A Whole New World

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about a single from the soundtrack of Aladdin. For the Katie Price and Peter Andre album, see A Whole New World (album). For the young adult novel by Liz Braswell, see A Whole New World: A Twisted Tale.
"A Whole New World"
Song by Brad Kane and Lea Salonga
from the album Aladdin: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
ReleasedOctober 31, 1992 (1992-10-31)
GenreShow tune
Length2:40
LabelWalt Disney
Composer(s)Alan Menken
Lyricist(s)Tim Rice
Producer(s)
  • Alan Menken
  • Tim Rice

"A Whole New World" is a song from Disney's 1992 animated feature film Aladdin, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice.[1] A duet originally recorded by singers Brad Kane and Lea Salonga in their respective roles as the singing voices of the main characters Aladdin and Jasmine, the ballad serves as both the film's love and theme song. Lyrically, "A Whole New World" describes Aladdin showing the confined princess a life of freedom and the pair's acknowledgment of their love for each other while riding on a magic carpet. The song garnered an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 65th Academy Awards.[2] "A Whole New World" also won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year at the 36th Annual Grammy Awards, the first and so far only Disney song to win in the category. In the same year, the version sung by Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle was also nominated for Record of the Year. Zayn Malik and Zhavia Ward did their version of the song for the live action version of Aladdin. The music video featuring Zayn Malik and Zhavia Ward was directed by Philip Andelman, photographed by and supported the successful release of the 2019 live action feature film Aladdin directed by Guy Richie.

Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle version[]

"A Whole New World (Aladdin's Theme)"
A Whole New World Cover.jpg
Single by Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle
from the album Aladdin: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Passion & Through the Fire
B-side"After the Kiss" (instrumental)
ReleasedNovember 5, 1992 (1992-11-05)
Recorded1992
Genre
Length4:05
Label
Composer(s)Alan Menken
Lyricist(s)Tim Rice[1]
Producer(s)Walter Afanasieff

A single version of the song was released that same year and was performed by American recording artists Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle. This version is played over the film's end credits and is referred on the soundtrack as "Aladdin's Theme".[1] The version peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on March 6, 1993,[3] replacing Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You", which had spent a then-record 14 weeks at the top of the chart. It went gold and sold 600,000 copies domestically.[4][5] The track peaked at number 12 in the UK Singles Chart in 1993.[6] The song is the first and so far only song from a Disney animated film to top the US Billboard Hot 100. The single version was later included on Belle's studio album Passion (1993) and on Bryson's studio album Through the Fire (1994).[7][8]

Critical reception[]

Alan Jones from Music Week gave the song five out of five. He wrote, "The theme from Aladdin is a huge appealing big ballad duet. A melodic tour de force with wide ranging appeal, it is wisely tipped as the Christmas number one."[9]

Charts[]

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[33]
digital, Regina Belle & Peabo Bryson version 		Platinum 250,000*
Japan (RIAJ)[34]
digital, Brad Kane & Lea Salonga version 		Platinum 250,000*
Japan (RIAJ)[35]
physical, Brad Kane & Lea Salonga version 		Platinum 100,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[36]
physical, Regina Belle & Peabo Bryson version 		Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[37]
Brad Kane & Lea Salonga version 		Gold 400,000double-dagger
United States (RIAA)[38] Gold 500,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
double-dagger Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Cover versions[]

Lea Salonga and Jose Mari Chan version[]

"A Whole New World"
Single by Lea Salonga and Jose Mari Chan
from the album Aladdin: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
B-side"A Whole New World"
Released1993
Genre
Length3:56
Label
Composer(s)Alan Menken
Lyricist(s)Tim Rice[1]
Producer(s)Rey Magtoto
Lea Salonga singles chronology
"Bakit Labis Kitang Mahal"
(1992) 		"A Whole New World"
(1993)
Jose Mari Chan singles chronology
"A Perfect Christmas"
(1990) 		"A Whole New World"
(1993) 		"Is She Thinking About Me?"
(1994)

In the Philippines, a version of the song performed by Lea Salonga and Jose Mari Chan, both Filipino recording artists, was released as a single through Bell Films (a subsidiary of Universal Records) in 1993, coinciding with the Philippine theatrical release of Aladdin on April 30, 1993.[39]

Then-SM Rookies member Jaehyun, who would later debut as a member of boy group NCT and former member Seo Herin performed the song in Disney Channel Korea show Mickey Mouse Club in December 2015.

See also[]

  • List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 1993 (U.S.)
  • List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1993 (U.S.)
  • List of Mainstream Top 40 number-one hits of 1993 (U.S.)

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 137. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. ^ "Best Original Song - The 65th Academy Awards (1993)". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on February 2, 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  3. ^ "The Hot 100 chart listing for the week of March 06, 1993". Billboard, Inc. Retrieved 2010-04-23.
  4. ^ "American certifications – Belle, Regina & Peabo Bryson – A Whole New World". Recording Industry Association of America.
  5. ^ "Best-Selling Records of 1993". Billboard. BPI Communications. 106 (3): 73. January 15, 1994. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  7. ^ "Passion - Regina Belle". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  8. ^ "Through the Fire - Peabo Bryson". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  9. ^ Jones, Alan (11 December 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week. p. 12. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  10. ^ "Australian-charts.com – Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle – A Whole New World (Aladdin's Theme)". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  11. ^ "Ultratop.be – Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle – A Whole New World (Aladdin's Theme)" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  12. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1748." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  13. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 1023." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  14. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11 no. 7. February 12, 1994. p. 15. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  15. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle – A Whole New World (Aladdin's Theme)" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  16. ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (3.–9. febr. '94)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). February 3, 1994. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  17. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – A Whole New World". Irish Singles Chart.
  18. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 5, 1994" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  19. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle – A Whole New World (Aladdin's Theme)" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  20. ^ "Charts.nz – Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle – A Whole New World (Aladdin's Theme)". Top 40 Singles.
  21. ^ "Peabo Bryson Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  22. ^ "Peabo Bryson Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
  23. ^ "Peabo Bryson Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  24. ^ "Peabo Bryson Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  25. ^ "Peabo Bryson Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  26. ^ "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 50 Singles 1993". ARIA. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  27. ^ "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  28. ^ "The RPM Top 100 A\C Tracks of 1993". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  29. ^ "End of Year Charts 1993". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  30. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1993". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  31. ^ "The Year in Music 1993" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105 no. 52. December 25, 1993. p. YE-46. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  32. ^ "Árslistinn 1994". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 2, 1995. p. 16. Retrieved May 30, 2020.
  33. ^ "Japanese single digital certifications – Brad Kane & Lea Salonga – A Whole New World" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved February 27, 2021. Select 2018年5月 on the drop-down menu
  34. ^ "Japanese single digital certifications – Brad Kane & Lea Salonga – A Whole New World" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved February 27, 2021. Select 2016年6月 on the drop-down menu
  35. ^ "Japanese single certifications – Brad Kane & Lea Salonga – A Whole New World" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved February 27, 2021. Select 1993年10月 on the drop-down menu
  36. ^ "Japanese single certifications – Regina Belle & Peabo Bryson – A Whole New World" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved February 27, 2021. Select 1994年6月 on the drop-down menu
  37. ^ "British single certifications – Brad Kane & Lea Salonga – A Whole New World". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  38. ^ "American single certifications – Regina Belle & Peabo Bryson – A Whole New World". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  39. ^ "Grand Opening Today!". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing Corp. April 30, 1993. p. 19. Retrieved March 31, 2020. The Best Reviewed Film of the Year!

External links[]

Retrieved from ""