Alright, Still

Last updated

Alright, Still
Lily Allen - Alright, Still.png
Studio album by
Lily Allen
Released13 July 2006 (2006-07-13)
Recorded2004–2006
Studio
Genre
Length37:12
Label Regal
Producer
Lily Allen chronology
Alright, Still
(2006)		 It's Not Me, It's You
(2009)
Singles from Alright, Still
  1. "Smile"
    Released: 3 July 2006
  2. "LDN"
    Released: 25 September 2006
  3. "Littlest Things"
    Released: 11 December 2006
  4. "Alfie" / "Shame for You"
    Released: 5 March 2007

Alright, Still is the debut studio album by English singer Lily Allen, released on 13 July 2006 by Regal Recordings. After being rejected by several record labels, Allen signed to London Records, who eventually lost interest in her, leading her to meet production duo Future Cut and sign to Regal Recordings. Recording for the album began in 2004 with sessions between Allen and Future Cut, and Allen's work garnered publicity on the internet as she posted demos to her MySpace account before they were officially released. Allen later travelled to the United States to work with Greg Kurstin and Mark Ronson, to complete the final half of the album in 2006.

Contents

Alright, Still is predominately a pop album, with songs that are heavily influenced by Jamaican ska music, [1] reggae and hip hop. The lyrics are conversational and farcical, discussing past relationships with a dark sense of humour. Due to the instances of strong language in a majority of the songs, the album was released with a Parental Advisory warning, although the song "Friday Night" remains censored on all versions of the album.

Upon release, Alright, Still received acclaim from the British music press, with international critics calling the record and Allen "original". It was commercially successful in the United Kingdom, where it debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart and was later certified quadruple platinum. Alright, Still has sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide. The album earned a nomination for Best Alternative Music Album at the 50th Grammy Awards. It was promoted by the release of four singles, including the chart-topper "Smile" and the top-10 single "LDN".

Background

When her family went to Ibiza on holiday, Allen told her mother that she was staying with friends but remained in Sant Antoni de Portmany instead. She earned money by working at a Plastic Fantastic record store and dealing ecstasy. [3] Allen met her first manager, George Lamb, in Ibiza. [3] She was rejected by several labels, which she attributed to her drinking and being the daughter of actor Keith Allen. She eventually used her father's connections to get signed to London Records in 2002. [4] When the executive who had signed her left, the label lost interest and she left without releasing the folk songs that had been written for her, many of which were written by her father. [4] [5] [6] She then studied horticulture to become a florist, but changed her mind and returned to music. Allen began writing songs, while her manager introduced her to production duo Future Cut in 2004. They worked in a small studio in the basement of an office building. [6]

Development

Allen's manager introduced her to production duo Future Cut in 2004. They worked in a small studio in the basement of a Manchester office building. [7] In 2005, Allen was signed to Regal Recordings; the label gave her £25,000 to produce an album, though they were unable to provide much support for it due to their preoccupation with other releases such as Coldplay's X&Y and Gorillaz' Demon Days . [8]

Allen created an account on MySpace and began posting demos in November 2005. [8] The demos attracted thousands of listeners, and 500 limited edition 7" vinyl singles of one of the demos, a song titled "LDN", were rush-released and sold for as much as £40. [8] [3] Allen also produced two mixtapes titled My First Mixtape and My Second Mixtape to promote her work, including tracks by the band Creedence Clearwater Revival and rappers Dizzee Rascal and Ludacris. As she accumulated tens of thousands of MySpace friends, The Observer Music Monthly (OMM), a magazine published in The Observer , took interest. [3] Few people outside of her label's A&R department had heard of Allen, so the label were slow in responding to publications who wanted to report about her. [8]

In March 2006, OMM published an article about Allen's success through MySpace, and she received her first major mainstream coverage appearing in the magazine's cover story two months later. The popularity of her songs convinced her label to allow her more creative control over the album and to use some of the songs that she had written instead of attempting to work with mainstream producers. Allen found herself distracted by the publicity, so to focus on finishing the album, she travelled to the United States to work with producers Greg Kurstin and Mark Ronson. There, she was able to complete the second half of the album in approximately two weeks. [8]

The album's title is used in a line from the second track, "Knock 'Em Out": "You look alright still, yeah what's your name?"

Music and lyrics

Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg
"LDN"
The second song released as a single, featuring a ska sample of "Reggae Merengue".
Problems playing this file? See media help.

In her songs, Allen develops various personas. [9] She stated that she tried to "write about stuff that happens to people from all different backgrounds". The lyrics are conversational, with a dark sense of humour. [3] In many of the songs, one of Allen's personae disparages someone around her. [10] In "Smile", "Not Big", and "Shame for You", she insults an ex-boyfriend. [11] In "Knock 'Em Out", she mocks suitors at a bar, and Lily reprimands her brother Alfie on the song of the same name. [12]

Joe Strummer, a close friend of Allen's father Keith, played mixtapes of Brazilian music and Jamaican reggae and ska when she was young. Allen stated that she had "always been into very black music" such as ska, reggae, and hip hop music. Since she did not know how to rap, she chose to use reggae as a point of reference when making Alright, Still. [13] The album's music blends ska and reggae with pop melodies. [14] Allen's melodies are influenced by the jazz improvisation techniques of American singers Blossom Dearie and Ella Fitzgerald. [15] The album's beats are influenced by various genres such as jazz and grime. [3]

Promotion

Allen performing at "Solidays" on 7 July 2007 Lily Allen @ Solidays 2007 b.jpg
Allen performing at "Solidays" on 7 July 2007

In 2007, Allen played the newly launched Park Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, replacing M.I.A. who had cancelled. [16] During the festival she reunited two members of the Specials, an act that guitarist Lynval Golding claimed played a "massive part" in the group's 2009 reunion. [17]

On the day "Smile" was released, Allen appeared on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge with DJ Jo Whiley, performing an acoustic version of "Smile" and a cover of the Kooks' song "Naïve". [18] At the Secret Garden Party, in September 2006, Allen made a rendition of the song and afterwards stated: "The festival was well good, particularly as Lester, my ex, who I wrote 'Smile' about, and subsequently sold his story to the papers, had a tent called 'the shit tent' positioned directly opposite the main stage. So he and his new girlfriend had no option but to watch me perform to a couple of thousand people singing 'Smile' back to me. Oh, it's the little things eh!" [19] "Smile" was performed live as part of the setlist of Allen's 2007 concert tour. [20] During the 2007 South by Southwest music festival, Allen said, "I'm so sick of this song, but I'll play it for you, Austin" before singing it. [21] On 3 February 2007, the singer was invited as a musical guest on Saturday Night Live , where she performed "Smile" and "LDN". [22]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 79/100 [23]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [11]
The A.V. Club A− [24]
Blender Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [12]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [25]
MSN Music (Consumer Guide)A− [14]
NME 7/10 [26]
Pitchfork 8.3/10 [10]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [27]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [28]
Spin Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [29]

Alright, Still received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 79, based on 27 reviews. [23] The Observer 's Rosie Swash stated that Allen's "uniquely acidic brand of pop" music justified the publicity it generated and that "the icing on the cake is that brutally barbed tongue". [30] Ron Webb wrote for Drowned in Sound that the album "is almost a brilliant record, easily a good one and one that promises to divide opinion like Marmite". [31] In a review for The Guardian , Sophie Heawood stated that "the album is rough round the edges, that amateurism serves to bring the listener in", noting that it gave the album a more personal touch. [25] NME 's Priya Elan remarked that "with a personality this size, this isn't the last time you'll be hearing from [Allen]". [26]

The album generally received positive reviews from international music press. Rob Sheffield wrote for Rolling Stone that Allen's sense of irony was "just more proof that [she is] an original". [28] Heather Phares of AllMusic stated that "enough of Alright, Still works—as pure pop and on the meta level Allen aims for—to make the album a fun, summery fling, and maybe more". [11] Praising Allen for her "genuine personality with wit and attitude to spare", Pitchfork 's Mark Pytlik remarked that the album "isn't anything else but a fantastic success". [10] In his review for Blender , Jon Dolan complimented Allen's "little-sisterly" personality, describing it as a combination "of panache and self-doubt, courage and chaos". [12]

On the other hand, Stylus Magazine dismissed the album as "nothing more than pop for people who hate pop music" and "phony music for people who can't let go of their inhibitions", [32] while Slant Magazine deemed it "rubbish" and called Allen "sickeningly contemptuous". [33] The mastering of Alright, Still, done by Tim Burrell and Tim Debney, has been criticised. In January 2007, The Guardian ran a piece about loudness wars, the practice of increasing the loudness of tracks which often results in distortion and the loss of dynamic range. It included Alright, Still in a list of CDs in which sound quality was compromised for loudness. [34] Rolling Stone published a similar story in December 2007, and it also identified Alright, Still as an album "so unrelentingly loud that the sound is actually distorted". [35]

Accolades

The Guardian ranked it the seventh best album of the year and commented, "For her lyrical nous and her quick delivery alone, get that toast on." [36] Pitchfork called it "one of 2006's most enduringly rewarding pop albums" and listed it as the 29th best album of 2006. [37] "Rolling Stone" ranked the album 13th on its list of the best albums of 2007. [38] Uncut called it "a terrific, bolshy, eclectic stew of London street pop", listing Alright, Still at number 38 on its "Definitive Albums of 2006". [39] The Observer ranked the album tenth on its list of the best albums of 2006. [40] At the 2008 Grammy Awards, the album was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album but lost to the White Stripes' Icky Thump . [41] Ronson's production on "Littlest Things" helped him win a Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical. [42]

Commercial performance

Alright, Still debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart, selling 62,701 copies in its first week. [43] During the week ending 3 February 2007, all top 10 places on the UK Albums Chart were occupied by British artists for the first time since the chart was established in 1956; Alright, Still was number nine that week. [44] The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) certified it triple platinum on 14 March 2008. [45] As of June 2018, the album had sold 1,142,062 copies in the United Kingdom. [46]

In Ireland, the album debuted at number six on the Irish Albums Chart and was certified platinum by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA). [47] [48] The album was less successful in continental Europe; it charted inside the top 20 in Norway, the top 30 in Belgium and the Netherlands, and the top 50 in France and Sweden. [49] In April 2007, Alright, Still received a Platinum Europe Award by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), denoting sales in excess of one million copies across Europe. [50]

Alright, Still debuted at number 20 on the Billboard 200 in the United States, with first-week sales of 34,000 copies. [51] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) awarded the album a gold certification on 6 December 2007, [52] and by November 2013, it had sold 627,000 copies in the US. [53] Alright, Still peaked at number seven on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart, [54] and in 2009, it received a platinum accreditation by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), shipping over 70,000 copies. [55] In New Zealand, the album reached number 26 and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) for shipments in excess of 7,500 copies. [56] [57] As of February 2009, the album had sold more than 2.5 million copies worldwide. [58]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Smile"
Future Cut3:17
2."Knock 'Em Out"
Future Cut2:54
3."LDN"
Future Cut3:11
4."Everything's Just Wonderful"
Kurstin3:29
5."Not Big"
  • Allen
  • Kurstin
Kurstin3:17
6."Friday Night"
Cook3:07
7."Shame for You"
MacKichan4:06
8."Littlest Things"
Ronson3:02
9."Take What You Take"
  • Allen
  • Lewis
  • Babalola
Future Cut4:06
10."Friend of Mine"
Future Cut3:58
11."Alfie"
  • Allen
  • Kurstin
Kurstin2:46
iTunes Store pre-order bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
12."Blank Expression"
Future Cut2:30
iTunes Store deluxe edition bonus tracks [59]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Mr. Blue Sky" Jeff Lynne Future Cut3:42
2."Cheryl Tweedy"
Poole3:15
3."Nan You're a Window Shopper" (parody of "Window Shopper" by 50 Cent)
Future Cut2:59
4."Blank Expression"
  • Dammers
  • The Specials
Future Cut2:32
5."Absolutely Nothing"
  • Allen
  • Poole
Poole4:08
6."U Killed It"
  • Allen
  • Kurstin
Kurstin4:24
7."Everybody's Changing" Keane Future Cut2:40
8."Naïve" (BBC Radio 1's Jo Whiley's Live Lounge) The Kooks Future Cut3:46
Japanese edition bonus tracks [60]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
12."Cheryl Tweedy"
  • Allen
  • Poole
  • Carey
Poole3:15
13."Absolutely Nothing"
  • Allen
  • Poole
Poole4:02
US standard edition [61]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
12."Nan You're a Window Shopper" (parody of "Window Shopper" by 50 Cent)
Future Cut2:58
13."Smile" (version revisited)
  • Allen
  • Babalola
  • Lewis
  • Mittoo
  • Dodd
  • Future Cut
  • Ronson [a]
3:13
French reissue bonus track [62]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
12."Mr. Blue Sky"LynneFuture Cut3:40

Notes

Sample credits

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Alright, Still. [63]

Musicians

  • Lily Allen – vocals
  • Mark Ronson – beats, harp, synth strings, percussion (track 8)
  • Michael Rose – saxophone (tracks 1–3)
  • Paul Powell – drums (track 1)
  • Jonny Wimbolt-Lewis – drums (track 9)
  • Eddie Thornton – trumpet (tracks 1–3)
  • Trevor Edwards – trombone (tracks 1–3)
  • Clive Hunte – bass (tracks 1–3, 10)
  • John Waddington – bass (track 9)
  • Paul Farr – guitar (tracks 3, 10)
  • Mark Nicholls – guitar (track 9)
  • John Ellis – keyboards (tracks 1–3, 10)
  • Oliver Bayston – keyboards (track 9)
  • Darren Lewis – keyboards (tracks 1–3, 9, 10); percussion (track 2)
  • Iyiola Babalola – keyboards (tracks 1–3, 10); percussion (track 9)

Technical

  • Future Cut – production (tracks 1–3, 9, 10); mixing (tracks 1–3, 6, 7, 9, 10)
  • Mike Pelanconi – mixing (tracks 1–3, 6, 7, 9, 10); engineering (tracks 1–3, 10)
  • Dan Porter – mixing assistance (tracks 1–3, 6, 7, 10)
  • Greg Kurstin – production, recording, mixing (tracks 4, 5, 11)
  • Pablo Cook – production (track 6)
  • Blair MacKichan – production (track 7)
  • Mark Ronson – production, recording (track 8)
  • Vaughan Merrick – mixing (track 8)
  • Rob Smith – recording (track 8)
  • Kieran Panesar – recording assistance (track 8)
  • Tim Burrell – mastering
  • Tim Debney – mastering
  • George Atkins – engineering (track 9)
  • Darren Lewis – engineering, production (tracks 1–3, 9, 10)
  • Iyiola Babalola – engineering, production (tracks 1–3, 10)

Artwork

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Alright, Still
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF) [90] Gold20,000^
Australia (ARIA) [55] Platinum70,000^
Canada (Music Canada) [91] Gold50,000^
France (SNEP) [92] Silver35,000*
Ireland (IRMA) [48] Platinum15,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [57] Gold7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI) [45] 4× Platinum1,200,000‡
United States (RIAA) [52] Gold627,000 [53]
Summaries
Europe (IFPI) [50] Platinum1,000,000*
Worldwide—2,500,000 [93]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release history for Alright, Still
RegionDateEditionLabelRef.
France13 July 2006Standard EMI [94]
Germany [95]
Italy14 July 2006 [96]
United Kingdom17 July 2006 Regal [97]
Australia28 July 2006EMI [98]
Canada19 September 2006 [99]
Japan4 October 2006 [60]
United States30 January 2007 Capitol [61]
France26 December 2007ReissueEMI [62]

Notes

  1. ↑ Tracks 1–3, 9 and 10
  2. ↑ Track 1
  3. 1 2 Track 8
  4. ↑ Track 9

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonia (singer)</span> English pop singer (born 1971)

Sonia Evans, known mononymously as Sonia, is an English pop singer from Liverpool. She had a 1989 UK number one hit with "You'll Never Stop Me Loving You" and became the first female UK artist to achieve five top 20 hit singles from one album. She represented the United Kingdom in the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest, where she finished second with the song "Better the Devil You Know".

Wendy Joan Matthews is a Canadian-born Australian singer-songwriter who has been a member of Models and Absent Friends and is a solo artist. She released Top 20 hit singles in the 1990s including "Token Angels", "Let's Kiss ", "The Day You Went Away" and "Friday's Child" with Top 20 albums, You've Always Got The Blues, Émigré, Lily, The Witness Tree and her compilation, Stepping Stones. She has won six Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Awards. According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane she provides "extraordinary, crystal-clear vocals [...] a soulfulness that was the mark of a truly gifted singer".

<i>Hot Fuss</i> 2004 album by the Killers

Hot Fuss is the debut studio album by American rock band the Killers, released on June 7, 2004, in the United Kingdom and on June 15, 2004, in the United States by Island Records. The album's music is mostly influenced by new wave and post-punk. Hot Fuss spawned four commercially and critically successful singles: "Mr. Brightside", "Somebody Told Me", "All These Things That I've Done" and "Smile Like You Mean It".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lily Allen</span> English singer-songwriter (born 1985)

Lily Rose Beatrice Allen is an English singer-songwriter and actress. Her musical career began in 2005 when she was signed to Regal Recordings and began publishing her vocal recordings on the social networking site Myspace. Their popularity resulted in airplay on BBC Radio 1. Her 2006 debut commercial single, "Smile" reached number one on the UK Singles Chart by July of that year and received double platinum certification by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Allen's debut studio album, Alright, Still (2006) explored ska and reggae. It was met with positive critical reception, peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart, and sold over 2.6 million copies worldwide. The album also yielded a Grammy Award nomination for Best Alternative Music Album and spawned the follow up singles "LDN" and "Alfie".

<i>BDay</i> 2006 studio album by Beyoncé

B'Day is the second solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Beyoncé. It was released on August 31, 2006, by Columbia Records, Music World Entertainment and Sony Urban Music. Originally set to be released in 2004, B'Day was planned as a follow-up to Beyoncé's solo debut Dangerously in Love (2003); however, it was delayed to accommodate the recording of Destiny's Child's final studio album Destiny Fulfilled (2004) and Beyoncé's starring role in the 2006 film Dreamgirls. While on vacation after filming Dreamgirls, Beyoncé began contacting various producers and rented Sony Music Studios, completing the album within two weeks. Most of the lyrical content of the album was inspired by Beyoncé's role in the film, with its musical style ranging from 1970s–1980s funk influences and balladry to urban contemporary elements such as hip hop, pop, and R&B. Live instrumentation was employed in recording most of the tracks as part of Beyoncé's vision of creating a record using live instruments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smile (Lily Allen song)</span> 2006 single by Lily Allen

"Smile" is the debut single by British recording singer-songwriter Lily Allen from her debut studio album Alright, Still (2006). It was written by Allen, Iyiola Babalola and Darren Lewis, while sampling the Soul Brothers' "Free Soul". The song was released as the lead mainstream single of the album in July 2006. After signing a contract deal with Regal Recordings and gaining popularity on the social network website Myspace with demo songs, Allen released a limited edition of "LDN" to promote her work and afterwards announced the release of "Smile".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">LDN (song)</span> 2006 single by Lily Allen

"LDN" is a song by English singer-songwriter Lily Allen. It was co-written by Future Cut, and features a Colombian porro from the country's Caribbean coast. The song was originally released on limited-edition 7-inch vinyl in the UK on 24 April 2006, accompanied by album track "Knock 'Em Out". It was reissued in September 2006 following the huge success of Allen's first mainstream single "Smile". The re-release peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart. "LDN" was ranked number 30 on Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Best Songs of 2007".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Littlest Things</span> 2006 single by Lily Allen

"Littlest Things" is a song by English singer-songwriter Lily Allen from her debut studio album, Alright, Still (2006). Written by Allen and Mark Ronson, the song was released as the third single of the album on 11 December 2006 by Regal Recordings. It incorporates a piano sample from Pierre Bachelet and Hervé Roy's music from the softcore pornography film Emmanuelle, for which they were credited as co-writers, as the lyrics tackle the singer dealing with the departure of her boyfriend, while reminiscing about their time together. The song was created in a New York studio, after Allen had met Ronson, who was impressed by her previous work and offered her different samples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfie (Lily Allen song)</span> 2007 single by Lily Allen

"Alfie" is a song by British singer-songwriter Lily Allen from her debut studio album, Alright, Still (2006). Written by Allen and Greg Kurstin, the song was released as the fourth and final single from the album, on 5 March 2007, by Regal Recordings. In the United Kingdom, it was marketed as a double A-side single, along with "Shame for You". While the melody incorporates a sample of Sandie Shaw's "Puppet on a String", the lyrics directly describe Allen's real life younger brother, actor Alfie Allen, criticising him for laziness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shame for You</span> 2007 single by Lily Allen

"Shame for You" is a song by British singer-songwriter Lily Allen from her debut studio album, Alright, Still. Written by Allen and Blair MacKichan, while sampling Jackie Mittoo's "Loving You" melody, the song was released as the A-Side to her fourth single, "Alfie", exclusively in the United Kingdom on 5 March 2007, by Regal Recordings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lily Allen discography</span>

English singer and songwriter Lily Allen has released four studio albums, two extended plays, 23 singles, two promotional singles and 21 music videos. Allen's range of musical genres incorporates styles such as pop, ska, electropop and reggae fusion. She became well known through her Myspace account, on which she started posting demo songs in 2005. The increase of popularity led to a contract with Regal Recordings. Her debut single, "Smile", was released in 2006 and topped the UK Singles Chart for two weeks. Allen's first studio album, Alright, Still (2006), was released shortly after. The album was commercially successful, earning a three times platinum certification in the United Kingdom, and gold in the United States. The album was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 50th Grammy Awards. Follow-up singles "LDN", "Littlest Things" and "Alfie" did not repeat her early success, although they still sold well; "LDN" peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart.

<i>Its Not Me, Its You</i> 2009 studio album by Lily Allen

It's Not Me, It's You is the second studio album by English singer Lily Allen, released on 4 February 2009 by Regal Recordings and Parlophone. It was produced and co-written by Greg Kurstin, with whom Allen had previously worked on her debut studio album, Alright, Still (2006). The album represents a departure from the ska and reggae influences of its predecessor, incorporating electropop with elements of jazz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Fear (Lily Allen song)</span> 2008 single by Lily Allen

"The Fear" is a song by English singer-songwriter Lily Allen from her second studio album, It's Not Me, It's You (2009). Written by Allen and Greg Kurstin, the song was released as the lead single from the album. Initially, "Everyone's at It" was announced to be the first single from the album. However, it was ultimately decided on "The Fear" to be released on 26 January 2009 by Regal Recordings, while Allen posted the demo onto her MySpace account in April 2008. The song incorporates electropop music as the lyrics articulate problems with celebrity lifestyles and include metaphors for recognised tabloid national newspapers such as The Sun and the Daily Mirror.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)</span> 1994 single by Dawn Penn

"You Don't Love Me " is a song by Jamaican recording artist Dawn Penn, released in February 1994 by Big Beat as the first single from her first studio album, No, No, No (1994). The song's lyrics are credited to Penn, Bo Diddley and Willie Cobbs, and production was handled by Steely & Clevie.

<i>Glee: The Music, Volume 2</i> 2009 soundtrack album by Glee Cast

Glee: The Music, Volume 2 is the second soundtrack album by the cast of the American musical television series Glee, featuring songs from episodes nine to thirteen of the show's first season. It was first released on December 4, 2009 in Australia by Columbia Records. It has been certified platinum in Canada and Australia, and gold in the United Kingdom and the United States. Volume 2 received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the vocals of cast members Lea Michele, Amber Riley, and Kevin McHale, but felt the album was weak in arrangements and similar to a collection of karaoke tracks. All tracks were released as singles and performed on the series, with the exception of "Don't Make Me Over"—only an instrumental version was used.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Balloon (song)</span> 2014 single by Lily Allen

"Air Balloon" is a song by British singer-songwriter Lily Allen. The song was premiered on BBC Radio 1 on 13 January 2014 and was released on 2 March 2014, as the second single from Allen's third studio album, Sheezus (2014). Allen wrote the song in collaboration with Shellback, who has also worked for Britney Spears, Avril Lavigne, Taylor Swift and One Direction.

<i>Sheezus</i> 2014 studio album by Lily Allen

Sheezus is the third studio album by English singer Lily Allen, released on 2 May 2014 by Parlophone. The album was Allen's first work after a five year hiatus since the release of her second studio album, It's Not Me, It's You (2009). Sheezus features production from longtime collaborator Greg Kurstin, along with the likes of Shellback, DJ Dahi and Fraser T. Smith. Upon release, Sheezus received generally mixed reviews from music critics. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, becoming Allen's second consecutive number-one album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Our Time (Lily Allen song)</span> 2014 single by Lily Allen

"Our Time" is a song by British singer-songwriter Lily Allen. The song was released on 10 March 2014, as the third single from Allen's third studio album, Sheezus. The song is prominently featured on the OW Version of the Theme Park Playlist. With its increased popularity however, newer versions of the regular Theme Park Playlist contain the track.

<i>No Shame</i> (Lily Allen album) 2018 studio album by Lily Allen

No Shame is the fourth studio album by English singer Lily Allen. It was released on 8 June 2018 by Parlophone. Following the release of Sheezus (2014), Allen suffered from an identity crisis and did not connect with the music she had been creating. This was followed by a breakdown in Allen's marriage. Following Allen's divorce, she began working on new music which saw her writing about things that she had been affected by including the relationship with herself, her children, her ex-husband and substance abuse. Recording for the album began in Los Angeles in 2015 before Allen set up her own studio in London and continued recording through until 2018. The sessions featured contributions from producers such as Fryars and Mark Ronson, whilst the final track listing featured guest appearances from artists including Giggs, Burna Boy and Lady Chann.

References

  1. 1 2 Begrand, Adrien (29 January 2007). "Lily Allen: Alright, Still". PopMatters . Archived from the original on 4 December 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2013. Allen displays a preoccupation with a wide variety of styles, from ska and rocksteady [...] it's best to appreciate it for what it really is, a simple, smart pop record
  2. ↑ DuPont, Jean-Pierre (28 September 2006). "Lily Allen: Alright, Still". Voir (in French). Archived from the original on 16 August 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2016. entre la pop, le reggae et le R&B
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sawyer, Miranda (21 May 2006). "Pictures of lily". The Observer . Archived from the original on 9 July 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  4. 1 2 Salmon, Chris (22 September 2006). "Me, my dad and Dumbo". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  5. ↑ Heath, Chris (16 January 2009). "Lily Allen: uncertain smile". The Daily Telegraph . Archived from the original on 9 July 2019. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
  6. 1 2 Sisson, Patrick (29 March 2007). "Lily Allen: Mighty Aphrodite". URB . Archived from the original on 7 November 2012. Retrieved 12 September 2012.
  7. ↑ Sisson, Patrick (29 March 2007). "Lily Allen: Mighty Aphrodite". URB. Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Plagenhoef, Scott (6 November 2006). "Interviews: Lily Allen". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on 18 March 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2007.
  9. ↑ Willman, Chris (12 March 2007). "Blooming Lily". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on 1 October 2008. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
  10. 1 2 3 Pytlik, Mark (18 July 2006). "Lily Allen: Alright, Still". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 23 April 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  11. 1 2 3 Phares, Heather. "Alright, Still – Lily Allen". AllMusic . Archived from the original on 9 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  12. 1 2 3 Dolan, Jon (March 2007). "Lily Allen: Alright, Still". Blender . No. 56. p. 129. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  13. ↑ Eliscu, Jenny (19 October 2006). "Lily Allen". Rolling Stone . No. 1011. p. 84.
  14. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (February 2007). "Consumer Guide". MSN Music . Archived from the original on 24 January 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2020– via robertchristgau.com.
  15. ↑ Powers, Ann. "More than a girlie girl" . Los Angeles Times , page F-13. 11 March 2007. Retrieved 31 August 2008.
  16. ↑ "Lily Allen plays surprise set at Glastonbury". NME. 22 June 2007. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  17. ↑ Smith, Martin (15 May 2009). "The Specials reunion all down to Lily Allen". Coventry Telegraph . Archived from the original on 3 July 2009.
  18. ↑ "Lily Allen – 03 Jul 06". BBC Radio 1 . Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2009.
  19. ↑ Godwin, Richard (7 November 2006). "Welcome to Lily's world". London Evening Standard . Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2009.
  20. ↑ Miller, Alex (13 November 2006). "Lily Allen/New Young Pony Club: Leadmill, Sheffield, Saturday, October 28". NME . Archived from the original on 16 February 2009. Retrieved 3 September 2009.
  21. ↑ "Lily Allen struts her stuff at SXSW". NME . Archived from the original on 12 February 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  22. ↑ ""Saturday Night Live" Drew Barrymore/Lily Allen (2007)". IMDb . 3 February 2007. Archived from the original on 27 April 2009. Retrieved 19 October 2009.
  23. 1 2 "Alright, Still by Lily Allen Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic . Archived from the original on 30 May 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  24. ↑ Matos, Michaelangelo (30 January 2007). "Lily Allen: Alright, Still". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  25. 1 2 Heawood, Sophie (14 July 2006). "Lily Allen, Alright, Still". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  26. 1 2 Elan, Priya (17 July 2006). "Lily Allen: Alright, Still". NME . Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  27. ↑ "Lily Allen: Alright, Still". Q . No. 241. August 2006. p. 111.
  28. 1 2 Sheffield, Rob (8 February 2007). "Alright, Still". Rolling Stone . No. 1019. p. 66. Archived from the original on 12 February 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2007.
  29. ↑ Wood, Mikael (February 2007). "She's Crafty". Spin . Vol. 23, no. 2. p. 82. ISSN   0886-3032. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011 – via Google Books.
  30. ↑ Swash, Rosie (16 July 2006). "Lily Allen, Alright, Still". The Observer. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  31. ↑ Webb, Ron (18 July 2006). "Album Review: Lily Allen – Alright, Still". Drowned in Sound . Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  32. ↑ Passantino, Dom (21 July 2006). "Lily Allen – Alright, Still – Review". Stylus Magazine . Archived from the original on 13 April 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  33. ↑ Cinquemani, Sal (28 December 2006). "Lily Allen: Alright, Still". Slant Magazine . Archived from the original on 13 March 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  34. ↑ Anderson, Tim (18 January 2007). "How CDs are remastering the art of noise". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  35. ↑ Levine, Robert (27 December 2007). "The Death of High Fidelity". Rolling Stone. No. 1042/1043. pp. 15–18.
  36. ↑ "The definitive top 10 albums of the year". The Guardian. 13 December 2006. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  37. ↑ Troussé, Stephen (19 December 2006). "The Top 50 Albums of 2006: 30: Lily Allen Alright, Still". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 17 March 2009. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  38. ↑ Christgau, Robert; Fricke, David; Hoard, Christian; Sheffield, Rob (27 December 2007). "The Top 50 Albums of 2007". Rolling Stone. No. 1042/1043. pp. 107–116. Archived from the original on 2 September 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  39. ↑ "Uncut's Definitive Albums of 2006". Uncut . Archived from the original on 6 February 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  40. ↑ Smith, Caspar Llewellyn (9 December 2006). "The Observer's best albums of the year". The Observer. Archived from the original on 17 January 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  41. ↑ "Grammy Awards: Main winners" Archived 8 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine . BBC News. 11 February 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  42. ↑ "Grammy Producer of the Year Mark Ronson Partners His Allido Records With Interscope Records" (Press release). Santa Monica, California: Interscope Geffen A&M Records. PR Newswire. 11 April 2008. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  43. ↑ Jones, Alan (24 July 2006). "Razorlight and McFly top the charts". Music Week . Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  44. ↑ "BPI: Norah Jones Battles the Klaxons for the UK'S 800th Albums Number One" (Press release). London: British Phonographic Industry. PR Newswire. 2 February 2007. Archived from the original on 4 February 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  45. 1 2 "British album certifications – Lily Allen – Alright Still". British Phonographic Industry. 27 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
  46. ↑ Jones, Alan (15 June 2018). "Official Charts Analysis: The Greatest Showman must go on (and on) at the top of the UK albums chart" . Music Week. Archived from the original on 23 September 2018. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
  47. 1 2 "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 29, 2006". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  48. 1 2 "The Irish Charts - 2006 Certification Awards - Platinum". Irish Recorded Music Association . Retrieved 31 August 2008.
  49. 1 2 "Ultratop.be – Lily Allen – Alright, Still" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  50. 1 2 "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 2007". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 30 August 2008.
  51. ↑ Cohen, Jonathan (7 February 2007). "Better 'Late' Than Never: Jones Debuts at No. 1". Billboard . Archived from the original on 6 July 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  52. 1 2 "American album certifications – Lily Allen – Alright, Still". Recording Industry Association of America. 6 December 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  53. 1 2 Lipshutz, Jason (12 November 2013). "Lily Allen Returns With Scathing 'Hard Out Here': Watch Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on 15 November 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  54. 1 2 "Australiancharts.com – Lily Allen – Alright, Still". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  55. 1 2 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2009 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 4 June 2010.
  56. 1 2 "Charts.nz – Lily Allen – Alright, Still". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  57. 1 2 "New Zealand album certifications – Lily Allen – Alright, Still". Recorded Music NZ. 19 March 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  58. ↑ Rosen, Jody (4 February 2009). "It's Not Me, It's You". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  59. ↑ "Alright, Still (Deluxe Edition) by Lily Allen". iTunes Store . United Kingdom. 17 July 2006. Archived from the original on 14 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  60. 1 2 "Alright.Still... : Lily Allen". HMV Japan. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  61. 1 2 "Alright, Still". Amazon . United States. Archived from the original on 23 January 2020. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  62. 1 2 "Alright still (Nouvelle version) – Lily Allen – CD album" (in French). Fnac. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  63. ↑ Alright, Still (liner notes). Lily Allen. Regal Recordings. 2006. 094636702827.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  64. ↑ "ARIA Urban Album Chart – Week Commencing 7th August 2006" (PDF). The ARIA Report . No. 857. 7 August 2006. p. 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 September 2006. Retrieved 14 July 2014– via Pandora Archive.
  65. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Lily Allen – Alright, Still" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  66. ↑ "Top 100 Albums in Canada". Jam! . 25 February 2007. Archived from the original on 26 December 2004. Retrieved 31 May 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  67. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Lily Allen – Alright, Still" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  68. ↑ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 118, no. 41. 14 October 2006. p. 75. ISSN   0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  69. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Lily Allen – Alright, Still". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  70. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Lily Allen – Alright, Still". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  71. ↑ "オーライ・スティル | リリー・アレン" [Alright, Still | Lily Allen] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 27 January 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  72. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Lily Allen – Alright, Still". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  73. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  74. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Lily Allen – Alright, Still". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  75. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Lily Allen – Alright, Still". Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  76. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  77. ↑ "Lily Allen Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  78. ↑ "Top Kombiniranih – Tjedan 22. 2009" [Top Combined – Week 22, 2009] (in Croatian). Top of the Shops. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  79. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Urban Albums 2006". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 27 January 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  80. ↑ "Top de l'année Top Albums 2006" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  81. ↑ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2006". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 24 May 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  82. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Urban Albums 2007". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 5 August 2009. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  83. ↑ "Year End Charts – European Top 100 Albums". Billboard. 2007. Archived from the original on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  84. ↑ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2007". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  85. ↑ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2007". Billboard. Archived from the original on 28 February 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  86. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Urban Albums 2008". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 1 April 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  87. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Urban Albums 2009". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 1 April 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  88. ↑ "UK Year-End Charts 2009" (PDF). UKChartsPlus . p. 7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 August 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  89. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Urban Albums 2010". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 17 February 2017. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  90. ↑ "Discos de Oro y Platino – Lily Allen" (in Spanish). Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  91. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Lily Allen – Alright Still". Music Canada. 20 July 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  92. ↑ "French album certifications – Lily Allen – Alright Still" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. 10 December 2006. Archived from the original on 31 March 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  93. ↑ Rosen, Jody (4 February 2009). "Lily Allen: It's Not Me, It's You". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on 28 April 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  94. ↑ "Alright, Still...: Lily Allen". Amazon (in French). France. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  95. ↑ "Lily Allen // Alright, Still" (in German). EMI Music Germany. Archived from the original on 19 May 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  96. ↑ "Lily Allen – Alright, Still". IBS.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 2 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  97. ↑ "Alright, Still: Lily Allen". Amazon. United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  98. ↑ "Alright, Still – Allen, Lily". JB Hi-Fi. Archived from the original on 1 June 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  99. ↑ "Alright Still by Lily Allen". HMV Canada. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.