Middle of Nowhere | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 6, 1997 | |||
Recorded | July – November 1996 | |||
Studio | Los Angeles, California | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 53:41 | |||
Label | Mercury, Polygram | |||
Producer | The Dust Brothers, Stephen Lironi | |||
Hanson chronology | ||||
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Singles from Middle of Nowhere | ||||
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Middle of Nowhere is the debut studio album by American pop rock group Hanson, and the first to be released on a major label, which was Polygram Records and Mercury Records. Released in 1997, it features slicker studio production compared to their previous indie efforts Boomerang and MMMBop . The band members were between the ages of 11 and 16 when it was released. "Yearbook", one of the album's more dramatic songs, was not performed live until the recording of Middle of Nowhere Acoustic on May 5, 2007.
Middle of Nowhere yielded five singles: "MMMBop", "Where's the Love", "I Will Come to You", "Weird", and "Thinking of You". "MMMBop" became a major hit, reaching number one in the United States and at least eleven other countries.
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Christgau's Consumer Guide | ![]() ![]() |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | A− [6] |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Music Week | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | 8/10 [9] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spin | 8/10 [12] |
Middle of Nowhere reached number two on the Billboard 200, being kept out of the top spot by the Spice Girls' Spice . The album also reached number one in the UK, Australia, Germany, and Taiwan.
Total sales worldwide are 10 million copies. The album sold just under 4 million in the US (4 times platinum) and over 400,000 copies in UK.
The album was well received by critics. David Browne of Entertainment Weekly said of the trio: "... lack of guile is Hanson's most endearing quality." [6]
All songs written by Isaac Hanson, Taylor Hanson and Zachary Hanson, with additional writers noted in parentheses.
Note
Hanson
Session musicians
Other
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [55] | 5× Platinum | 350,000^ |
Austria (IFPI Austria) [56] | Gold | 25,000* |
Belgium (BEA) [57] | Platinum | 50,000* |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) [58] | Platinum | 250,000* |
Canada (Music Canada) [59] | 5× Platinum | 500,000^ |
Finland (Musiikkituottajat) [60] | Gold | 31,809 [60] |
France (SNEP) [61] | 2× Gold | 200,000* |
Germany (BVMI) [62] | Gold | 250,000^ |
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong) [63] | Gold | 10,000* |
Japan (RIAJ) [64] | Platinum | 200,000^ |
Mexico (AMPROFON) [65] | Gold | 100,000^ |
Netherlands (NVPI) [66] | Gold | 50,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [67] | 3× Platinum | 45,000^ |
Poland (ZPAV) [68] | Gold | 50,000* |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [69] | Gold | 50,000^ |
Sweden (GLF) [70] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [71] | Platinum | 50,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [72] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [73] | 4× Platinum | 4,000,000^ |
Summaries | ||
Europe (IFPI) [74] | Platinum | 1,000,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Secrets is the second studio album by American singer Toni Braxton, released on June 18, 1996, by LaFace Records and Arista Records. The album was nominated for Best Pop Album at the 1997 Grammy Awards. Secrets has been certified eight-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Worldwide, the album has sold over 15 million copies. In support of the album, Braxton embarked on the Secrets Tour, playing dates in North America and Europe from August 1996 to October 1997.
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The discography of Hanson, an American pop rock band. They are best known for the 1997 hit song "MMMBop" from their major label debut album Middle of Nowhere, which earned three Grammy nominations. Despite the enormous commercial success of Middle of Nowhere, the band suffered from the merger that eliminated their label, Mercury Records.
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