A Different Beat
Studio album by
Boyzone
Released28 October 1996 (1996-10-28)
Recorded1995–96
GenrePop
Length54:42
LabelPolydor
ProducerPhil Coulter, Ian Curnow, Phil Harding, Ray Hedges, Ric Wake
Boyzone chronology
Said and Done
(1995) 		A Different Beat
(1996) 		Where We Belong
(1998)
Singles from A Different Beat
  1. "Love Me for a Reason"
    Released: 6 November 1995 (France only)
  2. "Words"
    Released: 7 October 1996
  3. "A Different Beat"
    Released: 2 December 1996
  4. "Isn't It a Wonder"
    Released: 10 March 1997
  5. "Mystical Experience"
    Released: 4 November 1997 (US only)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Guardian[2]
Music Week[3]

A Different Beat is the second studio album released by Irish boy band Boyzone on 28 October 1996 by Polydor Records. This was Boyzone’s first album to be released in the United States on September 23, 1997. “Mystical Experience”, recorded specifically for the U.S. market, was released as the lead single.

Background

Like their debut album Said and Done, much of the original material on the album was co-written by members of the group. After the success of their debut, the release of A Different Beat occurred on a much bigger scale. As Said and Done was never released in France, when "Love Me for a Reason" was released as the group's debut single there, it ended up being included on A Different Beat, exclusively in the region. The first international single, "Words", was released pretty much worldwide, as were the two follow-up singles, "A Different Beat" and "Isn't It a Wonder". By this time, the album had been released in the UK and France, complete with each region's respective singles. However, the album had not yet been issued in Australia. Thus, by the time the release of A Different Beat arrived in the country, "Picture of You" had already been released as the lead single from Where We Belong in the UK, so the Australian market decided to include "Picture of You" on A Different Beat instead, releasing it as the fourth single from the album. "Picture of You" was also included on the Tour Souvenir Edition of the album, and the New Edition, which was marketed in certain areas of Europe. The limited edition version of the album released in the UK came encased in a slipcase, with five limited edition postcards, each containing one member of the band.

The United States became the last country to receive a release, as the band were asked by their US management to tweak the album for the US market. As such, "Picture of You" also became included on the US track listing, as well as a Spanglish version of "Words", and an all-new track, "Mystical Experience", which was released in the US as the first single from the album.[4] The album, however, was noted for including a cover of the Don Black & Walter Scharf song "Ben", performed previously by Michael Jackson. A Different Beat was certified three times platinum in the UK.[5]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Paradise" (lead vocals: Keating)Ronan Keating, Ray Hedges, Martin BranniganHedges3:30
2."A Different Beat" (lead vocals: Gately, Keating)Keating, Stephen Gately, Shane Lynch, Keith Duffy, Brannigan, HedgesHedges4:10
3."Melting Pot" (lead vocals: Keating featuring Madeline Bell)Roger Cook, Roger GreenwayHedges, Phil Harding, Ian Curnow3:33
4."Ben" (lead vocals: Gately)Don Black, Walter ScharfRic Wake2:44
5."Don't Stop Looking for Love" (lead vocals: Gately)Billy MannWake4:12
6."Isn't It a Wonder" (lead vocals: Keating)Keating, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:30
7."Words" (lead vocals: Keating)Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice GibbHarding, Curnow3:55
8."It's Time" (lead vocals: Keating, Gately)Keating, Gately, Lynch, Duffy, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:32
9."Games of Love" (lead vocals: Gately)Gately, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:35
10."Strong Enough" (lead vocals: Keating, Lynch (rap))Keating, Curnow, Julian Gallagher, HardingHarding, Curnow3:37
11."Heaven Knows" (lead vocals: Keating)Keating, Hedges, BranniganHedges4:02
12."Crying in the Night" (lead vocals: Keating)Keating, Gately, Lynch, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:03
13."Give a Little" (lead vocals: Gately, Keating)Gately, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:20
14."She Moves through the Fair" (lead vocals: Keating)TraditionalPhil Coulter4:20
Japanese bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
15."Angel" (lead vocals: Gately)Gately, Brannigan, HedgesHedges3:43
16."What Can You Do for Me?" (lead vocals: Keating)Keating, Hedges, Brannigan, Mikey GrahamHedges3:03
Australian limited edition bonus disc
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
15."Picture of You" (lead vocals: Keating)Paul Watkins, Paul Wilson, Nigel Kennedy, Ronan KeatingAbsolute3:28
16."Words" (lead vocals: Keating)Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice GibbRay Hedges, Rafael Pérez-Botija3:55
17."Let the Message Run Free"Ronan Keating, Hedges, Martin BranniganHedges5:03
Tour Souvenir Edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
15."Picture of You" (lead vocals: Keating)Paul Watkins, Paul Wilson, Nigel Kennedy, Ronan KeatingAbsolute3:28
16."Angel" (lead vocals: Keating)Stephen Gately, Ray Hedges, Martin BranniganHedges3:43
17."What Can You Do for Me?" (lead vocals: Keating)Ronan Keating, Hedges, Brannigan, Mikey GrahamHedges3:03
18."Get Up and Get Over" (lead vocals: Keating)Keating, Gately, Brannigan, HedgesHedges3:14
19."A Different Beat" (remix)Keating, Hedges, Brannigan, Keith Duffy, Shane Lynch, GatelyHedges6:45
Disc 2: UK limited edition interview disc[6]
No.TitleLength
1."Interview" (Boyzone interviewed by Pete Lorraine, editor of Top of the Pops magazine)4:48
French edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Paradise"Ronan Keating, Ray Hedges, Martin BranniganHedges3:30
2."A Different Beat"Keating, Stephen Gately, Shane Lynch, Keith Duffy, Brannigan, HedgesHedges4:10
3."Melting Pot"Roger Cook, Roger GreenwayHedges, Phil Harding, Ian Curnow3:33
4."Ben"Don Black, Walter ScharfRic Wake2:44
5."Don't Stop Looking for Love"Billy MannWake4:12
6."Isn't It a Wonder"Keating, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:30
7."Words"Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice GibbHarding, Curnow3:55
8."It's Time"Keating, Gately, Lynch, Duffy, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:32
9."Games of Love"Gately, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:35
10."Strong Enough"Keating, Curnow, Julian Gallagher, HardingHarding, Curnow3:37
11."Heaven Knows"Keating, Hedges, BranniganHedges4:02
12."Crying in the Night"Keating, Gately, Lynch, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:03
13."Give a Little"Gately, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:20
14."Love Me for a Reason"Johnny Bristol, Wade Brown, David Jones Jr.Ray Hedges3:39
15."She Moves through the Fair"TraditionalPhil Coulter4:20
French second edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Picture of You"Paul Watkins, Paul Wilson, Nigel Kennedy, Ronan KeatingAbsolute3:28
2."Working My Way Back to You"Sandy Linzer
Denny Randell		Ian Levine3:49
3."Paradise"Ronan Keating, Ray Hedges, Martin BranniganHedges3:30
4."A Different Beat"Keating, Stephen Gately, Shane Lynch, Keith Duffy, Brannigan, HedgesHedges4:17
5."Melting Pot"Roger Cook, Roger GreenwayHedges, Phil Harding, Ian Curnow3:33
6."Ben"Don Black, Walter ScharfRic Wake2:47
7."Don't Stop Looking for Love"Billy MannWake4:19
8."Isn't It a Wonder"Keating, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:44
9."Words"Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice GibbHarding, Curnow3:55
10."It's Time"Keating, Gately, Lynch, Duffy, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:32
11."Games of Love"Gately, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:44
12."Strong Enough"Keating, Curnow, Julian Gallagher, HardingHarding, Curnow3:37
13."Heaven Knows"Keating, Hedges, BranniganHedges4:02
14."Crying in the Night"Keating, Gately, Lynch, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:03
15."Give a Little"Gately, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:20
16."Love Me for a Reason"Johnny Bristol, Wade Brown, David Jones Jr.Ray Hedges3:39
17."She Moves through the Fair"TraditionalPhil Coulter4:25
New Version
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Picture of You"Paul Watkins, Paul Wilson, Nigel Kennedy, Ronan KeatingAbsolute3:30
2."Paradise"Ronan Keating, Ray Hedges, Martin BranniganHedges3:30
3."A Different Beat"Keating, Stephen Gately, Shane Lynch, Keith Duffy, Brannigan, HedgesHedges4:10
4."Melting Pot"Roger Cook, Roger GreenwayHedges, Phil Harding, Ian Curnow3:33
5."Ben"Don Black, Walter ScharfRic Wake2:44
6."Don't Stop Looking for Love"Billy MannWake4:12
7."Isn't It a Wonder"Keating, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:30
8."Words"Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice GibbHarding, Curnow3:55
9."It's Time"Keating, Gately, Lynch, Duffy, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:32
10."Games of Love"Gately, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:35
11."Strong Enough"Keating, Curnow, Julian Gallagher, HardingHarding, Curnow3:37
12."Heaven Knows"Keating, Hedges, BranniganHedges4:02
13."Crying in the Night"Keating, Gately, Lynch, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:03
14."Give a Little"Gately, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:20
15."She Moves through the Fair"TraditionalPhil Coulter4:20
US edition[7]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Mystical Experience"Chein García-AlonsoRay Hedges, Rafael Pérez-Botija4:09
2."A Different Beat"Ronan Keating, Stephen Gately, Shane Lynch, Keith Duffy, Martin Brannigan, HedgesHedges4:10
3."Paradise"Keating, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:30
4."Melting Pot"Roger Cook, Roger GreenwayHedges, Phil Harding, Ian Curnow3:33
5."Games of Love"Gately, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:35
6."Ben"Don Black, Walter ScharfRic Wake2:44
7."Isn't It a Wonder"Keating, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:30
8."Mystical Experience (Experiencia Religiosa)" (Spanglish)Chein García-AlonsoHedges, Pérez-Botija4:14
9."Strong Enough"Keating, Curnow, Julian Gallagher, HardingHarding, Curnow3:37
10."Words (Palabras)" (Spanglish)Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, Maurice GibbHedges, Pérez-Botija4:01
11."Give a Little"Gately, Hedges, BranniganHedges3:20
12."Don't Stop Looking for Love"Billy MannWake4:12

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[23] 3× Platinum 900,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[24] Platinum 1,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "A Different Beat – Boyzone". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  2. ^ Sullivan, Caroline (1 November 1996). "Music: This week's pop CD releases". The Guardian.
  3. ^ "Reviews: Albums" (PDF). Music Week. 19 October 1996. p. 35. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  4. ^ Sexton, Paul (17 October 1998). "Ravenous' Boyzone Hungry For U.S. Success". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 42. Nielsen Business Media. p. 16,19. ISSN 0006-2510.
  5. ^ "British certifications – A Different Beat". British Phonographic Industry.
  6. ^ "Different Beat by Boyzone: Amazon.co.uk: Music". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  7. ^ "Different Beat: Amazon.co.uk: Music". amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  8. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  9. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Boyzone – A Different Beat" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  10. ^ "Ultratop.be – Boyzone – A Different Beat" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Boyzone – A Different Beat" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  12. ^ "Hits of the World – Eurochart". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 16 November 1996.
  13. ^ "InfoDisc : Tout les Titres par Artiste". Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
  14. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Boyzone – A Different Beat" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  15. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 23 November 1996. p. 69 – via Google Books.
  16. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100 | Official Charts Company". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  17. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Boyzone – A Different Beat". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  18. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Boyzone – A Different Beat". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  19. ^ "IFPI Taiwan - International Top 10 (1996/18)". Archived from the original on 2 February 1999. Retrieved 7 August 2016.((cite web)): CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  20. ^ "Boyzone | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
  21. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 1996". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  22. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 1997". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  23. ^ "British album certifications – Boyzone – A Different Beat". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  24. ^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1997". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.


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