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Ready for the Weekend (album)

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Ready for the Weekend
Studio album by
Calvin Harris
Released14 August 2009 (2009-08-14)
Recorded2008–2009
StudioEarth's Core (Glasgow)
GenreDance[1]
Length52:20
Label
ProducerCalvin Harris
Calvin Harris chronology
I Created Disco
(2007) 		Ready for the Weekend
(2009) 		18 Months
(2012)
Singles from Ready for the Weekend
  1. "I'm Not Alone"
    Released: 6 April 2009
  2. "Ready for the Weekend"
    Released: 9 August 2009
  3. "Flashback"
    Released: 2 November 2009
  4. "You Used to Hold Me"
    Released: 8 February 2010
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic65/100[2]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
The Daily Telegraph[4]
Dotmusic7/10[5]
Evening Standard[6]
The Guardian[7]
The Independent[8]
musicOMH[9]
NME7/10[10]
Spin[11]
Under the Radar4/10[12]

Ready for the Weekend is the second studio album by Scottish musician Calvin Harris, released on 14 August 2009 by Fly Eye and Columbia Records. The album debuted atop the UK Albums Chart and was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). It spawned the singles "I'm Not Alone", "Ready for the Weekend", "Flashback" and "You Used to Hold Me".

Background

[edit]

Harris had been working on the album since the release of his debut album, I Created Disco, with the first tracks being recorded in 2008. In April 2008, Harris stated that the only existing copy of his then-upcoming album was lost when his laptop was misplaced during the baggage handling problems at the opening of London Heathrow Terminal 5.[13] He later stated on the BBC's Glastonbury Festival 2008 coverage that he got his baggage back including the album within a few days. However, Harris ultimately admitted in April 2009 that this was a lie as the album was not in his luggage at all, and that he hoped that what he said would give him more time to finish recording the album.[14]

"Yeah Yeah Yeah La La La" was used in a Coca-Cola advertisement in mid-2009.[15]

Singles

[edit]

"I'm Not Alone" was released as the album's lead single on 6 April 2009. The song debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, knocking off Lady Gaga's "Poker Face".[16] It spent two weeks atop the chart, before dropping to number three in its third week.[17] "Ready for the Weekend" was released as the album's second single on 9 August 2009. The song peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart.[18]

"Flashback" was released as the third single from the album on 2 November 2009. The track reached number 18 on the UK Singles Chart.[18] The album's fourth and final single, "You Used to Hold Me", was released on 8 February 2010, peaking at number 27 on the UK chart.[18] An extended version of Harris's 2008 chart-topping collaboration with Dizzee Rascal, "Dance wiv Me", is also included on the album.

Critical reception

[edit]

The Metacritic score for the album was 65/100. Several reviewers drew on Harris’ comment that he was intending to make a “stadium dance” album and noted the bigger scale and greater sense of a party crowd atmosphere in Ready for The Weekend compared to Harris’ previous album I Created Disco. James McMahon of NME for example referred to the “music-for-the-people philosophy embodied at the core of Harris’ anthem-heavy new record”. [19]

Neil McCormick called the album “big, bold and colourful”, describing how the album’s songs “start out simple and organic” before evolving closer to electronic dance music over the course of the track. McCormick writes about how “The pop genius is in the way these develop and mutate, rather than settling into obvious, dumb grooves”. [20]

Commercial performance

[edit]

Ready for the Weekend debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, selling 36,308 copies in its first week.[21] The album was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on 16 October 2009,[22] and by November 2014, it had sold 274,786 copies in the United Kingdom.[23] The album was also successful in Ireland, where it peaked at number six on the Irish Albums Chart.[24] In the United States, it reached number 12 on the Dance/Electronic Albums chart and number 22 on the Heatseekers Albums chart.[25][26] Ready for the Weekend attained moderate success elsewhere, reaching number 39 in Australia, number 74 in Belgium (Wallonia) and number 139 in France.[27]

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Calvin Harris, except where noted

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Rain" 4:36
2."Ready for the Weekend" 3:37
3."Stars Come Out" 4:28
4."You Used to Hold Me" 3:51
5."Blue" 3:41
6."I'm Not Alone" 3:31
7."Flashback" 3:49
8."Worst Day" (featuring Izza Kizza)
  • Harris
  • Izza Kizza
3:46
9."Relax" 3:49
10."Limits" 3:42
11."Burns Night"
  • Harris
  • Mark Irving
2:20
12."Yeah Yeah Yeah La La La" 3:17
13."Dance wiv Me" (Dizzee Rascal featuring Calvin Harris and Chrome)
4:24
14."5iliconeator" 3:29
iTunes Store bonus tracks[28][29][30]
No.TitleLength
15."Greatest Fear"6:20
16."I'm Not Alone" (deadmau5 Mix) (France and US only)8:15
17."Ready for the Weekend" (Fake Blood Remix) (France only)5:40
Japanese edition bonus tracks[31]
No.TitleLength
15."Ready for the Weekend" (High Contrast Remix)5:42
16."Ready for the Weekend" (Fake Blood Remix)5:40
17."I'm Not Alone" (Tiësto Remix)6:41
18."I'm Not Alone" (☆Taku Takahashi Remix)5:50

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Ready for the Weekend.[32]

  • Calvin Harris – production, arrangement, vocals, instruments, design concept
  • Snake Davis – saxophone (track 1)
  • Mary Pearce – additional vocals (track 2)
  • Ayah Marar – additional vocals (tracks 3, 7, 10)
  • Izza Kizza – vocals (track 8)
  • Mark Irving – guitar (track 11)
  • Dizzee Rascal – vocals (track 13)
  • Chrome – vocals (track 13)
  • Brian "Big Bass" Gardner – mastering
  • Matthew Shave – sleeve photography
  • Spiros Politis – inside photography
  • Steve Stacey – design

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[43] Gold 35,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[44] Gold 7,500‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[22] Platinum 274,786[23]

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Format Label Ref(s)
Australia 14 August 2009
Sony [45][46]
Ireland
[47][48]
United Kingdom 17 August 2009
  • CD
  • LP
  • digital download
 [28][49][50]
France CD
[51]
United States 18 August 2009 Digital download Ultra [30]
Japan 26 August 2009
  • CD
  • digital download
 Sony [31]
Germany 25 September 2009 Ministry of Sound [52]
France 5 October 2009 Digital download
  • Cinq 7
  • Wagram
 [29]
United States 6 October 2009 CD Ultra [53]
France 12 October 2009 LP
  • Cinq 7
  • Wagram
 [54]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Haider, Arwa (17 August 2009). "Calvin proves he's here to stay". Metro. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  2. ^ "Ready for the Weekend by Calvin Harris Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  3. ^ Bush, John. "Ready for the Weekend – Calvin Harris". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  4. ^ McCormick, Neil (6 August 2009). "Calvin Harris: Ready for the Weekend, pop CD of the week". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 November 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  5. ^ Gill, Jaime (17 August 2009). "Calvin Harris - Ready For The Weekend". Dotmusic. Archived from the original on 19 September 2009. Retrieved 26 February 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  6. ^ Smyth, David (14 August 2009). "CDs of the week". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 17 August 2009. Retrieved 26 February 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  7. ^ Petridis, Alexis (7 August 2009). "Calvin Harris: Ready for the Weekend". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  8. ^ Gill, Andy (21 August 2009). "Album: Calvin Harris, Ready for the Weekend (Columbia)". The Independent. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  9. ^ Urdang, Ben. "Calvin Harris – Ready for the Weekend". musicOMH. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  10. ^ McMahon, James (25 August 2009). "Album review : Calvin Harris – 'Ready for the Weekend'". NME. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  11. ^ Walter, Barry (December 2009). "Reviews [Albums]". Spin. p. 75. ISSN 0886-3032.
  12. ^ Ultimately, this is one party you might want to sit out. [Fall 2009, p.74]
  13. ^ "DJ loses album in baggage backlog". BBC News. 4 April 2008. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  14. ^ Robinson, Peter (21 April 2009). "Calvin Harris interview". Popjustice. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  15. ^ Sweney, Mark (7 May 2009). "Calvin Harris soundtracks Coca-Cola ad". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  16. ^ Jones, Alan (14 April 2009). "GaGa edges it in albums chart". Music Week. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  17. ^ Williams, Paul (27 April 2009). "Number One is number one". Music Week. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  18. ^ a b c "Calvin Harris". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  19. ^ McMahon, James (25 August 2009). "Album review : Calvin Harris – 'Ready for the Weekend'". NME. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2009.
  20. ^ McCormick, Neil (6 August 2009). "Calvin Harris: Ready for the Weekend, pop CD of the week". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 November 2012. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  21. ^ "Dance dominates charts with Harris and Guetta at the peak". Music Week. 24 August 2009. Archived from the original on 30 July 2014. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  22. ^ a b "British album certifications – Calvin Harris – Ready for the Weekend". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  23. ^ a b Jones, Alan (10 November 2014). "Official Charts analysis: Ed Sheeran pips Calvin Harris to No.1 on albums". Music Week. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  24. ^ a b "Irish-charts.com – Discography Calvin Harris". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  25. ^ a b "Calvin Harris Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  26. ^ a b "Calvin Harris Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  27. ^ a b "Ultratop.be – Calvin Harris – Ready for the Weekend" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  28. ^ a b "Ready for the Weekend by Calvin Harris". iTunes Store. United Kingdom. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  29. ^ a b "Ready for the Weekend (Deluxe Edition) par Calvin Harris". iTunes Store (in French). France. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  30. ^ a b "Ready for the Weekend (Bonus Track Version) by Calvin Harris". iTunes Store. United States. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  31. ^ a b レディー・フォー・ザ・ウィークエンド [Ready for the Weekend] (in Japanese). Sony Music Entertainment Japan. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  32. ^ Ready for the Weekend (liner notes). Calvin Harris. Columbia Records. 2009. 88697571912.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  33. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Calvin Harris – Ready for the Weekend". Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  34. ^ "ARIA Dance – Week Commencing 24th August 2009" (PDF). The ARIA Report (1017): 18. 24 August 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 August 2009. Retrieved 22 October 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  35. ^ "Calvin Harris – Ready for the Weekend" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  36. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 121, no. 35. 5 September 2009. p. 63. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  37. ^ "Lescharts.com – Calvin Harris – Ready for the Weekend". Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  38. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  39. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  40. ^ "Official Dance Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  41. ^ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 50 Dance Albums 2009". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 22 October 2012.
  42. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2009". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  43. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2019 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  44. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Calvin Harris – Ready for the Weekend". Radioscope. Retrieved 25 December 2024. Type Ready for the Weekend in the "Search:" field.
  45. ^ "Ready for the Weekend". JB Hi-Fi. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  46. ^ "Ready For The Weekend (2009) | Calvin Harris". zdigital. Archived from the original on 8 August 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  47. ^ "Ready for the Weekend – Calvin Harris (CD)". HMV Ireland. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  48. ^ "Ready For The Weekend (2009) | Calvin Harris". 7digital. Ireland. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  49. ^ "Calvin Harris: Ready for the Weekend". HMV. Archived from the original on 3 November 2010. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  50. ^ "Ready for the Weekend [VINYL]". Amazon UK. United Kingdom. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  51. ^ "Ready for the weekend – Calvin Harris – CD album" (in French). Fnac. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  52. ^ "Ready for the Weekend (Bonus Track Version) by Calvin Harris". iTunes Store. Germany. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  53. ^ "Calvin Harris: Ready for the Weekend". Amazon. United States. Retrieved 2 September 2011.
  54. ^ "Ready for the weekend – Calvin Harris – Vinyl album" (in French). Fnac. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
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