When the Sun Goes Down, an album by Selena Gomez

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Part I: Bibliographic information

Cover Art: Saved to folder.

Title: When the Sun Goes Down
Performers: Selena Gomez and the Scene

Producer(s):  Rock Mafia, Gad, Dreamlab, Derrim Karaoglue, Kurstin, Abingdon, Sandy Vee, Espionage and others.

Writer(s): Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Pixie Lott, Toby Gad, E-man, Priscilla Renea, Tim James & Antonina Armato, Greg Kurstin, Midnight Beast/Stefan Abingdon and others.

Label: Hollywood Records

Copyright Date: 2011

US Billboard 200 Rank (2011): 16

Reading Level/Interest Age: 12 - 22

ASIN: B004XWMXX8

Part I: Listener’s Annotation, Track List, Critical Evaluation

Listener’s Annotation -- Teeny bobster Selena Gomez steps it up on her third album with polish and pose that made some naysayers look twice.  She’s still got the good girl image on hand but lyrically she fills out here on songs like Bang Bang Bang that are delivered with with some sincere attitude and appealing zest.

Track List --

1. Love You Like A Love Song
2. Bang Bang Bang
3. Who Says
4. We Own The Night
5. Hit The Lights
6. Whiplash
7. When The Sun Goes Down
8. My Dilemma
9. That's More Like It
10. Outlaw
11. Middle Of Nowhere
12. Dices (Who Says Spanish version)

Critical Evaluation --  This album earned 4.5 stars on Amazon.com and has pretty universal appeal due to its techno influences and highly polished production values. A particularly likable and universal song is Hit the Lights about missing opportunities in life.  She gets away from the love trouble theme here and there though songs like My Dilemma about a love/hate relationship are some of her best. Her dance songs have a Madonna-esque anthem quality like the highly danceable (or at list head bop) Bang Bang Bang.  She’s not exclusively dance music, however.  Her voice is tremendously lyrical and you can simply listen and enjoy these generally upbeat tunes, which are all delivered a dash of zest and a message of overcoming in the face of adversity through belief in yourself. The content remains pretty much G-rated and is appropriate for all ages but the themes are clearly geared to young adult and often relate to dating and first love.

Part III: Artist Info

Part IV: Curriculum Ties, Diversity, Booktalk Ideas, Challenge Issues

Curriculum Ties, if any -- n/a

Diversity of Cultures -- Gomez as a Hispanic American in the pop scene is not a first but to some degree breaks the cultural norm. Interestingly, she is is not as highly ranked on the Hispanic charts as on the billboard tops.

Booktalking Ideas -- n/a

Challenge Issues -- There are some romance and love themes addressed in her lyrics. For some parents of children, this might be a concern and, in particular for children under 12 who do like her music, it should be considered that her content is not targetted at kids. However, teens certainly have heard much more risque content and for them this is about as innocent as pop music gets. She's pretty straight up Disney good girl as an image and outside of her now defunct relationship with Justin Bieber she's been a relative angel as compared to other female pop stars.

Part V: Reasons chosen

Her third album shows polish and sophistication through a blend of high-production value pop music with upbeat dance sound and her teen-inspired lyrics that express the romantic frustrations of the age with accuracy.  She also represent the importance of the Hispanic American voices in today’s American society.  Her roots are Texas and she’s as American as Disney and her fan base is equally broad.  But her cultural background do break the mold of the pop scenes typical focus of urban hip-hip or suburban rock that we typically see hit the charts.  The album is very upbeat and engaging and for the young adult whose not into a particular type of musica already she’s a good introduction to the pop scene.

Part VI: Citations

Minibio. (n.d.). IMDb [website]. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1411125/bio

Selena Gomez Biography. (n.d.). Aceshowbiz [website]. Retrieved from Read more:

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/celebrity/selena_gomez/biography.html#ixzz2TT61Jj7

When the Sun Goes Down (Selena Gomez & the Scene album). (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. [webpage].  Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_the_Sun_Goes_Down_(Selena_Gomez_%26_the_Scene_album)

When the Sun Goes Down. (n.d.)  Amazon [website]. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/When-The-Sun-Goes-Down/dp/B004XWMXX8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1368717607&sr=8-2&keywords=when+the+sun+goes+down