Back to Black

Infobox Album
Name = Back to Black
Type = studio
Artist = Amy Winehouse


Released = Start date|2006|10|4|df=yes
(see release history)
Recorded = 2006
Genre = Soul, Jazz, R&B, rock'n'roll
Length = 34:55 (UK)
36:33 (U.S.)
Label = Island
Universal Republic (U.S.)
Producer = Mark Ronson, Salaam Remi
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:38rb28gw055a link]
*"The A.V. Club" A- [http://www.avclub.com/content/music/amy_winehouse link]
*BBC (favourable) [http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/89vr/ link]
*"Entertainment Weekly" A- [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20014267,00.html link]
*"The Guardian" Rating|4|5 [http://music.guardian.co.uk/pop/reviews/story/0,,1932492,00.html link]
*"New Statesman" [http://www.newstatesman.com/200610160038 link]
*"The Observer" Rating|4|5 [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/omm/reviews/story/0,,1892793,00.html link]
*Pitchfork Media (6.4/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/41866-back-to-black link]
*PopMatters (7/10) [http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/reviews/11293/amy-winehouse-back-to-black/ link]
*Robert Christgau Rating-Christgau|hm2 [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=amy+winehouse link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|3|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/amywinehouse/albums/album/13355827/review/13385056/back_to_black link]
Last album = "Frank"
(2003)
This album = "Back to Black"
(2006)
Next album = "TBA (2009)"
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate covers
Type = studio


Lower caption = American and Japanese cover Extra album cover 2


Lower caption = Deluxe Edition Cover Singles
Name = Back to Black
Type = studio
Single 1 = Rehab
Single 1 date = 23 October 2006
Single 2 = You Know I'm No Good
Single 2 date = 8 January 2007
Single 3 = Back to Black
Single 3 date = 30 April 2007
Single 4 = Tears Dry on Their Own
Single 4 date = 13 August 2007
Single 5 = Love Is a Losing Game
Single 5 date = 10 December 2007
single 6 = Just Friends
single 6 date = July 21, 2008

"Back to Black" is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse, released in October 2006 on Island Records. The album has spawned a number of singles such as "Rehab", "You Know I'm No Good", "Back to Black", "Tears Dry on Their Own", and "Love Is a Losing Game". "Back to Black" has received universal critical acclaim, [http://www.metacritic.com/music/artists/winehouseamy/backtoblack?q=amy%20winehouse Back to Black] . "Metacritic". Retrieved January 23. 2008.] and has been praised for its classic jazz/soul vibe, "vintage production style", [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/12/arts/music/12choi.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&ref=music&pagewanted=all&oref=slogin Back to Black] . "New York Times". March 12, 2007. Retrieved January 23. 2008 ] accomplished songwriting, and Winehouse's mature and emotive singing style. It has appeared on numerous year-end Top Ten Lists produced by "The Austin Chronicle", "Billboard Magazine", "Blender Magazine", "Slant Magazine", "Entertainment Weekly", "The New York Times" [http://www.metacritic.com/music/bests/2007.shtml Back to Black] . "Metacritic". Retrieved January 23. 2008.] and "Time Magazine". ["Time Magazine". [http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/top10/article/0,30583,1686204_1686244_1692145,00.html "Top 10 Albums"] . Retrieved January 27, 2008]

At the 50th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony, "Back to Black" won five awards, tying the record (with Lauryn Hill, Norah Jones, Alicia Keys, and Beyoncé) for the most awards won by a female artist in a single ceremony. The album won Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Song of the Year and Record of the Year for "Rehab"; Winehouse also won Best New Artist.

The album has sold ten million copies.cite web | last = Sandall | first = Robert | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Can Amy Winehouse be saved? | work = The Sunday Times | publisher = Times Newspapers Ltd. | date = 27 July 2008 | url = http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article4383952.ece | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-07-27 ]

Background

The track "Tears Dry on Their Own" features the backing music from Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's 1967 smash hit, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". [ cite web | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/12/AR2007031201690.html | title=That Winehouse Buzz? Believe It | publisher=The Washington Post | author=J. Freedom du Lac | date=2007-03-13 | accessdate=2008-03-24 ]

On Winehouse's song "Rehab", she mentions "Ray" and "Mr. Hathaway", in reference to Ray Charles and Donny Hathaway. However, in her recent performances, she replaces "Ray" with "Blake", referring to her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, who is currently in prison awaiting trial, for charges relating to Grievous bodily harm. [ [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB117831186746492604.html?mod=hps_us_inside_today A New British Invasion?] "The Wall Street Journal" May 9 2007. Accessed May 9 2007]

Release and promotion

A deluxe edition of the album was released in Europe on 5 November 2007. The re-issue features the original studio album remastered as well as a bonus disc including various B-sides, rare, and live tracks, including the Live Lounge rendition of the single "Valerie", which was originally only available (in studio form) on Mark Ronson's "Version" album.

Critical

"Back to Black" was a critical darling and drew numerous comparisons to Motown-era R&B.Hoard, Christian (2007-02-22), "Back to Black". "Rolling Stone" (1020):76] Rogers, Jude 2006-12-11, "Year of the woman". "New Statesman". 135 (4822):36-38] Mason, Kerri (2007-03-17), "Back to Black". "Billboard". 119 (11):51] "Rolling Stone" said the album finds Winehouse "a nervy, witty songstress whom indie rockers, pop fans and hip-hoppers can dig." "People" magazine called "Back to Black" "a disc that gets better with every listen." [Chang, Joyce (2007-03-01), "BACK TO BLACK". "People". "volume and issue unknown":64] The "New Statesman" remarked that the album was better than her last, calling it "an astonishing soul record, soaking up the sounds of Motown and 1960s girl groups and spitting them back with panache, glamour and a contemporary twist." Billboard said "Back to Black" was a "brutal breakup album that can sit with the best of them, set to the sounds of music's finest early rock moments."

The song "Rehab" won the Ivor Novello Award for "Best Contemporary Song" on 24 May 2007. [ [http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=269477 Winehouse wins best contemporary song] ninemsn 2007-05-27. Accessed 2007-05-27] "Time" magazine named "Rehab" one of The 10 Best Songs of 2007, ranking it at #1. Writer Josh Tyrangiel praised Winehouse for her confidence, opining, “What she is is mouthy, funny, sultry, and quite possibly crazy” and, "It's impossible not to be seduced by her originality. Combine it with production by Mark Ronson that references four decades worth of soul music without once ripping it off, and you've got the best song of 2007." [Tyrangiel, Josh; "The Best Top 10 Lists of the Year"; "The 10 Best Songs"; "Time" magazine; December 24, 2007; Page 39.] [ [http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/top10/article/0,30583,1686204_1686244_1690616,00.html "Time" magazine's Top 10 Songs of 2007 at time.com] ]

The album has been nominated for 50th Annual Grammy Awards in the categories "Album of the Year" and "Best Pop Vocal Album", and has helped Ronson win for "Producer of the Year, Non-Classical". [(6 December 2007). [http://theenvelope.latimes.com/awards/grammys/env-2007grammy1nom5dec05,0,4331325.htmlstory?coll=env-grammys "The Envelope Please"] "Los Angeles Times" Retrieved 6 December 2007] [ [http://theenvelope.latimes.com/awards/grammys/env-2007grammy8nom5dec05,0,918859.htmlstory?coll=env-grammys The Envelope Please Los Angeles Times 6 December 2007] ] In July 2007, the album made the shortlist for the 2007 Mercury Music Prize. Other nominees included the eventual winners Klaxons, Dizzee Rascal, and the incumbent winner Arctic Monkeys. This is the second time Winehouse has been nominated for the Mercury Music Prize; her debut album "Frank" was shortlisted in 2004. This album was ranked number forty on "Rolling Stone"'s list of the Top 50 Albums of 2007. [ROBERT CHRISTGAU, DAVID FRICKE, CHRISTIAN HOARD, ROB SHEFFIELD (December 17, 2007). [http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/17601851/the_top_50_albums_of_2007/40 "The Top 50 Albums of 2007"] "Rolling Stone". Retrieved 2007-12-20] Entertainment Weekly critic Chris Willman ranked "Back to Black" #2 in the 10 BEST 'Records of the Year: Music' writing, "Black" will hold up as one of the great breakthrough CDs of our time." He adds, "In the end, the singer's real-life heartache over her incarcerated spouse proves what's obvious from the grooves: When this lady sings about love, she means every word."

Commercial

"Back to Black" went to number one on the UK Albums Chart numerous times from January 2007 having entered at number three upon its release in late October 2006. It debuted at number seven on the "Billboard" 200, becoming the highest debut entry for an album by a British female solo artist, only to be outdone one week later by Joss Stone who debuted at number two with "Introducing Joss Stone" and Leona Lewis's "Spirit" which debuted at number-one. [cite web|url=http://www.mtv.co.uk/channel/mtvuk/news/29032007/joss_beats_winehouse |title=Joss Beats Winehouse |accessdate=2007-03-29 |date=2007-03-29 |publisher=MTV.co.uk] Following her multiple Grammy wins however, the album has since reached a new peak of #2 in the US.

The first single released from the album on 23 October 2006 was the Ronson-produced "Rehab", a song about her past refusal to attend an alcohol rehabilitation centre despite prodding by her management company. [http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/sftw/article68760.ece Wine, Woman and Song] "The Sun" 27 October 2006. Accessed 10 December 2007] On 22 October 2006, based solely on download sales, it entered the UK Singles Chart at number nineteen and when the physical single was released the following week, it climbed to number seven. By the end of 2007, the album was certified five-time platinum by the BPI, making it the best-selling album of 2007. [ [http://www.ilikemusic.com/urban/Amy_Winehouse_I_Told_You_I_Was_Trouble_Documentary-4205 Amy Winehouse - I Told You I Was Trouble - Documentary & Live Concert DVD ilikemusic.com 25 October, 2007] ]

The second single from the album was "You Know I'm No Good". The single was released on 8 January 2007 with a remix featuring rap vocals by Ghostface Killah. It reached number eighteen on the UK Singles Chart and, in the same week's chart, "Rehab" climbed back up to number twenty. "Back to Black" was released in the United States in March 2007, with "You Know I'm No Good" as its lead single. A third UK single, "Back to Black", was released on 30 April 2007, and peaked at number twenty-five.

"Rehab" rose to number ten on the "Billboard" Hot 100 the week of 14 June, after a performance of the song at the 2007 MTV Movie Awards. The following week it peaked at number nine.

Two further singles were released from the album. "Tears Dry on Their Own" was released on 13 August 2007, and peaked at number sixteen in the UK, while "Love Is a Losing Game", released on 10 December 2007, reached number forty-six.The album is the number 1 selling album in the UK for 2007, selling over 1.5 million copies in the year and number 1 international album in Greece. [ [http://www.ifpi.gr/chart01_annual.htm Ελληνικό Chart ] ]

Track listing

References

http://www.charts.co.il/charts.asp?id=14