Funhouse (Pink Album)
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''Funhouse'' is the fifth
studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...
by American singer and songwriter
Pink Pink is a pale tint of red, the color of the Dianthus plumarius, pink flower. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, p ...
, released by
LaFace Records LaFace Records was an American record label based in Atlanta, Georgia, that operated as a unit of Sony Music Entertainment from 2008 to 2011 and was historically a part of Bertelsmann Music Group from 1989 to 2004. It was most active and achiev ...
and
Jive Records Jive Records (later stylized as JIVE Records) was a British-American independent record label founded by Clive Calder in 1981 as a subsidiary of the Zomba Group of Companies, Zomba Group. In the US, the label had offices in New York City and Chic ...
in Europe on October 24, 2008, and on October 28 in the United States. A
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop! (British group), a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Album ...
and
pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre and form of rock music characterized by a strong commercial appeal, with more emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than standard rock musi ...
record, ''Funhouse'' was inspired by Pink's separation from her husband,
Carey Hart Carey Jason Phillip Hart (born July 17, 1975) is an American off-road racing, off-road truck racer, former professional Freestyle Motocross, freestyle motocross competitor, and former Motorcycle racing, motorcycle racer. He is known for ...
. To record the album, she enlisted her previous collaborators, such as
Billy Mann William Hort-Mann (né Isaiah Erlichman; born December 20, 1968) is an American record producer and songwriter. He is known for producing " 3 Is Family" by Dana Dawson in 1995 as well as ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top 40 hits such as " For You I ...
,
Butch Walker Bradley Glenn "Butch" Walker (born November 14, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He was lead guitarist for the glam metal band, SouthGang from the late 1980s to early 1990s. From 1997 to 2001, he became th ...
,
Max Martin Karl Martin Sandberg (born 26 February 1971),Max Martin
AllMusic
known professional ...
and MuchoPsycho, while also involving new
music producers A record producer or music producer is a music creating project's overall supervisor whose responsibilities can involve a range of creative and technical leadership roles. Typically the job involves hands-on oversight of recording sessions; ensu ...
and songwriters, such as Danja,
Jimmy Harry Jimmy Harry is an American songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist who currently resides in Los Angeles, California. Harry has worked with artists such as Madonna, Pink, Weezer, Kylie Minogue, Kelly Clarkson, Fischerspooner, Oh Land, a ...
,
Tony Kanal Tony Ashwin Kanal (born 27 August 1970) is a British-American musician, songwriter and record producer who is known for his work as the bassist and co-writer for the rock bands No Doubt and Dreamcar. His career outside of performing include ...
and
Eg White Francis Anthony "Eg" White (born 22 November 1966) is a British musician, songwriter and producer. He started his career in the cowpunk band Yip Yip Coyote in the 1980s and then formed Brother Beyond with his brother, David White, in the late ...
. The album received positive reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...
. It debuted at number two on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 180,000 copies in its first week and reached number one on the charts in seven countries including Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Overall, it peaked inside the top ten in more than twenty countries. It was certified as double-platinum by
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
and 13 times platinum by
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival Records (Australia), Festival, Sony Music ...
. ''Funhouse'' sold more than 4 million units worldwide. Seven
singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...
were released from the album. The
lead single A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. A similar term, "debut ...
, "
So What So What may refer to: Law *Demurrer, colloquially called a "So what?" pleading Music Albums * So What (Anti-Nowhere League album), ''So What'' (Anti-Nowhere League album) or the 1981 title song (see below), 2000 * ''So What?: Early Demos and L ...
" became a huge commercial success, topping the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, additionally to twelve more countries, including the UK, Canada and Australia. "
Sober Sober usually refers to sobriety, the state of not having any measurable levels or effects from alcohol or drugs. Sober may also refer to: Music * Sôber, Spanish rock band Songs * "Sober" (Bad Wolves song), from the 2019 album ''Nation'' * " ...
" and "
Please Don't Leave Me "Please Don't Leave Me" is a song from American singer Pink and the third single taken from her fifth studio album ''Funhouse''. It was released on February 16, 2009. The song received strong airplay in Australia and New Zealand, as well as bei ...
" also became successful, entering the top ten in many countries, additionally peaking at numbers fifteen and seventeen on the Hot 100 respectively. The seventh single, "
Glitter in the Air "Glitter in the Air" is a song recorded by American singer Pink for her fifth studio album ''Funhouse'' (2008). It was written by Pink and Billy Mann, with the latter producing it. The song is a pop ballad with a soft piano accompaniment and drum ...
", was released after her critically acclaimed performance at the
52nd Grammy Awards The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards took place on January 31, 2010, at Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009. Neil Young was honored as the 2010 MusiCares P ...
, which was honored as one of the best in the history of
Grammy The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
. To further promote the album, Pink embarked on the worldwide
Funhouse Tour The Funhouse Tour was the fourth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Pink. The tour supported her fifth studio album, ''Funhouse'' (2008). The tour visited Europe, Australia and North America. According to Pollstar, the Funhouse Tour (20 ...
in 2009, which broke the record for the biggest tour in Australian history, and the Funhouse Summer Carnival stadium tour at Europe in 2010. The tours sold a combined total 3 million tickets, and brought the tour to a final gross of $150 million. ''Funhouse'' earned Pink three
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
nominations and five
MTV Video Music Award The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...
nominations. As of 2012, ''Funhouse'' has sold 7 million copies worldwide.


Background and development

After months of speculation, Pink announced in February 2008 that she and her husband,
Carey Hart Carey Jason Phillip Hart (born July 17, 1975) is an American off-road racing, off-road truck racer, former professional Freestyle Motocross, freestyle motocross competitor, and former Motorcycle racing, motorcycle racer. He is known for ...
, had separated. According to her publicist, "Pink and Carey Hart have separated. This decision was made by best friends with a huge amount of love and respect for one another. While the marriage is over, their friendship has never been stronger."The couple sought
marriage counseling Couples therapy (also known as couples' counseling, marriage counseling, or marriage therapy) is a form of psychotherapy that seeks to improve intimate relationships, resolve interpersonal conflicts and repair broken bonds of love. History Marri ...
during their separation in hopes of reconciliation. Pink wrote and recorded approximately 30 to 35 songs for ''Funhouse''. "It's like getting rid of your children: 'I like that one too, but I'm going to let that one die,'" she said of choosing the album's tracks. "The good thing now is that different countries want extra songs and B-sides, so there's always a home for the other kids." Pink traveled internationally to write and record the album, working with
Eg White Francis Anthony "Eg" White (born 22 November 1966) is a British musician, songwriter and producer. He started his career in the cowpunk band Yip Yip Coyote in the 1980s and then formed Brother Beyond with his brother, David White, in the late ...
in London and with
Max Martin Karl Martin Sandberg (born 26 February 1971),Max Martin
AllMusic
known professional ...
in
Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
. "It was really good to get out of my house and get away from my life. No distractions. No phones", Pink said of her sessions outside the U.S. During the recording sessions with Martin, they recorded a song titled "
Whataya Want from Me "Whataya Want from Me" is a song by American recording artist and ''American Idol'' eighth season runner-up Adam Lambert from his debut studio album, '' For Your Entertainment''. It was released as the second single from the album. The song pea ...
", which didn't make the final cut of ''Funhouse'', and was passed to
Adam Lambert Adam Mitchel Lambert (born January 29, 1982) is an American singer, songwriter and actor. He is known for his dynamic vocal performances that combine his theatrical training with modern and classic genres. Lambert rose to fame in 2009 after ...
for his debut album. After the Lambert's recording became a single and received a worldwide success, Pink released her original recording of the song in, a.o., the Australian edition of her 2010 compilation album '' Greatest Hits... So Far!!!''. Originally, Pink wanted to call her album ''Heartbreak Is a Motherfucker'', but her record label declined because of a fear that offensive language would affect sales. She also said that she did not want the album to look like a break-up album: "There is a lot of that reak-up but there is fun happening too and that's why I named it ''Funhouse'' in the end." Pink has also stated that she sees life as a carnival: "
Clown A clown is a person who performs physical comedy and arts in an Improvisational theatre#Comedy, open-ended fashion, typically while wearing distinct cosmetics, makeup or costume, costuming and reversing social norm, folkway-norms. The art of ...
s are supposed to be happy, but they are really scary. Carnivals are supposed to be fun, but really they are kind of creepy." .."and that's like life to me, and love. Love is supposed to be fun, but it can sometimes be really scary. And the
funhouse mirrors The first season of the American cable television series ''Cloak & Dagger (TV series), Cloak & Dagger'', based on the Marvel Comics characters Cloak and Dagger (characters), of the same name, sees teenagers Cloak and Dagger (Marvel Cinematic Univ ...
that make you look so distorted that you don't recognize yourself and you ask yourself, 'How did I get here? How do I get out of here?' But, you think that you want to do it again. That is the same as love and life. It's a metaphor for being in love and for life." The song that Moore is most proud of is "Crystal Ball". She said about the track: "I recorded it in one take and we didn't mix it. It just went straight to master. It was all about a vibe and not about perfection or being polished. I just love that song and I loved recording it."


Music and lyrics

Pink has stated that this album is her most vulnerable and personal album to date. Much of the album's subject matter alludes to the fact that Moore had recently separated from her husband,
Carey Hart Carey Jason Phillip Hart (born July 17, 1975) is an American off-road racing, off-road truck racer, former professional Freestyle Motocross, freestyle motocross competitor, and former Motorcycle racing, motorcycle racer. He is known for ...
. The first song, "So What", opens with: "I guess I just lost my husband/I don't know where he went". "Please Don't Leave Me" also addresses the split. The artist sums up its theme thus: "Okay, I'm an asshole, but love me anyway."Pink's biography: Funhouse era
''Pink's official website''. Retrieved October 19, 2008.
In "Mean", she sings, "It was good in the beginning/but how did we get so mean?" She wrote the song with
Billy Mann William Hort-Mann (né Isaiah Erlichman; born December 20, 1968) is an American record producer and songwriter. He is known for producing " 3 Is Family" by Dana Dawson in 1995 as well as ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top 40 hits such as " For You I ...
, who also aided her with the songs "
Stupid Girls "Stupid Girls" is a song recorded by American singer Pink (singer), Pink from her fourth studio album ''I'm Not Dead'' (2006). It was released in February 2006 as the first single from her third studio album on LaFace Records. The song marked Pi ...
", " Dear Mr. President" and "I'm Not Dead" (all 2006), among others. In "It's All Your Fault", Pink blames her lover for giving her hopes of a love relationship, then simply giving up on her. She proclaims in the lyrics "I conjure up the thought of being gone, but I'd probably even do that wrong." In "Glitter in the Air", Pink asks many questions such as, "Have you ever looked fear in the face and said I just don't care?", and "Have you ever hated yourself for staring at the phone?" Pink admits, "I still don't have some of the answers to the questions I pose on this record. I'm still figuring it all out." The track "
Sober Sober usually refers to sobriety, the state of not having any measurable levels or effects from alcohol or drugs. Sober may also refer to: Music * Sôber, Spanish rock band Songs * "Sober" (Bad Wolves song), from the 2019 album ''Nation'' * " ...
", which is the album's second single, was written by Pink at a party hosted at her home, where everyone was drunk or drinking except for her, and she wanted them all to leave. She went to the beach and had a line in her head saying "How do I feel so good sober?". Eventually it had nothing to do with
alcohol Alcohol may refer to: Common uses * Alcohol (chemistry), a class of compounds * Ethanol, one of several alcohols, commonly known as alcohol in everyday life ** Alcohol (drug), intoxicant found in alcoholic beverages ** Alcoholic beverage, an alco ...
but with identities. "How do I feel so good with just me, without anyone to lean on?", Pink said in an interview. "Ave Mary A" deals with world issues and problems. "One Foot Wrong" talks about an
acid An acid is a molecule or ion capable of either donating a proton (i.e. Hydron, hydrogen cation, H+), known as a Brønsted–Lowry acid–base theory, Brønsted–Lowry acid, or forming a covalent bond with an electron pair, known as a Lewis ...
trip that went wrong, but also has an underlying theme. "That song is also about losing control and how easy it is to lose the plot in life and teeter on the edge." In the title track "Funhouse" she tells that it used to be fun. "It's about when the
box A box (plural: boxes) is a container with rigid sides used for the storage or transportation of its contents. Most boxes have flat, parallel, rectangular sides (typically rectangular prisms). Boxes can be very small (like a matchbox) or v ...
you're in doesn't fit anymore, burn that fucker down and start a new one."


Promotion

On September 7, 2008, Pink performed "So What" at the 2008 American
MTV Video Music Awards The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category ...
. On November 6, 2008, she performed this song again at the
MTV Europe Music Awards The MTV Europe Music Awards (originally named MTV European Music Awards, commonly abbreviated as MTV EMA) are awards presented by Paramount International Networks to honour artists and music in pop culture. It was originally conceived as an al ...
during a live show. Pink performed second single, "
Sober Sober usually refers to sobriety, the state of not having any measurable levels or effects from alcohol or drugs. Sober may also refer to: Music * Sôber, Spanish rock band Songs * "Sober" (Bad Wolves song), from the 2019 album ''Nation'' * " ...
", at the 2008
American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by Dick Clark Productions since 1974. Nominees are selected on commercial performance such as sales and airplay. Winners are determined by a poll of the public and ...
on November 23, 2008, She held a secret showcase in Barcelona, Spain on November 20. On September 13, 2009, she went on to perform "Sober" again, at the
2009 MTV Video Music Awards The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, honoring the best music videos from the previous year between June 2008 to June 2009, were presented on September 13, 2009, at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and televised by MTV. The ceremony was ...
. On September 16 Pink performed "
I Don't Believe You "I Don't Believe You" is a song by American recording artist Pink. It was released as the sixth single from her fifth studio album, ''Funhouse''. Music and lyrics "I Don't Believe You" is set in common time and played in the key of A-flat major ...
" along with "
Funhouse A funhouse or fun house is an attraction found in amusement parks and funfair midways, equipped with various devices designed to surprise, challenge, or amuse visitors. Unlike thrill rides or dark rides, fun houses are participatory attractio ...
" on ''
Jimmy Kimmel Live! ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', sometimes shortened to ''JKL'', is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, and broadcast on ABC. The nightly hour-long show tapes and is based out of the Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywo ...
'' She also performed the song on February 5, 2010, on ''
The Oprah Winfrey Show ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Oprah Winfrey. The show ran for twenty-five seasons from September 8, 1986, to May 25, 2011, in which it broadcast 4,561 episodes. The show was taped i ...
''. Pink performed "
Glitter in the Air "Glitter in the Air" is a song recorded by American singer Pink for her fifth studio album ''Funhouse'' (2008). It was written by Pink and Billy Mann, with the latter producing it. The song is a pop ballad with a soft piano accompaniment and drum ...
" on January 31, 2010, at the
52nd Grammy Awards The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards took place on January 31, 2010, at Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009. Neil Young was honored as the 2010 MusiCares P ...
, where she received for her performance a standing ovation. Also, many celebrities and media outlets praised her performance.


Tour

European, Australian and North American tour dates for the Funhouse Tour were announced to support the album in early 2009. The first leg of the Funhouse Tour would go throughout Europe. Pink later did a 3-month stint in
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
. The third leg of the tour took place in
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
, with 11 dates in the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
and 1 date in
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
. The fourth leg consisted of 3 months around Europe, starting in
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
,
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
on October 14 and finishing December 20 in
Hannover Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...
,
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
. Pink broke her own record in Australia where she sold-out seventeen shows in
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
(more than any other city). Melbourne also had the most tickets and had the biggest revenue. Pink also sold out seven consecutive shows in
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
in a collective week, all within forty minutes. The overwhelming demand for shows in Australia made Pink surpass her record-breaking run of 35 sold-out shows achieved on the 2007 Australian leg of the
I'm Not Dead Tour The I'm Not Dead Tour was the third concert tour by American singer-songwriter Pink (singer), Pink. Launched in support of her fourth studio album, ''I'm Not Dead'' (2006) the tour reached Europe, North America, Australia, Africa, and Asia. Bac ...
. The Funhouse Tour made 58 shows in Australia, which made Pink the most successful artist to ever tour the country. Other records broken by the tour included the most shows at the Sydney Entertainment Centre and Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Also, the tour dates announced in the US would become the first time that Pink would tour in her home country since 2006. The first show was held in
Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
in September 2009 and twelve dates later the US leg of the tour ended in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
.MySpace Official Blog: P!nk
''
MySpace Myspace (formerly stylized as MySpace, currently myspace; and sometimes my␣, with an elongated Whitespace character#Substitute images, open box symbol) is a social networking service based in the United States. Launched on August 1, 2003, it w ...
''. Retrieved April 25, 2009.
With the release of the album's Tour Edition, a
live album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track or cassette), or digital. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th centur ...
was released featuring live performances of twelve songs, plus "Push You Away", a studio track which was previously unreleased; the song is also included on The Tour Edition. While the DVD includes 23 live performances, including 2 bonus performances. A Blu-ray version of the DVD was also released. The album and DVD were recorded in Sydney, Australia on July 17 and July 18. A year later, she did the Funhouse Summer Carnival Tour in Europe.


Singles

The album's
lead single A lead single (or first single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. A similar term, "debut ...
, "
So What So What may refer to: Law *Demurrer, colloquially called a "So what?" pleading Music Albums * So What (Anti-Nowhere League album), ''So What'' (Anti-Nowhere League album) or the 1981 title song (see below), 2000 * ''So What?: Early Demos and L ...
', first premiered digitally in various countries on August 11, 2008. It impacted US
contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio (CHR, also known as contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top ...
on August 25. The song was written by Pink, in collaboration with Max Martin and Shellback, about her separation with Carey Hart. The song received positive reviews from
music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on ...
. It has become Pink's biggest success to that date, peaking at number one in eleven countries around the world, including the US, where it became her first solo single and second overall, after " Lady Marmelade" in 2001 to top the ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
''
Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, also known as simply the Hot 100, is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), o ...
. Song's
music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
, directed by
Dave Meyers David Meyers may refer to: *Dave Meyers (director) (born 1972), American music video director *Dave Meyers (basketball) David William Meyers (April 21, 1953 – October 9, 2015) was an American basketball player who played for the Milwaukee Buck ...
, premiered on August 22, and featuring Hart's cameo. It was considered as one of the best music videos of the year. At the
51st Grammy Awards The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on February 8, 2009, honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2007, through September 30, 2008. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the ...
, it received a nomination in the category of
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The awar ...
, while the music video was presented at the "
Best Female Video The MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video is one of the original general awards that has been handed out every year since the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984. In 2007, however, the award was briefly renamed Female Artist of the ...
" category at the
2009 MTV Video Music Awards The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, honoring the best music videos from the previous year between June 2008 to June 2009, were presented on September 13, 2009, at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and televised by MTV. The ceremony was ...
. On November 10, 2008, "
Sober Sober usually refers to sobriety, the state of not having any measurable levels or effects from alcohol or drugs. Sober may also refer to: Music * Sôber, Spanish rock band Songs * "Sober" (Bad Wolves song), from the 2019 album ''Nation'' * " ...
" was released as the second single from the album. The
power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a subgenre of rock music and form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, ...
song, lyrically speaking of
addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to use a drug or engage in a behavior that produces natural reward, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use can ...
, it was written by
Pink Pink is a pale tint of red, the color of the Dianthus plumarius, pink flower. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, p ...
, Nate "Danja" Hills,
Kara DioGuardi Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi ( ; December 9, 1970) is an American songwriter, record producer, music publisher, A&R executive, and singer. She primarily writes music in the pop rock genre. She has worked with many popular artists; sales of albums ...
and Marcella Araica, and produced by Danja, Kanal and
Jimmy Harry Jimmy Harry is an American songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist who currently resides in Los Angeles, California. Harry has worked with artists such as Madonna, Pink, Weezer, Kylie Minogue, Kelly Clarkson, Fischerspooner, Oh Land, a ...
. It proved to be commercial success, peaking within top ten in more than ten countries, including the UK, Canada, and Australia, while peaking at number fifteen on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song's video, directed by
Jonas Åkerlund Hans Uno Jonas Åkerlund (; born 10 November 1965) is a Swedish filmmaker and musician who is best known for his work in music videos. Åkerlund was a member of the Swedish black metal band Bathory. He has directed well-known videos for artists ...
, premiered November 25 on Pink's official
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
channel. "Sober" received the same nomination as "So What", but on the
52nd Grammy Awards The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards took place on January 31, 2010, at Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009. Neil Young was honored as the 2010 MusiCares P ...
. Third single, "
Please Don't Leave Me "Please Don't Leave Me" is a song from American singer Pink and the third single taken from her fifth studio album ''Funhouse''. It was released on February 16, 2009. The song received strong airplay in Australia and New Zealand, as well as bei ...
", was released in January 2009 in Australia and in March 2009 in the United States. It also became successful, reaching top ten in several Europe countries, also peaking at number eight in Canada, twelve in the UK, and seventeen in the US. Its music video was directed by Meyers, and draws influences from the 1990
Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author. Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror novels and has also explored other genres, among them Thriller (genre), suspense, crime fiction, crime, scienc ...
-based film '' Misery'', as well as other similar thrillers, including ''
Cujo ''Cujo'' () is a 1981 horror novel by American writer Stephen King about a rabid Saint Bernard. The novel won the British Fantasy Award in 1982 and was made into a film in 1983. Cujo's name was based on the alias of Willie Wolfe, one of th ...
'', '' The Shining'' and '' What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?''. It utilizes both the
horror Horror may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Genres *Horror fiction, a genre of fiction **Psychological horror, a subgenre of horror fiction **Christmas horror, a subgenre of horror fiction **Analog horror, a subgenre of horror fiction * ...
/
thriller Thriller may refer to: * Thriller (genre), a broad genre of literature, film and television ** Thriller film, a film genre under the general thriller genre Comics * ''Thriller'' (DC Comics), a comic book series published 1983–84 by DC Comics i ...
genre, while also being interpretable as a
dark comedy Black comedy, also known as black humor, bleak comedy, dark comedy, dark humor, gallows humor or morbid humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally ...
, which led her to release the censored version of the video. " Bad Influence" was released as the fourth single in Australia, promoting the arrival of the Australian leg of the
Funhouse Tour The Funhouse Tour was the fourth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Pink. The tour supported her fifth studio album, ''Funhouse'' (2008). The tour visited Europe, Australia and North America. According to Pollstar, the Funhouse Tour (20 ...
. It was released as the CD and digital single in May 2009. The song became a huge success in Oceania despite the absence of a music video, reaching the top ten in both Australia and New Zealand. It was released in Germany on March 26, 2010, where it reached number 26 on Germany's official Singles Chart and topped national airplay chart. In April 2011 it was released in Netherlands, to promote Pink's compilation album '' Greatest Hits... So Far!!!''. "
Funhouse A funhouse or fun house is an attraction found in amusement parks and funfair midways, equipped with various devices designed to surprise, challenge, or amuse visitors. Unlike thrill rides or dark rides, fun houses are participatory attractio ...
" was released digitally in the US on July 2, 2009, as the fifth single from the album. The music video premiered on June 20, 2009, in the United Kingdom on
4music 4Music was a British music television channel owned and operated by Channel Four Television Corporation. Launched on 15 August 2008, the original incarnation, replacing The Hits television channel, showed a mix of music and entertainment pr ...
, featuring
Tony Kanal Tony Ashwin Kanal (born 27 August 1970) is a British-American musician, songwriter and record producer who is known for his work as the bassist and co-writer for the rock bands No Doubt and Dreamcar. His career outside of performing include ...
of
No Doubt No Doubt is an American rock band formed in Anaheim, California in 1986. For most of its career, the band has consisted of vocalist and founding member Gwen Stefani, guitarist Tom Dumont, bassist Tony Kanal and drummer Adrian Young. Keyboar ...
, also the co-writer and the producer of the song, playing a piano. "Funhouse" charted moderately, reaching number 44 on the Hot 100. "
I Don't Believe You "I Don't Believe You" is a song by American recording artist Pink. It was released as the sixth single from her fifth studio album, ''Funhouse''. Music and lyrics "I Don't Believe You" is set in common time and played in the key of A-flat major ...
", the sixth single, was released in the US on October 5, 2009, to
Hot AC Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, ...
radio. It failed to enter the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. "Glitter in the Air" was immediately delivered to radio as a new single by
Jive Records Jive Records (later stylized as JIVE Records) was a British-American independent record label founded by Clive Calder in 1981 as a subsidiary of the Zomba Group of Companies, Zomba Group. In the US, the label had offices in New York City and Chic ...
after she performed it at 52nd Grammy Awards, before the show broadcast was even over. On the February 20, 2010, issue of ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'', the song debuted on the Hot 100 at number 18, Pink's second highest debut since "So What", as well as her seventh entry from ''Funhouse'', which gives the song credit for raising the sales of the album and pulling it back to the Top 20 on the ''Billboard'' 200. On February 1, the live audio recording of the performance was released digitally. "Ave Mary A" was released as a single in Australia in 2010 and peaked at #10 on the Australian Airplay Chart. It was featured on the Autumn 2010 edition of compilation CD ''So Fresh''. It was the 24th most played track on Australian radio in 2010, but never charted on the
ARIA In music, an aria (, ; : , ; ''arias'' in common usage; diminutive form: arietta, ; : ariette; in English simply air (music), air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrument (music), instrumental or orchestral accompan ...
Singles Chart A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of recorded music according to certain criteria during a given period. Many different criteria are used in worldwide charts, often in combination. These include re ...
.


Critical reception

''Funhouse'' has a score of 69 out of 100 from
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
based on 20 "generally favorable" reviews. Sydney's ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...
'' gave it 4.5 stars, writing, "The record is a balanced blend of upbeat pop gems and midtempo ballads ..The power of Pink's pop lies in the clever juxtaposition of heartfelt honesty about her life with anthematic choruses and irresistible melodies tailormade to be screamed out by her fans." Other positive reviews were published by ''
US Magazine ''Us Weekly'' is an American weekly celebrity and entertainment magazine based in New York City. ''Us Weekly'' was founded in 1977 by The New York Times Company, which sold it in 1980. It was acquired by Wenner Media in 1986, and sold to Amer ...
'', which gave the album four stars, saying, "The rebellious Grammy winner again fuses unrestrained lyrics with perfect pop-rock hooks on her electrifying fifth CD. From her aggressive No. 1 hit 'So What' to the vulnerable 'Please Don't Leave Me' and the openhearted ballad 'I Don't Believe You', Pink confirms she's still in excellent fighting shape." In his Consumer Guide,
Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and later became a ...
picked out the single from the album, "So What", as a "choice cut". Less favorable reviews came from sources such as ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' and ''
Blender A blender (sometimes called a mixer (from Latin ''mixus, the PPP of miscere eng. to Mix)'' or liquidiser in British English) is a kitchen and laboratory appliance used to mix, crush, purée or emulsify food and other substances. A stationary ...
'', each giving the album three stars. ''Rolling Stone'' stated, "Pink has shown more personality before, and some cuts, including the goopy ballad "I Don't Believe You", make her sound like just another big-voiced chart-buster. ''Funhouse'' would be more fun if Pink went easier on the bad-love songs."


Commercial performance

''Funhouse'' debuted at number two on the United States ''Billboard'' 200 chart issued on November 18, 2008, with sales of 180,000, behind
AC/DC AC/DC are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1973. Their music has been variously described as hard rock, blues rock and Heavy metal music, heavy metal, although the band calls it simply "rock and roll". They are cited as a formativ ...
's Wal-Mart exclusive, ''
Black Ice Black ice, sometimes called clear ice, is a coating of glaze ice on a surface, for example on streets or on lakes. The ice itself is not black, but visually transparent, allowing the often black road below to be seen through it and light to be ...
'', which claimed the top spot with its second-week sales of 271,000. In March 2009, it was certified platinum by the
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
for shipments of over 1,000,000 copies, and as of June 2012, the album has sold 1,960,000 copies in the United States. It was Pink's highest-charting album in that country, until her sixth album '' The Truth About Love'' debuted at number one. In Australia, record shops broke
embargo Economic sanctions or embargoes are commercial and financial penalties applied by states or institutions against states, groups, or individuals. Economic sanctions are a form of coercion that attempts to get an actor to change its behavior throu ...
and placed ''Funhouse'' on sale one day before its official release date; with only one day of sales, it became the fourth-highest selling album of the week, shifting 7,120 copies. Cashmere, Paul, (October 27, 2008)
"Stores Break Embargo for Pink"
. Undercover Media. Retrieved October 27, 2008.
''Funhouse'' debuted officially at number one in Australia, and sold 86,273 units that week (the highest first week sales of 2008). ''Funhouse'' spent nine consecutive weeks at number one and has been certified 12× platinum by the
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival Records (Australia), Festival, Sony Music ...
for 840,000 copies sold. The album ended both 2008 and 2009 as the second highest selling album of the year in Australia, and was reported in 2010 to be the second most successful album of the 2000–2009 decade. In the United Kingdom, the album sold over 37,100 copies in its first day and 83,000 copies in its first five days. ''Funhouse'' became her first number-one album in the UK, entering at number one on November 2, 2008, and has been certified 4× Platinum by the
British Phonographic Industry BPI (British Recorded Music Industry) Limited, trading as British Phonographic Industry (BPI), is the British recorded music industry's trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards; is home to the Mercury Prize; co-owns the Official Charts C ...
for selling over 1,200,000 copies. ''Funhouse'' was the ninth biggest selling record of 2008, and the twenty-third biggest seller of 2009. ''Funhouse'' debuted at number one in the Netherlands, New Zealand (certified 3× Platinum), and Switzerland (certified 3× Platinum) In Germany, ''Funhouse'' debuted at number two. There, it is the sixth best-selling album of 2009 and the twenty-third best-selling album of 2010, shipping more than 1,000,000 copies as of June 2010. It is certified 4× Platinum.


Accolades


2008


2009


2010


Track listing

Notes * signifies a co-producer.


Personnel

Adapted from AllMusic. * Deborah Anderson –
photography Photography is the visual arts, art, application, and practice of creating images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is empl ...
* Tommy Andersson – assistant,
audio engineer An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproduc ...
* Marcella Araica – audio engineer, engineer * Guy Baker –
trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz musical ensemble, ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest Register (music), register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitche ...
* Stevie Blacke – arranger, performer, string arrangements, strings * Daniel Chase – programming * Al Clay – audio production, engineer, mixing, producer * Tom Coyne – mastering * Jake Davies – audio engineer, audio production, engineer, mixing assistant * Roger Davies – management * DJ Willrock –
turntables A phonograph, later called a gramophone, and since the 1940s a record player, or more recently a turntable, is a device for the mechanical and analogue reproduction of sound. The sound vibration Waveform, waveforms are recorded as correspond ...
* Darren Dodd –
drums The drum is a member of the percussion instrument, percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophones, membranophone. Drums consist of at least one Acoustic membrane, membrane, c ...
* Chris Galland – assistant, audio engineer,
guitar The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...
, mixing assistant * Brian Gately – production coordination * Şerban Gheneamixing * Matty Green – audio engineer, mixing assistant * Keith Gretlein – assistant engineer, audio engineer * Kinnda Hamid – background vocals * John Hanes – audio engineer, digital editing * Jimmy Harry – audio engineer, engineer, guitars, keyboards, producer * Jeri Helden – art direction, design * Femio Hernández – assistant, audio engineer * Michael Ilbert – audio engineer, engineer * Henrik Janson – arranger, string arrangements, string conductor, strings * Uli Janson – arranger, string arrangements, string conductor, strings * Neil Kanal – assistant engineer, audio engineer *
Tony Kanal Tony Ashwin Kanal (born 27 August 1970) is a British-American musician, songwriter and record producer who is known for his work as the bassist and co-writer for the rock bands No Doubt and Dreamcar. His career outside of performing include ...
– bass, producer * Josh Kane – drums *
Craig Logan Craig Logan (born 22 April 1969) is a Scottish musician, songwriter, and manager. He began his career as bassist in the pop band Bros. Career In early 1989, Logan left Bros after developing ME/CFS to focus on songwriting and producing. Kim A ...
– A&R *
Tom Lord-Alge Tom Lord-Alge (born January 17, 1962) is an American music engineer and mixer. He began his career at Unique Recording in New York. Subsequently, he was the resident mixer at what used to be known as "South Beach Studios", located on the ground ...
– mixing * Dag Lundquist – engineer * Robin Mortensen Lynch – guitar, programming *
MachoPsycho MachoPsycho is a Swedish songwriting team consisting of Niklas "Nikey" Olovson and Robin Lynch. Nikey was born in Stenungsund, Sweden in 1966 and Robin was born in Sandnessjøen, Norway also in 1966. They are among Sweden's most successful songw ...
– audio production * Billy Mann – audio production, guitars, keyboards, mixing, producer, background vocals * Roger Manning – keyboards, piano * Steven Manzano – management *
Max Martin Karl Martin Sandberg (born 26 February 1971),Max Martin
AllMusic
known professional ...
– audio engineer, audio production, engineer, guitar, bass guitar, keyboards, producer * Andrew McPherson – photography * Lasse Mortén – assistant, audio engineer * Niklas Olovson – bass, programming * Amy Oresman – make-up * Peter Parente – guitars * Lisa Pinero – production coordination * P!nk – primary artist,
lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of the ...
, background vocals * Serena Radaelli – hair stylist * Delwyn Rees – management * Tim Roberts – assistant, audio engineer * Nancy Roof – a&r * Michele Schweitzer – publicity * Shellback – bass, drum programming, drums, guitars, keyboards, omnichord * Paul Starr – make-up * Nick Steinhardt – art direction, design *
Mark "Spike" Stent Mark "Spike" Stent (born 3 August 1965) is an English record producer and mixing engineer who has worked with many international artists including Madonna, Marshmello, U2, Beyoncé, Björk, Depeche Mode, Echo & the Bunnymen, Grimes, Ed Sheeran, ...
– mixing * Stockholm Session Strings – strings * Trish Summerville – stylist * Irene Taylor – management * Doug Tyo – assistant * Butch Walker – audio production, bass, guitar, keyboards, percussion, producer, programming, background vocals * Pete Wallace – audio engineer, bass, engineer, guitar, harmonium, piano, producer, programming * Joey Waronker – drums *
Eg White Francis Anthony "Eg" White (born 22 November 1966) is a British musician, songwriter and producer. He started his career in the cowpunk band Yip Yip Coyote in the 1980s and then formed Brother Beyond with his brother, David White, in the late ...
– arranger, audio production, drums, engineer, guitar, Hammond B3 organ, moog bass, percussion, producer, strings * John Yarling – drums * Joe Zook – audio engineer, engineer


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Decade-end charts


Certifications


Release history


See also

*
List of best-selling albums in Australia This is a list of best-selling albums in Australia that have been certified by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Since the 1970s, ARIA certified an album platinum for a shipment of 50,000 copies across Australia. In 1983, the ...


References


External links

*
Funhouse
'' at
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Funhouse 2008 albums Albums produced by Billy Mann Albums produced by Butch Walker Albums produced by Danja (record producer) Albums produced by Greg Wells Albums produced by Max Martin Pink (singer) albums Sony Music albums LaFace Records albums Zomba Group of Companies albums