God's Project
God's Project is the fourth studio album released by bachata group Aventura. It was released on April 26, 2005, by Premium Latin Music and distributed by Sony Latin Music. The album production was based on bachata with elements of rock, merengue and mordem and urban music such as R&B, exploring new sounds with Reggaeton with an Urban hip-hop Black American flavor.[4] This combination of rhythms was classified by some critics as "neo-bachata".[5] It features guest appearances by Judy Santos, Anthony Santos, Nina Sky and reggaeton superstars Tego Calderon and Don Omar.
| God's Project | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 26, 2005 (U.S.) | |||
| Recorded | 2004-05 | |||
| Studio |
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| Genre | ||||
| Length | 1:07:40[3] | |||
| Label | Premium Latin Music/Sony International | |||
| Aventura chronology | ||||
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| Singles from God's Project | ||||
The title of the album made reference that it was God's idea that each member of the band ended up doing music together. On the intro track, appeared the mothers of each member explain and made stories about their initials on music when they were children. The album contains sixteen tracks, including one intro, two skits, and one hidden track. It explored lyrics of romance, sex, love, cheating, and Infidelity. Like their previous albums, it contains social conscience lyrics on songs like "La Niña". The album cover features Romeo, Henry, Lenny, and Max from left to right when they were infants.
God`s Project receive positive reviews by critics and was praised for the band their skills as a musician and their improvement in production. It won "Album of The Year" at 2006's Soberano Awards, previously known as the Casandra Awards. Following the success of the album, the band won two awards at Premio Lo Nuestro 2006 for Best Tropical Duo or Group and Traditional. Also, it won Tropical Album Of The Year and Song of The Year Duo Or Group at the 2006 Billboard Latin Music Awards.[6] The album was supported by the release of four official singles:,"La Boda", "Ella y Yo", "Un Beso", "Angelito".
God`s Project is considered Aventura's mainstream breakthrough album. It remained the top-selling album on the chart for 7 consecutive weeks in 2005 and 5 non-consecutive weeks in 2006 Billboard Tropical Albums. It debut at the Top 5 of Billboard Top Latin Album and was certified four-time platinum (Latin field) in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Two of the four album singles reached the Top 10 on the US Hot Latin Songs chart. Eventually, It was the best-selling tropical album of 2006 in the United States. The album peaked at the Top 40 of France and Italian album charts and at the Top 20 in Ecuador. In Switzerland, it reached two spots and was certified gold. Eventually, it sold over half a million of copies worldwide. To promote the album, Aventura embarked on a highly successful tour selling out venues like New York's Madison Square Garden, Altos de Chavon and Coliseo de Puerto Rico.
Background and promotion edit
God`s Project was the band's first album to be distributed by Sony Latin Music. In 2002, Aventura's second studio We Broke The Rules sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide and the single Obsession was a commercial success in Europe and Latin America. Following that, Aventura played about 140 dates per year combined in the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean, sharing the stage with a host of major acts. In 2003, the album's third album Love & Hate was successful but sales figures were lower than their previous album. In the United States, We Broke the Rules sold only 69,000, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and "Love and Hate" 48,000 as of 2005. With the new Sony Distribution, expectations were high. According to the manager band, Johnny Marines, citing presence in mass-merchant accounts and on Internet sites, explained "When you add them all up, they add up to something big" and "Sony has opened the doors for many forms of promotion we didn't have in the past".[7]
Singles edit
"La Boda" is their first single from the album. It was released in February 2005. It peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Tropical Airplay chart.
"Ella y Yo" is the second single. It was released on May 9, 2005, and featured Puerto Rican Reggaeton artist, Don Omar. It peaked at 97 on the Billboard 100, at number 2 on the Hot Latin Songs and at number 1 on both the Latin Rhythm and Tropical Airplay Billboard charts . The music video was released in the same year. It took place in a bar. The video is about Romeo Santos and Don Omar having a conversation about love.
"Un Beso" is the third single. It was released on August 8, 2005. The group paid tribute to Spanish musician, Manzanita in this song. It peaked at number 6 on the Hot Latin Songs and at number 2 on the Tropical Airplay Billboard charts.
"Angelito" is the fourth and final single from this album. It was released in late 2005. It the last single and peaked at 17 on the Billboard Tropical Airplay chart. This would also be the last song to feature Judy Santos as she would embark in to her own music career.
Reception edit
Critical response edit
The album receive positive reviews by the critics. Evan C. Gutierrez from Allmusic gave four out five stars and praise the album production and innovation. About the musical skills of some the member of the band the writer explained "Under the clever guise of a boy band lurks some genuine musicianship, particularly evident in Lenny and Mikey Santos. The musician's ear will delight in Lenny's skillful guitar playing and tasteful, hip production, which foreshadow a long, fruitful career in the industry". However, the writer critics the albums's stylistically homogeneous and lack of instrumentation. However, he explained that "t is exactly their dedication to their Dominican heritage and an original sound that has saved them from pop mediocrity" and named God's Project as "the most consistent in quality so far and perhaps their strongest release period, establishes them as more than a pop phenomenon"
Commercial performance edit
Pre-orders off the album were over 125,000 before it release date. In the United States, God's Project debuted at number three on the Billboard Tropical Albums on the week of May 14, 2005 selling over 7,600 copies.[9] The next week it peaked at number one on the chart and remained there for seven consecutive weeks.[10] Also, it peaked at number five on Billboard Top Latin Album and at 133 US Billboard 200. It was the best selling tropical album of 2006 in the United States.[11] As of 2009, it sold 316,000 copies.[12] Eventaully, it was certified four times platinum (Latin field) by RIAA for shipping 400,000 copies in the United States. In Switzerland the album peaked at number two and was certified gold for shipping 20,000 copies. Also, It peaked on number 20 on Frances albums charts and 32 on Italian album charts. It peaked at number 18 on Ecuador album retail charts. God's Project sold more than half a million of copies worldwide.[13]
Track listing edit
| No. | Title | Translation | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" | 1:24 | |
| 2. | "Angelito" | "Little Angel" | 4:53 |
| 3. | "La Boda" | "The Wedding" | 4:49 |
| 4. | "Un Chi Chi" | "A Baby" | 3:59 |
| 5. | "Volvió La Traicionera" | "The Traitor Returned" | 3:23 |
| 6. | "La Niña" | "The Girl" | 4:53 |
| 7. | "Our Song" | 4:24 | |
| 8. | "Bar Skit" | 0:49 | |
| 9. | "Ella & Yo" (featuring Don Omar) | "She and I" | 4:27 |
| 10. | "Un Beso" | "A Kiss" | 4:23 |
| 11. | "Voy Malacostumbrado" | "I'm Unaccustomed" | 4:33 |
| 12. | "Ciego De Amor" (featuring Anthony Santos) | "Blinded By Love" | 5:07 |
| 13. | "Audition Skit" | 6:47 | |
| 14. | "Por Tu Orgullo" | "Because Of Your Pride" | 4:19 |
| 15. | "You're Lying" (featuring Nina Sky) | 4:24 | |
| Total length: | 1:03:35 | ||
| No. | Title | Translation | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16. | "Envidia (We Got The Crown) (Remix)" (featuring Tego Calderón) | "Envy" | 4:05 |
| Total length: | 1:07:40 | ||
- The original version of the album, "Envidia" is a hidden track inside the song "You're Lying". The original version of the song was from Tego Calderon's compilation album El Enemy De Los Guasibiri which also featured Aventura.
Charts edit
Weekly charts edit
| Year-end charts edit
|
Sales and certifications edit
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Phoebe: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Feminist Scholarship, Theory, and Aesthetics. Women's Studies Program at the State University of New York, SUNY at Oneonta. 2006.
- ^ "God's Project Review by Evan C. Gutierrez". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ God's Project, MP3 Album Music Download at eMusic
- ^ Phoebe: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Feminist Scholarship, Theory, and Aesthetics. Women's Studies Program at the State University of New York, SUNY at Oneonta. 2006.
- ^ Gonzales, Heriberto (March 9, 2006). "Listo Aventura para el Madison". El Diario La Prensa. p. 38. ISSN 0742-9428. ProQuest 368515930 – via Proquest.
- ^ Billboard Staff (2006-04-28). "2006 Billboard Latin Music Awards Winners". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
- ^ Inc, Nielsen Business Media (2005-04-30). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.
{{cite book}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ Allmusic review
- ^ "Analysis US Charts 14-05-2005". UKMIX Forums. Retrieved 2022-08-09.
- ^ Inc, Nielsen Business Media (2005-05-21). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.
{{cite book}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ Inc, Nielsen Business Media (2006-12-23). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.
{{cite book}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ Inc, Nielsen Business Media (2009-05-23). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.
{{cite book}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ Cortina, Rafa (2017-01-20). "Lo mejor del grupo Aventura, en el recopilatorio "Todavía me amas"". Sony Music España (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2022-08-09.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Aventura – God's Project". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
- ^ . musicalisimo.com.ec. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ "God's Project by Aventura - Music Charts". acharts.co. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Aventura – God's Project". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
- ^ "Aventura Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ^ "Aventura Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2022.
- ^ "Aventura Chart History (Top Current Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ^ "Aventura Chart History (Top Latin Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ^ "Aventura Chart History (Tropical Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2005". hitparade.ch. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
- ^ "2005 The Year in Music & Touring" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 117, no. 52. December 24, 2005. p. YE-61. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
- ^ "Top Latin Albums – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2020.
- ^ "Tropical Albums – Year-End 2006". Billboardaccessdate=July 2, 2022.
- ^ "Top Latin Albums – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ "Tropical Albums – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
- ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('God's Project')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
- ^ "American album certifications – Aventura – God's Project". Recording Industry Association of America.
External links edit
- Aventura official site