Maps of Music

Life (2005)

Where the lyrics of Life take you, and where it was really made.

This album was one of 52 Sony BMG CDs shipped with the controversial XCP copy-protection software, which Sony later discontinued and recalled.

Place unknown

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Life is the eighth studio album and third English-language album by Ricky Martin
Released by Columbia Records on 10 October 2005 in Europe, 11 October in the United States, and 19 October in Japan
Lead single 'I Don't Care' features guest vocals from rapper Fat Joe and R&B singer Amerie
The second international single 'It's Alright' was re-recorded as a duet with singer M. Pokora

The album follows Ricky Martin and Sound Loaded, his two earlier English-language albums
Martin said one of his aims was not to do anything he had already done
He chose songs in several musical styles he had never used before
Worldbeat appears on 'Till I Get You', and hip hop on 'I Don't Care'
Martin co-wrote many of the songs on the album

1	Til I Get to You	4:56
2	I Won't Desert You	3:50
3	I Don't Care	3:48
4	Stop Time Tonight	4:01
5	Life	4:08
6	I Am	3:32
7	It's Alright	3:31
8	Drop It on Me	3:55
9	This Is Good	3:36
10	Save the Dance	4:05
11	Qué más da (I Don't Care) (Luny Tunes reggaeton mix)	3:29
12	Déjate llevar (It's Alright)	3:34

Enrique Martín Morales, born December 24, 1971 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Began singing at age six; appeared in television commercials from age nine.
Joined the boy band Menudo in 1984 at age 12, leaving in July 1989.
Began his solo career in 1991 with Sony Music, releasing the album Ricky Martin.

A Medio Vivir (1995) brought the hit "María" and his first international success.
Vuelve (1998) earned his first Grammy Award and the FIFA World Cup anthem "La Copa de la Vida".
The English album Ricky Martin (1999) debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200; "Livin' la Vida Loca" topped the Billboard Hot 100.
Often credited with launching the late-1990s Latin pop boom in the US mainstream.
Has sold over 70 million records worldwide.
Acted in General Hospital and as Ché in the Broadway revival of Evita.

AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine called Life a 'livelier, better record than Sound Loaded'
Erlewine wrote that the effort is audible, so the album is not quite the comeback it was meant to be
Billboard said the album 'grows on you' while being entirely entertaining, but its singing is often buried too far back in the mix
Rolling Stone's Barry Walters wrote that the album 'aims to update the singer's hyperactive pop with trendy reggaeton rhythms', but called the result a scattered mess
Walters concluded that Life 'seems destined for a speedy death'
Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani wrote that the album 'gets off to a remarkably slow start'
Tijana Ilich of About.com called it 'not a bad CD', one that tries to be something for everyone
Newsday's Glenn Gamboa gave the album a B+

Debuted at number six on the US Billboard 200 with nearly 73,000 copies sold
Reached the top ten in Argentina, Mexico, and Spain; top 20 in Italy and Switzerland; number 40 in the United Kingdom
Certified Gold in Argentina and Mexico
Sold 274,000 copies in the United States by January 2011, per Nielsen SoundScan
Sold 694,000 copies worldwide by November 2006
'I Don't Care' peaked at number 65 on the US Hot 100 and number 3 on Hot Dance Club Songs; number 11 in the UK
The Spanish version 'Qué Más Da' peaked at number 7 on Hot Latin Songs
'It's Alright' reached number 4 on the French Singles Chart and was certified Silver by SNEP

The album appeared on a list of 52 Sony BMG CD releases identified as shipped with the XCP software; Sony discontinued the technology on 11 November 2005 and recalled the affected titles.
The release comes in a clear-tray jewel case with a 12-page booklet.
Ricky Martin personally handed vinyl records to DJs at nightclubs as a promotional strategy, without any advertising.
Martin's team also debuted the album at a listening session in Miami, where he signed CDs for fans and spoke with the press.