MTV Unplugged | ||||
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EP and Live album by Katy Perry | ||||
Released | November 13, 2009 | |||
Recorded | July 22, 2009 | |||
Venue | NEP Midtown Studios in New York City, New York | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 29:36(EP) 45:00 (DVD) | |||
Label | Capitol | |||
Producer | Chris Garcia | |||
Katy Perry chronology | ||||
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MTV Unplugged (listed on iTunes as MTV Unplugged: Katy Perry) is an extended play (EP) and live album by American singer Katy Perry, released in the United States on November 13, 2009 by Capitol Records. After airing more than 100 MTV Unplugged specials, MTV wanted to bring back the series, in order to expose them to a younger generation. The channel recruited various mainstream and popular artists to perform as part of the series, including Perry, who particularly expressed interest in the idea as it would allow her to showcase herself as an artist and share the stories behind her songs.
An extended play record, often referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single, but is usually unqualified as an album or LP. Contemporary EPs generally contain a minimum of three tracks and maximum of six tracks, and are considered "less expensive and time-consuming" for an artist to produce than an album. An EP originally referred to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play (SP) and LP, but it is now applied to mid-length CDs and downloads as well.
Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television judge. After singing in church during her childhood, she pursued a career in gospel music as a teenager. Perry signed with Red Hill Records and released her debut studio album Katy Hudson under her birth name in 2001, which was commercially unsuccessful. She moved to Los Angeles the following year to venture into secular music after Red Hill ceased operations and she subsequently began working with producers Glen Ballard, Dr. Luke, and Max Martin. After adopting the stage name Katy Perry and being dropped by The Island Def Jam Music Group and Columbia Records, she signed a recording contract with Capitol Records in April 2007.
Capitol Records, Inc. is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label in the United States in 1942 by Johnny Mercer, Buddy DeSylva, and Glenn E. Wallichs. Capitol was acquired by British music conglomerate EMI as its North American subsidiary in 1955. EMI was acquired by Universal Music Group in 2012 and was merged with the company a year later, making Capitol and the Capitol Music Group both a part of UMG. The label's circular headquarter building in Hollywood is a recognized landmark of California.
The extended play includes rearranged versions of five songs extracted from Perry's album One of the Boys (2008), a previously unreleased original song and a cover version of a song by Fountains of Wayne. Alongside the audio disc, the album includes a DVD with the video recording of her performance and an exclusive interview. Upon its release, MTV Unplugged received mixed reviews from critics, who questioned the idea of giving Perry's songs an acoustic treatment, while some deemed Perry a hard-working artist. On the US Billboard 200, the set debuted at number 168, while on the French and Swiss album charts, it reached numbers 192 and 82.
One of the Boys is the second studio album by American singer Katy Perry. It was released on June 17, 2008 by Capitol Records. During its production, Perry was dropped from two record labels and went through two canceled albums. She collaborated with producers Greg Wells, Dr. Luke, David A. Stewart, and Max Martin, among others, on the album, and wrote all of its songs with assistance of other producers and writers. The EP Ur So Gay, containing the promotional single of the same name, was released to generate interest in the singer and the album.
Fountains of Wayne was an American rock band that formed in New York City in 1995. The band consisted of Chris Collingwood, Adam Schlesinger, Jody Porter, and Brian Young. The band was best known for its 2003 Grammy-nominated single "Stacy's Mom".
DVD is a digital optical disc storage format invented and developed in 1995. The medium can store any kind of digital data and is widely used for software and other computer files as well as video programs watched using DVD players. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than compact discs while having the same dimensions.
After airing more than 100 specials, in May 2009, MTV announced the relaunch of its MTV Unplugged TV series, which would feature mainstream and popular artists in an acoustic setting. Amy Doyle, the executive vice president of music and talent for MTV, stated: "Unplugged has always been a fan and artist favorite and one of the more iconic MTV performance series ever. By bringing the series to MTV.com, we're able to deliver it to a new generation of music fans and offer a greater level of access to their favorite musicians through performances, interviews and artist-chosen playlists - and it's all viewable on demand." The relaunch would also include airing "full-song and special clips from performances" on various MTV sister channels. Perry, appeared on the program during that summer. [1]
MTV is an American pay television channel owned by Viacom Media Networks and headquartered in New York City. The channel was launched on August 1, 1981, and originally aired music videos as guided by television personalities known as "video jockeys" (VJs). At first, MTV's main target demographic was young adults, but today it is primarily teenagers, particularly high school and college students.
Perry thought that it would be a great opportunity to showcase herself as an artist, as well as expressing the true meaning of her songs. She stated: "I really wanted to do MTV Unplugged, obviously, because it has such a great history of showing off really who the person is ... You get to hear the real story of the songs, which is important to me". [2] The audience for the program was selected on a contest where fans over the age of 18 could send photos and explain why they were fans of Perry. The episode featuring Perry was recorded on July 22, 2009. [3] For the recording, Perry was dressed in a pale pink chiffon evening gown, with flowers in her hair. [4] She further said: "Some people have an idea who I am, a little piece of the cake, but I get to show off really more. I have a larger-than-life personality and my clothes reflect that. For MTV Unplugged, I wanted to be a mixture of Stevie Nicks and a fairy!". [2]
Stephanie Lynn Nicks is an American singer and songwriter. Nicks is best known for her work as a songwriter and vocalist with Fleetwood Mac, and also for her chart-topping solo career. She is known for her distinctive voice, mystical stage persona, and poetic, symbolic lyrics. Collectively, her work both as a member of Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist has produced over forty top-50 hits and sold over 140 million records, making her one of the best-selling music acts of all time with Fleetwood Mac.
MTV Unplugged consists of two discs. The first, which is a Compact Disc, contains acoustic renditions of her songs "I Kissed a Girl", "Ur So Gay", "Thinking of You", "Waking Up in Vegas", and "Lost" from One of the Boys , a cover version of a song by American power pop band Fountains of Wayne, "Hackensack", and a new song titled "Brick by Brick". [5] Perry explained why she sang it during MTV Unplugged, saying that she related to the lyrics of "having a loyal lover [or] friend back home when she's on the road", though, directly, the song does not narrate any event of Perry's life. [6] The versions performed incorporate lighter genres than pop rock, which is embraced in One of the Boys, like jazz and lounge music, particularly in "I Kissed a Girl". [7] The second disc is a DVD, containing the video recording of the performance, recorded at NEP Midtown Studios, located in New York City. [8] Aside from the live performance, it also contains an interview with the singer. [5]
"I Kissed a Girl" is a song recorded by American singer Katy Perry for her second studio album, One of the Boys (2008). It was released on April 28, 2008, by Capitol Records as the lead single from the record. Perry co-wrote the song with Max Martin, Cathy Dennis, and its producer Dr. Luke, with additional production from Benny Blanco. "I Kissed a Girl" is a pop rock song with elements of new wave. Perry stated its lyrics are "about the magical beauty of a woman". The song sparked controversy for its homosexual themes.
"Ur So Gay" is a song released by American singer Katy Perry. She co-wrote the song with its producer Greg Wells while Drew Pearson served as the track's engineer. It was Perry's first major label release, and was later placed on her major label debut, One of the Boys. Capitol Records offered the song as a free download on their website. The song failed to enter the Billboard Hot 100.
"Thinking of You" is a song written and recorded by American singer and songwriter Katy Perry from her second studio album, One of the Boys (2008). It was produced by Butch Walker, and released on January 12, 2009 as the album's third single. "Thinking of You" deals with a break-up in which Perry does not want to move on but has no choice, and feels nostalgic of a previous lover while in a relationship with another man.
MTV Unplugged was first released in Switzerland and the United States, respectively, in CD/DVD and digital formats, on November 13, 2009. [9] [10] Select songs and interviews from the EP were aired during MTV's morning block, AMTV , three days later. The physical edition was released in the United States and France on November 17, 2009. [11] [12] The full video recording was released, on 27 November, on the MTV official website, while the television premiere followed at 9 PM of that day, on the high-definition channel Palladia, being reaired at midnight. [11] In Brazil, the set was released in a DVD/CD format, [13] packaged in an keep case. [14] The Japan release, also as a DVD/CD package, only occurred more than one year after, on November 24, 2010. [15] The album opened at number 168 on the US Billboard 200, having dropped out from the chart on the following week. [16] As of February 2017, it has sold more than 62,000 copies in the United States. [17] It debuted at number 192 on the French Albums Chart, and higher on the Swiss Albums Chart, at number 82. [9]
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a country situated in western, central, and southern Europe. It consists of 26 cantons, and the city of Bern is the seat of the federal authorities. The sovereign state is a federal republic bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland is a landlocked country geographically divided between the Alps, the Swiss Plateau and the Jura, spanning a total area of 41,285 km2 (15,940 sq mi). While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory, the Swiss population of approximately 8.5 million people is concentrated mostly on the plateau, where the largest cities are to be found: among them are the two global cities and economic centres Zürich and Geneva.
The United States of America (USA), commonly known as the United States or America, is a country comprising 50 states, a federal district, five major self-governing territories, and various possessions. At 3.8 million square miles, the United States is the world's third or fourth largest country by total area and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe's 3.9 million square miles. With a population of over 327 million people, the U.S. is the third most populous country. The capital is Washington, D.C., and the largest city by population is New York City. Forty-eight states and the capital's federal district are contiguous in North America between Canada and Mexico. The State of Alaska is in the northwest corner of North America, bordered by Canada to the east and across the Bering Strait from Russia to the west. The State of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The U.S. territories are scattered about the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, stretching across nine official time zones. The extremely diverse geography, climate, and wildlife of the United States make it one of the world's 17 megadiverse countries.
A music download is the digital transfer of music via the Internet into a device capable of decoding and playing it, such as a home computer, MP3 player or smartphone. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyrighted material without permission or legal payment. According to a Nielsen report, downloadable music accounted for 55.9% of all music sales in the US in 2012. By the beginning of 2011, Apple's iTunes Store alone made US$1.1 billion of revenue in the first quarter of its fiscal year.
Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Blogcritics | Positive [19] |
Idolator | Mixed [20] |
Entertainment Weekly | D [21] |
The Washington Post | Positive [22] |
Upon its release, MTV Unplugged received generally mixed reviews from contemporary music critics. AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album three out of five stars, praising Katy for being a hard working music act and "seeming more likeable here than she did on her debut", though he noted that her flaws were "amplified" during the performance. [18] Sahar from Blogcritics was more positive about the set, writing that although Perry was not the "best singer out there", she made up for it "in catchiness and..... adorableness". The contributor was more negative of the acoustic version of "I Kissed a Girl" and the fact that MTV cut out parts from the video recording: "What I'd like to have seen is for MTV to make Katy Perry enter into an unscripted dialog with the fans that are there, film the whole thing and put that on a DVD – then you will really have something unplugged. For how can you truly know an artist if we don't see such interactions?" [19] Becky Bain from website Idolator favored Perry's live voice and her natural presentation, though she was ambivalent towards the decision of giving the songs an acoustic treatment. She went on to say that the MTV Unplugged versions of Perry's songs were not able to substitute the "glossy originals". [20] Simon Vozick-Levinson from Entertainment Weekly gave the live album a D, opining that "the stripped-down treatment of MTV Unplugged does Perry's yowling voice no favors", and that "[the] songs just aren't solid enough to stand on their own without loads of glossy production". [21] Catherine Lewis of The Washington Post praised Perry's "translate her more rambunctious numbers into an acoustic format" and wrote album was "definitely a step in a good — and unexpected — direction". [22]
Titles are obtained from the iTunes Store; [10] lengths are adapted from the liner notes. [5]
MTV Unplugged – Disc 1 (CD) | |||
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No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1. | "I Kissed a Girl" |
| 4:12 |
2. | "Ur So Gay" |
| 4:26 |
3. | "Hackensack" | 3:04 | |
4. | "Thinking of You" | Perry | 4:41 |
5. | "Lost" |
| 5:01 |
6. | "Waking Up in Vegas" | 3:33 | |
7. | "Brick by Brick" |
| 4:39 |
MTV Unplugged – Disc 2 (DVD) | ||
---|---|---|
No. | Title | Length |
1. | "I Kissed a Girl" | 4:11 |
2. | "Ur So Gay" | 4:22 |
3. | "Hackensack" | 3:00 |
4. | "Thinking of You" | 4:38 |
5. | "Lost" | 4:59 |
6. | "Waking Up in Vegas" | 3:28 |
7. | "Brick by Brick" | 4:46 |
8. | "Interview" | 8:23 |
Total length: | 45:00 |
Credits for MTV Unplugged adapted from the album's liner notes. [5]
Band
Strings
Horns
| Crew
|
Charts (2009) | Peak position |
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French Albums (SNEP) [23] | 192 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [9] | 82 |
US Billboard 200 [24] | 168 |
Country | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Switzerland | November 13, 2009 | CD/DVD | [9] | |
United States | Digital download | [10] | ||
November 17, 2009 | CD/DVD | [11] | ||
France | [12] | |||
Japan | November 24, 2010 | DVD/CD | Universal Music Japan | [15] |
MTV Unplugged is an American television series on MTV showcasing musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999. The show aired less frequently from 2000 to 2009, usually billed as MTV Unplugged No. 2.0. Since 2009 MTV Unplugged specials have aired occasionally, sometimes online-only. Episodes and specials have tended to showcase one artist or group, playing a combination of their hit songs and covers.
Unplugged is a live album and DVD by the American rock band Alice in Chains. It was recorded at the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Majestic Theatre as part of the MTV Unplugged series of concerts and contains live, acoustic versions of the band's songs and has been certified platinum by the RIAA.
Unplugged is the first live album by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys. It was recorded as part of the television program MTV Unplugged on July 4, 2005 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, New York City. It was released in the United States on October 11, 2005 by J Records. The album includes songs from her multi-platinum albums Songs in A Minor and The Diary of Alicia Keys. It debuted on the US Billboard 200 chart at number one, with first-week sales of 196,000 copies in the US, and over 245,000 copies worldwide, the highest debut for an MTV Unplugged album since Nirvana's 1994 MTV Unplugged in New York and the first Unplugged by a female artist to debut at number one. The album has sold over one million copies in the United States and over 2.5 million copies worldwide. Additionally, it received four nominations for the 2006 Grammy Awards, including Best R&B Album.
"Hot n Cold" is a song by American singer Katy Perry. The song was written by Perry, Dr. Luke, and Max Martin and produced by Dr. Luke and Benny Blanco for her second studio album, One of the Boys (2008). The track was released as the album's second single on September 9, 2008. The lyrics address an unstable romantic relationship caused by a partner's mood swings.
"Teenage Dream" is a song by American singer Katy Perry. It was released as the second single from her third studio album of the same name on July 23, 2010. Perry and Bonnie McKee wrote many songs with youthful themes in mind, but they were rejected by producers Benny Blanco and Dr. Luke. Blanco showed them The Teenagers' single "Homecoming", and McKee imagined "Teenage Dream" as a throwback song to the euphoric feelings of being in love as a teenager. They met with Max Martin in Perry's hometown of Santa Barbara, California and started writing the track at Playback Recording Studio, which Perry later described as a pure moment for her. After Perry recorded her vocals, McKee presented her idea and the chorus was rewritten. Perry also described the song as reminiscent of her youth while contemplating her future marriage to Russell Brand.
"Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" is a song by American singer Katy Perry from her third studio album, Teenage Dream. The song was written and produced by Dr. Luke and Max Martin, who also co-wrote the song with Perry and Bonnie McKee. Perry stated that she was inspired to write the track after a night of wild partying and streaking. It was released as the album's fifth single on June 6, 2011, by Capitol Records, with a remix featuring American rapper Missy Elliott released to US radio stations and digital retailers on August 8, 2011; this version was included in Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection edition. It is a dance-pop song with lyrics about drunken fun and debauchery. Some of the risque lyrics in the song are often censored in radio versions of the song.
"Firework" is a song by American singer Katy Perry from her third studio album, Teenage Dream (2010). Perry co-wrote the song with Ester Dean and its producers StarGate and Sandy Vee. It is a dance-pop self-empowerment anthem with inspirational lyrics, and Perry felt it was an important song for her on Teenage Dream. Capitol Records released it as the album's third single on October 26, 2010.
"E.T." is a song by American singer Katy Perry from her third studio album, Teenage Dream (2010). She co-wrote the song with its producers Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Ammo. "E.T." was serviced to radio stations as the album's fourth single on February 16, 2011. One version of the song features verses from American rapper Kanye West. Musically, it is an electronic and hip hop ballad which draws heavily from dubstep and techno, along with smaller amounts of drum and bass. According to Perry, the song lyrically speaks of "falling in love with a foreigner".
"Part of Me" is a song by American singer Katy Perry, released as the lead single from Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection. It was written by Perry, and Bonnie McKee, with production and additional writing by Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Cirkut. The song was not included on the original edition of Teenage Dream because Perry felt that it did not fit the composition of the album. A demo of the song leaked online in late 2010, amid speculation that the lyrics were directed to the singer's ex-boyfriend Travie McCoy. "Part of Me" was re-worked and officially released on February 13, 2012, through Capitol Records with artwork by art director Gavin Taylor and photography by Mary Ellen Matthews.
"The One That Got Away" is a song by American singer Katy Perry for her third studio album, Teenage Dream (2010). The song was produced by Dr. Luke and Max Martin, both of whom also co-wrote the song with Perry. The song is a mid-tempo pop ballad about a lost love. It features references to the rock band Radiohead as well as the relationship of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash to express the strength of the relationship. The song was released in October 2011 by Capitol Records as the album's sixth single.
MTV Unplugged is the second live album by English indie rock band Florence and the Machine, released on 6 April 2012 by Island Records. It was filmed on 15 December 2011 in New York City's oldest synagogue building, the Angel Orensanz Center, as part of the MTV Unplugged series, with the band being backed by a ten-person choir. The album contains acoustic performances of eleven songs, nine from the band's two studio albums, Lungs (2009) and Ceremonials (2011) alongside a cover of "Jackson" with Queens of the Stone Age's Josh Homme and "Try a Little Tenderness". Upon its release, MTV Unplugged received mixed to positive reviews by music critics.
"Hummingbird Heartbeat" is a song recorded by American singer Katy Perry for her third studio album, Teenage Dream (2010). It was written by Perry, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart, Stacy Barthe, and Monte Neuble. Stewart handled the production of the song, while Kuk Harrell produced Perry's vocals. "Hummingbird Heartbeat" was inspired by Perry's boyfriend at the time, Russell Brand. Musically, it is a 1980s-styled hard rock song that contains a mixture of elements from rock and electronica. Lyrically, the song compares the feeling of being in love to the speed of a hummingbird's heartbeat.
Prism is the fourth studio album by American singer Katy Perry. It was released by Capitol Records on October 18, 2013. While the album was initially planned to be "darker" than her previous material, Prism ultimately became a prominently dance-inspired record. The singer worked with several past collaborators, while enlisting new producers and guest vocals. Much of Prism revolves around the themes of living in the present, relationships, and self-empowerment. The album garnered generally positive reviews with critics praising it's lyrical content for being more "mature" and personal, while others considered Prism to be more formulaic than her previous material.
"Walking on Air" is a song recorded by American singer Katy Perry for her fourth studio album, Prism (2013), included as its fourth track. It was released to digital retailers on September 30, 2013, by Capitol Records, as the record's second promotional single, following the release of "Dark Horse". The song was part of a poll promoted by Pepsi, along with "Dark Horse", where fans could vote for which song they wanted to become the first promotional single from Prism. Inspired by CeCe Peniston and Crystal Waters, "Walking on Air" is a deep house song influenced by 1990s Eurodance.
"Unconditionally" is a song by American singer Katy Perry. It was released as the second single from her fourth studio album Prism (2013) on October 16, 2013. Inspiration for the song came primarily from a humanitarian trip to Madagascar that Perry made in partnership with UNICEF. Having been surrounded by what she described as unconditional love, she co-wrote it with the song's producers Dr. Luke, Max Martin and Cirkut to reflect that feeling.
Debut Live is a live album by Icelandic singer Björk. While featuring live versions of songs from Debut, Debut Live does not feature the songs as performed during the Debut Tour from 1993-1994. Instead the majority of the CD comes from an acoustic performance of Debut at MTV Unplugged. Originally released in the 5 disc Live Box set in 2003, Debut Live was later released separately on 1 June 2004 by One Little Indian records.
Works cited