Maps of Music

Stripped (2002)

Where the lyrics of Stripped take you, and where it was really made.

Stripped debuted at number 19 in the UK, yet it later became Aguilera's best-performing album there.

Key places

Recording at The Record Plant (2002)

Recording site Record Plant Studios — The recording sessions for Stripped took place in studios in Los Angeles, including the Record Plant, along with Conway Recording Studios and NRG Recording Studios. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at Conway Recording Studios (2002)

Recording site Conway Recording Studios — Conway Recording Studios in Los Angeles was one of the studios where the album was recorded, alongside Record Plant and NRG Recording Studios. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at NRG Recording Studios (2002)

Recording site NRG Recording Studios (Hollywood) — NRG Recording Studios in Los Angeles was one of the studios used for the album, alongside Conway Recording Studios and Record Plant. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at The Enterprise Studios (2002)

Recording site The Enterprise Studios — The Enterprise Studios in Burbank was one of the studios where recording sessions for the album took place. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at The Hit Factory (2002)

Recording site The Hit Factory — The Hit Factory in New York City was one of the studios where recording sessions for the album took place. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Impossible recorded at Electric Lady (2002)

Recording site Electric Lady Studios — The track Impossible, which features Alicia Keys, was recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Stripped: fourth studio album by Christina Aguilera
• Released October 22, 2002 by RCA Records
• Aguilera took creative control over the album, both musically and lyrically
• Moved away from the teen pop style of her 1999 self-titled debut
• Established her alter ego Xtina and changed her public image
• Pop and R&B with influences from soul, rock, hip hop and Latin music
• Most songs deal with self-respect; a few cover love, sex and feminism

Background

• Aguilera was unsatisfied with the bubblegum pop music and image created by former manager Steve Kurtz
• By late 2000 she ended the contract with Kurtz; Irving Azoff was hired as new manager
• She dyed her hair black and appeared on magazine covers in nude photographs during the image change
• The release was first planned for spring or summer 2001, then pushed back to 2002

Recording

• In December 2000 she announced recording for the album would begin in February 2001
• Sessions took place in studios around California and New York City
• Aguilera worked with a wide range of songwriters and producers, including Alicia Keys, Scott Storch and Linda Perry
• Linda Perry was one of the biggest influences on the album
• Keys joined on the track Impossible, recorded at Electric Lady Studios in New York City
• Storch wrote and produced seven songs, including two singles

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

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

• Critical reception was mixed upon release
• Metacritic average of 55 from 14 reviews
• Billboard was positive, calling it a must-heard recording
• Rolling Stone gave three out of five stars, calling it almost an album for grown-ups but criticizing its lack of musical focus
• The Village Voice was negative, describing it as a nü-Mariah on mood stabilizers
• Stylus Magazine gave it an F
• AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine first wrote a negative review, then later raised his score to four stars out of five

Reappraisal

• On its fifteenth anniversary in 2017, several critics reevaluated the album in a more positive light

Records

• Debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 330,000 copies
• Certified five times platinum by the RIAA
• Debuted at number 19 on the UK Albums Chart and peaked at number two
• Certified seventh platinum by the BPI in the UK
• Sold over 12 million copies worldwide
• Received five Grammy Award nominations, including one win

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The video for Dirrty was criticized for its sexual content and sparked protests in Thailand
• At the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards, Madonna kissed both Aguilera and Britney Spears during the Hollywood performance
• Dirrty is a remake of Redman's Let's Get Dirty, released in 2001, and features the rapper
• The Make Over track was sued in the United Kingdom for illegally sampling the Sugababes' song Overload
• Storch did not produce Aguilera's next album Back to Basics, which started a feud between the two artists
• Linda Perry's songwriting on Pink's Missundaztood inspired Aguilera a lot

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Maps of Ages ↗ (mapsofages.com)

Privacy · Contact