''Ten'' is the second
greatest hits and final overall album released by English-Irish girl group
Girls Aloud, released in commemoration of the group's tenth anniversary. It was released in the United Kingdom on 26 November 2012 through
Polydor Records
Polydor Records Ltd. is a German-British record label that operates as part of Universal Music Group. It has a close relationship with Universal's Interscope Geffen A&M Records label, which distributes Polydor's releases in the United States. ...
. The album consists of fourteen of Girls Aloud's singles, including the number-one singles "
Sound of the Underground", "
I'll Stand by You" and "
The Promise", and four new tracks.
The album was praised by contemporary
music critics, who noted songwriting and production team
Xenomania
Xenomania is an English songwriting and production team founded by Brian Higgins and based in Kent, England. Formed by Higgins with his Creative Director Miranda Cooper and Business Director Sarah Stennett of First Access Entertainment, Xenoman ...
's creativity and Girls Aloud's strong collection of hit singles. The album was promoted with Girls Aloud's final singles, "
Something New" and "
Beautiful 'Cause You Love Me
"Beautiful 'Cause You Love Me" is a song recorded by British girl group Girls Aloud from their second compilation album, '' Ten'' (2012). It was written by Rachel Moulden and produced by Jim Eliot. The song received mixed reviews from music crit ...
", as well as
Ten: The Hits Tour (2013).
Background
''Ten'' was the first album released by the group since their fifth and final studio album ''
Out of Control'' (2008). After signing a three-album deal with
Fascination Records
Fascination Records is a United Kingdom-based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as an imprint of Polydor Records. The label was launched in spring of 2006, and is managed by former TOTP Magazine editor Peter Loraine ...
in February 2009, the group announced in July of that year that they would be taking a year-long hiatus to pursue solo projects, and returning in 2010 with a new studio album, which didn't happen. In August 2012,
Cheryl Cole confirmed Girls Aloud's reunion would occur in November. A few days later on 31 August, Cole confirmed to
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
and
Capital FM that the girls' new single would be released in November, teasing the lyrics "I just wanna dance". Prior to the album's announcement the group's official website, a countdown appeared a week beforehand, fuelling speculation started by Cole in August. The album was officially announced on 19 October 2012, with all five members appearing at a press conference announcing the single to the public.
Material
Eight tracks from Girls Aloud's first greatest hits album, ''
The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits'' (2006) are included on ''Ten'', namely "
Sound of the Underground", "
No Good Advice", "
Jump
Jumping is a form of locomotion or movement in which an organism or non-living (e.g., robotic) mechanical system propels itself through the air along a ballistic trajectory.
Jump or Jumping also may refer to:
Places
* Jump, Kentucky or Jump St ...
", "
The Show
Show or The Show may refer to:
Competition, event, or artistic production
* Agricultural show, associated with agriculture and animal husbandry
* Animal show, a judged event in the hobby of animal fancy
** Cat show
** Dog show
** Horse show
** Sp ...
", "
Love Machine", "
I'll Stand by You", "
Biology
Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...
" and "
Something Kinda Ooooh
"Something Kinda Ooooh" is a song by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, taken from their first greatest hits collection '' The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits'' (2006). The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins and his ...
". The singles after the group's first and before their second greatest hits album such as "
Sexy! No No No...", "
Call the Shots
"Call the Shots" is a song by British-Irish girl group Girls Aloud from their fourth studio album, '' Tangled Up'' (2007). The song was written by Miranda Cooper, with inspiration from an article about the advance of women in business, and Bria ...
", "
Can't Speak French
"Can't Speak French" is a song performed by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, taken from their fourth studio album and serving as the third and final single from the album '' Tangled Up'' (2007). The song was written by Miranda Cooper, B ...
", "
The Promise", "
The Loving Kind" and "
Untouchable
Untouchable or The Untouchable may refer to:
People
* Untouchability, the practice of socially ostracizing a minority group of very low social status
** A word for the Dalits or Scheduled Caste of India, a group that experiences untouchability
* ...
" made the track listing of ''Ten''. The only singles after their first greatest hits album that weren't included on the group's second greatest hits album are "
Walk This Way" and "
I Think We're Alone Now
"I Think We're Alone Now" is a song written and composed by Ritchie Cordell that was first recorded by Tommy James and the Shondells. It was a major hit for group, reaching number 4 on the US Hot 100 in April 1967. It finished at No. 12 on ''Bil ...
".
The track listing of the deluxe edition's bonus disc was decided by the fans, voting for their choices on Girls Aloud's official website.
Four new songs appear on the album. Girls Aloud's longtime collaborator, songwriting and production team
Xenomania
Xenomania is an English songwriting and production team founded by Brian Higgins and based in Kent, England. Formed by Higgins with his Creative Director Miranda Cooper and Business Director Sarah Stennett of First Access Entertainment, Xenoman ...
wrote "
Something New" and "Every Now and Then". Girls Aloud member,
Nicola Roberts
Nicola Maria Roberts (born 5 October 1985) is a British pop singer. She rose to prominence in late 2002 upon winning a place in Girls Aloud, a girl group created through ITV's '' Popstars: The Rivals''. The group's success helped them win the c ...
co-wrote the track "
On the Metro
"On the Metro" is a song by British-Irish pop group Girls Aloud, recorded and taken from their second greatest hits compilation '' Ten'' (2012). The song was written by Girls Aloud member Nicola Roberts, along with its producers Jason Pebworth, Ge ...
" alongside
Jason Pebworth,
George Astasio,
Jon Shave
Jonathan Taylor Shave (born November 4, 1967, in Waycross, Georgia) is a former Major League infielder who played for the Texas Rangers and the Minnesota Twins.
Shave attended Mississippi State University. In 1989 he played collegiate summer ba ...
and
Dan Stein, and Rachel Moulden wrote the track, "
Beautiful 'Cause You Love Me
"Beautiful 'Cause You Love Me" is a song recorded by British girl group Girls Aloud from their second compilation album, '' Ten'' (2012). It was written by Rachel Moulden and produced by Jim Eliot. The song received mixed reviews from music crit ...
". The inclusion of these two tracks makes ''Ten'' the first album since their debut, ''
Sound of the Underground'', not to be produced exclusively by Xenomania.
Release
''Ten'' was released in the United Kingdom on 26 November 2012. The album is available in three editions. The standard edition features one disc containing eighteen tracks, including four new songs. The deluxe edition features a bonus disc with a track listing voted by the group's fans.
[ The ]HMV
Sunrise Records and Entertainment, trading as HMV (for His Master's Voice), is a British music and entertainment retailer, currently operating exclusively in the United Kingdom.
The first HMV-branded store was opened by the Gramophone Company ...
release of the deluxe edition included exclusive badges. A limited edition box set was made available on Girls Aloud's official website. The set is packaged inside a collector's box and includes the deluxe edition of the album with a gatefold
A gatefold cover or gatefold LP is a form of packaging for LP records that became popular in the mid-1960s. A gatefold cover, when folded, is the same size as a standard LP cover (i.e., a 12½ inch, or 32.7 centimetre square). The larger gatefo ...
cover, the never-before-released ''The Passions of Girls Aloud
''The Passions of Girls Aloud'' is a four-part television series starring girl group Girls Aloud. The series premiered on ITV2 on 14 March 2008.
Premise
Filmed in the autumn of 2007, the show was based around each member achieving something th ...
'' on a two-disc set, six exclusive art prints, and a golden ticket to win one of ten prizes.
Promotion
In addition to performances of " Something New" on Children in Need 2012
''Children in Need 2012'' was a campaign held in the United Kingdom to raise money for the charity Children in Need. 2012 marks the 32nd anniversary of the appeal which culminated in a live broadcast on BBC One and BBC Two on the evening of Friday ...
and ''Strictly Come Dancing
''Strictly Come Dancing'' (informally known as ''Strictly'') is a British dance contest show in which celebrities partner with professional dancers to compete in mainly ballroom and Latin dance. Each couple is scored by a panel of usually 4 ...
'', Girls Aloud performed their 2008 single " The Promise" at the 2012 Royal Variety Performance
The ''Royal Variety Performance'' is a televised variety show held annually in the United Kingdom to raise money for the Royal Variety Charity (of which King Charles III is life-patron). It is attended by senior members of the British royal f ...
in London in November 2012. It was televised on 3 December 2012 to over eight million viewers. They performed a headlining set at Capital FM's Jingle Bell Ball
The Jingle Bell Ball is a concert held annually in December since 2008 (except for 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic), by the radio station Capital FM at The O2. Artists that have headlined the concert include Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Li ...
, performing five songs – "Something Kinda Ooooh
"Something Kinda Ooooh" is a song by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, taken from their first greatest hits collection '' The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits'' (2006). The song was written by Miranda Cooper, Brian Higgins and his ...
", "The Promise", "Beautiful 'Cause You Love Me
"Beautiful 'Cause You Love Me" is a song recorded by British girl group Girls Aloud from their second compilation album, '' Ten'' (2012). It was written by Rachel Moulden and produced by Jim Eliot. The song received mixed reviews from music crit ...
", "Call the Shots
"Call the Shots" is a song by British-Irish girl group Girls Aloud from their fourth studio album, '' Tangled Up'' (2007). The song was written by Miranda Cooper, with inspiration from an article about the advance of women in business, and Bria ...
", and Something New". On 14 December, Girls Aloud appeared on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
's Live Lounge
The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio stations BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra. It was originally hosted by Simon Mayo, and later by Jo Whiley on her weekday mid-morning, and later weekend lunchtime radio shows, then by Fearne Cotton ...
, performing their 2004 single " Love Machine" and a mash-up of Labrinth
Timothy Lee McKenzie (born 4 January 1989), better known by his stage name Labrinth, is an English singer, rapper, songwriter and record producer. After initially pursuing a career in music production, Simon Cowell signed him to his record labe ...
and Emeli Sandé's " Beneath Your Beautiful" with their song "Beautiful 'Cause You Love Me". On the same date, Girls Aloud performed "Love Machine" on ''The Graham Norton Show
''The Graham Norton Show'' is a British comedy chat show presented by Graham Norton. It was initially broadcast on BBC Two, from 22 February 2007, before moving to BBC One in October 2009. It currently airs on Friday evenings, with Norton s ...
'' on BBC One
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...
.
A documentary special entitled '' Girls Aloud: Ten Years at the Top'' aired on ITV
ITV or iTV may refer to:
ITV
*Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of:
** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
on 15 December 2012. The documentary explored the band's history, their individual successes, and their tenth anniversary reunion, also featuring behind-the-scenes access to their comeback preparations, culminating in their performance at the Royal Variety. The documentary attracted 2.5 million viewers on ITV.
On 21 February 2013, the group embarked on Ten: The Hits Tour. The tour was the group's first tour in four years and their first tour since they returned from their three-year hiatus. It ended on 20 March 2013, with their final performance at Echo Arena Liverpool
Liverpool Arena, known for sponsorship reasons as the M&S Bank Arena, and previously Echo Arena, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the city centre of Liverpool, England. The venue hosts live music, comedy performances and sporting events, and ...
, which was followed by the official disbandment of Girls Aloud.
Singles
The lead single from the album, " Something New" was released on 16 November 2012. The song premiered on Capital FM on 16 October 2012. The song received generally positive views from critics, praising its unusual structure as well as the production. The song was also the official single for Children in Need and it peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
.
The second single, "Beautiful 'Cause You Love Me
"Beautiful 'Cause You Love Me" is a song recorded by British girl group Girls Aloud from their second compilation album, '' Ten'' (2012). It was written by Rachel Moulden and produced by Jim Eliot. The song received mixed reviews from music crit ...
", premiered on BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content. ...
on 13 November 2012, while the digital
Digital usually refers to something using discrete digits, often binary digits.
Technology and computing Hardware
*Digital electronics, electronic circuits which operate using digital signals
**Digital camera, which captures and stores digital i ...
release took place on 17 December 2012. It was also sent to mainstream radio
Contemporary hit radio (also known as CHR, contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format that is common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by ...
in the United Kingdom. Lyrically, the song was compared to Sugababes' "Ugly
Ugly may refer to:
* Ugliness, a property of a person or thing that is unpleasant to look at, listen to or contemplate
Music Albums
* ''Ugly'' (Life of Agony album), 1995
* ''Ugly'' (Screaming Females album), 2012
Songs
* "Ugly" (Bubb ...
", TLC
TLC may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Television
* ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2
* TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network
** TLC (Asia), an As ...
's "Unpretty
"Unpretty" is a song by American group TLC, released on May 17, 1999, through LaFace and Arista Records as the second single from the band's third studio album, ''FanMail''. It was written by Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and the producer Dallas Austi ...
" and Demi Lovato
Demetria Devonne Lovato ( ; born August 20, 1992), known as Demi Lovato, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. After appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), Lovato rose to prominence for pl ...
's "Skyscraper
A skyscraper is a tall continuously habitable building having multiple floors. Modern sources currently define skyscrapers as being at least or in height, though there is no universally accepted definition. Skyscrapers are very tall high-ris ...
", while musically it was compared to the Spice Girls' " Too Much".
Critical reception
''Ten'' received positive reviews from music critics. Ian Wade of BBC Music hailed it as "incredible proof of how perfect pop can be in the right hands", placed it "up there with ''Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile met ...
'', ''Substance
Substance may refer to:
* Matter, anything that has mass and takes up space
Chemistry
* Chemical substance, a material with a definite chemical composition
* Drug substance
** Substance abuse, drug-related healthcare and social policy diagnosis ...
'' and '' Discography'' in terms of greatest-hits sets" and concluded by stating that "if it's the last long-player Girls Aloud put their name to, their legacy is assured." Robert Copsey of Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
awarded the album five stars out of five, praised the inclusion of the songs "Black Jacks" and " Memory of You" in the bonus disc tracklist and called ''Ten'' "a balanced collection that should please both casual and dedicated fans." Simon Gage of the ''Daily Express
The ''Daily Express'' is a national daily United Kingdom middle-market newspaper printed in tabloid format. Published in London, it is the flagship of Express Newspapers, owned by publisher Reach plc. It was first published as a broadsheet i ...
'' wrote that Girls Aloud are "celebrating their decade with an album that includes greatest hits ..and ..a number of new tracks that are in the main pumped-up crowd-pleasing pop" and noted that "you’d have to be mad not to go with it." Lee Williscroft-Ferris of ''So So Gay'' noticed that "Girls Aloud's success lies in having stuck with a winning formula to carve out a distinctive, instantly recognisable sound for themselves, while never becoming tedious or predictable", called ''Ten'' "an essential addition to anyone's music collection" and described it as "a true testament to Girls Aloud's prowess as a manufactured girlband, who have stood the test of time through a combination of clever marketing, wise adherence to a successful musical direction and the chemistry which binds the five individuals together as an act."
David Edwards of ''Drowned in Sound
''Drowned in Sound'', sometimes abbreviated to ''DiS'', is a UK-based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway. Founded by editor Sean Adams, the site features reviews, news, interviews, and discussion forums.
History
''D ...
'' praised the band's production team, Xenomania
Xenomania is an English songwriting and production team founded by Brian Higgins and based in Kent, England. Formed by Higgins with his Creative Director Miranda Cooper and Business Director Sarah Stennett of First Access Entertainment, Xenoman ...
, for crafting "wondrous and weird, dirty and daunting, sexy and sublime songs" and noticed that Girls Aloud "for most of their career, ..delivered blindingly good pop music." However, he criticised the choice of singles included in the album as well as the covers, while praising songs like "Call the Shots
"Call the Shots" is a song by British-Irish girl group Girls Aloud from their fourth studio album, '' Tangled Up'' (2007). The song was written by Miranda Cooper, with inspiration from an article about the advance of women in business, and Bria ...
", which he described as "an impeccable piece of melodic layering and dynamic majesty" and "Biology
Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...
", which he hailed as "their absolute masterpiece, ..a beautiful Frankenstein's monster of modern pop." He eventually called Girls Aloud "the greatest British pop band of the past ten years." Douglas Wolk of '' Pitchfork'' compared them to The Supremes
The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful ...
and described them as "a group whose presence is all about charm and restraint, and whose behind-the-scenes powerhouse is a brilliantly original writing and production team." He highly commended the complexity of the songs "Biology" and " Love Machine", but felt that the covers and the new tracks, particularly "Beautiful Cause You Love Me
"Beautiful 'Cause You Love Me" is a song recorded by British girl group Girls Aloud from their second compilation album, '' Ten'' (2012). It was written by Rachel Moulden and produced by Jim Eliot. The song received mixed reviews from music crit ...
", "just drag the album down." He went on to suggest that "they may have a second wave in them" and concluded by writing that "the virtue of Girls Aloud's best songs ..is that the next part is always even better than the one you're listening to until, suddenly, they're over." Commenting on the new tracks, Phil Udell of '' State'' felt that "they have managed to maintain the quality" and noted that the singles "Love Machine", "The Show
Show or The Show may refer to:
Competition, event, or artistic production
* Agricultural show, associated with agriculture and animal husbandry
* Animal show, a judged event in the hobby of animal fancy
** Cat show
** Dog show
** Horse show
** Sp ...
" and "Biology" "still prove the highlight of their career so far, fizzing with an excitement and joy that's hard to beat." Si Hawkins of '' The National'' wrote that Girls Aloud were "a breath of fresh air ..back in 2002 ..and have remained a guilty pleasure ever since", highlighted "On the Metro" as the standout new track and called ''Ten'' "a fine body of work." In his review of the album, Andy Kellman of AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
noticed that "despite the amount of new material, some of which is not up to par with the earlier smashes and certain album cuts, this is a handy sampling of Girls Aloud's biggest moments." Jon O'Brien of omg!
OMG may refer to:
* Oh my God (sometimes also Oh my Goodness or Oh my Gosh), a common abbreviation, often used in SMS messages and Internet communication
Acronyms
* OMG is the IATA code for Omega Airport, Omega, Namibia
* Operational manoeuvre ...
praised the band's ability "to cram more hooks into each song than most of their rivals could manage in their entire career" and although he criticised all of the new tracks except " Something New", he eventually called ''Ten'' a "triumphant retrospective".
Commercial performance
''Ten'' entered the UK Albums Chart
The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
at number nine on 2 December 2012. The following week, the album dropped seventeen spots to number twenty-six. It spent a total of fifteen weeks on the official UK Albums Chart. As of 21 March 2013, ''Ten'' has sold 156,000 copies in the United Kingdom, according to the Official Charts Company
The Official Charts (legal name: The Official UK Charts Company Limited) is a British inter-professional organization that compiles various "official" record charts in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France.
In the United Kingdom, its charts inc ...
(OCC). Following the untimely death of Sarah Harding, the album saw a resurgence in popularity in September 2021 with chart sales increasing by 320% and the album entered the top 100 at 61 on 16 September 2021 (week ending).
Track listing
* All tracks produced by Brian Higgins
Brian Michael Higgins (born October 6, 1959) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for , serving since 2005. The district, numbered as the 27th district from 2005 to 2013 but as the 26th since 2013, includes Buffalo and Ni ...
and Xenomania
Xenomania is an English songwriting and production team founded by Brian Higgins and based in Kent, England. Formed by Higgins with his Creative Director Miranda Cooper and Business Director Sarah Stennett of First Access Entertainment, Xenoman ...
, except where indicated.
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
{{Authority control
2012 greatest hits albums
Albums produced by Jim Eliot
Albums produced by Xenomania
Girls Aloud albums