Life for Rent

For the song, see Life for Rent (song).
Life for Rent
Studio album by Dido
Released 29 September 2003 (2003-09-29)
Recorded The Ark, The Church, Cubejam and Wessex Studios
Length 54:02
Label Cheeky, Arista
Producer Dido Armstrong, Rollo Armstrong, Rick Nowels
Dido chronology
No Angel
(1999)		 Life for Rent
(2003)		 Safe Trip Home
(2008)
Singles from Life For Rent
  1. "White Flag"
    Released: 1 September 2003
  2. "Life for Rent"
    Released: 1 December 2003
  3. "Don't Leave Home"
    Released: 12 April 2004
  4. "Sand in My Shoes"
    Released: 13 September 2004

Life for Rent is the second studio album by the British singer-songwriter Dido, released by Arista Records on 29 September 2003. The album was produced by Rollo Armstrong and American songwriter Rick Nowels. Work on the album began in mid-2002.[1] It was certified 7× Platinum by the BPI;[2] and sold over 12 million copies worldwide, making it the fourth best-selling album worldwide of 2003. The album became the seventh best-selling album of the 2000s on UK, making Dido the only singer to have two albums in the Top 10 list.

Composition

Life for Rent's first track and lead single "White Flag" begins with a lone synth-chord reminiscent of Sinéad O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U".[3] In the song, the protagonist is unwilling to give up, even if they know it’s over.[4] It features "multi-layered" sound, delicate piano outro, and strings.[4] In battle, a white flag signals surrender. By stating there will be "No white flag," she indicates she will not give up on the relationship. The second track "Stoned" has a dance vibe, bringing to mind David Bowie circa Outside (1995).[5] The title track, "Life for Rent", has emotional gravity and graceful melody.[3] The song opens with an acoustic guitar, keeping the guitar in and giving the tune a hip-hop beat. "Nothing I have is truly mine" she repeats at the conclusion.[5] “Mary’s in India” is a reflective song about a friend who moves abroad, as the title suggests, and the void her departure creates in those she leaves behind.[5] The fifth track "See You When You're 40" is a somber and melodic ballad with a touch of symphonic air, featuring "quasi" trip hop beat.[5] 'And I've seen, tonight, what I'd been warned about / I'm gonna leave, tonight, before I change my mind,' she sings.[5]

The sixth track "Don't Leave Home" sounds like she's picking herself up again although she speaks of shutting the blinds and closing the door.[5] but she revealed that it's about drug addiction. But the "narrator" of the song is the drug. Like a controlling lover, the drug takes over the user's life until he doesn't even want to leave home. "Who Makes You Feel" is a trip-pop, soulful and tender track.[5] "Sand in My Shoes" talks about not having time, while the bridge get a bit dance-house.[5] "Do You Have a Little Time" features lush strings and hip-hop back-beats.[3] "This Land of Mine" is a reflective piece that according to PopMatters, "could have Travis or Coldplay recording it with big grins on their faces. Simplistic and sparse, the song sounds just a bit like Olivia Newton-John in the early seventies, according to them.[5] "See the Sun" sees Dido swoops in as savior for a broken heart, classified as a "mini-anthem that has all the right items in their proper places."[3][5]

Singles

"White Flag", was released as the lead single from the album. The song was well received by critics who reviewed the album. It became a major worldwide hit, reaching number one in Australia and Europe.[6] It peaked at number two in the United Kingdom, being held off the top spot by The Black Eyed Peas' "Where Is the Love?", and became her highest-charting single to date there.[7] At year-end UK charts, the song peaked at number 12.[8] It peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became her second Top 20 on the chart.[9] It reached number two on the U.S Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks, and stayed on the chart for 66 weeks.[9] The song references a past relationship with Bob Page. In an interview with British newspaper The Sun, Dido said "the song is an apology to Page for breaking his heart. 'It was a big decision not to get married...'".[10] The video featured the TV actor David Boreanaz. The song ranked on Blender's list "The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born" at number 317.[11] "Life for Rent" was released as the second single from the album. It peaked within the top ten in the UK Singles Chart and the Irish Singles Chart.[12][13][14] The music video featured Dido singing in several rooms, and was directed by Sophie Muller.[15]

"Don't Leave Home", was released as the third single, and was a track written by Dido and her brother. The main theme of the song is the use of drugs, where the drugs "sing" to the consumer: "When I've been here for just one day / You'll already miss me if I go away / So close the blinds and shut the door / You won't need other friends anymore".[16] The song debuted and peaked at number 25 in the UK.[17] The track "Stoned" was remixed and issued as the B-side to the single, but soon became a club hit and peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Songs.[18] "Sand in My Shoes" was released as the fourth and last single from the album. It became an American club hit reaching number one on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.[18] It debuted and peaked at number 29 in the UK.[19]

Critical response

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic [20]
BBC(mixed) [21]
Blender [22]
Robert Christgau [23]
entertainment.ie [24]
Entertainment Weekly(B) [25]
The Guardian [26]
PopMatters(positive) [5]
Rolling Stone [27]
Slant Magazine [3]

According to review aggregator Metacritic, the album has received generally positive reviews, scoring 69 out of 100 points based on 12 reviews.[28] Jason MacNeil, from PopMatters, gave a very positive review, finishing with: "this record seems to outweigh the previous album in terms of quality and depth".[5] Alexis Petridis wrote "It would be nice to report that Dido's second album is strong enough to reveal her detractors as snobs, who hate the notion that her music appeals to 'ordinary' people ... Sadly, it proves a little more complicated than that".[26] MSN Music critic Robert Christgau gave a "Choice-cut symbol", which represents "a good song on an album that isn't worth your time or money",[29] selecting "Mary's in India" as the only "good song" on the album.[23]

Barry Walters, of Rolling Stone, declared "Like No Angel ... isn't groundbreaking, but it has its own kind of integrity.[27] "Life for Rent doesn't offer anything that drastically different from Dido's debut album [No Angel], ... she's unassuming and gentle, but her songs are so melodic and atmospheric they easily work their way into the subconscious" was the review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, from Allmusic.[20] Andrew Lynch, from entertainment.ie noted: "Life For Rent is no masterpiece, but it has the same kind of sweet, unassuming, girl-next-door charm that made its predecessor such a smash hit".[24] Derryck Strachan, BBC Music reviewer wrote " ... she treads a fine line between credibility and popularity ... But, she hasn't put a foot wrong with this album. On the positive side that means more well-crafted folk-pop tunes, on the negative side she hasn't moved forward", also said "Although Dido played a significant part in older brother Rollo's band, ... Faithless, it would be misleading to say that the groups success brought her fame".[21]

Commercial performance

Life for Rent is the fastest selling album by a female artist, passing five million sales mark in just two weeks. It sold 102,500 on the first day, and 400,351 in the first week.[30] According to the IFPI, it was the fourth best-selling album worldwide of 2003.[31] Also, according to the BPI, Life for Rent was the best-selling album of 2003 in United Kingdom;[8] and the seventh best-selling album between 2000 and 2009 in the country.[32] The album spent ten weeks at the top of the UK albums chart.[33] It remained on the chart for 54 weeks.[34][35] Also, spent 18 non-consecutive weeks at number one on the European Top 100 Albums chart.[36] In the United States, Life for Rent debuted and peaked at number four. By October 2003, the album had sold over a million and half copies.[36] In Australia the album debuted at number one on the ARIA albums chart, being certified platinum (70,000) copies in its first week. It was one of the biggest selling albums of 2003 and went on to be certified six times platinum for sales of over 420,000.[37] With this, Dido matched the huge success of her previous effort, No Angel. Dido's "Life for Rent Tour" was taken around the world in 2004.[36] The album was nominated for "Best British Album" at the 2004 BRIT Awards along with Daniel Bedingfield's Gotta Get Thru This, Blur's Think Tank and The Coral's Magic and Medicine, but they were all beaten by The Darkness's Permission to Land. "White Flag" was awarded the 2004 Ivor Novello Award in the category "International Hit of the Year". Also, in same year, Life for Rent earned Dido's first Grammy nomination, at the 46th Grammy Awards, in the category "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" for the song "White Flag".

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "White Flag"  Dido Armstrong, Rollo Armstrong, Rick Nowels 4:00
2. "Stoned"  D. Armstrong, R. Armstrong, Lester Mendez 5:55
3. "Life for Rent"  D. Armstrong, R. Armstrong 3:41
4. "Mary's in India"  D. Armstrong, R. Armstrong 3:41
5. "See You When You're 40"  D. Armstrong, R. Armstrong, Aubrey Nunn 5:20
6. "Don't Leave Home"  D. Armstrong, R. Armstrong 3:46
7. "Who Makes You Feel"  D. Armstrong, R. Armstrong, Master Pnut 4:20
8. "Sand in My Shoes"  D. Armstrong, R. Nowels 4:59
9. "Do You Have a Little Time"  D. Armstrong, Mark Bates, R. Nowels 3:55
10. "This Land Is Mine"  D. Armstrong, R. Armstrong, R. Nowels 3:46
11. "See the Sun"  D. Armstrong 5:05
12. "Closer[38]" (hidden track)D. Armstrong, R. Armstrong, R. Nowels 3:29

Album credits

Personnel

Production

Charts

Chart (2003) Peak
position
Australian Albums Chart 1[39]
Austrian Albums Chart 2[39]
Belgium Albums Chart (Flanders) 1[39]
Belgium Albums Chart (Wallonia) 1[39]
Canadian Albums Chart 2[40][41]
Denmark Albums Chart 1[39]
European Top 100 Albums 1[42]
Finland Albums Chart 3[39]
French Albums Chart 1[43]
German Albums Charts 1[44]
Greeks Albums Charts 5[45]
Hungarian Albums Chart 7[46]
Italian Albums Chart 2[39]
Mexican Albums Charts 4
Netherlands Albums Chart 1[39]
New Zealand Albums Chart 1[39]
Norwegian Albums Chart 2[39]
Polish Albums Chart 1[47]
Scottish Albums Chart[48] 1
Swedish Albums Chart 1[39]
Swiss Albums Top 100 1[39]
UK Albums Chart 1[13]
U.S. Billboard 200 4[40][41]
U.S. Billboard Top Internet Albums 12[49]
Preceded by
The Official Fiction by Something for Kate		 Australian ARIA Albums Chart number-one album
6 October 2003 – 19 October 2003 		Succeeded by
Just as I Am by Guy Sebastian
Preceded by
Sacred Love by Sting
Talkie Walkie by Air		 European Albums Chart number-one album
18 October 2003 – 14 February 2004 (first run)
21 February 2004 – 28 February 2004 (second run) 		Succeeded by
Talkie Walkie by Air
Feels Like Home by Norah Jones
Preceded by
Absolution by Muse
Guilty by Blue
Friday's Child by Will Young
Friday's Child by Will Young		 UK number one album
11 October 2003 – 7 November 2003 (first run)
22 November 2003 – 28 November 2003 (second run)
20 December 2003 – 9 January 2004 (third run)
17 January 2004 – 30 January 2004 (fourth run) 		Succeeded by
In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003 by R.E.M.
Number Ones by Michael Jackson
Friday's Child by Will Young
Call Off the Search by Katie Melua

Certifications

Region Certification Sales/shipments
Argentina 3× Platinum[50] 120,000+
Australia (ARIA) 6× Platinum[37] 420,000+
Austria (IFPI) Platinum[51] 30,000+
Belgium (IFPI) 2× Platinum[52] 100,000+
Brazil (ABPD) Gold[53] 50,000+
Canada (Music Canada) 3× Platinum[54] 300,000+
Denmark Platinum[55] 30,000+
Finland Gold[56] 10,000+
France 2× Platinum[43] 645,000+
Germany 3× Platinum[57] 600,000+
Greece (IFPI Greece) Gold[45] 10,000+
Hungary Gold[58] 15,000+
Italy Platinum[59] 100,000+
Mexico Gold[60] 75,000+
Netherlands Platinum[61] 80,000+
New Zealand (RMNZ) 4× Platinum[62] 60,000+
Norway 2× Platinum[63] 80,000+
Poland Gold[64] 35,000+
Russia Platinum[65] 20,000+
Sweden Platinum[66] 60,000+
Switzerland (IFPI) 3× Platinum[67] 120,000+
United Kingdom (BPI) 9× Platinum[2] 2,866,350[68]
United States (RIAA) 2× Platinum[69] 2,100,000+[70]
Summaries
Europe 5× Platinum[71] 5,000,000+[72]

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
xunspecified figures based on certification alone

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Newcomer Brit Awards Nomination Withdrawn". Yahoo! Music. 17 January 2002. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
  2. 1 2 "BPI Certifications Search". British Phonographic Industry. BPI. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Cinquemani, Sal (27 September 2003). "Dido: Life for Rent". Retrieved 2010-03-04.
  4. 1 2 Jeffries, David. "White Flag - AllMusic". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 MacNeil, Jason (26 September 2003). "Dido: Life For Rent". Popmatters.com. PopMatters. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
  6. ↑ Paul Sexton (29 September 2003). "Black Eyed Peas, Muse Lead U.K. Charts". Billboard magazine. Retrieved 2008-08-27.
  7. ↑ Paul Sexton (15 September 2003). "Black Eyed Peas, Darkness Lead U.K. Charts". Billboard magazine. Retrieved 2008-08-27.
  8. 1 2 "The Official UK Singles Chart 2003" (PDF). The Official UK Charts Company. BMI. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
  9. 1 2 "White Flag". Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Billboard. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
  10. ↑ "Dido Dishes On 'White Flag'". The Sun. Yahoo! Music. 26 July 2003. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
  11. ↑ "The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born: 301 - 350". Blender. Retrieved 2010-03-14.
  12. ↑ "Chart Stats - Dido - Life for Rent (single)". The Official UK Charts Company. Chart Stats. Archived from the original on 2012-07-23. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
  13. 1 2 Every Hit (October 2003). "UK Albums Chart". everyhit.com. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  14. ↑ "Dido - Life For Rent - Music Charts". αCharts.us. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
  15. ↑ "Dido Life for Rent (single)". Discogs. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
  16. ↑ Pescheck, David (16 August 2004). "Dido Apollo, Manchester". The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-03-04.
  17. ↑ "Chart Stats - Dido - Don't Leave Home". The Official UK Charts Company. Chart Stats. Archived from the original on 2012-07-23. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
  18. 1 2 "Billboard charts". Allmusic. 2004. Retrieved 2008-08-27.
  19. ↑ "Chart Stats - Dido - Sand In My Shoes". The Official UK Charts Company. Chart Stats. Archived from the original on 2012-07-23. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
  20. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen T. "allmusic ((( Life For Rent - Overview )))". Rovi Corporation. Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-02-17.
  21. 1 2 Strachan, Derryck (20 June 2003). "BBC - Music - Review of Dido - Life For Rent". BBC. BBC. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
  22. ↑ Lynskey, Dorian (30 September 2003). "Life for Rent Review". Alpha Media Group INC. Blender. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
  23. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (2003). "CG Dido". Retrieved 2010-03-02.
  24. 1 2 Lynch, Andrew (15 October 2003). "Dido "Life For Rent" Review". entertainment.ie. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
  25. ↑ Farber, Jim (3 October 2003). "Life For Rent (2003) Dido". Entertainment Weekly. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
  26. 1 2 Petridis, Alexis (26 September 2003). "Dido "Life For Rent"". The Guardian. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
  27. 1 2 Walters, Barry (24 September 2003). "Dido: Life For Rent: Music Reviews: Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2007-10-01. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
  28. ↑ "Life For Rent". Metacritic. Retrieved 2009-03-02.
  29. ↑ "Robert Christgau: CG 90s: Key to Icons". Christgau, Robert. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
  30. ↑ British Hit Singles & Albums (Edition 17), published by Guinness World Records
  31. ↑ "Top 50 Global Best Selling Albums for 2003 (physical and digital album formats included)" (PDF). IFPI. IFPI. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
  32. ↑ "James Blunt Tops U.K. Decade Chart". Billboard. Billboard.biz. 28 December 2009. Retrieved 2003-03-03.
  33. ↑ "ALL THE NUMBER 1 ALBUMS". The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the original on 25 December 2008. Retrieved 2009-03-02.
  34. ↑ "Chart Stats - Dido - Life For Rent". The Official UK Charts. Chart Stats. Archived from the original on 2013-01-02. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
  35. ↑ British Hit Singles & Albums (Edition 18), published by Guinness World Records
  36. 1 2 3 "Dido Plans North American Tour". Billboard. 2004. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
  37. 1 2 Australian Recording Industry Association (2004). "ARIA Charts — Accreditations". aria.com.au. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  38. ↑ "Discography Entry". Tursa.franken.de. Retrieved 2012-04-10.
  39. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Life For Rent (Album)". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2010-03-28.
  40. 1 2 "Billboard charts". AllMusic. 2003. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  41. 1 2 Billboard (2003–2004). "Life for Rent (Billboard)". Billboard. Retrieved 2010-03-03.
  42. ↑ Paul Sexton (2 February 2004). "Sample-Heavy Single Scores U.K. No. 1". Billboard magazine. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  43. 1 2 Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (3 March 2004). "French certification". disqueenfrance.com. Archived from the original on 2006-02-22. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  44. ↑ "German Albums Chart (Search)". charts-surfer.de. 2003. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  45. 1 2 "Greek Albums Chart". IFPI Greece. 2004-02-04. Archived from the original on 2004-02-04. Retrieved 2012-04-10.
  46. ↑ "MAHASZ (Search)". mahasz.hu. 2003. Retrieved 2009-04-01.
  47. ↑ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLIS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLIS. 2003-10-19. Retrieved 2012-05-15.
  48. ↑ http://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-albums-chart/20031005/40
  49. ↑ "((( Dido > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums )))". Billboard magazine. AllMusic. Retrieved 2007-05-07.
  50. ↑ Cámara Argentina de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas (2003). "Argentinian certification". capif.org.ar. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  51. ↑ International Federation of the Phonographic Industry — Austria (14 January 2004). "Austrian certification (search)". ifpi.at. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  52. ↑ International Federation of the Phonographic Industry — Belgium (22 August 2004). "Belgian certification". ultratop.be. Archived from the original on 2008-12-05. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  53. ↑ Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos (2003). "Brazilian certification (search)". abpd.org.br. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  54. ↑ Canadian Recording Industry Association (27 May 2004). "Canadian certification (search)". cria.ca. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  55. ↑ International Federation of the Phonographic Industry — Denmark (Week 24, 2004). "Danish certification". hitlisterne.dk. Retrieved 2008-08-22. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  56. ↑ "Musiikkituottajat - Tilastot - Kulta- ja platinalevyt". Ifpi.fi. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
  57. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank ('Life+for+Rent')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  58. ↑ MAHASZ — Hungary (2003). "MAHASZ". mahasz.hu. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  59. ↑ Federation of the italian music industry (2003). "Italian certification". fimi.it.
  60. ↑ Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas, A.C. (11 November 2003). "Mexican certification". amprofon.com.mx. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  61. ↑ Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld-en geluidsdragers (2003). "Dutch certification (search)". nvpi.nl. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  62. ↑ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (22 November 2004). "New Zealand certification (search) Chart #1400 - SUNDAY - 25 March 2004". rianz.org.nz. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  63. ↑ International Federation of the Phonographic Industry — Norway (2003). "Norwegian certification (search)". ifpi.no. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  64. ↑ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Zpav.pl. Retrieved 2012-05-15.
  65. ↑ National Federation of Phonogram Producers (2003). "Russian certification". 2m-online.ru. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  66. ↑ "www.sverigetopplistan.se - Ĺrslista Album - Ĺr 2003". Hitlistan.se. Retrieved 2012-05-15.
  67. ↑ HitParade (2003). "Swiss certification". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  68. ↑ Alan Jones (24 July 2011). "Adele still on top but UK album sales fall to 13-year low". Music Week. Intent Media. Retrieved 25 August 2011. (subscription required (help)).
  69. ↑ Recording Industry Association of America (23 June 2005). "U.S. certification (search)". riaa.com. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  70. ↑ Jonathan Cohen (22 August 2008). "Dido Brings It All 'Home' On New Album". Billboard magazine. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  71. ↑ International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (2004). "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards". ifpi.org. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  72. ↑ International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. "Criteria". ifpi.org. Retrieved 2008-08-22.

External links

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Laundry Service by Shakira		 NRJ Music Award for International Album of the Year
2004 		Succeeded by
Elephunk by The Black Eyed Peas
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