Between Us (Little Mix album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Between Us
Little Mix - Between Us.png
Standard edition cover
Greatest hits album by
Little Mix
Released12 November 2021 (2021-11-12)
Recorded2011–2021
Length78:54
LabelRCA
Producer
Little Mix chronology
Confetti
(2020) 		Between Us
(2021)
Singles from Between Us
  1. "Love (Sweet Love)"
    Released: 3 September 2021
  2. "No"
    Released: 12 November 2021

Between Us is the first greatest hits album by British girl group Little Mix, released on 12 November 2021 through RCA. It was supported by two singles, "Love (Sweet Love)" and "No", which both peaked within the top forty of the UK Singles Chart.

The announcement of Between Us was made on the group's ten-year anniversary of their formation on the eighth series of the British version of The X Factor. The standard edition of the album which consists of twenty-two tracks, includes eighteen of the group's previously released singles, including four of their five number-one singles, "Wings", "Black Magic", "Shout Out to My Ex", and "Sweet Melody". The group's debut single "Cannonball", which peaked at number one in the UK, is included on the CD deluxe edition as the final track. Additionally, the standard edition of the album includes two other new tracks called "Between Us" and "Cut You Off", both of which charted on the UK Singles Chart. A fifth new song titled "Trash" is featured on the deluxe editions of the album.

The recording of the new songs took place between the COVID-19 pandemic and group members Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie Edwards' pregnancies. The group gave a televised performance of the album's title track on The Graham Norton Show. Commercially, the album peaked at number four on the UK Albums Chart, becoming the group's seventh album to reach the top five of the charts there, and was later certified Gold. Between Us also entered inside the top five on the Irish, Scottish, and Portuguese album charts, and entered inside the top ten on the Spanish, Dutch, and Australian album charts, where it received a Platinum music certification there two weeks after its release. Between Us was declared as one of Sony Music's top-ten best selling albums globally of 2021.

Background[]

Little Mix teased the project on 16 August 2021, three days before the official announcement, via their social media accounts by posting a video displaying all of their former logos, with a new one being shown at the end along with a snippet of one of the new songs, what would become the title track.[1] On 18 August, the group shared a teaser on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #10YearsOfLittleMix. On 19 August, the day of their ten-year anniversary, the group then announced that they would be releasing a new album titled Between Us.[2]

The track listing was announced a few hours later. The standard edition includes 22 tracks, featuring 18 of the group's previous singles and four new songs. A fifth new track was confirmed to be included on the deluxe editions of the album only.[3][4] Little Mix described the album as "a celebration of 10 years of hits, friendship, new tracks, and so much more".[5] They also dedicated the album to their fans and thanked them for their support over the last ten years:

"We are so excited about this album. It includes all our hits, as well as some brand new songs we can't wait for you to hear...We can't thank you enough for your support over the last ten years... this album is for each and every one of you who's listened to our music, bought an album or sung your heart out at our shows. We wouldn't be here releasing this album if it wasn't for you."

— Little Mix on the new album announcement via Twitter.[6]

Between Us became available for pre-order the same day as it was announced.[5] The album was made available in a variety of physical formats, including on CD, cassette, as a box set, and on picture disc vinyl with editions featuring each individual member in front of a floral backdrop.[3] This also marked the group's first album release after former member Jesy Nelson departed from the group in December 2020, and also their first greatest hits album. Despite the album also the first new material to not feature vocals from Nelson, her vocals still appear on the album.[7]

Group members Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall, and Leigh-Anne Pinnock went on to share their thoughts on the album. "We can't believe it has been 10 years. Time has flown, and when you look back we have done so much that we're super proud of", Edwards said in an interview. "It's going to be great to have all our big hits as a band on one album for the first time, celebrating 10 massive years of Little Mix. The tracks also show how much we have grown as artists, from 'Wings' to 'Heartbreak Anthem'", added Thirlwall. Pinnock also went on to say, "We're also really excited to release five brand new Little Mix songs that we've been creating. We can't wait for our fans to hear the new tracks we've been working on. We hope they love them as much as we do!"[8][3]

For the Japanese version of the album, Sony Music Japan allowed fans to vote on a song to be included on the album.[9] "Happiness" won the poll, and the Japanese version of "Wings" was also included.[10] Various editions of the album feature different shots from the photo shoot of the album, whilst the digital download, the Mixers and Experience editions all use the same cover as the deluxe edition but with different colours.

On 15 November 2021, Little Mix released the Mixers Edition of Between Us on Spotify, after asking fans in October to choose the order of the existing album tracks and 10 new songs to include.[11][12][13]

Singles[]

Little Mix announced on 30 August 2021 that "Love (Sweet Love)" would serve as the lead single from Between Us. It was written by Thirlwall, Pinnock, MNEK, Lauren Aquilina and Sakima.[14] Lyndsey Havens from Billboard described the new song as the "punchy, soulful pop stompers that fans have come to crave from Little Mix".[15] The song peaked at number 33 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming the group's 31st top 40 single there.[16]

"No" was released as the second single on 12 November 2021 alongside the album. The song was the first single the group wrote as a trio after the departure of former group member Nelson.[17]

Promotional singles[]

"Between Us" was released as the album's promotional single on 5 November 2021, one week before the release of the Between Us album.[18] The music video for the song was released on 2 December 2021 alongside a message from the group announcing their hiatus after the Confetti Tour in 2022. The song received its debut performance the following day on 3 December 2021 on The Graham Norton Show.[19]

Commercial performance[]

Before the album dropped, it was reported by Official Charts Company that at the midweek stage, both Little Mix and Taylor Swift, were both contenders for the number-one spot. It was branded as one of the closest chart battles to happen so far in the UK in 2021, with the difference between the albums being only nine sales.[20] The album later reached number four on the UK Albums Chart, selling 33,822 copies in its first week and becoming Little Mix's seventh top-five album in the country.[21] The album was certified Silver in the United Kingdom. In 2021, the album was ranked as the twelfth biggest-selling cassette of that year.[22]

Outside of the United Kingdom Between Us, peaked within the top five of the charts in Scotland, Portugal and Ireland where it reached number two, becoming the group's seventh album to chart within the top ten there.[23] It also reached the top ten in Spain, the Netherlands, and Australia, where it was received a Platinum music certification there two weeks later. By the end of 2021, Little Mix were one of three UK acts to feature on the top-ten best selling albums from Sony Music. As of February 2, 2022, Between Us had sold over 106,000 copies.[24]

Elsewhere the album reached the top twenty in Belgium and New Zealand, the top thirty in Germany, and reached the top forty in Austria, Italy and Poland. Between Us, charted in other territories including Japan, Canada and in the United States.

Track listing[]

Standard editions[]

Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Wings" (from DNA, 2012)
TMS3:39
2."DNA" (from DNA, 2012)
  • Edwards
  • Nelson
  • Pinnock
  • Thirlwall
  • Barnes
  • Kelleher
  • Kohn
  • I. James
TMS3:56
3."Move" (from Salute, 2013)
Duvall3:44
4."Salute" (from Salute, 2013)
  • Edwards
  • Nelson
  • Pinnock
  • Thirlwall
  • Barnes
  • Kelleher
  • Kohn
  • Cottone
TMS3:56
5."Black Magic" (from Get Weird, 2015)
Electric3:31
6."Secret Love Song, Pt. II" (from Get Weird, 2015)
  • Jez Ashurst
  • Emma Rohan
  • Rachel Furner
Ashurst4:26
7."Hair" (featuring Sean Paul; from Get Weird, 2015)
  • Sean Paul
  • Erfjord
  • Michelsen
  • I. James
  • Purcell
  • Anita Blay
Electric3:53
8."Shout Out to My Ex" (from Glory Days, 2016)
  • Edwards
  • Nelson
  • Pinnock
  • Thirlwall
  • Erfjord
  • Michelsen
  • Drewett
  • Purcell
  • I. James
Electric4:06
9."Touch" (from Glory Days, 2016)
  • Hanni Ibrahim
  • Patrick Patrikios
  • A.S. Govere
  • Phil Plested
3:33
10."No More Sad Songs" (featuring Machine Gun Kelly; from Glory Days: The Platinum Edition, 2017)
3:45
11."Power" (featuring Stormzy; from Glory Days: The Platinum Edition, 2017)
4:02
12."Reggaetón Lento" (remix, with CNCO; from CNCO and Glory Days: The Platinum Edition, 2017)
  • Luis Angel O'Neill
  • Eric Perez
  • Jadan Andino
  • Jorge Class
  • Yashua Camacho
  • Jean Rodríguez
  • Purcell
  • O'Neill
  • Perez
  • Class
3:08
13."Woman Like Me" (featuring Nicki Minaj; from LM5, 2018)
Mac3:48
14."Break Up Song" (from Confetti, 2020)
  • Edwards
  • Pinnock
  • Thirlwall
  • Purcell
  • Frank Nobel
  • Linus Nördstrom
  • Purcell
  • Goldfingers
3:20
15."Sweet Melody" (from Confetti, 2020)
  • Parx
  • Frid
  • MNEK
  • Rissi
  • Peoples
3:33
16."Confetti" (featuring Saweetie; from Confetti, 2020)
  • Saweetie
  • Barnes
  • Kelleher
  • Kohn
  • Purcell
  • Emenike
  • Cottone
TMS3:05
17."Heartbreak Anthem" (with Galantis and David Guetta)
  • Guetta
  • Galantis
3:03
18."Kiss My (Uh-Oh)" (with Anne-Marie; from Therapy, 2021)
  • Anne-Marie
  • Purcell
  • Taylor Upsahl
  • Pete Nappi
  • Jacob Banfield
  • Mojam
  • Nappi
2:57
19."No"
  • Jean-Marie
  • MNEK
3:03
20."Between Us"
  • Edwards
  • Pinnock
  • Thirlwall
  • Janée Bennett
  • Jean-Marie
  • Emenike
Jean-Marie3:53
21."Love (Sweet Love)"
MNEK3:40
22."Cut You Off"
  • Thirlwall
  • Aquilina
  • Peter Rycroft
Lostboy2:53
Total length:78:54
Double vinyl bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
23."Trash"
  • Jean-Marie
  • Purcell
  • Emenike
  • McVey
  • Jean-Marie
  • MNEK
2:53
Jade picture disc bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
23."Mr Loverboy" (from Salute, 2013)
  • Ryan Williamson (RyKeyz)
  • Jordan Dollar
RyKeyz3:14
24."Wasabi" (from LM5, 2018)
  • Thirlwall
  • Emenike
  • Mike Sabath
  • Govere
2:34
Leigh-Anne picture disc bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
23."Nothing Feels Like You" (from Salute, 2013)
  • Emenike
  • Purcell
  • Edwards
  • Nelson
  • Pinnock
  • Thirlwall
MNEK3:27
24."I Love You" (from Get Weird, 2015)
  • TMS
  • Purcell
  • Edwards
  • Nelson
  • Pinnock
  • Thirlwall
TMS4:09
Perrie picture disc bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
23."Love Me or Leave Me" (from Get Weird, 2015)
Rad3:26
24."Your Love" (from Glory Days, 2016)
  • Purcell
  • Jeremy Coleman
  • Abrahart
  • JMIKE
  • Cottone
3:27
Digital download bonus tracks[25]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
23."Confetti" (acoustic)
  • Barnes
  • Kelleher
  • Kohn
  • Purcell
  • Emenike
  • Cottone
3:13
24."Love (Sweet Love)" (acoustic)
  • Thirlwall
  • Pinnock
  • Emenike
  • Sakima
  • Aquilina
  • Edwards
  • Godfrey
  • Godfrey
3:43
25."No" (acoustic)
  • Edwards
  • Pinnock
  • Thirlwall
  • Jean-Marie
  • Purcell
  • Emenike
3:15
26."No" (Galantis version)
  • Edwards
  • Pinnock
  • Thirlwall
  • Jean-Marie
  • Purcell
  • Emenike
3:06

Deluxe editions[]

Digital deluxe edition
No.TitleLength
1."Shout Out to My Ex"4:06
2."Black Magic"3:31
3."No"3:03
4."Touch"3:33
5."Love (Sweet Love)"3:40
6."Wings"3:39
7."Woman Like Me" (featuring Nicki Minaj)3:48
8."Power" (featuring Stormzy)4:02
9."Sweet Melody"3:33
10."No More Sad Songs" (featuring Machine Gun Kelly)3:45
11."DNA"3:56
12."Secret Love Song" (featuring Jason Derulo)4:09
13."Move"3:44
14."Salute"3:56
15."Break Up Song"3:20
16."Between Us"3:53
17."Secret Love Song, Pt. II"4:26
18."Holiday"3:33
19."Hair" (featuring Sean Paul)3:53
20."Reggaetón Lento" (remix, with CNCO)3:08
21."Confetti" (featuring Saweetie)3:05
22."Heartbreak Anthem" (with Galantis and David Guetta)3:03
23."Kiss My (Uh-Oh)" (with Anne-Marie)2:57
24."Cut You Off"2:54
25."Trash"2:53
26."Wasabi"2:34
Deluxe edition / Super deluxe edition CD1
No.TitleLength
1."Wings"3:39
2."DNA"3:56
3."Change Your Life"3:21
4."How Ya Doin'?" (featuring Missy Elliott)3:31
5."Move"3:44
6."Little Me"3:31
7."Word Up!"3:29
8."Salute"3:56
9."Black Magic"3:31
10."Love Me Like You"3:17
11."Secret Love Song, Pt. II"4:26
12."Hair" (featuring Sean Paul)3:53
13."Shout Out to My Ex"4:06
14."Touch"3:33
15."No More Sad Songs" (featuring Machine Gun Kelly)3:45
16."Power" (featuring Stormzy)4:02
17."Reggaetón Lento" (remix, with CNCO)3:08
18."Only You" (with Cheat Codes)3:09
Total length:65:08
Japanese edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
19."Wings" (Japanese version)  3:41
20."Happiness" (from Confetti, 2020)
  • Kohn
  • Purcell
  • Kelleher
  • Barnes
  • Emenike
  • TMS
  • Klempner
  • Bishop
  • Phil Cook
  • Cottone
  • MNEK
3:17
Total length:72:06
Deluxe edition CD2
No.TitleLength
1."Woman Like Me" (featuring Nicki Minaj)3:48
2."Think About Us" (featuring Ty Dolla Sign)3:54
3."Bounce Back"2:40
4."Break Up Song"3:20
5."Holiday"3:33
6."Sweet Melody"3:33
7."Confetti" (featuring Saweetie)3:05
8."Heartbreak Anthem" (with Galantis and David Guetta)3:03
9."Kiss My (Uh-Oh)" (with Anne-Marie)2:57
10."No"3:03
11."Between Us"3:53
12."Love (Sweet Love)"3:40
13."Cut You Off"2:54
14."Trash"2:53
15."Secret Love Song" (featuring Jason Derulo)4:09
16."Cannonball"3:25
Super deluxe edition CD2
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
16."Wasabi"  2:34
17."Love Me or Leave Me"  3:26
18."These Four Walls"  3:28
19."Confetti" (acoustic)  3:13
20."The Cure"  3:35
21."Touch" (acoustic)  3:43
22."Always Be Together"
  • Dean
  • DAPO
4:27

Fan editions[]

The Mixers Edition
No.TitleLength
1."Wings"3:39
2."Salute"3:56
3."Sweet Melody"3:33
4."Between Us"3:55
5."Cut You Off"2:53
6."Shout Out to My Ex"4:06
7."Love (Sweet Love)"3:40
8."DNA"3:56
9."Secret Love Song, Pt. II"4:26
10."Power" (featuring Stormzy)4:02
11."Black Magic"3:31
12."Confetti" (featuring Saweetie)3:05
13."Touch"3:33
14."Move"3:44
15."No"3:03
16."Woman Like Me" (featuring Nicki Minaj)3:49
17."Heartbreak Anthem" (with Galantis and David Guetta)3:03
18."No More Sad Songs" (featuring Machine Gun Kelly)3:45
19."Kiss My (Uh Oh)" (with Anne-Marie)2:56
20."Break Up Song"3:20
21."Hair" (featuring Sean Paul)3:53
22."Reggaetón Lento" (remix; with CNCO))3:08
23."Change Your Life"3:23
24."Little Me"3:55
25."Love Me or Leave Me"3:26
26."Love Me Like You"3:17
27."Wasabi"2:34
28."Think About Us" (featuring Ty Dolla Sign)3:54
29."Joan of Arc"3:11
30."Woman's World"3:37
31."Bounce Back"2:40
32."Trash"2:53
The Experience
No.TitleLength
1."No" (Galantis Remix)3:06
2."Sweet Melody"3:33
3."Shout Out to My Ex"4:06
4."Black Magic"3:31
5."Touch"3:33
6."Heartbreak Anthem" (with Galantis and David Guetta)3:03
7."Wings"3:39
8."Woman Like Me" (featuring Nicki Minaj)3:49
9."Power" (featuring Stormzy)4:02
10."No More Sad Songs" (featuring Machine Gun Kelly)3:45
11."DNA"3:56
12."Secret Love Song" (featuring Jason Derulo)4:09
13."Cut You Off"2:53
14."Wasabi"2:34
15."Move"3:44
16."Salute"3:56
17."Break Up Song"3:20
18."Between Us"3:55
19."No"3:03
20."Secret Love Song, Pt. II"4:26
21."Holiday"3:33
22."Hair" (featuring Sean Paul)3:53
23."Reggaetón Lento" (remix; with CNCO)3:08
24."Confetti" (featuring Saweetie)3:05
25."Love (Sweet Love)"3:40
26."Kiss My (Uh Oh)" (with Anne-Marie)2:56
27."Trash"2:53
28."I Love You"4:09

Charts[]

Certifications[]

Certifications for Between Us
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[50] Platinum 70,000double-dagger
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[51] Platinum 20,000double-dagger
United Kingdom (BPI)[52] Gold 106,000[24]

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

References[]

  1. ^ @littlemix (16 August 2021). "Thursday