Open Road (Gary Barlow album)

Open Road
Studio album by Gary Barlow
Released 26 May 1997 (1997-05-26) (Europe)
13 January 1998 (1998-01-13) (America)
April 14, 2018 (2018-04-14) (Deluxe Edition)
Recorded 1996
Genre Pop
Length 50:54
Label BMG, RCA, Arista
Producer 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
Gary Barlow chronology
Open Road
(1997)		 Twelve Months, Eleven Days
(1999)Twelve Months, Eleven Days1999
Singles from Open Road (European Version)
  1. "Forever Love"
    Released: 5 July 1996
  2. "Love Won't Wait"
    Released: 25 April 1997
  3. "So Help Me Girl"
    Released: 11 July 1997
  4. "Open Road"
    Released: 31 October 1997
  5. "Hang on in There Baby"
    Released: 3 April 1998
Singles from Open Road (American Version)
  1. "So Help Me Girl"
    Released: 30 September 1997
  2. "Superhero"
    Released: 17 February 1998

Open Road is the debut solo album by British singer-songwriter Gary Barlow. It was released by BMG and RCA Records on 26 May 1997 in Europe, and on 13 January 1998 in America.

Album information

Following the break-up of Take That, Barlow went straight into the recording studio and began recording a solo album. On 5 July 1996, the album's lead single, "Forever Love", was released, peaking at #1 on the UK Singles Chart. A second single, "Love Won't Wait", was released in April 1997, also peaking at number one.[1] On 26 May 1997, the album was subsequently released, peaking at number one on the UK Albums Chart on the week of release.[1] The album was certified platinum.[2] Following the album's release, a further two singles, "So Help Me Girl" and "Open Road" were released, which charted at 11 and 7 respectively with the third single becoming Barlow's first solo material to chart in America.[1] The album has sold over 2 million copies worldwide to date.[3]

International success

Following the success of the album in the United Kingdom and the album charting in over 21 countries internationally, Barlow set about releasing the album in the United States, and signed a record deal with Arista. He soon decided to re-work the album for the American market, and began promotion by releasing a remixed version of "So Help Me Girl" as the lead single, complete with a brand new video, on 30 September 1997. The album was subsequently released on 13 January 1998, and on 17 February, one of the new tracks for the American issue, "Superhero", was released as the second single. Although it became widely known for its use as the Yankees main theme, it failed to achieve any commercial success.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]

The San Diego Vista gave the album a positive review stating that as a "singer and songwriter [Barlow] demonstrates his potential as a successful solo artist on Open Road. The album shows a diversity of musical styles, many acoustic-based tracks, a few haunting ballads and some scintillating up-tempo dance numbers." Rodel goes on to state that "on the title track, "Open Road," Gary's brilliant songwriting abilities are showcased in all its glory. A song that he wrote at the young age of 16, "Open Road" reveals Gary's journey through life [making it] perhaps the best song on Gary's debut album."[5]

Track listing

European edition

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Love Won't Wait"
Stephen Lipson4:17
2."So Help Me Girl"
  • Howard Perdew
  • Andy Spooner
David Foster4:29
3."My Commitment"
Walter Afanasieff4:48
4."Hang on in There Baby"Johnny BristolTrevor Horn3:39
5."Are You Ready Now"Barlow
  • Barlow
  • Grant Mitchell
4:19
6."Everything I Wanted"BarlowAbsolute3:32
7."I Fall So Deep"
Foster4:02
8."Lay Down for Love"
  • Barlow
  • Mitchell
5:33
9."Forever Love"Barlow - Nik Kershaw
4:55
10."Never Knew"BarlowAfanasieff3:50
11."Open Road"Barlow
  • Barlow
  • Porter
  • Absolute[a]
4:23
12."Always"Barlow
  • Barlow
  • Porter
3:32

US edition

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."I Fall So Deep"Larry Loftin, Mattias Gustafsson, Amy PowersDavid Foster4:02
2."Open Road"Gary BarlowChris Porter, Barlow, Mike Rose[a], Nick Foster[a]4:23
3."Superhero"Barlow, Max Martin, Joylon Skinner, Kristian LundinMartin, Lundin3:35
4."My Commitment"Barlow, Diane WarrenWalter Afanasieff, Soulshock & Karlin[b]4:13
5."Love Won't Wait"Madonna, Shep PettiboneStephen Lipson, Junior Vasquez[c]4:21
6."So Help Me Girl"Howard Perdew, Andy SpoonerFoster4:29
7."Everything I Wanted"BarlowAbsolute3:32
8."Hang on in There Baby"Johnny BristolRose, Foster3:39
9."Lay Down For Love"Barlow, Richard Stannard, Matt RowbottomGrant Mitchell, Barlow5:33
10."Never Knew"BarlowAfanasieff3:50
11."Forever Love"BarlowChris Porter, Barlow4:55
12."Back for Good" (Live)BarlowSimon Willis4:19
Notes
  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer
  • ^[b] signifies a remixer
  • ^[c] signifies a co-producer

Charts

Chart (1997) Peak
Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[6] 30
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria Top 75)[7] 13
Belgian (Ultratop 50 Vlaanderen) Albums[8] 7
Belgian (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) Albums[9] 20
Danish Albums (Tracklisten)[10] 6
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[11] 13
European Albums (Hot 100)[12] 4
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[13] 29
German Albums (Media Control AG)[14] 10
Greek Albums (IFPI Greece)[15] 3
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[16] 33
Irish Albums (IRMA)[17] 1
Italian Albums (FIMI)[18] 8
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[19] 40
Malaysian Albums (IFPI)[20] 3
New Zealand Albums (RIANZ)[21] 43
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[22] 34
Scottish Albums (OCC)[23] 2
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[12] 5
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[24] 25
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[25] 6
Taiwanese Albums (IFPI)[26] 1
UK Albums (OCC)[27] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1997) Position
German Albums Chart[28] 100

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/Sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[29] Platinum 300,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

Personnel

Credits for Open Road adapted from AllMusic.[30]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "UK Chart Archive". everyHit.com. Retrieved 16 November 2007.
  2. ↑ Open Road British Sales Certificate. British Phonographic Industry. 12 December 1997. Retrieved 16 November 2007.
  3. ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1328974/Robbie-Williams-relights-Take-That.html?ito=feeds-newsxml Daily Mail
  4. ↑ Allmusic review
  5. ↑ http://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/nexis/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb=21_T12772348936&format=GNBFI&sort=BOOLEAN&startDocNo=1&resultsUrlKey=29_T12772348940&cisb=22_T12772348939&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&csi=172244&docNo=2 Nexis Lexis, Search Gary Barlow Open Road, 2nd source on list. Rodel Divina, The Vista San Diego
  6. ↑ http://danishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Gary+Barlow&titel=Open+Road&cat=a AustralianCharts.com. Retrieved 17 November 2007.
  7. ↑ "Discographie Gary Barlow". AustrianCharts.com. Retrieved 17 November 2007.
  8. ↑ "Gary Barlow – Open Road". UltraTop.be. Retrieved 1 June 2008.
  9. ↑ "Gary Barlow – Open Road". UltraTop.be. Retrieved 1 June 2008.
  10. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?lr=&rview=1&id=AwoEAAAAMBAJ&q=gary+barlow#v=snippet&q=gary%20barlow&f=false Retrieved 17 November 2007.
  11. ↑ "Discography Gary Barlow". DutchCharts.nl. Retrieved 17 November 2007.
  12. 1 2 https://books.google.com/books?id=KBAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA51&dq=Gary+Barlow+Malaysia&hl=en&sa=X&ei=RIQeUarxLPL44QTun4HwAQ&ved=0CEAQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Gary%20Barlow%20Malaysia&f=false. Retrieved 17 November 2007.
  13. ↑ "Discography Gary Barlow". FinnishCharts.com. Retrieved 17 November 2007.
  14. ↑ "Gary Barlow". Charts-Surfer.de. Retrieved 1 June 2008.
  15. ↑ "IFPI Greece – Gary Barlow – Open Road". IFPI Greece. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
  16. ↑ http://www.mahasz.hu/?menu=slagerlistak&menu2=archivum Hungarian album Archive.
  17. ↑ The Irish Charts - All there is to know
  18. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=KBAEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA50&dq=gary+Barlow+Open+Road+Italy&hl=en&sa=X&ei=UTavUsenM4PAhAes6oHoAw&ved=0CEUQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=gary%20Barlow%20Open%20Road%20Italy&f=false. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  19. ↑ http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/68069/ranking/cd_album/ Oricon Archive - Gary Barlow Open Road.
  20. ↑ . Retrieved 17 November 2007.
  21. ↑ "Discography Gary Barlow". Charts.org.nz. Retrieved 17 November 2007.
  22. ↑ "Discography Gary Barlow". NorwegianCharts.com. Retrieved 17 November 2007.
  23. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Discography Gary Barlow". SwedishCharts.com. Retrieved 17 November 2007.
  25. ↑ "Discography Gary Barlow". SwissCharts.com. Retrieved 17 November 2007.
  26. ↑ "IFPI Taiwan - International Top 10 (1997/24)". Archived from the original on 24 February 1998. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  27. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  28. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  29. ↑ "British album certifications – Gary Barlow – Open Road". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 July 2012. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Open Road in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  30. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/open-road-mw0000024917/credits Open Road album credits.
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