Stripped (Christina Aguilera album)

Infobox Album
Name = Stripped
Type = studio
Artist = Christina Aguilera


Released = Start date|2002|10|26 [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stripped-Christina-Aguilera/dp/B00006L71B/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1217434566&sr=1-1 start date of release] ]
(see release history)
Recorded = 2001–2002 at
The Enterprise Studios
(Burbank, California)
Conway Studios
(Hollywood, Los Angeles, California)
The Hit Factory
(New York City, New York)
The Record Plant
(Hollywood, Los Angeles, California)
NRG Recording Studios
(North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California)
Genre = Pop, R&B, soul, pop rock, dance-pop, adult contemporary, hip-hop
Length = 77:48
Label = RCA
Producer = Christina Aguilera (also executive), Glen Ballard, Jasper Cameron, E. Dawk, Rob Hoffman, Heather Holley, Steve Morales, Balewa Muhammad, Linda Perry, Rockwilder, Scott Storch
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|2|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:jcx1z81a4yv1 link]
*BBC, [http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/fqcz link]
*"Blender" Rating|3|5 [http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=20 link]
*"Entertainment Weekly (C+) [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,384149,00.html link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|3|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/christinaaguilera/albums/album/301565/review/5944076/stripped link]
*"Slant Magazine" Rating|3|5 [http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=223 link]
Last album = "Just Be Free"
(2001)
This album = "Stripped"
(2002)
Next album = "Back to Basics"
(2006)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate Cover
Type = studio


Lower caption = Indonesian Edition Cover Singles
Name = Stripped
Type = studio
Single 1 = Dirrty
Single 1 date = September 2002
Single 2 = Beautiful
Single 2 date = December 2002
Single 3 = Fighter
Single 3 date = May 2003
Single 4 = Can't Hold Us Down
Single 4 date = August 2003
Single 5 = The Voice Within
Single 5 date = December 2003

"Stripped" is the second English studio album by American pop singer Christina Aguilera, released in 2002. It reached the top two of the album charts in both the United States and United Kingdom and features two UK number-one hits in "Dirrty" and "Beautiful". Aguilera supported the album with the "Justified and Stripped" and "Stripped World Tour".

With this album, Aguilera took creative control over a project for the first time, being influenced by many different subjects and music styles, including rhythm and blues, gospel, soul, pop rock, and hip hop. She co-wrote fourteen songs was involved in the production of the record, which was mainly produced by Scott Storch and Linda Perry.cite web
url = http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/11111757/christina_aguilera_still_dirty_after_all_these_years
title = Dirty Girl Cleans Up
first = Austin
last = Scaggs
publisher = "Rolling Stones"
date = 2006-08-10
accessdate = 2008-07-18] During the promotion of the album, Aguilera's public appearance had been criticized heavily in the US, due to her sexual videos and revealing outfits.

The album yielded five commercial singles to help selling over 12 million copies worldwide.

Background

In an interview with "Rolling Stone" magazine in 2001, Aguilera stated that she wanted to make a record that reflected her personality as much as possible, desiring " [n] othing superficial, no hype, no gloss." Additionally, she described the upcoming album as her 'baby'.cite web
url = http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/christinaaguilera/articles/story/5934458/christina_takes_control
title = Christina Takes Control
first = David
last = Wild
publisher = "Rolling Stones"
date = 2006-06-19
accessdate = 2008-07-30] Two years later she stated in an interview with "Blender Magazine" that with this album, she had evolved into an 'artist', moving away from the appellation of 'entertainer', signifying her having become an adult. Additionally, she revealed that she wouldn't have cared if the album sold "one or 1 million copies". Instead of commercial success, her desire was that " [i] t just had to be real".cite web
url = http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?id=562
title = The Good, the Bad and the Dirrty
first = Nick
last = Duerden
publisher = "Blender Magazine"
date = December 2003
accessdate = 2008-07-30]

Former chief executive of the RCA Records Music Group Bob Jamieson explained that this time Christina helped write the songs and choose the producers. She knew she wanted to move away from her old sound and her "super-clean, cookie-cutter" image and anyone with old-fashioned ideas about what the album should sound like was quickly left behind.cite web
url = http://bahcecikdevekusu.com/christina/jane.htm
title = Christina gets 'real' on 'Stripped'
publisher = "Jane Magazine"
accessdate = 2008-08-30]

At the same time, Aguilera presented her new image and started calling herself "X-Tina".cite web
url = http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:h9fexqlaldae~T1
title = All Music: Stripped Review
first = Stephen
last = Erlewine
publisher = "All Music"
date = 2002
accessdate = 2008-07-30]

Production

According to MTV News, Aguilera started recording her second studio album in a Los Angeles studio in September 2001. She declared on multiple occasions that she wanted to take time between her first album and "Stripped", stating a disbelief in trying to release an album annually in a bid to keep up with the output of her contemporaries.cite web
url = http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1449385/20010928/aguilera_christina.jhtml
title = Christina Aguilera Returns To Studio For New Album
first = Teri
last = Van Horn
publisher = "MTV"
date = 2001-09-28
accessdate = 2008-07-31]

The producer who worked on most tracks of the album was Dr. Dre associate Scott Storch, who, according to "Entertainment Weekly", made the album sound like a genre-jumping mix tape.cite web
url = http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,385297_2,00.html
title = 'Dirrty' Work
first = Brian
last = Hiatt
publisher = "Entertainment Weekly"
date = 2002-10-29
accessdate = 2008-07-31]

The album found Aguilera working with former 4 Non Blondes member Linda Perry for the first time. When they first met in Perry's L.A. studio, Aguilera asked Perry to entertain her with a song. Perry responded by playing an early draft of "Beautiful", which eventually became Aguilera's second single for "Stripped", never thinking that Aguilera would want to record it. Aguilera told MTV that Perry helped her unload a lot of frustration and she also learned to relieve stress by screaming and to accept mistakes. She added:

The first single, "Dirrty", was a hip-hop-influenced track, based on rapper Redman's 2001 single "Let's Get Dirty (I Can't Get in da Club)", which features DJ Kool. As a play on the similarities, Redman was featured on the Rockwilder produced track, rapping for one verse of the song.

Glen Ballard, who had previously worked with Aguilera on "The Voice Within", is featured as another writer and producer. When he was interviewed on the work by Aguilera he explained "I think she's a wonderful writer. We already know she's a great singer, but I think we'll be able to add to that. She's a really incredible writer".cite web
url = http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1456914/20020807/aguilera_christina.jhtml?headlines=true
title = Christina Aguilera Gets 'Dirty' With Redman
first = John
last = Wiederhorn
publisher = "MTV"
date = 2002-08-07
accessdate = 2008-07-31]

One track, entitled "Impossible", was produced by R&B artist Alicia Keys. MTV reported that Keys and Aguilera had been wanting to work together for a while, but Keys wanted to socialise and party, "to vibe off each other before" as she explained it, before penning the track. Afterwards they took three sessions to produce the song at the New York's Electric Lady studios in May 2002.cite web
url = http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1455399/20020625/aguilera_christina.jhtml
title = Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys Team Up For 'Impossible'
first = Shaheem
last = Reid
publisher = "MTV"
date = 2002-06-25
accessdate = 2008-07-31]

Lyrical content

The song, "I'm OK", is a personal account of her emotionally distressing childhood. She speaks about her father and her painful memories from her early life. She explained that she recorded this song for a healing process and to give people in the same situation a voice to relate to.cite web
url = http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458433/20021030/aguilera_christina.jhtml
title = Christina Talks Stripped
first = Jennifer
last = Vinehard
publisher = "MTV"
date = 2002-10-31
accessdate = 2008-07-31] Perry stated in an interview, that Christina started crying while recording. [cite web
url = http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2701
title = Beautiful by Christina Aguilera
publisher = "Song Facts"
date = 2002
accessdate = 2008-07-31]

Two songs on the album, "Infatuation" and "Underappreciated", talk about the relationship with former boyfriend Jorge Santos, who was one of her dancers during live performances and videos like "Dirrty". In "Infatuation" she explains how she felt in love with Santos, while in "Underappreciated" she talks how she fell out of the relationship.

The song "Can't Hold Us Down" is a feminist anthem sung to a hip-hop beat, which features artist Lil Kim. Aguilera described the song as following:cquote|Should I be quiet just because I'm a woman? Soon, the grudge match has escalated into a battle of the sexes. The guy gets all the glory, the more he can score / But the girl do the same thing, you call her a whore.This is directed to any male who puts down a female for stating her mind. It's definitely to make women feel empowered to do and say what they want to.

Critical reception

Critically, the album got average reviews with a rating of 55/100 on the website MetaCritic and is Aguilera's lowest reviewed album to date, receiving lower praise than her Spanish album "Mi Reflejo" or her third studio album "Back to Basics". [cite web | title= Metacritics: Back to Basics | publisher= "Metacritics" | year=2002| url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/aguilerachristina/backtobasics?q=back%20to%20basics | accessdate=2008-07-30]

"All Music Guide" called it "as a sound of an artist who's given too much freedom too early and has no idea what to do with it" and describes it as a mixture between the sexiness of Britney Spears and the "dance-rock confessionals" of Pink. The writer says "she seems desperate to not just catch-up with these two, but surpass them in the sex and confessions".

Instead, "Yahoo Music" described the album as sophisticated and an artistic input into the album from the artist herself.cite web
url = http://music.yahoo.com/read/review/12025676
title = Album Review: Stripped
first = Rob
last = O'Connor
publisher = "Yahoo"
date = 2002-10-28
accessdate = 2008-07-31] "Rolling Stone magazine" called it as an album for grown-ups and despite giving the album 3 stars out of 5, it said "Aguilera's voice continues to grow richer and on belters such as "Cruz" she can out-Whitney Whitney".cite web
url = http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/christinaaguilera/albums/album/301565/review/5944076/stripped
title = Christina Aguilera: Stripped: Music Review
first = Mike
last = Rubin
publisher = "Rolling Stones"
date = 2002-11-05
accessdate = 2008-07-31]

The album was nominated for the Best Pop Vocal Album and the lead single "Dirrty" was nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals in 2003, while "Can't Hold Us Down" got the same nomination a year later.The second single "Beautiful" received an Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. [cite web | title= Grammy Award Winner Search | publisher= "Grammy" | url=http://www.grammy.com/GRAMMY_Awards/Winners/ | accessdate=2008-07-30]

Positive acclaim

The Jonas Åkerlund-directed music video for "Beautiful" garnered much attention, as it touched on the subjects of anorexia nervosa, homosexuality, bullying, self-esteem and transgender issues.cite web
url = http://www.glaad.org/media/release_detail.php?id=3283
title = Christina Aguilera to be Honored at 14th Annual GLAAD Media Awards Presented by Absolut Vodka in Los Angeles
first = Kelly
last = Striewski
publisher = "GLAAD"
date = 2002-02-28
accessdate = 2008-07-31] "Beautiful" stayed in the U.S. top forty for twenty-four weeks, and topped many other "Billboard" magazine charts. It was equally successful elsewhere, and reached number one on the charts in the UK (where it was her fourth number-one single), Australia (where it was her first) and Canada (where it was her second). Simon Cowell noted that it is "one of the best pop songs ever written." [cite web
url = http://www.people.com/people/simon_cowell
title = Simon Cowell Biography
publisher = "People Magazine"
accessdate = 2008-07-31]

Controversy

In Fall 2002 the video of the lead single "Dirrty" premiered on MTV and featured a scantily-clad Aguilera, dancing lecherously with members of both sexes in a run-down, underground boxing venue. Due to the sexually relatively explicit nature of the video, it was heavily criticized by other musicians, as well as the media. In response, Aguilera pointed out the video is more about power and control, later stating:

ongwriting issue

"Make Over" became the subject of controversy in the UK when critics commented on its similarity to a 2000 Sugababes' single called "Overload".cite web
url = http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/did%20aguilera%20steal%20sugababes%20song.
title = Christina Aguilera - Did Aguilera Steal Sugababes Song?
publisher = "Contact Music"
date = 2004-10-18
accessdate = 2008-07-31] When "Stripped" was originally released, Aguilera and Linda Perry were listed as the song's writers. Some time later ASCAP also gave additional credits to Sugababes writers Jonathan Lipsey, Felix Howard, Cameron McVey, and Paul Simm. The link was never publicly admitted, but "Make Over" was removed from the track listing of Aguilera's subsequent DVD, "Stripped Live in the UK".

Chart performance

"Stripped" debuted at number two in the U.S. selling over 330,000 copies [cite web
url = http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1756780
title = Eminem-Heavy '8 Mile' Soundtrack Soars To No. 1
first = Todd
last = Martends
publisher = "Billboard"
date = 2002-11-06
accessdate = 2008-07-31] but quickly began to slide down the charts. The first single, "Dirrty", had failed to reach the top forty in the U.S., and Aguilera's record label quickly released "Beautiful" as a follow-up single to prevent the descent of the album on the charts. "Beautiful" and as well as the proceeding singles "Fighter", "Can't Hold Us Down" and "The Voice Within" helped "Stripped" become one of the steadiest selling albums in 2003, coming in at No. 10 on the "Billboard" year-end list of the top selling albums of the year. To date, the album has sold over 4.1 million copies in the US.cite web | author=Keith Caulfield | title=Ask Billboard | publisher=Billboard magazine | year=July 20, 2007 | url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003614817 | accessdate=2008-07-27]

The staying power of the "Stripped" was also shown in the U.K., even though it debuted at a disappointing No. 19 [cite web
url = http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1763085
title = Aguilera Finds New Life On U.K. Chart
first = Paul
last = Sexton
publisher = "Billboard"
date = 2002-11-18
accessdate = 2008-07-31] and continued its decline on the charts despite "Dirrty" being a No. 1 hit for two weeks [cite web
url = http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1768683
title = Aguilera Fends Off Young On U.K. Chart
first = Paul
last = Sexton
publisher = "Billboard"
date = 2002-11-25
accessdate = 2008-07-31] , eventually reached its peak position, No. 2, with the release of "Beautiful" [cite web
url = http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1834067
title = Aguilera, Jones Control U.K. Charts Again
first = Paul
last = Sexton
publisher = "Billboard"
date = 2003-03-10
accessdate = 2008-07-31] and consistently stayed in the top twenty during 2003 and early 2004. It was certified five times platinumcite web | author=British Phonographic Industry | title=U.K. certification (search) | publisher=bpi.co.uk | year=September 29, 2006 | url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/ | accessdate=2008-07-27] and became the 3rd best-selling album of 2003 there. [cite web | author=The Official U.K. Charts Company | title=Stats and Facts | publisher=theofficialcharts.com | year=2003 | url=http://www.theofficialcharts.com/stats-top_sellers_by_year-albums.php | accessdate=2008-07-27]

In December 2004, "Stripped" was certified 3× platinum by the IFPIcite web | author=International Federation of the Phonographic Industry | title=IFPI Platinum Europe Awards | publisher=ifpi.org | year=2004 | url=http://www.ifpi.org/content/section_news/plat2004.html | accessdate=2008-07-27] for shipments of more than 3 million copies inside Europe, of which 2 million were sold in the U.K. alone.cite web | author=RCA Records | title=Christina Aguilera — Info | publisher=rca-records.co.uk | url=http://www.rca-records.co.uk/artist_spotlight/christina_aguilera/biog/ | accessdate=2008-07-27] It is also quadruple platinum in Australiacite web | author=Australian Recording Industry Association | title=ARIA Charts — Accreditations | publisher=aria.com.au | year=2004 | url=http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-accreditations-albums-2004.htm | accessdate=2008-07-27] despite only reaching a peak of number seven.cite web | author=Hit Parade | title=European charts | publisher=hitparade.ch | year=2003 | url=http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?key=4272&cat=a | accessdate=2008-07-27] It is 2× platinum in Canada.cite web | author=Canadian Recording Industry Association | title=Canadian certification (search) | publisher=cria.ca | year=July 22, 2003 | url=http://www.cria.ca/cert_db_search.php | accessdate=2008-07-27] According to Rolling Stone magazine, "Stripped" has sold over nine million copies worldwide.

In March 2008, the track "Walk Away" entered at number 35 on the official Danish Singles Chart. [cite web | title="Walk Away" — chart performance | publisher=danishcharts.com | year=March 14, 2008 | url=http://danishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Christina+Aguilera&titel=Walk+Away&cat=s | accessdate=2008-07-27]

Track listing

#"Stripped Intro" – 1:39
#"Can't Hold Us Down" (featuring Lil' Kim) (Christina Aguilera, Scott Storch, Matt Morris) – 4:15
#"Walk Away" (Christina Aguilera, Scott Storch, Matt Morris) – 5:47
#"Fighter" (Christina Aguilera, Scott Storch) – 4:05
#"Primer Amor Interlude" – 0:53
#"Infatuation" (Christina Aguilera, Scott Storch, Matt Morris) – 4:17
#"Loves Embrace Interlude" – 0:47
#"Loving Me 4 Me" (Christina Aguilera, Scott Storch, Matt Morris) – 4:36
#"Impossible" (Alicia Keys) – 4:14
#"Underappreciated" (Christina Aguilera, Scott Storch, Matt Morris) – 4:00
#"Beautiful" (Linda Perry) – 3:58
#"Make Over" (Christina Aguilera, Linda Perry) – 4:12
#"Cruz" (Christina Aguilera, Linda Perry) – 3:49
#"Soar" (Christina Aguilera, Rob Hoffman, Heather Holley) – 4:45
#"Get Mine, Get Yours" ¹ (Christina Aguilera, Steve Morales, Balewa Muhammad, David Siegel) – 3:44
#"Dirrty" (featuring Redman) (Christina Aguilera, Dana Stinson, Balewa Muhammad, Reggie Noble, Jasper Cameron) – 4:58
#"Stripped Pt. 2" – 0:45
#"The Voice Within" (Christina Aguilera, Glen Ballard) – 5:04
#"I'm OK" (Christina Aguilera, Linda Perry) – 5:18
#"Keep on Singin' My Song" (Christina Aguilera, Scott Storch) – 6:29

¹ The Latin American edition of "Stripped" does not contain "Get Mine, Get Yours" but instead its Spanish-language version, "Dame Lo Que Yo Te Doy" ("Give Me What I Give You"). It also appears as a B-side to the "Beautiful" CD single.

Tour

Aguilera supported the album with two different tours. The "Justified and Stripped Tour" with singer Justin Timberlake took place in North America, while the "Stripped World Tour" took place in Europe, Japan and Australia. The concert tour consisted in 85 shows.cite web
url = http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1470069/20030221/timberlake_justin.jhtml
title = Justin Timberlake/ Christina Aguilera Tour Dates Announced
first = Ryan
last = Downey
publisher = "MTV"
date = 2003-02-21
accessdate = 2008-07-31] In late 2004 the concert DVD called "Stripped Live in the U.K." was released.

Charts

2004

References