For Your Entertainment (album)
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For Your Entertainment is the debut studio album by Adam Lambert, the American Idol season eight runner-up. It was released on November 23, 2009.[1]
Four singles have been released from the album: "For Your Entertainment", "Whataya Want from Me", "If I Had You", and "Fever" in New Zealand only.
Development
Immediately following his participation on American Idol, Lambert began writing and recording with predominant pop hit makers such as Lady Gaga, Greg Wells, Max Martin, Linda Perry, RedOne, Ryan Tedder, Evan "Kidd" Bogart, Sam Sparro, Kara DioGuardi, Rivers Cuomo and Pink.
On October 28, Lambert announced that the lead single would be "For Your Entertainment" produced by Dr. Luke. He tweeted, "Debut single is called 'For Your Entertainment' ..." He also confirmed a song called "Soaked" written by Matthew Bellamy of Muse and a song called "Music Again" written by Justin Hawkins of The Darkness, and stated that he co-wrote four of the songs on the album: "Strut", "Pick U Up", "Aftermath" and "Broken Open".
Lambert also announced through Twitter that he had collaborated with Lady Gaga. "Yes it's true: I spent yesterday in the studio with the insanely talented and creative Lady Gaga recording a song that she wrote! I love her."[2]
The guitar solo on the song "Sleepwalker" was performed by Orianthi.
Promotion
To promote the album's release, several songs from the album were performed live on AOL Sessions.[3] Following his controversial performance at the American Music Awards of 2009(AMAs), Lambert was dropped from a few scheduled performances on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) network,[4] though CBS subsequently invited Lambert for an interview and performance on The Early Show in New York City instead.[5] Lambert then went on a series of promotional interviews and performances to address the controversy, clear up rumours, discuss his rise to fame, and promote the album. Interviews included The Ellen DeGeneres Show [6], The View [7], and The Oprah Winfrey Show[8][9]
On the March 10, Lambert performed on VH1's "Unplugged", where he sang stripped-down versions of songs off the album.[10]
During the spring of 2010, Lambert undertook a series of promotional interviews (TV and Radio) in Europe and Asia, to promote the upcoming international release of his album.
Critical reception
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Boston Globe | (mixed) [12] |
Entertainment Weekly | (B+) [13] |
The Detroit News | (favorable) [14] |
Los Angeles Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The New York Times | (unfavorable) [16] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Slant | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spin | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Toronto Star | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Critical response to For Your Entertainment was generally positive. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 71, based on ten reviews.[21] The Huffington Post called the album "An instant classic" and also stated that "As a whole, For Your Entertainment marks one of the most impressive mainstream pop album debuts in recent memory."[22] The Detroit News said that "It goes without saying that "For Your Entertainment" is the most poised debut from any "Idol" to date. Lambert has a vision and has successfully honed a sound that pays homage to his heroes while carving a niche for himself."[14] Spin said the album is "perhaps the strongest, most flavorful batch of tunes to reach an AI vet, and Lambert's polymorphous vocal skills unite dancefloor strut and hard-rock pomp in a convincing glam package."[19]
Slant Magazine wrote that "'Music Again' and the awkwardly written 'Strut' [are] every bit as obnoxious as the songs from Mika's The Boy Who Knew Too Much," and that "'Music Again' apes its production and a good deal of its melody from Mika's 'Touches You,' while the title track and lead single is so similar to Sam Sparro's 'Black and Gold' that 19 Entertainment should probably keep a strong legal team on retainer...but questions of originality aside, there's simply no getting around the fact that the Lady Gaga co-write 'Fever' and 'Whataya Want from Me,' written by Pink and Max Martin, are phenomenally well-crafted pop singles that give Lambert the opportunity to shine. To co-opt one of Simon Cowell's favorite phrases: Lambert's music sounds current in a way that Idol albums rarely do." [18] Rolling Stone wrote that "The songs sound great but feel strangely stuffy — Entertainment seems like a disc that was overthought. Next time, the hugely talented Lambert should make sure he's going straight for the gut."[17]
In 2010, Adam Lambert was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for "Outstanding Music Artist" for the album For Your Entertainment during the 21st GLAAD Media Awards.[23]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Music Again" | Justin Hawkins | Rob Cavallo | 3:16 |
2. | "For Your Entertainment" | Claude Kelly, Dr. Luke | Dr. Luke | 3:35 |
3. | "Whataya Want from Me" | Pink, Max Martin, Shellback | Max Martin, Shellback | 3:47 |
4. | "Strut" | Adam Lambert, Kara DioGuardi, Greg Wells | Greg Wells | 3:30 |
5. | "Soaked" | Matthew Bellamy | Rob Cavallo | 4:33 |
6. | "Sure Fire Winners" | David Gamson, Alexander James, Oliver Lieber | Rob Cavallo | 3:33 |
7. | "A Loaded Smile" | Linda Perry | Linda Perry | 4:04 |
8. | "If I Had You" | Max Martin, Shellback, Savan Kotecha | Max Martin, Shellback | 3:48 |
9. | "Pick U Up" | Rivers Cuomo, Greg Wells, Adam Lambert | Greg Wells | 4:00 |
10. | "Fever" | Lady Gaga, Jeff Bhasker | Jeff Bhasker | 3:26 |
11. | "Sleepwalker" | Ryan Tedder, Aimee Mayo, Chris Lindsey | Ryan Tedder | 4:25 |
12. | "Aftermath" | Adam Lambert, Alisan Porter, Ferras, Prince Ben | Howard Benson | 4:26 |
13. | "Broken Open" | Greg Wells, Adam Lambert, Evan “Kidd” Bogart | Greg Wells | 5:11 |
14. | "Time for Miracles" | Alain Johannes, Natasha Shneider | Rob Cavallo | 4:43 |
International Bonus Tracks
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
15. | "Master Plan" | Ryan Tedder, Dave Roth, Pat Benzer, David Jost | 3:21 |
16. | "Down the Rabbit Hole" | Lambert, Greg Wells, Evan Bogart | 4:06 |
17. | "Voodoo" | Lambert, Sam Sparro | 3:13 |
18. | "Can't Let You Go" (UK Bonus Track) | Claude Kelly, Greg Wells | 4:14 |
19. | "No Boundaries" | Kara DioGuardi, Cathy Dennis, Mitch Allan | 3:48 |
Remixes
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Whataya Want from Me" (Fonzerelli Electro House Club Mix) | Pink, Max Martin, Shellback | 5:51 |
2. | "Whataya Want from Me" (Brad Walsh A Vivir Mix) | Pink, Max Martin, Shellback | 4:31 |
3. | "Whataya Want from Me" (Jason Nevins Electrotek Extended Mix) | Pink, Max Martin, Shellback | 6:22 |
4. | "For Your Entertainment" (Bimbo Jones Vocal Mix) | Claude Kelly, Dr. Luke | 6:29 |
5. | "For Your Entertainment" (Brad Walsh Remix) | Claude Kelly, Dr. Luke | 4:56 |
6. | "If I Had You" (Jason Nevins Radio Edit) | Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Shellback | 3:44 |
Tour
In support of the album, Lambert embarked on his first headlining solo tour entitled The Glam Nation Tour. Dates across North America, New Zealand, Australia, Asia and Europe have been announced to date. The tour began with a sold out show at the Kirby Sports Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania He has been touring with Allison Iraheta, and he had been touring with Orianthi as well.[24][25]
Chart performance
The album sold 198,000 copies in its first week, debuting at number 3 on the Billboard 200. As of September 2010, it has sold 735,000 in the U.S.[26]
Chart (2009–2010) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums Chart[27] | 14 |
Austrian Album Charts[28] | 22 |
Belgium Ultratop Albums[29] | 56 |
Canadian Albums Chart[30] | 7 |
Danish Album Chart[31] | 30 |
Dutch Album Chart[32] | 25 |
Finnish Albums Chart[33] | 4 |
German Albums Chart [34] | 16 |
Greek International Albums Chart[35] | 5 |
Hungarian Albums Chart[36] | 22 |
Swiss Albums Chart[37] | 34 |
Irish Albums Chart[38] | 60 |
Italian Albums Chart[39] | 65 |
New Zealand Albums Chart[40] | 5 |
Swedish Albums Chart[41] | 8 |
UK Albums Chart[42] | 36 |
Billboard European Albums[43] | 46 |
U.S. Billboard 200[44] | 3 |
Release date
Country | Date | Label | Formats |
---|---|---|---|
United Kingdom | November 20, 2009[45] | RCA Records | Digital Download |
United States | November 23, 2009 | CD, Digital download | |
Canada | Sony Music | ||
Philippines[46] | CD | ||
Brazil | January 28, 2010 | ||
Australia | March 5, 2010 | CD, Digital download | |
Japan | March 10, 2010 | ||
Argentina | April 13, 2010 | CD | |
Finland | May 1, 2010 | CD | |
United Kingdom[47] | May 3, 2010 | RCA Records | CD |
Italy[48] | June 1, 2010 | CD, Digital download |
Certification history
As of September 29, 2010, the album has sold 735,000 in the U.S.[49] The album has been certified Platinum in Canada, New Zealand and Singapore.
Album certifications
Country | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
---|---|
Canada (CRIA) | Platinum (March 2010)[50] |
New Zealand (RIANZ) | Platinum (May 2010)[51] |
United States (RIAA) | Gold (June 2010)[52] |
References
- ^ Herrera, Monica (2009-10-19). "Adam Lambert leaked single online". Reuters.
{{cite news}}
: Text "accessdate-2009-11-29" ignored (help) - ^ Parker, Lyndsey (2009-10-19). music.yahoo.com "Adam Lambert goes "Gaga": Breaking Collabo News". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
{{cite web}}
: Check|url=
value (help) - ^ "Adam Lambert Live Performance". aol.com. 2010-01-01.
- ^ Bauder, David. "ABC: Lambert's Performance Draws 1,500 Complaints". Associated Press.
- ^ "Adam Lambert To Perform On "Early Show"". CBS News. Cbsnews.com. 24 November 2009. Retrieved 24 November 2009.
- ^ "Adam Lambert News - Updates, Blog, Fan Comments & More | The Official Adam Lambert Site". Adamofficial.com. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
- ^ Cady, Jennifer (December 10, 2009). "ABC Still Afraid of Adam Lambert, Pretapes View Performance". E! Online. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
- ^ "Adam Lambert Sits Down With Oprah". Billboard.com. 2009-09-14. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
- ^ "Adam Lambert's Rise to Fame". Oprah.com. 2010-01-19.
- ^ "Adam Lambert Unplugged". neonlimelight.com. 2010-03-11.
- ^ Allmusic staff. "Review: For Your Entertainment". Allmusic. Retrieved 26 November 2009.
{{cite web}}
:|author=
has generic name (help) - ^ Rodman, Sarah (2009-11-24). "Adam Lambert shifts styles in For Your Entertainment". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
{{cite news}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ Greenblatt, Leah (2009-11-18). "Adam Lambert - For Your Entertainment review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ a b Graham, Adam (2009-11-13). "Review: Adam Lambert's For Your Entertainment glams it up greatly". The Detroit News. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
{{cite web}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ Powers, Ann (2009-11-19). "Album review: Adam Lambert's For Your Entertainment". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
{{cite news}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ Caramanica, Jon (2009-11-22). "Critics' Choice - New from Rihanna, Shakira, Kris Allen, Adam Lambert - Review". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
{{cite news}}
: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=
(help) - ^ a b Rosen, Jody (November 23, 2009). "For Your Entertainment". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 24, 2009.
- ^ a b Keefe, Jonathan (November 22, 2009). "Adam Lmabert: For Your Entertainment: Music Review: Slant Magazine". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2009-11-23.
- ^ a b Walters, Barry (2009-11-19). "Adam Lambert For Your Entertainment (19 Recordings/RCA)". Spin (magazine). Retrieved 2009-11-29.
- ^ Rayner, Ben (2009-11-24). "CD Pick of the Week: For Your Entertainment by Adam Lambert". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
- ^ "Adam Lambert:For Your Entertainment (2009): Reviews". Metacritic. CNET Networks, Inc. Retrieved December 21, 2009.
- ^ Vogel, Joe (2009-11-21). "Review: Adam Lambert's For Your Entertainment Instant Classic". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
- ^ "21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards - English Language Nominees". Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation. 2010. Retrieved February 21, 2010.
- ^ "Adam Lambert to tour with Allison Iraheta, Orianthi". beatweekcom. 2010-04-16.
- ^ "Adam Lambert: Glam Nation Tour Will "Transport People" [VIDEO]". www.ryanseacrest.com. 2010-04-15.
- ^ USA Today. 2010-09-15.
{{cite news}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help); Text "http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2010/09/idol-album-sales-fantasia-carrie-underwood-etc/1" ignored (help) - ^ "australian-charts.com - Adam Lambert albums chart history". ARIA. 2010-03-14. Retrieved 2010-03-14.
- ^ "austriancharts.at - Adam Lambert - For Your Entertainment chart history". 2010-05-28. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
- ^ http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Adam+Lambert&titel=For+Your+Entertainment&cat=a
- ^ http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100#/album/adam-lambert/for-your-entertainment/1310438
- ^ http://danishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Adam+Lambert&titel=For+Your+Entertainment&cat=a
- ^ http://dutchcharts.nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Adam+Lambert&titel=For+Your+Entertainment&cat=a
- ^ http://finnishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Adam+Lambert&titel=For+Your+Entertainment&cat=a
- ^ http://www.mtv.de/charts/album50
- ^ http://greekcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Adam+Lambert&titel=For+Your+Entertainment&cat=a
- ^ "Slágerlisták - Top 40 album- és válogatáslemez-lista" (in Hungarian). Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. 2010.08.23. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^ http://www.swisscharts.com/weekchart.asp?cat=a
- ^ "Irish Music Charts: Chart #1697". IRMA. 2010-05-06. Retrieved 2010-05-08.
- ^ "fimi.it".
- ^ "New Zealand Chart: Chart #1697". RIANZ. 2009-11-30. Retrieved 2009-12-01.
- ^ For Your Entertainment on Swedish charts
- ^ "Chart Stats - Adam Lambert". chartstats.com. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
- ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/album/adam-lambert/for-your-entertainment/1310438
- ^ http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100#/album/adam-lambert/for-your-entertainment/1310438
- ^ http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/for-your-entertainment/id341332143?i=341332149&ign-mpt=uo%3D2
- ^ "Adam Lambert "For Your Entertainment" Philippine Album Release". 2009-11-23.
{{cite web}}
: Text "sonymusic.com.ph" ignored (help) - ^ http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/13646407/For-Your-Entertainment/Product.html
- ^ [1]
- ^ "'Idol' album sales: Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, etc". USA Today. 2010-09-15.
- ^ "CRIA Search Certification Database". Canadian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 2010-04-14.
- ^ "Latest Gold / Platinum Singles". RadioScope. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
- ^ "RIAA - Gold & Platinum - August 10, 2010: Adam Lambert certified albums". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2010-08-10.