5. Will Young – Echoes
(iTunes UK) (Spotify)


Produced by Richard X (responsible for another one of the year’s best releases, The Sound of Arrows’ Voyage)–along with some help by Richard “Biff” Stannard (Spice Girls, Kylie Minogue), Kish Mauve‘s Jim Eliot and frequent Richard X collaborator Pete Hofmann, original Pop Idol winner Will Young‘s sixth studio effort, Echoes, is nothing short of an absolute pop triumph.

From the surging heartbreak of lead single “Jealousy,” to the warm, ’70′s-encrusted disco stomp of “I Just Want A Lover,” to the icy electronica chill of “Losing Myself,” Young’s velvety coos and Richard X’s lush, dreamy electronic production come together effortlessly to form something truly magical.

The result is Echoes: Easily the year’s finest work by a male pop artist, and one of the best releases of the year, period.

8.) Will Young – Jealousy (MuuMuse Review)

Unrequited love isn’t exactly the most lush of emotions, but Will Young sure makes it feel that way. With “Jealousy,” the original UK Idol delivers a stunning torch track set to the sound of a dozen warm, throbbing disco pulsations provided by pop maestro Richard X. The result is a beautiful bout of soul-baring honesty, even if it still hurts in the end. Chills guaranteed.

http://www.contactmusic.com/news/will-yo...le_1279166

Will Young Slams First Single


Will Young hates his debut single and ''can't bear'' to watch the videos for his first songs because they are so ''dreadful''.

The 32-year-old star released the double A-side 'Anything Is Possible' and 'Evergreen' when he won TV talent show 'Pop Idol' in 2002 but hasn't ever performed the first track lives because he dislikes it so much.

He said: "I've never done 'Anything is Possible' live. I hate it. I absolutely hate it."

The 'Come On' singer is known for his quirky music videos but admits he "can't bear" to watch back his first ones because they were so "shocking", despite having huge amounts of money spent on them.

He said: "I can't bear 'Evergreen' or 'Anything is Possible', they're absolutely shocking. And you wouldn't believe the amount of money that was spent on those videos. F**king hell! Dreadful videos. At one moment it looks like I'm in love with a tree! Dreadful. Really odd. Dreadful. No, no, no. No. But since then the track record has been pretty good actually - apart from one - but the first one was really awful."

While he never performs 'Anything is Possible', Will still plays 'Evergreen' live but enjoys experimenting with different arrangements of the track as he thinks it is "important" to continue to sing the song.

He exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "I just thought, let's do something a bit more interesting. Originally I wanted to do a really dancey 'Evergreen', which still could work one day. But Dave my MD [Musical Director]came with these chords, and it's nice to... it's a song that's so different to what I'm doing now but it's important and it's a moment and it's good to do, so we change it up and it works."

Top 50 Singles of 2011: 5-1

It’s been emotional, but the time has come for the best of the best. We’ve had some Beyonce, some Coldplay and, f*** it, even some Matt Cardle. Along the way, there has been applause and there has been uproar. But above all, there has been no Dappy. There’s always 2012, eh.

5. Will Young – ‘Jealousy’
August, Peak #3
In career terms, apparently life begins at 10. Will Young marked the landmark anniversary of his first Pop Idol audition with one of the best tracks of his entire career. Richard X twiddled the knobs on ‘Jealousy’, a spine-tingling electro-ballad with a vocal performance tinged with a restrained heartache we haven’t heard Will properly ace since ‘Leave Right Now’. The trailer single from the brilliant Echoes album, this was a career highlight for Young and an annual highlight for pop in general.

WILL YOUNG: I CAN DIE HAPPY

25th December 2011

WILL Young is wrapping up 2011 with another No.1 album and sell-out UK tour in the bag.

But the Jealousy crooner told us that if he'd still be happy if his glittering pop career ended tomorrow.

Speaking exclusively to dailystar.co.uk, he said: "It's been 10 years since Pop Idol.

"If it all stopped tomorrow, I'd feel like I've done my job.

"And that's really cool as I feel like I'm doing enough things in and out of music that make me creatively-fulfilled."

[See more: Will Young album review, Echoes]Will explained: "I'm a mainstream pop artist who's doing mainstream music that I believe in. I'd buy it.

"I'm very proud of where I've got to."


Will had mega-success with his fifth studio album, Echoes

The 32-year-old will be having an even bigger celebration this Christmas thanks to his fifth album, Echoes, going platinum, but he revealed he's still a nervous wreck when he releases a new record.

"Oh my god, the nerves get even worse every time!" he exclaimed.

"I remember asking Annie Lennox if she still gets nervous and she said it gets worse.

"Because you keep having to prove yourself. If you've got nothing to prove, then it's fine."



The crooner said he'd be content if his pop career ended tomorrow

Will will be looking forward to bigger and better things to delight the pop world with in 2012 and said he's finally conquered the demons he battled in the early stages of his career.

"I did hit a massive low," he admitted. "I wanted to stop [at one point], I'd lost my enjoyment in singing.

"People hit a point in pop where they just kind of disappear because they can't cope with it.

"And I could have gone down that route, where I couldn't handle it and [I either had to] do something completely different, or I could get a grip on it and kick on through to the next stage."

[See more: Will Young - 'It's tough at the top']

So what picked him up during the bad times?

"I realised it was quite a good gig," he laughed. "I didn't want to f*ck it up!"

He continued: "I was being a bit of a baby. You can be a bit of a baby when you're famous, people let you get away with it.

"But they shouldn't, because then you just carry on. And people do, they throw hissy fits."

He grinned: "[But] I'm over that, it didn't make for a nice atmosphere."

And Will, who was catapulted to fame on Pop Idol, also had a few words of advice to give to this year's X Factor winners, Little Mix.

"I think the key thing is to work out what you want from anything," he explained.

"If people want to make loads of money and be famous then that's one route to go down, [but] if people want to make really good music then that's another.

"Lots of people say they want one thing, but really they want something else.

"Once I worked out what I wanted to do, it was much easier."

Will Young's fifth studio album, Echoes, is out now.

The Talent Show Story
Sat 7 Jan, 20:30 - 21:30

ITV1
(Documentary)

Season 1, episode 1 / 5
New series. Exploring the history of televised talent contests

New series. Exploring the history of televised talent contests, from the original Opportunity Knocks to today's super-slick shows such as The X Factor. The first edition includes Susan Boyle discussing her 2009 breakthrough on Britain's Got Talent, and examines Will Young defeating Gareth Gates in 2002's Pop Idol, and how the Noughties series Popstars ushered in a new era of programmes. There is also a tribute to former New Faces host Marti Caine and a contribution by ex-judge Nina Myskow. Narrated by Victoria Wood

Daily star

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/22663...can-die-happy-/

I must say the Jealousy performance on TOTP was extremely nice.

Yes & how GORGEOUS did he look.

On 4 Music this morning.
'Jealousy' was No. 18 in their top 50 videos of 2011

The original Pop Idol winner over in the UK and in our humble opinion, still the very best. Will Young always seems to come up with the goods when it comes to producing quality pop records and his 2011 album 'Echoes' was most certainly no exception, brimming with polished dance/pop treasures with interesting, honest and raw lyrics. Lead single 'Jealousy' was a corker.
Combining slick production and beefy beats with Will's extraordinarily tender vocals about a tale of - you guessed it - jealousy; all topped with a clip revolving around trapeze. But who's Will jealous of? The guy or the girl? He leaves us guessing, of course. 'Cause that's just how he rolls.
Emotional, forthright and artistic, 'Jealousy' is pure class from an artist who can do no wrong.
Ladies and gents, it's our No.05 Pop Single Of The Year; Will Young's 'Jealousy'.

Thanks Bev. I've added it to the others.

Hope you've had a lovely Christmas.

Top 25 Pop Albums of 2011

11. Will Young – Echoes
August, chart peak #1
If Will Young could literally never stop making music, that would be great. Echoes is top-notch from start to finish, opening with the incredible ‘Jealousy’ and continuing onwards via the brilliant ‘Come On’, ‘Happy Now’ and ‘Silent Valentine’ to name but a few. Beautifully under-stated and marvellously produced by the likes of Richard X, it shows that even after a decade in the business there is absolutely no sign of the quality dipping or the willingness to take risks fading. WHERE THERE’S A WILL THERE’S A WAY, ISN’T THAT RIGHT LADIES AND GENTS.

Yes thanks Gill..mad and tiring though!

Another from Trash Lounge.
Top 25 Pop Albums of 2011
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http://trashlounge.co.uk/2011/12/26/top-25...albums-of-2011/

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http://trashlounge.co.uk/2011/12/26/top-25...albums-of-2011/
Thanks for all the great info, but I don't understand the first sentence of the above? Or is it me being idiotic after Christmas?

I hope you all had a great Christmas and are looking forward to the New Year celebrations.