Never Been Better studio album by English recording artist Olly Murs . It was released through Epic Records on 21 November 2014 in Ireland and 24 November in the United Kingdom.[ 2]
Never Been Better peaked at number one on the UK Albums Chart making it his third consecutive number one album on the chart. The album has been certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry . The album reached the top-ten in Ireland, the top-twenty in Switzerland, and top-forty positions in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Norway. Never Been Better received generally mixed reviews from music critics, some praising Murs' more serious tone, while others felt that the album was unspectacular and safe.
On 2 October 2015, Murs announced on his Twitter account that he would release a special edition of Never Been Better on 20 November 2015 and the first single would be called "Kiss Me". Like Right Place Right Time: Special Edition , this album will feature extra tracks and a tour DVD.
In July 2013, Murs revealed that he had been back in the studio writing and recording new material for his fourth album, due to be released in Summer 2014. In February 2014, it was revealed that work had begun on his fourth studio album. He has been working with Wayne Hector , Claude Kelly , Steve Robson and Demi Lovato .[ 3] Never Been Better and also announced the track list alongside it. The album was released on 24 November 2014.
"Wrapped Up " was released as the lead single from the album on 16 November 2014. The song peaked at #3 on the UK Singles Chart , which earned Murs another top five single.
"Up ", which features vocals from Demi Lovato was released as the second single from the album on 4 January 2015. The single peaked at #4 on the UK Singles Chart and has since gone Platinum in the United Kingdom.
"Seasons " was released as the third single on 27 March 2015. The single made it to the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart.
"Beautiful to Me " was released as fourth single on 28 May 2015.[ 4] [ 5]
"Kiss Me " was released as the first single from the reissued special edition of the album on 9 October 2015.[ 6]
"Stevie Knows" was released as the promotional single on 11 December 2015 from the album reissued special edition.[ 7]
Reviews for Never Been Better were mixed. Writing for 4music .com, Jessica Lever gave the album a 4/5 score,[ 12] The Telegraph Neil McCormick wrote: "Unexpected collaborations only expose how ordinary the X Factor runner-up is."[ 13] The Guardian Paul Weller ) is, by some distance, the best thing here."[ 14] Trucking ' s regular music reviews, writing (in a 1 of 5 stars review), "Yet another album by yet another X-Factor also-ran... And one that came second to the most forgettable winner of all... I realise it's risking social ostracisation by anybody under 13 for expressing these views, but this is without doubt the most uninspired, tedious collective of pop pap I've heard all year".[ 15]
Never Been Better – Standard version [ 17] Title Writer(s) Producer(s) 1. "Did You Miss Me?" 3:16 2. "Wrapped Up " (featuring Travie McCoy ) Robson 3:05 3. "Beautiful to Me "
Johnson
Kyle Moorman[a]
Brandon Paddock[a] 4:05 4. "Up " (featuring Demi Lovato ) 3:44 5. "Seasons " 3:37 6. "Nothing Without You" TMS 3:34 7. "Never Been Better"
Murs
Barnes
Kelleher
Kohn
Hector TMS 4:16 8. "Hope You Got What You Came For" Robson 3:25 9. "Why Do I Love You" TMS 3:42 10. "Stick with Me" Mac 3:37 11. "Can't Say No" 3:10 12. "Tomorrow" Robson 3:38 13. "Let Me In" Weller 4:03 Total length: 47:12
Never Been Better – deluxe version [ 18] Title Writer(s) Producer(s) 14. "We Still Love" Robson 3:15 15. "Us Against the World" 3:27 16. "Ready for Love"
Murs
Scott
Matt Prime
Phil Cook Prime 3:26 17. "History" Robson 2:50 Total length: 60:10
Never Been Better – Mediamarkt bonus tracks [ 19] Title Writer(s) Producer(s) 18. "Alone Tonight"
Murs
Iyiola Babalola
Darren Lewis
Hector 3:28 19. "Wrapped Up" (featuring Travie McCoy; Westfunk radio mix) Robson 3:14 Total length: 66:52
Never Been Better – Japan bonus tracks [ 20] Title Writer(s) Producer(s) 18. "Alone Tonight"
Murs
Iyiola Babalola
Darren Lewis
Hector 19. "Wrapped Up" (featuring Travie McCoy; Westfunk radio mix) Robson 3:37 20. "Wrapped Up" (featuring Travie McCoy; Cahill radio mix) Robson 3:14 21. "Look at the Sky" Hachidai Nakamura Robson 3:27
Never Been Better – U.S. standard version [ 21] Title 1. "Did You Miss Me?" 3:16 2. "Wrapped Up" (featuring Travie McCoy) 3:05 3. "Beautiful to Me" 4:05 4. "Up" (featuring Demi Lovato) 3:44 5. "Seasons" 3:37 6. "Nothing Without You" 3:34 7. "Never Been Better" 4:16 8. "Hope You Got What You Came For" 3:25 9. "Stick With Me" 3:37 10. "Tomorrow" 3:38 11. "Let Me In" 4:03 Total length: 40:20
Never Been Better – U.S. deluxe version [ 22] Title 12. "Why Do I Love You" 3:42 13. "Ready for Love" 3:26 14. "History" 2:50 Total length: 50:18
^[a] ^[b] ^[c] ^[d] Unwrapped is a free live EP exclusive to Google Play . It was released on 12 December 2014.[ 23]
Credits for the album adapted from AllMusic .[ 24]
Vern Asbury – bass
John August – assistant engineer, background vocals
Simon Baggs – violin
Tom Barnes – drums, background vocals
Paulette Bayley – violin
Mark Berrow – violin
Chris Bishop – vocal engineer
Duck Blackwell – drum programming
Rachel Bolt – viola
Natalia Bonner – violin
Dan Book – vocal producer
John Bradbury – violin
Sarah Brandwood-spencer – violin
Karl Brazil – drums
Chris Briggs – A&R
Ian Burdge – celli
Gillon Cameron – violin
Paul Cassidy – viola
Emil Chakalov – violin
Simon Clarke – brass arrangement, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
Ben Collier – programming, string programming
Maegan Cottone – background vocals
Tom Coyne – mastering
Cutfather – producer
Rosie Danvers – cello, string arrangements
Daniel Davidsen – bass, drum programming, guitar, instrumentation, producer, programming
Alison Dods – violin
Ian Dowling – engineer
Jason Elliott – vocal engineer
Jason Evigan – engineer, horn arrangements, instrumentation, producer, programming, vocal producer
Fresh – beat box
Futurecut – additional production
Simon Gardner – brass, trumpet
Paul Gendler – guitar
Serban Ghenea – mixing
Susie Gillis – string contractor
Isobel Griffiths – string contractor
John Hanes – mixing
Mich Hansen – percussion
Peter Hanson – violin
Jacqueline Hartley – violin
Wayne Hector – background vocals
John Heley – celli
Richard Henry – trombone
George Hogg – trumpet
Kiris Houston – bass, guitar, organ, piano
Sally Jackson – violin
Bryony James – cello
Iain James – background vocals
Martin Johnson – engineer, guitars, instrumentation, percussion, piano, producer, programming, background vocals
Magnus Johnston – violin
Beverley Jones – double bass
Joe Kearns – engineer, vocal engineer
Paul Kegg – celli
Pete Kelleher – keyboards
Claude Kelly – background vocals
The Kick Horns – brass
Patrick Kiernan – strings, violin
Ben Kohn – guitar, percussion, background vocals
Boguslaw Kostecki – violin
Jan "Stan" Kybert – engineer
Peter Lale – viola
Oliver Langford – violin
Chris Laws – drums, engineer, mixing
Julian Leaper – violin
Fiona Legget – viola
Anthony Lewis – celli
Vicki Lewis – string contractor
David Liddell – trombone
Ryan Lipman – mixing assistant
Demi Lovato – featured artist
Martin Loveday – celli
Jacob Luttrell – background vocals
Steve Mac – brass arrangement, keyboards, producer, string arrangements
Wil Malone – string arrangements, string conductor
Travie McCoy – featured artist
Jim McLeod – violin
Sam Miller – engineer
Perry Montague-Mason – leader, strings, violin
Kyle Moorman – additional production, engineer, programming
Steve Morris – violin
Olly Murs – primary artist, lead vocals
Everton Nelson – violin
John Newman – background vocals
Serge Nudel – engineer
Emma Owens – viola
Brandon Paddock – additional production, bass, engineer, programming, background vocals
Kerenza Peacock – violin
Daniel Pierce – background vocals
Mike Posner – piano
Luke Potashnick – guitar
Dann Pursey – engineer, mixing assistant, percussion
David "DQ" Quinones – vocal producer
Charles Rees – engineer
Jonathan Rees – violin
Tom Rees-roberts – Brass
Alex Reeve – guitar
Rich Rich III – assistant engineer, vocal editing
Pierre-Luc Rioux – Guitar
Steve Robson – instrumentation, mixing, producer, string arrangements
Jenny Sacha – violin
Tim Sanders – brass arrangement, tenor saxophone
Frank Schaefer – celli
Jamie Scott – piano
Mary Scully – bass, double bass
Nick Seeley – horn arrangements, strings
Jackie Shave – violin
Emlyn Singleton – violin
Chris Stereo:Type – vocal engineer
Nick Taylor – engineer
Ryan Tedder – instrumentation, producer, programming, vocal engineer, background vocals
Issaiah Tejada – assistant engineer
TMS – producer
Christopher Tombling – violin
Tommy D. – producer
Matthew Tryba – assistant engineer
Nick Trygstad – cello
Yu Tsai – photography
Simon Turner – cello
David Venni – photography
Peter Wallevik – drum programming, instrumentation, keyboards, piano, producer, programming, background vocals
Allen Walley – bass, double bass
Leah Weller – background vocals
Paul Weller – guitar, piano, producer, background vocals
Jeremy Wheatley – mixing
Bruce White – viola
Pete Whitfield – transcription, violin
Deborah Widdup – violin
Josh Wilkinson – programming
The Wired Strings – strings
David Woodcock – violin
Chris Worsey – celli
Steve Wright – viola
Noel Zancanella – instrumentation, producer, programming
Joe Zook – mixing
Charts and certifications
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Never Been Better: Special Edition
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Never Been Better: Special Edition Released 20 November 2015 (2015-11-20 ) Recorded 2014–15 Genre Pop Length 71 :35 Label Producer
Never Been Better Never Been Better: Special Edition 24 Hrs
Never Been Better: (Special Edition) reissue of the album. It was released on 20 November 2015, through Epic Records and Syco Music. Never Been Better (Special Edition) features seven new tracks and a DVD, Olly Murs: Never Been Better Tour .
Never Been Better (Special Edition) — Standard version [ 43] Title Writer(s) Producer(s) 1. "Did You Miss Me?" 3:16 2. "Wrapped Up " (featuring Travie McCoy ) Robson 3:05 3. "Beautiful to Me "
Johnson
Kyle Moorman[a]
Brandon Paddock[a] 4:05 4. "Up " (featuring Demi Lovato ) 3:44 5. "Seasons " 3:37 6. "Nothing Without You" TMS 3:34 7. "Never Been Better"
Murs
Barnes
Kelleher
Kohn
Hector TMS 4:16 8. "Hope You Got What You Came For" Robson 3:25 9. "Why Do I Love You" TMS 3:42 10. "Stick with Me" Mac 3:37 11. "Can't Say No" 3:10 12. "Tomorrow" Robson 3:38 13. "Let Me In" Weller 4:03 14. "Kiss Me " 3:18 15. "Stevie Knows " 3:11 16. "If I Stay"
Murs
Johnson
Sam Hollander 3:49 17. "Sacrifice" Robson 2:45 18. "Love Shouldn't Be This Hard" Gad 3:40 19. "Up" (featuring Ella Eyre ) (Live Lounge )
Hector
Davidsen
Cottone
Wallevik
Hansen 3:44 20. "Last Christmas " (Live Lounge) 3:56 Total length: 71:35
Never Been Better: Special Edition – Never Been Better Tour DVD Title 1. "Intro" 2. "Did You Miss Me?" 3. "Right Place Right Time" 4. "Why Do I Love You" 5. "Hey You Beautiful" 6. "Hand on Heart" 7. "Never Been Better" 8. "Seasons" 9. "Thinking of Me"/"Busy"/"Please Don't Let Me Go" (Piano section) 10. "Hope You Got What You Came For" 11. "Heart Skips a Beat" 12. "Up" (featuring Ella Eyre) 13. "Dance with Me Tonight" 14. "Let Me In" 15. "Dear Darlin'" 16. "Beautiful to Me" 17. "Troublemaker" (featuring Robbie WillIiams) 18. "Nothing Without You" 19. "Wrapped Up"/"Treasure" 20. "Wrapped Up" (Instrumental)
^ "iTunes – Music – Seasons (Remixes) by Olly Murs" . Retrieved 28 April 2015 .^ "Olly Murs Announces New Album 'Never Been Better' AND A New Song!" . Capital FM ^ "Exclusive blog from the studio! – The latest news from Olly Murs" . Sony Music Email . Archived from the original on 6 February 2014.^ "Beautiful to Me (Remixes) – Single by Olly Murs" . iTunes Store (GB).^ Moss, Liv (5 May 2015). "Olly Murs announces new single Beautiful To Me" . officialcharts.com . The Official Charts Company . Retrieved 7 May 2015 . ^ "iTunes – Music – Kiss Me – Single by Olly Murs" . iTunes Store (GB).^ "iTunes – Music – Stevie Knows – Single by Olly Murs" . iTunes Store (GB).^ Collar, Matt. "Never Been Better - Olly Murs: Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards" . AllMusic. Retrieved 26 February 2015 . ^ Davidson, Amy (22 November 2014). "Olly Murs: Never Been Better - album review" . Digital Spy. Retrieved 26 February 2015 . ^ Simpson, Dave (20 November 2014). "Olly Murs: Never Been Better review - fleeting moments of raw humanity" . The Guardian . Retrieved 21 March 2015 . ^ McCormick, Neil (24 November 2014). "Olly Murs, Never Been Better, review: 'old-fashioned tunefulness' . The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 March 2015 . ^ Lever, Jessica (20 November 2014). "Olly Murs: Never Been Better - album review" . 4Music. Archived from the original on 11 January 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2015 . ^ McCormick, Neil (24 November 2014). "Olly Murs: Never Been Better - album review" . The Telegraph . Retrieved 5 August 2015 . ^ Simpson, Dave (20 November 2014). "Olly Murs: Never Been Better - album review" . The Guardian . Retrieved 5 August 2015 . ^ Connors, Shaun (June 2015). "Review: Olly Murs – Never Been Better ". Trucking . Cudham , England: Kelsey Publishing Group: 43. ^ Jones, Alan (1 December 2014). "Official Charts analysis: Olly Murs becomes second X Factor graduate to score three No.1s" . Music Week . Retrieved 6 December 2014 . ^ "iTunes (U.K.) – Music – Olly Murs – Never Been Better" . iTunes (U.K.) . 21 November 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2015 .^ "iTunes (U.K.) – Music – Olly Murs – Never Been Better (Deluxe Edition)" . iTunes (U.K.) . 21 November 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2015 .^ "Mediamrkt – Music – Olly Murs – Never Been Better (Special Edition)" . Mediamarkt . 21 November 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2015 .^ "iTunes (JP) – Music – Olly Murs – Never Been Better (Japan Version)" . iTunes (JP) . 14 January 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015 .^ "iTunes (U.S.) – Music – Olly Murs – Never Been Better" . iTunes (U.S.) . 10 March 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2015 .^ "Music – Olly Murs – Never Been Better (Deluxe)" . iTunes (U.S.). 10 March 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2015 .^ "Olly Murs: Unwrapped – EP – Music on Google Play" . Google Play .^ "Never Been Better – Credits" . AllMusic . Retrieved 18 April 2015 .^ "Australiancharts.com – Olly Murs – Never Been Better" . Hung Medien. Retrieved 29 November 2014.^ "Austriancharts.at – Olly Murs – Never Been Better" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 December 2014.^ "Ultratop.be – Olly Murs – Never Been Better" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 December 2014.^ "Danishcharts.dk – Olly Murs – Never Been Better" . Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 December 2014.^ "Olly Murs: Never Been Better" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland . Retrieved 25 January 2015.
^ "Officialcharts.de – Olly Murs – Never Been Better" . GfK Entertainment Charts . Retrieved 9 December 2014.^ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 48, 2014" . Chart-Track . IRMA . Retrieved 28 November 2014.^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Olly Murs – Never Been Better" . Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2015.^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100" . Official Charts Company . Retrieved 30 November 2014.^ "Swedishcharts.com – Olly Murs – Never Been Better" . Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2015.^ "Swisscharts.com – Olly Murs – Never Been Better" . Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 December 2014.^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100" . Official Charts Company . Retrieved 30 November 2014.^ "Olly Murs Chart History (Billboard 200)" . Billboard ^ Lane, Daniel (1 January 2016). "End of Year Album Chart Top100 - 2015" . Official Charts Company . ^ Lane, Daniel (1 January 2015). "End of Year Album Chart Top100 - 2014" . Official Charts Company . ^ Copsey, Rob (11 December 2019). "The UK's Official Top 100 biggest albums of the decade" . Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 December 2019 . ^ Jones, Alan (18 November 2016). "Official Charts Analysis: Olly Murs fifth album debuts at No.1" Music Week . Retrieved 17 December 2016 . ^ "British album certifications – Olly Murs – Right Place Right Time" . British Phonographic Industry .^ "Never Been Better Special Edition by Olly Murs: Amazon.co.uk: Music" . Amazon UK.
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