Back to Basics (Christina Aguilera album)

Back to Basics
Studio album by Christina Aguilera
Released	August 9, 2006 (2006-08-09)
Recorded	February 2005 – April 2006
Studio	Chalice Recording Studios Record Plant (Los Angeles, California) Allido Sound (New York City, New York) Maze Studios (Atlanta, Georgia) SARM Studios (London, England)[1]
Genre	Pop R&B
Length	78:43
Label	RCA
Producer	Ben Allen Big Tank Charles Martin Roane DJ Premier Kwamé Linda Perry Rich Harrison Mark Ronson Tony Reyes Q
Christina Aguilera chronology
Justin & Christina (2003) Back to Basics (2006) Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits (2008)
Singles from Back to Basics
"Ain't No Other Man" Released: June 6, 2006 "Hurt" Released: September 17, 2006 "Candyman" Released: February 20, 2007 "Slow Down Baby" Released: July 24, 2007 "Oh Mother" Released: September 28, 2007

Back to Basics is the fifth studio album by American singer Christina Aguilera. It was released on August 9, 2006, in the United States by RCA Records as a double album. Serving as executive producer, she enlisted a wide range of producers, including DJ Premier, Rich Harrison, Rob Lewis, Mark Ronson, and Linda Perry. Recording sessions took place between February 2005 and April 2006 at several studios in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Inspired by Aguilera's 1920s–1950s idols, including Billie Holiday, Otis Redding, Etta James, and Ella Fitzgerald, Back to Basics was described by Aguilera herself as a fusion of old-school jazz and soul inspirations with a modernized style. Primarily a pop and R&B record, its first disc juxtaposes rhythm and blues with hip hop and urban elements with most songs employing samples, while the second contains all original tracks with the exception of "Candyman", which samples "Tarzan & Jane Swingin' on a Vine". Lyrically, the album is inspired by Aguilera's previous life events including her marriage with Jordan Bratman in 2005.

To portray a new persona, Aguilera adopted her new alter ego Baby Jane and made several changes to her public appearance, inspired by classic Hollywood actresses. She promoted the album by performing at events like the 2006 MTV Movie Awards, the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards and the 49th Annual Grammy Awards. It was further promoted with Back to Basics Tour, which visited countries in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and Middle East from late 2006 until late 2008. Back to Basics spawned three international singles: "Ain't No Other Man", "Hurt" and "Candyman"; "Slow Down Baby" was only released as a single in Australia,^[2] while "Oh Mother" was only released as a single in several European countries.^[3][4]

Back to Basics received favorable reviews from music critics, who complimented its musical diversity from Aguilera's previous albums while there were others who criticized its length. The album received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album, and its lead single "Ain't No Other Man" won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards (2007). It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 346,000 copies. Back to Basics achieved similar success internationally, reaching the top of the charts in over fifteen countries including Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland and United Kingdom. The album has sold 1.7 million copies in the United States, and over 5 million worldwide, as of November 2013.^[5]