Maps of Music

Back to Basics (2006)

Where the lyrics of Back to Basics take you, and where it was really made.

A pop star's album built on 1920s–1950s jazz and soul debuted at number one in the US with 346,000 first-week copies, her highest debut-week sales.

Key places

Recording at Chalice Recording Studios (2006)

Recording site Chalice Recording — Recording sessions for the album ran from February 2005 to April 2006 at several studios, and Chalice Recording Studios in Los Angeles is one of the studios named for the project. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Cover shoot at the Hollywood Dell hotel (2006)

Album cover Motown Recording Studios — The cover photos were shot over three days, and the first two days took place at the Hollywood Dell hotel in Los Angeles, a location shown at city-center level. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Back to Basics: fifth studio album by American singer Christina Aguilera
• Released 9 August 2006 in the United States by RCA Records as a double album
• Aguilera served as executive producer and enlisted several producers
• Producers include DJ Premier, Rich Harrison, Rob Lewis, Mark Ronson and Linda Perry
• Primarily a pop and R&B record; the first disc mixes R&B with hip hop and urban elements, with most songs using samples
• The second disc contains all original tracks except Candyman
• Lyrics draw on Aguilera's earlier life events, including her 2005 marriage to Jordan Bratman

Background

• Inspired by 1920s–1950s idols including Billie Holiday, Otis Redding, Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald
• Aguilera described it as old-school jazz and soul influences joined to a modernized style
• Announced at the 2004 Grammy Awards as a follow-up to Stripped (2002)
• In a July 2006 Billboard interview, Aguilera voiced dissatisfaction with newer music
• Adopted the alter ego Baby Jane and changed her public look, inspired by classic Hollywood actresses

Recording

• Sessions ran from February 2005 to April 2006 at studios in the US and UK, including Chalice Recording Studios and The Record Plant in Los Angeles
• Initially planned as a single disc, then expanded into a double album
• Aguilera sent letters to producers encouraging them to create a modern soul feel
• Scott Storch declined to return after a dispute over airfare; Aguilera included the track F.U.S.S. about him

Cover

• Photographed by German photographer Ellen von Unwerth over three days
• First two days at the Hollywood Dell hotel; last day at Forty Deuce in Hollywood, inspired by 1920s burlesque clubs
• Revealed in late June 2006; critics noted its similarity to the artwork of Madonna's Bedtime Stories

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Disc 1

Disc 2

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• Born December 18, 1980, in Ocean Breeze, New York; American singer, songwriter, and actress.
• Appeared on The All New Mickey Mouse Club (1993–1994); recorded "Reflection" for Mulan (1998) and signed with RCA Records.
• Debut album Christina Aguilera (1999) topped the US Billboard 200 and produced three Hot 100 number-one singles.
• Stripped (2002) and Back to Basics (2006) reinvented her image; Back to Basics was her second US number-one album.
• Known for a four-octave range, melismatic style, and use of the whistle register; ranked among the greatest singers of all time by Rolling Stone.
• Sold over 100 million records worldwide; five Grammy Awards.
• Acted in Burlesque (2010), The Emoji Movie (2017), and Zoe (2018).
• Coached The Voice (2011–2016); named a Disney Legend in 2019.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Metacritic: average score 69 out of 100 from 17 reviews, indicating generally favorable reviews
• Critics praised its musical diversity compared with Aguilera's previous albums, while some criticized its length
• AllMusic: Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised the production, calling the project all the more impressive after the near career suicide of Stripped
• Entertainment Weekly: Jody Rosen said Aguilera can make her own kind of 21st-century noise and compared her vocals to Mariah Carey
• PopMatters: Mike Joseph felt she still shouts at times when a coo would do, but called the listen ultimately rewarding
• Stylus Magazine: Thomas Innskeep preferred the first disc over the second disc's ballads
• Rolling Stone: Jenny Eliscu found the release overindulgent and self-important, but masterful had it been condensed into one disc
• The New York Times: Kelefa Sanneh gave a mixed review, noting roughly equal numbers of great and weak songs
• Robert Christgau gave a negative review, classifying the album as a dud

Reappraisal

• Fuse: Jeff Benjamin called it Aguilera's riskiest album, ten years after release
• PopMatters: Kimberley Hill praised it as an ambitious blend of gospel, blues, soul, funk and hip hop/R&B

Records

• US Billboard 200: debut at number one with 346,000 first-week copies, her highest debut-week sales
• Her second number-one album in the US after her self-titled debut
• RIAA: double platinum for two million units in the US
• Canada: debut at number one with 24,000 first-week sales; certified triple platinum
• UK: Aguilera's first album to debut at number one on the UK Albums Chart; double platinum from BPI
• Reached number one in over fifteen countries, about 5 million copies worldwide as of November 2013
• Grammy: nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album; Ain't No Other Man won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards
• Included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The alter ego Baby Jane is named after the 1962 film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
• The album was leaked in full on 3 August 2006, before its official release
• Vinyl came out on 6 November 2006 as a triple album in a book-like sleeve, with the first CD disc split across two records
• Vinyl was reissued by Urban Outfitters on 27 March 2018 as a double album in a single sleeve
• Pre-release reports gave different dates, with Virgin Media reporting 14 August 2006 and TMZ later reporting 15 August 2006 for the US

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Maps of Ages ↗ (mapsofages.com)

Privacy · Contact