Welcome Reality
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Welcome Reality
| type = studio
| artist = Nero
| cover = WelcomeReality.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2011|08|12|df=y}}
| recorded = 6 October 2008 – 1 April 2011
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|Dubstep|electro house|new rave|drum and bass}}
| length = 61:10
| label = {{hlist|MTA|Mercury}}
| producer = Nero
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Between II Worlds
| next_year = 2015
| misc = {{Extra album cover
| header = Alternative cover
| type = Studio
| cover = WelcomeRealityPlus.jpg
| border =
| alt =
| caption = 2012 re-issue (Welcome Reality +)
}}
{{Singles
| name = Welcome Reality
| type = studio
| single1 = Innocence
| single1date = 26 April 2010
| single2 = Me and You
| single2date = 2 January 2011
| single3 = Guilt
| single3date = 24 April 2011
| single4 = Promises
| single4date = 5 August 2011
| single5 = Crush on You
| single5date = 13 October 2011
| single6 = Reaching Out
| single6date = 16 December 2011
| single7 = Must Be the Feeling
| single7date = 5 March 2012
| single8 = Won't You (Be There)
| single8date = 19 October 2012
}}
}}
Welcome Reality is the debut album by British dubstep group Nero. A concept album, it was released first in Ireland on 12 August 2011{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/ie/album/welcome-reality/446403651 |title=iTunes - Music - Welcome Reality by Nero |website=iTunes |date=12 August 2011 |access-date=29 February 2012}} and the rest of the world on 15 August 2011 except Australia and New Zealand where it was released on 19 August 2011{{cite news |url=http://www.thisisnero.com/%E2%80%98welcome-reality%E2%80%99-release-date-track-listing-and-artwork-announced/ |title='Welcome Reality' release date, track listing and art work announced |publisher=Nero |date=20 June 2011 |access-date=24 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718005414/http://www.thisisnero.com/%E2%80%98welcome-reality%E2%80%99-release-date-track-listing-and-artwork-announced/ |archive-date=18 July 2011 |url-status=dead }} on Chase & Status's MTA Records.{{cite journal |url=http://www.rwdmag.com/2011/04/nero-to-release-their-debut-album-welcome-to-reality-in-august |title=Nero To Release Their Debut Album Welcome To Reality in August |last=Sigel |first=Tego |journal=RWDmag |date=11 April 2011 |access-date=29 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110625073804/http://www.rwdmag.com/2011/04/nero-to-release-their-debut-album-welcome-to-reality-in-august/ |archive-date=25 June 2011 |url-status=dead }} The album has sold 120,000 copies in the United States as of July 2015.{{cite magazine|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150704211824/http://hitsdailydouble.com/new_album_releases |archive-date=4 July 2015 |url=http://hitsdailydouble.com/new_album_releases |title=Upcoming Releases |magazine=Hits Daily Double}}
Critical response
{{Album ratings
| MC = 68/100{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/welcome-reality |title=Welcome Reality Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic |publisher=Metacritic|access-date=29 February 2012}}
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{AllMusic|id=r2228945|class=album|last=O'Brien|first=Jon}}
| rev2 = Clash
| rev2score = 4/10{{cite web|url=http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/nero-welcome-reality |title=Nero - Welcome Reality | Clash Music Latest Album Review |work=Clash |date=15 August 2011 |access-date=29 February 2012}}
| rev3 = The Guardian
| rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite news|author=Alexis Petridis |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/aug/04/nero-welcome-reality-review |title=Nero: Welcome Reality - review | Music |newspaper=The Guardian |date= 4 August 2011|access-date=29 February 2012 |location=London}}
| rev4 = MusicOMH
| rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.musicomh.com/albums/nero_0811.htm |title=Nero - Welcome Reality | album reviews |magazine=musicOMH |access-date=29 February 2012}}
| rev5 = PopMatters
| rev5score = 7/10{{cite web|last=Schiller |first=Mike |url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/152733-nero-welcome-reality/ |title=Nero: Welcome Reality < PopMatters |website=PopMatters |access-date=29 February 2012}}
| rev6 = Spin
| rev6score = 7/10{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/reviews/nero-welcome-reality-mta |title=Nero, 'Welcome Reality' (MTA) |work=Spin|access-date=29 February 2012}}
}}
Welcome Reality has received generally positive reviews. Spin gave the album a score of 7/10, and wrote, "Alana Watson gives Nero's robotic skronk a rare injection of humanity, and the U.K. producers are smart enough to build most of their debut full-length around her husky voice, skipping the sampled spasticity of Skrillex in favor of Daft Punk's melodic big beat, '80s-inspired electro, and stadium-sized mash-ups of squealing guitar and windy synths." Jeff Weiss, for the Los Angeles Times, found the album to be "As effective as it is predictable", stating "Welcome Reality will inevitably soundtrack thousands of summer and fall blowouts".{{cite news|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2011/08/album-review-neros-welcome-reality.html |title=Album Review: Nero's 'Welcome Reality' |website=Latimesblogs.latimes.com |date=2 August 2011 |access-date=29 February 2012}} The album was not well received by Clash, who stated that "Welcome Reality is so in your face and predictable it feels like the musical equivalent of a Michael Bay movie: loud, crass, periodically fun, but ultimately forgettable".
Track listing
{{Track listing
|headline = Welcome Reality track listing
|title1 =2808
|length1=1:53
|title2 =Doomsday
|length2=4:12
|title3 =My Eyes
|length3=4:41
|title4 =Guilt
|length4=4:43
|title5 =Fugue State
|length5=3:35
|title6 =Me and You
|length6=4:08
|title7 =Innocence
|length7=5:08
|title8 =In the Way
|length8=3:57
|title9 =Scorpions
|length9=5:56
|title10=Crush on You
|length10=4:10
|title11=Must Be the Feeling
|length11=4:03
|title12 =Reaching Out
|length12=4:45
|title13 =Promises
|length13=4:17
|title14 =Departure
|length14=5:34
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = iTunes deluxe edition bonus tracks{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/welcome-reality-deluxe-version/447067810 |title=iTunes - Music - Welcome Reality (Deluxe Version) by Nero |website=iTunes |date=12 August 2011 |access-date=29 February 2012}}
| extra_column =
| total_length =
| title15 = Angst
| note15 = inspired by Justice
| length15 = 4:51
| title16 = Welcome Reality VIP
| length16 = 4:27
| title17 = This Way
| note17 = album version
| length17 = 5:49
| title18 = New Life
| length18 = 4:33
| title19 = Choices
| note19 = album version
| length19 = 6:14
| title20 = Symphony 2808
| length20 = 17:34
| title21 = Symphony 2808
| note21 = Video
| length21 = 18:12
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Welcome Reality + bonus tracks{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Reality/dp/B009P3VFWK/ |title=Welcome Reality + |website=Amazon.com}}
| extra_column =
| total_length =
| title15 = Won't You (Be There)
| length15 = 4:03
| title16 = Etude
| length16 = 4:17
| title17 = Promises
| note17 = Skrillex and Nero Remix
| length17 = 4:28
}}
Charts
=Weekly charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+ Weekly chart performance for Welcome Reality ! scope="col"| Chart (2011–2012) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{album chart|Australia|12|artist=Nero|album=Welcome Reality|rowheader=true|accessdate=4 January 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Flanders|29|artist=Nero|album=Welcome Reality|rowheader=true|accessdate=4 January 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Ireland2|52|artist=Nero|rowheader=true|accessdate=4 January 2021}} |
| {{album chart|New Zealand|32|artist=Nero|album=Welcome Reality|rowheader=true|accessdate=4 January 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Scotland|2|date=20110821|rowheader=true|accessdate=4 January 2021}} |
| {{album chart|Switzerland|88|artist=Nero|album=Welcome Reality|rowheader=true|accessdate=4 January 2021}} |
| {{album chart|UK2|1|date=20110821|rowheader=true|accessdate=4 January 2021}} |
| {{album chart|UKDance|1|date=20110821|rowheader=true|accessdate=4 January 2021}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardHeatseekers|6|artist=Nero|rowheader=true|accessdate=4 January 2021}} |
| scope="row"| US Top Current Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/nero/chart-history/tcl/|title=Nero Chart History: Current Album Sales|magazine=Billboard|url-access=subscription |access-date=4 January 2021}}
|align=center|178 |
|---|
| {{album chart|BillboardDanceElectronic|6|artist=Nero|rowheader=true|accessdate=4 January 2021}} |
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Year-end chart performance for Welcome Reality ! scope="col"| Chart (2011) ! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| UK Albums (OCC){{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/end-of-year-artist-albums-chart/20110109/37502/|title=End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2011|publisher=Official Charts Company|accessdate=24 January 2021}}
|align=center|98 |
|---|
| scope="col"| Chart (2012)
! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| UK Albums (OCC){{cite web|url=http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/UKChartsPlusEOY2012.pdf|title=End of Year 2012|work=UKChartsPlus|accessdate=24 January 2021}}
|align=center|186 |
| scope="row"| US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2012/dance-electronic-albums|title=Top Dance/Electronic Albums – Year-End 2012|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=4 October 2021}}
|align=center|16 |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Welcome Reality}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|type=album|award=Gold|relyear=2011|certyear=2012|access-date=4 January 2021}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|type=album|award=Gold|artist=Nero|title=Welcome Reality|relyear=2011|certyear=2020|source=radioscope|access-date=20 January 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|award=Gold|artist=Nero|title=Welcome Reality|relyear=2011|certyear=2011|id=8788-2394-2|access-date=4 January 2021}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|streaming=true}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Nero}}
{{Authority control}}