Serenity (Culture Beat album)

Serenity is the second studio album by German Eurodance band Culture Beat, released in 1993. It includes the single "Mr. Vain", which topped the charts across Europe and Australia.

Serenity
Studio album by
Culture Beat
Released2 June 1993
Length64:08
LabelDance Pool (Sony)[1]
Producer
Culture Beat chronology
Horizon
(1991)		 Serenity
(1993)		 The Remix Album
(1994)
Singles from Serenity
  1. "Mr. Vain"
    Released: 16 April 1993
  2. "Got to Get It"
    Released: 13 September 1993
  3. "Anything"
    Released: 20 December 1993
  4. "World in Your Hands"
    Released: 28 March 1994
  5. "Adelante!"
    Released: 20 June 1994
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Calgary HeraldB+[3]
Robert Christgau(choice cut)[4]
Melody Maker(mixed)[5]
Music Week[6]

Background

The line-up of Culture Beat changed slightly from their previous album released two years earlier, with Tania Evans becoming the new singer, joining Jay Supreme who remained the rapper. A total of five singles were released from the album: "Mr. Vain", "Got to Get It", "Anything", "World in Your Hands" and "Adelante".

The album won the 1993 Echo award for Most Successful German Album Abroad which is the highest German music industry award.[7] It went on to sell almost two million copies worldwide.[8]

Critical reception

AllMusic editor William Cooper opined that "Serenity is an okay listen, albeit a repetitious one. "Got to Get It" is a virtual rewrite of "Mr. Vain", and the beat-heavy tracks "World in Your Hands" and "The Other Side of Me" are unremarkable but competent and entertaining. Serenity may lack substance, but the album should please fans of pleasant, non-threatening dance music."[2] James Muretich from Calgary Herald commented, "Culture Beat has co-ruled the dance clubs with hit after hit after hit recently and Serenity gathers them together, including its recent "Mr. Vain" smash, adds some new tunes and, presto, it`s dance party time. A tight, techno, soulful serving of dance grooves, raps and singing, Culture Beat easily ranks a notch above its beats-per-minute competitors."[3] Alan Jones from Music Week wrote that "Germany's latest hitmakers make their album debut, which simply proves the huge debt they owe to fellow countrymen Snap." He felt that "there's little of distinction here with none of the tracks sounding likely to eraulate the singles success of "Mr. Vain"."[6]

Track listing
Serenity track listing
# Title Length
1. "Serenity (Prolog)" 2:16
2. "Mr. Vain" 5:37
3. "Got to Get It" 5:21
4. "World in Your Hands" 5:33
5. "Adelante!" 5:38
6. "Rocket to the Moon" 5:47
7. "Anything" 6:24
8. "Key to Your Heart" 4:09
9. "The Other Side of Me" 4:52
10. "The Hurt" 4:15
11. "Mother Earth" 6:11
12. "Serenity (Epilog)" 7:51
13. "ID Tania" 0:06
14. "ID Jay" 0:09

Charts

Certifications
Certifications for Serenity
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[25] Gold 35,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[26] Gold 25,000*
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[27] Gold 25,000[27]
France (SNEP)[28] Gold 100,000*
Germany (BVMI)[29] Gold 250,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[30] Gold 50,000^
Sweden (GLF)[31] Gold 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[32] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[33] Gold 100,000^

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

References
  1. "Culture Beat - Serenity". Discogs. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  2. "Serenity - Culture Beat - Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  3. Muretich, James (18 October 1993). "Today's Best: Music". Calgary Herald.
  4. Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Culture Beat". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  5. Price, Simon (18 September 1993). "Albums". Melody Maker. p. 39. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
  6. Jones, Alan (28 August 1993). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Albums" (PDF). Music Week. p. 19. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  7. Euro Dance encyclopedia Culture Beat page. (Accessed: September 3, 2006)
  8. Culture-beat.com Archived 2011-07-09 at the Wayback Machine Official short biography. (German) (Accessed: September 3, 2006)
  9. "Australiancharts.com – Culture Beat – Serenity". Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  10. "Austriancharts.at – Culture Beat – Serenity" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  11. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 2290". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  12. "Dutchcharts.nl – Culture Beat – Serenity" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  13. "1993 Year-End Sales Charts – Eurochart Hot 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 51/52. 18 December 1993. p. 15. OCLC 29800226. Retrieved 19 May 2022 – via World Radio History.
  14. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  15. "Offiziellecharts.de – Culture Beat – Serenity" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  16. "Norwegiancharts.com – Culture Beat – Serenity". Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  17. "Swedishcharts.com – Culture Beat – Serenity". Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  18. "Swisscharts.com – Culture Beat – Serenity". Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  19. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  20. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  21. "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1993". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  22. "The ARIA Australian Top 100 Albums 1994". Australian Record Industry Association Ltd. Archived from the original on 2 November 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  23. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1994". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  24. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  25. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 71.
  26. "Austrian album certifications – Culture Beat – Serenity" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  27. "Culture Beat" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  28. "French album certifications – Culture Beat – Serenity" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  29. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Culture Beat; 'Serenity')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  30. "Dutch album certifications – Culture Beat – Serenity" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 21 April 2021. Enter Serenity in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1994 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  31. "Guld- och Platinacertifikat − År 1987−1998" (PDF) (in Swedish). IFPI Sweden. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-05-17. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  32. "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (Culture Beat; 'Serenity')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  33. "British album certifications – Culture Beat – Serenity". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
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