Inspiration, originally planned to be True Idol, is the debut full-length studio album by William Hung, a former hopeful American Idol contestant. The album was recorded at Fantasy Studios and released by Koch Entertainment, now Entertainment One in 2004, after his audition. Although the album was commercially successful, it received a highly negative critical reception due to Hung's poor vocals and the sound of the karaoke tracks used on the album.
Development
The album was recorded following the early 2004 broadcast of his failed Idol audition where Hung, a 20-year-old civil engineering student, received notoriety and a cult following due to an enthusiastic yet mediocre performance of "She Bangs". When rejected for advancement, he kept a positive attitude and proclaimed he'd done his best and had "no regrets".
The album released on April 6, 2004, by Koch Entertainment, now Entertainment One. The album was recorded the weekend of March 6, 2004, with Hung singing vocals over digital MIDI music, with real musicians occasionally playing as well. The album was put together in 5 weeks. and peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Independent Album chart. The album was the fifth best seller at Trans World stores, and at Tower Records was No. 14, behind Modest Mouse. The album has sold a total of 200,000 copies.
Critical reception
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Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave Inspiration one star out of five, but adding it was still worth a chuckle or two for those wanting a laugh, "since it has some of the worst singing ever captured on record". He also said that the album should have been a four-track single or extended play, because "there are really only four tracks of note and that's about all that anybody could take of this anyway."
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