Headlines!

Headlines! is the debut EP by British-Irish girl group The Saturdays. It was released in Ireland on 13 August 2010 and in the United Kingdom on 16 August 2010 by Fascination Records. The collection includes previous singles "Forever Is Over" and "Ego" as well as a remix of "One Shot" from previous album Wordshaker (2009) and five new songs recorded in 2010. One of these is a cover of the song "Died in Your Eyes", originally from Kristinia DeBarge's 2009 album Exposed. The album was preceded by the release of the lead single "Missing You" on 5 August 2010. It became the group's seventh top-ten hit when it peaked at number three in the UK and number six in Ireland.

Headlines!
EP / Compilation album by The Saturdays
Released	13 August 2010
Recorded	2009–2010; California, Göteborg, London
Genre	Electropop pop
Length	28:22
Label	Fascination Geffen
Producer	Louis Biancaniello Arnthor Birgisson Griffin Boice Lukas Hilbert Charlie Holmes David Kreuger Steve Mac Per Magnusson James Reynolds Starsmith Brio Taliaferro Sam Watters Jeremy Wheatley
The Saturdays chronology
Wordshaker (2009) Headlines! (2010) On Your Radar (2011)
The Saturdays EP/Compilation chronology
Headlines! (2013) Chasing the Saturdays (2013)
Singles from Headlines!
"Missing You" Released: 5 August 2010 "Higher" Released: 28 October 2010

Overall the project received mixed to positive reception from critics, who were undecided about the new direction for the group but agreed on the need for more consistency. Headlines! debuted in the UK at number three and number ten in Ireland, becoming their highest charting album to date and following the success of "Missing You". A second single, "Higher", was released on 28 October 2010 after it was remixed to feature American rapper Flo Rida. The album was re-issued on 8 November to include this new version along with the tracks "Deeper", "Lose Control" and "Here Standing", all of which previously appeared on Wordshaker.

Background and development

The Saturdays never intended to release any material in 2010, as confirmed by Vanessa White in an interview with BBC News. "We weren't really supposed to be releasing anything til next year but we couldn't wait, so we decided to do a mini-album instead."[1] It was something which both the label and group agreed to.[2] Group member Rochelle Humes explained in an interview with Digital Spy:

"We finished [Wordshaker] and we'd come across some songs that we were really excited about. The songs that we had found were so current, and we'd written a couple of songs ourselves, [so] we wanted to just get everything out now."[3]

With regards to recording for the new album the group revealed that they worked with previous collaborators Steve Mac and Ina Wroldsen as well as some new producers.[2] The group would also go on to explain exactly what a mini-album was, "a normal album would maybe consist of 12 or 13 tracks, but here we have eight. It'll be cheaper for the fans - and then hopefully we'll finish the other songs and put something else out later."[1]

The Mini-LP includes the song "Died in Your Eyes", a cover of a song featured on Kristinia DeBarge's 2009 album Exposed.[4] Though Ryan Love from entertainment website Digital Spy, said that only a few people will realise that "Died in Your Eyes" is a cover, "it's a shame that one of Headlines!' five new songs turns out to be second-hand".[5] Another member of the group, Una Healey confirmed that the song "Higher", which has been performed by the group several times during festivals over the summer, would be one of the songs on the EP.[3] Meanwhile, Humes would tip "Higher" to be the second single from the album whilst Mollie King told 'Digital Spy' "We're definitely having another single from the album after 'Missing You' and probably another after that if all goes well".[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
BBC Music	(mixed)[7]
Daily Express	(mixed)[8]
Daily Mirror	(3/4)[9]
Daily Star	(positive)[10]
Digital Spy	[5]
MusicOMH	[11]
NME	(5/10)[12]
OK!	(3/5)[13]
Virgin Media	[14]
Yahoo! Music	(5/10)[15]

The album has generated generally mixed to positive reviews from music critics. Ryan Love of Digital Spy gave Headlines! a positive review saying it "falls a little short of pop gold status" and that its "positives certainly outweigh the negatives", and concluded by stating that it "offers a tantalising glimpse of what to expect from the group's next album proper."[5] Gavin Martin of The Mirror called Headlines! the "CD of the week", awarding it three out of four. He felt that the Saturdays "assert a more serious side of their personality" and noticed that although Headlines! is not "a cover story, [...] it will keep things ticking over nicely for them."[9] Sarah-Louise James of Daily Star said that the album "packs a pop punch" and complimented the "sheer swooning, girly drama of Died in Your Eyes", as well as the songs "Higher" and "Puppet".[10] OK! magazine praised the songs "Missing You" and "Higher" and noticed that the band has developed "a feisty edge", and concluded by calling the album "short but sweet".[13] Ian Gittins of Virgin Media gave the album three out of five stars, however he called it "opportunist" and felt that it "reeks of desperation", but stated that it implies "the Saturdays’ best times are ahead of them".[14]

Luke Winkie of MusicOMH gave the album a mixed review. He said that the group's "charm doesn't translate well over the weight of a full album's listen" and criticized the lack of strong material saying that "there isn't enough to these songs to merit more than a cursory scan" and that the group "hit the same safe notes, and stick to the same safe themes for all 30 minutes of the album."[11] Fraser McAlpine of BBC Music criticized the band for mixing "cast-off recordings with previously released album tracks and present[ing] it as a new mini-album" and felt that the Saturdays are "in some kind of decline". He said "what you get for your money are two potential future hits, four songs you probably already own, one slightly mad album track – Puppet – and a solid-gold clunker" and noticed that it is not "a mini-album, it's a double A-side, or an EP at best."[7] Simon Gage of the Daily Express said that although the album is "not exactly bad", it sounds "much like everything else out there" and "in the parlance of the kids it’s aimed at, a bit “whatever”".[8] Jaime Gill of Yahoo! Music complimented the songs "Higher" and "Puppet", but said that "if the intention is to whip up a storm of excitement, [...] then it's a case of mission unaccomplished".[15] Hazel Sheffield of NME called the album "a summer hatchet-job" and although she praised the single "Missing You", she felt that "the rest is filler in Rihanna's slipstream" and awarded the album five out of ten.[12]

Promotion and singles

It was preceded by the release of "Missing You", an electropop song incorporating elements of trance and synthpop[16] which was released as the lead single on 9 August 2010.[17] It features autotuned vocals.[16] The Saturdays have performed the single at T4 on the Beach 2010, where member of the band, Mollie King was absent from the performance, after a horsefly bite left her on crutches and thus unable to perform. King was absent from a number of other performances The Saturdays performed to promote the single. On 1 August 2010, all of the members of The Saturdays performed on Alan Carr: Chatty Man[18] and they were interviewed on GMTV three days later. On Friday 5 August 2010 the song debuted on the Irish Singles Chart at number forty-two.[19] On 10 August 2010 the group appeared at the Habbo Hotel, London for a 'Meet and Greet' session in promotion of "Missing You".[20] It has so far reached #3 on the UK Singles Charts becoming their 5th top 5, and 3rd top 3 single, and it has so far peaked at #6 in the Irish charts, equalling their best back in 2009 with "Just Can't Get Enough". The group's next single "Higher" was released digitally on 31 October 2010 and physically 1 November 2010.[21] Fascination Records announced on 8 October 2010, via the group's official website, that an expanded version of the mini album would be released on 8 November 2010. The new version will feature three further songs from Wordshaker, including: "Here Standing", "Lose Control" and "Deeper" as well as the remixed version of "Higher" featuring Flo Rida.[22]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Missing You"	Lukas Hilbert Alexander Kronlund	Hilbert James F. Reynolds (add.)	3:41
2.	"Ego"	Steve Mac Ina Wroldsen	Mac	2:59
3.	"Higher"	Arnthor Birgisson Wroldsen	Arnthor	3:27
4.	"Forever Is Over" (Radio Edit)	Samuel Watters Louis Biancaniello James Bourne	Biancaniello Watters	3:22
5.	"Died in Your Eyes"	Pamela Sheyne Rune Westberg Dean Inflo 1st Josiah	Charlie Holmes Inflo 1st (vocal)	4:01
6.	"Karma"	Mac Wroldsen	Mac	3:40
7.	"Puppet"	Brittany Burton Griffin Boice Claudia Mills	Boice Chris Young (vocal)	3:42
8.	"One Shot" (Starsmith Mix)	Wroldsen Per Magnusson David Kreuger	Magnusson Kreuger Starsmith (add.) Jeremy Wheatley (add.) Brio Taliaferro (add.)	3:31
Total length:				28:22

Bonus content[23]

No.	Title	Length
9.	"Headlines PUSH Content" (Weblink)

iTunes Store pre-order bonus content[24]

No.	Title	Length
9.	"Forever is Over" (Orange Monkey Acoustic version)	3:51
10.	"Ego" (Radio 1 Live Lounge Acoustic version)	3:15
11.	"Forever is Over" (Music video)	3:31
12.	"Ego" (Music video)	3:08
13.	"Missing You" (Music video)	3:50

Expanded version bonus tracks[22]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
9.	"Here Standing"	Jordan Omley Michael Mani, Nina Woodford	Omley Mani	3:36
10.	"Lose Control"	Jörgen Elofsson Pär Westerlund	Elofsson Westerlund	3:19
11.	"Deeper"	Una Healy Mollie King Frankie Sandford Vanessa White Rochelle Wiseman Wroldsen	Justin Trugman Oliver Goldstein	4:05
12.	"Higher" (featuring Flo Rida)	Birgisson Wroldsen Tramar Dillard	Arnthor Birgisson	3:21

Credits

Headlines! was recorded from 2009 to 2010, promoted by Fascination Records, under license to Geffen Records, for Polydor Records.[25]

Personnel

Fredrik Anderson - rhythm arrangement, keyboards, programming Dick Beetham - mastering Louis Biancaniello - producer, audio mixing, keyboards, programming Arnthor Birgisson - producer, vocal arranger Barry Blue - guitar Griffin Boice - producer, audio mixing, programming James Bourne - guitar RaVaughn Brown - additional vocals Chippe Carlson - rhythm arrangement, keyboards, programming Richard Edgeler - assistant audio mixing Serban Gheana - audio mixing Choukri Gustmann - engineer John Hanes - engineer Lukas Hilbert - producer Charlie Holmes - producer, guitar, keyboards, bass, drums, percussion Ash Howes - audio mixing David Kreuger - producer, vocal arranger, rhythm arrangement, keyboards, programming

Paul Lamalfa - assistant recording engineer Chris Laws - engineer, Pro Tools, programming Steve Mac - producer, keyboard, vocal arranger Per Magnusson - producer, vocal arranger, rhythm arrangement, keyboards, programming Esbjörn Öhrwall - guitars Daniel Pursey - engineer, drums, percussion James Reynolds - audio mixing, additional production, synths Tim Roberts - assistant engineer, assistant audio mixer Ben Robbins - recording Ben Roulston - engineer Finlay Dow-Smith (Starsmith) - additional producer, remixer Fred Vessey - engineer Sam Watters - producer, audio mixing Brio Taliaferro - additional producer, audio mixing Jeremy Wheatley - additional producer, audio mixing Ina Wroldsen - additional vocals, vocal arranger Chris Young - vocal producer

Recording locations

Sweden Fishhead Studio (Göteborg) United States Homesite 13 (Novato, California) Henson Recording Studios (Hollywood, California) The Beat Suite, (Los Angeles, California)

United Kingdom Universal Studio (London) Rokstone Studios (London) Dean Street Studios (London) Rockin' Horse Studios (London) Twenty One Studios (London)

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (2010) Peak position European Top 100 Albums[26] 10 Irish Albums (IRMA)[27] 10 Scottish Albums (OCC)[28] 4 UK Albums (OCC)[29] 3

Year-end charts Chart (2010) Position UK Albums (OCC)[30] 93 Certifications Country Provider Certification United Kingdom BPI Gold[31]

Release history

List of release dates, record label and format details

Country	Date	Format	Label	Edition
Ireland	13 August 2010	Digital download,[32]	Polydor, Fascination	Standard
United Kingdom	16 August 2010	CD,[33] Digital download,[34]
	8 November 2010			Re-release

References

1. Savage, Mark (6 August 2010). "Talking Shop: The Saturdays". BBC News. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
2. Copsey, Robert (31 July 2010). "Music - Interviews - The Saturdays". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
3. Copsey, Robert (5 July 2010). "The Saturdays reveal album details". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
4. Read, Rach (2010). "The Saturdays - Headlines review". Teen Today. Archived from the original on 8 August 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
5. Love, Ryan (9 August 2010). "The Saturdays - Headlines! (review)". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
6. Copsey, Robert (5 August 2010). "Wiseman 'reveals next Saturdays single'". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
7. McAlpine, Fraser (12 August 2010). "The Saturdays - Headlines (review)". BBC Music. Retrieved 12 August 2010.
8. Gage, Simon (13 August 2010). "ALBUM REVIEW: THE SATURDAYS - HEADLINES (POLYDOR)". Northern & Shell. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
9. Martin, Gavin (13 August 2010). "The Saturdays: CD of the week". Daily Mirror. Associated Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
10. James, Sarah-Louise (16 August 2010). "REVIEW - THE SATURDAYS: HEADLINES". Daily Star. Northern & Shell. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
11. Winkie, Luke (11 August 2010). "The Saturdays - Headlines (review)". MusicOMH. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
12. Sheffield, Hazel (16 August 2010). "Album review: The Saturdays - 'Headlines' (Polydor)". NME. IPC Media. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
13. "Review: The Saturdays - Headlines!". OK!. Northern & Shell. 17 August 2010. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
14. Gittins, Ian (16 August 2010). "Headlines The Saturdays". Virgin Media. Virgin Media. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
15. Gill, Jaime (18 August 2010). "The Saturdays - 'Headlines'". Yahoo!. Retrieved 23 August 2010.
16. Meakings, Ollie (30 June 2010). "The Saturdays - Missing You, Shit or Hit?". TeenToday. Archived from the original on 6 July 2010. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
17. "Missing You: The Saturdays". Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 1 August 2010.
18. Daw, Robbie (2 August 2010). "The Saturdays Do 'Alan Carr: Chatty Man' On A Sunday". Idolator. Retrieved 3 August 2010.
19. "Top 50 Singles, Week Ending 5 August 2010". IRME. GfK Chart Track. 5 August 2010. Archived from the original on 3 August 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
20. "Talk To The Saturdays In The Habbo Hotel!". MTV. MTV Networks (Viacom). 6 August 2010. Archived from the original on 18 August 2010. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
21. "'Higher' Marks Party Time For The Sats!". TheSaturdays.co.uk. Fascination / Geffen UK Ltd. 31 October 2010. Archived from the original on 21 January 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2011. Today marks the grand release of the Saturdays pop-tastic new single 'Higher'.
22. "Expanded 'Headlines'". Archived from the original on 29 November 2010. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
23. "The Saturdays > Headlines (CD) 2010 > The Saturdays CD Albums > Official The Saturdays Store at Universal Music". store.universal-music.co.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
24. "The Saturdays - Headlines (pre-order)". iTunes Store UK (Apple Inc). Retrieved 13 August 2010.
25. Headlines (booklet). The Saturdays. London: Fascination, Geffen Polydor Records (00602527463506). 2010.CS1 maint: others (link)
26. "European Top 100 Albums (Chart Listing for the Week of Aug 26 2010". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
27. "Irish-charts.com – Discography The Saturdays". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
28. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
29. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
30. "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2010". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
31. "Certified Awards". Bpi.co.uk. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
32. "Headlines by The Saturdays". 7digital. Archived from the original on 7 May 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
33. "Headlines". HMV. Archived from the original on 7 May 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
34. "Headlines". TheSaturdays.co.uk. Fascination / Geffen UK Ltd. Archived from the original on 7 May 2011. Retrieved 7 May 2011.