| Birdy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Standard cover | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 4 November 2011 | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 44:02 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
| |||
| Birdy chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Alternative cover | ||||
 Deluxe edition cover | ||||
| Singles from Birdy | ||||
| ||||
Birdy is the debut studio album by English musician Birdy,released on 4 November 2011 by 14th Floor Records and Atlantic Records. The album includes the singles "Skinny Love","Shelter","People Help the People" and "1901".
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 5.9/10 [1] |
| Metacritic | 61/100 [2] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [3] |
| The Daily Telegraph | [4] |
| The Guardian | [5] |
| MusicOMH | [6] |
| NME | 5/10 [7] |
| The Observer | [8] |
| PopMatters | 5/10 [9] |
| Rolling Stone | [10] |
| Uncut | [11] |
Birdy received lukewarm reception from critics. At Metacritic,the album received a score of 61 out of 100,based on 10 critics. [2] AllMusic's Jon O'Brien wrote that "this stripped-back collection of lesser-known hits and album tracks reads like a who's who of lo-fi hipster indie rock",praising Birdy's "youthful and fragile" voice and concluding that "thanks to her haunting tones and a tasteful yet compelling production,it impressively avoids being the try-hard affair you'd expect." [3] The BBC's Nick Levine called the album a "clever covers set... which points to a great future" for the singer. [12] "With a voice that defies her tender years,Birdy... has found herself very quickly touted as one of the brightest up-and-coming talents in the UK," Andy Baber of MusicOMH wrote. [6] Hermione Hoby of The Observer praised her covers of "Skinny Love" and "Shelter",while noting that the self-written track "Without a Word" "suggests she might become even more than just a startling voice." [8]
While praising "Birdy's simple piano/guitar arrangements and her own sweet voice", The Guardian 's Caroline Sullivan found the album to be "pleasant but pointless". [5] James Lachno of The Daily Telegraph wrote that the album "consolidates the buzz with more sparse,affecting covers,and a lone original track that is adequately folkish,but for now Birdy remains a novelty." [4] Chris Conaton of PopMatters wrote that Birdy "proves that she can really sing;but [her] appeal may depend on how much enjoy desperate,aching piano ballads,because there are a lot of them here." [9] Duncan Gillespie of NME dismissed the album as "an album of wet-indie covers". [7] Rolling Stone critic Jody Rosen was more critical,panning the album as "the most boring music ever recorded by a teenager" and concluding,"No one so young should have such flawless taste in Quality Indie Rock,or sound this bummed out." [10]
"Skinny Love" was released on 30 January 2011 as the first single from the album, [13] which was a cover of a song by American indie folk band Bon Iver. The cover reached a peak of number 17 on the UK Singles Chart.
"Shelter" was released as the second single from the album on 3 June 2011. The song covers a track by English indie pop group The xx and peaked at number 50 in the UK.
"People Help the People" was released as the album's third single on 28 October 2011. [14] The song is a cover of the song by English indie rock band Cherry Ghost and peaked at number 33 in the UK.
"1901" was released in the UK on 9 March 2012 as the album's fourth and final single. It is a cover of the song by French indie rock band Phoenix.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "1901" (by Phoenix) |
| Rich Costey | 5:11 |
| 2. | "Skinny Love" (by Bon Iver) | Justin Vernon | Alex H. N. Gilbert | 3:23 |
| 3. | "People Help the People" (by Cherry Ghost) | Simon John Aldred | James Ford | 4:16 |
| 4. | "White Winter Hymnal" (by Fleet Foxes) | Robin Noel Pecknold | Ford | 2:17 |
| 5. | "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight" (by the Postal Service) | Jim Abbiss | 4:44 | |
| 6. | "I'll Never Forget You" (by Francis and the Lights) | Francis Farewell Starlite | Abbiss | 3:47 |
| 7. | "Young Blood" (by the Naked and Famous) |
| Costey | 4:04 |
| 8. | "Shelter" (by The xx) |
| 3:44 | |
| 9. | "Fire and Rain" (by James Taylor) | James V. Taylor | Ford | 3:07 |
| 10. | "Without a Word" | Jasmine van den Bogaerde | Costey | 4:46 |
| 11. | "Terrible Love" (by the National) | Costey | 4:43 | |
| Total length: | 44:02 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Comforting Sounds" (by Mew) |
| Costey | 8:57 |
| 13. | "Farewell and Goodnight" (by the Smashing Pumpkins) | James Iha | Abbiss | 2:02 |
| 14. | "People Help the People" (RAK Studios Session) | Aldred | 4:17 | |
| Total length: | 59:18 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Just a Game" | Van den Bogaerde | T Bone Burnett | 3:51 |
| 13. | "What You Want" (by John Butler Trio) | John Butler | Abbiss | 4:12 |
| Total length: | 52:05 | |||
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Birdy. [17]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA) [52] | 2× Platinum | 140,000^ |
| Austria (IFPI Austria) [53] | Gold | 10,000* |
| Belgium (BEA) [54] | Platinum | 30,000* |
| Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [55] | Platinum | 20,000‡ |
| France (SNEP) [56] | 3× Platinum | 300,000* |
| Germany (BVMI) [57] | Platinum | 200,000^ |
| Netherlands (NVPI) [58] | Platinum | 50,000^ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ) [59] | Gold | 7,500^ |
| Poland (ZPAV) [60] | Gold | 10,000* |
| Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [61] | Platinum | 30,000^ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) [62] | Gold | 180,457 [63] |
| Summaries | ||
| Europe (IFPI) [64] | Platinum | 1,000,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. | ||
| Region | Date | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 4 November 2011 | Warner | [65] |
| Ireland | [66] | ||
| United Kingdom | 7 November 2011 | [67] | |
| Netherlands | 11 November 2011 | Warner | [68] |
| United States | 20 March 2012 | Warner Bros. | [69] |
| Germany | 23 March 2012 | Warner | [70] |
| Poland | 26 March 2012 | [71] | |
| Australia | 20 April 2012 | [72] | |
| France | 30 April 2012 | [73] |
Mutter is the third studio album by German Neue Deutsche Härte band Rammstein. It was released on 2 April 2001 through Motor and Universal Music. The album's cover image is a photograph of a dead fetus, which was taken by Daniel & Geo Fuchs. The album has yielded six singles which, to date, are the most released from any Rammstein album.
Secret Samadhi is the fourth studio album by American alternative rock band Live. It debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200 upon its release on February 18, 1997. It includes the singles "Lakini's Juice", "Rattlesnake", "Turn My Head", and "Freaks". The album was certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA on July 8, 1999.
The Best of Sade is the first greatest hits album by English band Sade, released by Epic Records in the United Kingdom on 31 October 1994 and in the United States on 4 November 1994. The compilation chronicles Sade's first four studio albums, while also including non-single songs "Jezebel", "Like a Tattoo" and "Pearls", as well as "Please Send Me Someone to Love", which appeared in the soundtrack to the film Philadelphia. The album was digitally remastered in 2000.
The Best of 1980–1990 is the first greatest hits compilation by Irish rock band U2, released on 2 November 1998. It mostly contains the group's hit singles from the 1980s, but also mixes in some live staples, as well as a re-recording of the 1987 B-side "Sweetest Thing". In April 1999, a companion video was released. The album was followed by another compilation, The Best of 1990–2000, in 2002.
Hits is the first greatest hits album by English drummer and singer-songwriter Phil Collins. It was released on 5 October 1998 in the United Kingdom, and one day later in the United States. The collection included fourteen top 40 hits, including seven American number one songs, spanning from the albums Face Value (1981) through Dance into the Light (1996). One new Collins recording, a cover of Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors", also appeared on the collection and was a popular song on adult contemporary stations. Hits was also the first Phil Collins album to include four songs originally recorded for motion pictures as well as his popular duet with Philip Bailey, "Easy Lover".
Greatest Hits is the first compilation album released by British pop and soul group Simply Red, released in 1996, which contained material from their first five studio albums and included a newer track, a cover of Aretha Franklin's 1973 classic, "Angel".
The Greatest Hits is the second European compilation album by American singer-actress Cher, released on November 30, 1999, by Warner Music U.K.'s WEA label. The album was very successful worldwide, topping the charts in Austria, Germany, and Denmark. It peaked at #7 on the official UK Albums Chart, and reached the top 10 in several countries across Europe and the rest of the world. This compilation was not available in the United States, due to the release of the US-only compilation, If I Could Turn Back Time: Cher's Greatest Hits which was released that same year. The album sold 3 million copies as of January 2000.
"People Help the People" is the second single taken from Cherry Ghost's début album, Thirst for Romance. It was made available to download on 11 June 2007, and followed two weeks later on CD and 7-inch vinyl. The band played the song live on Later... with Jools Holland on 24 November 2006. Jimi Goodwin of the band Doves plays drums on the single. "People Help the People" peaked the UK Singles Chart at number 27. The song was also a hit in Italy.
The Platinum Collection: Greatest Hits I, II & III is a box set by British rock band Queen which comprises their three greatest hits albums, Greatest Hits, Greatest Hits II and Greatest Hits III. The album was originally released on 13 November 2000 on the Parlophone label. A booklet with song facts and images is also included with the three CD set. The US release was delayed by Hollywood Records until September 2002 and featured the 2001 Japanese release remastered versions of Greatest Hits Volumes 1 and 2 on the US and Canadian versions of The Platinum Collection. The album peaked at number 2 in the UK.
Sigh No More is the debut studio album by British folk rock band Mumford & Sons. It was released on 2 October 2009 in the UK, and on 16 February 2010 in the United States and Canada. The album entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 11 and peaked at No. 2 on 20 February 2011, in its 72nd week on the chart and following its Album of the Year win at the Brit Awards. In early 2011, the album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in the US.
"Skinny Love" is a song written by American musician and songwriter Justin Vernon. It was originally released by indie folk band Bon Iver, of which Vernon is a member, in 2007. A cover version by the British vocalist Birdy was released in 2011. Both versions charted internationally and have been featured in multiple television and film soundtracks. The song has since become a popular tune for various singing competition shows around the English-speaking world.
English musician Birdy has released five studio albums, four extended plays, fifteen singles and six music videos in MP3 format. She began her career at the age of 12 when she won the Open Mic UK music competition, singing "So Be Free", a song she composed herself. The competition brought Birdy to the attention of 14th Floor Records, which signed her in 2008.
An Awesome Wave is the debut album by English indie rock band alt-J, released on 25 May 2012 through Infectious. The album includes the singles "Matilda"/"Fitzpleasure", "Breezeblocks" and "Tessellate". It peaked at number thirteen on the UK Albums Chart, and also charted in Belgium, France, Netherlands and Switzerland. An Awesome Wave won the 2012 British Barclaycard Mercury Prize, and in 2013 was named Album of the Year at the Ivor Novello Awards. The title is a reference to a quote from the 2000 American-Canadian film American Psycho.
"Wings" is a song by English musician Birdy. The song was released as a digital download on 29 July 2013 and in the United Kingdom on 8 September 2013 as the lead single from her second studio album, Fire Within (2013). A remix by Nu:Logic was later released on 27 January 2014 as part of the "Hospital: We Are 18" LP from Hospital Records. The song peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart, making it her highest-charting single to date and her only top-ten single. It also reached number one in Ireland, becoming her sole top-ten single there as well, and peaked within the top three of five other countries.
Fire Within is the second studio album by English musician Birdy, released on 16 September 2013 by 14th Floor Records and Atlantic Records. It is her first album of predominantly original compositions, as her eponymous debut album consisted largely of covers. Birdy collaborated with several producers including Jim Abbiss, Rich Costey, Jake Gosling, John Hill, Ben Lovett, Eric Rosse, Fraser T Smith, Ryan Tedder, Dan Wilson and Greg Wells during its recording. The album includes the singles "Wings", "No Angel", "Light Me Up" and "Words as Weapons".
Not to Disappear is the second studio album by British indie folk band Daughter, released on 15 January 2016 by 4AD. In anticipation of the album, a music video for the promotional single "Doing the Right Thing" was released on 30 September 2015. A music video for the single "Numbers" followed in November 2015. The album cover is "The World is Spinning Around", a painting by British artist Sarah Shaw.
Beautiful Lies is the third studio album by British musician Birdy, released on 25 March 2016 by Atlantic Records. The album includes the singles "Keeping Your Head Up", "Wild Horses", "Words", and "Hear You Calling".
Wild World is the second studio album by English indie pop band Bastille, released on 9 September 2016 by Virgin EMI Records. The album was co-produced by Mark Crew. The lead single, "Good Grief", was released on 16 June 2016. The song "Send Them Off!" is featured on the soundtrack of the game FIFA 17. The cover photograph was taken at 30 Park Place in Downtown, New York City.
Truth Is a Beautiful Thing is the second studio album by English indie pop band London Grammar. It was released on 9 June 2017 by the trio's imprint Metal & Dust and Ministry of Sound.
Evolve is the third studio album by American pop rock band Imagine Dragons, released on June 23, 2017, by Kidinakorner and Interscope Records. After the release of their previous album Smoke + Mirrors (2015) and its respective world tour, a self-imposed hiatus for 2016 and cryptic messages from the band through their social media gained anticipation for their third album; it was finally announced on May 9, 2017, along with the initiation of its pre-order. In comparison to Smoke + Mirrors and their 2012 debut Night Visions, frontman Dan Reynolds called the album an "evolution" for the band.
{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)