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Play On (Carrie Underwood album)

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Play On is the third studio album from American country artist Carrie Underwood. It was released in the United States on November 3, 2009. The first single, "Cowboy Casanova", was released to country radio on September 14, 2009.[11] In addition, three promotional singles were made available to iTunes prior to the release of the album. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 318,000 copies; and rated as the highest first week sales for a female artist in 2009.[12] It is her second album to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200, and to debut atop both Nielsen SoundScan's country and overall album charts, making it Underwood's second consecutive number-one album.

Background

The album was originally to have included some songs that Underwood wrote with Ne-Yo.[13] One of the tracks entitled "Look At Me" was previously recorded by country singer, Alan Jackson, on the Billy: The Early Years soundtrack. Vince Gill sang background vocals on the track.[14] "Mama's Song" sold more than 31,000 copies in its debut week.[15]

On October 16, 2009, Underwood made a promotional stop in Singapore to promote her upcoming album to the Asian media. The album was released on Nov. 2 in Singapore and various parts of Asia, followed by a Nov. 3 release in the United States.[16] Underwood performed on The Late Show with David Letterman on November 2, and performed a special outdoor concert at Lincoln Center on Good Morning America on album release day, and rounded out her week with a visit to Live with Regis and Kelly on November 5.[17]

Carrie also performed another outdoor concert for Good Morning America at the Sommet Center in Nashville on November 11, 2009, with Brad Paisley.

On the November 16, 2009 episode of the Tonight Show (with Conan O'Brien), Underwood performed Temporary Home, which is set to be released to country radio in December as the 2nd official single from Play On.

Reception

The album received mixed reviews. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic gave the album 2.5 out of 5 stars. He argues that "Carrie is still nominally a country artist and sometimes will sing supported by fiddles and steel guitar, but this is crossover pop pure and simple, whether it's the thundering rhythms on the Shania-styled strut "Cowboy Casanova" or the succession of maudlin melodies on the preponderance of power ballads."[1] Leah Greenblatt rated it B in Entertainment Weekly, saying "If it seems vaguely insulting to call the smashingly successful Idol alum’s material formulaic, know at least that it is, three albums in, one the most well-honed formulas in the business."[2]

Sean Daly from the St. Petersburg Times argues that Play On is Underwood's "weakest album to date", but predicts that the album will "sell like gangbusters." Daly says that Cowboy Casanova, "co-written by 50 Cent buddy Mike Elizondo, brazenly bites from both Before He Cheats and Last Name." Daly highlights the song Someday When I Stop Loving You. He says that it "is so good. It has a vague '70s feel, reminiscent of all those great old Chicago songs."

Blake Boldt of 9513 (Country Music) graded the album 3 out of 5 stars. He states Underwood’s third disc, Play On, starts promisingly, with “Cowboy Casanova,” an ode to a hard-to-keep lothario, plows along to a grungy electric guitar laced with a curling pedal steel line. At her best, Underwood excels at handling the finest storytelling that Nashville has to offer. The album’s strongest track is “Someday When I Stop Loving You,” a brooding tune framed beautifully by her delicate performance, while “What Can I Say,” a collaboration with sibling trio Sons of Sylvia, is a simple, elegant declaration of longing. He added that the remaining 45 minutes, though, are more Hallmark than honky tonk. Play On is a tastefully-done pop pleasure, with little of the pretentious production that gutted much of her first two discs. Play On, though saddled with its share of loose songwriting, is a convincing reminder of a blonde, budding talent.[18]


Promotion

Prior to the release of her third album, "Play On," three promotional singles were made available by iTunes. "Mama's Song" released on October 12 followed by "Temporary Home" which was released on October 20 and "Undo It" released on October 27. Billboard.com also posted a 60 second clip of each song being released on iTunes.

She debuted several of her singles at the Academy of Country Music Awards and the Country Music Association Awards.

She also appeared on several shows to promote her album including Late Show with David Letterman, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Live With Regis and Kelly, Good Morning America, The Tonight Show on NBC. and at the Grand Ole Opry

Underwood also performed in Singapore on October 16, 2009; it is her first public appearance in an Asian country in line of a series of events for the grand opening of the newest shopping attraction in the heart of the city, ION Orchard.[19]

Singles

  • "Cowboy Casanova" served as the lead single for the album. It was released on September 14, 2009, two months before the album's official release and debuted on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs at #26, the fifth highest debut by a female artist on the chart. It eventually held the #1 spot for 1 week for the week of November 21, 2009. It also peaked at #11 on U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It has become the fastest-climbing single of Underwood's career; it is also the fastest-climbing single of 2009 in the country music genre.[20]
  • The second single, "Temporary Home", The single will be released to country radio starting the week of December 14, 2009.[21]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Cowboy Casanova"Underwood, Mike Elizondo, Brett JamesBright3:57
2."Quitter"Max Martin, Shellback, Savan KotechaMartin, Shellback3:41
3."Mama's Song"Underwood, Kara DioGuardi, Martin Frederiksen, Luke LairdBright4:00
4."Change"Katrina Elam, Josh Kear, Chris TompkinsBright3:14
5."Undo It"Underwood, DioGuardi, Frederiksen, LairdBright2:58
6."Someday When I Stop Loving You"Hillary Lindsey, Steve McEwan, Gordie SampsonBright4:03
7."Songs Like This"Marty Dodson, Jerry Flowers, Tom ShapiroBright2:38
8."Temporary Home"Underwood, Laird, Zac MaloyBright4:30
9."This Time"Lindsey, McEwan, SampsonBright3:53
10."Look At Me"Jim Collins, Paul OverstreetBright3:17
11."Unapologize"Underwood, Lindsey, Raine Maida, Chantal KreviazukBright4:37
12."What Can I Say" (featuring Sons of Sylvia)Underwood, David Hodges, McEwanBright3:58
13."Play On"Underwood, Natalie Hemby, LairdBright3:41
US and Canada iTunes Bonus Track [22]
No.TitleProducerLength
14."O Holy Night"Bright3:58

Release history

Region Date Format Label
Switzerland October 30, 2009 CD, digital download Sony Music
Hong Kong November 2, 2009
Ireland
United Kingdom CD RCA Label Group (UK)
November 3, 2009 digital download
United States CD, digital download Arista Nashville
Canada Sony Music
Korea November 4, 2009
Denmark
Finland
Sweden
Australia[23] November 6, 2009
Germany
South Africa November 9, 2009
Uruguay November 26, 2009

Chart performance

Album

The album debuted at #91 on the Irish Albums Chart,[24] and #93 on the UK Albums Chart[25] becoming Underwood's first entry on both charts. It also debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and Hot Country Albums chart, with first week sales of 318,000. In Canada, the album debuted at #2 on the Canadian charts with 15,000 sales.[26] The album has become her highest charting in Australia coming in at #5 on the country charts, and #80 on the National Album Charts ARIA Top 100.

Chart (2009) Peak
position
Australian ARIA Albums Chart[27] 80
Australian ARIA Country Albums Chart[28] 5
Canadian Albums Chart[26] 2
Canadian Top Country Albums 1
Irish Albums Chart[24] 91
UK Albums Chart[25] 93
U.S. Billboard 200[29] 1
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums[29] 1
Singles
Year Single Peak chart positions
US Country US CAN Country CAN
2009 "Cowboy Casanova" 1 11 2 16
"Temporary Home"
Other charted songs
Year Single Peak positions
US CAN
2009 "Mama's Song" 77 68
"Temporary Home" 92 66
"Undo It" 86 43
"Change" 109 —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart
Succession
Preceded by U.S. Billboard 200 number-one album
November 21, 2009 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Top Country Albums number-one album
November 21-November 28, 2009 		Incumbent
Canadian Country Top 50 number-one album
November 8, 2009 		Incumbent

References

  1. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Play On review". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-11-01.
  2. ^ a b Greenblatt, Leah. "Review: Play On". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
  3. ^ Daly, Sean. "Carrie Underwood's new album, "Play On", is her weakest yet". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
  4. ^ Lewis, Randy. "Album review: Carrie Underwood's 'Play On'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
  5. ^ Keefe, Jonathan. "Carrie Underwood: Play On". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
  6. ^ Caramanica, Jon. "Critics' Choice New CDs". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
  7. ^ Bjorke, Matt (2009-11-03). "Play On review". Roughstock. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
  8. ^ Boldt, Blake. "Album Review: Carrie Underwood - Play On". The 9513. Retrieved 2009-11-03.
  9. ^ "Listen Up: Carrie Underwood expands worldview in 'Play On'". USA Today. Retrieved 2009-11-04. {{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Future Releases for Country Radio Stations
  11. ^ Single Releases : MusicRow
  12. ^ (2009-11-11)
  13. ^ Mansfield, Brian (2009-08-25) Carrie Underwood writing with Ne-Yo USA Today.
  14. ^ http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/index
  15. ^ http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2009/10/carrie-underwood-glee-spur-idol-track-sales/1
  16. ^ http://www.cmt.com/news/news-in-brief/1624366/carrie-underwood-promotes-new-album-play-on-in-singapore.jhtml
  17. ^ http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2009/10/carrie-underwoods-busy-release-week-schedule/1
  18. ^ http://www.the9513.com/album-review-carrie-underwood-play-on/
  19. ^ http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1011665/1/.html
  20. ^ Carrie Has the Hottest Country Hit of the Year as the Digital Single for “Cowboy Casanova” Releases Today!
  21. ^ http://www.allaccess.com/country/future-releases
  22. ^ http://www.carrieunderwoodofficial.com/us/news/itunes-countdown-o-holy-night
  23. ^ Listen to Carrie's Cowboy Casanova! Retrieved 2009-09-06.
  24. ^ a b [1]
  25. ^ a b [2]
  26. ^ a b [3]
  27. ^ [4]
  28. ^ [5]
  29. ^ a b Caulfield, Keith (2009-11-11). "Carrie Underwood Claims Second No. 1 Album". Billboard. Retrieved 2009-11-11.
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