PCD

Background and recording

The Pussycat Dolls were created by choreographer Robin Antin and her roommate Christina Applegate in 1993 after inviting several dancers to explore Antin's idea of classic Las Vegas-style burlesque and give it a more contemporary spin. In 1995, the group began performing every Thursday at Johnny Depp's Los Angeles club, the Viper Room. In 2002, Gwen Stefani was invited to sing and perform with the Dolls by Carmit Bachar (The only member of the Burlesque Troupe to go on to become a member of the recording group) and brought along Interscope Geffen A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine and then-president of A&M Records; both took interest into turning it into a singing group. In 2003, Antin struck a joint venture with Interscope Records to develop the Pussycat Dolls into a brand, with Iovine assigning the project to Fair. Fair stated that he wanted to create an album which would "involve music and visuals". He explained that "there's going to be some technological changes as well as creative changes in the way we go about it." The auditions drew about 500 aspiring performers, of which two singers—Nicole Scherzinger and Melody Thornton—were recruited, joining Carmit Bachar, Ashley Roberts, Jessica Sutta and Kimberly Wyatt to form a new recording group. Fair stated that even though "there were some adequate voices in the original group," Scherzinger and Thornton where needed "to bring the ability." In 2004, they recorded "We Went as Far as We Felt Like Going" for the Shark Tale soundtrack and recorded their own version of "Sway", which was released as single to promote the movie Shall We Dance?.

At the suggestion of Doug Morris—then chairman of Universal Music Group, "Don't Cha", which was originally recorded by Tori Alamaze and became a minor success on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, was given to the Pussycat Dolls as the label was trying to reinvent the girl group. While "Don't Cha" became an international success worldwide, an album had not been recorded yet. Fair stated, "we scrambled, got into formation" and worked on the album within 30 days at The Record Plant in Hollywood, California. According to Scherzinger, they took the time to put out the best record possible. She further explained that they were very selective with their songs and producers. As one of the executive producers, Fair enlisted a wide range of songwriters and producers for PCD, including CeeLo Green, Rich Harrison, Timbaland, and will.i.am. While searching for songs for the album, an A&R at Interscope Records and friend of Siobhan Fahey, a founding member of the girl group Bananarama, played to Iovine the song "Bitter Pill", which was included on Shakespears Sister's Songs from the Red Room (2009). After Fahey emailed the backing track to the label, it was radically altered and became "Hot Stuff (I Want You Back)", as they sampled Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff" in the chorus. Although Fahey did not like the group's version, financially she was delighted as it helped her fund her recordings.

Music and lyrics

Inspired by the chorus of "Swass" by Sir Mix-a-Lot, CeeLo Green wrote and produced the opening track, "Don't Cha"; using "controlled and competent" vocals, the protagonist taunts a "hapless man" in the chorus because his girlfriend is inferior to her. "Don't Cha" also features "garrulous" rap vocals by Busta Rhymes. "Beep", featuring will.i.am, veers from orchestral pop to a "loping and downplayed funk groove" with elements of 1980s pop music. The staccato-like chorus incorporates bleep censors that hides risqué lyrical parts and rejects objectification. It interpolates the song "Evil Woman" by the British rock band Electric Light Orchestra. "Wait a Minute" features Timbaland, with whom the Pussycat Dolls have a "boy-girl give-and-take". It also includes "sassy handclaps". In the pop ballad "Stickwitu", the group celebrates monogamous relationships. "Buttons" is a hip hop-influenced pop and R&B track featuring "snaky synths" over a Middle Eastern rhythm. Its lyrics "fits right into the burlesque strip tease performances" that the Pussycat Dolls originated from.

The post-disco "I Don't Need a Man" shares feminist themes with "Beep", and sees the group expressing disinterest in co-dependency towards a male partner. "Hot Stuff (I Want You Back)", contains elements of "Hot Stuff" by Donna Summer. The song is a "throwback mock disco" with elements of electropop. "How Many Times, How Many Lies" is a downtempo ballad which sees Scherzinger lamenting. "Bite the Dust" uses "dramatic" strings and was compared to the works of Destiny's Child. "Right Now" is a Broadway-influenced big band track. The track incorporates accentuated horns and congas, which pay homage to Shirley Bassey. Similarly to British duo Soft Cell, the group recorded a medley of Gloria Jones' "Tainted Love" (1965) and the Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go" (1964). The track was noted for utilizing elements of Soft Cell's "synth pop classic". The standard edition's closing track, a cover of Nina Simone's "Feeling Good", was described as a "faux-jazz" version of the original song.

Marketing and touring

The Pussycat Dolls began promoting PCD with live performances as early as 2004. They performed "Tainted Love" with Carmen Electra on VH1 Divas on April 18, 2004, as their US televised performance debut. The song was also performed at the annual charity fundraiser Fashion Rocks on September 8, and with "Sway" on The Late Late Show on October 20. "Buttons" was performed for the first time on New Year's Eve with Carson Daly on December 31, 2004. On April 9, 2005, the Pussycat Dolls performed at the opening of their lounge at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, accompanied by Eva Longoria and Busta Rhymes. "Don't Cha" was released as their debut single, and the lead single from PCD, on April 19, 2005. It was performed at KIIS-FM's annual festival Wango Tango on May 14; Brandee J. Tecson of MTV News commented: "Like a lot of the day's performers, the Dolls were newcomers to the Wango stage, but ended the night like veterans." By peaking at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reaching number one in 12 countries, "Don't Cha" became the Pussycat Dolls' breakthrough hit, and one of the biggest hits of 2005 worldwide. The song was subsequently performed at the 2005 Teen Choice Awards on August 14.

PCD was released on September 12, 2005 in the UK, and the following day in the US, by A&M Records. Though "Beep" had been slated for release as the album's second single, it was replaced by "Stickwitu", which was released on September 26. "Stickwitu" reached number five on the US Billboard Hot 100, and became the group's second consecutive number-one single in New Zealand and the UK. On November 4, the group performed "Don't Cha" in a house-influenced remixed form at the 2005 MTV Europe Music Awards in Lisbon, Portugal. The group then embarked on a promotional tour in Sydney, Australia on November 6, encompassing appearances on Australian Idol and at a Dolly party, alongside radio, television and print interviews. On December 6, the Pussycat Dolls performed "Don't Cha", "Stickwitu", and "Wait a Minute" at the annual KIIS-FM Jingle Ball in Los Angeles, with some members wearing "festive candy-cane-striped belly shirts and red-and-green capri pants". The group performed "Stickwitu" at the Radio Music Awards on December 19, with its B-side "Santa Baby", being accompanied by Snoop Dogg for the latter, and with "Don't Cha" on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve on December 31, 2005. "Don't Cha" and "Sway" were performed during the results show of Dancing with the Stars on January 27, 2006.

On February 6, 2006, "Beep" was issued as the third single from PCD. It peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and number two in the UK, also becoming the group's third consecutive number-one single in New Zealand. As the supporting act for the Black Eyed Peas, the Pussycat Dolls toured the US during the Honda Civic Tour from March to May 2006, and the UK during The Monkey Business Tour throughout June. A remix of "Buttons" featuring Snoop Dogg was released as the fourth single on April 11. It became a worldwide hit, reaching number three on the US Billboard Hot 100, and number one in Austria, Hungary, and New Zealand. The song was performed on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on May 18, on Good Morning America's Summer Concert Series on June 30, with "Don't Cha" and "Stickwitu", on So You Think You Can Dance on July 13, at Fashion Rocks with rapper Jibbs on September 8, and at the American Music Awards of 2006 on November 21. "I Don't Need a Man" was released as the fifth international single from PCD on September 25, while "Wait a Minute" was issued in the US on October 16. The former reached the top 10 in countries such as Australia, Belgium, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the UK, while the latter peaked at number 28 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Critical reception

On release, PCD was met with a mixed critical response. Its sonic quality and dance-oriented material elicited praise from critics such as those of The Ledger and AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine, though both identified the album as a solo effort by Scherzinger with minimal input from other members. Writing for USA Today, Elysa Gardner hailed "infectious hooks and grooves" on standout tracks such as "Stickwitu" and "I Don't Need a Man". Conversely, IGN's Spence D. was more receptive of the jazz-influenced "retro" tracks "Right Now" and "Feelin' Good", describing the remainder of the record as a "mélange of innocuous pop-cum-R&B studio crafted fluff". Linda McGee from RTÉ emphasized the Pussycat Dolls' range, regarding both vocal talent and "distinctive" tracks, on a "[s]lick, energetic and market-driven" debut. In his "Consumer Guide", Robert Christgau gave the album a one-star honorable mention, indicating "a worthy effort consumers attuned to its overriding aesthetic or individual vision may well like"; he selected "Beep" and "Wait a Minute" as highlights.

Inclusion of covers and ballads on PCD elicited particular criticism. Raymond Fiore of Entertainment Weekly and BBC's Lisa Haines both lambasted "Hot Stuff (I Want You Back)" and "Tainted Love"/"Where Did Our Love Go", but commended the group's vocal performance throughout the album. Erlewine expressed disappointment with ballads such as "Stickwitu", which he said "undercuts the joyous carnal celebration" of the up-tempo tracks. Darryl Sterdan of Winnipeg Sun dismissed the "embarrassing" covers and "overcooked" balladry, further criticizing the group's lack of involvement in songwriting. In Blender, Josh Eells compared the covers' sound to "the after-dinner show on a Carnival cruise". Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani wrote that "though sufficiently un-icky", the ballads were "still difficult to take seriously" due to the album's sexually provocative themes on songs such as "Buttons". Albeit complimentary towards the first half of PCD, Chuck Arnold and Ralph Novak of People remarked that the second half saw the group "stumble badly on a few remakes". Despite the critical polarity, "Stickwitu" earned a nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards (2007). In a retrospective review ahead of the 20th anniversary of PCD, The Recording Academy's Jon O'Brien reflected on the covers more positively, writing that the Pussycat Dolls "gave several classics new life" with their "empowering spin".

Commercial performance

PCD debuted and peaked at number five on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 99,000 copies, according to data compiled by Nielsen SoundScan for the chart dated October 1, 2005. It also debuted at number eight on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. On its 45th week the album reentered the top-ten on the chart dated July 26, 2006 and remained in the top-ten for a final time the following week at number nine. PCD was released amidst an era of stagnant album sales due to the emergence of digital and physical piracy and a shift in consumer interest. The album managed to remain within the top 50 for 59 non-consecutive weeks due to the strength of its first four singles, earning them a reputation among the century's few breakout success. Geoff Mayfield, former analyst and director of Billboard charts, commented that this type of success does not happen often. "It's unusual for any act to get as many as four hits off an album anymore. For much of this decade, it's been a real challenge to get a third or even a second hit. And that's not just for new artists. That's for established artists too." As of September 2008, PCD has sold nearly three million copies in the US and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the album double platinum, which denotes shipments of two million copies.

In the United Kingdom, the album entered the UK Albums Chart at number eight, as its lead single, registered its second week atop the UK Singles Chart. With sales of 23,900, PCD was the second highest new entry on the chart that week. After 12 weeks of being outside the top ten, PCD reached number ten on the chart dated December 12, 2005, due to the success of "Stickwitu", which remained atop the UK Singles Chart and helped the album improve its week-to-week sales. The release of the album's fourth single "Buttons" helped the album increase sales for six consecutive weeks, setting a new peak of seven. In June 2019, The Official Charts Company compiled a list with the 40 best-selling albums by female groups of the last 25 years. With sales surpassing 1.3 million copies, PCD is the fourth best-selling album in the UK. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) certified the album four times platinum for selling 1.2 million copies. In Ireland, 42 weeks after its debut, PCD peaked at number seven in the final week of June 2006.

In mainland Europe PCD performed moderately at the beginning, debuting at number 12 in Germany, 14 in Portugal, 18 in Austria, 26 in Denmark, 35 in Norway, 39 in Finland, 43 in France, 55 in Italy and Sweden, 76 in the Netherlands, 72 in Spain, 92 in Belgium (Flanders), 97 in Belgium (Wallonia), on their respective local album charts. In 2006, PCD improved its chart positions, entering the top-10 in Belgium (Flanders), Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway, and top-twenty in Portugal, Belgium (Wallonia), and Denmark. The album was certified gold in Austria (IFPI), France (SNEP), Norway (IFPI), and Switzerland (IFPI), platinum in Belgium (BEA) and the Netherlands (NVPI), and double platinum in Germany (BVMI). In Belgium, PCD won the 2006 TMF Award for Best International Album, based on its popularity in the country.

Track listing

Notes

^[a] signifies an additional producer

^[b] signifies a vocal producer

^[c] signifies an incidental producer

^[d] signifies a co-producer

^[e] signifies "Tainted Love" beat producer

^[f] signifies a retrospectively credited songwriter

Track 13 originally appeared on international pressings.

Track 14 originally appeared on Latin American and select Asian pressings, as well as international revised pressings.

Track 15 originally appeared on UK pressings.

UK special edition pressings and the expanded edition include tracks 13–15. Japanese pressings additionally include track 17.

Taiwanese special edition pressings include a bonus DVD containing music videos for tracks 1, 2, 4, 5, and 13.

Tour edition pressings include a bonus disc containing tracks 13, 14, 16, and 18–20, alongside four ringtones.

PCD Forever deluxe edition includes a bonus disc containing tracks 13–15, 18, 21, and 22, alongside Charlotte Plank and Showmusik remixes of track 1, the Mary Droppinz remix of track 3, the J.Robb remix of track 4, Jason Nevins and Gudfella remixes of track 5, and the Sim0ne remix of track 6.

Sample credits

"Don't Cha" contains interpolations of "Swass" by Sir Mix-a-Lot.

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of PCD.

Technical