Twenty-six years ago today.
Shania Twain was a dominator of the ’90s female country movement. Along with other powerhouses like Wynonna, Trisha Yearwood, and Jo Dee Messina, the women of country music were taking over this decade.
One of the most influential albums released during this time was Shania Twain’s third studio album, Come On Over.
Released on November 4, 1997, via Mercury Records, Twain would achieve major crossover success with this album. A few short weeks after the album’s release, it debuted at the top of the Billboard Country Albums chart, where it would reside for an astonishing fifty weeks.
Twian collaborated heavily with her then-husband Robert John “Mutt” Lange, and the two played heavily on female empowerment throughout the album’s messaging but wanted to keep it lighthearted with notes of humor and, of course, highlighting some romantic songs that reflected on their relationship.
With elements of steel guitar and country music roots, this album also featured more pop sounds, making it a crossover success. While this dual genre sound initially led to some mixed critical reviews of the album, but the public could not get enough.
Once the album appeared on the charts, people could not stop talking about Come On Over. Three of the album’s singles appeared on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 top-ten singles: “You’re Still the One,” “From This Moment On,” and “That Don’t Impress Me Much.” And those singles don’t include the commercial success of “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” from when it first hit the charts in 1999.
In 1999, the album was nominated at the Grammy Awards for Best Country Album and Album of the Year. While it didn’t take home the honors, those two nominations proved how much of a multi-genre hit the album was.
Come On Over remains a front-runner for best-selling country album of all time, even after all of these years, and is 20x Platinum Certified by the RIAA, being one of only twelve albums ever to receive this achievement.
As it just hit the mile marker a few months back, she was presented with a plaque on stage in New York City highlighting the album’s monoecious achievement while she was on tour.
Come On Over features some of the greatest hits of Twain’s catalog, and I am sure that it will only continue to grow. From old fans reminiscing on the first time they heard “You’re Still The One” (Like Kim Kardashian revealing it is her favorite Twain song on a recent episode of The Kardashians) to new fans young fans of country music experiencing the intro of “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” for the first time.
This album is a staple in country music.
“Man! I Feel Like A Woman!”
“Come On Over”
“You’re Still The One”
