''Middle of Nowhere'' is the debut studio album by American
pop rock
Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...
group
Hanson
Hanson or Hansson may refer to:
People
* Hanson (surname)
* Hansson (surname)
* Hanson (wrestler), ringname of an American professional wrestler
Musical groups
* Hanson (band), an American pop rock band
* Hanson (UK band), an English rock ...
, and the first to be released on a
major label
A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the produc ...
, which was
Polygram Records
PolyGram N.V. was a multinational entertainment company and major music record label formerly based in the Netherlands. It was founded in 1962 as the Grammophon-Philips Group by Dutch corporation Philips and German corporation Siemens, to be a ...
and
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it is ...
. Released in 1997, it features slicker studio production compared to their previous
indie
Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Gaming
*Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies
*Indie game, any game (board ...
efforts ''
Boomerang
A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning b ...
'' and ''
MMMBop
"MMMBop" is a song written and performed by American pop rock band Hanson. It was released on April 15, 1997, as the lead single from their debut full-length studio album, '' Middle of Nowhere'' (1997). The song was nominated for two Grammys at ...
''. The band members were between the ages of 11 and 16 when it was released. "Yearbook", one of the album's more dramatic songs, was not performed live until the recording of ''
Middle of Nowhere Acoustic
''Middle of Nowhere Acoustic'' is a live acoustic album and DVD by Hanson
Hanson or Hansson may refer to:
People
* Hanson (surname)
* Hansson (surname)
* Hanson (wrestler), ringname of an American professional wrestler
Musical groups
...
'' on May 5, 2007.
''Middle of Nowhere'' yielded five singles: "
MMMBop
"MMMBop" is a song written and performed by American pop rock band Hanson. It was released on April 15, 1997, as the lead single from their debut full-length studio album, '' Middle of Nowhere'' (1997). The song was nominated for two Grammys at ...
", "
Where's the Love
"Where's the Love" is a song by American pop rock band Hanson. It was released on September 1, 1997, as the second single from the band's debut album, '' Middle of Nowhere'' (1997). Internationally, it was a successful follow-up to "MMMBop", rea ...
", "
I Will Come to You
"I Will Come to You" is a song by American pop rock band Hanson. It was released on November 10, 1997, as the third single from the band's debut album, '' Middle of Nowhere'' (1997). "I Will Come to You" reached number five on the UK Singles Char ...
", "
Weird
Weird derives from the Anglo-Saxon word Wyrd, meaning fate or destiny. In modern English it has acquired the meaning of “strange or uncanny”. It may also refer to:
Places
* Weird Lake, a lake in Minnesota, U.S.
People
*"Weird Al" Yankovic (b ...
", and "
Thinking of You". "MMMBop" became a major hit, reaching number one in the United States and at least eleven other countries.
Reception
''Middle of Nowhere'' reached number two on the
''Billboard'' 200, being kept out of the top spot by the
Spice Girls
The Spice Girls are a British girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Melanie Brown, also known as Mel B ("Scary Spice"); Melanie Chisholm, or Melanie C ("Sporty Spice"); Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"); Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"); and Vict ...
' ''
Spice
A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Spices a ...
''. The album also reached number one in the UK, Australia, Germany, and Taiwan.
Total sales worldwide are 10 million copies. The album sold just under 4 million in the US (4 times platinum) and over 400,000 copies in UK.
The album was well received by critics.
David Browne of ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' said of the trio: "... lack of guile is Hanson's most endearing quality."
Track listing
All songs written by Isaac Hanson,
Taylor Hanson
Jordan Taylor Hanson (born March 14, 1983) is an American musician best known as a member of the pop rock band Hanson. He was born in Jenks, Oklahoma, a suburb of Tulsa. He sings both lead and back-up vocals, and plays keyboard, percussion (incl ...
and Zachary Hanson, with additional writers noted in parentheses.
#"
Thinking of You" – 3:13
#"
MMMBop
"MMMBop" is a song written and performed by American pop rock band Hanson. It was released on April 15, 1997, as the lead single from their debut full-length studio album, '' Middle of Nowhere'' (1997). The song was nominated for two Grammys at ...
" – 4:28
#"
Weird
Weird derives from the Anglo-Saxon word Wyrd, meaning fate or destiny. In modern English it has acquired the meaning of “strange or uncanny”. It may also refer to:
Places
* Weird Lake, a lake in Minnesota, U.S.
People
*"Weird Al" Yankovic (b ...
" – 4:02 (
Desmond Child
John Charles Barrett (born October 28, 1953), known professionally as Desmond Child, is an American songwriter and producer. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2008.
His hits as a songwriter include Kiss's "I Was Made for Lovi ...
)
#"Speechless" – 4:20 (Stephen Lironi)
#"
Where's the Love
"Where's the Love" is a song by American pop rock band Hanson. It was released on September 1, 1997, as the second single from the band's debut album, '' Middle of Nowhere'' (1997). Internationally, it was a successful follow-up to "MMMBop", rea ...
" – 4:13 (
Mark Hudson, Sander Selover)
#"Yearbook" – 5:29 (
Ellen Shipley
Ellen Shipley (born March 24, 1949 in New York City, New York, United States) is an American musician and songwriter.
Career
At sixteen years old, Shipley got a NYC Cabaret license. She performed a duo act in Greenwich Village in the early 70's ...
)
#"Look at You" – 4:28 (Stephen Lironi)
#"Lucy" – 3:35 (
Mark Hudson)
#"
I Will Come to You
"I Will Come to You" is a song by American pop rock band Hanson. It was released on November 10, 1997, as the third single from the band's debut album, '' Middle of Nowhere'' (1997). "I Will Come to You" reached number five on the UK Singles Char ...
" – 4:11 (
Barry Mann
Barry Mann (born Barry Imberman; February 9, 1939) is an American songwriter and musician, and part of a successful songwriting partnership with his wife, Cynthia Weil.
He has written or co-written 53 hits in the UK and 98 in the US.
Early li ...
,
Cynthia Weil
Cynthia Weil (born October 18, 1940) is an American songwriter who wrote many songs together with her husband Barry Mann.
Life and career
Weil was born in New York City, and was raised in a Conservative Jewish family. Her father was Morris Wei ...
)
#"A Minute Without You" – 3:55 (
Mark Hudson)
#"Madeline" – 4:13 (
Clif Magness
Clifton “Clif” Magness is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist, best known for co-writing and producing several tracks on Avril Lavigne’s 2002 debut album, '' Let Go'' including the song "Losing Grip". ...
)
#"With You in Your Dreams" – 3:56
#"Man from Milwaukee"
D-only hidden track– 3:38
Note
*"Man from Milwaukee" is actually track #21, as there are eight tracks of silence after "With You in Your Dreams". In Japan the song is track 14 because a remix of "
MMMBop
"MMMBop" is a song written and performed by American pop rock band Hanson. It was released on April 15, 1997, as the lead single from their debut full-length studio album, '' Middle of Nowhere'' (1997). The song was nominated for two Grammys at ...
" serves as song 13. "Man from Milwaukee" was omitted from all cassettes and vinyl pressings of ''Middle of Nowhere''. Some later reissues of the album in some locales including the remastered version omitted the tracks of silence and make "Man from Milwaukee" a true track 13.
Personnel
Hanson
* Zachary Hanson – drums, vocals
*
Taylor Hanson
Jordan Taylor Hanson (born March 14, 1983) is an American musician best known as a member of the pop rock band Hanson. He was born in Jenks, Oklahoma, a suburb of Tulsa. He sings both lead and back-up vocals, and plays keyboard, percussion (incl ...
– keyboards, piano, vocals
* Isaac Hanson – guitar, vocals
Session musicians
* Stephen Lironi – bass, guitar, percussion, programming, producer, keyboards
* Peter Kent – violin
* Michael Fischer – percussion
* Carole Mukogawa – viola
* John Wittenberg – violin
* Mike Shawcross – percussion
* Michito Sanchez – percussion
* Larry Corbett – cello
* Steve Richards – cello
*
Ged Lynch
Ged Lynch (born 19 July 1968, Blackburn, England) is an English percussionist and composer.
Lynch had early commercial success drumming with the Ruthless Rap Assassins. In 1989 he joined The Icicle Works. He joined Shaun Ryder and Bez in Bla ...
– drums, percussion
*
Nick Vincent – drums
*
Endre Granat
Endre Granat (born August 3, 1937) is an American violinist. He is regarded as the most recorded violinist and concertmaster working in the studios today.
Early life and education
Granat studied at the Franz Liszt Academy, Jacobs School of Mus ...
– violin
*
Abe Laboriel Jr.
Abraham Laboriel Jr. (born March 23, 1971) is an American session drummer. He is the son of Mexican bass guitarist Abraham Laboriel, nephew of Mexican rocker Johnny Laboriel, and brother of record producer, songwriter, and film composer Mateo ...
– drums
*
David Campbell – conductor, string arrangements
*
Abraham Laboriel
Abraham Laboriel López Sr. (born July 17, 1947) is a Mexican-American bassist who has played on over 4,000 recordings and soundtracks. ''Guitar Player'' magazine called him "the most widely used session bassist of our time". Laboriel is the f ...
– bass
*
Neil Stubenhaus
Neil Stubenhaus is an American bass guitarist.
Career
He started his musical training playing drums and switched to bass guitar at the age of 12. He studied at the Berklee College of Music where he graduated in 1975. After graduation, he was rec ...
– bass
*
B.J. Cole
Brian John Cole is an English pedal steel guitarist, who has long been active as a session and solo musician. Coming to prominence in the early 1970s with the band Cochise, Cole has played in many styles, ranging from mainstream pop and rock t ...
– pedal steel
* Sandy Stein – keyboards
*
DJ Swamp
Ronald K. Keys Jr. aka DJ Swamp is an American hip hop DJ, turntablist, producer and vocalist. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. He currently resides in Los Angeles, United States. In 1996, he won the title of US DMC Champion, hi ...
- turntables
*
Mark Hudson – harmonica
* Murray Adler – violin
Other
*
Roger Love – vocal director
* Margery Greenspan – art direction
*
Steve Greenberg – executive producer
* Barry Mann – vocal director
* Marina Chavez – photography
*
Ted Jensen
Ted Jensen (born September 19, 1954) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered many recordings, including the Eagles' ''Hotel California'', Green Day's '' American Idiot'' and Norah Jones' ''Come Away with Me''.
Biography
Ted ...
– mastering
*
The Dust Brothers
The Dust Brothers are a pair of songwriters and producers consisting of E.Z. Mike ( Michael Simpson) and King Gizmo ( John King). They are famous for the sample-based music they produced in the 1980s and 1990s, and specifically for their work o ...
– programming, producer
*
Mark Hudson – vocal director
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
Certifications
References
{{Authority control
Hanson (band) albums
1997 albums
Mercury Records albums
Albums arranged by David Campbell (composer)
Albums produced by the Dust Brothers
Albums produced by Stephen Lironi