Anastacia is the third studio album by American singer Anastacia. It was released on March 29, 2004, by Epic Records.
Primarily a pop, power pop and rock album,
The album was never released in Anastacia's native United States, despite plans for an August 30, 2005, release, which was ultimately canceled for unknown reasons. Years later, however, it was officially released in the United States digitally. Anastacia promoted the album with television performances and interviews. To further promote the album, Anastacia embarked on the Live at Last Tour in 2004, her first headlining tour.
Background
In January 2003, Anastacia had discovered that she had breast cancer when she was preparing for breast reduction surgery due to orthopedic reasons. Anastacia subsequently established the Anastacia Fund through The Breast Cancer Research Foundation to promote awareness of breast cancer amongst younger women.
After this traumatic experience, Anastacia entered recording studios in September 2003 to record the Anastacia album with Glen Ballard, Dallas Austin, and Dave Stewart for release in 2004. Anastacia was after more of a rock feel on the album, as noted in tracks such as "Seasons Change", "Time", and "I Do" (which features Sonny Sandoval from P.O.D.).
Anastacia explained on her website that her illness made it more difficult to record the album:
<blockquote>
"... the experience was not pleasant. I usually look for the bright side of things, but so far nothing about making this record was positive for me. My doctor told me I'd be tired, not stupid. I could not focus on anything. I'd write a verse and then I couldn't write the chorus or I'd write the chorus but couldn't write the bridge. I couldn't talk, I couldn't think straight, I was totally out of it. The doctors said I'd be tired—but of course I had insomnia. It was tough..."
</blockquote>
She struggled through the process to finish the album for release in March 2004.
Promotion
Anastacia spawned several single. The album's lead single "Left Outside Alone" peaked at number one in Australia, Austria, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland, and reaching the top five in several other countries and on the European Hot 100 Singles chart. The album also spawned another three singles: "Sick and Tired", "Welcome to My Truth", and "Heavy on My Heart". "Sick and Tired" was the most successful of the three, charting inside the top five across numerous European nations, almost matching the success of "Left Outside Alone". "Welcome to My Truth" earned Anastacia her best-selling single ever in Spain and gained moderate European airplay and sales success, while "Heavy on My Heart" fared slightly worse, while proceeds from the single were donated to the Anastacia Fund.
Critical reception
AllMusic editor Matthew Chisling rated the album four and a half out of five stars. He called Anastacia a "transition album for a multi-dimensional artist as she shifted from disco flavor into passionate power pop [...] Packed with pop numbers that overlay into rock and soul, Anastacia envelops the listener into a painstaking reality that horrified the singer [...] Overall, Anastacia is truly an artist's record, where listeners get a bird's eye view into the minds of a covertly dark Anastacia whose musical imagination is finally allowed to blossomed due to the catalytic effect of a terrible tragedy that overcame her." The album spent seven consecutive weeks at number one on Billboards European Top 100 Albums chart in April and May 2004, before reclaiming the spot once more in July that year. In the United Kingdom opened atop the UK Albums Chart, selling 87,000 units in its first week of release.
| title1 = The Making of Anastacia
| title2 = 2002 Europe Promo Tour
| title3 = Photo Gallery
Notes
- <sup></sup> signifies an additional producer
- <sup></sup> signifies a remixer
Charts
Weekly charts
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Weekly chart performance for Anastacia
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (2004)
! scope="col"| Peak<br>position
|-
|-
|-
|-
|-
! scope="row"| Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)
| 3
|-
|-
|-
! scope="row"| European Albums (Billboard)
| 1
|-
|-
|-
|-
! scope="row"| Greek International Albums (IFPI)
| 11
|-
! scope="row"| Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)
| 2
|-
|-
|-
|}
Monthly charts
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Monthly chart performance for Anastacia
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (2004)
! scope="col"| Peak<br>position
|-
! scope="row"| Russian Albums (NFPF)
| 4
|-
|}
Year-end charts
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ 2004 year-end chart performance for Anastacia
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (2004)
! scope="col"| Position
|-
! scope="row"| Australian Albums (ARIA)
| 14
|-
! scope="row"| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)
| 2
|-
! scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)
| 6
|-
! scope="row"| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)
| 38
|-
! scope="row"| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)
| 2
|-
! scope="row"| European Albums (Billboard)
| 2
|-
! scope="row"| Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)
| 21
|-
! scope="row"| French Albums (SNEP)
| 46
|-
! scope="row"| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)
| 1
|-
! scope="row"| Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)
| 32
|-
! scope="row"| Irish Albums (IRMA)
| 18
|-
! scope="row"| Italian Albums (FIMI)
| 8
|-
! scope="row"|Portuguese Albums (AFP)
| 9
|-
! scope="row"| Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)
| 8
|-
! scope="row"| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)
| 11
|-
! scope="row"| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)
| 1
|-
! scope="row"| UK Albums (OCC)
| 6
|-
! scope="row"| Worldwide Albums (IFPI)
| 15
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ 2005 year-end chart performance for Anastacia
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (2005)
! scope="col"| Position
|-
! scope="row"| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)
| 99
|-
! scope="row"| French Albums (SNEP)
| 161
|-
! scope="row"| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)
| 55
|-
! scope="row"| Italian Albums (FIMI)
| 99
|-
! scope="row"| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)
| 94
|}
Decade-end charts
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Decade-end chart performance for Anastacia
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (2000–2009)
! scope="col"| Position
|-
! scope="row"| UK Albums (OCC)
| 99
|}