WWE Originals

Composition

Music website AllMusic categorised WWE Originals as "contemporary pop/rock" and rap rock, with writer Johnny Loftus identifying styles such as "soft-focus piano pop", dance-pop and hip hop on the album. Slam! Wrestling's John Powell also identified the genres of electronic and power ballad on the collection, while Billboard magazine noted a dominance of "in-your-face rap".

Release

WWE Originals was released by Columbia Records on January 13, 2004. Initial pressings of the album also featured a bonus DVD, which featured behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the album and more.

Reception

Commercial

In the United States, WWE Originals reached number 12 on the Billboard 200.

Critical

Music website AllMusic awarded WWE Originals three out of five stars. Reviewer Johnny Loftus criticised tracks such as Stacy Keibler's "Why Can't We Just Dance?" and Kurt Angle's "I Don't Suck (Really)", identifying them as proof of some performers' musical inability. However, Loftus praised the "amusing" skits performed by Stone Cold Steve Austin, as well as a number of tracks including "I Just Want You" by Trish Stratus and "Put a Little A** on It" by Rikishi.

John Powell of Slam! Wrestling was more critical, describing the compositions on the album as "generic, cookie-cutter productions without any soul, character or style" and criticising the performances in general. In particular, Powell criticised songs such as The Dudley Boyz' "We've Had Enough", Trish Stratus' "I Just Want You", Lita's "When I Get You Alone" and Stacy Keibler's "Why Can't We Just Dance?"; however, he did praise the performances of John Cena and Lilian Garcia.

Michael Paoletta of Billboard magazine described WWE Originals as "mixed, very mixed". Paoletta noted a dominance of hip hop music on the album, claiming that the pop and rock songs were of higher quality, particularly those performed by divas Keibler, Stratus and Lita.

Track listing

All tracks are produced by Johnston, except "You Just Don't Know Me at All", produced by Mike Post, and "Basic Thuganomics", produced by John Cena and DJ Chaos.

Samples

• "Basic Thuganomics" contains a sample of "Two, Three, Break" by The B-Boys.

References

References

1. Loftus, Johnny. "WWE Originals - Various Artists". [[AllMusic]].
2. Powell, John. (January 27, 2004). "'WWE Originals' is just noise pollution". [[Canoe.ca]].
3. Paoletta, Michael. (January 17, 2004). "Billboard Picks: Albums". [[Prometheus Global Media]].
4. "Columbia Records & World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. Join Forces to Unleash WWE(TM) Originals". [[PR Newswire]].
5. "WWE Originals - Various Artists: Awards". [[AllMusic]].