Illuminations (Josh Groban album)
2010 studio album by Josh Groban
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Illuminations is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Josh Groban, produced by Rick Rubin. Similar to his previous albums, Illuminations contains songs sung in a variety of languages, including his first take on a Portuguese song, "Você Existe Em Mim", which Groban co-wrote with Lester Mendez and Carlinhos Brown. The album was released on November 15, 2010.[1]
- Operatic pop
- classical
- classical crossover
- pop rock
| Illuminations | ||||
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| Released | November 15, 2010 | |||
| Recorded | Spring 2008–Summer 2010 | |||
| Studios | Los Angeles, London. | |||
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| Producer | Rick Rubin | |||
| Josh Groban chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Illuminations | ||||
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Album information
The official title and cover art for Illuminations was revealed in September 2010.[1][2] In addition to the regular release, a special fan edition of the album is available for purchase on Groban's website that contains the original CD, a "making-of" DVD, a 48-page color photo book filled with lyrics and pictures, and two bonus tracks (to be delivered digitally).[3]
The first single from the album, "Hidden Away", was released on September 13,[4] and was also available to download for free on Groban's website and Facebook from September 8–13.
Leading up to the album's release, iTunes released songs periodically from the album to download, which began on October 12 with the release of the album's Portuguese song "Você Existe Em Mim".[5] A third song, "Higher Window", was released on October 25. A fourth and final song, "L'Ora Dell'Addio", was released on November 9.
Beginning May 12, 2011, Groban embarked on a worldwide tour entitled the Straight to You Tour to promote the album.[6]
Reception
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 79/100[7] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [8] |
| BBC Music | positive[9] |
| The Boston Globe | positive[10] |
| Entertainment Weekly | (B+)[11] |
Illuminations received mostly positive reviews from music critics.[7]
Commercial reception
The album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, selling 190,000 copies in its first week and was certified platinum by the RIAA for shipping over a million copies.[12] The album has since sold over 800,000 copies in the US.[13] In Canada, the album debuted at No. 4 on the Canadian Albums Chart and was certified platinum for shipping over 80,000 copies.
Track listing
The following is the track listing for the regular album:[14][15]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Wandering Kind (Prelude)" | Josh Groban | 2:28 |
| 2. | "Bells of New York City" | Groban, Dan Wilson | 3:50 |
| 3. | "Galileo (Someone Like You)" | Declan O'Rourke, Seamus Cotter | 3:22 |
| 4. | "L'ora dell'addio (Farewell Time)" | Groban, Walter Afanasieff, Marco Marinangeli | 3:28 |
| 5. | "Hidden Away" | Groban, Wilson | 3:56 |
| 6. | "Au jardin des sans-pourquoi (The Garden Without "Whys")" | Groban, Rufus Wainwright, Kate McGarrigle | 3:32 |
| 7. | "Higher Window" | Groban, Wilson, Thomas Salter | 4:37 |
| 8. | "If I Walk Away" | Groban, Wilson | 3:52 |
| 9. | "Love Only Knows" | Groban, Wilson | 4:44 |
| 10. | "Você Existe Em Mim" | Groban, Lester Mendez, Carlinhos Brown | 5:07 |
| 11. | "War at Home" | Groban, Wilson | 4:45 |
| 12. | "London Hymn" | Groban, Marius de Vries | 1:57 |
| 13. | "Straight to You" | Nick Cave | 4:10 |
| Total length: | 49:52 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14. | "Feels Like Home" | Randy Newman | 5:08 |
| 15. | "Hidden Away" (Radio mix) (Bonus video) |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14. | "They Won't Go When I Go" | Stevie Wonder, Yvonne Wright | 4:48 |
| 15. | "Le Cose Che Sei Per Me" | Brendan Graham, Rolf Løvland | 3:31 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14. | "They Won't Go When I Go" | Stevie Wonder, Yvonne Wright | 4:48 |
| 15. | "Le Cose Che Sei Per Me" | Brendan Graham, Rolf Løvland | 3:31 |
| 16. | "Feels Like Home" | Randy Newman | 5:08 |
| Total length: | 63:24 | ||
- Orchestra and Choir arranged and conducted by David Campbell
- Mixed by Allen Sides, except "War At Home" mixed by Andrew Scheps
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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