Catfights and Spotlights
Encyclopedia
Catfights and Spotlights is the sixth studio album
by British pop band Sugababes
, released by Island Records
in the Netherlands
and Ireland
on 17 October 2008 and in the United Kingdom
on 20 October 2008. It was primarily produced by Klas Åhlund
, Steve Booker
and Orson
, with additional contribution from Si Hulbert
, The Invisible Men, Melvin Kuiters, and Max Martin
. It is the group's final album to include final founding member Keisha Buchanan
.
The album received a generally positive reception from the media and music critics, but became the group's third lowest-charting and second lowest-selling album, reaching number eight and the top twenty in the UK
and on the Irish Albums Chart
, respectively. Catfights and Spotlights spawned only two singles, with the international top ten entry "Girls." The second and final single "No Can Do
" was released on 22 December 2008.
in May 2008, the Sugababes announced that they would not go back into the recording studio
until September 2008 to work on their next album, insisting they needed more time to work on their new material. However, on 15 June 2008, band member Keisha Buchanan
told an interviewer that the group would start work on a new album straight away due to opportunities to record with new producers, and by 17 June the trio had started recording. Less than a month later at the annual Liverpool Summer Pops in Liverpool
, they announced that the lead single
was completed, describing it as "amazing." The title of the single, "Girls", was revealed on 11 August 2008 and was released on 6 October 2008 in the UK.
The album has been described as having a "funkier" sound by Orson
's lead singer
Jason Pebworth, who has been working with the group in the recording studio. In an interview, the Sugababes described the Catfights and Spotlights as having a more mellow and mature sound which focuses mainly on their vocals.
The album was also described by Range as darker.
with first week sales of over 23,000 copies, becoming their fifth studio-album to reach the top ten in the United Kingdom. However, it also became their first album since their debut One Touch not to peak inside the national top three. The album fell out of the top fifty in its fourth week of release. As of Monday, January 19, the album jumped 22 places from 96 to 74 with sales 2,000. It was eventually certified Silver by the BPI
.
In Ireland
, the album debuted at number 18, before falling to number 42 the following week, while in Greece
, the album entered at number 33, before dropping to number 37 the following week. However, on its third week the album climbed to number 22.
On an interview to Daily Star Sunday, Sugababes member Heidi Range blamed their music label, Island
, for disappointing sales of their new album. According to Range, "The sales have been disappointing but I don't think it is a reflection on the album's quality, and the problem is the promotion, I don't actually think our fans know we've even got an album out."
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by British pop band Sugababes
Sugababes
The Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Sugababes were formed in 1998 with founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. Their debut album, One Touch, was released in 2000 under London...
, released by Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
on 17 October 2008 and in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 20 October 2008. It was primarily produced by Klas Åhlund
Klas Åhlund
Klas Frans Åhlund is a Swedish songwriter, record producer, and guitarist. He is the founding member of the Swedish rock band Teddybears...
, Steve Booker
Steve Booker (producer)
Steve Booker is an award-winning British music producer and songwriter best known for "Mercy", "Stepping Stone" and "Rain on Your Parade", three hits he produced and co-wrote for Duffy's Brit and Grammy award winning debut album "Rockferry"...
and Orson
Orson (band)
Orson was a BRIT Award-winning American rock band from Hollywood, California, formed in 2000.-Career:Originally the band called itself Halogen. Recently, it was also known as Dr. Lady...
, with additional contribution from Si Hulbert
Studio B (artist)
Studio B are a trio consisting of Harry Brooks, Simon Hulbert and Lewis Coleman. The original version of their debut single, "I See Girls " made number 53 in the UK Singles Chart in December 2003. The track was then re-released in 2005 using a Tom Neville electro remix of the track, and it reached...
, The Invisible Men, Melvin Kuiters, and Max Martin
Max Martin
Martin Karl Sandberg, known professionally as Max Martin, is a Swedish music producer and songwriter. Raised in Stenhamra, a suburb of Stockholm, Sweden, he broke through as a producer and songwriter in the mid to late 1990s after crafting a string of hits for pop artists like the Backstreet Boys,...
. It is the group's final album to include final founding member Keisha Buchanan
Keisha Buchanan
Keisha Kerreece Fayeanne Buchanan is an English singer-songwriter and was a founding member of the BRIT Award-winning girl group the Sugababes. With the Sugababes, Buchanan had six number one singles and two number one studio albums, making the Sugababes one of the most successful British pop acts...
.
The album received a generally positive reception from the media and music critics, but became the group's third lowest-charting and second lowest-selling album, reaching number eight and the top twenty in the UK
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
and on the Irish Albums Chart
Irish Albums Chart
The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically...
, respectively. Catfights and Spotlights spawned only two singles, with the international top ten entry "Girls." The second and final single "No Can Do
No Can Do
"No Can Do" is a song recorded by British girl group Sugababes. The song was written by Jon Shave, VV "Geeki" Brown and Orson band members George Astasio and Jason Pebworth for the band's sixth studio album Catfights and Spotlights , and produced by The Invisible Men and Si Hulbert, featuring a...
" was released on 22 December 2008.
Recording and theme
After they had completed the Change TourChange Tour
The Change Tour is the fourth Sugababes concert tour. The tour began with 2 nights in Brentwood on 12 March and 13 March 2008, with the final show on 1 May 2008 in Derby. The 30-date tour is their longest yet. Harvey B-Brown, director of the Denial video, directed the tour...
in May 2008, the Sugababes announced that they would not go back into the recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
until September 2008 to work on their next album, insisting they needed more time to work on their new material. However, on 15 June 2008, band member Keisha Buchanan
Keisha Buchanan
Keisha Kerreece Fayeanne Buchanan is an English singer-songwriter and was a founding member of the BRIT Award-winning girl group the Sugababes. With the Sugababes, Buchanan had six number one singles and two number one studio albums, making the Sugababes one of the most successful British pop acts...
told an interviewer that the group would start work on a new album straight away due to opportunities to record with new producers, and by 17 June the trio had started recording. Less than a month later at the annual Liverpool Summer Pops in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, they announced that the lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
was completed, describing it as "amazing." The title of the single, "Girls", was revealed on 11 August 2008 and was released on 6 October 2008 in the UK.
The album has been described as having a "funkier" sound by Orson
Orson (band)
Orson was a BRIT Award-winning American rock band from Hollywood, California, formed in 2000.-Career:Originally the band called itself Halogen. Recently, it was also known as Dr. Lady...
's lead singer
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
Jason Pebworth, who has been working with the group in the recording studio. In an interview, the Sugababes described the Catfights and Spotlights as having a more mellow and mature sound which focuses mainly on their vocals.
The album was also described by Range as darker.
Sales and impact
Catfights and Spotlights debuted at number eight on the UK Albums ChartUK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
with first week sales of over 23,000 copies, becoming their fifth studio-album to reach the top ten in the United Kingdom. However, it also became their first album since their debut One Touch not to peak inside the national top three. The album fell out of the top fifty in its fourth week of release. As of Monday, January 19, the album jumped 22 places from 96 to 74 with sales 2,000. It was eventually certified Silver by the BPI
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
.
In Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the album debuted at number 18, before falling to number 42 the following week, while in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, the album entered at number 33, before dropping to number 37 the following week. However, on its third week the album climbed to number 22.
On an interview to Daily Star Sunday, Sugababes member Heidi Range blamed their music label, Island
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
, for disappointing sales of their new album. According to Range, "The sales have been disappointing but I don't think it is a reflection on the album's quality, and the problem is the promotion, I don't actually think our fans know we've even got an album out."
Track listing
Charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Croatian Albums Chart | 31 |
| European Top 100 Albums European Top 100 Albums The European Top 100 Albums chart is the European adaptation of the Billboard 200 albums chart. It was created in March 1984.The European Top 100 Albums, commonly referred to as Eurochart Top 100 Albums shows the sales of an act in 19 European countries based on IFPI data.The European Top 100... |
34 |
| Greek Albums Chart Greek Albums Chart International Federation of the Phonographic Industry Greece or IFPI Greece is the Greek branch of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and is the official charts provider and recording sales certification body for Greece. Currently two charts are compiled, one for sales of... |
22 |
| Irish Albums Chart Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
18 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
8 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands Netherlands The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders... |
17 October 2008 | Island Records Island Records Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group... |
| Ireland Ireland Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth... |
||
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
20 October 2008 | |
| Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
22 November 2008 | |
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
24 December 2009 |