The Best Is Yet to Come | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 26 February 2021 | |||
Studio | The Factory Sound, Woldingham | |||
Length | 44:40 | |||
Label | earMUSIC | |||
Producer | David Mackay | |||
Bonnie Tyler chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Best Is Yet to Come | ||||
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The Best Is Yet to Come is the eighteenth studio album by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. It was released on February 26, 2021, through earMUSIC. It is Tyler's fourth album with producer David Mackay, with whom she recorded her previous album Between the Earth and the Stars (2019) and her earliest albums The World Starts Tonight (1977) and Natural Force (1978).
The album was supported by three singles and a 38-date tour of Europe, delayed until late 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Best Is Yet to Come became Tyler's first physical album release in the United States since Free Spirit in 1996. The album peaked at no. 9 on the UK Independent Albums chart.
The album received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised Tyler's powerful voice and the nostalgic yet fresh production. The singles "When the Lights Go Down," "Dreams Are Not Enough," and "Stuck to My Guns" highlighted the album's blend of classic rock and contemporary pop sounds. The delayed tour, once commenced, was met with enthusiasm from fans, eager to see Tyler perform live again.
On 4 March 2020, Tyler told Gold Radio that she had completed a new album. [1] The album was originally set for release in March 2020, but it was pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [2]
Footage of songwriter Steve Womack performing a portion of his song "When the Lights Go Down" was published on Tyler's website on 14 April. [3] Tyler then began posting samples of some of the tracks on her Instagram page. [4] The artwork and track listing was revealed on December 10, 2020, along with a three-track preview uploaded to Tyler's YouTube channel. [5] Tyler began releasing weekly samples of individual tracks on her Facebook and Instagram pages on 27 December 2020. [6]
"The Best Is Yet to Come" adopts the sound of 80s pop rock. Tyler told Ultimate Classic Rock she felt "When the Lights Go Down" had a similar sound to the music of Bruce Springsteen and Rod Stewart. [7]
The album contains four cover songs; "Somebody's Hero" by C.B. Green, "I'm Only Guilty (Of Loving You)" previously recorded by Chick Willis and Tab Benoit, "I'm Not in Love" by 10cc, and "Catch the Wind" by Donovan. The latter two songs had originally been intended as bonus tracks on Tyler's previous album, Between the Earth and the Stars . [8] "Stronger Than a Man" was first performed by Deborah Cox on The Kate , recorded in October 2018 and broadcast on 31 May 2019. [9] . However Bonnie was the first recording artist to record the song.
"Stuck to My Guns" features Ecuadorian musician Leo Rojas on panpipes. Tyler met Rojas at the Vatican's Concerto di Natale in December 2019, where both had been invited to perform in the presence of Pope Francis. [10] Rojas later teased a collaboration with Tyler in an Instagram post. [11]
On 8 March 2021, Tyler published a video on TikTok explaining her reasons for recording "Stronger Than a Man" to mark International Women's Day. She stated: "There's a line in that song that stood out to me. It says: "A woman's place is anywhere a woman wants to stand." "It took me back to some times in my earlier career that I'd be the only girl on the whole festival bill." The video was posted as part of the #WeAreHere campaign, raising awareness of female representation in the music industry. Her post was featured on TikTok's UK Music Hub. [12]
"When the Lights Go Down" was released as the first single on 18 December 2020. The lyric video was premiered by Ultimate Classic Rock the day before. [7] "The Best Is Yet to Come" was released in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 8 January 2020, as the album's second single. [13] "Dreams Are Not Enough" received a worldwide release as the album's third single on 26 February 2021, accompanied by a lyric video. [14]
On 15 December 2020, Tyler announced that she would embark on a European tour to commemorate her 70th birthday and the release of "The Best Is Yet to Come." The tour was set to begin on 17 February 2022, at the Mitsubishi Electric Halle in Düsseldorf, Germany, and conclude on 29 April 2022, at the Kongress am Park in Augsburg, Germany, with a total of 38 dates in venues throughout Austria, Belgium, France, Germany and Switzerland. [15] However, only three dates in Cottbus, Halle and Berlin took place as scheduled. The rest of the tour was postponed to late 2023 due to complications related to the COVID-19 pandemic. [16] [17]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Belfast Telegraph | 7/10 [18] |
Classic Pop | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Cryptic Rock | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Digital Journal | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Helsingin Sanomat | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The News International | 7/10 [23] |
Retro Pop | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Onet Muzyka | 3/6 [25] |
The Scotsman | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Retro Pop magazine named The Best Is Yet to Come as Tyler's best album since Hide Your Heart (1988), noting that Tyler sounds "rested, strong and raring to go." [24] In a review of the single, Retro Pop described the title track as "a slice of 80's new wave perfection," featuring "pulsing synths and a harmony laden sing-a-long chorus that proves irresistible." [27] Markos Papadatos of Digital Journal stated that Tyler "proves that she is like a fine wine, where her harking and heavenly voice only gets better with age and experience," describing the album as "eclectic." [21] In Belfast Telegraph , Beverley Rouse described The Best Is Yet to Come as "an enjoyable listen," and commended Tyler for "bringing something different" with her cover of "I'm Not in Love" by 10cc. [18] The Scotsman critic Fiona Shepherd called the album "a patchy playlist of covers and originals," but noted "I’m Only Guilty (Of Loving You)" as a strong moment. [26] Onet Muzyka critic Bartosz Sąder noted that The Best Is Yet to Come is "not as expressive" as Tyler's previous albums, but that her "hoarse vocal fits perfectly into the style of the 80's-inspired songs." [25] Writing for the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat , Mervi Vuorela opined that Tyler would have achieved better results with hard rock songs instead of pop rock. [22]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "The Best Is Yet to Come" | Steve Womack | 3:03 |
2. | "Dreams Are Not Enough" | Neil Lockwood | 3:31 |
3. | "Hungry Hearts" | Josh Renton | 3:12 |
4. | "Stuck to My Guns" | Womack | 3:49 |
5. | "When the Lights Go Down" | Womack | 3:29 |
6. | "Stronger Than a Man" |
| 3:31 |
7. | "I'm Not in Love" | 4:24 | |
8. | "Somebody's Hero" | Clemens Benecke | 4:00 |
9. | "Call Me Thunder" | Womack | 4:38 |
10. | "I'm Only Guilty (Of Loving You)" |
| 3:43 |
11. | "You're the One" |
| 4:04 |
12. | "Catch the Wind" | Donovan | 3:15 |
Total length: | 44:40 |
Credits adapted from liner notes. [29]
Chart (2021) | Peak position |
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Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [30] | 47 |
French Albums Physiques (SNEP) [31] | 149 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [32] | 35 |
Scottish Albums (OCC) [33] | 28 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [34] | 28 |
UK Album Downloads (OCC) [35] | 35 |
UK Album Sales (OCC) [36] | 18 |
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [37] | 9 |
UK Physical Albums (OCC) [38] | 18 |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
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Various | 26 February 2021 | earMUSIC | [39] |
Gaynor Sullivan, known professionally as Bonnie Tyler, is a Welsh singer who is known for her distinctive husky voice. Tyler came to prominence with the release of her 1977 album The World Starts Tonight and its singles "Lost in France" and "More Than a Lover". Her 1977 single "It's a Heartache" reached number four on the UK Singles Chart, and number three on the US Billboard Hot 100.
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" is the lead single by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler from her fifth studio album, Faster Than the Speed of Night (1983) written and produced by Jim Steinman and recorded in 1982, released as a single by CBS/Columbia in 1983.
Faster Than the Speed of Night is the fifth studio album by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. It was released in Europe on 8 April 1983 and later that year in the US through Columbia Records.
"I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" is a song written by Jim Steinman, and recorded by American rock singer Meat Loaf featuring Lorraine Crosby. The song was released in August 1993 by MCA and Virgin as the first single from the singer's sixth album, Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (1993). The last six verses feature Crosby, who was credited only as "Mrs. Loud" in the album notes. She does not appear in the accompanying music video, directed by Michael Bay, in which her vocals are lip-synched by Dana Patrick. Meat Loaf promoted the single with American singer Patti Russo.
Lorraine Crosby is an English singer and songwriter. She was the female vocalist on Meat Loaf's 1993 hit single I'd Do Anything for Love . Her debut album, Mrs Loud, was released in 2008.
Miriam Arlene Stockley is a British singer. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and her work is influenced by the African music of her home country. Her distinctive vocalise style gained international acclaim when Karl Jenkins launched the Adiemus project with Adiemus: Songs of Sanctuary, with Stockley as the lead singer.
"Holding Out for a Hero" is a song recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler for the soundtrack to the 1984 film Footloose. It later featured on her sixth studio album, Secret Dreams and Forbidden Fire (1986). The track was produced by Jim Steinman, who co-wrote the song with Dean Pitchford and was a top 40 hit in several European countries, as well as Canada and the United States. Its 1985 re-release in the United Kingdom reached number two and topped the singles chart in Ireland.
"'It's a Heartache'" is a song recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. Written by Ronnie Scott and Steve Wolfe, and co-produced with David Mackay, the single was released in November 1977 through RCA Records. The song topped the charts in Australia, Canada, and numerous European countries, and reached No. 3 in the US and No. 4 in the UK. Worldwide, "It's a Heartache" sold around six million copies.
"The Best" is a song by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler from her seventh studio album, Hide Your Heart (1988). It was written by Mike Chapman and Holly Knight. Produced by Desmond Child, Tyler's version became a top-10 hit in Norway but was a minor hit elsewhere.
"Save Up All Your Tears" is a song written by Desmond Child and Diane Warren, and originally released by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. The song was subsequently covered by other artists including Robin Beck, Cher, Freda Payne and Bonfire.
"Making Love Out of Nothing at All" is a power ballad written and composed by Jim Steinman and first released by the British/Australian soft rock duo Air Supply for their 1983 compilation album Greatest Hits. It reached number 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks. The song has been covered by other artists.
The discography of Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler consists of 18 studio albums, three live albums, four extended plays, 83 singles, and several compilation albums.
Hide Your Heart is the seventh studio album by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. It was released on 9 May 1988 through CBS Records. In North and South America, it was released through Columbia Records under the alternative title Notes from America. Tyler recorded the album with producer Desmond Child at Bearsville Studios in New York, and many of the tracks later became hit singles for other artists, most notably "The Best" for Tina Turner.
Free Spirit is the eleventh studio album by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, released in Europe on 3 October 1995, by EastWest Records and in the United States on 26 March 1996 by Atlantic Records. Tyler recorded the album with numerous producers, and it was her first album release in the UK and the US since Hide Your Heart (1988).
Bitterblue is the eighth studio album by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. It was released on 11 November 1991, through Hansa Records. Bitterblue is a pop rock album, described by Dieter Bohlen as "more commercial" than her previous albums. Bohlen began working with Tyler in early 1991, writing and producing multiple songs for the album. Bitterblue also features compositions from Albert Hammond, Nik Kershaw and Giorgio Moroder.
Heart Strings is the thirteenth studio album by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler. It was first released in Scandinavia under the title Heart & Soul on 28 October 2002 by CMC, a Danish record label. The album received a wider European release on 18 March 2003. The album features thirteen cover songs recorded with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Tyler's band.
Natural Force is the second studio album by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, released in May 1978 by RCA Records. In the United States, the album was titled It's a Heartache. As with her debut, Ronnie Scott and Steve Wolfe wrote most of the tracks on the album. David Mackay again produced the album, with Scott and Wolfe. Other songs include covers of American artists Stevie Wonder and Carole King.
Hide Your Heart is a song by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, released on her 1988 album Hide Your Heart. The song was written by Kiss' rhythm guitarist and vocalist Paul Stanley, Desmond Child and Holly Knight. Although the song failed to chart, it has appeared on several compilations.
"Believe in Me" is a song by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler from her sixteenth studio album Rocks and Honey (2013). American songwriter Desmond Child composed the song with British songwriters Lauren Christy and Christopher Braide. It was released as the album's lead single on 13 March 2013. The song was written to "uplift the world", and was completed by Child whilst having dinner with Tyler.
Between the Earth and the Stars is the seventeenth studio album by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, released on 15 March 2019 by earMUSIC. The album was produced by David Mackay.