Eoghan Quigg (album)

Eoghan Quigg
Studio album by Eoghan Quigg
Released 3 April 2009 (Ireland)
6 April 2009 (UK)
Recorded Early 2009
Genre Pop
Label RCA/Sony Music
Singles from Eoghan Quigg
  1. "28,000 Friends"
    Released: April 2009 (Airplay only)

Eoghan Quigg is the only studio album by Irish pop singer Eoghan Quigg. It was released on 6 April 2009. Quigg, who finished third in the fifth series of the UK television talent show The X Factor, was the first of the finalists from that series to release a studio album. The album predominantly features cover versions of songs that Quigg performed on The X Factor, and one original song, "28,000 Friends".

On its release, the album received strongly negative reviews, with some critics calling it the worst album of all time.

Background

After finishing third in The X Factor in 2009, Quigg was signed by record label RCA Records. Quigg was initially due to be signed by Simon Cowell's Syco label, but was instead signed to RCA when Cowell decided to focus entirely on X Factor winner Alexandra Burke.[1] Quigg began work on the album in London in early 2009, and was forced to rush the album as RCA gave him just a week to record it.[2] The album was recorded at Sphere Studios in Battersea and released on 6 April 2009 in the UK.[3] Quigg described the album's musical direction as drawing inspiration from Busted,[4] and two songs from the album were written by ex-Busted band members, "Year 3000" being written by Charlie Simpson, and "28,000 Friends" by James Bourne.

Critical reception

Pre-release

A reviewer at Virgin Media felt that Quigg's previous career would hurt the album, Quigg having lost The X Factor despite being a favourite, and having a record deal dropped by Simon Cowell.[5]

Release

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [6]
Daily Express [7]
Daily Record [8]
Digital Spy [9]
The Guardian (unfavourable)[10]
The Mail on Sunday [11]
Orange (unfavourable)[12]
Popjustice (unfavourable)[13]
Q [14]
Star [15]

Eoghan Quigg met with strongly negative appraisals; Mail Online journalist Lizzie Smith wrote that, "according to reviewers a new standard of dreadfulness has been set with the release of X Factor reject Eoghan Quigg's debut".[16] Nick Levine of Digital Spy called the record "amateurish as well as utterly redundant".[9] A Popjustice reviewer suggested that it would be regarded as "the worst album of all time" for decades to come, being "recorded so cheaply and with such little regard for the art of pop that the final product simply does not count as music."[13] Peter Robinson of The Guardian declared it to be "phenomenally bad" and "the worst album in the history of recorded sound."[10]

The album was criticised for consisting entirely of poor cover versions and for its weak vocal performances.[9] Jon O'Brien of AllMusic described the album as "bad karaoke", with deficient production values failing to hide Quigg's "limited ability" and "bum notes".[6] One song singled out for particular criticism was the cover of Take That's "Never Forget",[6][9][12] which Peter Robinson described as the "cruellest moment" on the album.[10] Gigwise ranked the album number one in their "The 20 Worst Albums of 2009" in December of that year.[17]

Observing critical consensus on Eoghan Quigg, Belfast Telegraph critic Gail Walker noted that, "Indeed, it is widely described as the worst album ever".[18] Matthew McCreary of The Independent questioned whether Quigg's career would survive the negative reviews, suggesting that "the savaging he has had in the music press over the past fortnight for his eponymous debut album would be enough to finish anyone."[19] Quigg's father, Chris, characterised detractors of the album as "snobs", adding: "Eoghan was an amateur boxer, so he can take the punches."[19]

Chart performance

The album was initially a commercial success in Ireland where it debuted at no 1 on the Irish Albums Chart, knocking Lady Gaga's The Fame off the top spot. The album dropped from no 2 on its second week to no 20 on its third week, and spent a total of eight weeks on the chart.[20] In the UK the album peaked at no 14,[21] and dropped out of the Top 100 after three weeks. As a result of disappointing sales, Quigg was expected to be dropped by his record label, RCA, in 2009.[22]

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "28,000 Friends"  James Bourne 2:59
2. "We're All in This Together"  From the High School Musical soundtrack 3:52
3. "All About You"  Tom Fletcher 3:05
4. "Learn to Fly"  Christian Ingebrigtsen / Chris Porter 4:08
5. "Does Your Mother Know"  Benny Andersson / Björn Ulvaeus 3:04
6. "Home"  Michael Bublé / Alan Chang 3:40
7. "When You Look Me in the Eyes"  Raymond Boyd / Joe Jonas / Nicholas Jonas 3:53
8. "Year 3000"  James Bourne / Matthew Fletcher / Charlie Simpson 3:24
9. "She's the One"  Karl Wallinger 4:16
10. "Ben"  Don Black / Walter Scharf 2:32
11. "Never Forget"  Gary Barlow 4:11
12. "Imagine" (iTunes Bonus Track)"  John Lennon 3:22

Charts

Chart (2009) Peak
position		 Sales Certification
UK Albums Chart 14[21] 25,000+
Irish Albums Chart 1[23] 6,000

References

  1. ↑ "JLS and Eoghan Quigg have both secured record deals after being snubbed by Simon Cowell". STV. 17 January 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
  2. ↑ McElroy, Naomi (12 September 2010). "Eoghan: Just don't make the same mistakes as me; EXCLUSIVE". The Mirror. Archived at The Free Library. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
  3. ↑ "One To Watch: Eoghan Quigg". femalefirst.co.uk. 19 March 2009. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  4. ↑ McGarry, Gerard (6 April 2009). "Unreality TV interviews Eoghan Quigg". Unreality TV. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
  5. ↑ "X Factor - Hits And Misses". Virgin Media. 1 April 2009. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 AllMusic review
  7. ↑ Spellman, Robert (3 April 2009). "Eoghan Quigg's debut reviewed". Daily Express. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  8. ↑ Fulton, Rick (14 April 2009). "ALBUMS; singles and albums". Daily Record. The Free Library. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 digitalspy.co.uk - "Eoghan Quigg: 'Eoghan Quigg'" - retrieved 10-04-2009
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Robinson, Peter (18 April 2009). "Factored out". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
  11. ↑ McElhinney, Danny (19 April 2009). "Albums". The Mail on Sunday (Associated Newspapers). It is all characterised by lamentably poor production, with reedy backing vocalists aiding Eoghan little. This will probably be a brief but enjoyable whirlwind for Eoghan, which includes a Boyzone support slot, then he'll most likely be back at school for his exams.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Kraines, Talia (16 June 2009). "Eoghan Quigg - Eoghan Quigg". Orange. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "The Eoghan Quigg album: it’s turned out not to be very good" Popjustice. 6 April 2009
  14. ↑ Q review. May 2009. p.108.
  15. ↑ "Eoghan Quigg - Eoghan Quigg". Star. 7 April 2009. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  16. ↑ Smith, Lizzie (1 May 2009). "Is it fair to describe X Factor Eoghan Quigg's debut album as 'the worst ever made'?". Mail Online. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  17. ↑ "The 20 Worst Albums of 2009". Gigwise. 16 December 2009. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  18. ↑ Walker, Gail (21 April 2009). "Don't you worry Eoghan, it hasn't all gone pop just yet". Belfast Telegraph (Independent News & Media). His [Quigg] eponymous debut album, released a couple of weeks ago, has been met with universal hoots of derision...Indeed, it is widely described as the worst album ever.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 McCreary, Matthew (21 April 2009). "Will Eoghan Quigg survive his public flogging?". The Independent. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  20. ↑ Eoghan Quigg Chart Statistics on aCharts.us Retrieved on 06-06-09.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Official Charts: Eoghan Quigg". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 June 2013.
  22. ↑ Lyons, Beverley (16 June 2009). "X FACTOR star Eoghan Quigg is set to be dropped; the Razz". Daily Record. The Free Library. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  23. ↑ "Top 100 Individual Artist Albums". Irish Recorded Music Association. 9 April 2009. Retrieved 9 April 2009.

External links