Middle of Nowhere (album)

Middle of Nowhere is the debut studio album by American pop rock group Hanson, and the first to be released on a major label, which was Polygram Records and Mercury Records. Released in 1997, it features slicker studio production compared to their previous indie efforts Boomerang and MMMBop. The band members were between the ages of 11 and 16 when it was released. "Yearbook", one of the album's more dramatic songs, was not performed live until the recording of Middle of Nowhere Acoustic on May 5, 2007.

Middle of Nowhere
Studio album by
Hanson
ReleasedMay 6, 1997 (1997-05-06)
RecordedJuly – November 1996
StudioLos Angeles, California
Genre
Length53:41
LabelMercury, Polygram
ProducerThe Dust Brothers, Stephen Lironi
Hanson chronology
MMMBop
(1996)		 Middle of Nowhere
(1997)		 Snowed In
(1997)
Singles from Middle of Nowhere
  1. "MMMBop"
    Released: April 15, 1997
  2. "Where's the Love"
    Released: September 1, 1997
  3. "I Will Come to You"
    Released: November 10, 1997
  4. "Weird"
    Released: March 16, 1998
  5. "Thinking of You"
    Released: May 4, 1998

Middle of Nowhere yielded five singles: "MMMBop", "Where's the Love", "I Will Come to You", "Weird", and "Thinking of You". "MMMBop" became a major hit, reaching number one in the United States and at least eleven other countries.

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Robert Christgau[3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[4]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[5]
Los Angeles Times[6]
Music Week[7]
NME8/10[8]
Rolling Stone[9]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[10]
Spin8/10[11]

Middle of Nowhere reached number two on the Billboard 200, being kept out of the top spot by the Spice Girls' Spice. The album also reached number one in the UK, Australia, Germany, and Taiwan.

Total sales worldwide are 10 million copies. The album sold just under 4 million in the US (4 times platinum) and over 400,000 copies in UK.

The album was well received by critics. David Browne of Entertainment Weekly said of the trio: "... lack of guile is Hanson's most endearing quality."[5]

Track listing

All songs written by Isaac Hanson, Taylor Hanson and Zachary Hanson, with additional writers noted in parentheses.

  1. "Thinking of You" – 3:13
  2. "MMMBop" – 4:28
  3. "Weird" – 4:02 (Desmond Child)
  4. "Speechless" – 4:20 (Stephen Lironi)
  5. "Where's the Love" – 4:13 (Mark Hudson, Sander Selover)
  6. "Yearbook" – 5:29 (Ellen Shipley)
  7. "Look at You" – 4:28 (Stephen Lironi)
  8. "Lucy" – 3:35 (Mark Hudson)
  9. "I Will Come to You" – 4:11 (Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil)
  10. "A Minute Without You" – 3:55 (Mark Hudson)
  11. "Madeline" – 4:13 (Clif Magness)
  12. "With You in Your Dreams" – 3:56
  13. "Man from Milwaukee" [CD-only hidden track] – 3:38

Note

  • "Man from Milwaukee" is actually track #21, as there are eight tracks of silence after "With You in Your Dreams". In Japan the song is track 14 because a remix of "MMMBop" serves as song 13. "Man from Milwaukee" was omitted from all cassettes and vinyl pressings of Middle of Nowhere. Some later reissues of the album in some locales including the remastered version omitted the tracks of silence and make "Man from Milwaukee" a true track 13.

Personnel

Hanson

  • Zachary Hanson – drums, vocals
  • Taylor Hanson – keyboards, piano, vocals
  • Isaac Hanson – guitar, vocals

Session musicians

Other

Charts

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[54] 5× Platinum 350,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[55] Gold 25,000*
Belgium (BEA)[56] 2× Platinum 100,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[57] Platinum 250,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[58] 5× Platinum 500,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[59] Gold 31,809[59]
France (SNEP)[60] 2× Gold 200,000*
Germany (BVMI)[61] Gold 250,000^
Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong)[62] Gold 10,000*
Japan (RIAJ)[63] Platinum 200,000^
Mexico (AMPROFON)[64] Gold 100,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[65] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[66] 3× Platinum 45,000^
Poland (ZPAV)[67] Gold 50,000*
Sweden (GLF)[68] Platinum 100,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[69] Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[70] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[71] 4× Platinum 4,000,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[72] Platinum 1,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
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  4. Larkin, Colin, ed. (2011). "Hanson". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
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  7. "Reviews: Albums" (PDF). Music Week. May 31, 1997. p. 23. Retrieved May 26, 2022.
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