The Best of Me (Rick Astley album)

Last updated

The Best of Me
Rick Astley - The Best of Me.png
Greatest hits album by
Released25 October 2019
Label
Producer
Rick Astley chronology
Beautiful Life
(2018)
The Best of Me
(2019)
Are We There Yet?
(2023)
Singles from The Best of Me
  1. "Every One of Us"
    Released: 12 September 2019

The Best of Me is a greatest hits album by English singer-songwriter Rick Astley. It was released on 25 October 2019 by RCA Records and BMG. [1] [2] [3] The album includes the single "Every One of Us", which was released in September 2019. The Best of Me reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart and number 1 on the UK Independent Albums chart.

Contents

The album has two discs, a disc of old recordings, and a second disc that consists of new recordings of "reimagined" old songs with new interpretation. It includes a stripped-back, slowed-down version of "Never Gonna Give You Up" accompanied by pianoforte. [4] It also includes a new song, "Every One of Us", [5] which was released on 12 September 2019 as the first single from the album with a post on Twitter from Astley, who also confirmed the title of the album and its release date. [6] [7]

Track listing

All tracks written and produced by Rick Astley, except where noted.

Disc 1

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Every One of Us"  3:06
2."Never Gonna Give You Up" Stock Aitken Waterman 3:33
3."Whenever You Need Somebody"Stock Aitken Waterman
  • Aitken
  • Stock
  • Waterman
3:52
4."When I Fall in Love"
  • Aitken
  • Stock
  • Waterman
2:59
5."Together Forever"Stock Aitken Waterman
  • Aitken
  • Stock
  • Waterman
3:24
6."It Would Take a Strong Strong Man"Stock Aitken Waterman
  • Aitken
  • Stock
  • Waterman
3:39
7."She Wants to Dance with Me" 
3:14
8."Take Me to Your Heart"Stock Aitken Waterman
  • Aitken
  • Stock
  • Waterman
3:27
9."Hold Me in Your Arms" 
  • Harding
  • Curnow
4:32
10."Cry for Help" (Single Edit)
  • Gary Stevenson
  • Astley
4:03
11."Sleeping" (Edit)
  • Braide
  • Astley
3:43
12."Lights Out"
  • Astley
  • Andrew Frampton
Frampton3:12
13."Keep Singing"  3:58
14."Angels on My Side"  3:35
15."God Says / Dance"  3:15
16."This Old House"  4:30
17."Beautiful Life"  3:43
18."Try"  3:55
19."She Makes Me"  3:34
20."Never Gonna Give You Up" (Pianoforte)Stock Aitken Waterman 3:33

Disc 2 – Reimagined Classics

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Together Forever" (Reimagined)Stock Aitken Waterman4:01
2."Whenever You Need Somebody" (Reimagined)Stock Aitken Waterman4:00
3."When I Fall in Love" (Reimagined)
  • Heyman
  • Young
3:37
4."Beautiful Life" (Reimagined) 3:30
5."She Wants to Dance with Me" (Reimagined) 3:20
6."Hold Me in Your Arms" (Reimagined) 3:43
7."Cry for Help" (Reimagined)
  • Astley
  • Fisher
3:49
8."Keep Singing" (Reimagined) 3:41
9."Angels on My Side" (Reimagined) 3:49
10."Try" (Reimagined) 3:46

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

Charts

Chart performance for The Best of Me
Chart (2019)Peak
position
Australian Digital Albums (ARIA) [8] 50
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [9] 76
Irish Albums (IRMA) [10] 91
Scottish Albums (OCC) [11] 3
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [12] 25
UK Albums (OCC) [13] 4
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [14] 1

Certifications

Certifications for The Best of Me
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [15] Silver60,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rick Astley</span> British singer (born 1966)

Richard Paul Astley is an English singer. He gained fame through his association with the production trio Stock Aitken Waterman, releasing the 1987 album Whenever You Need Somebody, which sold 15 million copies worldwide. His debut single "Never Gonna Give You Up" was a No. 1 hit in 25 countries, winning the 1988 Brit Award for Best British Single. His 1988 single "Together Forever" became his second song to top the US Billboard Hot 100 and was one of his eight songs to reach the Top 10 on the UK Singles Chart. The title track, "Whenever You Need Somebody", was also a No. 1 hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ain't Too Proud to Beg</span> 1966 single by the Temptations

"Ain't Too Proud to Beg" is a 1966 song and hit single by the Temptations for Motown Records' Gordy label, produced by Norman Whitfield and written by Whitfield and Edward Holland Jr. The song peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Pop Chart, and was a number-one hit on the Billboard R&B charts for eight non-consecutive weeks. The song's success, in the wake of the relative underperformance of the previous Temptations' single, "Get Ready", resulted in Norman Whitfield replacing Smokey Robinson, producer of "Get Ready", as the Temptations' main producer. In 2004 it finished number 94 in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs poll thanks to its inclusion in The Big Chill soundtrack.

<i>Bob Dylans Greatest Hits</i> 1967 greatest hits album by Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits is a 1967 compilation album of songs by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Released on March 27, 1967, by Columbia Records, it was a stopgap between Dylan's studio albums Blonde on Blonde and John Wesley Harding, during which time he had retreated from the public eye to recover from a motorcycle accident.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">When I Fall in Love</span> Song from One Minute to Zero

"When I Fall in Love" is a popular song, written by Victor Young (music) and Edward Heyman (lyrics). It was introduced in Howard Hughes' last film One Minute to Zero as the instrumental titled "Theme from One Minute to Zero". Jeri Southern sang on the first vocal recording released in April 1952 with the song's composer, Victor Young, handling the arranging and conducting duties. The song has become a standard, with many artists recording it; the first hit version was sung by Doris Day released in July 1952.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Never Gonna Give You Up</span> 1987 single by Rick Astley

"Never Gonna Give You Up" is a song by English singer Rick Astley, released on 27 July 1987. Written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, it was released by RCA Records as the first single from Astley's debut studio album, Whenever You Need Somebody (1987). The song became a worldwide hit, initially in the United Kingdom in 1987, where it stayed at the top of the chart for five weeks and was the best-selling single of that year. It eventually topped charts in 25 different countries, including the United States and West Germany, and winning Best British Single at the 1988 Brit Awards. The song is widely regarded as Astley's most popular, as well as his signature song, and it is often played at the end of his live concerts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Together Forever (Rick Astley song)</span> 1988 single by Rick Astley

"Together Forever" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Rick Astley and released by RCA and BMG as the fourth single from his debut album, Whenever You Need Somebody (1987). The song reached number two in the United Kingdom, behind Neighbours star and fellow Stock Aitken Waterman artist Kylie Minogue's debut single "I Should Be So Lucky". The single was a worldwide hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on 18 June 1988, becoming Astley's second US chart-topper. It also topped the charts in Canada, Ireland and Spain, and was a top ten hits in many European countries.

<i>Whenever You Need Somebody</i> 1987 studio album by Rick Astley

Whenever You Need Somebody is the debut studio album by English singer Rick Astley released on 16 November 1987 by RCA Records. It is his best-selling album, which, according to his own official website, has sold 15.2 million copies worldwide. The album is listed as the 136th best-selling album in Spain and was the seventh best-selling album of 1987 in the United Kingdom. A remastered version, containing rare remixes and extended versions, was released on 12 April 2010.

<i>John Denvers Greatest Hits</i> 1973 greatest hits album by John Denver

John Denver's Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter John Denver, released in November 1973 by RCA Records. A version known as The Best of John Denver with the same track listing was released in some countries.

"Whenever You Need Somebody" is a song written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, which became successful for two of their artists, namely O'Chi Brown and Rick Astley.

<i>Hold Me in Your Arms</i> (album) 1988 studio album by Rick Astley

Hold Me in Your Arms is the second studio album by English singer Rick Astley, released on 26 November 1988 by RCA Records. It is the follow-up to his successful debut album Whenever You Need Somebody, and was his last album produced and written with the Stock Aitken Waterman team. It continued Astley's success, with the three UK singles from the album becoming top ten hits, and it achieving Platinum and Gold certifications worldwide.

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

The discography of English singer and songwriter Rick Astley consists of nine studio albums, five compilation albums, two remix albums, and twenty-four singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hold Me in Your Arms (Rick Astley song)</span> 1989 single by Rick Astley

"Hold Me in Your Arms" is a song written and performed by English singer-songwriter Rick Astley. Released in early 1989 as the third single from his album Hold Me in Your Arms, it became a top ten hit in the United Kingdom and Ireland. In 2019, Astley recorded and released a "reimagined" version of the song for his album The Best of Me, which features a new piano arrangement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cry for Help</span> 1991 single by Rick Astley

"Cry for Help" is a song by English singer-songwriter Rick Astley, released as the first single from his third studio album, Free (1991). It was written by Astley and Rob Fisher, formerly one half of the 1980s pop outfits Naked Eyes and Climie Fisher. The Andraé Crouch Choir provided backing vocals. The song is a ballad, unlike Astley's earlier dance-oriented hit singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take Me to Your Heart (Rick Astley song)</span> 1988 single by Rick Astley

"Take Me to Your Heart" is a 1988 song recorded by English singer-songwriter Rick Astley. Written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, the song was released the same year as the second single from the album, Hold Me in Your Arms. Not released in North America, it was a success on the UK Singles Chart where it peaked at number 8 and was also a top ten and a top 20 in many European other countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">She Wants to Dance with Me</span> 1988 single by Rick Astley

"She Wants to Dance with Me" is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter Rick Astley, released as the lead single from his second studio album, Hold Me in Your Arms (1988). The song was released in United Kingdom on September 12, 1988 by RCA, and became an international success, peaking in the top ten in many countries, including Canada, where it topped the chart, and the US and the UK, where it reached number six. In 2019, Astley recorded and released a "reimagined" version of the song for his album The Best of Me.

<i>Greatest Hits</i> (Bon Jovi album) 2010 compilation album by Bon Jovi

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by American rock band Bon Jovi, released on October 29, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keep Singing</span> 2016 single by Rick Astley

"Keep Singing" is a song by English singer and songwriter Rick Astley. It was released as a digital download in the United Kingdom on 6 April 2016 as the lead single from his seventh studio album 50 (2016). The song peaked at number 40 on the UK Singles Chart and also charted in Belgium. The song was written and produced by Astley and is performed in the key of B flat minor.

<i>The Greatest Showman</i> (soundtrack) 2017 soundtrack album

The Greatest Showman: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album to the film The Greatest Showman. It was released in full on December 8, 2017, by Atlantic Records. The album contains all of the film's musical numbers, but none of the film's underscore. The first pre-order release was on October 26, 2017, with two promotional singles: "The Greatest Show" and "This Is Me". A third, "Rewrite the Stars", followed on November 17, 2017. "This Is Me" was released on December 8, 2017, as the album's official lead single. In Australia, "Rewrite the Stars" was released to radio on July 20, 2018.

"Beautiful Life" is a song by English singer and songwriter Rick Astley. It was released as a digital download in the United Kingdom on 1 June 2018 as the lead single from his eighth studio album Beautiful Life (2018). The song has charted in Belgium. The song was also written and produced by Astley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Every One of Us (song)</span> 2019 single by Rick Astley

"Every One of Us" is a song by English singer and songwriter Rick Astley. It was released as a digital download in the United Kingdom on 12 September 2019 as the lead single from his greatest hits album The Best of Me (2019). The song was written and produced by Astley.

References

  1. "The Best of Me by Rick Astley on iTunes". Apple Music . Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  2. Sinclair, Paul (11 September 2019). "Rick Astley / New greatest hits 'The Best of Me' / pre-order a signed CD". Super Deluxe Edition. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  3. "Rick Astley Releases New Career-Spanning Compilation The Best Of Me On October 25th". Shore Fire Media. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  4. Garner, George (6 November 2019). "'It's important not to lose the song': Rick Astley on remaking his hits for his new Best Of collection". Music Week.
  5. Savage, Mark (24 October 2019). "Rick Astley: Inside the home studio where he masterminded his comeback". BBC.
  6. Astley, Rick [@rickastley] (13 September 2019). "My new single 'Every One of Us' is out now! Pre-order the new album 'The Best of Me' here" (Tweet). Retrieved 14 September 2019 via Twitter.
  7. Wass, Mike (12 September 2019). "Rick Astley Announces Greatest Hits LP & New Single "Every One Of Us"". Idolator . Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  8. "ARIA Australian Top 50 Digital Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. 4 November 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  9. "Offiziellecharts.de – Rick Astley – The Best of Me" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  10. "Irish Albums Chart: 1 November 2019". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  11. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  12. "Top 100 Albumes – Semana 44: del 25.10.2019 al 31.10.2019" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España . Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  13. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  14. "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  15. "British album certifications – Rick Astley – The Best Of Me". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 13 November 2020.Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type The Best Of Me in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.