2012 compilation album by Various artists From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Occupy This Album: 99 Songs for the 99 Percent is a four-disc compilation box set released in May 2012 through the record label Music for Occupy. The album concept, and initial production was initiated by Executive Producer Jason Samel. Jason Samel later recruited Producers Maegan Hayward, Alex Emanuel and Shirley Menard to assist with the project. The set consists of 99 songs inspired by or related to the Occupy movement. Proceeds from the album went "directly towards the needs of sustaining this growing movement."[1]
| Occupy This Album | |
|---|---|
| |
| Compilation album by Various artists | |
| Released | May 15, 2012 |
| Genre | Pop rock |
| Length | 313:09 |
| Label | Music for Occupy |
| Producer | Jason Samel, Shirley Menard, Maegan Hayward, Alex Emanuel |
Occupy This Album is a four-disc compilation box set containing 76 songs by various artists; the digital version contains 99 tracks.
Michael Moore contributed vocals on his cover of Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are a-Changin'", produced by Jason Samel and Eric Weinrib, a song he had previously performed in his 1998 film The Big One. Moore, who had been approached to direct a music video for the compilation, is accompanied by Tom Chapin on guitar and harmonica. Approximately two thirds of the way into the track, Moore leads a human microphone chorus with the chant: "We are here to conduct an intervention".[1]
One of the album's standout tracks "We Can't Make It Here" was written and performed by James McMurtry and recorded along with Steve Earle and Joan Baez on vocals. Critically acclaimed, it's been cited among The Nation's "Best Protest Songs Ever"; one of the "25 Best Songs of the 2000s" in Rolling Stone magazine; and declared "a triumph — the anthem of the 99%," by Bob Lefsetz.[2]
City Winery in New York City hosted a record release party on May 8, 2012, which included performances by Matt Pless, the initial inspiration for the album.[3]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+[4] |
| Mother Jones | mixed[5] |
Critical reception of the album was mixed. In his review for Entertainment Weekly, Kyle Anderson gave the compilation series a B+ rating and wrote, "the spirit of the compilation feels more positive than negative — the best that can be asked of any grassroots revolution".[4] Josh Harkinson of Mother Jones called the album a "mashup of sometimes discordant messages" lacking in "musical cohesion", though he complimented the album's "star power" and felt the best songs were contributed by rappers.[5]
Many reviewers criticized or complimented select tracks. Anderson's favorite songs included Ace Reporter's "propulsive" rendition of "The World Is on Fire" and Deborah Harry's "glitchy" "Safety in Numbers".[4] Harkinson called Michael Moore's version of the Bob Dylan song "The Times They Are a-Changin'" "rotten", but considered Third Eye Blind's "If There Ever Was a Time" a "gem".[5]
Occupy This Album won the Independent Music Awards VOX Populi vote for Best Compilation of 2012.
Credits adapted from Allmusic.[7]
| Chart (2012) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top Current Albums (Billboard)[8] | 162 |
| US Compilation Albums (Billboard)[9] | 7 |
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