Rockferry

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Rockferry
Studio album by Duffy
Released 3 March 2008 (2008-03-03)
(See release history)
Recorded 2004–2007
2008 (Deluxe Edition tracks)
Genre Pop, soul, rock and roll
Length 37:50
Label A&M/Polydor, Mercury (US)
Producer Bernard Butler, Steve Booker, Jimmy Hogarth
Professional reviews
Duffy chronology
Aimée Duffy
(2004)		 Rockferry
(2008)		 Deluxe EP
(2009)
Alternate cover
Deluxe Edition Cover
Deluxe Edition Cover
Singles from Rockferry
  1. "Rockferry"
    Released: 3 December, 2007
  2. "Mercy"
    Released: 15 February, 2008
  3. "Warwick Avenue"
    Released: 26 May, 2008
  4. "Stepping Stone"
    Released: 1 September, 2008
  5. "Rain on Your Parade"
    Released: 17 November, 2008

Rockferry is the debut studio album by Welsh singer Duffy, first released on 3 March 2008 by Mercury Records in collaboration with Universal Records in the US and with Polydor Records in the UK.[1] The album was the fourth best selling album of 2008 worldwide.[2]

Prior to releasing the album, Duffy appeared twice on Jools Holland's music show, performing the tracks "Mercy", "Warwick Avenue" and her version of "The First Cut Is the Deepest". The album title Rockferry, according to Duffy,[3] is loosely based on Rock Ferry, a suburb of Birkenhead, on the Wirral Peninsula and approximately ten miles from the Welsh border and three miles from Liverpool. The album art and video for the title track were shot on and around the Ffestiniog Railway in Porthmadog, which was renamed 'Rockferry' for the occasion. The timing of the photoshoot was somewhat before the release of the album, when Duffy was still a relatively unknown performer.[4]

The album won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, which were presented 8 February, 2009.[5] Rockferry was ranked number 30th on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the Best Albums of 2008. At the end of 2008, Q named the album the 6th best album of 2008 and Mojo named it the 31st best album of 2008.[6][7] Rockferry also received the award for Mastercard British Album at the 2009 BRIT Awards, in a night that saw Duffy take home three awards. The album was the 4th biggest selling of 2008 in the world, as according to the IFPI,[8] as well as being the biggest selling of the UK.

The album is considered a commercial success, especially in the UK, where it was at number four 52 weeks after its release, spending most of them in the top ten albums, and a significant amount in the top three.

Contents

[edit] Reception
"Rockferry"
"Warwick Avenue"
"Mercy"
"I'm Scared"
Problems listening to these files? See media help.

Aside from a largely unenthusiastic review by NME, the album has generally received positive reviews from critics.[9][10][11] The Observer, for example, gave the album a 5 out of 5, describing it as 'a fantastic album of burning blue soul' and drawing comparisons to Amy Winehouse and The Supremes.[12] The album has earned a nomination for the 2008 MOJO Awards in the category of "Album of The Year". In addition "Mercy" has been nominated for "Song of the Year".[13]

Music critic site Metacritic has given the album an aggregate review of 71 out of 100, based solely on reviews by professional critics.[14] Entertainment Weekly, gave the album a score of 91 of 100 (A-) and compared the album to one of Dusty Springfield's, saying "Once the Dusty Springfield-flecked closer, 'Distant Dreamer,' comes round, you'll be wishin' and hopin' for more".[15]

Top-ten lists, 2008:[16]

[edit] Release

On its first day of release in the UK the album sold 60,000 copies, outselling the rest of the top ten combined and setting it on course to become one of the fastest selling debuts ever.[18] It sold 180,000 copies in the UK alone in its first week, and consequently spent four weeks at the top spot. Despite falling to number two in the charts after the release of R.E.M.'s Accelerate, it again rose to the top a week later. This makes a cumulative total of five weeks in the number one spot. It is estimated to have sold over 4,300,000 copies worldwide so far. Also, in the UK, since the album has been released, it has spent a total of twenty six weeks (twenty five consecutive) inside the Top Four - five at number one, eight at number two, seven at number three, and six at number four. On 31 August 2008 it fell four places from number three to number seven, but climbed back up to number four the following week.

After leaving the top ten, the album re-entered the albums top ten at number ten then climbed four places to number six in the last week of 2008. In the first week of 2009, the album continued to climb the chart and ranked at number three on the UK Albums Chart behind Kings of Leon's "Only By The Night" at number two and Take That's "the Circus" being at the top spot.

The album received yet another sales boost after the 2009 Brit Awards where Rockferry won the award for Best British Album and where Duffy won a further two awards. Sales of the album increased by 66%[19] and it jumped from nineteen on the UK Albums Chart back into the top five to land at number four. Its re-entry back into the top five coincided with its first year anniversary on sale and when the album entered the chart at number one. The fact that the album was still in the top five a year after release is considered by many to be a fantastic commercial performance by the album.[20]

In Spain, the album debuted at number two, a very high position for a debuting singer. It has sold 40,000 copies so far. In France, Rockferry entered the charts at number four selling 21,862 copies.[21] The next week, it reached number two selling 22,259 copies.[22] Rockferry stayed at number two selling 18,187 copies the third week.[23] So far the album sold 420,000 copies in France.[24]

In New Zealand, the album debuted at number two in the week starting 14 April 2008, and the following week knocked Amy Winehouse's multi-platinum album Back to Black off to claim the top spot. Rockferry was certified Gold after three weeks on the chart, selling in the excess of 7,500+ copies. The album was then certified Platinum after eight weeks selling 15,000+ copies, 2x Platinum after twenty-two weeks with 30,000+ copies sold and 3x Platinum with over 45,000 copies sold.

In America, the album sold 16,000 copies in its first day, and sold 72,000 in its first week, debuting at number four on the Billboard 200. Universal Music Group stated that Rockferry is the best American debut for one of its UK acts.[25] Up to April 2009, it had sold 773,557 copies.[26][27]

[edit] Track listing

# Title Writers Length
1. "Rockferry"   Duffy, Bernard Butler 4:14
2. "Warwick Avenue"   Duffy, Jimmy Hogarth, Eg White 3:46
3. "Serious"   Duffy, B. Butler 4:10
4. "Stepping Stone"   Duffy, Steve Booker 3:28
5. "Syrup & Honey"   Duffy, B. Butler 3:18
6. "Hanging on Too Long"   Duffy, J. Hogarth, E. White 3:56
7. "Mercy"   Duffy, S. Booker 3:41
8. "Delayed Devotion"   Duffy, J. Hogarth, E. White 2:57
9. "I'm Scared"   Duffy, J. Hogarth 3:08
10. "Distant Dreamer"   Duffy, B. Butler 5:05

[edit] Deluxe Edition

Disc 1
# Title Writers Length
1. "Rockferry"   Duffy, Bernard Butler 4:14
2. "Warwick Avenue"   Duffy, Jimmy Hogarth, Eg White 3:46
3. "Serious"   Duffy, B. Butler 4:10
4. "Stepping Stone"   Duffy, Steve Booker 3:28
5. "Syrup & Honey"   Duffy, B. Butler 3:18
6. "Hanging on Too Long"   Duffy, J. Hogarth, E. White 3:56
7. "Mercy"   Duffy, S. Booker 3:41
8. "Delayed Devotion"   Duffy, J. Hogarth, E. White 2:57
9. "I'm Scared"   Duffy, J. Hogarth 3:08
10. "Distant Dreamer"   Duffy, B. Butler 5:05
Disc 2
# Title Writers Length
11. "Rain on Your Parade"   Duffy, S. Booker 3:29
12. "Fool for You"   Duffy, B. Butler 3:47
13. "Stop"   Duffy, B. Butler 4:10
14. "Oh Boy"   Richard J. Parfitt 2:31
15. "Please Stay"   Burt Bacharach 3:27
16. "Breaking My Own Heart"   Duffy, S. Booker 3:58
17. "Enough Love"   Richard J. Parfitt, Owen Powell 3:19

[edit] Singles

[edit] Singles chronology

United Kingdom & Ireland
The Netherlands
North America, South America and rest of Europe
Brazil
Mexico
Japan
Australia

[edit] Single B-sides

Title A-side
"Oh Boy"
(Richard J. Parfitt)		 "Rockferry"
"Tomorrow"
(Duffy, Eg White)		 "Mercy"
"Save It for Your Prayers"
"Put It in Perspective"
(Duffy, Bernard Butler)		 "Warwick Avenue"
"Loving You"
(Richard J. Parfitt, Owen Powell)
"Frame Me"
(Duffy, Bernard Butler)		 "Stepping Stone"
"Big Flame"
(Richard J. Parfitt)
"Rain on Your Parade"
"Syrup & Honey"
(Duffy, Bernard Butler)
"Smoke Without Fire"
(Duffy, Bernard Butler)

[edit] Personnel

According to the album liner notes, the contributors were as follows:

  • Aimée Duffy - Vocals (all tracks), Backing Vocals (tracks 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10), Glockenspiel (track 10)
  • Bernard Butler - Producer (tracks 1, 3, 5, 10) Guitars (tracks 1, 3, 5, 10), Piano (tracks 1, 10), Keyboards (track 3), Drums (track 10), Percussion (tracks 1, 3), Electric Guitars (tracks 6, 8)
  • Makoto Sakamoto - Drums (tracks 1, 3)
  • David McAlmont - Backing Vocals (tracks 1, 3)
  • Jimmy Hogarth - Acoustic guitars (tracks 2, 6, 8), Electric guitars (tracks 6, 8), Guitars (track 9), Percussion (tracks 2, 6, 8, 9), Hammond organ (track 6), Bass (track 9)
  • Eg White - Acoustic guitars (track 2), Bass (tracks 2, 6, 8) Drums (tracks 2, 6), Piano (track 2, 8), Backing Vocals (track 6)
  • Sam Dixon - Bass (tracks 2, 6, 8, 9)
  • Steve Booker - Guitars, Bass, Keyboards (tracks 4, 7)
  • Martin Slatterly - Live Drums (tracks 6, 8), Drums (track 9), Piano (tracks 6, 8, 9), Wurlitzer (track 6), Rhodes piano (track 9), Hammond organ (track 9)
  • Jim Hunt - Saxophone (track 10)
  • Nichol Thomson - Trombone (track 10)
  • The Wrecking Crew - Strings (except tracks 4, 7)

[edit] Charts

Chart (2008–2009) Provider Peak
position		 Certification Sales[28] Year end
position
2008
Australian ARIA Albums Chart[29] ARIA 6 Platinum[30] 70,000[28] 38
Austrian Albums Chart[29] Media Control Europe 2 Platinum[31] 20,000[28]
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[29] IFPI/Ultratop 4 Platinum[32] 30,000+[28]
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[33] 2
Canadian Albums Chart[29] CRIA 3 Gold[34] 50,000+[28]
Czech Albums Chart[35] IFPI 2
Danish Albums Chart[36] IFPI 1 3× Platinum[37] 90,000+[28] 1 [38]
Dutch Albums Chart[29] MegaCharts/NVPI 2 Platinum[39] 60,000+[28] 7[40]
Finnish Albums Chart[29] IFPI 2 Platinum[41] 28,413+[41]
French Albums Chart[29] SNEP/IFOP 2 2× Platinum[42] 440,000+[28] 6[43]
European Albums Chart[44] IFPI 1 3× Platinum[45] 3,000,000+[28]
German Albums Chart[29] IFPI/Media Control 3 4× Gold[46] 400,000+[28]
Greek Albums Chart[47] IFPI 2 Platinum[47] 20,000+[28] 27
Greek International Albums Chart 5
Irish Albums Chart[29] IRMA 1 3× Platinum[48] 45,000+[28] 12
Italian Album Chart[29] FIMI 6 Gold[citation needed] 40,000+[28]
New Zealand Albums Chart[29] RIANZ 1 3× Platinum[49] 45,000+[28] 4
Norwegian Albums Chart[29] IFPI 2
Polish Albums Chart[50] ZPAV 5 Platinum[51] 70,000+[28]
Portuguese Albums Chart[33] Artistas Espectaculos 1 Gold[52] 10,000+[28]
Russian Albums Chart - - Platinum[53] 20,000+[28]
Spanish Albums Chart[29] Promusicae 2 Platinum[54] 80,000+[28]
Swedish Albums Chart[29] GLF 1 2× Platinum[55] 80,000+[28] 1[56]
Swiss Albums Chart[33] Media Control Europe 1 3× Platinum[57] 90,000+[28] 5[58]
UK Albums Chart[29] OCC/BPI 1 6× Platinum[59] 1,964,692+ [1] 1
U.S. Billboard 200[29] Billboard/RIAA 4 Gold[60] 777,316 [60] 69[61]
Worldwide 5,430,000+ 4[8]
Notes
  • A ^ All the available sales and shipment figures counted up. This is not the official figure since the sales are based on certificates or published articles. It can be estimated that the official sales per country are higher.

[edit] Chart prossession and succession

Preceded by
Once (Soundtrack) by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová		 Irish Albums Chart number-one album
6 March, 2008 - 13 March, 2008		 Succeeded by
25 Years - 25 Songs by Mary Black
Preceded by
Back to Black - Deluxe Edition by Amy Winehouse
Accelerate by R.E.M.		 UK Albums Chart number-one album
9 March ,2008 - 5 April, 2008
13 April, 2008 - 19 April, 2008		 Succeeded by
Accelerate by R.E.M.
Konk by The Kooks
Preceded by
Accelerate by R.E.M.		 Swiss Albums Chart number-one album
20 April, 2008 - 27 April, 2008		 Succeeded by
This is the Life by Amy Macdonald
Preceded by
Back to Black (Deluxe Edition) by Amy Winehouse
Unbreakable 2008 NZ Tour Edition		 New Zealand RIANZ Albums Chart number-one album
21 April, 2008 - 28 April, 2008
19 May, 2008 - 26 May, 2008		 Succeeded by
Beautiful Machine by Shihad
Home Before Dark by Neil Diamond

[edit] Release history

[edit] Standard Edition

Region Date
United Kingdom 3 March 2008
Europe 11 April 2008
Australia 12 April 2008
Israel 10 April 2008
Mexico 6 May 2008
Brazil 8 May 2008
United States 13 May 2008
Japan 24 September 2008

[edit] Deluxe Edition

Region Date
Europe 21 November 2008
Australia 22 November 2008
United Kingdom 24 November 2008
Canada 2 December 2008
Brazil 20 March 2009
Mexico February 2009

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Welsh singer Duffy tops U.K. album sales Reuters/Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  2. ^ http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a146889/coldplay-had-best-selling-lp-of-2008.html
  3. ^ Uncut Magazine 2008
  4. ^ Wales has a singing star in the making WalesOnline. Retrieved February 24, 2009.
  5. ^ Lil Wayne, Coldplay Lead Nominations for 51st Annual Grammy Awards Rolling Stone 3 December, 2008
  6. ^ http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=10&p=5446&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
  7. ^ http://www.rollogrady.com/mojo-paste-uncut-best-albums-of-2008/
  8. ^ a b Biggest Selling albums of 2008 (Worldwide) IFPI
  9. ^ There's something in the water Boston Globe 13 May, 2008
  10. ^ Retro-soul ingenue Duffy shows plenty of promise on debut album The Canadian Press 12 May, 2008
  11. ^ Duffy's debut album, 'Rockferry', is reminiscent of the decade's retro sound and girl group singers Los Angeles Times 12 May, 2008
  12. ^ CD: Duffy, Rockferry | Pop | guardian.co.uk Music
  13. ^ Duffy leads Mojo awards shortlist BBC News 1 May, 2008
  14. ^ Duffy: Rockferry - Metacritic Professional Reviews from Metacritic
  15. ^ Duffy: Rockferry - Metacritic Professional Reviews from Metacritic
  16. ^ "Metacritic Top Ten Lists 2008". Metacritic. http://www.metacritic.com/music/bests/2008.shtml. Retrieved on 2009-06-20. 
  17. ^ Time, 22 December 2008, pages 47-8.
  18. ^ Duffy | Welsh songbird | Rocks the album charts | The Sun |HomePage|Showbiz|Bizarre
  19. ^ http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a147394/duffy-sees-rockferry-sales-soar.html
  20. ^ http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/music/a147394/duffy-sees-rockferry-sales-soar.html
  21. ^ Tops : Laurent Wolf et Francis Cabrel en tête
  22. ^ Top Singles : le phénomène Ch'ti numéro 1
  23. ^ Nâdiya et Enrique Iglesias en tête du Top Singles
  24. ^ http://www.chartsinfrance.net/charts/bilan-2008.php
  25. ^ Mediapolis The Times 22 May, 2008
  26. ^ http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/ask_bb/index.jsp?JSESSIONID=6WX0JNPR1MTGRQ5xpvn1gYLMLGyjyQbvf7ZhQ1g2QplM7ZJndS0L!992723814
  27. ^ Mediapolis The Times 22 May, 2008
  28. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Certification award levels IFPI. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  29. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Duffy - Rockferry ACharts.us. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  30. ^ 2008 Certifications ARIA Charts. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  31. ^ Austrian Certification database IFPI. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  32. ^ Belgian (Flanders) Chart + Certification IFPI/Ultratop. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  33. ^ a b c Duffy - Rockferry Swisscharts.com. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  34. ^ Canadian searchdatabase CRIA. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  35. ^ Czech Top 50 albums Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  36. ^ "Amy Winehouse - Back To Black chart positions", aCharts.us, May 5, 2007.
  37. ^ Danish Chart + Certification week 4, 2009 IFPI. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  38. ^ Hitlisterne.NU - Album 2008 Top-100
  39. ^ Duffy - Rockferry (Deluxe Edition) Universal Records. Retrieved February 15, 2009. (Dutch)
  40. ^ http://www.dutchcharts.nl/yearchart.asp?cat=a
  41. ^ a b Sales + Certification for Duffy - Rockferry IFPI. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  42. ^ French sales Disque en France. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  43. ^ http://www.chartsinfrance.net/charts/albums-2008.php
  44. ^ Europe Album top 100 IFPI/Billboard. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  45. ^ 2008 Certifications IFPI. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  46. ^ German Gold and Platinum database IFPI/Media Control. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  47. ^ a b Ελληνικό Chart week 4, 2009 IFPI. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  48. ^ 25 Nov: Duffy's Rockferry Goes Triple Official Duffy Blog. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  49. ^ RIANZ Top 40 Albums - February 9, 2009 RIANZ. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  50. ^ Polish Chart week 4, 2009 ZPAV. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  51. ^ http://www.zpav.pl/plyty.asp?page=platynowe&lang=en
  52. ^ week 38, 2008 artistas-espectaculos. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  53. ^ 2m Russian Certification 2M. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  54. ^ Spanish Chart + Certification Promusicae. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  55. ^ Duffy - Rockferry details GLF. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  56. ^ [www.sverigetopplistan.se Swedish Charts]
  57. ^ Swiss Certifications 2008 swisscharts.com. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  58. ^ Swiss Year-End Charts 2008 - swiss charts.com
  59. ^ BPI Certification British Phonographic Industry
  60. ^ a b Duffy's Rockferry Approaches 3 Million Worldwide Sales Universal Music. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
  61. ^ [1] Year-End Information from Billboard
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Back to Black by Amy Winehouse		 Biggest Selling Album of the Year - United Kingdom
2008		 Succeeded by
incumbent
Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album
2009
Preceded by
Favourite Worst Nightmare by Arctic Monkeys		 BRIT Award for Mastercard Best British Album
2009
Preceded by
not awarded		 BRIT Award for Producer's Award
(Credit: Bernard Butler)
2009
v • d • e
Duffy
Studio albums
Rockferry
Singles
EPs
Aimée Duffy · Live from London · FNMTV Live · Deluxe EP
Related articles
v • d • e
Rockferry
Standard tracklisting
"Rockferry" · "Warwick Avenue" · "Serious" · "Stepping Stone" · "Syrup & Honey" · "Hanging on Too Long" · "Mercy" · "Delayed Devotion" · "I'm Scared" · "Distant Dreamer"
Deluxe Edition additional tracks
"Rain on Your Parade" · "Fool For You" · "Stop" · "Oh Boy" · "Please Stay" · "Breaking My Own Heart" · "Enough Love"
Single B-sides
"Oh Boy" · "Tomorrow" · "Save It For Your Prayers" · "Put It In Perspective" · "Loving You" · "Frame Me" · "Big Flame" · "Smoke Without Fire"
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockferry"
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