The Heavy Entertainment Show | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 4 November 2016 | |||
Recorded | June 2015 – June 2016 | |||
Genre | Pop [1] | |||
Length | 40:03 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Producer |
| |||
Robbie Williams chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from The Heavy Entertainment Show | ||||
|
The Heavy Entertainment Show is the eleventh studio album by English recording artist Robbie Williams. It was released on 4 November 2016 through Columbia Records. It features guest appearances from Rufus Wainwright and John Grant. The album was primarily produced by Williams' longtime songwriting partner Guy Chambers and Richard Flack, along with a variety of producers such as Stuart Price, Johnny McDaid and Gary Go.
The Heavy Entertainment Show was supported by three singles: "Party Like a Russian", "Love My Life" and "Mixed Signals", with the second topping the charts in Slovenia and Slovakia and being a top ten hit in five other countries. The album debuted atop the UK albums chart and stayed in the top 10 for three weeks. [3] It also reached the top in 4 other countries. The album was promoted with "The Heavy Entertainment Show Tour", which started on 2 June 2017 in Manchester and ended on 17 November 2018 in Mexico City.
In May 2016, it was announced that Robbie Williams had signed a recording contract with Sony Music. Williams said in a statement: "They're [Sony Music] inspired, I'm inspired. I'm more ready than I ever have been and I'm totally convinced I'm in the right place. I look forward to working on this album, which is an album I'm immensely proud of, in this exciting new partnership with Sony Music." [4]
Musically, The Heavy Entertainment Show is a pop album with elements of rock, swing, country and electro-pop. [5] The third track "Mixed Signals" was co-written by all four members of the American alternative rock band the Killers, who also perform all instrumentation.
The album was announced on 25 September 2016, the same day Williams performed at the Apple Music Festival in London. [6] He told the crowd: "Today I announced my new album, it's called "The Heavy Entertainment Show. It's out on the 4th of November and you can pre-order it now. Enjoy", and sang two songs from the album that he had already performed on the "Let Me Entertain You Tour" and the "Swings Both Ways Live" tour, respectively: "Motherfucker" and "Sensational". [6]
On the same day, the album's title track "The Heavy Entertainment Show" was released on Spotify and as an "instant grat" through the iTunes Store.
The album's first official single, "Party Like a Russian", was released on 30 September 2016. The second single, "Love My Life", was released on 20 October 2016. [7]
On 7 November, Williams announced a concert tour titled The Heavy Entertainment Show Tour to promote the album. It began on 2 June 2017 in Manchester, England and ended in November 2018 in Mexico City. [8]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 59/100 [9] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Evening Standard | [10] |
The Guardian | [11] |
The Independent | [12] |
NME | [13] |
The Heavy Entertainment Show received a Metacritic score of 59 based on 9 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic was highly positive in his 4-star review, saying "Aptly titled, Williams is entertaining as ever, a consummate showman until the end. The album is a grab bag of ideas, darting here and there in its pursuit of a hit. However, this isn't too much of a distraction, Mr Entertainment and his bombast do not disappoint. The Heavy Entertainment Show is his most invigorated album in years, a truer return to the pop realm than Take the Crown. Here, Williams dresses up his antics in expert production with plenty of cheekiness to spare." [14]
Kitty Empire from The Observer gave a mixed three-star review stating, "Cheek, swagger and schmaltz, the tunes that could only come from Williams make this record entertaining, if a little groan worthy. The could-be-anybody songs just don't stick in the memory." [15]
Tim Jonze from The Guardian gave a negative two-star review and said, "A lurching mess of styles, it lurches from one thing to the next, be that MOR balladry, glam rock or orchestral show tunes." [16]
Two days before the album was released in the Netherlands, Williams received a gold edition of the album during his appearance on RTL Late Night on 2 November 2016 for over 20,000 pre-orders of the album in the country. It debuted at number 1 on the UK album's chart with combined first week sales of 67,000 copies sold. [17]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Heavy Entertainment Show" |
| 3:22 | |
2. | "Party Like a Russian" |
|
| 3:02 |
3. | "Mixed Signals" | Stuart Price | 3:58 | |
4. | "Love My Life" |
|
| 3:28 |
5. | "Motherfucker" |
|
| 4:17 |
6. | "Bruce Lee" |
| Price | 3:13 |
7. | "Sensitive" |
| Price | 3:16 |
8. | "David's Song" |
|
| 4:14 |
9. | "Pretty Woman" |
| Robson | 2:55 |
10. | "Hotel Crazy" (featuring Rufus Wainwright) |
|
| 4:25 |
11. | "Sensational" |
|
| 3:47 |
Total length: | 40:03 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
12. | "When You Know" |
|
| 4:20 |
13. | "Time on Earth" |
|
| 4:51 |
14. | "I Don't Want to Hurt You" (with John Grant) |
|
| 4:18 |
15. | "Best Intentions" |
|
| 3:44 |
16. | "Marry Me" |
|
| 3:53 |
Total length: | 61:12 |
Notes
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [54] | Gold | 35,000^ |
Austria (IFPI Austria) [55] | Gold | 7,500* |
Germany (BVMI) [56] | Gold | 100,000 |
Italy (FIMI) [57] | Gold | 25,000* |
Netherlands (NVPI) [58] | Gold | 20,000 |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [59] | 3× Gold | 30,000 |
United Kingdom (BPI) [60] | Platinum | 300,000 |
Summaries | ||
Worldwide (IFPI) | — | 700,000+ [61] |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
"The Real Slim Shady" is a song by American rapper Eminem from his third album The Marshall Mathers LP (2000). It was released as the lead single a month before the album's release.
Reload is the 34th album by Tom Jones, released in 1999. It contains fifteen duets with a range of artists including Van Morrison, Cerys Matthews, Stereophonics, Robbie Williams and Portishead, recorded with their usual record producers and in their usual studios. The tracks are mainly cover versions, with a new version of one of Jones' own songs, "Looking Out My Window" (1968), and one original track, "Sex Bomb".
Life thru a Lens is the debut solo studio album by English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams. It was Williams' first solo album following his departure from Take That. Released on 29 September 1997 through Chrysalis Records, it is influenced by Britpop, a departure from the poppier tone of music Take That employed. The album's working name was The Show-Off Must Go On.
Sing When You're Winning is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams. It was released on 28 August 2000 in the United Kingdom by Chrysalis Records and in the United States by Capitol Records. Following the critical and commercial success of I've Been Expecting You (1998), the North American release of The Ego Has Landed (1999) and the subsequent promotional tours for both albums, Williams reteamed with producers Guy Chambers and Steve Power to create new material for his next record. Whereas I've Been Expecting You used the Britpop genre for its overall sound, Sing When You're Winning incorporates a more post-millennial dance-pop approach while utilizing classic British rock elements. The album garnered positive reviews from critics. Sing When You're Winning debuted at number one in the UK, Germany, Ireland and New Zealand, as well as the top 10 in countries like Australia, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland. It spawned six singles: "Rock DJ", "Kids", "Supreme", "Let Love Be Your Energy", "Eternity / The Road to Mandalay" and "Better Man".
I've Been Expecting You is the second studio album by English recording artist Robbie Williams. It was released on 26 October 1998 through Chrysalis Records. The album spawned five singles, including lead single "Millennium", which became Williams' first UK number-one hit.
Escapology is the fifth studio album recorded by British singer-songwriter Robbie Williams. It was released on 18 November 2002 through EMI Records. The album features a guest appearance by singer Rose Stone and was produced by Guy Chambers and Steve Power. The album's lead single "Feel" was released on 2 December 2002, two weeks after the album. The track was an international hit, reaching the top of the charts in Austria, Poland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and top five positions in countries such as Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Three other singles from the album were released: "Come Undone", "Something Beautiful" and "Sexed Up".
Intensive Care is the sixth studio album by English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams, released on 24 October 2005 in the United Kingdom. It was produced by Stephen Duffy and Williams and was the first of Williams' albums to not be produced by longtime songwriting partner Guy Chambers. The album was supported by four singles: "Tripping", "Make Me Pure", "Advertising Space" and "Sin Sin Sin".
Swing When You're Winning is a swing cover album by English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams, and his fourth studio album overall. It was released in the United Kingdom on 19 November 2001 and peaked at number one on the UK Albums Chart.
Greatest Hits is a hits compilation released by British singer-songwriter Robbie Williams on 18 October 2004. The album includes two new songs, "Radio" and "Misunderstood", which were both released as singles. The album is his seventh overall release in the United Kingdom.
Live at Knebworth, also known as Live Summer 2003 with different cover text, is a live album by English pop singer Robbie Williams, recorded and released in 2003. The album is his first live album, and is a compilation of songs performed during three consecutive shows at Knebworth, England on 1–3 August 2003.
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".
Progress is the sixth studio album by British band Take That. It is the band's final album to feature the classic five-piece, with the return of Robbie Williams since his initial departure from the band in 1995, joined only on this album, and the final album to feature Jason Orange due to his departure from the band in 2014. The album was released in the United Kingdom on 15 November 2010.
Reality Killed the Video Star is the eighth solo studio album by English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams, released in November 2009. The album was produced by Trevor Horn and recorded between September 2008 and August 2009 in London and Los Angeles. It debuted in the top ten of 22 national album charts worldwide, and has received varying reviews from music critics. It incorporates elements of pop rock, dance-rock, alternative rock and adult contemporary music. Reality Killed the Video Star was viewed by critics and fans as being Williams' "comeback album" after the relative failure of his 2006 release, Rudebox.
In and Out of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990–2010 is the second greatest hits compilation album by the British singer-songwriter Robbie Williams, after his first greatest hits compilation, Greatest Hits, which was released in 2004. The album, which features 39 songs, was released in October 2010 and is his last album under his recording contract with EMI. The lead single of the album is "Shame", co-written by and featuring fellow Take That member Gary Barlow. The song is their first collaboration in 15 years since Williams left Take That in 1995.
Rudebox is the seventh studio album by English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams, released on 23 October 2006 in the United Kingdom. It features two guest appearances from the Pet Shop Boys. The album was produced by a variety of producers including: Mark Ronson, Soul Mekanik, Pet Shop Boys and Jerry Meehan.
Take the Crown is the ninth studio album released by British singer-songwriter Robbie Williams. The album was released in the United Kingdom on 5 November 2012 via Island Records.
Swings Both Ways is the tenth studio album by English singer-songwriter Robbie Williams. It is his second swing album after 2001's Swing When You're Winning; unlike the latter, which had one original composition, this album features an equal mix of both covers and original material. The album marked Williams' first major work with former longtime collaborator Guy Chambers since 2002's Escapology. Chambers produced the album and co-wrote most of the album's new material with Williams.
The Serenity of Suffering is the twelfth studio album by American nu metal band Korn. It was released on October 21, 2016. According to guitarist Brian Welch, it is "heavier than anyone's heard us in a long time" and it contains their most intense vocals and music in recent times.
"Love My Life" is a song by British singer-songwriter Robbie Williams, released as the second single from his eleventh studio album The Heavy Entertainment Show (2016). The single was released in the United Kingdom on 20 November 2016. The song was written by Williams, Johnny McDaid, and Gary Go. It was produced by McDaid with additional production by Go and Jonny Coffer. It topped the charts in Slovakia and Slovenia.
The Christmas Present is the 12th studio album by British singer-songwriter Robbie Williams, and his first studio album since 2016's The Heavy Entertainment Show. It was released on 22 November 2019, and features guest appearances from Tyson Fury, Rod Stewart, Jamie Cullum, Helene Fischer and Bryan Adams. Williams performed a pair of concerts dubbed "The Robbie Williams Christmas Party" at the SSE Arena on 16 and 17 December 2019 in promotion of the album.