Maps of Music

Christina Aguilera (1999)

Where the lyrics of Christina Aguilera take you, and where it was really made.

A record deal began with a Disney film theme: the Mulan song "Reflection" got the singer signed before the album existed.

Key places

Recording at Pacifique Recording Studios (1999)

Recording site Pacifique Recording Studios — The album was recorded between 1998 and 1999, and this studio in North Hollywood is listed among its recording places. The studio is placed at building-level coordinates. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording at Conway Recording Studios (1999)

Recording site Conway Recording Studios — Conway Recording Studios in Los Angeles is listed as a recording place for the album, which was made between 1998 and 1999. The studio is placed at building-level coordinates. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording in Burbank (1999)

Recording site The Enterprise (Burbank) — Enterprise Interactive, Inc. in Burbank is listed as a recording place for the album. The point marks only the city center of Burbank, not the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording in Mount Kisco (1999)

Recording site Barking Doctor Recording (Mount Kisco, NY) — Barking Doctor Recording in Mount Kisco, New York is listed as a recording place for the album. The point marks only the city center of Mount Kisco. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording in Bronxville (1999)

Recording site Loft Recording Studios (Bronxville, NY) — Loft Recording Studios in Bronxville, New York is listed as a recording place for the album. The point marks only the city center of Bronxville. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Christina Aguilera: debut studio album by American singer Christina Aguilera
• Released August 24, 1999 by RCA Records
• Mainly dance-pop and teen pop; also bubblegum pop, R&B, soul, hip-hop and ballads
• Four hit singles: "Genie in a Bottle", "What a Girl Wants", "Come on Over Baby (All I Want is You)" and "I Turn to You"
• Later included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Background

• Aguilera recorded "Reflection", theme song for the 1998 Disney film Mulan, and gained a record deal at seventeen
• RCA laid the foundation for the album right after the Mulan recording
• Label had first planned a January 1999 release
• RCA wanted an album by September 1998 to keep the hype around her

Recording

• Recorded between 1998 and 1999
• Ron Fair served as executive producer
• Producers included Johan Åberg, David Frank, Ron Fair, Guy Roche, Robin Thicke, Matthew Wilder and Aaron Zigman
• Label reportedly spent $1 million on writers, producers and voice lessons
• Aguilera wanted a more R&B album, but the record was built around pop songs
• Only twelve tracks fit, so several recorded songs were scrapped

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• Born December 18, 1980, in Ocean Breeze, New York; American singer, songwriter, and actress.
• Appeared on The All New Mickey Mouse Club (1993–1994); recorded "Reflection" for Mulan (1998) and signed with RCA Records.
• Debut album Christina Aguilera (1999) topped the US Billboard 200 and produced three Hot 100 number-one singles.
• Stripped (2002) and Back to Basics (2006) reinvented her image; Back to Basics was her second US number-one album.
• Known for a four-octave range, melismatic style, and use of the whistle register; ranked among the greatest singers of all time by Rolling Stone.
• Sold over 100 million records worldwide; five Grammy Awards.
• Acted in Burlesque (2010), The Emoji Movie (2017), and Zoe (2018).
• Coached The Voice (2011–2016); named a Disney Legend in 2019.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Critics gave generally positive reviews, praising Aguilera's vocal performance and technique
• Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic praised the songwriting and the "clean and uncluttered" production
• Barry Walters of Rolling Stone criticized the album's theme as "bubble-brained"
• Beth Johnson of Entertainment Weekly called the album a frustratingly erratic record while saying it still made a credible bid for romantic-rebound summer listening
• Sputnikmusic editor Amanda Murray called it highly representative of the better aspects of late-1990s teen pop

Reappraisal

• Kenneth Partridge of Billboard later called it a solid set of Top 40 pop songs, with even its deep cuts quite listenable
• Partridge said the lyrics tell little about the girl on the cover

Records

• United States: debut at number one on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 252,800 copies
• Second week: fell to number two, selling 218,000 copies
• United States: RIAA octuple platinum for shipments above eight million copies
• Nielsen SoundScan: 8,300,000 copies sold in the US as of August 2019
• Canada: peaked atop the Canadian Albums Chart; Music Canada sextuple platinum in July 2001
• United Kingdom: peaked at number 14; 26 weeks on the chart; platinum from IFPI for one million copies in Europe
• Australia: peaked at number 21; ARIA platinum for 70,000 sales in 2000
• New Zealand: peaked at number five; RMNZ platinum
• Brazil: 80,000 copies in seven months after release
• Worldwide sales: over 14 million, Aguilera's best-selling album
• Grammy Award for Best New Artist at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The first Mulan recording led to the label deal, and RCA started building the album right after it.
• Aguilera recorded "Genie in a Bottle" late in the process, though she almost did not record it because other artists wanted the song.
• The Japanese edition adds the bonus track "We're a Miracle" from the Pokémon: The First Movie soundtrack and "Don't Make Me Love You".
• Later in 2000 Aguilera performed as a halftime act at Super Bowl XXXIV.
• For the album's 25th anniversary in 2024 she released an extended play of live versions of songs from the album.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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