Three | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 27 October 2003 | |||
Recorded | December 2002 – March 2003 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 55:15 | |||
Label | Island | |||
Producer |
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Sugababes chronology | ||||
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Singles from Three | ||||
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Three is the third studio album by British girl group Sugababes, released by Island Records on 27 October 2003. It generated four singles that charted in various parts of the world; the first, "Hole in the Head", became the group's third UK number one single. The three members of the Sugababes each recorded a "solo" song on the album—"Whatever Makes You Happy" (Keisha Buchanan), "Sometimes" (Heidi Range) and "Maya" (Mutya Buena). Three debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart.
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
The Guardian | [2] |
Rolling Stone | [3] |
Stylus | B+ [4] |
Yahoo! Music | 8/10 [5] |
After releasing "Shape", the fourth and final single from their successful previous album Angels with Dirty Faces (2002), the group announced that they had gone back into the studio to start work on the next album with producers whom they worked with on the previous album such as Jony Rockstar and Xenomania. They went over to America to work with producers such as Linda Perry and Diane Warren, who wrote the ballad "Too Lost in You". They had also aimed to promote the new album in America. The girls co-wrote and recorded their own tracks on the new album—Keisha's being "Whatever Makes You Happy", Heidi's being "Sometimes", and Mutya's being "Maya", a song about her sister who died unexpectedly. The Sugababes later announced the lead single "Hole in the Head" and its release date of 13 October. The UK release was a special edition with two extra tracks, "Twisted" and "Buster". Initially, the digital download version offered by Woolworths in the UK accidentally contained an earlier demo version of "Whatever Makes You Happy" but the mistake was quickly rectified. On streaming services, an alternative version of "Whatever Makes You Happy" has replaced the original album version.
Three debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart with 52,905 copies sold in its first week. The first single, "Hole in the Head", was the group's third number-one single in the United Kingdom and also went to number one in Denmark. It reached number two in Ireland and Norway, and the top forty in Australia. The second single, "Too Lost in You", reached the top ten in the UK and Norway, and the top forty in Australia. The third single, "In the Middle", went top ten in the UK, top twenty in Ireland and top forty in Europe and Australia. A fourth single, "Caught in a Moment", also reached the top ten in the UK.
In 2004, "Hole in the Head" was serviced to radio in the United States and became a top forty hit on pop radio. Following the moderate success of the single, Three was due for release in the US on 22 June 2004 with an altered track listing featuring singles from the group's previous album, Angels with Dirty Faces (2002). [6] The release was subsequently cancelled. In the UK, the album is certified two times Platinum by the BPI. [7] The album also received a Platinum Europe Award by the IFPI in recognition of European sales in excess of 1 million copies. [8]
Three received positive reviews from critics, who praised the experimental new urban and hip hop sounds on the album. Alan Braidwood from the BBC gave Three a positive review, stating the album takes lead from Angels with Dirty Faces and calling it a fresh and exciting album. He also praised the new sound on the album. Ross Hoffman from AllMusic described the album as "tuneful, R&B-inflected dance-pop with fresh-sounding but accessible productions, along with a healthy smattering of big droopy ballads with an expanded stylistic range". [9]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Hole in the Head" | 3:38 | ||
2. | "Whatever Makes You Happy" (Keisha Buchanan solo) |
|
| 3:15 |
3. | "Caught in a Moment" |
| Jony Rockstar | 4:24 |
4. | "Situation's Heavy" |
|
| 4:10 |
5. | "Million Different Ways" |
|
| 4:29 |
6. | "Twisted" (UK & Japan bonus track) |
|
| 3:03 |
7. | "We Could Have It All" |
|
| 3:37 |
8. | "Conversation's Over" |
| Rockstar | 4:06 |
9. | "In the Middle" |
| 3:59 | |
10. | "Too Lost in You" | Diane Warren |
| 3:58 |
11. | "Nasty Ghetto" |
|
| 4:16 |
12. | "Buster" (UK & Japan bonus track) |
|
| 4:22 |
13. | "Sometimes" (Heidi Range solo) |
| Rockstar | 4:34 |
14. | "Maya" (Mutya Buena solo) |
|
| 4:43 |
Notes and sample credits
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Germany (BVMI) [29] | Gold | 100,000^ |
Russia (NFPF) [30] | Gold | 10,000* |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) [31] | Gold | 20,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [7] | 2× Platinum | 600,000^ |
Summaries | ||
Europe (IFPI) [8] | Platinum | 1,000,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
With the album released, the Sugababes announced a UK tour; it began in Brighton on 19 March 2004, and finished in London on 2 April 2004.
Date | City | Country | Venue |
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19 March 2004 | Brighton | England | Brighton Centre |
20 March 2004 | Bournemouth | Bournemouth International Centre | |
21 March 2004 | Plymouth | Plymouth Pavilions | |
23 March 2004 | Cardiff | Cardiff Arena | |
24 March 2004 | Suffolk | Ipswich Regent Theatre | |
26 March 2004 | Birmingham | Birmingham NIA | |
27 March 2004 | Manchester | Manchester Apollo | |
28 March 2004 | Glasgow | Scotland | Glasgow Academy |
30 March 2004 | Newcastle | England | Newcastle City Hall |
31 March 2004 | Sheffield | Sheffield City Hall | |
2 April 2004 | London | Hammersmith Apollo | |
The following set list is taken from their show in Manchester. It is not intended to represent every date of the tour.
The Sugababes are an English girl group composed of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan, and Siobhán Donaghy. The lineup changed three times before returning to the original lineup in 2011.
Siobhán Emma Donaghy is an English singer and songwriter, best known as a founding member of the girl group Sugababes. Donaghy left Sugababes in 2001 and released her debut solo album, Revolution in Me, in 2003. Her second studio album, Ghosts, was released in 2007 and met critical acclaim.
Angels with Dirty Faces is the second studio album by British girl group Sugababes. It was released by Island Records in the UK on 26 August 2002 and in most European territories by September 2002. The album marked the band's debut on the Island label following their split with London Records in 2001 and was their first regular release to be recorded under the second line-up, including new member Heidi Range, who replaced founding member Siobhán Donaghy.
Heidi India Partakis is an English singer, best known as a former member of the girl group Sugababes. She was an original member of girl group Atomic Kitten, however she left the group before they released any material. In 2001, Range replaced original member Siobhán Donaghy in the Sugababes, after which the group enjoyed higher commercial success and accumulated six UK number-one singles as well as two number-one studio albums over the course of a decade, before the line-up at the time disbanded in 2011.
Taller in More Ways is the fourth studio album by British girl group Sugababes, released by Island Records on 10 October 2005. It was primarily produced by Dallas Austin and Jony Rockstar, with additional production from Cameron McVey, Xenomania and Guy Sigsworth. The title of the album was inspired by a line in the album's second single, "Ugly".
Keisha Kerreece Fayeanne Buchanan is an English singer and songwriter and a founding member of the girl group Sugababes alongside Mutya Buena and Siobhán Donaghy. With Sugababes, she has had six number-one singles and two number-one studio albums, making them one of the most successful-charting British pop acts of the 21st century so far. Buchanan was sacked from the group in September 2009 and replaced by Jade Ewen. Buchanan returned to the group in 2012 with the original line-up.
"Push the Button" is a song recorded by English girl group the Sugababes for their fourth studio album Taller in More Ways (2005). Composed by Dallas Austin and the Sugababes, it was inspired by an infatuation that group member Keisha Buchanan developed with another artist. Musically, the song is an electropop and R&B song with various computer effects. It was released as the lead single from Taller in More Ways on 23 September 2005, by Island Records.
"Ugly" is a song by British girl group Sugababes from their fourth studio album, Taller in More Ways (2005). Written and produced by Dallas Austin, inspiration for the song was conceptualised in the midst of reading negative comments about members of the band. The song released on 5 December 2005 in the United Kingdom as the second single from the album. "Ugly" is a midtempo pop rock ballad that contains lyrics about personality and body-image issues. It received comparisons to "Unpretty" by girl group TLC and "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera. "Ugly" is the band's final single released under the second line up of Sugababes, after original member Mutya Buena departed the group on 21 December 2005.
"In the Middle" is a song by English girl group Sugababes, released on 22 March 2004 as the third single from their third studio album, Three (2003). The Sugababes were inspired to compose the song based upon the different situations experienced on a night out; they wrote it in collaboration with Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Niara Scarlett, Shawn Lee, Lisa Cowling, Andre Tegler, Phil Fuldner and Michael Bellina. Higgins, Xenomania and Jeremy Wheatley produced the song. "In the Middle" is a dance-pop and funk-influenced record that contains a sample of German DJ Moguai's song "U Know Y".
"Hole in the Head" is a song performed by British girl group Sugababes, released on 13 October 2003 as the lead single from their third studio album, Three. It was written by Brian Higgins, Miranda Cooper, Tim Powell, Nick Coler, Niara Scarlett, Keisha Buchanan, Mutya Buena, and Heidi Range, and co-produced by Higgins and Jeremy Wheatley. The song was met with acclaim from critics and was a commercial success, entering at the top of the UK Singles Chart. Outside the United Kingdom, the single peaked within the top ten of the charts in ten other countries. It became their only single to chart in the United States, peaking at number ninety-six on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs chart.
"Shape" is a song by English girl group Sugababes, released as the fourth and final single from their second studio album, Angels with Dirty Faces (2002). It was composed by Sting, Dominic Miller, and Craig Dodds, who produced the song. The midtempo pop and R&B ballad incorporates a sample of Sting's 1993 recording "Shape of My Heart", whose vocals are featured in the chorus. It received mixed reviews from critics, who were ambivalent towards the sample of "Shape of My Heart".
The discography of the British girl group Sugababes consists of eight studio albums, four compilation album, four extended plays, thirty-four singles, two video albums, six promotional singles, and thirty music videos. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 and, at various times, featured three vocalists from Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan, Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah, and Jade Ewen.
"Round Round" is a song performed by British girl group Sugababes. It was written by group members Keisha Buchanan, Mutya Buena, and Heidi Range, as well as Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins, Tim Powell, Nick Coler, and Lisa Cowling. It samples the song "Tango Forte" by German production team Dublex Inc., so the songwriters of that track are credited as well. Produced by Kevin Bacon and Jonathan Quarmby, the song was released as the second single from the group's second studio album, Angels with Dirty Faces (2002).
"Stronger" is a song by the British girl group Sugababes from their second studio album, Angels with Dirty Faces (2002). The Sugababes wrote the song in collaboration with Jony Rockstar, Marius de Vries and Felix Howard; it was inspired by group member Heidi Range's experience of being separated from her family and friends. "Stronger" is a downtempo pop and R&B ballad with a self-empowerment theme. It is the third single from Angels with Dirty Faces and was released as a double A-side with the album's title track. The song received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the lyrics and the group's vocals, although some were ambivalent towards its composition.
"Follow Me Home" is a song by British girl group the Sugababes, released as the fourth single from their fourth studio album, Taller in More Ways (2005). The pop and R&B ballad was written by band members Keisha Buchanan, Mutya Buena and Heidi Range, with Jony Rockstar, Karen Poole and Jeremy Shaw. The producer, Rockstar, developed the idea of a close person as its inspiration. Buena wrote a verse about her daughter, while Buchanan wrote a verse based on her close friend. The song was released as the album's fourth single on 5 June 2006 and contains vocals from Amelle Berrabah in replacement of Buena's, who left the band in December 2005.
Overloaded: The Singles Collection is the first greatest hits album of British girl group Sugababes. It was released on 10 November 2006—almost one year following the departure of founding member Mutya Buena and the introduction of her replacement, Amelle Berrabah. Overloaded features twelve of the group's singles, four of which reached number one in the UK; "Freak like Me", "Round Round", "Hole in the Head", and "Push the Button". The Sugababes collaborated with members from Orson to produce two new tracks for the album, "Easy" and "Good to Be Gone". Overloaded received positive reviews from critics, who generally praised it as a reflection of the group's success.
Rosa Isabel Mutya Buena is an English singer and songwriter who rose to fame as a member of girl group Sugababes. With the Sugababes, Buena had four UK number-one singles, an additional six top-ten hits and three multi-platinum albums. After leaving the group in December 2005, she released her debut solo album, Real Girl, in June 2007. The album's title track reached number two on the UK Singles Chart, while the album entered the top ten on the UK Albums Chart and was certified Gold by the BPI. Buena returned to Sugababes with the original line-up in 2012.
Change is the fifth studio album by British girl group Sugababes, released through Island Records on 1 October 2007. It was their first album to feature complete vocals by Amelle Berrabah, who joined the group following founding member Mutya Buena's departure in 2005.
"Flatline" is a song by English girl group Mutya Keisha Siobhan, the original line up of the Sugababes. It was written by the trio alongside British artist Dev Hynes, who also produced it. The song was released via digital retailers on 6 September 2013 by Polydor Records, who signed the band in 2012. It is an R&B-tinged pop rock song in which the drums and the male backing vocals get gradually stronger until a climactic part. Lyrically, it addresses the deterioration of a relationship.
The Lost Tapes is the eighth studio album by British girl group Sugababes and their first independent release. While work for the album dates back to 2011 when the original lineup reunited, the album remained unreleased until its 24 December 2022 digital release. The Lost Tapes is the second Sugababes album to feature the original lineup after 2000's One Touch. The deluxe version, which included an additional three tracks, was released digitally on 31 December 2022.