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| Stars Dance (Selena Gomez album) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Stars Dance |
| Type | studio |
| Artist | Selena Gomez |
| Released | July 19, 2013 |
| Recorded | 2012–2013 |
| Genre | Dance-pop, electropop |
| Length | 36:42 |
| Label | Hollywood |
| Producer | Rock Mafia, Stargate, Benny Blanco, Darkchild, Dreamlab |
Stars Dance (Selena Gomez album) is the first solo studio album by American singer and actress Selena Gomez, released July 19, 2013, by Hollywood Records. The album marked a transition from Gomez's work with the band Selena Gomez & the Scene to a more mature dance-oriented sound, combining elements of electropop, EDM, and synth-pop while involving collaborators from contemporary pop and electronic music scenes.
Gomez began work on the album following the hiatus of Selena Gomez & the Scene and concurrent acting commitments on projects such as Spring Breakers and television appearances on Wizards of Waverly Place, while navigating publicity surrounding relationships with figures like Justin Bieber and support from industry executives at Hollywood Records and managers associated with Interscope-linked entities. Development involved songwriting sessions in Los Angeles, London, and Stockholm with songwriters and producers including Tommy Brown, Julia Michaels, and artists from the RCA and Island Records circles, while production input came from established teams such as Rock Mafia and Stargate, who had previously collaborated with Katy Perry, Rihanna, and Beyoncé. The project drew industry attention from Billboard, MTV, and Variety during the recording period spanning 2012–2013.
Musically, the album embraced dance-pop and electropop idioms influenced by the works of David Guetta, Calvin Harris, and Avicii, incorporating EDM drops and synth textures reminiscent of Swedish producers Max Martin and Shellback collaborations. Lyrically, tracks explore themes of identity, desire, and autonomy, reflecting public narratives involving celebrity relationships with figures like Justin Bieber and themes common to contemporaneous albums by Ariana Grande, Lorde, and Miley Cyrus. The songwriting roster included contributors associated with hits for Britney Spears, Selena Gomez's Hollywood contemporaries Demi Lovato and Christina Aguilera, and pop production houses linked to Kanye West and Pharrell Williams, producing a record that juxtaposed club-ready anthems with midtempo ballads.
Hollywood Records announced the album release amid promotional appearances on programs such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Good Morning America, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and performances on festival stages including Lollapalooza and the iHeartRadio Festival alongside acts like Justin Timberlake and Bruno Mars. Marketing included partnerships with digital platforms like Vevo and Vevo Lift programs, Spotify playlists curated by label A&Rs, and print interviews in Rolling Stone, Vogue, and Billboard, while music videos premiered on VEVO and were covered by MTV News and E! Entertainment. The campaign featured fashion editorials referencing designers seen at Met Gala events and social-media engagement across Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook monitored by label PR teams and celebrity publicists.
The lead single, "Come & Get It", produced by Stargate and Ester Dean, charted internationally and was promoted with a performance at the 2013 MTV Movie Awards and televised appearances on programs such as Saturday Night Live and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, drawing commentary from Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and Entertainment Weekly. Subsequent singles included "Slow Down" and promotional releases that followed radio strategies implemented by Clear Channel and radio promoters working with Mediabase and Nielsen SoundScan tracking for the Billboard Hot 100. Music videos for singles were directed by filmmakers with credits alongside artists like Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, and Taylor Swift, and the singles received airplay across Top 40 stations and dance formats monitored by Billboard Dance/Mix Show Airplay charts.
Upon release, the album received mixed reviews from critics at publications such as Rolling Stone, The Guardian, NME, and Entertainment Weekly, with some reviewers praising the production contributions of Rock Mafia, Benny Blanco, and Darkchild while others critiqued lyrical depth compared to contemporaneous releases by Lorde, Florence + The Machine, and Lana Del Rey. Critics referenced Gomez's evolution from Disney Channel alumni associated with Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato toward a mainstream pop identity shared with Selena Gomez's peers like Ariana Grande and Katy Perry, citing strengths in hooks and dancefloor-ready arrangements but noting perceived inconsistencies in artistic persona.
Stars Dance debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, displacing contemporaneous charting releases from artists such as Jay-Z, Drake, and Justin Timberlake, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures compiled for Billboard. The album charted in the top ten across multiple territories including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Mexico, reflected in Official Charts Company and ARIA reports, and achieved sales and streaming milestones tracked by IFPI and RIAA certifications in various markets. Singles from the album also entered Billboard Hot 100 and UK Singles Chart placements and were included in year-end charts compiled by Billboard and international chart authorities.
1. "Birthday" – produced by Rock Mafia (Tim James, Antonina Armato), featuring pop songwriting approaches similar to works by Katy Perry and Britney Spears. 2. "Slow Down" – produced by Stargate, echoing dance-pop singles by Rihanna and Kelly Clarkson. 3. "Stars Dance" – produced by Dreamlab, combining EDM elements akin to David Guetta and Calvin Harris. 4. "Like a Champion" – produced by Rock Mafia, with urban-pop touches found in productions for Chris Brown and Usher. 5. "Come & Get It" – produced by Stargate and Ester Dean, featuring Bollywood-influenced percussion paralleling crossover hits from M.I.A. and Shakira. 6. "Forget Forever" – produced by Dreamlab, a midtempo ballad in the vein of Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato. 7. "Save the Day" – produced by Benny Blanco, reflecting mainstream pop craft associated with Maroon 5 and Ed Sheeran sessions. 8. "B.E.A.T." – produced by Rock Mafia, dancefloor-driven track similar to releases by Kylie Minogue and Madonna. 9. "Write Your Name" – produced by Darkchild, incorporating R&B sensibilities like those found in Janet Jackson and Alicia Keys collaborations. 10. "Undercover" – produced by Dreamlab, featuring synth-pop production akin to Robyn and La Roux. 11. "Love Will Remember" – produced by Rock Mafia, closing ballad comparable to power ballads by Christina Aguilera and Leona Lewis.
Credits include Selena Gomez as lead vocalist with production and songwriting contributions from Rock Mafia (Tim James, Antonina Armato), Stargate (Tor Hermansen, Mikkel Storleer Eriksen), Benny Blanco, Darkchild (Rodney Jerkins), Dreamlab (Danielle Springer, Leah Haywood), Ester Dean, Tommy Brown, and several engineers and mixers affiliated with studios used by producers who have worked with Rihanna, Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, and Ariana Grande. Mastering and mixing credits feature engineers who have credits on releases by Coldplay, The Weeknd, and Eminem, while A&R and label executives at Hollywood Records coordinated release strategy alongside publicists who have managed campaigns for Disney-affiliated artists and mainstream pop acts.
Category:2013 albums Category:Selena Gomez albums