Living Proof (Cher album)
Living Proof | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | November 6, 2001 | |||
Recorded | 2000–2001 | |||
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Length |
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Cher chronology | ||||
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Singles from Living Proof | ||||
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Living Proof is the twenty-fourth studio album by American singer
styles.Upon release, Living Proof received mixed reviews from music critics. Some of them praised the album itself, saying that it was even better than Believe, while others criticized the excessive use of Auto-Tune on Cher's vocals. Commercially, the album did not reach the same success as its predecessor, debuting at number nine on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 82,000 copies. It was received moderately in Europe, peaking within the top 30 in Sweden and the top 50 in the United Kingdom, despite being certified gold by both Swedish Recording Industry Association (GLF) and British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Living Proof is estimated to have sold more than one million copies worldwide.
Six singles were released from Living Proof. "The Music's No Good Without You" was released as the album's worldwide lead single, and made Cher one of the few artists to have a top 10 hit in the United Kingdom in five consecutive decades. American lead single "Song for the Lonely" reached number one on the US Dance Club Songs chart. The following singles, "Alive Again", "A Different Kind of Love Song", "When the Money's Gone" and "Love One Another", failed to make much impact on the charts. To further promote the album, Cher made promotional television appearances and embarked on the Living Proof: The Farewell Tour, becoming the longest running concert tour ever in North America and one of the highest-grossing tours by a solo artist, earning an estimated US$250 million.
On March 9, 2024, it was annouced by Dion Singer via Instagram that Living Proof would be released on vinyl for the first time this summer. It was also announced that the Japanese only track “The Look” would be added to all streaming services.[2]
Background
After the commercial success of Believe (1998), Cher released her twenty-third studio album Not Commercial in late 2000. It was sold exclusively online and had a "not commercial" sound, hence she did not consider it as an "official" follow-up to Believe.[3] The singer began work on her 24th studio album in 2000. She began giving hints of the album at the time, calling it "son of Believe" because "that's how I differentiate it in my mind", and elaborated that "If you liked Believe, you're going to love the new one, because the new one is so much fun", calling it "so terrific".[4] Cher commented about one of the songs she was considering for the album while recording it, saying she "almost killed" herself while she was dancing in the shower.[4]
For the album, Cher collaborated with several musicians including
Music and lyrics
The international version for Living Proof opens with "
The fifth song "Rain, Rain" is a "dressed-down" track with "electronic gurgles and aquatic vocal renderings",
Promotion
To start marketing Living Proof, Cher made an appearance on German TV show
Cher embarked on her fifth concert tour titled
Singles
"
"Alive Again" was released as the third and final European single from Living Proof.[50] Its commercial response was limited and quite poor in European countries, managing to chart in Germany at number 27,[51] and Switzerland at number 80.[52] "A Different Kind of Love Song", the second American single,[16] topped the Dance Club Songs and peaked at number 30 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[48][53] The third and final American singles were "When the Money's Gone"/"Love One Another".[54] Although "When the Money's Gone" topped the Dance Club Songs chart, the former did not chart at all.[48]
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
The Dallas Morning News | C[8] |
Dotmusic | [55] |
Entertainment Weekly | B+[56] |
entertainment.ie | [57] |
Rolling Stone | [15] |
Slant Magazine | [12] |
Q | [58] |
Living Proof received generally mixed reviews from music critics. Michael Paoletta from Billboard was positive, stating that after a few listens, the record shows it is actually better than its predecessor Believe.[19] In a similar review, Post-Tribune newspaper felt the album "should show just how essential Cher still is in the world of pop".[59] Baby A. Gil, writer for The Philippine Star, praised the album as "another rousing dancefest", while noting that Cher's singing was "in full control and in better form than it was during her early days", calling it an "excellent example" that time can stand still.[60] Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine was mostly positive, noting that "each track pumps with melodies so thickly contagious that their hit potentials are essentially guaranteed", while even the album's weakest moments maintain the high-energy, club-ready pace. However, he also noted that Cher "shamelessly revisits her proven hit formula with such fervent immodesty it's hard to believe three years have gone by".[12] Entertainment Weekly's Jim Farber gave a positive feedback, despite saying Cher's vocals seemed "even more worked on than her face. But she still has feeling".[56] Colm O'Hare from Irish magazine Hot Press exalted the album's international lead single "The Music's No Good Without You", noting it uses the same voice effect from "Believe", and said "it's almost a 'Believe' Part Two proving that nothing succeeds like repetition".[61]
Barry Walters from
Commercial performance
In the United Kingdom, Living Proof debuted at number 46 on the
In the United States, Living Proof debuted at number nine on the
Track listing
Stargate | 3:55 | |||
10. | "Love One Another" |
| 3:45 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
11. | "You Take It All" |
|
| 4:53 |
12. | "When the Money's Gone" |
| Roberts | 4:38 |
Total length: | 50:17 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
13. | "The Look" |
| M. Taylor | 4:25 |
Total length: | 54:42 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Song for the Lonely" |
| M. Taylor | 3:21 |
2. | "A Different Kind of Love Song" |
|
| 3:31 |
3. | "Alive Again" |
|
| 4:18 |
4. | "The Music's No Good Without You" |
|
| 4:40 |
5. | "Rain, Rain" |
| Stargate | 3:43 |
6. | "Real Love" |
| Stargate | 3:55 |
7. | "Love So High" |
|
| 4:32 |
8. | "Body to Body, Heart to Heart" | Warren | Moran | 3:59 |
9. | "Love Is a Lonely Place Without You" |
| M. Taylor | 3:53 |
10. | "Love One Another" |
|
| 3:45 |
11. | "When You Walk Away" | Warren | M. Taylor | 4:21 |
12. | "When the Money's Gone" |
| Roberts | 4:38 |
Total length: | 48:41 |
Personnel
- Cher – main vocals, songwriter
- Tracy Ackerman – backing vocalist
- Clark Anderson – backing vocalist
- Sue Ann Carwell – backing vocalist
- Rob Dickins – producer
- Chapman – producer
- James Thomas – songwriter
- Mark Taylor – songwriter, producer
- Paul Barry – songwriter
- Ray Hedges – songwriter
- Tracy Ackerman – songwriter
- Steve Torch – songwriter
- Johan Åberg – songwriter
- Michelle Lewis – songwriter
- Sigurd Rosnes– songwriter
- Shelly Peiken – songwriter
- Guy Roche – songwriter
- John Capek – songwriter
- Marc Jordan – songwriter
- Bruce Roberts – producer
- Wallis and Chapman – producers
- Diane Warren – songwriter
- William Steinberg – songwriter
- Marie-Claire Cremers – songwriter
- Rick Nowels – songwriter, producer
- Donna Weiss – songwriter
- Stuart McLennan – songwriter
- Brian Higgins – songwriter, producer
- Anders Hansson – producer
- Stargate– producer
- Tony Moran – producer
- Wayne Rodrigues – producer
- Chris Cox – producer
- Jeff Taylor – producer
- Stargate– songwriters, producers
- Eric Thorenburg – engineer
- Randy Wine – engineer
- Nick Bracegirdle– engineer, songwriter, producer
- Björn Engelmann – mixing
- Jeri Heiden – art direction
- Barrie Goshko – art direction
- Michael Lavine – photography
- Kevyn Aucoin – make-up
- Serena Radaeli – hair
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications and sales
‹See Tfd›‹See Tfd›Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[94] | Gold | 10,000‡ |
Germany (BVMI)[68] | Gold | 150,000^ |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[95] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Sweden (GLF)[96] | Gold | 40,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[97] | Gold | 20,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[64] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[75] | Gold | 520,000[76] |
Summaries | ||
Worldwide | — | 1,000,000[78] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format(s) | Edition(s) | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Japan | November 6, 2001 | CD
|
Standard | WEA | [80] |
United Kingdom | November 19, 2001 |
|
[98] | ||
France | November 20, 2001 |
|
[99] | ||
Canada | November 27, 2001 |
|
[100] | ||
United States | February 26, 2002 |
|
Warner Bros.
|
[101] |
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{{cite web}}
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Notes
- Larocque, Jason (2013). You Haven't Seen The Last of Me. ISBN 978-1-300-88858-1.
- ^ Canadian Digital Song Sales.
External links
- Living Proof at Discogs (list of releases)