Black & Blue

Infobox Album | Name = Black & Blue
Type = Album
Artist = The Backstreet Boys


Released = November 21, 2000
Recorded = June 2000—September 2000
Genre = Pop, Power pop, Dance
Length = 45:55
Label = Jive
Producer = Max Martin, Kristian Lundin, Rodney Jerkins, Rami, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusicguide.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:97uvad6kl8wn link]
*Rolling Stone Rating|3|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/backstreetboys/albums/album/322082/review/5943474/black__blue link] | Last album = "Millennium" (1999)
This album = "Black & Blue" (2000)
Next album = "" (2001)
Misc = Singles
Name = Black & Blue
Type = studio
Single 1 = Shape of My Heart
Single 1 date = October 31, 2000
Single 2 = The Call
Single 2 date = February 6, 2001
Single 3 = More Than That
Single 3 date = July 17, 2001

"Black & Blue" is the follow-up album to the Backstreet Boys' 1999 studio release "Millennium". It is their fourth album (but their third U.S. album release). The 13-song selection features five songs co-written by members of the group, plus two songs written by all five members. In the United States, "Black & Blue" sold 1.6 million discs in its first week of release [ [http://music.yahoo.com/library/default.asp?m=content&add=news&i=12042460& Flashback 2000 - Flashback 2000: 'N Sync, Britney, Eminem, and Backstreet Boys Set Sales Records] ] , making them the first group in Soundscan history to have million-plus first-week sales with back-to-back albums. The album was the eighth highest-selling album [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20010331205741/www.metal-sludge.com/Top200Albums.htm Top 200 Albums Of 2000! ] ] in the US in 2000. The album achieved platinum status in over 30 countries and gold certification in 10 regions around the world during its first week of release. Despite the excellent sales, "Black and Blue" never matched up to the hype that their first two albums made. The first single off the album was "Shape of My Heart," followed by "The Call" and "More Than That." The band members co-wrote five of the songs and wrote two songs on this album, a departure from previous albums, which showcased less of their own song-writing.

Track listing

# "The Call" (Max Martin, Rami) – 3:24
# "Shape of My Heart" (Max Martin, Lisa Miskovsky, Rami) – 3:50
# "Get Another Boyfriend" (Max Martin, Rami) – 3:06
# "Shining Star" (Carter, Dorough, Franciz, Lepont) – 3:24
# "I Promise You (With Everything I Am)" (Hill) – 4:23
# "The Answer To Our Life" (Carter, Dorough, Littrell, McLean, Richardson) – 3:17
# "Everyone" (Kristian Lundin, Andreas Carlsson) – 3:31
# "More Than That" (Anders, Franciz, LePont) – 3:44
# "Time" (Carter, Dorough, Littrell, McLean, Richardson) – 3:57
# "Not For Me" (Kristian Lundin, Andreas Carlsson) – 3:15
# "Yes I Will" (Kieruf, McLean, Schwartz) – 3:50
# "It's True" (Max Martin, Andreas Carlsson, Kevin Richardson) – 4:14
# "What Makes You Different (Makes You Beautiful)" (Dorough, Diamond, Carlsson) – 3:35 [bonus track on some editions]
# "How Did I Fall In Love With You" (Dorough, Fromm, MacColl) – 4:06

Australian version

The Australian version reordered the last three songs and added the extra track "All I Have to Give (A Cappella)"

Chart positions

Album facts

*"Black & Blue" featured five songs co-written by members of Backstreet Boys as well as two songs ("The Answer to Our Life," "Time") solely written by all five Backstreet Boys. It was released November 21, 2000.

*To celebrate the release of "Black & Blue", Backstreet Boys embarked on a 100-hour "Around the World" trek with stops in Europe (Stockholm), Asia (Tokyo), Australia (Sydney),South Africa (Cape Town), South America (Rio) before returning to North America (New York). At each stop along the tour, the group visited local landmarks, held press conferences, met fans, and performed brief a cappella versions of their hit single "Shape of My Heart".

*"Black & Blue" featured production from the Cherion team (Max Martin, Kristian Lundin, Rami, Jake, Per Magnusson, David Kreuger); Babyface; Rodney Jerkins; Timmy Allen; Franciz & LePont; and Larry "Rock" Campbell.

*In its first week of release, "Black & Blue"'s first single "Shape of My Heart" received 170 out of 171 of the Top 40 stations in the U.S. Meanwhile overseas, the song immediately jumped into the Top Five in Sweden (#1), Norway (#1), Canada (#1), Germany (#2), Switzerland (#4), Austria (#5), Australia (#5) and Holland (#5).

*With the release of "Black & Blue", Backstreet Boys set a precedent by becoming the first artists in SoundScan history ever to achieve million-plus first-week sales with back-to-back albums.

*Backstreet Boys launched three U.S. tours in support of "Black & Blue": The first leg kicked off January 22. The second leg began June 8 in the group's hometown of Orlando, FL, and was temporarily put on hold July 9, in order for group member A.J. McLean to seek treatment for clinical depression which led to anxiety attacks and the excessive consumption of alcohol. The tour resumed August 24 in Milwaukee, WI, and wrapped up October 19 in Las Vegas, NV.

References

External links

* [http://www.backstreetboys.com/ Official Backstreet Boys website]
* [http://www.thebackstreetboys.com/ The "other" Official Backstreet Boys website]

succession box
before = "1" by The Beatles
title = "Billboard" 200 number-one album
years = December 9 - December 22 2000
after = "J. Lo" by Jennifer Lopez