Elevate (Big Time Rush album)

The album acts as the soundtrack to the Nickelodeon television series Big Time Rush, which features songs that appeared in the series' second season and the television movie, Big Time Movie. Following the success of their first release, the band was inspired to be more involved in the writing process for this album, writing together or separately a total of eight songs. Elevate is mainly a pop-inspired dance-rock album, also showcasing soul-pop and alternative rock. The first single from Elevate, "Music Sounds Better with U", was released on November 1, 2011.

TeenNick hosted a listening party in support of the band's new album, premiering every song on the album along with playing episodes that contain songs from the album and playing the music video for the first single, "Music Sounds Better with U". Nickelodeon hosted a thirty-minute special called Big Time Rush: Music Sounds Better With U in which scenes from the band's tour and studio recording sessions are compiled together for airing.{{cite web|url= http://popcrush.com/big-time-rush-better-with-u-tour-dates/|title= Big Time Rush Reveals 'Better With U' Tour Dates |work=Pop Crush|date= 10 November 2011 |publisher=Townsquare Media, LLC|access-date=November 20, 2011}} The scenes feature information about the recording and production of the album.

"Music Sounds Better With U", featuring Mann, was released as first single on November 1, 2011. The music video was released November 12, 2011 during their brand new special, Big Time Rush: Music Sounds Better With U. The second and last single was "Windows Down", released on June 25, 2012, from the re-released version.

"If I Ruled the World", featuring Iyaz, was released on July 22, 2011. The music video was released July 23, 2011 and features the guys traveling and performing for their fans. It was predicted as a Future Hit by This Must Be Pop Awards.{{cite web|url=http://www.thismustbepop.com/2011/11/this-must-be-pop-brings-you-future-pop_14.html |title=This Must Be Pop brings you Future Pop! (Issue #05) « This Must Be Pop |publisher=Thismustbepop.com |date=2011-11-07 |access-date=2012-08-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120501143126/http://www.thismustbepop.com/2011/11/this-must-be-pop-brings-you-future-pop_14.html |archive-date=2012-05-01 }} "Elevate" was released on June 1, 2012, as the second promotional single on Apple Music in the United Kingdom, containing "Blow Your Speakers" as the B-side.{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/elevate-single/532104111|title=Elevate - Single by Big Time Rush on Apple Music|author=Big Time Rush|date=June 1, 2012|website=music.apple.com}}

A tour for the album was announced in early fall 2011, named Better with U Tour, taken from the album's first single. The tour began on February 17, 2012, in Las Vegas, Nevada and ended at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on March 9, 2012. JoJo and One Direction were the opening acts for the tour. While visiting the United Kingdom in 2012, the band revealed 4 alternate covers for the album exclusive to the country, each one featuring individual pictures of each of the members and an autograph. These Special Editions were released at the same time the regular UK edition did (February 6) and share the same track list. These special covers are presented in slipcase package.{{cite web|url=http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/28412970/Elevate-Kendall-Edition/Product.html|title=Elevate (UK) - Kendall Edition|work=Play.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/28412989/Elevate-Carlos-Edition/Product.html|title=Elevate (UK) - Carlos Edition|work=Play.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/28412979/Elevate-James-Edition/Product.html|title=Elevate (UK) - James Edition|work=Play.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/28412948/Elevate-Logan-Edition/Product.html|title=Elevate (UK) - Logan Edition|work=Play.com}}

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{rating|3|5}}{{AllMusic|class=album|id=elevate-mw0002252239|title=Elevate - Big Time Rush {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|last=Collar|first=Matt|author=Matt Collar}}

| rev2 = Common Sense Media

| rev2Score = {{rating|3|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/music-reviews/elevate|title=Elevate Music Review|last=Dawson|first=Jessica|website=commonsensemedia.org|language=en|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111206101925/https://www.commonsensemedia.org/music-reviews/elevate|archivedate=December 6, 2011|access-date=December 2, 2022}}

}}

The album received mixed to positive reviews with music critics and fans, mostly praising the production and more mature sound. Matt Collar of AllMusic stated, "the album brings to mind a mix of Maroon 5's funky soul-pop and the yearning alt-rock of OneRepublic. This is slick, well-produced pop music that, while aimed at 'tween' fans of the band's Nickelodeon TV show, has enough smart songcraft and romantic passion to appeal to even more mature fans of radio-friendly pop music." He praised songs such as "Music Sounds Better With U", "No Idea" and "Time of Our Life" calling them, "positive-minded and joyful party tracks." Jessica Dawson of Common Sense Media said, "The songs are crisper and more contemporary, letting them show off their boy-band harmonies with beats that are catchy but perhaps a bit too synthesized."

File:ELEVATE PLATINUM RECORD.jpg

The album debuted at number one on the iTunes album chart as well as a number 12 debut on the Billboard 200 and stayed 22 weeks on chart.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/big-time-rush/chart-history/tlp/|title=Big Time Rush Chart History: Billboard 200|magazine=Billboard|access-date=December 24, 2020}} In its first week, the album sold 70,000 copies.{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1683893/big-time-rush-battle-of-the-boy-bands/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151101175642/http://www.mtv.com/news/1683893/big-time-rush-battle-of-the-boy-bands/|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 1, 2015|title=BIG TIME RUSH DECLARE THEMSELVES 'BEST BOY BAND OF ALL TIME'|website=MTV|access-date=2021-02-21}} As of 2012, the album has sold 208,000 copies in the United States.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/503363/exclusive-listen-to-big-time-rushs-big-time-movie-soundtrack|title= Exclusive: Listen To Big Time Rush's 'Big Time Movie' Soundtrack|magazine= Billboard|access-date=December 23, 2020}} The album received a Gold plaque by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for 500,000 units sales.

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Music Sounds Better with U

| note1 = featuring Mann

| writer1 ={{flat list|

• Big Time Rush
• Ryan Tedder
• Thomas Bangalter
• Benjamin Cohen
• Alain Quême
• Noel Zancanella
• Brent Kutzle
• Eric Bellinger
• Frank Musker
• Dominic Bugatti}}

| extra1 = {{flat list|

• Tedder
• Zancanella
• Kutzle}}

| length1 = 3:09

| title2 = Show Me

| writer2 = {{flat list|

• Lucas Secon
• Wayne Hector
• Donald McLean}}

| extra2 = Secon

| length2 = 2:51

| title3 = All Over Again

| writer3 = {{flat list|

• Brian Seals
• Damon Sharpe
• Drew Ryan Scott}}

| extra3 = {{flat list|

• Brian Kennedy}}

| length3 = 3:37

| title4 = No Idea

| writer4 = {{flat list|

• Alexander Gaskarth
• Terius Nash
• Christopher "Tricky" Stewart}}

| extra4 = {{flat list|

• Stewart
• The-Dream}}

| length4 = 4:59

| title5 = Cover Girl

| writer5 = {{flat list|

• Kendall Schmidt
• Toby Gad
• Lindy Robbins}}

| extra5 = Gad

| length5 = 3:00

| title6 = Love Me Love Me

| writer6 = {{flat list|

• Big Time Rush
• Christopher Rojas
• Damon Sharpe
• Ole Broderson
• Mich Hansen
• Kasper Larsen}}

| extra6 = {{flat list|

• Sharpe
• Cutfather
• Rojas
• Kay N' Dustry}}

| length6 = 3:01

| title7 = If I Ruled the World

| note7 = featuring Iyaz

| writer7 = {{flat list|

• Emanuel Kiriakou
• Evan Bogart
• Robbins}}

| extra7 = Kiriakou

| length7 = 3:00

| title8 = Invisible

| writer8 = {{flat list|

• Carlos Pena
• Charley Greenberg
• Cody Williams
• Daniel Andrew Wayne
• J.R. Rotem}}

| extra8 = Rotem

| length8 = 3:20

| title9 = Time of Our Life

| writer9 = {{flat list|

• Logan Henderson
• Nicholas RAS Furlong
• Jordan Suecof
• Antario Holmes}}

| extra9 = {{flat list|

• Infinity
• Holmes}}

| length9 = 3:27

| title10 = Superstar

| writer10 = {{flat list|

• Big Time Rush
• Jay Sean
• Bobby Bass
• J-Remy
• Jared Cotter
• Khaled Rohaim}}

| extra10 = {{flat list|

• OFM}}

| length10 = 3:23

| title11 = You're Not Alone

| writer11 = {{flat list|

• Schmidt
• Steven Batty
• Carlos Batty
• Rojas}}

| extra11 = Rojas

| length11 = 3:53

| title12 = Elevate

| writer12 = {{flat list|

• James Maslow
• Sharpe
• Johnny Powers Severin
• Eric Sanicola}}

| extra12 = {{flat list|

• Sharpe
• Johnny Powers Severin
• Sanicola}}

| length12 = 3:06

| total_length = 40:46

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = iTunes Store edition bonus track

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title13 = Blow Your Speakers

| writer13 = {{flat list|

• Matt Palmer
• Pascal Guyon}}

| extra13 = Fraser T Smith

| note13 =

| length13 = 3:12

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = United Kingdom edition bonus track

| title13 = Epic

| writer13 = {{flat list|

• Marlin Donnell Bonds
• Jonas Jeberg
• Maslow
• ReddStylezhttp://repertoire.bmi.com/title.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&keyID=13590731&ShowNbr=0&ShowSeqNbr=0&querytype=WorkID {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}}}

| length13 = 3:26

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = BTRBand.com pre-order edition bonus download

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title13 = Paralyzed

| writer13 = {{flat list|

• Matt Squire
• Pierre Bouvier
• Charles Comeau}}

| extra13 = Squire

| length13 = 3:11

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = 2012 reissue bonus track{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/elevate/536342877 |title=iTunes - Music - Elevate by Big Time Rush |publisher=iTunes |date=2012-07-10 |access-date=2012-08-17}}

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title13 = Windows Down

| writer13 = {{flat list|

• Alexander James
• Brandon Green
• Damon Albarn
• Dave Rowntree
• Graham Coxon
• Kesha Sebert
• Squire
• Matthew Musto
• Mike Posner
• Ralph Thane}}

| extra13 = {{flat list|

• Bei Maejor
• Squire
• Thane}}

| length13 = 3:13

}}

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{{Col-2}}

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{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Elevate}}

{{Certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United States|artist=Big Time Rush|title=Elevate|award=Gold |relyear=2011|certyear=2022|refname=riaa}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}

{{reflist}}

{{Big Time Rush (band)}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2011 albums

Category:Columbia Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Cutfather

Category:Albums produced by J. R. Rotem

Category:Albums produced by Ryan Tedder

Category:Big Time Rush albums