| Headlines! | ||||
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| EP /Compilation album by | ||||
| Released | 13 August 2010 (2010-8-13) | |||
| Recorded | 2009–2010; California,Gothenburg,London | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 28:22 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Producer |
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| The Saturdays chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Headlines! | ||||
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Headlines! is the debut EP by British-Irish girl groupThe Saturdays. It was released in Ireland on 13 August 2010 and in the United Kingdom on 16 August 2010 byFascination Records. The EP includes the previously released singles "Forever Is Over" and "Ego" as well as a remix of album track "One Shot" from their previous albumWordshaker (2009) and five new songs. The album was preceded by the release of the lead single "Missing You" on 5 August 2010. It became the group's seventh top-ten hit when it peaked at number three in the UK and number six in Ireland.
Overall, the EP received mixed reception from critics, who were undecided about the new direction for the group but agreed on the need for more consistency.Headlines! debuted in the UK at number three and number ten in Ireland, becoming their highest charting album to date and following the success of "Missing You". The second single, "Higher", was released on 28 October 2010 after it was remixed featuring American rapperFlo Rida. The EP was re-issued on 8 November 2010 to include the tracks "Deeper", "Lose Control" and "Here Standing", which all tracks previously appeared onWordshaker.
The Saturdays never intended to release any material in 2010, as confirmed byVanessa White in an interview withBBC News. "We weren't really supposed to be releasing anything til next year but we couldn't wait, so we decided to do a mini-album instead."[1] It was something which both the label and group agreed to.[2] Group member Rochelle Humes explained in an interview withDigital Spy:
"We finished [Wordshaker] and we'd come across some songs that we were really excited about. The songs that we had found were so current, and we'd written a couple of songs ourselves, [so] we wanted to just get everything out now."[3]
With regards to recording for the new album the group revealed that they worked with previous collaboratorsSteve Mac and Ina Wroldsen as well as some new producers.[2] The group would also go on to explain exactly what a mini-album was, "a normal album would maybe consist of 12 or 13 tracks, but here we have eight. It'll be cheaper for the fans - and then hopefully we'll finish the other songs and put something else out later."[1]
The Mini-LP includes the song "Died in Your Eyes", a cover of a song featured onKristinia DeBarge's 2009 albumExposed.[4] Though Ryan Love from entertainment websiteDigital Spy, said that only a few people will realise that "Died in Your Eyes" is a cover, "it's a shame that one ofHeadlines!' five new songs turns out to be second-hand".[5] Another member of the group, Una Healy confirmed that the song "Higher", which has been performed by the group several times during festivals over the summer, would be one of the songs on the EP.[3] Meanwhile, Humes would tip "Higher" to be the second single from the album whilst Mollie King told 'Digital Spy' "We're definitely having another single from the album after 'Missing You' and probably another after that if all goes well".[6]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| BBC Music | (mixed)[7] |
| Daily Express | (mixed)[8] |
| Daily Mirror | (3/4)[9] |
| Daily Star | (positive)[10] |
| Digital Spy |   [5] |
| MusicOMH |  [11] |
| NME | (5/10)[12] |
| OK! | (3/5)[13] |
| Virgin Media | [14] |
| Yahoo! Music | (5/10)[15] |
The album has generated generally mixed reviews from music critics. Ryan Love ofDigital Spy gaveHeadlines! a positive review saying it "falls a little short of pop gold status" and that its "positives certainly outweigh the negatives", and concluded by stating that it "offers a tantalising glimpse of what to expect from the group's next album proper."[5] Gavin Martin ofThe Mirror calledHeadlines! the "CD of the week", awarding it three out of four. He felt that the Saturdays "assert a more serious side of their personality" and noticed that althoughHeadlines! is not "a cover story, [...] it will keep things ticking over nicely for them."[9] Sarah-Louise James ofDaily Star said that the album "packs a pop punch" and complimented the "sheer swooning, girly drama of Died in Your Eyes", as well as the songs "Higher" and "Puppet".[10]OK! magazine praised the songs "Missing You" and "Higher" and noticed that the band has developed "a feisty edge", and concluded by calling the album "short but sweet".[13] Ian Gittins ofVirgin Media gave the album three out of five stars, however he called it "opportunist" and felt that it "reeks of desperation", but stated that it implies "the Saturdays’ best times are ahead of them".[14]
Luke Winkie ofMusicOMH gave the album a mixed review. He said that the group's "charm doesn't translate well over the weight of a full album's listen" and criticized the lack of strong material saying that "there isn't enough to these songs to merit more than a cursory scan" and that the group "hit the same safe notes, and stick to the same safe themes for all 30 minutes of the album."[11] Fraser McAlpine ofBBC Music criticized the band for mixing "cast-off recordings with previously released album tracks and present[ing] it as a new mini-album" and felt that the Saturdays are "in some kind of decline". He said "what you get for your money are two potential future hits, four songs you probably already own, one slightly mad album track – Puppet – and a solid-gold clunker" and noticed that it is not "a mini-album, it's a double A-side, or an EP at best."[7] Simon Gage of theDaily Express said that although the album is "not exactly bad", it sounds "much like everything else out there" and "in the parlance of the kids it’s aimed at, a bit “whatever”".[8] Jaime Gill ofYahoo! Music complimented the songs "Higher" and "Puppet", but said that "if the intention is to whip up a storm of excitement, [...] then it's a case of mission unaccomplished".[15] Hazel Sheffield ofNME called the album "a summer hatchet-job" and although she praised the single "Missing You", she felt that "the rest is filler inRihanna's slipstream" and awarded the album five out of ten.[12]
It was preceded by the release of "Missing You", anelectropop song incorporating elements oftrance andsynthpop[16] which was released as thelead single on 9 August 2010.[17] It featuresautotuned vocals.[16] The Saturdays have performed the single atT4 on the Beach 2010, where member of the band,Mollie King was absent from the performance, after a horsefly bite left her on crutches and thus unable to perform.[citation needed] King was absent from a number of other performances The Saturdays performed to promote the single. On 1 August 2010, all of the members of The Saturdays performed onAlan Carr: Chatty Man[18] and they were interviewed onGMTV three days later.[citation needed] On Friday 5 August 2010 the song debuted on theIrish Singles Chart at number forty-two.[19] On 10 August 2010 the group appeared at the Habbo Hotel,London for a 'Meet and Greet' session in promotion of "Missing You".[20] It has so far reached #3 on the UK Singles Charts becoming their 5th top 5, and 3rd top 3 single, and it has so far peaked at #6 in the Irish charts, equalling their best back in 2009 with "Just Can't Get Enough". The group's next single "Higher" was released digitally on 31 October 2010 and physically 1 November 2010.[21]Fascination Records announced on 8 October 2010, via the group's official website, that an expanded version of the mini album would be released on 8 November 2010. The new version will feature three further songs fromWordshaker, including: "Here Standing", "Lose Control" and "Deeper" as well as the remixed version of "Higher" featuring Flo Rida.[22]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Missing You" |
| 3:41 | |
| 2. | "Ego" | Mac | 2:59 | |
| 3. | "Higher" |
| Arnthor | 3:27 |
| 4. | "Forever Is Over" (Radio Edit) |
| 3:22 | |
| 5. | "Died in Your Eyes" |
|
| 4:01 |
| 6. | "Karma" |
| Mac | 3:40 |
| 7. | "Puppet" |
|
| 3:42 |
| 8. | "One Shot" (Starsmith Mix) |
|
| 3:31 |
| Total length: | 28:22 | |||
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 9. | "Forever Is Over" (Orange Monkey Acoustic version) | 3:51 |
| 10. | "Ego" (Radio 1 Live Lounge Acoustic version) | 3:15 |
| 11. | "Forever Is Over" (Music video) | 3:31 |
| 12. | "Ego" (Music video) | 3:08 |
| 13. | "Missing You" (Music video) | 3:50 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9. | "Here Standing" |
|
| 3:36 |
| 10. | "Lose Control" |
|
| 3:19 |
| 11. | "Deeper" |
| 4:05 | |
| 12. | "Higher" (featuringFlo Rida) |
| Arnthor Birgisson | 3:21 |
Headlines! was recorded from 2009 to 2010, promoted byFascination Records, under license toGeffen Records, forPolydor Records.[24]
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Weekly charts[edit]
| Year-end charts[edit]
Certifications[edit]
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| Country | Date | Format | Label | Edition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland | 13 August 2010 | Digital download,[31] | Polydor,Fascination | Standard |
| United Kingdom | 16 August 2010 | CD,[32] digital download,[33] | ||
| 8 November 2010 | Expanded |
Today marks the grand release of the Saturdays pop-tastic new single 'Higher'.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)| Studio albums | |
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| Singles | |
| Compilation albums | |
| Extended plays | |
| Songs | |
| Concert tours | |
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| Related topics | |
