Illinois (Sufjan Stevens album)
Illinois | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 4, 2005 | |||
Recorded | Late 2004 – January 2005 | |||
Studio | The Buddy Project, Astoria, Queens, New York City, United States as well as various locations in and around New York City | |||
Genre |
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Length | 73:59 | |||
Label | Asthmatic Kitty/Secretly Canadian and Rough Trade | |||
Producer | Sufjan Stevens | |||
Sufjan Stevens chronology | ||||
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Sufjan Stevens studio album chronology | ||||
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Illinois (styled Sufjan Stevens Invites You to: Come on Feel the Illinoise on the cover; sometimes spelled as Illinoise) is a 2005 concept album by American singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens. His fifth studio album, it features songs referencing places, events, and persons related to the U.S. state of Illinois. Illinois is Stevens' second based on a U.S. state—part of a planned series of fifty that began with the 2003 album Michigan and that Stevens has since acknowledged was a joke. It was adapted into a musical, Illinoise, in 2023 and, after playing smaller venues, opened at the St. James Theatre on Broadway in April 2024.
Stevens recorded and produced the album at multiple venues in New York City using low-fidelity studio equipment and a variety of instruments between late 2004 and early 2005. The artwork and lyrics explore the history, culture, art, and geography of the state—Stevens developed them after analyzing criminal, literary, and historical documents. Following its release, Stevens promoted Illinois with a world tour.
Critics praised the album for its well-written lyrics and complex orchestrations. In particular, reviewers noted Stevens' progress as a songwriter since the release of Michigan. Illinois was named the best-reviewed album of 2005 by review aggregator
Background, recording, and tour
Stevens launched his 50-state project in 2003 with the album
All of the songs on Illinois were written, recorded,
Stevens employed low-fidelity recording equipment, which allowed him to retain creative control and keep costs low on recording Illinois. Typically, his process involved recording tracks using 2
After consulting with Michael Kaufmann and Lowell Brams of
Illinois was released on July 4, 2005, through
Musical style and themes
Reviewers have noted similarities between this album and those of musicians and composers in several
Musical style
Reviewers of Illinois have compared Stevens' style to
The creation of Illinois marked a shift in Stevens' emphasis on songwriting and studio work toward live performance and more abstract concepts of motion and sound—subsequent tours and albums emphasized electronic music and modern dance over the indie folk material on Michigan and Illinois.[31] He has ceased writing songs about individual characters with straightforward narratives[32] or concept albums[33] and briefly considered quitting the music business entirely after creating and promoting this album. He also found that the way in which he listened to music had changed after producing Illinois:
I think now I listen more as a technician and a researcher. I'm always hearing music in terms of what I can take out of it, and I think I've always listened like that. I have a hard time just listening for pleasure. I'm much less about instinct, and more of a utilitarian listener. Like, what is the use of this song? What is the usefulness of this melody for this theme or statement? What are they doing that's unusual sounding, and how can I learn from that?
— Sufjan Stevens, 2006[12]
Stevens is a classically trained oboist[1] and his knowledge of classical and baroque music influenced many of his arrangements. Stevens himself has noted the influence of composers Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Edvard Grieg; along with contemporary composers Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass.[1] The music on this album was written to be grandiose, to match the history of the territory.[4] Stevens used time signature changes in the composition of Illinois for dynamic effect—for instance, "Come On! Feel the Illinoise!" begins with a 5/4 time signature and then changes[34] to a standard 4/4 later in the song.[27]
Illinois themes
Many of the lyrics in Illinois make references to persons, places, and events related to the state of the same name. "Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois" is about
"John Wayne Gacy, Jr." documents the story of the 1970s Chicago-based serial killer of the same name. Several lyrics make explicit references to events in his life: "[w]hen the swingset hit his head" refers to an event in Gacy's childhood, when a swing hit his head and caused a blood clot in his brain;[11][28] "He dressed up like a clown for them / with his face paint white and red" alludes to the nickname given to Gacy—the "Killer Clown";[2] and "He put a cloth on their lips / Quiet hands, quiet kiss on the mouth" references Gacy's use of chloroform to subdue and molest his victims.[11][28] The song ends with the narrator turning inward with the lyrics: "And in my best behavior, I am really just like him / Look beneath the floorboards for the secrets I have hid." Stevens stated in a 2009 interview with Paste that "we're all capable of what [Gacy] did."[7]
"Casimir Pulaski Day" interweaves a personal story with the state holiday Casimir Pulaski Day.[35] "The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts" makes references to Superman, whose fictional hometown of Metropolis was partially modeled after Chicago (the town of Metropolis, Illinois has also capitalized on this association). Jessica Hopper of the Chicago Reader noted that Ray Middleton—who was the first actor to play the comic book superhero—was also born in Chicago.[35] "They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!" makes references to ghost towns of Illinois.[1] Stevens relates experiences from a summer camp he went to as a child in Michigan for "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!", but moved the locale to Illinois for the sake of the album.[36] The track "Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Stepmother!" includes references to Decatur, Illinois, but Stevens stated the track also acted as "an exercise in rhyme schemes".[37] Some references to Decatur included in the song were alligator sightings in the area, the equipment manufacturer Caterpillar, and a flood that exhumed a graveyard of soldiers from the Civil War.[37]
Other allusions to the state's people, places, and events include the
Christianity
Although Illinois is a concept album about the U.S. state, Stevens also explored themes related to
Artwork
Divya Srinivasan created the album artwork,
Shortly after the release of the album, reports arose that
The 10th anniversary vinyl reissue of Illinois features the Marvel Comics character Blue Marvel, who hails from Chicago, in place of Superman. Asthmatic Kitty obtained permission from the publisher to use the character's likeness.[46] The Blue Marvel edition's artwork was created by Divya Srinivasan and has LP 1 on "cape white" vinyl, LP 2 on "antimatter blue" vinyl, and a bonus single of "Chicago (Demo)" (on both sides) on a red vinyl 12" disc shaped like a six-sided star in reference to the municipal flag of Chicago.[47]
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 90/100[48] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [29] |
Entertainment Weekly | B+[49] |
The Guardian | [50] |
The Independent | [51] |
Los Angeles Times | [52] |
NME | 8/10[2] |
Pitchfork | 9.2/10[28] |
Rolling Stone | [30] |
Spin | A−[53] |
The Village Voice | A−[54] |
Illinois was Sufjan Stevens' greatest commercial and critical success to date. For the first time, his work charted on the
Andy Battaglia of The A.V. Club said that Stevens "has grown into one of the best song-makers in indie rock" with the album.[25] Tim Jonze of NME called Illinois "a brainy little fucker" and described Stevens as "prolific, intelligent and—most importantly—brimming with heart-wrenching melodies."[2] Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone responded favorably to the album, praising the "over-the-top arrangements" and Stevens' "breathy, gentle voice" as well as the personal nature of songs such as "Chicago" and "Casimir Pulaski Day", but criticized "John Wayne Gacy, Jr.", stating that it "symbolizes nothing about American life except the existence of creative-writing workshops".[30] Michael Metivier of PopMatters described "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." as "horrifying, tragic, and deeply sad without proselytizing."[34] Amanda Petrusich of Pitchfork described Illinois as "strange and lush, as excessive and challenging as its giant, gushing song titles."[28] Dave Simpson of The Guardian echoed this sentiment by saying that the music sounds like "The Polyphonic Spree produced by Brian Eno."[50] The diversity in instrumentation also received a positive review from Entertainment Weekly's Kristina Feliciano.[49]
Jesse Jarnow of Paste praised the playful nature of Illinois, commenting that it had "sing-song" melodies and "jaunty" orchestrations. Jarnow also noted ironic lyrics, citing a line from "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out to Get Us!": "I can't explain the state I'm in ..." after a section of the song that references many Illinois landmarks.[57] Q called the album a "sizeable step forward" from Michigan, and said Stevens' love for the state of Illinois is infectious.[58] Critic Andy Gill dubbed Illinois "an extraordinary achievement" in Uncut,[59] and in a separate review for The Independent added that it "makes most other albums seem small-minded and, ironically, rather parochial."[51] Catherine Lewis of The Washington Post responded favorably to the album, stating that it has well-written lyrics, comparing Stevens' rhyming to that of Stephin Merritt. Lewis cited "Casimir Pulaski Day" as one of the most memorable songs of the album.[60] In December 2005, American webzine Somewhere Cold voted Illinois CD of the Year on their 2005 Somewhere Cold Awards Hall of Fame list.[61]
Accolades
Illinois achieved recognition with inclusion on numerous reviewers' "best of the year" and "best of the decade" lists. In particular, the album topped the best of the decade list appearing in the November 2009 issue of Paste [62] and NPR named Illinois on their list of "The Decade's 50 Most Important Recordings".[63] Pitchfork called Illinois the sixteenth best album of the decade,[64] with Stevens' previous album—Michigan—placing 70 on that same list.[65] The album also won the 2005 New Pantheon Award—a type of Shortlist Music Prize.[66] The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[67] Finally, Paste listed Stevens as one of their "100 Best Living Songwriters" in 2006, primarily due to the writing on Michigan and Illinois.[68]
Publisher | Accolade | Rank |
---|---|---|
All Songs Considered | The Best Music of 2005 | 1[69] |
Amazon.com
|
Best of 2005: Top 100 Editors' Picks | 1[70] |
Amazon.com
|
Best of 2005: Editors' Picks in Alternative Rock | 2[71] |
NME | 50 best albums of 2005 | 7[72] |
No Ripcord | Top 50 Albums of 2005 | 1[73] |
Pitchfork | Top 50 Albums of 2005 | 1[74] |
PopMatters | Best 50 Albums of 2005 | 2[75] |
Spin | The 40 Best Albums of 2005 | 8[76] |
Stylus Magazine | Top 50 Albums of 2005 | 10[77] |
The Wire | 50 Records of the Year | 28[78] |
Publisher | Accolade | Rank |
---|---|---|
All Songs Considered | The Decade's 50 Most Important Recordings | Unranked, out of 50 recordings[63] |
NME | The Top 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade | 17[79] |
No Ripcord | The No Ripcord Years (1999–2009) | Unranked, one of six reviewed for 2005[80] |
Paste | The 50 Best Albums of the Decade | 1[62] |
Pitchfork | The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s | 16[64] |
Rolling Stone | 100 Best Albums of the '00s | 78[81] |
Slant Magazine | Best of the Aughts: Albums | 9[82] |
Commercial performance
In its first week of sales, Illinois sold 9,000 copies, 20% coming from online sales.
In July 2013, it was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for 60,000 sold units in the United Kingdom and in April 2023, it was certified gold for 100,000 sold units.[89]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Sufjan Stevens
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Concerning the UFO Sighting near Highland, Illinois" | 2:08 |
2. | "The Black Hawk War, or, How to Demolish an Entire Civilization and Still Feel Good About Yourself in the Morning, or, We Apologize for the Inconvenience but You're Going to Have to Leave Now, or, 'I Have Fought the Big Knives and Will Continue to Fight Them Until They Are Off Our Lands!'" | 2:14 |
3. | "Come On! Feel the Illinoise!" (Part I: "The World's Columbian Exposition" / Part II: "Carl Sandburg Visits Me in a Dream") | 6:45 |
4. | "John Wayne Gacy, Jr." | 3:19 |
5. | "Jacksonville" | 5:24 |
6. | "A Short Reprise for Mary Todd, Who Went Insane, but for Very Good Reasons" | 0:47 |
7. | "Decatur, or, Round of Applause for Your Stepmother!" | 3:03 |
8. | "One Last 'Whoo-Hoo!' for the Pullman!!" | 0:06 |
9. | "Go! Chicago! Go! Yeah!" | 6:04 |
10. | "Casimir Pulaski Day" | 5:53 |
11. | "To the Workers of the Rock River Valley Region, I Have an Idea Concerning Your Predicament, and It Involves Tube Socks, a Paper Airplane, and Twenty-Two Able-Bodied Men" | 1:40 |
12. | "The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts" | 6:17 |
13. | "Prairie Fire That Wanders About" | 2:11 |
14. | "A Conjunction of Drones Simulating the Way in Which Sufjan Stevens Has an Existential Crisis in the Great Godfrey Maze" | 0:19 |
15. | "The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades Is Out to Get Us!" | 5:23 |
16. | "They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!" | 5:09 |
17. | "Let's Hear That String Part Again, Because I Don't Think They Heard It All the Way Out in Bushnell" | 0:40 |
18. | "In This Temple as in the Hearts of Man for Whom He Saved the Earth" | 0:35 |
19. | "The Seer's Tower" | 3:53 |
20. | "The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders" (Part I: "The Great Frontier" / Part II: "Come to Me Only with Playthings Now") | 7:02 |
21. | "Riffs and Variations on a Single Note for Jelly Roll, Earl Hines, Louis Armstrong, Baby Dodds, and the King of Swing, to Name a Few" | 0:46 |
22. | "Out of Egypt, into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I Shake the Dirt from My Sandals as I Run" | 4:21 |
Total length: | 73:59 |
No. | Title | Version | Length |
---|---|---|---|
23. | "Chicago" (To String Remix) | iTunes release | 5:32 |
24. | "The Avalanche" | iTunes release and LP version of Illinois (as track 23) | 3:14 |
25. | "The Transfiguration" (Home Demo Version) | iTunes release | 5:04 |
26. | "Size Too Small" (Live in Brussels) | iTunes release | 3:08 |
Total length: | 77:13 (LP) 90:57 (dig.) |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Chicago" (Original Demo) | 4:36 |
Note
- The titles of the songs vary slightly from the Compact Disc, digital, and vinyl releases. Full titles come directly from the vinyl album and have been adapted to the English titlecasestandards.
Personnel
|
|
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United Kingdom (BPI)[96] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[87] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Musical adaptation
Illinois was adapted into a dance-based musical,
See also
- 2005 in music
- Culture of Chicago
- "Cum On Feel the Noize" – a 1973 hard rock song by Slade that inspired the full title of the album
- Donald Glover, who remixed the album as Illin'-Noise! under the name mc DJ
- Greetings from Cairo, Illinois – a 2005 album from Stace England about Cairo, Illinois
- Songs about the United States
- State Songs – a 1999 album from John Linnell about American states, which leads off with a song about Illinois
- Will it play in Peoria?
References
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- ^ a b c d e Jonze, Tim (July 13, 2005). "Sufjan Stevens: Illinoise". NME. Archived from the original on February 13, 2009. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
- ^ Snapes, Laura (October 20, 2009). "Sufjan Stevens Interview: Expressway Yourself". The Quietus. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- ^ a b c d Barton, Laura (October 25, 2005). "American idyll". The Guardian. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e Hanley, Lynsey (November 20, 2005). "State trouper". The Observer. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
- ^ Empire, Kitty (March 21, 2004). "Sufjan Stevens: Kitty Empire on the startling rise of an American visionary". The Guardian. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
- ^ a b c Kiefer, Kate (November 2, 2009). "Sufjan Stevens: On the Road to Find Out". Paste. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
- ^ Purcell, Andrew (October 27, 2009). "Sufjan Stevens's symphony for New York". The Guardian. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
- ^ "Brinkley, Ark., Embraces 'The Lord God Bird'". All Things Considered. NPR. July 6, 2005. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- ^ Yuan, Jada (February 24, 2008). "Sufjan's Symphonic Jersey Turnpike". New York. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f Illinois (Liner notes). Sufjan Stevens. Asthmatic Kitty. 2005. AKR 014.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b c d e f g Crock, Jason (May 15, 2006). "Interviews: Sufjan Stevens". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
- ^ a b Roberts, Rafter (March–April 2009). "Sufjan Stevens: So Right and So Wrong". Tape Op. Vol. 70. p. 45.
- ^ "Sufjan Stevens Summer Tour – NYC Dates". BrooklynVegan. May 11, 2005. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ^ "Sufjan Stevens Debuting New Tunes On Tour". Billboard. July 7, 2006. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ^ "Sufjan Stevens At Bowery Ballroom (Show 2 Of 5)". Stereogum. August 21, 2005. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ^ "Sufjan Stevens Adds 5th NYC Night – All Tour Dates". BrooklynVegan. August 2, 2005. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ^ "Sufjan Stevens Announces Tour Dates With My Brightest Diamond". Paste. July 7, 2006. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ^ "Sufjan Stevens to go on three-month world tour". NME. September 13, 2006. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ^ a b McNair, James (November 30, 2006). "Christmas with Sufjan Stevens". The Independent. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ^ Smith, Patrick (August 23, 2010). "Album Review: Sufjan Stevens – All Delighted People". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on August 27, 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
- ^ Harsin, Jayson (November 19, 2009). "Sufjan Stevens: Run Rabbit Run + The BQE (CD/DVD)". PopMatters. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
- ^ "The 100 Best Indie Folk Albums of All Time". Paste. May 20, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
- ^ Jared P. (August 23, 2010). "Review: Sufjan Stevens – All Delighted People". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
- ^ a b c d Battaglia, Andy (July 5, 2005). "Sufjan Stevens: Illinois". The A.V. Club. Retrieved March 6, 2010.
- ^ Sinacola, Dom (September 2, 2010). "Sufjan Stevens: All Delighted People EP". Cokemachineglow. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
- ^ a b Keefe, Jonathan (June 30, 2005). "Sufjan Stevens: Illinois". Slant Magazine. Retrieved October 5, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f Petrusich, Amanda (July 4, 2005). "Sufjan Stevens: Illinois". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
- ^ a b c Monger, James Christopher. "Illinois – Sufjan Stevens". AllMusic. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
- ^ a b c d Sheffield, Rob (July 28, 2005). "Sufjan Stevens: Illinois". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 1, 2008. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
- ^ Dombal, Ryan (January 31, 2011). "Interviews: Sufjan Stevens". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
- ^ Lewis, Tim (May 8, 2011). "Sufjan Stevens: 'I've always been insecure about what I do'". The Observer. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
- ^ Michaels, Sean (October 14, 2009). "Sufjan Stevens: 'What is the point of a song?'". The Guardian. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
- ^ a b Metivier, Michael (June 30, 2005). "Sufjan Stevens: Illinois". PopMatters. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
- ^ a b c Hopper, Jessica (July 22, 2005). "Ode to Us". Chicago Reader. Vol. 34, no. 43. p. 28. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
- ^ Bertsch, Charlie (November–December 2005). "Between Hipsters and God, There's Sufjan Stevens". Tikkun. Vol. 20, no. 6. pp. 78–79.
- ^ a b c Murray, Noel (July 13, 2005). "Interview – Sufjan Stevens". The A.V. Club. Retrieved April 13, 2010.
- ^ a b c Breimeier, Russ (January 1, 2005). "Illinois". Christianity Today. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
- ^ "The 25 Best Album Covers of the Decade (2000–2009)". Paste. November 16, 2009. Archived from the original on April 27, 2019. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
- ^ "PLUG 2006 Nominees/Winners". PLUG Independent Music Awards. Archived from the original on December 20, 2008. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
- ^ "Sufjan Stevens; Come on Feel the Illinoise". Philadelphia Weekly. July 13, 2005.
- Chicagoist. Archived from the originalon April 17, 2013. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
- ^ a b "Stevens Album Soars Despite 'Superman' Flap". Billboard. July 8, 2005. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
- ^ "A Statement From Asthmatic Kitty and DC Comics". Asthmatic Kitty. October 4, 2005. Archived from the original on March 24, 2010. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
- ^ "Illinois". Asthmatic Kitty. July 5, 2005. Retrieved April 11, 2010.
- ^ "Announcing Sufjan Stevens' Illinois: Special 10th Anniversary Blue Marvel Edition". Asthmatic Kitty. November 22, 2015. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
- ^ Gordon, Jeremy (November 23, 2015). "Sufjan Stevens to Release Illinois 10th Anniversary Edition with New Cover Art". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
- ^ a b "Illinois by Sufjan Stevens Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
- ^ a b Feliciano, Kristina (July 11, 2005). "Illinois". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 18, 2006. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ^ a b Simpson, Dave (July 1, 2005). "Sufjan Stevens, Come On Feel the Illinoise". The Guardian. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
- ^ a b Gill, Andy (July 1, 2005). "New Releases". The Independent.
- ^ Hochman, Steve (July 3, 2005). "A poetic license to Ill". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
- ^ Hermes, Will (July 2005). "Ryan Adams & the Cardinals: Cold Roses / Sufjan Stevens: Illinois". Spin. Vol. 21, no. 7. pp. 102, 105. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (November 1, 2005). "Consumer Guide: Christians and Heathens". The Village Voice. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
- ^ "Best Music and Albums for 2005". Metacritic. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
- Consequence of Sound. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
- ^ Jarnow, Jesse. "Sufjan Stevens – Illinois". Paste. No. 17. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
- ^ Grundy, Gareth (August 2005). "Sufjan Stevens: Illinoise". Q. No. 229. p. 137.
- ^ Gill, Andy (August 2005). "Sufjan Stevens – Illinoise". Uncut. No. 99. p. 86. Archived from the original on August 10, 2005. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ^ Lewis, Catherine P. (July 20, 2005). "Quick Spins". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 22, 2010.
- ^ Lamoreaux, Jason T. (December 1, 2005). "Somewhere Cold Awards 2005". Somewherecold Records. Archived from the original on September 30, 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2005.
- ^ a b "The Best of the Decade". Paste. November 2, 2009. Archived from the original on April 4, 2010. Retrieved April 12, 2010.
- ^ a b Boilen, Bob (November 16, 2009). "The Decade's 50 Most Important Recordings". NPR. Retrieved October 8, 2010.
- ^ a b "The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 20–1". Pitchfork. October 2, 2009. Archived from the original on May 25, 2010. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
- ^ "The Top 200 Albums of the 2000s: 100–51". Pitchfork. September 30, 2009. Archived from the original on January 10, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
- ^ Montgomery, James (March 31, 2006). "Sufjan Stevens Wins New Pantheon Award". MTV. Retrieved October 28, 2010.
- ISBN 9781743369081.
- ^ "Paste's 100 Best Living Songwriters #41–50". Paste. July 10, 2006. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
- ^ "The Best Music of 2005". NPR.org. NPR. Archived from the original on April 30, 2011. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
- Amazon.com. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- Amazon.com. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ^ "A Decade in Music – 50 Best Albums of 2005". NME. December 8, 2009. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
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- ^ "Top 50 Albums of 2005". Pitchfork. December 31, 2005. Archived from the original on January 31, 2011. Retrieved February 15, 2011.
- ^ "PopMatters Pick: The Best Music of 2005 – Best 50 Albums of 2005". PopMatters. December 19, 2005. Archived from the original on April 16, 2009. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
- ^ "The 40 Best Albums of 2005". Spin. December 31, 2005. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ^ "Stylus Magazine's Top 50 Albums of 2005". Stylus Magazine. December 19, 2005. Archived from the original on October 11, 2010. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ^ "2005 Rewind: 50 Records of the Year". The Wire. No. 263. London. January 2006. p. 41 – via Exact Editions. (subscription required)
- ^ "The Top 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade". NME. November 2009. Retrieved October 8, 2010.
- ^ "The No Ripcord Years: 2005–2006 (NR10)". No Ripcord. May 20, 2009. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
- ^ "Rolling Stone's 100 Best Albums, Songs Of The '00s". Stereogum. December 10, 2009. Retrieved October 8, 2010.
- ^ "Best of the Aughts: Albums (10–1)". Slant Magazine. February 1, 2010. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
- ISSN 0006-2510.
- ^ a b "Sufjan Stevens Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
- ^ a b "Sufjan Stevens Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
- ^ a b "Sufjan Stevens Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
- ^ a b "American album certifications – Sufjan Stevens – Illinois". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ Kim, Michelle (September 7, 2017). "Sufjan Stevens' Illinois Certified Gold After 12 Years". Pitchfork. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
- ^ "BPI Awards". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on September 24, 2009. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
- ^ Illinois (Special 10th Anniversary Blue Marvel Edition) (Media notes). Sufjan Stevens. Asthmatic Kitty. 2016. AKR 014.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Ryan, Gavin (April 11, 2015). "ARIA Albums: Spirit of the Anzacs Is No 1". Noise11. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Sufjan Stevens – Illinois" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Sufjan Stevens – Illinois". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
- ^ "Chart Log UK: 1994–2010: DJ S – The System Of Life". Zobbel. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
- ^ "Independent Albums - Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
- ^ "British album certifications – Sufjan Stevens – Illinois". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
- ISSN 1553-8478. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
- ^ Evans, Greg (November 16, 2023). "Sufjan Stevens' 'Illinoise' Stage Adaptation Sets Spring New York Debut". Theater/News. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 20, 2024.
External links
- Official website
- Asthmatic Kitty's page for Illinois
- Illinois at Discogs (list of releases)
- Illinois at MusicBrainz (list of releases)
- Illinois (Sufjan Stevens album) – a list of accolades at Acclaimed Music
- "Sufjan Stevens and the Curious Case of the Missing 48 States" from The Ringer