors in 1989 from the Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Photography...
. The image was part of a series of promotional images taken by Greenberg, inspired by her previous
End Times exhibition. To create
End Times, Greenberg gave
lollipopA lollipop, pop, lolly, sucker, or sticky-pop is a type of confectionery consisting mainly of hardened, flavored sucrose with corn syrup mounted on a stick and intended for sucking or licking. They are available in many flavors and shapes.- Types :Lollipops are available in a number of colors and...
s to
toddlerA toddler is a young child who is of the age of learning to walk, between infancy and childhood. Toddling usually begins between the ages of twelve months and twenty four months...
s but took them back after several moments, provoking emotional outbursts. Greenberg used the images as a representation of American politics and
societyThe development of the culture of the United States of America — History, Holidays, Sports, Religion, Cuisine, Literature, Poetry, Music, Dance, Visual Arts, Cinema, and Architecture — has been marked by a tension between two strong sources of inspiration: European ideals, especially British, and...
. Greenberg was accused of
child abuseChild abuse is the physical and/or psychological/emotional mistreatment of children. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts or commission or omission by a parent or other caregiver that results in harm, potential...
for the photo shoots; Stefani, however, commented, "I didn't think 'child abuse' -- I just thought, 'That's beautiful.' Every kid cries. Other people reacted like, 'Oh my God. That's so disturbing,' or 'That's so sad.' I guess that's what art's all about. It's supposed to make you think."
Gwen Stefani's appearance on the album cover is inspired by that of Elvira Hancock, a
coke whoreDrugs and prostitution are related in that some drug addicts, most commonly heroin or crack cocaine users, obtain their drugs primarily through prostitution. They may receive money , or they may receive the drug in trade for sex...
portrayed by
Michelle PfeifferMichelle Marie Pfeiffer is an American actress. She made her screen début in 1980, but first garnered mainstream attention with her appearance in Scarface...
in the 1983 film
ScarfaceScarface is a 1983 epic crime drama film directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone, and starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana. Based on Howard Hawks' original 1932 film of the same name, the film tells the story of a fictional Cuban refugee who comes to Florida in 1980 as a result of the...
. Stefani first gained inspiration for the style while shooting the music video for "
Cool"Cool" is a pop rock song written by Gwen Stefani and Dallas Austin for Stefani's debut solo album Love. Angel. Music. Baby . The song's musical-style and production were heavily inspired by pop and new wave music from the 1980s, and its lyrics chronicle a relationship in which two lovers have...
" in
Lake ComoLake Como is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of 146 km², making it the third largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore...
, Italy. During the shoot, Stefani saw her
No DoubtNo Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California, founded in 1986. The ska-pop sound of their first album, No Doubt , failed to make waves...
bandmate
Tony KanalTony Kanal is a British-born American musician, record producer and songwriter. Kanal is the bassist for the American rock band No Doubt...
and his girlfriend, who had on a "long, peach, polyester [late-1970s style] dress". It was this dress that got Stefani thinking "about Michelle Pfeiffer and how amazingly styled she was [in
Scarface]", which in turn drew inspiration for the cover. The pair of oversized
sunglassesSunglasses or sun glasses are a form of protective eyewear that usually enclose or protect the eye pupil in order to prevent strong light, ultraviolet rays, and increasingly, blue light from penetrating...
on the album cover is intended to represent her "guarded exterior", and the other images symbolize her various emotions.
In the album features Gwen Stefani's first "
Parental AdvisoryParental Advisory is a message affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America to audio and recordings in the United States containing excessive use of offensive language. Albums began to be labeled for "explicit lyrics" in 1985, after pressure from the Parents Music Resource Center...
" sticker in her solo career.
Critical response
The Sweet Escape received mixed responses from critics.
Stephen Thomas ErlewineStephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for allmusic.com. He is the author of many of artist biographies and record reviews for allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the...
wrote for Allmusic: "From the stilted production to the fashion fetish, all the way down to her decision to
rapRapping is the rhythmic spoken delivery of rhymes, wordplay, and poetry. Rapping is a primary ingredient in hip hop music, but the phenomenon predates hip hop culture by centuries. Rapping can be delivered over a beat or without accompaniment...
on
far too much of the album, all the dance-pop here seems like a pose." Alex Miller's review for the
NMEThe New Musical Express is a popular music magazine in the United Kingdom which has been published weekly since March 1952. It was the first British paper to include a singles chart, which first appeared in the 14 November 1952 edition. The magazine's commercial heyday was during the 1970s when it...
was more emphatic, dubbing it "this year's bargain-bin fodder", and stated that "the majority of this record serves only to bury what made Gwen Stefani unique in the first place." For
Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books and popular culture. Unlike celebrity-focused publications US Weekly, People, and In Touch Weekly, EWs primary concentration is on entertainment...
, Sia Michel said that the album "has a surprisingly moody, lightly autobiographical feel" but that "Stefani isn't convincing as a dissatisfied diva".
Pitchfork MediaPitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on independent music, especially indie rock...
's Mark Pytlik described the album's oddities as a career risk for Stefani, where most of the "gonzo pop songs yield some degree of payout" but that Stefani's tight scheduling during production of the album leaves the result "somewhere between the
vanguardAvant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English, to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
and the insipid." Paul Flynn of
The ObserverThe Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In about the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a left-liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-History:The...
, however, characterized the album as less interesting than Fergie's
The DutchessThe Dutchess is the solo debut album of American pop-R&B singer Fergie, who is a member of the Black Eyed Peas. The album was first released in the U.S. on September 19, 2006. The Dutchess was available both as an edited, clean version and a Parental Advisory version and was released...
and
Nelly FurtadoNelly Kim Furtado is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She has sold over 18 million albums worldwide, and currently resides in Toronto...
's
Loose.
The album received criticism for its similarities to
Love. Angel. Music. Baby. Sal Cinquemani of
Slant MagazineSlant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, DVDs and TV shows, as well as interviews with actors, directors and musicians...
noted that "history will likely view
The Sweet Escape as a retread of Stefani's well-received solo debut, but it shares that album's general inconsistency and, thus, its peaks and valleys". In his review for
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a United States-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J. Gleason.The magazine was named after the 1948 Muddy Waters song of the same...
, Rob Sheffield agreed, viewing it as "her hasty return" to music lacking the energy of
L.A.M.B. and in which "she sounds exhausted."
The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded in 1851 and published in New York City. The largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, "The Gray Lady"—named for its staid appearance and style—is regarded as a national newspaper of record...
' Jon Pareles commented that Stefani "rebooks some of the same producers and repeats some of the old tricks with less flair", adding that "superficiality is more fun when it doesn't get so whiny." Caroline Sullivan disagreed in her review for
The GuardianThe Guardian is a British daily newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. Founded in 1821, it is unique among major British newspapers in being owned by a foundation .The Guardian Weekly, which circulates worldwide, provides a compact digest of four newspapers...
, in which she stated that although some of the songs to writing sessions for
L.A.M.B., "generally The Sweet Escape feels minty-fresh."
PopMattersPopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
' review by Quentin Huff, however, referred to
The Sweet Escape as
L.A.M.B.: Reloaded and described
The Sweet Escape and
L.A.M.B. as "the same album, just more modern, a glossy
Next-Top-ModelAmerica's Next Top Model is a reality television show in which a number of women compete for the title of America's Next Top Model and a chance to start their career in the modeling industry.The show was created and is hosted by talk-show host and former model Tyra Banks, who also serves as the...
-ish photo for the cover, and a few more recent-sounding influences."
Track listing
| # |
Title |
Writers |
Producer |
Time |
| 1. |
"Wind It Up"Wind It Up" is a song written by Gwen Stefani and Pharrell originally for inclusion on Stefani's Harajuku Lovers Tour 2005. Because of favorable reception, the song was later recorded for her second solo album The Sweet Escape...
" |
Rodgers and Hammerstein Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were a well-known American songwriting duo, usually referred to as Rodgers and Hammerstein. They created a string of popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s during what is considered the golden age of the medium...
, Gwen Stefani, Pharrell Williams |
The Neptunes The Neptunes are a record production duo consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, who are credited with contributing the sound for some successful Hip hop, R&B and Pop artists in the late-90s and 2000s....
|
3:09 |
| 2. |
"The Sweet Escape"The Sweet Escape" is a pop song written by Gwen Stefani, Akon, and Giorgio Tuinfort for Stefani's second solo album The Sweet Escape . Akon developed the song's beat before collaborating with Stefani...
" (with Akon) |
Akon, Stefani, Giorgio Tuinfort |
Akon |
4:06 |
| 3. |
"Orange County Girl" |
Stefani, Williams |
The Neptunes |
3:23 |
| 4. |
"Early Winter"Early Winter" is an 1980s-inspired pop rock ballad written by Gwen Stefani and Tim Rice-Oxley for Stefani's second studio album, The Sweet Escape . The song received positive reviews from music critics, and its opening riffs were used in a Hewlett-Packard commercial featuring Stefani...
" |
Tim Rice-OxleyTimothy James Rice-Oxley , is an English musician, best known as the co-founder, pianist, bassist, main composer and lyricist of alternative rock band Keane. He plays piano, keyboards, bass, and provides backing vocals for the band....
, Stefani |
Nellee Hooper Nellee Hooper is a British producer/remixer/composer best known for his work with Björk, No Doubt/Gwen Stefani, Madonna, Garbage, U2, Sneaker Pimps, Soul II Soul and Massive Attack. He has been behind some of the most successful and inventive dance pop music throughout the late 1980s and on...
|
4:44 |
| 5. |
"Now That You Got It"Now That You Got It" is a song written by Sean Garrett and Gwen Stefani for Stefani's second album The Sweet Escape . The song received mixed reviews from music critics...
" |
Sean Garrett, Stefani |
Swizz Beatz |
2:59 |
| 6. |
"4 in the Morning"4 in the Morning" is a song written by Gwen Stefani and Tony Kanal for Stefani's second solo album The Sweet Escape . The song is a 1980s-inspired ballad that Stefani began writing while pregnant and finished with No Doubt bandmate Tony Kanal...
" |
Tony Kanal Tony Kanal is a British-born American musician, record producer and songwriter. Kanal is the bassist for the American rock band No Doubt...
, Stefani |
Kanal |
4:51 |
| 7. |
"Yummy" (with Pharrell) |
Stefani, Williams |
The Neptunes |
4:57 |
| 8. |
"Fluorescent" |
Kanal, Stefani |
Kanal |
4:18 |
| 9. |
"Breakin' Up" |
Stefani, Williams |
The Neptunes |
3:46 |
| 10. |
"Don't Get It Twisted" |
Kanal, Stefani |
Kanal |
3:37 |
| 11. |
"U Started It" |
Stefani, Williams |
The Neptunes |
3:08 |
| 12. |
"Wonderful Life" |
Linda Perry Linda Perry, born April 15, 1965, in Springfield, Massachusetts, to parents of Portuguese and Brazilian descent, is an American rock musician, songwriter, and record producer...
, Stefani |
Hooper |
4:09 |
Bonus tracks
- "Wind It Up" (Harajuku Lovers Live Version) - 3:26 (non-U.S. Editions/iTunes bonus track)
- "Wind It Up" (Harajuku Lovers Live Video) (iTunes bonus track/Japanese edition)
- "Wind It Up" (Original Neptunes Mix) - 3:05 (iTunes bonus track/Japanese edition)
- "Orange County Girl" (Harajuku Lovers Live Video) (non-U.S. editions)
Sales
The Sweet Escape was moderately successful in North America, but did not achieve the success of its predecessor. The album sold 243,000 copies in the U.S. during its first week, debuting at number three on the
Billboard 200The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling new music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, It sold another 149,000 copies were sold during its second week, falling to number fourteen. The record has since been certified platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of AmericaThe Recording Industry Association of America is a group which represents the recording industry distributors in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors, which the RIAA say "create, manufacture and/or distribute approximately 85% of all legitimate sound recordings...
. The
Canadian Recording Industry AssociationThe Canadian Recording Industry Association is a non-profit trade organization that was founded in 1964 to represent the interests of companies that create, manufacture and market sound recordings in Canada. The organization is based in Toronto....
certified
The Sweet Escape platinum before the album's release, and double platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association in March 2007.
In the United Kingdom, the album was certified gold within three weeks of its release, and peaked at number fourteen in March 2007. It was less successful throughout Europe, peaking in the top ten in
NorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a country in Northern Europe occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, as well as Jan Mayen and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard under the Spitsbergen Treaty...
and
SwitzerlandSwitzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 states named cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities...
; the top twenty in
AustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.3 million people in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west...
,
FinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland
, is a Nordic country and democracy situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland...
, Ireland, and
SwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe...
; and the top forty in
BelgiumThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
, France, Germany, and the
NetherlandsThe Netherlands is a country in Northwestern Europe, constituting the major portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east...
.
The Sweet Escape reached number two for two consecutive weeks on the ARIA Albums Chart, and the
Australian Recording Industry AssociationThe Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
certified it double platinum.
Certifications
| Chart |
Provider(s) |
Certification |
Sales/shipments |
| Australian ARIA Albums Chart The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
|
ARIA The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
|
2× Platinum |
140,000+ |
| Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS Airplay...
|
Nielsen SoundScan Nielsen SoundScan is an information system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett that tracks sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
|
2× Platinum |
200,000+ |
| German Albums Chart |
IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organization that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide...
|
Gold |
100,000+ |
| Hungarian Albums Chart |
MAHASZ |
Gold |
7,500 |
| Japan Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
Album Chart |
RIAJ The Recording Industry Association of Japan is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved the music industry. It was founded in 1942 as the Japan Phonogram Record Cultural Association, and adopted its current name in 1969....
|
Gold |
100,000+ |
New Zealand Albums ChartThe Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists in New Zealand. Membership of RIANZ is open to any record label operating in New Zealand.-Piracy:...
|
RIANZThe Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists in New Zealand. Membership of RIANZ is open to any record label operating in New Zealand.-Piracy:...
|
Platinum |
15,000+ |
| Polish Music Charts The Polish Music Charts refer to two official album charts and one singles chart in Poland, provided by ZPAV, the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry . The first, the Top 100, is a monthly chart based on data received from the album companies...
|
ZPAV |
Gold |
35,000+ |
| Russian Top 25 |
|
2× Platinum |
40,000+ |
Swiss Albums ChartSwitzerland , officially the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 states named cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities...
|
IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organization that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide...
|
Gold |
15,000+ |
| UK Albums Chart The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association. Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four 'major' record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies representing...
|
BPI The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association. Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four 'major' record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies representing...
|
|
|
| U.S. Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling new music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
|
Nielsen SoundScan Nielsen SoundScan is an information system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett that tracks sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
|
Platinum |
1,000,000+ |
Charts
| Chart (2006) |
Peak
position |
| Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS Airplay...
|
4 |
| German Albums Chart |
17 |
| Swiss Albums Chart |
8 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling new music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
|
3 |
| Chart (2007) |
Peak
position |
| Australian Albums Chart |
2 |
| Austrian Albums Chart |
18 |
| Belgian Albums Chart |
40 |
| Dutch Albums Chart |
35 |
| French Albums Chart |
33 |
| Japanese Albums Chart |
7 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart |
4 |
| Swedish Albums Chart |
19 |
| UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled by The Official UK Charts Company and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website ; the full Top 200 is published exclusively in ChartsPlus.To qualify for the UK albums...
|
14 |
Personnel
Performance credits
- Vocals: Gwen Stefani, Sean Garrett, Kingston Rossdale, Talent Bootcamp Kids
- Baritone: Stephen Bradley, Gabrial McNair
Gabrial "Gabe" McNair is a multi-instrumentalist and composer, most famous for his work in No Doubt since 1993 as a trombonist, keyboardist, and backing vocalist. He recorded and toured with Green Day during the Nimrod and Warning tours, playing trombone and tenor saxophone...
- Bass guitar
The electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum....
: Alex Dromgoole, Greg Collins
- Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses pickups to convert the vibration of its steel-cored strings into an electrical current, which is made louder with an instrument amplifier and a speaker. The signal that comes from the guitar is sometimes electronically altered with guitar effects such as...
: Matt Beck, Alex Dromgoole, Greg Collins, Martin GoreMartin Gore is an English songwriter, lyricist, singer, guitarist and keyboardist. He is a founding member of Depeche Mode and has written the vast majority of their songs...
, Richard HawleyRichard Hawley is a guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer. After his first band Treebound Story broke up, Hawley found success as a member of Britpop band Longpigs in the 1990s. He later played with Pulp, led by his friend Jarvis Cocker...
, Tony Love, Mark Ralph
- Keyboards
An electronic keyboard or digital keyboard is a sample-based keyboard instrument. Its sound is generated or amplified by one or more electronic devices....
: Akon, Pete Davis, Loren Dawson, Tony Kanal, Gabrial McNair, Tim Rice-OxleyTimothy James Rice-Oxley , is an English musician, best known as the co-founder, pianist, bassist, main composer and lyricist of alternative rock band Keane. He plays piano, keyboards, bass, and provides backing vocals for the band....
, Giorgio Tuinfort
- Percussion: Anthony LoGerfo
- Piano
The piano is a musical instrument which is played by means of a keyboard. Widely used in Western music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music, and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
: Tim Rice-Oxley
- Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bored transposing musical instrument considered a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and are played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by Adolphe Sax in 1841...
: Angelo MooreAngelo Christoper Moore , also known as Dr. Madd Vibe, is a founding member, lead singer and saxophonist of the band Fishbone. He is also a poet and performs spoken word concerts at clubs, poetry festivals, and cafes. In 1993 he released a poetry anthology titled "Dr. Madd Vibe's Comprehensive...
- Trombone
The trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
: Gabrial McNair
- Trumpet
The trumpet is a musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BC...
: Stephen Bradley
Technical credits
- Engineering
Audio engineering is a part of audio science dealing with the recording and reproduction of sound through mechanical and electronic means. The field draws on many disciplines, including electrical engineering, acoustics, psychoacoustics, and music. Unlike acoustical engineering, audio...
: Andrew Alekel, Angelo Aponte, Julian Chan, Andrew Coleman, Bojan Dugich, Brian Garten, Simon Gogerly, Keith Gretlein, Neil Kanal, Jonathan Merritt, Kevin Mills, Colin Mitchell
- Assistant engineers: Yvon Bling, Alex Dromgoole, Jason Finkel, Hart Gunther, Ryan Kennedy, Kevin Mills, Glenn Pittman, Ian Rossiter, Steve Tolle
- Vocal engineering: Greg Collins
- Orchestra production: Ron Fair
- Production
In the music industry, a record producer has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes...
: Akon, Sean Garrett, Nellee Hooper, Tony Kanal, The Neptunes, Mark "Spike" Stent, Swizz Beatz, Giorgio Tuinfort
- Vocal production: Greg Collins
- Programming
Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s...
: Akon, Neil Kanal, Tony Kanal, Aidan Love, Ewan PearsonEwan Pearson is an English electronic music producer/remixer who works under various aliases including Maas, Sulky Pup, Villa America, World of Apples, and Dirtbox. He is also in Partial Arts with Al Usher. He has remixed for artists such as Cortney Tidwell, Seelenluft, Ladytron, Depeche Mode,...
, Giorgio Tuinfort
- Mixing
Audio mixing is the process by which a multitude of recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics and panoramic position are commonly being manipulated and effects such as reverb might...
: Pete Davis, Mark "Spike" Stent, Phil Tan, Richard Travali
- Mastering: Brian Gardener
- A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
: Trinka Baggetta, Jimmy IovineJames Iovine, better known as Jimmy Iovine , is a music producer, entrepreneur and chairman of Interscope-Geffen-A&M....
, Mark Williams
- Photography: Cindy Cooper, Nicole Frantz, Jill Greenberg
- Art
The term art director is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games.-General role:...
and layout direction: Jolie Clemens
- Art and package coordination: Cindy Cooper, Nicole Frantz
External links