Raditude
Raditude is the seventh studio album by American rock band Weezer, released on October 30, 2009 and is their final album on DGC Records, Geffen Records and Interscope Records.[5][6][7] The title of the album was suggested to Weezer vocalist Rivers Cuomo by actor Rainn Wilson.[8]
Raditude
October 30, 2009
November 2008 – January 2009 & Summer 2009
34:34
The album's first single, "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To", was released in August 2009. The album debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200.
The album's cover artwork is a photo of a dog named Sidney, originally published in the August 2009 issue of National Geographic.[9][10]
The album was initially released in Australia on October 30, 2009. It was made available in the United Kingdom on November 2, 2009, and the following day in the United States. It opened at number seven on the Billboard 200, selling 66,000 copies in its first week of availability. As of September 2010, it has sold 240,000 copies.
Recording[edit]
Knowledge of the record was first made public by Billboard.com, who reported that Weezer was to head into the studio in early November 2008 to record a seventh album. A YouTube post titled "Let's Write A Sawng: Step 16," uploaded on November 15, 2008, showed Cuomo in the studio with producer Jacknife Lee short-listing three songs from a list of 23, adding speculation to the recording of a seventh album or new b-sides.[11]
In May, the band's webmaster and archivist Karl Koch revealed that the album had no set release date, and that the band would be recording additional material. He revealed that Cuomo would be the sole lead vocalist on this album unlike their previous album, 2008's Weezer. In early summer of 2009, session drummer Josh Freese joined Weezer as the percussionist, with Pat Wilson taking over guitar duties for Cuomo. Freese performed with the band at the KROQ Weenie Roast. In an interview for the event, the band revealed that the new album would be released in summer 2009.
On July 24, Weezer played three new songs in Korea at the Jisan Valley Rock Festival: "Can't Stop Partying", "I'm Your Daddy", and "The Girl Got Hot". "Can't Stop Partying" had previously been released in demo form on Cuomo's Alone II album in 2008. While performing "The Girl Got Hot" on July 26, 2009 at the Fuji Rock Festival, Cuomo revealed that Weezer's seventh studio album would be released in October 2009. August 4, 2009, saw the final recording sessions for the album, with mixing of the disc beginning two days later.
"Can't Stop Partying" was co-written with hip-hop producer Jermaine Dupri, and features rapper Lil Wayne. "Put Me Back Together" was co-written with The All-American Rejects members Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler.
Guitarist Brian Bell has stated that he had reservations about the inclusion of outside collaborators and the album's overall mainstream pop aesthetic. In a 2010 interview, Bell revealed that he "[had] a conversation with Rivers about [Raditude]. And he said, to put my mind at ease, that this is just one album out of many more that we are going to make in our career. When I heard that, I was like, okay, cool, well that’s a great way to think of it. We’re just trying something and this is just one record out of many more. When I heard that, I was fine with it."[12]
Promotion[edit]
On August 14, 2009, MTV confirmed that the first single, "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To", was to be released on American rock radio on August 25.[13] The track leaked less than a week after the announcement,[14] and the official release of the single to radio was moved up to Tuesday, August 18.[6] A music video for the single was filmed with director Marc Webb and co-starring Odette Yustman.
Via updates on their official website, the band revealed in August 2009 that the album would be called Raditude and released on October 27. This date was pushed back a week to November 3. On October 13, the band announced "The Weezer Raditude Club," which allowed customers to pre-order Raditude and gain access to exclusive tracks each week leading up to the album's release.
Weezer recorded a promotional performance for Sessions@AOL. Guests included Kenny G, Chamillionaire and Sara Bareilles. Kenny G's contribution was a solo after the second chorus of "I'm Your Daddy". Prior to the performance he said that he knew nothing of Weezer. Although Cuomo and Kenny G live near each other in Malibu they had never met before the recording which was done in one take. Kenny G commented in the green room on the lack of rehearsal, "...that's OK. I'm a professional."[15]
Raditude was sold in conjunction with a Weezer version of the Snuggie, a popular wearable blanket.[16]
The album debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200, selling 66,000 copies in its first week,[17] only about half as many copies as the band's previous album, Weezer, sold in its first week in 2008.[17]
While Weezer did not necessarily promote the album live (this can likely be attributed to the cancellation of the majority of the album's promotional tour), handfuls of songs from this album were still performed throughout 2009 and some of 2010, and the lead single has become one of their more frequently played live songs in recent years.
Amazon MP3 Exclusive Version Bonus Tracks
International Bonus Tracks
iTunes Bonus Tracks
iTunes Pass: The Weezer Raditude Club Tracks (exclusive to the iTunes Pass)
"Can't Stop Partying", "I Don't Want to Let You Go", and "The Prettiest Girl in the Whole Wide World" were previously released in demo form on Rivers Cuomo's solo album Alone II: The Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo. Sugar Ray previously recorded the track "Love Is the Answer" on their 2009 album Music for Cougars with a guest appearance by Cuomo.