Insomniatic | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 10, 2007 | |||
Recorded | 2006–2007 | |||
Genre | Electronic rock [1] | |||
Length | 42:55 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | ||||
Aly & AJ chronology | ||||
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Singles from Insomniatic | ||||
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Insomniatic is the third studio album by American pop rock duo Aly & AJ, released on July 10, 2007 by Hollywood Records. The album features an electronic based sound, differing from their previous pop-rock and acoustic releases, that was accented with the use of synthesizers, sampling, drum programming and vocal processing effects. The lyrical content of the album is centered heavily around heartbreak, which some critics noted for its contrast to the electronic elements presented.
Insomniatic was well received by many music critics, many of which lauded the duo for the lyrical depth and evolution. Others, however, found the composition of the album to be bland and unoriginal. The album debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200 with sales of 39,000. Two singles were spawned from the album. The first single, "Potential Breakup Song", was released on June 26, 2007 and charted within the top 30 in several countries, including the United States where it peaked at number 17. The song was also featured on an episode of MTV's The Hills . "Like Whoa" was released as the album's second single in early 2008 and charted in the lower regions of the charts.
The album was the duo's final release with Hollywood Records. They left Hollywood in 2010 before forming their own label 78violet Music LLC.
MTV's The Leak section posted all 12 songs on the standard edition of the album in their entirety on July 3, 2007. The song "Blush" was excluded from the MTV.com full album stream, as well as the iTunes edition. The song "Like Whoa" was featured in an episode of MTV's The Hills, the television movie Super Sweet 16: The Movie , which starred Aly & AJ, and High School Musical 3: Senior Year . The song eventually became the album's second single.
Instrumental versions of all 12 songs are available commercially on the iTunes Store, alongside the standard 12-track album with vocals. The album's title is not actually a word ("insomniac" serves as both a noun and an adjective); [2] the definition of Insomniatic as stated by them is "A state of mind where one becomes addicted to the deprivation of sleep caused by an epic revelation of joy." The Australian release of the album features the same cover art as the deluxe edition, aside from the "Deluxe Edition" tag. It also includes the original version of "Chemicals React" as the first track, with the rest of the standard album following. [3]
Insomniatic is primarily an electro rock [1] album that focuses instrumentally on the usage of synthesizers, drum programming, synthesized drums, sampling, [1] loops [1] and vocoders, [1] creating a synthesized sound throughout. [4] The set encompasses numerous genres including rock, pop, electronica, new wave, and Europop. The lyrical themes of the album are centered on heartbreak and loss. The first song, "Potential Breakup Song", is composed as an electropop song that incorporates elements of electronica, [5] electro-rock [1] and dance in its composition. The song's lyrics describe a situation in which certain instances have led to the dissolution of a union. [5] The title track is an electro rock number that consists of instrumentation from "striking" drums and "quick" guitar riffs. [5] The duo, who harmonizes throughout the song, speak of the feeling derived from insomnia. [5] "Silence" features an opening consisting of a soft percussion and the accompaniment of synthesized instruments and piano with the vocals. [5] "Like Whoa" differs from the rest of the album in sound as it runs through an upbeat dance rhythm and electronic beats, similar to those in "Bullseye", while incorporating sounds of an amusement park ride and new wave music. [6] "Blush" is a lite ballad that features hints of sexual tension and suggestiveness in the lyrics. [4] [6] "Bullseye", along with "If I Could Have You Back" and "Like or Leave It", blend 70s and 80s guitar tones with electronic beats. [1] "Closure" is an electropop ballad that is composed of synthesizer keyboards and distorted guitars.
A deluxe edition of the album was originally scheduled to be released in North America on November 6, 2007, then on March 4, 2008, and finally on March 18 only to eventually be canceled. The six-song extended CD includes acoustic performances at the Abbey Road Studios in the UK and a remix, along with a bonus DVD that contains music videos for Aly & AJ's main singles. Early reports stated that the DVD would include Aly & AJ's "My Super Sweet 16/18 Birthday Party" episode, a review featurette of the episode, the Aly & AJ: Sister Act MTV special, and the Aly & AJ episode of MTV Cribs , [7] but these were not included. The deluxe edition was only released on March 5, 2008 in Japan. [8]
The album debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, selling over 39,000 copies in its first week, becoming Aly & AJ's highest debut to date. [9] Insomniatic remained on the charts for 18 weeks in total, dropping out after the fourteenth week, only to re-enter again six weeks later. [10] Insomniatic has sold 700,000 copies domestically [11] and has sold more than 2 million copies worldwide. [12]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [13] |
Billboard | (positive) [14] |
TheCelebrityCafe.com | (positive) [15] |
Famoso Magazine | [16] |
The Guardian | [17] |
Jesus Freak Hideout | [18] |
Robert Christgau | [19] |
stv.tv | [20] |
Tommy2.net | [1] |
Kathi Kamen Goldmark of Common Sense Media gave the album four out of five stars, praising the duo's vocals and the "gentle undertone of self-esteem and standing up for yourself in relationships" as "refreshing". [4] She further commented that the album was "better written than their first album" and that "the highs of flirtation, the confusion that comes with being caught in the undertow of sexual attraction while taking care of yourself and setting limits, and the sadness and disappointment of breaking up" were "all described in well-constructed songs containing G-rated imagery." [4] Sari N. Kent of TheCelebrityCafe wrote positively about the album, writing in her review that the album "will make listeners jump up and take notice of this harmonic twosome. Their active beats will infect listeners' ears and make them want to dance whether they want to or not." [5] Logan Leasure of Jesus Freak Hideout wrote that the album "offers some positive content through brokenness, but this is not an album worth presenting to someone looking for Christ." [6] Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian rated the album an A, praising "the effect of which is to leave the listener suspended between hyped-up delight and despair at the micro-produced perfection of it all" and the songwriting/production team for crafting "lush, assertive little symphonies with massive hooklines that make the most of the sisters' Britneyish breathiness." [21] T2 of Tommy2.Net gave Insomniatic a three out of four star rating, praising the evolution of lyrics and sound present by the Michalka sisters. [1] Chuck Eddy of Billboard in a positive review of the album described Insomniatic as "an endlessly ambitious yet endlessly effervescent confessional pop-rock breakup album that deserves to carry them far beyond their teen pop base."
USA Today stated: "for Insomniatic, the sisters had a hand in writing every song. The single 'Potential Breakup Song' sounds somewhat like Del Shannon's 'Runaway' run through a processor, but there's a lot more going musically than on your average teen-pop album." [22] Fraser McAlpine of BBC Radio stated: "Aly and AJ's previous album was rock-pop; some of it light and bubbly, some of it bordering on heaviness. Staccato, often angry pop but still definitely pop. Their second offering, 'Insomniatic,' with this as the lead single seems to have kept the staccato and the venom but added more layers of pop, to create something that sounds like My Chemical Romance going through a blender with some soft-hearted Angry Girl Music." McAlpine described "Potential Breakup Song" as having "the most danceable mental breakdown I've heard in quite some time." [23]
The album was released on July 10, 2007 in the United States, on October 22, 2007 in the United Kingdom and Italy — with a new cover art — and ultimately in Singapore in April 2008. An enhanced Deluxe Edition was released in Japan on March 5, 2008. The cover of the Deluxe Edition (aside from the "deluxe edition" tag) was used for an Australian release on March 15, 2008. [3] All other regions use the standard edition cover, featuring sisters and full moon behind them.
United States
United Kingdom
After they were supporting act for Miley Cyrus on her Best of Both Worlds Tour, sisters also promoted the album with two tours in 2008: Insomniatic Tour and Mini Summer Tour.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Potential Breakup Song" | 3:39 | |
2. | "Bullseye" |
| 3:02 |
3. | "Closure" |
| 2:50 |
4. | "Division" |
| 3:44 |
5. | "Like It or Leave It" |
| 3:17 |
6. | "Like Whoa" |
| 2:31 |
7. | "Insomniatic" |
| 2:47 |
8. | "Silence" |
| 3:33 |
9. | "If I Could Have You Back" |
| 2:53 |
10. | "Blush [b] " |
| 3:33 |
11. | "Flattery" |
| 4:08 |
12. | "I'm Here" |
| 4:06 |
13. | "Chemicals React" (Remix) |
| 2:55 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
14. | "Careful with Words" |
| 2:20 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
14. | "Tears" |
| 2:05 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
10. | "Flattery" | 4:08 | |
11. | "I'm Here" | 4:06 | |
12. | "Chemicals React" (Remix) | 2:55 | |
13. | "Careful with Words" | 2:20 | |
14. | "Tears" | 2:05 | |
15. | "Blush" | 3:33 | |
16. | "Potential Breakup Song" (Hi-Grand Up Remix Radio Edit) | 3:47 | |
17. | "Potential Breakup Song" (Abbey Road Sessions) | 3:13 | |
18. | "Bullseye" (Abbey Road Sessions) | 3:15 | |
19. | "Closure" (Abbey Road Sessions) | 2:57 | |
20. | "÷ [a] " (Abbey Road Sessions) | 3:50 | |
21. | "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" (Abbey Road Sessions) (KT Tunstall cover) | KT Tunstall | 2:51 |
Chart (2007) | Peak position |
---|---|
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [24] | 90 |
Scottish Albums (OCC) [25] | 66 |
UK Albums (OCC) [26] | 72 |
US Billboard 200 [27] | 15 |
Region | Date | Edition | Format |
---|---|---|---|
North America | July 10, 2007 | Standard | |
Instrumental | Digital download | ||
Europe | October 22, 2007 | Standard |
|
Japan | November 7, 2007 [28] | ||
March 5, 2008 [29] | Deluxe | ||
Australia | March 18, 2008 | Standard |
Alyson Michalka is an American singer-songwriter, and actress, musician. Michalka rose to prominence with her starring role as Keely Teslow in the Disney Channel sitcom Phil of the Future (2004–2006). She went on to appear in various films, such as Bandslam (2009), Easy A (2010), The Roommate (2011), Grown Ups 2 (2013), Sequoia (2014), Weepah Way for Now (2015), and The Lears (2017). She had starring roles in The CW comedy drama series Hellcats (2010–2011) and the CW crime drama series iZombie (2015–2019), along with the Hallmark Channel Original Movie, Sand Dollar Cove (2021).
Amanda Joy Michalka is an American actress, musician and singer-songwriter who is best known as one half of the musical duo Aly & AJ, alongside her older sister Aly Michalka. She has appeared in films such as The Lovely Bones (2009), Secretariat (2010), Super 8 (2011), Grace Unplugged (2013), Weepah Way for Now (2015), and Support the Girls (2018). Michalka also starred in the ABC sitcom The Goldbergs (2013–2023) and its spin-off series Schooled (2019–2020). She is also known for voicing a lead role as Catra in the Netflix animated adventure series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018–2020).
Into the Rush is the debut studio album by American pop rock duo Aly & AJ, released by Disney-owned label Hollywood Records on August 16, 2005. The album features 14 tracks, including the singles "Rush" and "Do You Believe in Magic". A deluxe edition of the album was released in 2006 three all new songs, two new mixes of previous songs, and a bonus DVD. A vinyl reissue of the album was released in 2021.
Aly & AJ is an American pop rock duo consisting of sisters Aly Michalka and AJ Michalka from Torrance, California. They signed with Hollywood Records and in 2005, they released their debut album Into the Rush. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA and contained the singles "Rush" and "Chemicals React". They followed this release with the albums Acoustic Hearts of Winter (2006) and Insomniatic (2007). The latter contained the Platinum single "Potential Breakup Song", which was a top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
"Rush" is a pop rock song recorded by American pop rock duo Aly & AJ for their debut album Into the Rush. The track was released as their first official single nationwide by their label Hollywood Records, and as the album’s fifth single overall. It was first released to Radio Disney on October 14, 2005 to promote the Disney Channel Original Movie Twitches, but later grew to become extremely popular, which led to a mainstream release on February 28, 2006. It was later released for digital download on July 11, 2006 and on November 25, 2006 in Australia.
"Never Far Behind" is a contemporary Christian song recorded by American pop rock duo Aly & AJ for the Christian edition of their debut album Into the Rush. The single was only released on Christian radio stations in October 2005. It went to number one on Radio & Records (R&R) Christian CHR. This is the second Aly & AJ song to have an official release to a radio format other than Radio Disney. So far, there have only been four. The song was later also included on the deluxe edition of Into the Rush, which was released on August 8, 2006.
"Chemicals React" is a song written and recorded by American pop rock duo Aly & AJ, for the deluxe edition reissue of their debut album Into the Rush (2005). The Michalka sisters co-wrote the song with Antonina Armato and Tim James of production duo Rock Mafia, who also produced the track. It was the second mainstream single from Into the Rush and seventh overall single, released to radio by Hollywood Records on June 27, 2006. "Chemicals React" served as the group's debut international release. A re-recorded version of the song was released on July 22, 2022.
The discography of Aly & AJ, an American pop rock duo, consists of four studio albums, one video album, two extended plays and compilation albums, 32 singles, 10 music videos and various album appearances. They released their debut studio album Into the Rush on August 17, 2005. The album debuted at number 36 in the United States, selling over 24,000 copies in its first week and was later certified Gold by the RIAA. Into the Rush earned them the "Contemporary Inspirational Artists of the Year" nomination at the 2006 American Music Awards. Into the Rush has sold 839,000 copies in the United States and 1,000,000 worldwide.
Acoustic Hearts of Winter is a Christmas album and the second studio album by American pop duo Aly & AJ. The album was released on September 26, 2006 in the United States, via Hollywood Records. The album was conceived as a project after completing the deluxe edition of their debut album, Into the Rush (2005). All production of the album was done by Antonina Armato and Tim James. The majority of songs are cover versions of religious Christmas carols or contemporary classics. Two originals appear on the set, which were written by Aly & AJ with Armato and James. Musically, the album has an instrument-driven acoustic feel, primarily by guitar. It utilizes pop music influences on Christmas music. The album sold 110,000 copies in the United States.
Antonina Armato is an American songwriter, record producer, music producer and businesswoman. She is the co-founder and member of Rock Mafia, a record production/songwriting team. Antonina is credited for writing and producing for artists beginning in the 1980s. She has worked with Justin Bieber, Zedd, Gwen Stefani, Demi Lovato, Christina Aguilera, Vanessa Hudgens, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, No Doubt, Wyclef Jean, Green Day, Sheena Easton, Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, Flo Rida, Ellie Goulding, Tokio Hotel, Descendants 3, AGNEZ MO, Jojo Siwa, and BTS.
Super Sweet 16: The Movie is a television film based on the series My Super Sweet 16. It stars teen popstars Aly & AJ, R&B & Soul star Paula DeAnda and features performances by Hellogoodbye and Pretty Ricky. The film stars Amanda Michalka and Regine Nehy. The film premiered on MTV on July 8, 2007, and the DVD was released on July 10, 2007, the same date that Aly & AJ's third studio album Insomniatic was released as well as DeAnda's Easy.
"Like Whoa" is a song by American pop rock duo Aly & AJ, written and recorded by the duo for their second studio album, Insomniatic. It is the second and final single from the album, released in 2008. The single release in the UK was cancelled for unknown reasons. It was their final single to be released before departing from Hollywood Records. A re-recorded version of the song was released on May 2, 2022.
Aly & AJ: Sister Act is an MTV television special featuring behind the scenes look of the lives of musicians/actresses Aly Michalka and her younger sister by two years, AJ Michalka, better known as Aly & AJ. The special premiered on August 18, 2007, as part of a My Super Sweet 16 marathon named "Aly & AJ's Super Sweet Playlist" hosted by the sisters, in which the sisters commented on their favorite episodes of the series. It premiered with little advance publicity, but did have a segment of the Michalkas introducing the special, as well showcasing the MTV original television film Super Sweet 16: The Movie, which the Michalkas starred in.
"Hothouse" is a song by American band 78violet. It is their first single release since their renaming from Aly & AJ in 2009 and only single released under the name before they returned to Aly & AJ in 2015. It was released on July 8, 2013. The song was written by sisters Aly and AJ Michalka, and Mike Einziger, while production was handled by David Kahne. The single was noted for showcasing a change in musical direction for the duo.
"Potential Breakup Song" is a song co-written and performed by pop rock duo Aly & AJ and is the first single from their third studio album, Insomniatic. It was released on June 26, 2007, going on to top many video countdowns, and becoming Aly & AJ's most successful single to date. In November 2020, the song saw a resurgence in popularity due to its widespread use on the app TikTok, receiving over 26 million viewers for the month.
"Take Me" is a song recorded by American music duo Aly & AJ. It was released on August 18, 2017 as the lead single from the duo's debut EP Ten Years (2017). It serves as their first release since their name change from 78Violet to Aly & AJ, as well as their first release as Aly & AJ in ten years. The single was silently released on June 2, 2017, but was taken down quickly after. "Take Me" was penned by the duo, along with Jamie Sierota and Ryan Spraker.
Ten Years is the first extended play (EP) by American pop music duo Aly & AJ. It was released on November 17, 2017. Ten Years serves as their first release in ten years, following the release of their third studio album Insomniatic (2007), which reached number 15 on the Billboard 200. It is additionally their first release since their departure from Hollywood Records in 2010; the record was released on their own label, Aly & AJ Music, LLC.
A Touch of the Beat Gets You Up on Your Feet Gets You Out and Then Into the Sun is the fourth studio album by American duo Aly & AJ, released on May 7, 2021. The release marks their first studio album in 14 years, following Insomniatic in 2007. The album was produced by Yves Rothman, and each track holds writing credits from both Michalka sisters. Aly & AJ stated that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, it did not hinder their writing process, as they felt that they were "born to make" this album. They stated that while making the album, they were influenced by 1960s and 1970s music, and that it would differ from their two previous projects, Ten Years (2017) and Sanctuary (2019), which were influenced by 1980s music. The duo also wanted to capture the music of their home state California, and create a body of work that felt "timeless" to listeners. The result was a pop and pop rock record that draws musical influence from disco, soft rock, and country.
"Slow Dancing" is a song by American pop duo Aly & AJ from their fourth studio album, A Touch of the Beat Gets You Up on Your Feet Gets You Out and Then Into the Sun (2021). Band members AJ and Aly Michalka co-wrote the song with Jeremiah Raisen, Ryan Spraker, and Yves Rothman, with Rothman also handling the production. It was originally envisioned as an up-tempo synth-pop song similar to Aly & AJ's 2017–2019 material, several years before the album was conceived. The duo re-wrote it as a romantic ballad upon revisiting the song while quarantining during COVID-19, updating the lyrics to reflect the impact of the pandemic at the behest of Rothman. Aly initially disliked the song but eventually grew to appreciate it. One of the last songs completed for the album, the song was originally scheduled for a January 2021 release, but Aly & AJ decided to release it a month earlier because they found the soft, calming nature suitable for winter.