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Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits is the first greatest hits album from American recording artist Christina Aguilera. The album was released on November 7, 2008 with the confirmation that a lead single named "Keeps Gettin' Better was released in September 9th 2008. The single entered the top 10 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart and marked the start of the promotional work for the compilation album. The compilation contains tracks from all of the singer's studio albums released up to 2008: Christina Aguilera (1999), Mi Reflejo (2000), Stripped (2002) and Back to Basics (2006). The album also featured four new additions of which two were revisions of previous singles from Aguilera and two original songs being that of the lead single and a new addition named "Dynamite". New content featured was recorded and produced with Linda Perry. During the production of the compilation album Aguilera stated that the Superhero theme was a recurring one for the new material. She also stated that the new material was a preview of what was to come with a future studio album, the lead single "Keeps Gettin' Better" featured electropop and dance-pop themes which was recurring in her following studio album release, Bionic (2010).

In the United States the album was released exclusively through retailer Target and was later made available digitally in September 2009 with the album release in stores elsewhere on February 2, 2010. Several versions of the album were made available for different regions in addition to a deluxe edition which featured a DVD of her past music videos. Being released only at Target, the album debuted at number 9 in the United States and sold 73,000 copies on the US Billboard 200 in November 2008. It was entered the top 10 and was certified gold in countries as Belgium; Ireland, Japan, Russia and the United Kingdom. The album has sold a total of 500,000 copies in the United States and almost 1 million worldwide.

Background and development[edit]

Aguilera abandoned her 1920's image in favor of a more futuristic inspired image for the release of Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits.[1]

In 2002 Aguilera explored her erotic influences with album Stripped she then reinvented herself with the 2006 album Back to Basics which saw her "emulating pinup dolls".[1] Aguilera then reinvented herself with a Pop art influence with futuristic aspects to release her first greatest hits album titled Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decaded of Hits.[1] Aguilera describes herself as a visual artist, a person that constantly changes her image, her fan appreciation was something she respected saying "what I can tell from reading letters and conversing with them when on tour, my fans love and are always open to my love for change. It's a really gratifying moment for me and such an opportunity to be free and let go."[1] After Aguilera debuted her "future" influenced "brand new look" at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards she dissolved her "retro queen" image that she had featured with album Back to Basics. MTV found that she had replaced her "soft curls and pleated skirts" with "angular bangs, thigh-high boots and enough pleather to make Catwoman blush". With her VMA performance she wanted to give a sneak-preview of the performance art set to come with Keeps Gettin' Better and present the "vein of the new material" featured on the record.[2]

For the record she collaborated with writer, producer and friend Linda Perry to produce new and remixed tracks inspired by "futuristic sounds with beats driven more toward dance music", Aguilera stated the album was inspired by superhero elements, and she felt comfortable to reinvent herself once again after fans have supported her changes "throughout the years".[1] It was after the birth of her son Aguilera felt she "gravitated, for some reason, towards a lot of electro music and that futuristic sound", after listening to artists such as Zero 7 and Sia. So when she started developing Keeps Gettin' Better Aguilera wanted to "step inside their world and see how they put together their sound and their music and experiment with different textures and sounds of my voice."[3] After previously declaring inspiration from the likes of Blondie and Andy Warhol[4] she expanded on this saying "[There's a] throwback to Andy Warhol and all the colors and vividness and bright boldness that was in that artwork. I'm a big collector of pop art and graffiti art at this point, too — D*Face and Banksy, also Roy Lichtenstein ... and it's been very fun venturing off into that zone."[2] Her inspiration rather than looking at current-trends at the time was that of Pop art deriving from the likes of Jane Birkin she wanted to produce a throwback to female artists who have delved into the pop-art genre before her.[2]

"I can't believe it's been a decade already, but it's very exciting. All the old, the biggest hits I've come out with [are on the album]. I don't even know how to describe what a journey it's been but it's been amazing." Aguilera said in response to her ten years in the industry which inspired the title of the album.[5] With the album title she explained her optimism with the future and this factor was reflected in the album title which she titled Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits explaining "I'm looking forward to the next 10 years, which is partly why I named the album, Keeps Gettin' Better, 'cause it does."[4] In the United States it was announced that Target would have exclusivity to the record, and with the exclusive pre-order of the album buyers would receive a free download of the lead single "Keeps Gettin' Better".[6]

Content[edit]

"It was tough looking back — it was surprising, it was really gratifying to see how much hard work I've put in over the last 10 years. When you're in it, you just don't realize as it accumulates how much you've done and how far you've come. I can't believe it's been a decade already. [On the album] I wanted to include all the songs that I know I loved and that are crowd pleasers and real staples of my career thus far."

Aguilera discussed the content and development of the album.[4]

With her album Back to Basics she detailed specific parts of 20's, 30's and 40's influenced music and with Keeps Gettin' Better she wanted to go "in a completely different direction".[1] The new additions to the compilation album were inspired by futuristic and "robotic" sounds with "computer-sounding vocals".[1] She described her vocals as experimental on the record, finding that with previous records she had been a type of vocalist "that just belts" but with Keeps Gettin' Better and the recordings during this period she experimented with technical aspects with computer-generated sound.[1] The album was inspired by the late sixties movement and "is very pop and very upbeat".[1]

For the compilation Aguilera decided to reinvent two of her "biggest hits", "Genie in a Bottle" and "Beautiful". She called the songs "two of [her] favorites" saying " I think my fans at this point know I like to change and revisit my catalogue every time I go on tour to give my songs a fresh new life, and I think they appreciate that". The two tracks were designed to feature as an introduction to the following studio album that she was in the process of developing at the time of Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade of Hits. Aguilera wished to preview the material for her then-upcoming album which she described as "futuristic" with a "pop-art feel visually".[4]

Keeps Gettin' Better was inspired by "cultural icons" including Blondie, Velvet Underground, Nico and modern artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, which helped her delve into "electro in particular". Aguilera explained the new additions to the record stating "It is a sneak preview of what's to come for the next record, hopefully to be released in the summer of 2009, which is very exciting, It's a challenge and an exciting new project for me to reinvent what I am doing yet again, and come up with something new and fresh."[4]

Critical reception[edit]

Commercial performance[edit]

A blond female, holding a microphone wearing a shirt with an undone bow-tie.
Aguilera performing "Beautiful" on the Back to Basics Tour

In the United States the album debuted at number nine on the US Billboard 200 on the issue date of December 13, 2008. The album spent five weeks on the Top Catalog chart where it peaked at number 2 on the issue date of July 16, 2011.[12] In the United States the album has currently sold over 450,000 copies and spent 27 weeks on the chart.[12][13] The album re-entered the Billboard 200 chart at number 45 on the issue date of July 26, 2011[12] In Australia the album debuted on the chart at number eight on the issue date of November 23, 2008, the album spent nine weeks on the chart and charted at number 49 on its ninth and final week on January 1, 2008.[14] In Austria the album debuted at number ten on the Austrian Albums Chart on the issue date of November 21, 2008 spending five weeks on the chart, and charting at number 69 in its final week on December 19, 2008.[15] In Belgium the album debuted at number 67 on the Flanders chart on the issue date of November 15, 2008, spending fourteen weeks on the chart peaking at position number 23.[16] In Belgium's Wallonia chart the album debuted at number 100 on the issue date of November 15, 2008 spending seventeen weeks on the chart and debuting at number 24.[17] The album has also been certified Gold in Belgium.[18] In the Netherlands the album debuted at number 28 on the Dutch Album Chart. The album spent eleven weeks on the chart peaking at number 28.[19] In Finland the album debuted at number nine spending six weeks on the chart.[20] In Italy the album spent two weeks in the Top 20 chart peaking at number 15 on the chart.[21] In Ireland the album peaked at number nine on the albums chart,[22] and has since been certified Gold.[23] In Sweden the album debuted at number 41 on the albums chart on the issue date of November 20, 2008 and spent five weeks on the chart.[24] In the United Kingdom the album debuted at number ten on the chart[25] and has since been certified Gold.[26] It sold 20,000 copies in France in 2008.[27]

Promotion[edit]

Promotion started on September 7, when Aguilera performed at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards in Hollywood. She previewed the remade version of her first single "Genie 2.0" and later performed the lead single of the compilation, "Keeps Gettin' Better".[28] Aguilera started her promotional tour on October 11 performing at the UK leg of the Thisday Africa Rising at the London's Royal Albert Hall, where she performed several old hits and the lead single of the greatest hits album.[29] In late October she was supposed to tour Eastern Europe, holding concerts in Moscow,[30] Riga[31] and Kiev. Instead, she held two concerts in Kiev, Ukraine, on the 20th and 21 October.[32] The last date was held on October 24 in Abu Dhabi at the Emirates Palace Hotel.[33] On November 23 Aguilera promoted the greatest hits album by performing at the 36th Annual American Music Awards. She opened the show with a seven-minute medley of her greatest hits, which include "Beautiful", "Keeps Gettin' Better", "Genie in a Bottle", "Dirrty", "Ain't No Other Man" and "Fighter".[34]

Singles[edit]

"Keeps Gettin' Better" was confirmed as the lead single from the album and was sent to radio on September 22, 2008.[35] An accompanying video saw Aguilera as Catwoman and performing in front of green screens.[36] Aguilera performed the track at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards where she dressed resembling "Catwoman".[37] In the United States the single peaked at number 7,[38] and elsewhere had a good commercial response charting at number 14 in the UK.[25] "Dynamite" the second original new addition to the compilation album was released as a single via iTunes.[39]

Track listing[edit]

International edition[40]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Genie in a Bottle"Steve Kipner, David Frank, Pam SheyneGuy Roche3:36
2."What a Girl Wants"Shelly Peiken, RocheGuy Roche3:35
3."I Turn to You"Diane WarrenGuy Roche4:39
4."Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)"Christina Aguilera, Johan Aberg, Pauli Reinikainen, Ron Fair, Roche, Raymond Cham, Chaka Blackmon, Eric Dawkins, PeikenChakDaddy, Sol Survivor, E. Dawk, Ron Fair3:23
5."Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" (with Ricky Martin)Desmond Child, Victoria Shaw, Gary BurrWalter Afanasieff4:11
6."Lady Marmalade" (with Lil' Kim, Mýa and Pink)Bob Crewe, Kenny NolanMissy Elliott, Rockwilder4:25
7."Dirrty" (featuring Redman)Aguilera, Dana Stinson, Balewa Muhammad, Reginald Noble, Jasper CameronRockwilder, Christina Aguilera4:45
8."Fighter"Aguilera, Scott StorchScott Storch4:05
9."Beautiful"Linda PerryLinda Perry3:59
10."Ain't No Other Man"Aguilera, Chris Martin, Kara DioGuardi, Charles Roane, Harold BeattyDJ Premier, Roane*, Christina Aguilera^3:48
11."Candyman"Aguilera, PerryLinda Perry3:14
12."Hurt"Aguilera, Perry, Mark RonsonLinda Perry4:03
13."Genie 2.0"Kipner, Frank, SheyneLinda Perry4:15
14."Keeps Gettin' Better"Aguilera, PerryLinda Perry3:04
15."Dynamite"Aguilera, PerryLinda Perry3:09
16."You Are What You Are (Beautiful)"PerryLinda Perry4:44
Total length:64:04
British and Japanese edition[41][42]
No.TitleLength
1."Genie in a Bottle"3:36
2."What a Girl Wants" (Video Version)3:35
3."I Turn to You"4:39
4."Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)" (Radio Edit)3:23
5."Nobody Wants To Be Lonely" (Single Version with Ricky Martin)4:11
6."Lady Marmalade" (feat. Missy Elliott, Lil' Kim, Mýa, Pink)4:25
7."Dirrty" (Video Edit, feat. Redman)4:45
8."Fighter"4:05
9."Beautiful"3:59
10."The Voice Within" (Radio Edit)4:24
11."Ain't No Other Man"3:48
12."Candyman" (Single Mix)3:14
13."Hurt"4:03
14."Genie 2.0"4:15
15."Keeps Gettin' Better"3:04
16."Dynamite"3:09
17."You Are What You Are (Beautiful)"4:44
Total length:64:39
Spain and Latin America[43]
No.TitleLength
1."Genie in a Bottle"3:36
2."What a Girl Wants" (Video Version)3:35
3."I Turn to You"4:39
4."Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)" (Radio Edit)3:23
5."Ven Conmigo"3:11
6."Falsas Esperanzas"3:10
7."Lady Marmalade" (feat. Missy Elliott, Lil' Kim, Mýa, Pink)4:25
8."Dirrty" (Video Edit, feat. Redman)4:58
9."Fighter"4:05
10."Beautiful"3:59
11."Ain't No Other Man"3:48
12."Candyman" (Single Mix)3:14
13."Hurt"4:03
14."Genie 2.0"4:15
15."Keeps Gettin' Better"3:04
16."Dynamite"3:09
17."You Are What You Are (Beautiful)"4:44
Total length:62:38
Deluxe edition bonus DVD[44]
No.TitleLength
1."Genie in a Bottle" (video)3:37
2."What a Girl Wants" (video)4:06
3."I Turn to You" (video)4:04
4."Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)" (video)3:52
5."Dirrty" (video, feat. Redman)4:49
6."Fighter" (video)4:15
7."Beautiful" (video)4:07
8."Ain't No Other Man" (video)4:53
9."Candyman" (video)3:15
10."Hurt" (video)4:04
Total length:39:42
Notes
  • The US version of the album excludes "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely" and "Lady Marmalade".[45]

(*) denotes co-producer
(^) denotes additional producer

Charts and certifications[edit]

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