Middle of Nowhere (album)

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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 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. The album earned Hanson three Grammy Award nominations, including Best New Artist and Record of the Year.

Reception

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."<ref name="EW"/>

Track listing

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

Lead Vocals by Taylor Hanson, unless otherwise noted

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) (Lead vocals: Zac Hanson)
9. "I Will Come to You" – 4:11 (Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil)
10. "A Minute Without You" – 3:55 (Mark Hudson) (Lead vocals: Isaac & Taylor Hanson)
11. "Madeline" – 4:13 (Clif Magness) (Lead vocals: Isaac & Taylor Hanson)
12. "With You in Your Dreams" – 3:56
13. "Man from Milwaukee" [CD-only hidden track] – 3:38 (Lead vocals: Zac Hanson)

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 and the digital download pressings omitted the tracks of silence and make "Man from Milwaukee" a true track 13.

Personnel

Hanson

• Zachary Hanson – drums, vocals; lead vocals on "Lucy" and "Man from Milwaukee"
• Taylor Hanson – keyboards, piano, lead vocals
• Isaac Hanson – guitar, vocals; co-lead vocals on "A Minute Without You"

Session musicians

• Stephen Lironi – bass, guitar, percussion, programming, producer, keyboards
• Peter Kent – violin
• Michael Fischer – percussion
• Carole Mukogawa – viola
• John Wittenberg – violin
• Mike Shawcross – percussion
• Michito Sanchez – percussion
• Larry Corbett – cello
• Steve Richards – cello
• Ged Lynch – drums, percussion
• Nick Vincent – drums
• Endre Granat – violin
• Abe Laboriel Jr. – drums
• David Campbell – conductor, string arrangements
• Abraham Laboriel – bass
• Neil Stubenhaus – bass
• B.J. Cole – pedal steel
• Sandy Stein – keyboards
• Mark Hudson<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Murray Adler – violin

Other

• Roger Love – vocal director
• Margery Greenspan – art direction
• Steve Greenberg – executive producer
• Barry Mann – vocal director
• Marina Chavez – photography
• Ted Jensen – mastering
• The Dust Brothers – programming, producer
• Mark Hudson – vocal director

Charts

Weekly charts

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Chart (1997)	Peak position
Canadian Albums (RPM)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	4
Czech Albums (IFPI CR)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	6
Danish Albums (Tracklisten)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	5
Estonian Albums (Eesti Top 10)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	8
European Albums Chart<ref name="books.google.ca">Template:Cite book</ref>	3
Greek Albums (IFPI Greece)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	7
Irish Albums (IRMA)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>	6
Italian Albums (Musica e dischi)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }} Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Hanson".</ref>	25
Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	10
Malaysian Albums (IFPI)<ref name="books.google.ca"/>	4
Portuguese Albums (AFP)<ref name="ReferenceA">Template:Cite book</ref>	8
Scottish Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	6
Singapore Albums (SPVA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	1
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)<ref name="ReferenceA"/>	10
Taiwanese Albums (IFPI)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	1
Zimbabwean Albums (ZIMA)<ref>* Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: albums chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000</ref>	4

Year-end charts

Chart (1997)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	3
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	22
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	13
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	43
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	78
European Top 100 Albums (Music & Media)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	28
French Albums (SNEP)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	36
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	37
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	16
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	16
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	14
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	61
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	13

Chart (1998)	Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	81
Canadian Albums (RPM)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	96
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	41

Decade-end charts

Chart (1990–1999)	Position
US Billboard 200<ref name="1990sbb">Template:Cite book</ref>	89