Irresistible (Jessica Simpson album)
Encyclopedia
Irresistible is the second studio album
by American recording artist Jessica Simpson
, released on May 25, 2001, through Columbia Records
. Simpson, who began working on the project in July 2000, contacted already established writers and producers to collaborate on the project, including Cory Rooney
, Rodney Jerkins
, and Walter Afanasieff
. In contrast to her debut album Sweet Kisses
(1999), which included more ballads, Irresistible explored hip hop
and R&B
genres of music. Simpson described the material as "Mariah Carey
meets Britney Spears
", indicating the soulfulness of the songs as well as their contemporary appeal. Lyrical themes addressed in the album include love and heartbreak, sexuality, and self-respect.
Sweet Kisses, which was aimed at an older audience, did not perform well commercially, and so Simpson re-evaluated her career. At the suggestion of her label executives, Simpson modified her image and sound in Irresistible, deciding to delve more into the teen pop
and R&B genres, as she felt that restyling herself to match the image of her contemporaries—Spears and Christina Aguilera
—would help rejuvenate her career. After its release, Irresistible received mostly negative reviews from critics, most of whom were disappointed by the music; some of them also felt it was too generic and over-produced. Initially, the album enjoyed commercial success, debuting at number six on the Billboard 200
. It was an improvement from her previous endeavor and the album went on to sell about 850,000 copies in the US. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) for shipments of 500,000 copies. Elsewhere, the album was not as successful, reaching number thirteen in Canada and cracking the top forty in Sweden, Japan, and Germany.
Two single
s were released from Irresistible. The title track, the album's lead single, was commercially successful, as it reached the top twenty in charts of eleven countries, including number eleven on the UK Singles Chart
, and at number fifteen on the United States Billboard Hot 100
. It was followed by "A Little Bit
", which failed to chart in the US, but reached a peak position of number sixty-two in Australia. Simpson performed songs from Irresistible on a number of occasions. In 2001, she also embarked on her first headlining tour, titled the DreamChaser Tour, to promote the album.
in 1998 and the next year she released her debut album titled Sweet Kisses
. The album featured mostly ballads, and was targeted at a more mature audience than the works of her contemporaries, Britney Spears
and Christina Aguilera
. Simpson even stayed true to her Christian beliefs, and dressed conservatively unlike her peers. The album only managed a peak of number twenty-five on the US Billboard 200
, far from the success of her contemporaries. This led Simpson to re-evaluate her career and although she was enjoying some success, she felt she could improve on this. Feeling her more "innocent" image would halt her career from developing further, Simpson adopted a sexier image and newer sound, at the suggestion of the Columbia executives
She moved into the teen-pop genre, as she felt that restyling herself to match the image of Spears and Aguilera would help remake her career. She separated from her then-boyfriend Nick Lachey
, in March 2001, feeling the need to concentrate on her career. Her new image was promoted through appearances on many events, where Simpson wore revealing outfits. The development of this image coincided with the production and release of her second studio effort, Irresistible. Simpson said that she wanted to portray a "sexier, more mature style". "I recorded [Sweet Kisses] when I was 17 years old and I'm 21 [this month] so there is four years of growth involved," Simpson said in an interview with Coventry Newspapers in July 2001. In an interview with Cosmopolitan
in June 2001, she explained, "This record is about who I am now. The music is edgier, and I'm all grown up." According to Terri Doughtery, author of People in the News: Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, Simpson hoped her new image would bring more attention to the power of her voice. "It's not just me singing about being in love. I also have heartbreak songs and girls telling off guys songs. It's going to take me a while to recoup [on] this album, because we spent a lot of money on it," Simpson said to Entertainment Weekly
.
, the CEO
of Columbia, take control of the whole project. He enlisted many established composers and producers for the album, hand-picked each song for the track list, and rejected those he felt were not so good. Although she had previously announced that she would write a few songs for her second album, Simpson does not share songwriting credits on any of the tracks. On being asked why, she said that she was very shy when it came to songwriting and felt that it requires a lot of "bravery" to write songs. She also expressed that she could not find the right words for the songs and hence did not write for the record. According to Simpson, the album did not have a definite concept or theme; Mottola selected songs which they felt were good enough for Simpson and compiled them into an album.
Described as being very sexy and more grown up by Simpson, the opening title track was written by the Swedish duo Anders Bagge
and Arnthor Birgisson
, in collaboration with English singer-songwriter
Pamela Sheyne. Birgisson told music technology
magazine Sound on Sound
that they started developing the song after Sheyne proposed the title and concept. Bagge and Birgisson developed the melody and completed the song's lyrics. Sheyne also sings backing vocals in the song. "A Little Bit
" was written by Kara DioGuardi
, along with Steve Morales and David Siegal
. Although she had the written songs for other artists including Kylie Minogue
and Martine McCutcheon
, the song became DioGuardi's first writing credit for an artist from her native country. Simpson said that "the message behind the song is for the guys to listen to the girl." The next track, "Forever In Your Eyes", was co-written by Lachey, along with Rhett Lawrence
.
Walter Afanasieff
, long-time Mariah Carey
collaborator, worked with Simpson on three cuts from Irresistible. One of the songs, "When You Told Me You Loved Me", was written by Afanasieff in collaboration with Billy Mann. In an interview with Allpop, Simpson named the song as one of her favorites and said, "I really base that on a situation of a friend of mine whose parents are divorced. I like the emotion behind that song." Cory Rooney
wrote "Hot Like Fire" solely, which Simpson described as "certainly not kid stuff", a song "with a lot of attitude." Louis Biancaniello and Sam Watters were also brought in to write and produce songs for the album. One of the cuts, "For Your Love", according to Simpson, is reminiscent of "I Wanna Love You Forever
" (1999). Simpson covered the gospel
hymn "His Eye is on the Sparrow
" as the last song of the album. She said, "I wanted to give my audience a piece of my heart and soul. The message is there's so much in life that can get you discouraged, but if you trust that you're being watched over, you have a reason to live and a sense of freedom. It's different for everyone, but for me, my relationship with God is the way I clear out the shadows that hang in our lives."
as the executive producer of Irresistible. Most of the recording and mixing works were done at Sony Music Studios
, New York City
and was completed over a time span of eight months. Rooney also coordinated the recording process while Robert Williams miked the vocals. Sony's C-800G Tube Condenser Microphone, equipped with a dual large diaphragm and electronically selectable pick-up pattern, was used to record the vocals. In an interview with Sony's SoundByte magazine in 2002, Williams said of his choice: "In the studio, it comes down to what you hear. [...] She has such a big range, from a whisper to really belting it out, and you need a microphone that can handle the range without distortion." He had used the microphone for Simpson's first album and felt that it suited her well. He also noted that on ballads, "the S's and wet sounds of lips" are important to the texture of the song. According to him, as Simpson's vocals tended to be "bright", he edited the lower ends of her voice to equalize the track.
To mix the tracks, a Sony Oxford Console was used. Audio engineer Mick Guzauski
explained to SoundByte that he used the console's "Automated EQ
feature" on the tracks. He said that he could "tailor the frequency responses and dynamics within each song with optimum equalizer at every pitch and level." For the Afanasieff tracks, the background vocals and overdubs
were accomplished on the Oxford console at his Wally World Studio B, at San Rafael, California
. Simpson's label-mate and Latin singer Marc Anthony
is featured as a guest vocalist on the ballad "There You Were". Simpson met Anthony at the taping of the TV special A Christmas in Washington in 2000. They talked to each other, and proposed recording a song on both of their next albums. They sang the song side by side in the studio and the whole song was completed within six hours. "Forever in Your Eyes" was one of the first songs to be recorded for the album, and was produced by Rhett Lawrence. It was recorded at Sony Music Studios within two hours. Rodney Jerkins, who was acquainted with Mottola, produced two cuts on Irresistible. In an interview with Sony Music Japan, Simpson said that she never met Jerkins in person. He produced and recorded the songs' music and sent the tape to Columbia, from which "Imagination" and "I Never" were selected. Cory Rooney produced Simpson's vocals and Tony Maserati mixed the vocals. Initially, Simpson did not want to record "What's It Gonna Be" as she felt the verse "Are you gonna be a dog or a gentleman" was a little awkward. However, due to her record label's persuasion, she recorded the song and ultimately became fond of it. In order to record the title track, Simpson traveled to Murlyn Music Studios
, in Sweden. "A Little Bit" was produced by Ric Wake; although he produced many songs for the album, only "A Little Bit" made the final cut. The Japanese version of the album contains a bonus track—the Hex Hector
remix of "Irresistible"—for which Simpson re-recorded her vocals.
song with dance-pop
influences. It also exhibits elements of pop rock
and funk
genres, while incorporating latin rhythms. Aside from including a string section
, the track features breathy vocals from Simpson. and it features "Irresistible" features spoken passages by Simpson, and a mid-section breakdown
, where her vocals are "funk-fortified". According to author Ben Graham, the lyrics of the song see Simpson stripping her famous virginity image down. Bob Waliszewski of Plugged In
gave a similar observation of the lyrics, writing that they point to an imminent sexual compromise. "A Little Bit" is a dance-pop song following the same beat-oriented pattern as "Irresistible". It features piano instrumentation and Simpson sings the lyrics as rapid-fire verses and with start-and-stop hooks. Simpson again adopts breathy vocals, and the lyrics talk about what she expects from her partner: "A little more time, a little less wait / A little more heart, a little less break". The lyrics also demand healthy changes in her relationship. "Forever In Your Eyes" explores elements of latin music, as the song is backed by Spanish guitar
and infused with hip-hop beats. The lyrics describe a couple in love lying together "all through the night". "There You Were" is a torchy power ballad which drew comparisons to Simpson's previous song "Where You Are" (2000). The lyrics of the song are a homage to the protagonist's partner, who changed her life. The song received negative response from critics, with some calling it "sappy" and "unnecessary". "What's It Gonna Be" is a bubblegum pop
song influenced by '80s funk music, which was compared to outtakes from Spears' Oops!... I Did It Again
(2000). The lyrics deal with Simpson expecting a reply from her lover regarding his fear of commitment.
"When You Told Me You Loved Me" is another power ballad about love, this time utilizing a spanish guitar. Backed by a full 60 piece orchestra, the song and Simpson's vocals were compared to that of Mariah Carey and Celine Dion
. "Hot Like Fire", which received positive reviews from critics, is a funky mid-tempo number. Compared to the likes of Michael Jackson
and Destiny's Child
, the song begins with a "faux" telephone call between Simpson and her friend; the latter explains that Simpson's boyfriend has been cheating on her. The lyrics, sung with "hard edge vocals" over synth horns, hip-hop beats, and electronica rhythms, demonstrate Simpson's annoyance at being cheated on by her boyfriend. "Imagination" is a song with electronic
and R&B influences. Rick de Yampert of The Daytona Beach News-Journal commented that the song contained Stevie Wonder
-styled funk music. "To Fall in Love Again" and "For Your Love" are ballads; the former is backed by a 60 piece orchestra, and Peter Marsh of BBC Music
noted it "morphs [...] into an R'n'B tinged slow jam." It also contains a jazz breakdown
, towards its end. Bob Waliszewski wrote that through the latter, "Simpson pledges devotion to a partner". "I Never", produced by Darkchild, infuses Spanish guitars, and has an "urban" tinge. The song portrays the theme of self-respect, and has Simpson getting rid of her cheating partner. The closing track, the cover of the hymn "His Eye Is on the Sparrow", is backed by a gospel choir and "praises God for watching over His children". Reviewers called it one of the standout tracks from the album. According to Kirsten Koba of PopMatters
, Simpson sings it "with a depth and passion that is lacking on the rest of the album."
, she said that the album art was "a sign of confidence". However, the cover received negative attention from many critics, including the conservative Christian publication Plugged In
, which was a strong supporter of Simpson and her virgin image, and Sweet Kisses. They stated, "If anything, Irresistible copes with temptation by yielding to it which, in conjunction with Simpson's general immodesty, models a dubious sexual ethic." Canadian music magazine Chart
also gave a negative response, writing "it takes more than wearing see-through clothes, with airbrushed, non-existent nipples, to show that you have matured." A few critics criticized the art for being digitally edited, while others commented on Simpson's similarity to Spears. The Japanese version of the album has the same front sleeve artwork as that of "Irresistible" single.
The title of the album was tentatively set to be Hot Like Fire, later changed to Imagination, before being confirmed to be Irresistible on March 16, 2001. In the United States, Irresistible was initially slated for release on March 20, 2001. However, due to undisclosed reasons, the release was pushed to June 5, 2001. A listening party was arranged by AOL on June 4, 2001, a day before the album's release date. The album's release was celebrated with a release party at the New York Water Club
. Simpson rode down Manhattan's East River
on a yacht decorated with banners for the celebration, which included a water ski show, a fireboat
spraying water, and fireworks. Simpson said the album's release was a critical moment in her career, one "which could send her to stardom or obscurity." In an interview, she said "I'm right there ready to explode." "Or I could go pfft . No one could ever hear from me again," she added. In the United Kingdom, Irresistible was released on July 16, 2001, and in Japan on May 25, 2001.
David Browne
of Entertainment Weekly said that the album "should have been called 'Relentless'." "Exploiting every cliche in the pop 2001 handbook – florid ballads seemingly formulated for movie soundtracks [...] it quite literally hits you baby, and more than one time," he added. Although he gave Simpson credit for being able to sing, he said that she did it in a "talent show manner". Kirsten Koba of Popmatters commented that "Irresistible is more reminiscent of trips to the dentist's office, or any equally oppressive place that only plays adult contemporary schlock." Barry Walters of Rolling Stone wrote that except "Hot Like Fire", every other track on Irresistible needed remixing. He concluded by saying, "With so many teen-pop choices, this prom-queen cyborg remains redundant and reactionary." Sal Cinquemani of Slant called the album a "lackluster sophomore" effort. He commented that there was no "original note" on the album and compared the tracks to those by Spears.
Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine
graded the album 2.5 stars out of 5, and commented that the album was "filled with frothy, sugary pop tunes." He noted that apart from the title track and "A Little Bit", none of the songs "register as songs – they're just stylish background music." He concluded by commenting, "it's a bit of the inverse of Sweet Kisses, which was too heavy on ballads, and, like that record, this is the work of pros, so it sounds fine as it plays but it lacks a song as strong as 'I Think I'm in Love With You
' to anchor it – so it floats away from memory." Peter Marsh of the BBC gave a mixed review; although noting that the album sounded like a mixture of Spears, Aguilera, Carey and Dion, and he wrote that it covered all the "bases". Larry Printz of The Morning Call praised the album, calling it "pleasant, palatable modern pop." He wrote that the album was "clearly the best of the lot", and commended Simpson's vocals. Chuck Taylor of Billboard was gave a positive review, viewing the album as "a great step forward for youth pop and sure footing for [this] glamorous talent."
(RIAA) for shipments of 500,000 copies in the country, and as of February 2009, Irresistible had sold 755,000 copies in the US. In Canada, Irresistible debuted at number fifteen on the Canadian Albums Chart
for the week dated June 23, 2001. It ascended to its peak of number thirteen the following week before dropping out of the top twenty the week after. Irresistible was certified gold by the Canadian Recording Industry Association
(CRIA) in April 2005, for shipments of 50,000 units.
Overseas, in Australia, the album debuted at number eighty-one on the ARIA Albums Chart
, in the issue dated September 17, 2001. It dropped out of the chart the next week. Similarly, Irresistible debuted at number seventy-five on the Austrian Albums Chart, the week of August 5, 2001. It rose to its peak position of number fifty-eight the next week. In Switzerland, the album debuted at number twenty, the week dated July 8, 2001. After attaining its peak position of number fifteen, it dropped to number sixteen. The album stayed on the charts for a total of nine weeks, including one re-entry at number ninety-five on September 16, 2001. In Japan, Irresistible debuted at number twenty-five on the Oricon
Albums Chart, with sales of 9,560 copies. The following week, it ascended to number twenty-four with additional sales of 12,430 units. The album stayed in the top 100 for six weeks, and according to Oricon, has sold 44,580 copies in Japan. In the United Kingdom, Irresistible peaked at a position of number 103. The album saw moderate success in Germany, where it peaked at number thirty-four, and stayed on the chart for one week. According to The Daytona Beach News-Journal, the album has achieved multiplatinum sales worldwide.
As a part of promotion, Simpson performed tracks from the album on several televised appearances and occasions, including Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular
, in celebration of Independence Day
, and the 2001 Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve
. In July 2001, she performed the tracks, including "Irresistible" at Wango Tango
, an annual all-day concert organized by KIIS-FM
, in California
. She also toured with Destiny's Child
, Nelly
, and Eve on MTV's first Total Request Live
(TRL) Tour, which spanned thirty dates in the US. In November, she joined the lineup of United Service Organizations
' (USO) Tour, to entertain the US troops fighting in Operation Enduring Freedom. The tour, which started in Arlington, Virginia, ventured through the Middle East
, including Afghanistan
. The next month, she joined the cast of KBKS-FM
's Jingle Bell Bash in Seattle. At the event, she performed "Irresistible", "A Little Bit", "I Wanna Love You Forever
", and "I Think I'm in Love with You
". Simpson also promoted the album through performance at MTV
's Spring Break program, held in Cancún
, Mexico.
, Simpson wanted "DreamChaser" to present her as a singer and a performer, in the mold of Spears. Simpson decided to make the tour risque by adding more backup dancers and wearing skimpier clothing. She took dance lessons for the tour, as she felt that she had to transform herself into a performer. The tour was set up on a portable stage called the "Extreme Mobile Venue", with a capacity to hold 10,000 people, and ran in mall parking lots. The arena featured a 300 feet (91.4 m) stadium stage, complete with a sound system and lights. Arrangements for concertgoers to bungee jump, climb a rock wall, and go mechanical surfing while the singer was not performing were also provided. The venue featured interactive games and exhibits, and was supported by a 9 feet (2.7 m)-high ramp for extreme motorcycle riders. The tour openers included Eden's Crush
, Youngstown
, Toya
, and Plus One
. It was choreographed by Dan Karaty
.
The tour launched on August 7, 2001, at Corpus Christi, Texas
, and ran twenty-five dates through mid-September. Tickets price ranged between $29.99 and $39.99. In an interview with Deseret News, Simpson said that it "was a fun tour. That was like a preparation for me. It was one of those things where I just wanted to go out and meet all my fans." A video tape, titled Dream Chaser, was released on January 22, 2002, which included Simpson's biography, music videos, behind-the-scenes looks at "Irresistible" and "A Little Bit", and footage from the tour. The tape reached number twenty-five on Billboard Top Music Videos
chart, for the issue dated February 9, 2002.
from the album, "Irresistible", was released on April 12, 2001, as a CD single. The song received generally negative reviews from music critics. They criticized the sexuality of its lyrics and the over-usage of digital sound manipulators, with Associated Press
calling it "unimaginative". In 2003, the song won a Broadcast Music Incorporated
(BMI) "Pop Music Award". "Irresistible" became a moderate commercial success, peaking within the top twenty hit in the United States and the United Kingdom. The song was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA). The accompanying music video was directed by Simon Brand
, and features Simpson dressed as a spy, trying to compromise some evidence in a laboratory.
"A Little Bit
" was released as the second single, on October 29, 2001. The song was used to promote Bally Total Fitness
and thus, a limited CD single pressing was made available to people who joined the club. The song only managed to reach number sixty-two on the Australian Singles Chart. A music video, directed by Hype Williams
, features Simpson dancing in a futuristic spaceship-like setting, with her backup dancers. In 2011, "When You Told Me You Loved Me" charted and peaked at number 192 on the South Korean Download Chart
.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by American recording artist Jessica Simpson
Jessica Simpson
Jessica Ann Simpson is an American recording artist, actress, television personality, and fashion designer whose rise to fame began in 1999. Since that time, Simpson has achieved many recording milestones, starred in several television shows, movies, and commercials, launched a line of hair and...
, released on May 25, 2001, through Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
. Simpson, who began working on the project in July 2000, contacted already established writers and producers to collaborate on the project, including Cory Rooney
Cory Rooney
Cory Rooney is an American songwriter, record producer, and C.E.O. of Cory Rooney Group. He has written, produced, and developed many hits and careers for artists such as Mariah Carey, Mary J...
, Rodney Jerkins
Rodney Jerkins
Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician. Jerkins received two Grammy nominations in 2011.-Biography:...
, and Walter Afanasieff
Walter Afanasieff
Walter Afanasieff is a multiple Grammy-award-winning record producer and songwriter. He is best known for his long association with Mariah Carey, for whom he was producer and co-writer for several years, beginning in 1990...
. In contrast to her debut album Sweet Kisses
Sweet Kisses
-Charts and certifications:-Certifications:-Personnel:*Jessica Simpson - vocals, background vocals*Anas Allaf - guitar*Louis Biancaniello - keyboard*Chris Camozzi - guitar*Graeme Coleman - piano, conductor*Destiny's Child - background vocals...
(1999), which included more ballads, Irresistible explored hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and R&B
Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
genres of music. Simpson described the material as "Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
meets Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
", indicating the soulfulness of the songs as well as their contemporary appeal. Lyrical themes addressed in the album include love and heartbreak, sexuality, and self-respect.
Sweet Kisses, which was aimed at an older audience, did not perform well commercially, and so Simpson re-evaluated her career. At the suggestion of her label executives, Simpson modified her image and sound in Irresistible, deciding to delve more into the teen pop
Teen pop
Teen pop is a subgenre of pop music that is created, marketed and oriented towards teenagers. Teen pop copies genres and styles such as pop, dance, R&B, hip hop, country and rock....
and R&B genres, as she felt that restyling herself to match the image of her contemporaries—Spears and Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
—would help rejuvenate her career. After its release, Irresistible received mostly negative reviews from critics, most of whom were disappointed by the music; some of them also felt it was too generic and over-produced. Initially, the album enjoyed commercial success, debuting at number six on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. It was an improvement from her previous endeavor and the album went on to sell about 850,000 copies in the US. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) for shipments of 500,000 copies. Elsewhere, the album was not as successful, reaching number thirteen in Canada and cracking the top forty in Sweden, Japan, and Germany.
Two single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
s were released from Irresistible. The title track, the album's lead single, was commercially successful, as it reached the top twenty in charts of eleven countries, including number eleven on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, and at number fifteen on the United States Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. It was followed by "A Little Bit
A Little Bit
"A Little Bit" is a song recorded by American recording artist Jessica Simpson. It was written by Kara DioGuardi, Steve Morales and David Siegel, and was produced by Morales along with Ric Wake. The song was released as the second and final single from Simpson's second studio album Irresistible ,...
", which failed to chart in the US, but reached a peak position of number sixty-two in Australia. Simpson performed songs from Irresistible on a number of occasions. In 2001, she also embarked on her first headlining tour, titled the DreamChaser Tour, to promote the album.
Background
Simpson signed a record deal with Columbia RecordsColumbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in 1998 and the next year she released her debut album titled Sweet Kisses
Sweet Kisses
-Charts and certifications:-Certifications:-Personnel:*Jessica Simpson - vocals, background vocals*Anas Allaf - guitar*Louis Biancaniello - keyboard*Chris Camozzi - guitar*Graeme Coleman - piano, conductor*Destiny's Child - background vocals...
. The album featured mostly ballads, and was targeted at a more mature audience than the works of her contemporaries, Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
and Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera
Christina María Aguilera is an American recording artist and actress. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994...
. Simpson even stayed true to her Christian beliefs, and dressed conservatively unlike her peers. The album only managed a peak of number twenty-five on the US Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, far from the success of her contemporaries. This led Simpson to re-evaluate her career and although she was enjoying some success, she felt she could improve on this. Feeling her more "innocent" image would halt her career from developing further, Simpson adopted a sexier image and newer sound, at the suggestion of the Columbia executives
She moved into the teen-pop genre, as she felt that restyling herself to match the image of Spears and Aguilera would help remake her career. She separated from her then-boyfriend Nick Lachey
Nick Lachey
Nicholas Scott "Nick" Lachey is an American singer, songwriter, actor, producer and television personality. Lachey rose to fame as a member of the boy band 98 Degrees. He later starred in the reality television series Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica with his then-wife, Jessica Simpson. He has released...
, in March 2001, feeling the need to concentrate on her career. Her new image was promoted through appearances on many events, where Simpson wore revealing outfits. The development of this image coincided with the production and release of her second studio effort, Irresistible. Simpson said that she wanted to portray a "sexier, more mature style". "I recorded [Sweet Kisses] when I was 17 years old and I'm 21 [this month] so there is four years of growth involved," Simpson said in an interview with Coventry Newspapers in July 2001. In an interview with Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan (magazine)
Cosmopolitan is an international magazine for women. It was first published in 1886 in the United States as a family magazine, was later transformed into a literary magazine and eventually became a women's magazine in the late 1960s...
in June 2001, she explained, "This record is about who I am now. The music is edgier, and I'm all grown up." According to Terri Doughtery, author of People in the News: Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, Simpson hoped her new image would bring more attention to the power of her voice. "It's not just me singing about being in love. I also have heartbreak songs and girls telling off guys songs. It's going to take me a while to recoup [on] this album, because we spent a lot of money on it," Simpson said to Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
.
Development
Simpson started working on the album in mid-July 2000. While compiling songs for Sweet Kisses, she had expressed inconvenience when a track's lyrics were too suggestive or delivered a message she did not agree with and thus asked for its modification. However, for Irresistible, she decided to let Tommy MottolaTommy Mottola
Thomas Daniel "Tommy" Mottola is an American music executive, co-owner of Casablanca Records in a joint venture with the Universal Music Group. He is the ex-husband of Mariah Carey and is married to Mexican singer Thalía...
, the CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Columbia, take control of the whole project. He enlisted many established composers and producers for the album, hand-picked each song for the track list, and rejected those he felt were not so good. Although she had previously announced that she would write a few songs for her second album, Simpson does not share songwriting credits on any of the tracks. On being asked why, she said that she was very shy when it came to songwriting and felt that it requires a lot of "bravery" to write songs. She also expressed that she could not find the right words for the songs and hence did not write for the record. According to Simpson, the album did not have a definite concept or theme; Mottola selected songs which they felt were good enough for Simpson and compiled them into an album.
Described as being very sexy and more grown up by Simpson, the opening title track was written by the Swedish duo Anders Bagge
Anders Bagge
Sven Anders Bagge is a Swedish composer, lyricist, musician and record producer and partner with Peer Åström. The two songwriters / producers are known as Bagge & Peer...
and Arnthor Birgisson
Arnthor Birgisson
Arnthor Birgisson born on February 12, 1976, in Reykjavik, Iceland, is a Swedish songwriter and producer. His music can be described as a mixture of pop and R&B...
, in collaboration with English singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Pamela Sheyne. Birgisson told music technology
Music technology
Music technology is a term that refers to all forms of technology involved with the musical arts, particularly the use of electronic devices and computer software to facilitate playback, recording, composition, storage and performance. This subject is taught at many different educational levels,...
magazine Sound on Sound
Sound on Sound
Sound on Sound is an independently-owned monthly music technology magazine published by SOS Publications Group, based in Cambridge, UK. The magazine includes product tests of electronic musical performance and recording devices, and interviews with industry professionals...
that they started developing the song after Sheyne proposed the title and concept. Bagge and Birgisson developed the melody and completed the song's lyrics. Sheyne also sings backing vocals in the song. "A Little Bit
A Little Bit
"A Little Bit" is a song recorded by American recording artist Jessica Simpson. It was written by Kara DioGuardi, Steve Morales and David Siegel, and was produced by Morales along with Ric Wake. The song was released as the second and final single from Simpson's second studio album Irresistible ,...
" was written by Kara DioGuardi
Kara DioGuardi
Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, music publisher, A&R executive, composer and TV personality. She writes music primarily in the light pop-rock, dance, and R&B genres. DioGuardi has worked with many popular artists; her songs have appeared on more than 159...
, along with Steve Morales and David Siegal
David Siegel (musician)
David Siegel is an American producer, songwriter and musician based in South Beach, Florida. He is best known for co-writing Escape recorded by Enrique Iglesias in 2002, as well as co-writing a three-times certified platinum song by the RIAA. Whatever You Like recorded by T.I...
. Although she had the written songs for other artists including Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
and Martine McCutcheon
Martine McCutcheon
Martine McCutcheon is an English singer, television personality and Laurence Olivier Award-winning actress. McCutcheon had minor success as one third of the pop group Milan in the early 1990s; however, it was her role as Tiffany Mitchell in BBC's EastEnders that made her a household name in the UK...
, the song became DioGuardi's first writing credit for an artist from her native country. Simpson said that "the message behind the song is for the guys to listen to the girl." The next track, "Forever In Your Eyes", was co-written by Lachey, along with Rhett Lawrence
Rhett Lawrence
Rhett Lawrence is a record producer and songwriter. He is originally famous for producing the Grammy Award–winning, Billboard #1 Hot 100 and #1 R&B single "Vision of Love" for Mariah Carey. He produced and co-wrote the Kelly Clarkson pop rock hit "Miss Independent” which was #1 for 6 weeks at Top...
.
Walter Afanasieff
Walter Afanasieff
Walter Afanasieff is a multiple Grammy-award-winning record producer and songwriter. He is best known for his long association with Mariah Carey, for whom he was producer and co-writer for several years, beginning in 1990...
, long-time Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
collaborator, worked with Simpson on three cuts from Irresistible. One of the songs, "When You Told Me You Loved Me", was written by Afanasieff in collaboration with Billy Mann. In an interview with Allpop, Simpson named the song as one of her favorites and said, "I really base that on a situation of a friend of mine whose parents are divorced. I like the emotion behind that song." Cory Rooney
Cory Rooney
Cory Rooney is an American songwriter, record producer, and C.E.O. of Cory Rooney Group. He has written, produced, and developed many hits and careers for artists such as Mariah Carey, Mary J...
wrote "Hot Like Fire" solely, which Simpson described as "certainly not kid stuff", a song "with a lot of attitude." Louis Biancaniello and Sam Watters were also brought in to write and produce songs for the album. One of the cuts, "For Your Love", according to Simpson, is reminiscent of "I Wanna Love You Forever
I Wanna Love You Forever
"I Wanna Love You Forever" is the first single from Jessica Simpson's debut album Sweet Kisses. The song is her debut single and was released in 1999, the single peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Simpson's first, and to date last, top ten single. The song also peaked at...
" (1999). Simpson covered the gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
hymn "His Eye is on the Sparrow
His Eye is on the Sparrow
"His Eye Is on the Sparrow" is a Gospel hymn. Although today it is a staple of African-American worship services, the song was originally written in 1905 by two white songwriters, lyricist Civilla D. Martin and composer Charles H. Gabriel...
" as the last song of the album. She said, "I wanted to give my audience a piece of my heart and soul. The message is there's so much in life that can get you discouraged, but if you trust that you're being watched over, you have a reason to live and a sense of freedom. It's different for everyone, but for me, my relationship with God is the way I clear out the shadows that hang in our lives."
Recording and production
Motolla selected Cory RooneyCory Rooney
Cory Rooney is an American songwriter, record producer, and C.E.O. of Cory Rooney Group. He has written, produced, and developed many hits and careers for artists such as Mariah Carey, Mary J...
as the executive producer of Irresistible. Most of the recording and mixing works were done at Sony Music Studios
Sony Music Studios
Sony Music Studios was a well-known former music recording and mastering facility in New York City. The music and broadcasting complex was located at 460 W. 54th St., at 10th Avenue, in the Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and was completed over a time span of eight months. Rooney also coordinated the recording process while Robert Williams miked the vocals. Sony's C-800G Tube Condenser Microphone, equipped with a dual large diaphragm and electronically selectable pick-up pattern, was used to record the vocals. In an interview with Sony's SoundByte magazine in 2002, Williams said of his choice: "In the studio, it comes down to what you hear. [...] She has such a big range, from a whisper to really belting it out, and you need a microphone that can handle the range without distortion." He had used the microphone for Simpson's first album and felt that it suited her well. He also noted that on ballads, "the S's and wet sounds of lips" are important to the texture of the song. According to him, as Simpson's vocals tended to be "bright", he edited the lower ends of her voice to equalize the track.
To mix the tracks, a Sony Oxford Console was used. Audio engineer Mick Guzauski
Mick Guzauski
Mick Guzauski is a multi-platinum Mixing Engineer and sound engineer.Guzauski's work spans a wide range of styles, including jazz, R&B, Latin, rock, pop, and easy listening...
explained to SoundByte that he used the console's "Automated EQ
Equalization (audio)
Equalization is the process commonly used in sound recording and reproduction to alter the frequency response of an audio system using linear filters. Most hi-fi equipment uses relatively simple filters to make bass and treble adjustments. Graphic and parametric equalizers have much more...
feature" on the tracks. He said that he could "tailor the frequency responses and dynamics within each song with optimum equalizer at every pitch and level." For the Afanasieff tracks, the background vocals and overdubs
Overdubbing
Overdubbing is a technique used by recording studios to add a supplementary recorded sound to a previously recorded performance....
were accomplished on the Oxford console at his Wally World Studio B, at San Rafael, California
San Rafael, California
San Rafael is a city and the county seat of Marin County, California, United States. The city is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area...
. Simpson's label-mate and Latin singer Marc Anthony
Marc Anthony
Marc Anthony is an American singer-songwriter, actor and producer. Anthony is the top selling tropical salsa artist of all time. The two-time Grammy and three-time Latin Grammy–winner has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. He is best known for his Latin salsa numbers and ballads...
is featured as a guest vocalist on the ballad "There You Were". Simpson met Anthony at the taping of the TV special A Christmas in Washington in 2000. They talked to each other, and proposed recording a song on both of their next albums. They sang the song side by side in the studio and the whole song was completed within six hours. "Forever in Your Eyes" was one of the first songs to be recorded for the album, and was produced by Rhett Lawrence. It was recorded at Sony Music Studios within two hours. Rodney Jerkins, who was acquainted with Mottola, produced two cuts on Irresistible. In an interview with Sony Music Japan, Simpson said that she never met Jerkins in person. He produced and recorded the songs' music and sent the tape to Columbia, from which "Imagination" and "I Never" were selected. Cory Rooney produced Simpson's vocals and Tony Maserati mixed the vocals. Initially, Simpson did not want to record "What's It Gonna Be" as she felt the verse "Are you gonna be a dog or a gentleman" was a little awkward. However, due to her record label's persuasion, she recorded the song and ultimately became fond of it. In order to record the title track, Simpson traveled to Murlyn Music Studios
Murlyn Music Group
Murlyn Music Group AB or just Murlyn Music is Stockholm-based international music production company founded in 1998 by Anders Bagge and Christian Wåhlberg. Wåhlberg takes care of administration and Bagge of artstic production...
, in Sweden. "A Little Bit" was produced by Ric Wake; although he produced many songs for the album, only "A Little Bit" made the final cut. The Japanese version of the album contains a bonus track—the Hex Hector
Hex Hector
Hex Hector , is an American dance remixer. He won a Grammy in 2001 for "Best Remixer".-Biography:Hector was born in in Manhattan, New York, of a Puerto Rican mother and Cuban father, and was raised in the Washington Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan...
remix of "Irresistible"—for which Simpson re-recorded her vocals.
Composition
Simpson described Irresistibles material as "Mariah Carey meets Britney Spears ... very mature but accessible to teens." The opening track, "Irresistible", is an R&BContemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
song with dance-pop
Dance-pop
Dance-pop is dance-oriented pop music that originated in the early 1980s. Developing from post-disco, it is generally up-tempo music intended for clubs with the intention of being danceable or merely dancey...
influences. It also exhibits elements of pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
and funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
genres, while incorporating latin rhythms. Aside from including a string section
String section
The string section is the largest body of the standard orchestra and consists of bowed string instruments of the violin family.It normally comprises five sections: the first violins, the second violins, the violas, the cellos, and the double basses...
, the track features breathy vocals from Simpson. and it features "Irresistible" features spoken passages by Simpson, and a mid-section breakdown
Break (music)
In popular music, a break is an instrumental or percussion section or interlude during a song derived from or related to stop-time – being a "break" from the main parts of the song or piece....
, where her vocals are "funk-fortified". According to author Ben Graham, the lyrics of the song see Simpson stripping her famous virginity image down. Bob Waliszewski of Plugged In
Plugged In
Plugged In was a monthly magazine published by Focus on the Family. Its print version was discontinued and now it survives as a web site, Plugged In Online....
gave a similar observation of the lyrics, writing that they point to an imminent sexual compromise. "A Little Bit" is a dance-pop song following the same beat-oriented pattern as "Irresistible". It features piano instrumentation and Simpson sings the lyrics as rapid-fire verses and with start-and-stop hooks. Simpson again adopts breathy vocals, and the lyrics talk about what she expects from her partner: "A little more time, a little less wait / A little more heart, a little less break". The lyrics also demand healthy changes in her relationship. "Forever In Your Eyes" explores elements of latin music, as the song is backed by Spanish guitar
Classical guitar
The classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
and infused with hip-hop beats. The lyrics describe a couple in love lying together "all through the night". "There You Were" is a torchy power ballad which drew comparisons to Simpson's previous song "Where You Are" (2000). The lyrics of the song are a homage to the protagonist's partner, who changed her life. The song received negative response from critics, with some calling it "sappy" and "unnecessary". "What's It Gonna Be" is a bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop
Bubblegum pop is a genre of pop music with an upbeat sound contrived and marketed to appeal to pre-teens and teenagers, produced in an assembly-line process, driven by producers, often using unknown singers.Bubblegum's classic period ran from 1967 to 1972...
song influenced by '80s funk music, which was compared to outtakes from Spears' Oops!... I Did It Again
Oops!... I Did It Again
Oops!...I Did It Again is the second studio album by American pop singer Britney Spears. The album was released on May 16, 2000 by Jive Records. The album became a commercial success after debuting at top position on the U.S. Billboard 200 selling over 1,319,193 units during its first week...
(2000). The lyrics deal with Simpson expecting a reply from her lover regarding his fear of commitment.
"When You Told Me You Loved Me" is another power ballad about love, this time utilizing a spanish guitar. Backed by a full 60 piece orchestra, the song and Simpson's vocals were compared to that of Mariah Carey and Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
. "Hot Like Fire", which received positive reviews from critics, is a funky mid-tempo number. Compared to the likes of Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
and Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
, the song begins with a "faux" telephone call between Simpson and her friend; the latter explains that Simpson's boyfriend has been cheating on her. The lyrics, sung with "hard edge vocals" over synth horns, hip-hop beats, and electronica rhythms, demonstrate Simpson's annoyance at being cheated on by her boyfriend. "Imagination" is a song with electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
and R&B influences. Rick de Yampert of The Daytona Beach News-Journal commented that the song contained Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
-styled funk music. "To Fall in Love Again" and "For Your Love" are ballads; the former is backed by a 60 piece orchestra, and Peter Marsh of BBC Music
BBC Music
BBC Music is a team working in the department of Audio and Music Interactive at the BBC. Responsible for the BBC Music website - the portal site to music content across the BBC website....
noted it "morphs [...] into an R'n'B tinged slow jam." It also contains a jazz breakdown
Break (music)
In popular music, a break is an instrumental or percussion section or interlude during a song derived from or related to stop-time – being a "break" from the main parts of the song or piece....
, towards its end. Bob Waliszewski wrote that through the latter, "Simpson pledges devotion to a partner". "I Never", produced by Darkchild, infuses Spanish guitars, and has an "urban" tinge. The song portrays the theme of self-respect, and has Simpson getting rid of her cheating partner. The closing track, the cover of the hymn "His Eye Is on the Sparrow", is backed by a gospel choir and "praises God for watching over His children". Reviewers called it one of the standout tracks from the album. According to Kirsten Koba of PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
, Simpson sings it "with a depth and passion that is lacking on the rest of the album."
Artwork, title and release
The album artwork for Irresistible was shot by Alberto Tolot in April 2001. The front sleeve cover shows Simpson, wearing heavy makeup and with blond hair, dressed in a semi-transparent shirt, raising it a bit to expose her navel. Simpson said "God gave me my body, you know. I'm just doing what I can to make it look good." Later in an interview with the Orlando SentinelOrlando Sentinel
The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
, she said that the album art was "a sign of confidence". However, the cover received negative attention from many critics, including the conservative Christian publication Plugged In
Plugged In
Plugged In was a monthly magazine published by Focus on the Family. Its print version was discontinued and now it survives as a web site, Plugged In Online....
, which was a strong supporter of Simpson and her virgin image, and Sweet Kisses. They stated, "If anything, Irresistible copes with temptation by yielding to it which, in conjunction with Simpson's general immodesty, models a dubious sexual ethic." Canadian music magazine Chart
Chart (magazine)
ChartAttack is a Canadian online music publication. Formerly a monthly print magazine called Chart, which was published from 1991 to 2009, the web version continues operation....
also gave a negative response, writing "it takes more than wearing see-through clothes, with airbrushed, non-existent nipples, to show that you have matured." A few critics criticized the art for being digitally edited, while others commented on Simpson's similarity to Spears. The Japanese version of the album has the same front sleeve artwork as that of "Irresistible" single.
The title of the album was tentatively set to be Hot Like Fire, later changed to Imagination, before being confirmed to be Irresistible on March 16, 2001. In the United States, Irresistible was initially slated for release on March 20, 2001. However, due to undisclosed reasons, the release was pushed to June 5, 2001. A listening party was arranged by AOL on June 4, 2001, a day before the album's release date. The album's release was celebrated with a release party at the New York Water Club
The Water Club
The Water Club is a hotel that is connected to the Borgata and is located in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The $400 million Water Club was Atlantic City's first boutique-lifestyle hotel when it opened in June 2008. Its opening date was delayed by a September 2007 fire that damaged portions of its...
. Simpson rode down Manhattan's East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
on a yacht decorated with banners for the celebration, which included a water ski show, a fireboat
Fireboat
A fireboat is a specialized watercraft and with pumps and nozzles designed for fighting shoreline and shipboard fires. The first fireboats, dating to the late 18th century, were tugboats, retrofitted with firefighting equipment....
spraying water, and fireworks. Simpson said the album's release was a critical moment in her career, one "which could send her to stardom or obscurity." In an interview, she said "I'm right there ready to explode." "Or I could go pfft . No one could ever hear from me again," she added. In the United Kingdom, Irresistible was released on July 16, 2001, and in Japan on May 25, 2001.
Critical reception
Upon release, Irresistible received mostly negative reviews from critics; most of them pointed out that the album sounded generic and over-produced. Chuck Campbell of Daily News gave the album a rating of 2.5 out of 5. He dismissed the album as "nothing but a footnote", and remarked that the songs sounded too similar to works by Spears and Aguilera. He concluded by commenting on Simpson's version of "His Eye Is on the Sparrow": "So if her pop fortunes fail, perhaps she'll find some contemporary Christian singers to imitate." Teresa Gubbins of The Dallas Morning News gave a similar review, and wrote that it "doesn't do much to set her apart. It's likable but definitely not distinctive – just another formulaic entry into the already saturated teen-pop field." She gave the album a grade of C.David Browne
David Browne
David Browne is an American journalist and author. He was the resident music critic at Entertainment Weekly between 1990 and 2006. He was an editor at Music & Sound Output magazine and a music critic at the New York Daily News before EW...
of Entertainment Weekly said that the album "should have been called 'Relentless'." "Exploiting every cliche in the pop 2001 handbook – florid ballads seemingly formulated for movie soundtracks [...] it quite literally hits you baby, and more than one time," he added. Although he gave Simpson credit for being able to sing, he said that she did it in a "talent show manner". Kirsten Koba of Popmatters commented that "Irresistible is more reminiscent of trips to the dentist's office, or any equally oppressive place that only plays adult contemporary schlock." Barry Walters of Rolling Stone wrote that except "Hot Like Fire", every other track on Irresistible needed remixing. He concluded by saying, "With so many teen-pop choices, this prom-queen cyborg remains redundant and reactionary." Sal Cinquemani of Slant called the album a "lackluster sophomore" effort. He commented that there was no "original note" on the album and compared the tracks to those by Spears.
Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
graded the album 2.5 stars out of 5, and commented that the album was "filled with frothy, sugary pop tunes." He noted that apart from the title track and "A Little Bit", none of the songs "register as songs – they're just stylish background music." He concluded by commenting, "it's a bit of the inverse of Sweet Kisses, which was too heavy on ballads, and, like that record, this is the work of pros, so it sounds fine as it plays but it lacks a song as strong as 'I Think I'm in Love With You
I Think I'm in Love with You
"I Think I'm in Love with You" is a song written and produced by Cory Rooney and Dan Shea for Jessica Simpson's debut album Sweet Kisses . It contains a sample of singer-songwriter John Mellencamp's "Jack and Diane" and was released as the album's third and final single in summer 2000...
' to anchor it – so it floats away from memory." Peter Marsh of the BBC gave a mixed review; although noting that the album sounded like a mixture of Spears, Aguilera, Carey and Dion, and he wrote that it covered all the "bases". Larry Printz of The Morning Call praised the album, calling it "pleasant, palatable modern pop." He wrote that the album was "clearly the best of the lot", and commended Simpson's vocals. Chuck Taylor of Billboard was gave a positive review, viewing the album as "a great step forward for youth pop and sure footing for [this] glamorous talent."
Commercial performance
In the United States, Irresistible debuted at number six on the Billboard 200, the week dated June 23, 2001. It sold 120,000 copies in its first week, a major improvement over Sweet Kisses, which sold just 65,000 copies in its first week. However, the album dropped to number twelve the following week, before falling to number twenty-five the week after. The album stayed on the charts for just sixteen weeks, and was ranked at number 171 on the Billboard 200 year-end albums chart. It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of AmericaRecording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) for shipments of 500,000 copies in the country, and as of February 2009, Irresistible had sold 755,000 copies in the US. In Canada, Irresistible debuted at number fifteen on the Canadian Albums Chart
Canadian Albums Chart
The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS...
for the week dated June 23, 2001. It ascended to its peak of number thirteen the following week before dropping out of the top twenty the week after. Irresistible was certified gold by the Canadian Recording Industry Association
Canadian Recording Industry Association
Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada...
(CRIA) in April 2005, for shipments of 50,000 units.
Overseas, in Australia, the album debuted at number eighty-one on the ARIA Albums Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, in the issue dated September 17, 2001. It dropped out of the chart the next week. Similarly, Irresistible debuted at number seventy-five on the Austrian Albums Chart, the week of August 5, 2001. It rose to its peak position of number fifty-eight the next week. In Switzerland, the album debuted at number twenty, the week dated July 8, 2001. After attaining its peak position of number fifteen, it dropped to number sixteen. The album stayed on the charts for a total of nine weeks, including one re-entry at number ninety-five on September 16, 2001. In Japan, Irresistible debuted at number twenty-five on the Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
Albums Chart, with sales of 9,560 copies. The following week, it ascended to number twenty-four with additional sales of 12,430 units. The album stayed in the top 100 for six weeks, and according to Oricon, has sold 44,580 copies in Japan. In the United Kingdom, Irresistible peaked at a position of number 103. The album saw moderate success in Germany, where it peaked at number thirty-four, and stayed on the chart for one week. According to The Daytona Beach News-Journal, the album has achieved multiplatinum sales worldwide.
Promotion
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
, in celebration of Independence Day
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
, and the 2001 Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest is a television program that airs every New Year's Eve on ABC. It has been hosted by Dick Clark since its first airing on Sunday, December 31, 1972. Ryan Seacrest has been the program's co-host since the December 31, 2005 telecast...
. In July 2001, she performed the tracks, including "Irresistible" at Wango Tango
Wango Tango
Wango Tango is an annual day-long concert produced on by local Los Angeles radio station KIIS-FM. The concert series has been staged at various venues around southern California including Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Verizon Wireless...
, an annual all-day concert organized by KIIS-FM
KIIS-FM
KIIS-FM is a Los Angeles, California, USA-based radio station with a partial Top 40 musical format. It is owned by Clear Channel Communications. KIIS is also simulcasted on KVVS in Rosamond, at 105.5 MHz...
, in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. She also toured with Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
, Nelly
Nelly
Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. , better known by his stage name Nelly, is an Grammy Award winning American rapper and actor. He has performed with the rap group St. Lunatics since 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999. Under Universal, Nelly began his solo career in 2000 with his debut album...
, and Eve on MTV's first Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
(TRL) Tour, which spanned thirty dates in the US. In November, she joined the lineup of United Service Organizations
United Service Organizations
The United Service Organizations Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization that provides morale and recreational services to members of the U.S. military, with programs in 160 centers worldwide. Since 1941, it has worked in partnership with the Department of Defense , and has provided support and...
' (USO) Tour, to entertain the US troops fighting in Operation Enduring Freedom. The tour, which started in Arlington, Virginia, ventured through the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, including Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. The next month, she joined the cast of KBKS-FM
KBKS-FM
KBKS-FM , better known as "106.1 KISS FM", is a radio station in the Seattle, Washington area that plays current popular music. The Clear Channel outlet broadcasts at 106.1 MHz with an ERP of 68 kW and is licensed to Tacoma, Washington.-History:KBKS signed on the air in 1959 as KLAY-FM,...
's Jingle Bell Bash in Seattle. At the event, she performed "Irresistible", "A Little Bit", "I Wanna Love You Forever
I Wanna Love You Forever
"I Wanna Love You Forever" is the first single from Jessica Simpson's debut album Sweet Kisses. The song is her debut single and was released in 1999, the single peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Simpson's first, and to date last, top ten single. The song also peaked at...
", and "I Think I'm in Love with You
I Think I'm in Love with You
"I Think I'm in Love with You" is a song written and produced by Cory Rooney and Dan Shea for Jessica Simpson's debut album Sweet Kisses . It contains a sample of singer-songwriter John Mellencamp's "Jack and Diane" and was released as the album's third and final single in summer 2000...
". Simpson also promoted the album through performance at MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Spring Break program, held in Cancún
Cancún
Cancún is a city of international tourism development certified by the UNWTO . Located on the northeast coast of Quintana Roo in southern Mexico, more than 1,700 km from Mexico City, the Project began operations in 1974 as Integrally Planned Center, a pioneer of FONATUR Cancún is a city of...
, Mexico.
DreamChaser Tour
Apart from the live performances, Simpson went out on a North America only headlining tour titled the DreamChaser Tour. In contrast to her previous co-headlining tour with 98 Degrees98 Degrees
98 Degrees is an American adult contemporary boy band consisting of four vocalists: brothers Nick and Drew Lachey, Justin Jeffre, and Jeff Timmons. The group was formed by Timmons in Los Angeles, California....
, Simpson wanted "DreamChaser" to present her as a singer and a performer, in the mold of Spears. Simpson decided to make the tour risque by adding more backup dancers and wearing skimpier clothing. She took dance lessons for the tour, as she felt that she had to transform herself into a performer. The tour was set up on a portable stage called the "Extreme Mobile Venue", with a capacity to hold 10,000 people, and ran in mall parking lots. The arena featured a 300 feet (91.4 m) stadium stage, complete with a sound system and lights. Arrangements for concertgoers to bungee jump, climb a rock wall, and go mechanical surfing while the singer was not performing were also provided. The venue featured interactive games and exhibits, and was supported by a 9 feet (2.7 m)-high ramp for extreme motorcycle riders. The tour openers included Eden's Crush
Eden's Crush
Eden's Crush is a former girl group based in Los Angeles created on the American television series Popstars which aired on AOL Time Warner's WB television network in early 2001, and promoted on the AOL on-line service...
, Youngstown
Youngstown
Youngstown may refer to:A place*Canada**Britannia Youngstown, Edmonton, Alberta**Youngstown, Alberta*United States**Youngstown, Florida**Youngstown, Indiana**Youngstown, New York**Youngstown, Ohio***Youngstown State University...
, Toya
Toya (Singer)
Toya Rodriguez , known professionally as Toya, is an American R&B singer from St. Louis, Missouri. She is perhaps best known for her 2001 hit, "I Do!!", which reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.-Musical career:...
, and Plus One
Plus One (band)
Plus One was an American Christian pop band from the 2000s.Plus One enjoyed their greatest success with the release of their debut album, The Promise, which featured the hits "Written on My Heart" and "God Is in This Place"....
. It was choreographed by Dan Karaty
Dan Karaty
Daniel Quinten Karaty , an American TV personality, producer, dancer and choreographer. He has performed with and/or created routines for pop superstars such as Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue, and *NSYNC...
.
The tour launched on August 7, 2001, at Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
, and ran twenty-five dates through mid-September. Tickets price ranged between $29.99 and $39.99. In an interview with Deseret News, Simpson said that it "was a fun tour. That was like a preparation for me. It was one of those things where I just wanted to go out and meet all my fans." A video tape, titled Dream Chaser, was released on January 22, 2002, which included Simpson's biography, music videos, behind-the-scenes looks at "Irresistible" and "A Little Bit", and footage from the tour. The tape reached number twenty-five on Billboard Top Music Videos
Billboard charts
The Billboard charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs or albums in the United States. The results are published in Billboard magazine...
chart, for the issue dated February 9, 2002.
Singles
The lead singleLead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
from the album, "Irresistible", was released on April 12, 2001, as a CD single. The song received generally negative reviews from music critics. They criticized the sexuality of its lyrics and the over-usage of digital sound manipulators, with Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
calling it "unimaginative". In 2003, the song won a Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
(BMI) "Pop Music Award". "Irresistible" became a moderate commercial success, peaking within the top twenty hit in the United States and the United Kingdom. The song was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA). The accompanying music video was directed by Simon Brand
Simon Brand
Simon Brand is a Colombian film director. He has directed a number of music videos for artists such as Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin, but more recently has started directing films, starting with Unknown in 2006...
, and features Simpson dressed as a spy, trying to compromise some evidence in a laboratory.
"A Little Bit
A Little Bit
"A Little Bit" is a song recorded by American recording artist Jessica Simpson. It was written by Kara DioGuardi, Steve Morales and David Siegel, and was produced by Morales along with Ric Wake. The song was released as the second and final single from Simpson's second studio album Irresistible ,...
" was released as the second single, on October 29, 2001. The song was used to promote Bally Total Fitness
Bally Total Fitness
Bally Total Fitness is an American fitness club chain which operates 100 gyms, in several U.S. states. In November of 2011, competitor L.A. Fitness took over operation of 171 former Bally locations...
and thus, a limited CD single pressing was made available to people who joined the club. The song only managed to reach number sixty-two on the Australian Singles Chart. A music video, directed by Hype Williams
Hype Williams
Harold "Hype" Williams , previously known as HYPE, is an American music video and film director of African-American and Honduran descent. His nickname "Hype" comes from his hyperactive nature as a child....
, features Simpson dancing in a futuristic spaceship-like setting, with her backup dancers. In 2011, "When You Told Me You Loved Me" charted and peaked at number 192 on the South Korean Download Chart
Gaon Chart
The Gaon Chart is a national record chart of South Korea. It is complied by the Korea Music Content Industry Association and sponsored by South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; with an aim to create a national chart for Korea similar to the Billboard charts and Oricon charts...
.
Track listing
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from Irresistible liner notes.- Walter Afanasieff – ArrangerArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
, Drums, Keyboards, Producer, Programming - Janie Barnett – Background vocals
- Bernard BelleBernard BelleBernard Belle is an American composer, producer and musician. After starting his career as an R&B guitarist, Belle became known as a songwriter for Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston and a producer of gospel music.- Career :...
– Bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Jeff Bender – Photography
- Tom Bender – MixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Marcelo Berestovoy – Guitar
- Mats Berntoft – Guitar
- Louis Biancaniello – Arranger, Engineer, Keyboards, ProducerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, Programming - Greg Bieck – Drum programming, Engineer, Keyboards, Programming
- Jason Bonilla – Engineer, Programming
- Larry Brooks – Assistant engineer, Engineer
- Jim Caruana – Engineer
- Will Catterson – Engineer
- LaShawn Daniels – Engineer
- Debbie Datz-Pyle – Consultant
- Loren Dawson – Arranger, Keyboards
- Melonie Daniels – Background vocals
- Matthew Dellapolla – Scoring consultant
- Margaret Dorn – Background vocals
- Paul Foley – Engineer
- Sharlotte Gibson – Background vocals
- David Gleeson – Engineer
- Mick Guzauski – Mixing
- Dan Hetzel – Engineer, Mixing, Mixing engineer
- Jim Janick – Engineer
- Ron Jaramillo – Art direction, Design
- Ted Jensen – Mastering
- Richie Jones – Arranger, Drums, Mixing, Percussion, Programming
- Matt Kormondy – Production assistant
- Pete Krawiec – Engineer
- Eric Kupper – Keyboard programming
- Rhett Lawrence – Arranger, Producer
- Kandice Love – Background vocals
- Bob Ludwig – Mastering
- Steve MacMillan – Engineer
- Glen Marchese – Engineer
- Nick Marshall – Assistant engineer
- Ron Martinez – Vocal Engineer
- Tony Maserati – Mixing
- Michael McCoy – Assistant engineer
- Chieli Minucci – Guitar
- Joanie Morris – Production coordination
- Troy Oliver – Keyboard programming, Keyboards
- Adam Olmsted – Assistant engineer, Engineer
- Ken Paves – Hair stylist
- Dave Reitzas – Engineer
- RL – Drum programming, Engineer, Guitar, Mixing, Programming
- Corey Rooney – Arranger, Drum programming, Executive producer, Keyboards, Producer, Vocal producer
- William Ross – Arranger, Conductor
- Mark Russell – Assistant, Production coordination
- Ira Segal – Guitar
- Stockholm Session Orchestra – Strings
- David Swope – Assistant engineer, Engineer
- Alberto Tolot – Photography
- Francesca Tolot – Make-Up
- Ric Wake – Arranger, Producer
- Sam Watters – Arranger, Engineer, Producer, Background vocals
Recording locations
Adapted from Irresistible liner notes.- Murlyn Studios (Stockholm, Sweden)
- Sony Music StudiosSony Music StudiosSony Music Studios was a well-known former music recording and mastering facility in New York City. The music and broadcasting complex was located at 460 W. 54th St., at 10th Avenue, in the Hell's Kitchen section of Manhattan...
(New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
) - Sound Gallery Studios (Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
) - The Record Plant (Los Angeles)
- Cove City Sound Studios (Glen Cove, New YorkGlen Cove, New YorkGlen Cove is a city in Nassau County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 26,964....
) - WallyWorld Studios (California)
- Cello StudiosUnited Western RecordersUnited Western Recorders, often abbreviated to UWR, was a renowned recording studio complex in Hollywood, California, which became one of the most successful independent recording studios in the world in the late 1950s and 1960s....
(Hollywood, California) - Sony Scoring Stage (Culver City, CaliforniaCulver City, CaliforniaCulver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
) - Lobo Recording Studios (Deer Park, New YorkDeer Park, New YorkDeer Park is a hamlet and census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 27,745 at the 2010 census.-History:...
) - The Hit FactoryThe Hit FactoryThe Hit Factory was a recording studio in New York City famous for its clientele. It was officially closed for business April 1, 2005 whereas other Hit Factory studio locations remained open, such as in Miami, Florida.-History:...
(New York City) - Homesite 13 (Novato, CaliforniaNovato, CaliforniaNovato is a city located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, in northern Marin County. Novato is located about north-northwest of San Rafael, at an elevation of 30 feet above sea level . The 2010 U.S. Census estimated the city population to be about 51,904. Novato is about ...
)
Weekly charts
| Chart (2001) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
81 |
| Austrian Albums Chart | 58 |
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
13 |
| German Albums Chart | 34 |
| Japanese Albums Chart Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... |
24 |
| Swiss Albums Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
15 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
103 |
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
6 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2001) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 | 171 |
Certifications
| Country | Provider | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | CRIA Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada... |
Gold |
| United States | RIAA Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
Gold |
External links
- Irresistible lyrics at Rhapsody.com