Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian and American singer-songwriter. She is known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice and confessional songwriting. Morissette began her music career in Canada in the early 1990s with two dance-pop albums. In 1995, she released Jagged Little Pill, an alternative rock-oriented album with elements of post-grunge. This album sold more than 33 million copies globally, propelling her to become a cultural phenomenon. It earned her the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1996 and was adapted into a rock musical of the same name in 2017. The musical earned fifteen Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical. Additionally, the album was listed in Rolling Stone's 2003 and 2020 editions of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" guide. The lead single, "You Oughta Know", was also included at #103 in their "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".
So-Called Chaos is the sixth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released on May 18, 2004, through Maverick Records. It was preceded by the single "Everything" on April 13, which went on to become Morissette's lowest peaking song on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 76. The album was met with mixed reviews from critics upon release, with some calling it her most accessible record since Jagged Little Pill (1995) while others criticized the project's confusing messages and felt the singer had lost what made her a cultural icon of the '90s.
"Ironic" is a song by Canadian singer Alanis Morissette. It was released in February 1996 as the third single from her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill (1995). It was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard, and was produced by him. The lyrics present several situations that are described as "ironic"; this has led to debate as to whether any of these actually match the accepted meaning of irony.
Under Rug Swept is the fifth studio album and third internationally released album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette. Released by Maverick Records in the United States on February 26, 2002, and in the United Kingdom a day earlier, it was the first album Morissette had written and produced all on her own. It debuted at number one on charts in 12 countries, including the United States and Canada, and produced the singles "Hands Clean" and "Precious Illusions". Sales, however, did not match those of Morissette's previous two studio albums.
"You Oughta Know" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette, released as the lead single from her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill (1995), on July 6, 1995. After releasing two studio albums, Morissette left MCA Records Canada and was introduced to manager Scott Welch. Morissette began working on new music after moving from her hometown of Ottawa to Toronto, but made little progress. In Los Angeles, she met producer Glen Ballard, with whom she wrote songs including "You Oughta Know".
One to One was a Canadian pop music group formed in 1984 in Ottawa, Ontario. They later changed their name to One 2 One. The duo released three albums and produced ten hits on Canadian charts between 1985 and 1992.
Leslie Howe is a Canadian musician and record producer based in Ottawa, Ontario. He has been a member of the bands One to One, Sal's Birdland and Artificial Joy Club, and produced Alanis Morissette's early pop music albums.
Alanis is the debut studio album by Alanis Morissette, released only in Canada on April 16, 1991, by MCA Records Canada. Morissette recorded the album with Leslie Howe, who also produced her second album Now Is the Time (1992), and it was certified platinum.
Now Is the Time is the second studio album by Alanis Morissette, released only in Canada on October 20, 1992. It was her final album for MCA Records Canada. Morissette recorded the album with Leslie Howe, who produced her debut album, Alanis (1991).
"Hand in My Pocket" is a song by Canadian recording artist and songwriter Alanis Morissette from her third studio album, Jagged Little Pill (1995). The song was written by Morissette and Glen Ballard and was released as the second single from the album on October 16, 1995, five months after the album release. The song received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who applauded Morissette's songwriting.
"Unsent" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette from her fourth studio album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998). The lyrics were written by Morissette, who also composed the music with Glen Ballard. It was released as the album's third single on March 18, 1999. It was one of the few Junkie tracks on which she played her harmonica. Morissette directed the music video for the song. Without a chorus or hook, "Unsent" has an unconventional song structure. The lyrics consist of letters addressed to Morissette's former boyfriends and friends. The single became a moderate hit, reaching number nine in Canada, number 28 in New Zealand, and number 58 in the United States.
"So Pure" is a song written and produced by Alanis Morissette and Glen Ballard for Morissette's fourth album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998). It was released in Japan as the album's second single on March 10, 1999, and as the third single worldwide in June 1999. One line in the song, "supposed former infatuation junkie", inspired its album's title. A special "radio friendly remix" was featured on US promotional singles and was only commercially released on the Australian domestic single.
"Crazy" is a song written by the English singer Seal and English songwriter Guy Sigsworth. It was produced by Trevor Horn and released in November 1990 on Seal's debut album, Seal (1991). The song became his first commercial hit, reaching No. 2 in the United Kingdom, while becoming his first top ten single in the United States. It has since been covered by several artists, including Alanis Morissette, whose version was released as a single from her 2005 compilation album, The Collection.
"Precious Illusions" is a song written, performed, and produced by Canadian singer Alanis Morissette for her fifth studio album, Under Rug Swept (2002). It released as the album's second and final international single on May 20, 2002. Its lyrics describe a conflict between idealism and realism, and its protagonist refers to her childhood fancies as "precious illusions" that she has distanced herself from with a feeling that reminds her of "parting with an imaginary friend".
"Too Hot" is a dance-pop and new jack swing song co-written by Alanis Morissette and Leslie Howe, and produced by Howe for Morissette's debut album, Alanis (1991). It was released as the album's first single in May 1991.
"Feel Your Love" is a pop-dance and new jack swing song co-written by Alanis Morissette and Leslie Howe, and produced by Howe for Morissette's debut album, Alanis (1991). Its protagonist tells a boy she has "got this thing" for him, and that "it's drivin' me right out of my mind ... I wanna feel your love; you know this waitin' for you boy I can't stand". Morissette's brothers Chad and Wade provided some of the song's backing vocals. It was released as the album's third single in 1991 and was the second commercial single release after "Too Hot". The single charted at number 24 in Canada.
"An Emotion Away" is a pop-dance song co-written by Alanis Morissette, Leslie Howe and Serge Côté, and produced by Howe for Morissette's second album Now Is the Time (1992). Its protagonist tells someone who "completely took [her] heart by surprise" that "love is just an emotion away". It was released as the album's first single in 1992 and reached number twenty-four on the Canadian singles chart. "An Emotion Away" was the most successful single from Now Is the Time, which sold moderately. Leslie Howe engineered and mixed the song. The B-side on the cassette single was "When We Meet Again", another track from Now Is the Time.
"No Apologies" is a pop-ballad song co-written by Alanis Morissette, Leslie Howe and Serge Côté, and produced by Howe for Morissette's second album Now Is the Time (1992). It was released as the album's second single in 1993 and was Morissette's first ballad to be released as a single. It received radio and video play but was not given a commercial release, and it did not cause sales of Now Is the Time to significantly increase, although it did reach number 14 on the Canadian pop chart. Leslie Howe engineered and mixed the song, and a promotional single for it includes the album version and a radio edit.
"Underneath" is a song recorded for Alanis Morissette's seventh studio album, Flavors of Entanglement, which was produced by Guy Sigsworth. It is the album's first single. The song was digitally released on April 15, 2008 after originally being scheduled for March 25. According to Morissette, "'Underneath' is about how you can only change the world after you change yourself."
"Guardian" is a song by Canadian-American recording artist Alanis Morissette, released as the lead single from her eighth studio album, Havoc and Bright Lights (2012). The song was written by Morissette and Guy Sigsworth, and produced by Sigsworth and Joe Chiccarelli. It is a rock song, in which Morissette promises to look after a special someone.
