Fuse (Keith Urban album)
Fuse is the eighth studio album by New Zealand-born Australian country music singer Keith Urban. It was released on 10 September 2013 via Hit Red and Capitol Records Nashville.[5] The album includes features from Miranda Lambert and Eric Church and has spawned six singles, four of which have topped the newly introduced US Billboard Country Airplay chart, making it his first album to produce four chart-topping singles.[6]
Fuse
Upon its release, the album debuted atop both the US Billboard 200 and the Billboard's Top Country Albums charts, becoming Urban's fourth (non-consecutive) number one album on the latter. It received generally positive reviews from contemporary music critics, who complimented the more diverse musical styles explored on the songs.
Background[edit]
Regarding the sound of the new album, Urban said during an interview with Rolling Stone that "[he] just wanted to see how far [he] could go before it's not [him]." He also said he was inspired by U2's album Achtung Baby. "Bono said, [Achtung Baby] had to be the sound of [U2] chopping down The Joshua Tree, which I thought was great," he added. "That's where I found myself at. I can keep making the same record, but I don't want to do that."[7] The album cover was revealed on 1 August 2013.[8]
"Come Back to Me", a track co-written by singer-songwriter Brandy Clark, also appeared on her 2023 self-titled album.
Singles[edit]
The album's lead single "Little Bit of Everything", written by Brad and Brett Warren (both of The Warren Brothers) along with Kevin Rudolf, was released on 14 May 2013.[9] This song reached number one on the US Billboard Country Airplay chart in September 2013, as did "We Were Us", which was released as the album's second international single.[10] in September 2013.[3] "Shame" was released as the second single in Australia and New Zealand only in August 2013.[11] The third international single, "Cop Car" was released in January 2014. The fourth international single, "Somewhere in My Car", was released on 23 June 2014. That song also reached number one on the Country Airplay chart late that year. The fifth international single, "Raise 'Em Up" is duet with Eric Church. it was released on 26 January 2015, and became the fourth (of the five North American releases) to top the Country Airplay chart in May 2015.[6]
Commercial performance[edit]
During its first week of release, Fuse sold over 98,000 copies in the United States after debuting at number one both on the US Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums charts.[24] As of April 2016, the album has sold over 478,000 copies in the US.[25] The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA on 14 April 2017 for a million combined units of sales, tracks and streams.[26]
The album also debuted at number one in both Canada and Australia and peaked within the Top 10 in the United Kingdom. It is Urban's second album to chart in his native New Zealand, after 2012's The Story So Far.