Aphrodite | ||||
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Studio album by Kylie Minogue | ||||
Released | 5 July 2010 | |||
Recorded | 2009–10 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 43:21 | |||
Label | Parlophone | |||
Producer |
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Kylie Minogue chronology | ||||
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Singles from Aphrodite | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 6.9/10 |
Metacritic | 67/100 |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Billboard | 72/100 |
Entertainment Weekly | A– |
Los Angeles Times | |
MusicOMH | |
PopMatters | 7/10 |
Rolling Stone | |
Slant Magazine | |
Spin | 8/10 |
Aphrodite is the eleventh studio album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue, released on 5 July 2010 by Parlophone. Beginning in early 2009, the singer met with British singer-songwriter Nerina Pallot to begin recording sessions for a new album. Although successful at first, the sessions later became unproductive; Minogue then began working with British electronic music producer Stuart Price, who became the executive producer of the album. The two collaborated with various producers and writers on the album, including Jake Shears, Calvin Harris, Sebastian Ingrosso and Pascal Gabriel. Aphrodite follows a musical approach largely similar to Minogue's previous albums and is primarily a dance-pop and disco record. It draws influences from various dance-based genres including electropop, hi-NRG, club and rave music.
Upon its release, Aphrodite was met with generally positive reviews from music critics, many of whom complimented it as a return to form for Minogue. However, critics were divided on its production; many felt Price's production helped make the album cohesive, while some felt it made the album sound too similar to Minogue's previous work and lacked innovation. Commercially, Aphrodite was a success. In Minogue's native country Australia, it peaked at number two on the Australian Albums chart, and was later certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association. In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number one on the UK Albums chart, a feat accomplished by Minogue's debut studio album Kylie (1988) during the same week 22 years prior. Aphrodite was the fourth studio album by Minogue to peak atop the UK albums chart and made her the first solo artist to have a number one album in four different decades in the region, achieving this in the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. She also became a Guinness World Record-holder for achieving the most consecutive decades with top five albums in the United Kingdom. The British Phonographic Industry certified Aphrodite platinum. The album also achieved strong charting internationally, reaching the top-five in countries like Belgium, France, Greece, Spain and Switzerland. It became Minogue's second highest-charting album in the United States by peaking at number 19 on the Billboard 200 chart.