Unwritten is the debut studio album by English singer and songwriter Natasha Bedingfield . It was released in Europe on 6 September 2004 through Phonogenic Records and in the United States on 2 August 2005 through Epic Records . A pop and R&B album, Unwritten was produced by a number of producers, including Danielle Brisebois , Guy Chambers , Peter Wade Keusch , Steve Kipner , Patrick Leonard and Greg Wells .
In the United Kingdom, Unwritten topped both the UK Albums Chart and the Scottish Albums Chart , receiving a triple platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry for sales of over a million copies in the United Kingdom. In North America, it peaked at number twenty-six on the US Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA for shipments of over 500,000 copies in the United States. The album spawned four singles: "Single ", "These Words ", "Unwritten " and "I Bruise Easily " from the 2006 reissue. The song "Drop Me in the Middle" featured rapper Bizarre on the international editions of the album, and English rapper and singer Estelle on the US editions. In 2006, the album was re-released in North America with new cover artwork and a slightly altered track listing, including "The One That Got Away".
Critical reception
The album received generally positive reviews from critics. Earning a 7 out of 10 from PopMatters , Adrien Begrand, who said the album was Bedingfield's "brand of clever, R&B infused pop." Though, he went on to admit that the album was "not without its pitfalls."[1] David Hooper from the BBC gave the album another positive review, writing "there's no denying this is a finely-crafted number with bold, voluptuous harmonies. It's guaranteed to thrill, at least for the first 30 plays." Further, Hollow stated "Unwritten is a textbook quality pop album, lifted by Natasha's strong voice, immaculate production and some absolutely corking singles. Whether you like it or not, you won't be able to get those tunes out of your head."[4]
UK-based music review website musicOMH critic David Welsh praised the album, compared Bedingfield's success to that of her brother , calling the album "a startlingly accomplished debut outing, letting the whole world know that Daniel is by no means the only talented Bedingfield out there." Welsh continued to add that Unwritten was "both musically note-worthy and lyrically substantial", concluding that there was "no shame in adding this to your collection."[5]
Commercial performance
Unwritten peaked at number one on the Official Charts Company 's UK Albums Chart. It sold over one million copies in the United Kingdom, being certified triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).[7] In the United States, it peaked at number 26 on the US Billboard 200 with first week sales of 34,000.[8] Its currently certified gold from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In Australia, it peaked at number 89 on ARIA Albums Chart . It also peaked at number 26 in Austria, number 20 in Germany, number 33 in Mexico and number 23 in Switzerland, making smaller impact outside the United Kingdom and the United States.
Track listing
Unwritten — Standard edition [9] Title Writer(s) Producer(s) 1. "These Words " 3:36 2. "Single "
Bedingfield
Kipner
Frampton
Wilkins
3:57 3. "I'm a Bomb"
Bedingfield
Kipner
Frampton
Wilkins
3:42 4. "Unwritten " 4:19 5. "I Bruise Easily "
Bedingfield
Frampton
Wilkins
Paul Herman
4:14 6. "If You're Gonna..."
Bedingfield
Kipner
Frampton
Wilkins
3:22 7. "Silent Movie" 3:47 8. "We're All Mad"
Bedingfield
Brisebois
Nick Lashley
Rodrigues
Brisebois
Lashley
4:48 9. "Frogs & Princes"
Bedingfield
Kipner
Frampton
Wilkins
3:45 10. "Drop Me in the Middle" (featuring Bizarre from D12 ) 4:16 11. "Wild Horses"
Bedingfield
Kipner
Frampton
Wilkins
4:01 12. "Sojourn" (hidden track )
Bedingfield
O'Mahony
Keynes
Harwood
3:19
Unwritten — UK edition (bonus tracks) [10] Title Writer(s) Producer(s) 12. "Size Matters"
Bedingfield
Kipner
Frampton
Wilkins
3:25 13. "Peace of Me" Leonard 3:45 14. "Sojourn" (hidden track)
Bedingfield
O'Mahony
Keynes
Harwood
3:19 Total length: 54:16
Unwritten — Japanese edition (bonus tracks) [11] Title 12. "Size Matters" 3:25 13. "Peace of Me" 3:45 14. "The One That Got Away " 4:16 15. "Sojourn" (hidden track) 3:19 Total length: 58:32
Unwritten — Japanese 2005 reissue edition [12] Title 1. "These Words" 3:36 2. "Single" 3:55 3. "Unwritten" 4:15 4. "Silent Movie" 3:47 5. "Stumble" 3:36 6. "Peace of Me" 3:43 7. "If You're Gonna..." 3:21 8. "Drop Me in the Middle" (featuring Estelle ) 3:44 9. "We're All Mad" 4:45 10. "I Bruise Easily" 4:13 11. "The One That Got Away" 4:06 12. "Size Matters" 3:26 13. "Wild Horses" 3:58 14. "Sojourn" (hidden track) 3:19 Total length: 51:04
Unwritten — North American edition [13] [14] Title Writer(s) 1. "These Words"
Bedingfield
Frampton
Kipner
Wilkins
3:38 2. "Single"
Bedingfield
Frampton
Kipner
Wilkins
3:54 3. "Unwritten"
Bedingfield
Brisebois
Rodrigues
4:18 4. "Silent Movie" 3:45 5. "Stumble" 3:36 6. "Peace of Me"
Bedingfield
DioGuardi
Leonard
3:42 7. "If You're Gonna ..."
Bedingfield
Frampton
Kipner
Wilkins
3:12 8. "Drop Me in the Middle" (featuring Estelle) 4:14 9. "We're All Mad"
Bedingfield
Brisebois
Lashley
4:46 10. "I Bruise Easily"
Bedingfield
Frampton
Herman
Wilkins
4:12 11. "The One That Got Away"
Bedingfield
Frampton
Kipner
Michael Tafaro
Nathan Winkler
4:16 12. "Size Matters"
Bedingfield
Frampton
Kipner
Wilkins
3:23 13. "Wild Horses"
Bedingfield
Frampton
Wilkins
3:55 14. "Sojourn" (hidden track)
Bedingfield
O'Mahony
Keynes
Harwood
3:19 Total length: 51:03
Unwritten — North American and European DualDisc edition (bonus DVD) [15] [16] Title Director(s) 1. "Entire Album in Enhanced Stereo" 2. "In the Studio Interview" 3. "These Words" (Music video) (US version) Chris Milk 3:43 4. "Making of These Words" 5. "Single" (Music video) Jake Nava 3:30 6. "I Bruise Easily" (Music video) Matthew Rolston 3:46
Unwritten — North American 2006 reissue edition [17] Title 1. "These Words" (Manny Marroquin Mix) 3:36 2. "Single" ('06 Mix) 3. "Unwritten" 4:15 4. "Silent Movie" 3:47 5. "I Bruise Easily" 4:13 6. "If You're Gonna..." 3:20 7. "Drop Me in the Middle" (featuring Estelle) 3:43 8. "Peace of Me" 3:42 9. "We're All Mad" 4:44 10. "Stumble" 3:36 11. "The One That Got Away" (Wamdue Pop Rocks Mix) 4:56 12. "Size Matters" 3:25 13. "Wild Horses" 3:58 14. "Sojourn" (hidden track) 3:19 Total length: 51:09
Notes
Personnel
Natasha Bedingfield – primary artist, lead vocals, background vocals, songwriting, vocal arrangements
Keith Andes – additional keyboards ("Drop Me in the Middle")
Dave Catlin-Birch – bass ("Silent Movie")
Guy Chambers – guitar, keyboards, producer
Justin Clayton – bass ("Peace of Me")
Larry Corbett – cello ("Peace of Me")
Keith Crouch – Hammond B-3 organ ("Unwritten")
Paul Gordon – keyboards ("We're All Mad")
Nick Ingman – string arrangements, conductor
Patrick Leonard – music programming, keyboards ("Peace of Me")
David Low – cello ("Stumble")
Tim Pierce – guitar ("Peace of Me")
Robbie Campos – guitar, keyboards
Michele Richards – violin ("Peace of Me")
Josephina Vergara – violin ("Peace of Me")
Greg Wells – bass, guitar, piano, drums
Joey Waronker - drums ("Peace of Me")
Danielle Brisebois – background vocals ("Unwritten"), producer, vocal arrangements
Jessica Collins – background vocals ("Unwritten" and "Drop Me in the Middle")
Nikola Bedingfield – background vocals ("Unwritten" and "Drop Me in the Middle")
Ryan Collins – background vocals ("Unwritten")
J. Curtis – guitar ("Size Matters")
Nick Lashley – guitar, keyboards
Wayne Wilkins – piano, keyboards
Chris Brown – bass ("If You're Gonna...")
Paul Herman – guitar ("I Bruise Easily")
Wayne Rodrigues – keyboards, turntables
Andrew Frampton – guitar, keyboards, programming, producer, vocal arrangements, string arrangements
Simon Hill – drums ("If You're Gonna...")
Andrew Duckles – viola ("Peace of Me")
Tony Hodson – guitar ("Drop Me in the Middle")
Paul Stanborough – additional guitars ("Silent Movie")
Steve Kipner – producer, vocal arrangements
Joe Chiccarelli – engineer
John Hill – producer
Nick Ingman – string arrangements, string conductor
Patrick Leonard – programming, producer
Steve MacMillan – engineer
Herb Powers – mastering
Greg Wells – programming, producer
Gavyn Wright – string conductor
Suzie Katayama – string contractor
Nick Lashley – producer, engineer
David Channing – digital editing
Michael Perfitt – engineer, digital editing
Ryan Freeland – engineer
James Cruz – mastering
Wayne Wilkins – programming, producer, engineer, vocal arrangements, string arrangements
Ian Cuttler – art direction
Richard Flack – producer, engineer, drum programming
Robbie Campos – vocal arrangements, string arrangements
Wayne Rodrigues – producer, engineer, digital editing, vocal arrangements, drum programming, Pro-Tools
Michelle Holme – art direction
Kieron Menzies – engineer
Chris Steffen – engineer
Peter Wade Keusch – producer
Lee Groves – mixing programmer
Michael Tafaro – producer, vocal arrangements
Nathan Winkler – producer, vocal arrangements
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
References
^ a b c Begrand, Adrien (27 September 2005). "Natasha Bedingfield: Unwritten" . PopMatters . Retrieved 3 March 2012 .
^ Gill, Andy (3 September 2004). "Album: Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten" . The Independent . Retrieved 21 April 2020 .
^ "AllMusic review" .
^ a b Hollow, David (6 September 2005). "BBC – Music – Review of Natasha Bedingfield Unwritten" . BBC Music . Retrieved 3 March 2012 .
^ a b Welsh, David (6 September 2004). "Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten" . musicOMH . Retrieved 3 March 2012 .
^ Hoard, Christian (25 August 2005). "Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten" . Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on 1 April 2009. Retrieved 15 June 2015 .{{cite magazine }}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link ) . Rolling Stone .
^ a b "British album certifications – Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten" . British Phonographic Industry .Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Unwritten in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
^ "Hill's 'Fireflies' Lights up the Billboard 200" . Billboard .
^ "Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten at Discogs" . Discogs . Retrieved 1 November 2016 .
^ a b "Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten (CD, Album, Copy Prot.) at Discogs" . Discogs. Retrieved 1 November 2016 .
^ "Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten (CD, Album) at Discogs" . Discogs. Retrieved 1 November 2016 .
^ a b "Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten (CD, Album, RE) at Discogs" . Discogs. Retrieved 1 November 2016 .
^ a b "Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten (CD, Album) at Discogs" . Discogs. Retrieved 1 November 2016 .
^ a b "Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten (CD, Album) at Discogs" . Discogs. Retrieved 1 November 2016 .
^ a b "Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten (Hybrid, DualDisc, Album, NTSC) at Discogs" . Discogs. Retrieved 1 November 2016 .
^ a b "Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten (Hybrid, DualDisc, PAL, Album, RE) at Discogs" . Discogs. Retrieved 1 November 2016 .
^ a b "Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten (CD, Album, RE) at Discogs" . Discogs. Retrieved 1 November 2016 .
^ "Australiancharts.com – Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten" . Hung Medien.
^ "Austriancharts.at – Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten" (in German). Hung Medien.
^ "Ultratop.be – Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
^ "Lescharts.com – Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten" . Hung Medien.
^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
^ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH .
^ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 37, 2004" . Chart-Track . IRMA .
^ "Mexicancharts.com – Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten" . Hung Medien.
^ "Charts.nz – Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten" . Hung Medien.
^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100" . Official Charts Company .
^ "Swedishcharts.com – Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten" . Hung Medien.
^ "Swisscharts.com – Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten" . Hung Medien.
^ "Natasha Bedingfield | Artist | Official Charts" . UK Albums Chart .
^ "Natasha Bedingfield Chart History (Billboard 200)" . Billboard .
^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2004" . Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 January 2022 .
^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2005" . dutchcharts.nl . Retrieved 20 January 2022 .
^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2005" . Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 January 2022 .
^ Myers, Justin (1 July 2016). "One hit album wonders – huge albums that were hard acts to follow" . Official Charts Company . Retrieved 31 July 2016 .
^ "American album certifications – Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten" . Recording Industry Association of America .
^ "Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten (CD, Album, Copy Prot.) at Discogs" . Discogs. Retrieved 1 November 2016 .
^ "Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten (CD, Album) at Discogs" . Discogs. Retrieved 1 November 2016 .
^ "Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten (CD, Album) at Discogs" . Discogs. Retrieved 1 November 2016 .
External links
Studio albums Singles Promotional singles Featured singles Concert tours Video releases See also