Let the Music Play (Stan Walker album) explained

Let the Music Play
Type:studio
Artist:Stan Walker
Cover:Stan Walker - Let the Music Play.jpg
Border:yes
Label:Sony
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Let the Music Play is the third studio album by Australian-New Zealand recording artist Stan Walker, released through Sony Music Australia on 18 November 2011. Walker worked with several record producers on the album, including Richard Vission, Chico Bennett, Nicholas "RAS" Furlong and Static Revenger, among others. The album featured several guest vocalists, including Jessica Mauboy, Annabel Fay and Walker's mother April, who is featured in a remake of Eva Cassidy's version of "Songbird". Musically, the album features more up-tempo dance-pop and R&B genres than Walker's previous album, From the Inside Out (2010), which included deep and emotional tracks.

Two singles preceded the album's release including, lead single "Loud", which reached the top-ten on the singles charts of Australia and New Zealand. "Light It Up", featuring Static Revenger, was released as the album's second single. Let the Music Play debuted at number 18 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart, becoming the lowest charting album of Walker's career to date. On the New Zealand Albums Chart, the album debuted at number 12.

Background and recording

Walker described the album as "a declaration of a celebration", stating that it is far more upbeat, playful and fresh in comparison to the deeper tracks on his previous album From the Inside Out (2010).[1] In an interview with Nathan Taylor from Western Weekender, Walker explained, "The last album was more serious and showed the deeper parts of me. This one still shows all the depths of me but also me as a 21-year-old – the young, crazy and fun side definitely comes out in Let the Music Play."[1] The album was inspired by many sounds from around the world, including Indian Bollywood to UK bubble gum pop and Māori culture.[2]

Let the Music Play was recorded over four weeks;[3] Walker recorded much of the album in the United States.[1] The album includes a duet with Walker's mother, April, in a remake of Eva Cassidy's version of "Songbird".[1] Walker said that he had to find the right song to sing with his mother on one of his album's, and chose Cassidy's version of "Songbird" because it is one of their all-time favourite songs.[1] Let the Music Play also includes a duet with fellow singer Jessica Mauboy on the track "Galaxy", which had originally appeared on a re-release of her second studio album Get 'Em Girls.[3] Walker explained, "We had been waiting for the right song to come for a while, because we really had to choose the right song for this. And that song came about and we both really liked it and decided that was the one, and that we just had to do it. And it turned out really well."[3]

In an interview with Leesa Smith from Southern Courier, Walker explained, "The album is quite pop and dance-y, but there are hints of old skool stuff, like the duet I did with my mum. There are songs about freedom, liberation, unity and music."[4]

Release and promotion

Let the Music Play was released by Sony Music Australia on 18 November 2011, as both digital download and CD formats.[5] [6] A CD release in New Zealand followed on 21 November 2011. To celebrate the album's release, Walker appeared at the Westfield Parramatta store in Sydney with dance troupe Justice Crew on 19 November 2011, to perform several of the album's songs and sign CDs.[7] The following day, he appeared at the Highpoint Shopping Centre in Melbourne.[7] During a promotional tour in New Zealand, Walker appeared at The Warehouse Sylvia Park in Auckland on 24 November 2011, to sign CD copies and perform a song from the album.[8] On 29 November 2011, Walker and Jessica Mauboy made a guest appearance on the Australian breakfast television program, Sunrise, to perform "Galaxy".[9]

Singles

"Loud" was released as the album's lead single on 6 May 2011.[10] It peaked at number nine on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart and number eight on the New Zealand Singles Chart.[11] "Loud" was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), for selling 70,000 copies.[12] In New Zealand, it was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ), for selling 7,500 digital copies.[13] "Light It Up", featuring Static Revenger, was released as the second single on 16 September 2011.[14] It peaked at number 45 on the ARIA Singles Chart and number 23 on the New Zealand Singles Chart.[15] "Music Won't Break Your Heart" was released as a Digital EP on 23 March 2012, as the third single from Let the Music Play.[16]

Commercial performance

Let the Music Play debuted at number 18 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart on 28 November 2011 and spent two weeks in the top 50.[17] It marks the first time in Walker's career that one of his albums has missed the top five.[18] His debut studio album, Introducing Stan Walker (2009) debuted at number three, while his second studio album, From the Inside Out (2010) charted at number two.[18] On the ARIA Urban Albums Chart, Let the Music Play debuted at number three.[19] On the New Zealand Albums Chart, the album debuted at number 12, again becoming Walker's first album in the country to miss the top five.[20]

Track listing

(*) Denotes additional producer

Notes

Personnel

Managerial and imagery

Performance credits

Instruments

Technical and production

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2011)Peak
Position
ARIA Albums Chart18
ARIA Urban Albums Chart3
New Zealand Albums Chart12

Year-end charts

Release history

CountryDateFormat(s)Label
Australia18 November 2011CD, digital downloadSony Music Australia
New Zealand[23] [24] Digital download
21 November 2011CD

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Taylor . Nathan . Walking the line . . Media View . 15 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120318204008/http://www.westernweekender.com.au/index.php/local-entertainment-content/252-walking-the-line . 18 March 2012 . dead .
  2. Web site: Purdie . Ross . Mother's touch for Stan Walker . . 16 November 2011 . https://archive.today/20111201100038/http://au.news.yahoo.com/nsw/latest/a/-/article/11711924/mothers-touch-for-stan-walker/ . 1 December 2011 . dead .
  3. Web site: Lucas . Victoria . Stan Walker: Let the Music Play . The Music Network . 22 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111125200722/http://www.themusicnetwork.com/music-features/artists/2011/11/22/stan-walker-let-the-music-play/ . 25 November 2011 . dead .
  4. Web site: Smith . Leesa . Stan Walker's the man of the moment . Southern Courier . 17 November 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111119065127/http://southern-courier.whereilive.com.au/news/story/stans-the-man-of-the-moment/ . 19 November 2011 . dead .
  5. Web site: Let the Music Play – Stan Walker. 18 November 2011 . iTunes Store. Apple Inc. 29 November 2011.
  6. Web site: Let the Music Play – Stan Walker – CD. Sanity.com.au. 29 November 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20120330132123/http://www.sanity.com.au/products/2204779/Let_The_Music_Play_SIGNED_COPY. 30 March 2012. dead.
  7. Web site: Upcoming In-store Performances & Album Signings . Stanwalker.com.au . https://web.archive.org/web/20120308211827/http://www.stanwalker.com.au/newsEvents/home.do?newsId=20030829007140 . 8 March 2012 . dead .
  8. Web site: Stan Walker – Let the Music Play – Album of the Week . . https://web.archive.org/web/20111122025435/http://www.maifm.co.nz/Stan-Walker---Let-the-Music-Play/tabid/105/articleID/2357/Default.aspx . 22 November 2011 . dead .
  9. Web site: Jess Mauboy & Stan Walker 'Galaxy'. Yahoo!7. 29 November 2011.
  10. Web site: Loud – Single . 2 May 2011 . iTunes Store. Apple Inc . 12 May 2011.
  11. Web site: Stan Walker – Loud . ARIA Charts. Hung Medien . 17 May 2011.
  12. Web site: ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2011 Singles . Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) . 29 November 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110515024609/http://www.aria.com.au/pages/httpwww.aria.com.aupageshttpwww.aria.com.auSINGLEaccreds2011.htm . 15 May 2011 .
  13. Web site: Latest Gold / Platinum Singles . RadioScope New Zealand . 17 July 2011 . 19 July 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081014104613/http://www.radioscope.net.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=77&Itemid=63 . 14 October 2008 .
  14. Web site: Light It Up – Single. 16 September 2011 . iTunes Store. Apple Inc. 16 September 2011.
  15. Web site: Stan Walker – Light It Up. ARIA Charts. Hung Medien . 29 November 2011.
  16. Web site: Music Won't Break Your Heart – EP. 23 March 2012 . iTunes Store. Apple Inc. 28 March 2012.
  17. Web site: Chartifacts – Week Commencing: 28th November 2011 . Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) . https://web.archive.org/web/20111205172543/http://www.ariacharts.com.au/pages/chartifacts.htm . 5 December 2011 . dead .
  18. Web site: Discography Stan Walker. ARIA Charts. Hung Medien. 30 November 2011.
  19. Web site: Top 40 Urban Albums & Singles Chart . Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) . https://archive.today/20240525145926/https://www.webcitation.org/63bTFeyVP?url=http://www.ariacharts.com.au/pages/charts_display_urban.asp%3Fchart=1Q40RB . 25 May 2024 . dead .
  20. Web site: Discography Stan Walker. RIANZ Chart. Hung Medien. 30 November 2011.
  21. Let the Music Play . . 2011 . CD liner . .
  22. Web site: ARIA Top 50 Australian Artists Album 2011 . Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) . 4 January 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120127171336/http://www.aria.com.au/pages/aria-charts-end-of-year-charts-top-australian-album-2011.htm . 27 January 2012 .
  23. Web site: Let the Music Play – Stan Walker. Marbecks.co.nz. 30 November 2011.
  24. Web site: Let the Music Play – Stan Walker. 18 November 2011 . iTunes Store. Apple Inc. 30 November 2011.