Open Road

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Open Road
Gary Barlow's studio album

Publication
(s)

May 26, 1997 (Europe)
January 13, 1998 (USA)

admission

1996

Label (s) BMG , RCA , Arista

Format (s)

CD / cassette

Genre (s)

pop

Title (number)

12

running time

50:54

production

Clive Davis ( exec. ), David Foster , Gary Barlow , Mike Rose, Nick Foster, Kristian Lundin, Max Martin , Carsten Schack, Kenneth Karlin, Stephen Lipson, Absolute, Grant Mitchell, Walter Afanasieff, Chris Porter, Simon Willis

chronology
- Open Road Twelve Months,
Eleven Days
(1999)
Single releases
5th July 1996 Forever love
January 25, 1997 Love won't wait
July 11, 1997 So help me girl
October 31, 1997 Open Road
April 3, 1998 Hang on in there baby
February 17, 1998 Superhero (USA)

Open Road is the 1997 debut album by British singer-songwriter Gary Barlow . With the album Barlow was able to build on the international success of Take That , with whom he had been at the top of the British album charts for eight weeks between 1993 and 1996. The first two single releases from the album also reached the top of the charts. By 2010 the album had sold over two million times worldwide.

background

Following the breakup of Take That , Barlow resumed songwriting and began compiling his first solo album. On July 5, 1996, Forever Love was released as the lead single , which reached the top of the UK charts. The second single, Love Won't Wait , was released in April 1997; this song also became number one. The album was released on May 26, 1997 and also reached the top of the charts right after its release. It was awarded platinum by the British Phonographic Industry in December 1997 . After the album was released, two more singles were released, So Help Me Girl (# 11) and Open Road (# 7).

The success of the album was not limited to the United Kingdom, it also made its way into the respective charts in 21 other countries. For this reason, Barlow signed a contract with the US production company Arista Records and released the album in a revised form on the American market. So Barlow advertised from September 30, 1997 with a remix of So Help Me Girl as a lead single including a new music video. The album was released in January 1998, and Superhero as the second single in February . This song had been rewritten and recorded for the US release. Although it became known as the theme song for the New York Yankees , the song failed to achieve commercial success. So Help Me Girl, on the other hand, became Barlow's first solo production, which also made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States .

reception

The San Diego Vista rated the album positively with the words “singer and songwriter [Barlow] reveals his potential as a successful solo artist with Open Road . The album shows a wide range of musical styles, many tracks are based on acoustic background music, there are some deeply moving ballads as well as one or the other sparkling fast dance number. [...] In the title track 'Open Road', Gary's ingenious writing skills are shown in all their glory. The song, which he wrote when he was only 16 years old, reveals Gary's own tortuous path in life [and so it becomes] perhaps the best piece on his debut album. " Allmusic awarded three stars out of five.

Charts and awards

Chart placements

Charts Top ranking Weeks
Chart placements
Germany (GfK) Germany (GfK) 10 (16 weeks) 16
Austria (Ö3) Austria (Ö3) 13 (7 weeks) 7th
Switzerland (IFPI) Switzerland (IFPI) 6th (13 weeks) 13
United Kingdom (OCC) United Kingdom (OCC) 1 (29 weeks) 29

Awards for music sales

Country / Region Award Sales
Awards for music sales
(country / region, Award, Sales)
United Kingdom (BPI) United Kingdom (BPI) Platinum record icon.svg platinum 300,000
All in all Platinum record icon.svg 1 × platinum
 300,000

Track list

Title in the European edition (1997) 
No. title Songwriter producer length
1. Love won't wait Madonna , Shep Pettibone Stephen Lipson 4:17
2. So help me girl Howard Perdew, Andy Spooner David Foster 4:29
3. My commitment Gary Barlow, Diane Warren Walter Afanasieff 4:48
4th Hang on in there baby Johnny Bristol Trevor Horn 3:39
5. Are you ready now Gary Barlow Grant Mitchell, Gary Barlow 4:19
6th Everything I Wanted Gary Barlow absolute 3:32
7th I fall so deep Larry Loftin, Mattias Gustafsson, Amy Powers David Foster 4:02
8th. Lay down for love Gary Barlow, Richard Stannard , Matt Rowbottom Mitchell, Barlow 5:33
9. Forever love Gary Barlow Chris Porter, Gary Barlow 4:55
10. Never Knew Gary Barlow Afanasieff 3:50
11. Open Road Gary Barlow Porter, Barlow, Absolute 4:23
12. Always Gary Barlow Porter, Barlow 3:32
Overall length: 50:35

Contributors

All information about the cast comes from the listing by Allmusic .

  • Gary Barlow - songwriting ( composition and lyrics ), piano, lead vocals, production, backing vocals
  • Absolute - mixing, multi-instruments, production
  • Walter Afanasieff - bass, drums, keyboards, organ, production, programming, synthesizer
  • Alex Black - Sound Engineer (Assistant)
  • Greg Calbi - Mastering
  • Andreas Carlsson - background vocals
  • Jake Chessum - photography
  • Clive Davis - executive producer
  • Joey Diggs - backing vocals
  • Felipe Elgueta - sound engineer
  • David Foster - arrangement, guest singer, keyboards, production
  • Nick Foster - keyboards, production, programming, remixing
  • Simon Franglen - programming
  • Paul Gendler - guitar
  • David Gleeson - sound engineer, mixdown
  • Nathaniel Goldberg - Photography
  • Jeff Griffin - Sound Engineer (Assistant)
  • Sandy Griffith - backing vocals
  • Mick Guzauski - Mixing
  • Phillip Ingram - backing vocals
  • Judy Kirschner - sound engineer (assistant)
  • Bob Frizzy Hair Mixing
  • Kristian Lawing - production
  • Steve Lipson - production
  • Richard Lowe - Mixing
  • Milton Mcdonald - guitar
  • Madonna - composition
  • Manny Marroquin - sound engineer, mixdown
  • Max Martin - production, backing vocals
  • Grant Mitchell - arrangement, production, programming
  • P. Dennis Mitchell - Mixing
  • Heff Moraes - sound engineer
  • Joey Moskowitz - programming
  • Esbjörn Öhrwall - guitar
  • Dean Parks - guitar
  • Shep Pettibone - composition
  • Chris Porter - production
  • Claytoven Richardson - backing vocals
  • Marnie Riley - Sound Engineer (Mixing)
  • Mike Rose - keyboards, producer, programming, remixing
  • Marc Russo - guest singer, tenor saxophone
  • Mike Scott - Sound Engineer (Assistant)
  • Dan Shea - keyboards, programming
  • Andy Spooner - composition
  • Christopher Stern - music direction
  • Ren Swan - sound engineer
  • Michael Thompson - guitar
  • Jeanie Tracy - backing vocals
  • Junior Vasquez - production
  • Norman Watson - Photography
  • Dave Way - Mixing
  • Wil Wheaton - backing vocals
  • Simon Willis - production
  • Tim Willis - sound engineer

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Number 1 Albums of the 1990s . EveryHit.com. Retrieved October 3, 2016.
  2. ^ Number 1 Singles of the 1990s . EveryHit.com. Retrieved October 29, 2016.
  3. ^ Adrian Thrills: Robbie Williams relights the fire with Take That. In: Daily Mail . November 12, 2010, accessed October 5, 2017 .
  4. ↑ a b c d Gary Barlow in the Official UK Charts (English)
  5. ↑ a b Certified Awards Search on the British Phonographic Industry website (search for "Open Road" ), accessed October 5, 2017
  6. ^ Nexis Lexis, Search Gary Barlow Open Road, 2nd source on list . Toboggan Divina, The Vista San Diego.
  7. ^ "Open Road". AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine at Allmusic (English). Retrieved October 5, 2017.
  8. ↑ Open Road in the German album charts on OfficialCharts.de
  9. ↑ Open Road in the Austrian charts on AustrianCharts.at
  10. ↑ Open Road in the Swiss charts on Hitparade.ch
  11. ↑ Open Road in the Official UK Charts (English)
  12. ^ "Open Road" album credits from Allmusic (English). Retrieved October 5, 2017.
Gary Barlow
Solo albums

Open Road (1997, 2018) • Twelve Months, Eleven Days (1999) • Since I Saw You Last (2013)

Collaboration albums

Finding Neverland: The Album (2015) • Fly (Songs Inspired By The Film: Eddie The Eagle) (2016) • Calendar Girls: The Album (2018)

Extended plays

Sing (2012)

Soundtracks

The Leading Man (movie, 1996, theme song “Forever Love”) • Finding Neverland ( musical , with Eliot Kennedy , 2014-2019) • The Girls (musical, with Tim Firth , 2015-2019) • Eddie the Eagle (movie, 2016 , Conception and production) • The Band ( jukebox musical , with Tim Firth and Take That , 2017-2018) • Around the World in 80 Days (musical, with Eliot Kennedy, 2019)

Video albums

Open Book (1998) • Gary Barlow: Live (2011) • Gary Barlow - On Her Majesty's Service (2012) • When Corden Met Barlow (2014) • Since You Saw Him Last (2014)

Singles
NoDISPLAY
Open Road
Forever Love • Love Won't Wait • So Help Me Girl • Open Road • Superhero • Hang On in There Baby
Twelve Months, Eleven Days
Stronger • For All That You Want • Lie to Me
Sing
Sing • Here Comes the Sun
Since I Saw You Last
Let Me Go • Face to Face (ft. Elton John ) • Since I Saw You Last
Finding Neverland
Neverland • Stronger • Something About This Night
Fly
Thrill Me • The Sky's the Limit • Fly • Eddie the Eagle Theme
Calendar girls
Yorkshire • Dare • Scarborough • Sunflower
As a featuring artist
Can You Feel the Love Tonight (with Elton John , 1994) • Everybody Hurts ( Helping Haiti , 2010) • Shame (with Robbie Williams , 2010) • Teardrop ("Gary Barlow & The Collective", BBC's Children In Need 2011) • I Should've Followed You Home (with Agnetha Fältskog , 2013)
no album
Let's Pray for Christmas (1986) • Now We're Gone (1987) • Luv Luv Luv • Christmas is Everywhere
Tours

The Open Road Tour (1998/1999) • For the Fans Tour (1999) • GB 40 (2011) • Gary Barlow: In Concert (2011-2013) • Since I Saw You Last Tour (2014) • In Concert 2018 (2018 )

Take that
Studio albums

Take That & Party (1992) • Everything Changes (1993) • Nobody Else (1995) • Beautiful World (2006) • The Circus (2008) • Progress (2010) • I I I (2014) • Wonderland (2017)

Extended plays

Progressed (2011) • I I I - 2015 Edition (2015)

Live albums

The Ultimate Tour - Bonus Live CD (2006) • The Greatest Day ("The Circus - Live at Wembley" & "In Session at Abbey Road") (2009) • Progress Live (2011)

Soundtracks

Stardust - Der Sternwanderer (theme song, 2007, Rule the World ) • X-Men: First Decision (theme song, 2011, Love Love ) • The Three Musketeers (theme song, 2011, When We Were Young ) • Kingsman: The Secret Service (theme song , 2014, Get Ready For It ) • The Band ( jukebox musical , UA 2017, complete work)

Compilation albums

Take That: Greatest Hits (1996) • The Best of Take That (2001) • Forever ... Greatest Hits (2002) • Never Forget - The Ultimate Collection (2005) • The Platinum Collection (2006) • Odyssey (2018)

Video albums

Take That & Party (1992) • The Party - Live at Wembley (1993) • Everything Changes (1994) • Live in Berlin (1994) • Hometown / Live at Manchester G-Mex (1995) • Nobody Else / Live at London's Earls Court (1995) • Greatest Hits (1996) • Never Forget - The Ultimate Collection (2005) • For the Record - The Official Documentary (2006) • The Ultimate Tour (2006) • Take That's Countdown to Midnight - Beautiful World Live (2008 ) • Take That presents The Circus Live ("The Circus - Live at Wembley" & "In Session at Abbey Road") (2009) • Look Back, Don't Stare. A film about progress. (2010) • I I I - 2015 Edition (Live at the O 2 ) (2015) • An Evening with Take That (2017)

Singles
NoDISPLAY
Take That & Party
Do What U Like • Promises • Once You've Tasted Love • It Only Takes a Minute • I Found Heaven • A Million Love Songs • Could It Be Magic
Everything changes
Why Can't I Wake Up With You • Pray • Relight My Fire (feat. Lulu ) • Babe • Everything Changes • Love Ain't Here Anymore
Nobody Else
Sure • Back for Good • Never Forget
Greatest hits
How Deep Is Your Love
Beautiful World
Patience • Shine • I'd Wait for Life • Reach Out • Rule the World
The Circus
Greatest Day • Up All Night • The Garden • Said It All • Hold Up a Light
progress
The Flood • SOS • Kidz • Happy Now
Progressed
Love Love • When We Were Young
I I I
These Days • Let in the Sun • Higher Than Higher
I I I - 2015 edition
Hey boy
Wonderland
Giants • New Day
Odyssey
Pray (Odyssey version) • Out Of Our Heads
As a feat. artist
Cry (with Sigma , 2016)
Tours

Party Tour (1992-1993) • Everything Changes Tour (1993-1994) • Pops Tour (1994) • Nobody Else Tour (1995) • The Ultimate Tour (2006) • Beautiful World Tour 2007 (2007) • Take That Present: The Circus Live (2009) • Progress Live (2011) • Take That Live 2015 (2015) • Wonderland Live 2017 (2017) • Greatest Hits Live 2019 (2019)