The Show Must Go is the third studio album by Canadian pop rock group Hedley. It is the first album by the band that drops their pop-punk / emo sound for more of a pop rock sound, It was released on November 17, 2009, in Canada. The album was successful, producing three top 20 singles, with the lead track, "Cha-Ching", and eighth track, "Perfect" both hitting the top 10. The album was later released in the US on December 7, 2010.
Background The group worked with producers David Bendeth, John Feldmann, Dave Genn and Brian Howes. Hoggard began writing songs for The Show Must Go as the band was wrapping up their Famous Last Words tour. The group wrote 45 songs over the course of three months before choosing the 11 tracks for the album. Songs from the album were inspired from "the collapse of several relationships — both romantic and platonic." Whereas Hedley and Famous Last Words were more pop punk and alternative rock influenced, this album was inspired by hip-hop music and electro beats. Hoggard stated, "I don't know if the album as a whole has anything to do with me liking Dizzee Rascal or Method Man. There are some songs that might lend to the production elements of urban music, but we still wanted the album to sound as acoustic as possible." In an interview with MuchMusic, Hoggard described The Show Must Go as a more "personal album" and that the band pushed themselves to create an honest record. The album's concept comes from "remembering that your whole life is not a show and you can't just always be performing."
In 2010, the band signed an American record deal with Island Records.
Release "Cha-Ching" was released to radio in Canada on August 17, 2009, as the lead single from the album. The song was released internationally the following day. "Don't Talk to Strangers" was released as the second single from the album on October 27, 2009. The album's third single "Perfect" was released on February 8, 2010, through Universal Music Canada. "Hands Up" was released on June 29, 2010, as the fourth single from the album. "Sweater Song" was released as the album's fifth single in December 2010.
The Show Must Go was released in the United States on December 7, 2010 via Island Records. The album features a different album cover, altered track listing and the songs "I Do (Wanna Love You)" and "Color Outside The Lines" in place of "Young and Stupid" and "9 Shades of Red". "Perfect" was released as the album's first single in the US on August 10, 2010.
Critical reception
The Show Must Go was met with positive reviews from music critics. Alexey Eremenko of AllMusic stated that the album features, "simple, straightforward guitar licks and a vocal delivery that teeters on the brink of larger-than-life emoting." He complimented the album for its catchiness, however criticized the record for its "cheesy hard rock of yesteryear." Sydney of MuchMusic called the album their best effort yet. She described the album's ninth track "Sweater Song" as the standout track, as well as praising "Amazing", calling the track, "a classic Hedley ballad." However, she stated that "Young & Stupid" is a skip. New Music Reviews wrote a mixed review on the album, writing, "Musically this album is not very technical, as the guitars and bass are very simple, yet still delivered extremely well, as usual. Lyrically this album is extremely up and down. Amid the usual heartbreaks and sadness, it also shows a lot more materialistic lyricism. In the end, Hedley have created a solid record, one that a lot of fans will not necessarily like due to the departure and progression of the band." Max Specht of PressPlus1 remarked, "Hedley has made a great album that won’t pigeonhole them, and although the first two singles might try to write them off as a novelty, there is a lot of quality to be found here in songs like 'Sweater Song' and 'Friends'."
Track listing
Personnel Credits for The Show Must Go adapted from AllMusic.
Hedley Jacob Hoggard – vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboard Dave Rosin – electric guitar, textures, background vocals Tommy Mac – bass, background vocals Chris Crippin – drums, background vocals
Additional musicians Brian Howes – keyboard, guitar, background vocals Jason Van Poederooyen – keyboard, percussion Joel Straton – background vocals Jay Benson – percussion John Feldmann – background vocals, percussion David Benedeth – percussion Dan Korneff – keyboard David Eggar – cello Jonathan Dinklange – violin The Late Show's Gospel Choir – vocals Dave Genn – guitar, keyboard, background vocals Darren Parris – bass Kelly Brock – background vocals Brian Davies – trumpet Mark D'Angelo – trumpet James Hopson – trombone James Robertson – french horn April White – background vocals
Production Misha Rajaratnam – editing Tom Lord-Alge – mixing Brian Howes – producing Jason Van Poederooyen – programming, engineering, editing Kyle Moorman – engineering Erik Ron – engineering John Feldmann – string arrangements, programming, producing Mike Fraser – mixing David Benedeth – producing John Bender – engineering, editing Kato Khandwala – engineering, editing John D'uva – engineering, editing Dan Korneff – engineering, editing, programming Dean Maher – engineering Dave Genn – producing
Awards and nominations +Awards and nominations for The Show Must Go Year Organization Award Result Ref(s)2010Juno Awards Pop Album of the Year 2011 Album of the Year
Charts
Weekly charts +Weekly chart performance for The Show Must Go Chart (2009) Peakposition Canadian Albums (Billboard) 6
Year-end charts +Year-end chart performance for The Show Must Go Chart (2010) Peakposition Canadian Albums (Billboard) 16
Certifications
Release history + List of release dates, showing region, release format, label catalog number, and reference Country Date Format Label Catalog Canada November 17, 2009 Universal Music Canada B002SXPK9S Uruguay April 6, 2010 CD rowspan="2" Worldwide April 16, 2010 United States December 7, 2010 Island Records B003ZYJS7Y United Kingdom March 11, 2011 CD Phantom Sound & Vision B002SXPK9S
Tours The Show Must Go... on the Road Tour
Hedley announced a tour across Canada in support of the album. Fefe Dobson and Stereos were supporting acts for the entire tour, while Boys Like Girls supported the dates from March 28 to April 10, and Faber Drive supported the other eight dates. A live album called Go With the Show was released in a CD/DVD pack on November 9, 2010. The CD contains tracks from the three final destinations of the tour from the first leg, as well as a documentary and bonus features on the DVD.
A second leg was announced on May 25, 2010. The opening acts touring with the band are San Sebastian, These Kids Wear Crowns, and Lights.
Setlist "Cha-Ching" "On My Own" "Shelter" "She's So Sorry" "Perfect" "Old School" "Amazing" "Saturday" "Gunnin'" "Don't Talk to Strangers" "Friends" "Beautiful" "321" "Never Too Late" Encore: "For the Nights I Can't Remember" "Trip"
Tour dates Date City Venue First legMarch 22, 2010PentictonSouth Okanagan Events CentreMarch 23, 2010VictoriaSave-On-Foods Memorial CentreMarch 25, 2010Prince GeorgeCN CentreMarch 26, 2010Dawson CreekEnCana Events CentreMarch 28, 2010CalgaryThe CorralMarch 29, 2010EdmontonShaw Conference CentreMarch 30, 2010ReginaBrandt CentreMarch 31, 2010WinnipegMTS CentreApril 3, 2010KitchenerMemorial Auditorium ComplexApril 4, 2010LondonJohn Labatt CentreApril 5, 2010TorontoAir Canada CentreApril 7, 2010MontrealBell CentreApril 8, 2010KingstonK-Rock CentreApril 9, 2010OttawaUrbandale CentreApril 10, 2010Quebec CityPavillon de la JeunesseApril 12, 2010SudburySudbury ArenaApril 15, 2010MonctonMoncton ColiseumApril 16, 2010HalifaxHalifax Metro CentreApril 20, 2010St. John'sMile One Centre Second legJune 30, 2010BalaThe Kee to BalaJuly 1, 2010July 2, 2010Fort Erie, OntarioFriendship FestivalJuly 3, 2010Owen SoundBig Music FestJuly 10, 2010AlmaFestivalmaAugust 6, 2010Rouyn-NorandaOsisko en lumièreSeptember 11, 2010BurnabyDeer Lake ParkSeptember 13, 2010KamloopsInterior Savings CentreSeptember 14, 2010KelownaProspera PlaceSeptember 16, 2010Red DeerENMAX Centrium ArenaSeptember 17, 2010Medicine HatMedicine Hat ArenaSeptember 19, 2010BrandonKeystone CentreSeptember 22, 2010Sault Ste. MarieEssar CentreSeptember 23, 2010OshawaGeneral Motors CentreSeptember 25, 2010WindsorWindsor Family Credit Union CentreSeptember 27, 2010CornwallCornwall Civic ComplexSeptember 28, 2010BarrieBarrie Molson CentreSeptember 30, 2010GuelphSleeman CentreOctober 1, 2010PeterboroughPeterborough Memorial CentreOctober 2, 2010MississaugaHershey Centre
References