Our Songs (album)

Last updated

Our Songs
Anastacia - Our Songs.png
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 22, 2023 (2023-09-22)
Recorded2022–2023
Length48:22
Label Stars by Edel
Producer Christian Geller
Anastacia chronology
Evolution
(2017)
Our Songs
(2023)
Singles from Our Songs
  1. "Best Days"
    Released: April 28, 2023
  2. "Supergirl"
    Released: July 14, 2023
  3. "Now or Never"
    Released: August 25, 2023
  4. "Just You"
    Released: September 21, 2023
  5. "Highs & Lows"
    Released: June 7, 2024

Our Songs is the eighth studio album by American recording artist Anastacia. [1] It was released on September 22, 2023, through German-based label Stars by Edel. [1] Anastacia's first album release since Evolution (2017), [1] it features mostly translated interpretations of German rock songs. [1] [2] The album received a Gold certification in Germany. A Gold Deluxe Edition of Our Songs was released on June 21, 2024 with 3 new songs. [3] [4]

Contents

Background

On November 8, 2022, during her "I'm Outta Lockdown Tour", Anastacia revealed to UK's Channel ITV News that she was working on a project for a 2023 release saying: "It's a different project than I've ever done. I'm not doing music I wrote, I'm doing music other people wrote but from a different language". In April 2023, media outlets announced that Our Songs will feature interpretations of German songs, which have been translated to English.

On Anastacia's website the album is described as: "From 100% pop to stadium-sized rock radio anthems, the album brings together classics from different genres and decades, presenting these highlights of German music history to an international audience for the first time." [1] The album includes versions of "Born to Live Forever" by Unheilig, "Forever Young" by Alphaville and "Still Loving You" by Scorpions. [1] [5] [6]

Singles

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Laut.de Star full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [13]
RetroPopStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [14]

Renowned for Sound editor Ryan Bulbeck called Our Songs a "mid-paced, but sweet album, chocked full of ballads and sing-along moments. While there are no stand-out uptempo tunes to dance to, listeners will be pleasantly surprised by Anastacia’s versatility. Her voice, also, is as powerful as ever, and that alone makes this an album to listen to." [15] UK-based popular culture website Culturefix noted that: "It is certainly a unique concept for an album and it is likely that many of the tracks will feel original and fresh to listeners outside Germany." [16] Antenne Brandenburg critic Tina Knop remarked that "new interpretations fit Anastacia so well that when you listen to them you're suddenly no longer sure whether it's an Anastacia original or a cover." [17]

RetroPop magazine felt that as "an album, Our Songs is a fine collection of material [...] with a vocalist as adept as Anastacia taking command over the project, they couldn't be in safer hands. What's less convincing is the overall concept, which despite being perhaps her most international work at times feels more of a passion project than the return of one of the most successful pop acts of the 2000s after more than half a decade." [14] Der Spiegel felt that "despite [Anastacia's] recognizable voice, some of the songs lack the feeling of the original, such as Sarah Connor's ballad "Wie schön du bist" ("Beautiful") or the Lindenberg classic "Cello". The instruments recorded sound more like loveless instrumental versions. This may not bother die-hard Anastacia fans from Germany." [18] Sven Kabelitz from Laut.de dismissed the album as "calcuated." He found that "every single one of these twelve songs is better in the original than here." [13]

Chart performance

Our Songs debuted at number 2 on the German Albums Chart in the week of September 29, 2023. [19] This marked Anastacia's highest-charting album since Anastacia (2004) and first top ten album since 2014's Resurrection . [20] In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number 16 on the UK Albums Downloads Chart. [21] It also placed on three other charts in that country. [22]

Track listing

Our Songs Standard Edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Original artist (date)Length
1."Best Days"
Die Toten Hosen (2012)4:32
2."Now or Never"
Johannes Oerding (2019)3:18
3."Beautiful"
Sarah Connor (2015)3:20
4."Still Loving You" Scorpions (1984)5:33
5."Monsoon"
Tokio Hotel (2007)3:58
6."Born to Live"
  • Bernd Heinrich Graf
  • Henning Verlage
Unheilig (2010)3:28
7."Cello" Udo Lindenberg Udo Lindenberg (1973)3:30
8."Just You" (duet with Peter Maffay)
  • Peter Maffay
  • Bernd Meinunger
Peter Maffay (1979)4:40
9."Symphony"
  • Thomas Stolle
  • Johannes Stolle
  • Stefanie Kloss
  • Andreas Jan Nowak
Silbermond (2004)4:50
10."Supergirl"
  • Mike Gommeringer
  • Philipp Rauenbusch
  • Rea Garvey
  • Sebastian Padotzke
  • Uwe Bossert
Reamonn (2000)4:03
11."Forever Young" Alphaville (1984)3:17
12."An Angel"
The Kelly Family (1994)3:53
Total length:48:26
Golden Deluxe Edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Original artist (date)Length
13."Highs and Lows"
  • Anastacia
  • Andreas Herbig
  • Emma Rosen
  • Michael Schulte
  • Patrick Salmi
  • Ricardo
Repko Munoz
 3:54
14."Control"
  • Zoe Wees
  • Ricardo Repko Munoz
  • Patrick Salmy
  • Emma Rosen
Zoe Wees (2022)3:55
15."Rooftop"
  • Christoph Cronauer
  • Michelle Leonard
  • Nico Wellenbrink
  • Nicolas Rebscher
  • Vito Kovach
Nico Santos (2017)3:18
Total length:59:13

Charts

Release history

Our Songs release history
RegionDateFormatLabelEdition
VariousSeptember 22, 2023 Stars by Edel Standard
VariousJune 21, 2024 Stars by Edel Gold Deluxe Edition

Related Research Articles

<i>Anastacia</i> (album) 2004 studio album by Anastacia

Anastacia is the third studio album by American singer Anastacia. It was released on March 29, 2004, by Epic Records. Primarily a pop, power pop and rock album, Anastacia also includes elements of soul and R&B. It was a commercial success, peaking at the top of the albums charts in several countries, including Australia, Belgium, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and becoming one of the top 10 best-selling albums of the year in much of Europe. The album has sold eight million copies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anastacia</span> American singer (born 1968)

Anastacia Lyn Newkirk is an American singer-songwriter. Her first two studio albums, Not That Kind (2000) and Freak of Nature (2001), were released in quick succession. Spurred on by her globally successful debut single "I'm Outta Love", Anastacia was declared the "world's best-selling new female pop artist" at the World Music Awards in 2001. Her commercial success continued with the albums' other singles, such as "Not That Kind", "Paid My Dues" and "One Day In Your Life", as well as the official song of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, "Boom".

<i>Not That Kind</i> 2000 studio album by Anastacia

Not That Kind is the debut studio album by American singer Anastacia. It was released on June 16, 2000, by Epic Records and Daylight Records. The album features production by Sam Watters, Louis Biancaniello, Ric Wake, Evan Rogers, Carl Sturken, Rickey Minor, and The Shadowmen.

<i>Freak of Nature</i> 2001 studio album by Anastacia

Freak of Nature is the second studio album by American singer Anastacia, released on November 23, 2001, by Epic Records and Daylight Records. The album was primarily produced by Ric Wake, Sam Watters, and Louis Biancaniello, with additional production from Richie Jones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Maffay</span> German singer and musician (born 1949)

Peter Alexander Makkay, known as Peter Maffay, is a Romanian-born German musician, singer, and composer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Left Outside Alone</span> 2004 single by Anastacia

"Left Outside Alone" is a song by American recording artist Anastacia from her third studio album, Anastacia. Written by Anastacia, Dallas Austin, and Glen Ballard, the song details the singer's strained relationship with her estranged father. It was released as the album's lead single on March 15, 2004, to both critical and commercial success. The song peaked at number one in Australia, Austria, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland; number two in Denmark, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Norway; and number three in the United Kingdom and Hungary, while overall it became the sixth-biggest-selling European single of 2004.

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

The discography of Anastacia, an American singer, consists of eight studio albums, 34 singles, 35 music videos, and two DVDs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supergirl (Reamonn song)</span> 2000 single by Reamonn

"Supergirl" is the debut single from the German band Reamonn. The song is from their first studio album Tuesday. It was written by the complete band and produced by Steve Lyon. The single was released on 27 March 2000 by Virgin Schallplatten and was later certified Gold in Germany.

<i>Heavy Rotation</i> (Anastacia album) 2008 studio album by Anastacia

Heavy Rotation is the fourth studio album by American singer and songwriter Anastacia, released on October 24, 2008 by Mercury Records. It is her first studio album in over four years, since her eponymous third studio album. According to Anastacia, the album title has a deeper meaning to it, referring to the fact that life rotates and you get through the "heavy" things. In the United States, Heavy Rotation was released on February 17, 2009 in digital format only, including three reworked tracks and the bonus track "Naughty".

<i>Stay in Touch</i> 2012 studio album by Sandra

Stay in Touch is the tenth studio album by German singer Sandra, released on 26 October 2012 by Virgin Records.

<i>Resurrection</i> (Anastacia album) 2014 studio album by Anastacia

Resurrection is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Anastacia released in May 2014. The record is her first album of original material in nearly five and a half years and was primarily written and recorded during Anastacia's second experience of breast cancer. The album proved to a commercial success in Europe entering the top five in Italy, Germany, Spain and Switzerland and the top ten in the Dutch and UK charts.

<i>Communion</i> (Years & Years album) 2015 studio album by Years & Years

Communion is the debut studio album by English synth-pop trio Years & Years. It was released on 10 July 2015 through Polydor Records for the United Kingdom and other countries and Interscope Records for the United States only. The album garnered a positive reception but critics felt there was derivativeness throughout the songs. Communion debuted at number one in the United Kingdom and spawned six singles: "Real", "Take Shelter", "Desire", "King", "Shine" and "Eyes Shut".

<i>Muttersprache</i> (album) 2015 studio album by Sarah Connor

Muttersprache is the ninth studio album by German recording artist Sarah Connor, released by Polydor Records on May 22, 2015. It is her first album to be primarily recorded in German. After her participation in the reality television series Sing meinen Song - Das Tauschkonzert in 2014, the German version of the series The Best Singers, Connor was encouraged to record songs in German. Muttersprache debuted on top of on the German Albums Chart, marking her second number-one album following 2005's Naughty but Nice. Muttersprache is primarily a pop and R&B album.

<i>Meine Welt</i> 2003 studio album by Yvonne Catterfeld

Meine Welt is the debut studio album by the German singer Yvonne Catterfeld, released by Hansa Records and BMG on 26 May 2003 in German-speaking Europe. Produced in a period of two years, during which Catterfeld was cast in a main role in the soap opera Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten, she worked with a variety of musicians on the album, including Dieter Bohlen, Lukas Hilbert, Udo Lindenberg, Laith Al-Deen, Annette Humpe, Ingo Politz, and Bernd Wendlandt, among others.

<i>Under Stars</i> 2017 studio album by Amy Macdonald

Under Stars is the fourth album by Scottish singer-songwriter Amy Macdonald, and was released on 17 February 2017. The album's lead single, "Dream On", was released on 6 January 2017. Macdonald's official website and official Facebook fanpage confirmed the album for release on 25 November 2016. Album title and tracklist were confirmed the same day by both sites.

<i>Evolution</i> (Anastacia album) 2017 studio album by Anastacia

Evolution is the seventh studio album by American recording artist Anastacia. It was released on September 15, 2017 through Four Eyez Productions, Polydor Records and Universal Music Group. This marked Anastacia's first album of original material in three years since Resurrection (2014). A pop rock album with dance elements, the album was preceded by the release of one single—"Caught in the Middle".

<i>K–12</i> (album) 2019 album by Melanie Martinez

K–12 is the second studio album by American singer Melanie Martinez. It was released with an accompanying film of the same name on September 6, 2019, through Atlantic Records. Martinez played the main character, "Cry Baby," in this film that she wrote and directed.

<i>Human</i> (OneRepublic album) 2021 studio album by OneRepublic

Human is the fifth studio album by American pop rock band OneRepublic. It was released through Mosley Music Group and Interscope Records on August 27, 2021, nearly five years after their fourth album Oh My My (2016). After the health issues that affected the band's lead singer, songwriter and producer Ryan Tedder, OneRepublic decided to work on a standalone singles strategy to promote the album. With that, Human deals with lyrical themes surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as life and the connectivity between humanity and nature.

<i>Hall of Fame</i> (Polo G album) 2021 studio album by Polo G

Hall of Fame is the third studio album by American rapper Polo G. It was released on June 11, 2021. The album features guest appearances from the Kid Laroi, Lil Durk, Lil Wayne, Scorey, G Herbo, Rod Wave, DaBaby, Young Thug, Roddy Ricch, Nicki Minaj, the late Pop Smoke, and Fivio Foreign. Production was handled by Einer Bankz, Angelo Ferraro, D Mac, Karltin Bankz, Londn Blue, BKH, Synco, Tahj Money, Varohl, & WizardMCE, among others. The deluxe edition, Hall of Fame 2.0, was released on December 3, 2021, with fourteen bonus tracks. It features additional guest appearances from Lil Baby, Moneybagg Yo, Yungliv, NLE Choppa, and Lil Tjay.

<i>Between Us</i> (Little Mix album) 2021 greatest hits album by Little Mix

Between Us is a greatest hits album by English girl group Little Mix, released on 12 November 2021 through RCA Records Described by the members as a celebration of sisterhood, friendship and fun, the announcement was made as part of the group's celebrations commemorating the 10th anniversary since their formation on the eighth series of The X Factor UK. It was supported by the release of two songs, "Love " and "No".

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Anastacia Releases New Single 'Best Days', Pays Tribute To German Pop Hits On New Album 'Our Songs' – Culture Fix" . Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  2. Louise, Sarah (April 27, 2023). "Anastacia Releases New Single 'Best Days'". Anastacia Fanclub. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  3. "Instagram post by Anastacia". www.instagram.com. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  4. "Noughties pop star Anastacia would 'consider' entering Eurovision Song Contest". Yahoo News. March 11, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  5. "Home". Anastacia - Our Songs. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  6. "Anastacia heads to Lisbon to sing about her 'Best Days'". OUTInPerth. May 1, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  7. 1 2 "Anastacia announces new single Supergirl from forthcoming LP Our Songs". Retropop Magazine. July 9, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
  8. "Instagram post by Anastacia". July 9, 2023. Retrieved July 9, 2023 via Instagram.
  9. "Yep 'Supergirl' is the name of my next single due to be released on July 14th!..." Retrieved August 17, 2023 via Instagram.
  10. "Anastacia - Now or Never (Official Video)" . Retrieved August 25, 2023 via YouTube.
  11. "Anastacia x Peter Maffay - Just You (official video)" . Retrieved September 21, 2023 via YouTube.
  12. Gotto, Connor (June 5, 2024). "Anastacia announces new single Highs & Lows from deluxe Our Songs LP". Retro Pop Magazine. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  13. 1 2 Kabelitz, Sven. "Katsching, die Kasse klingelt". Laut.de (in German). Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  14. 1 2 "Anastacia – Our Songs". Retropopmagazine.com. September 18, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  15. Bulbeck, Ryan (September 18, 2023). "Album Review: Anastacia – Our Songs". Renowned for Sound . Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  16. "Anastacia Releases New Single 'Best Days', Pays Tribute To German Pop Hits On New Album 'Our Songs' – Culture Fix" . Retrieved June 12, 2023.
  17. "Album-Tipp, 21.09.2023, Anastacia – Our Songs". Antenne Brandenburg (in German). September 21, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  18. "Anastacia covert auf neuem Deutschland-Album Udo Lindenberg und Tokio Hotel". Der Spiegel (in German). September 19, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  19. "Fantasy schlagen Anastacia in spannendem Charts-Duell". Offiziellecharts.de (GfK) (in German). September 29, 2023. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  20. 1 2 "Offiziellecharts.de – Anastacia – Our Songs" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  21. "Official Album Downloads Chart on 29/9/2023 29 September 2023 - 5 October 2023". Official Charts. September 29, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  22. 1 2 3 "Our Songs – Anastacia". Official Charts . Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  23. "Austriancharts.at – Anastacia – Our Songs" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 23, 2024.
  24. "Ultratop.be – Anastacia – Our Songs" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  25. "Ultratop.be – Anastacia – Our Songs" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  26. "Swisscharts.com – Anastacia – Our Songs". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  27. "lescharts.ch – Anastacia – Our Songs" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  28. "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  29. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  30. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 2023" (in German). GfK Entertainment . Retrieved March 23, 2024.