Singles is the original soundtrack album to the film Singles, primarily focused on the ascendant Seattle grunge scene of the early 1990s. The final track is the extended version of "Drown" by The Smashing Pumpkins. Other featured artists include Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Chris Cornell, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and The Jimi Hendrix Experience, among others. The soundtrack is certified double-platinum (2 million sales) by the RIAA.[1]
| Singles | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Soundtrack by | |
| Released | June 30, 1992 |
| Length | 1:05:27 |
| Label | Epic Soundtrax |
The soundtrack was reissued in a 2×CD and 2×LP edition on May 19, 2017, coincidentally one day after the death of Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, whose music is featured prominently on the soundtrack and who has a cameo in the film, although the release date had been announced in January.[2]
Overview
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [3] |
| Kerrang! |  [4] |
The soundtrack is considered to have helped open the door to the explosive popularity of Seattle grunge in the early 1990s. According to Steve Huey of AllMusic, "Singles helped crystallize the idea of the 'Seattle scene' in the mainstream public's mind, and it was also one of the first big-selling '90s movie soundtracks (it went platinum and reached the Top Ten) to feature largely new work from contemporary artists...it's a milestone in the breakthrough of alternative rock into mainstream popular culture, neatly and effectively packaging the Seattle phenomenon for the wider national consciousness."
In April 2019, the album was ranked No. 19 on Rolling Stone's "50 Greatest Grunge Albums" list.[5]
Tracks of interest
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | "Drown" | Billy Corgan | The Smashing Pumpkins | 8:17 |
| Total length: | 1:05:27 | |||
Release history
| Released | Label | Catalog ID | Format | Country | External sites | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 30, 1992 | Epic Soundtrax | EK 52476 | CD | US | Discogs | MusicBrainz | [1] |
More releases: Discogs • MusicBrainz
Chart positions
| Chart (1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[6] | 6 |
| US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[7] | 6 |
| Chart (2017) | Peak position |
| US Catalog Albums (Billboard)[8] | 2 |
| US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)[9] | 2 |
| US Soundtrack Albums (Billboard)[10] | 3 |
| US Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[11] | 3 |
| US Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[12] | 3 |
| US Alternative Albums (Billboard)[13] | 6 |
| US Billboard 200[6] | 33 |
| US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[7] | 99 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[14] | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
|
^shipments figures based on certification alone | ||
References
- ↑ https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=SOUNDTRACK&ti=Singles#search_section
- ↑ "Singles soundtrack to be reissued in May with 18 bonus tracks, new liner notes from Cameron Crowe". Consequence of Sound. January 26, 2017. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
- ↑ Huey, Steve. "Singles (Original Soundtrack) review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2011-11-15.
- ↑ Gitter, Mike (25 July 1992). "Various 'Singles Soundtrack'". Kerrang!. 402. London, UK: EMAP.
- ↑ "50 Greatest Grunge Albums". Rolling Stone. April 1, 2019.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Soundtrack Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Soundtrack Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
- ↑ "Soundtrack Chart History (Top Catalog Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
- ↑ "Soundtrack Chart History (Vinyl Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
- ↑ "Soundtrack Chart History (Soundtrack Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
- ↑ "Soundtrack Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
- ↑ "Soundtrack Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
- ↑ "Soundtrack Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
- ↑ "American album certifications – SOUNDTRACK – Singles". RIAA. Retrieved 2016-07-06. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.