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Pop Trash
Pop Trash
from Wikipedia

Pop Trash
Studio album by
Released19 June 2000 (2000-06-19)
Recorded1999–2000
Genre
Length59:10
LabelHollywood
Producer
Duran Duran chronology
Strange Behaviour
(1999)
Pop Trash
(2000)
Singles Box Set 1981–1985
(2003)
Singles from Pop Trash
  1. "Someone Else Not Me"
    Released: 13 March 2000
  2. "Playing with Uranium"
    Released: 20 October 2000 (Italy only)
  3. "Last Day on Earth"
    Released: 7 March 2001 (Japan only)

Pop Trash is the tenth studio album by the English pop rock band Duran Duran. It was released on 19 June 2000 by Hollywood Records. Pop Trash was the band's first release after parting ways with EMI, with whom they had been signed since 1981. It was also the last to feature the trio of Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Warren Cuccurullo. The CD album went out of print in 2001.[1]

Release

[edit]

It was the only album the band released under Hollywood Records. After the album's poor sales, Duran Duran's contract with the label was terminated, and they would not release an album until 2004's Astronaut.[2] The album artwork, created by Andrew Day, features a rhinestone-encrusted car that belonged to Liberace.[citation needed]

From July 2008, the album was made available for sale digitally through the iTunes Store in the United States and Europe, along with Medazzaland.[3] In 2021, the band signed a deal for the album with BMG (along with Medazzaland, Astronaut and Red Carpet Massacre) which saw it being re-issued in the UK on various digital platforms.[4] A CD reissue was released on 17 August 2022.[5]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic52/100[6]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStar[7]
The Encyclopedia of Popular MusicStarStarStar[8]
Entertainment WeeklyC[9]
HOBStarStarStar[10]
MTVStar[11]
QStarStarStar[6]
Release Magazine4/10[12]
Rolling StoneStarStarStar[13]
The Rolling Stone Album GuideStarStar[14]
SalonStar[6]

Critics were generally unexcited by the album, which received an average score of 52, indicating "mixed or average" based on nine reviews, from Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications.[6] Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone[13] said:

The well-named Pop Trash shows off their jaded hooks and nasty wit; it's for fans only, but those of us who still crumple at the opening hiccups of "Hungry Like the Wolf" will be glad for another fix.

Stacia Proefrock of AllMusic[7] said:

Some of the smooth, spacy ballads that were characteristic of their 1993 self-titled release show up here, but more often than not Le Bon is lost in a swamp of overproduction. Completely absent from this music was the aggressiveness and sexuality that made early Duran Duran great – kinder, gentler records could probably be expected from the band as they age, but this album feels careless and flabby instead of introspective.

Chris Willman of Entertainment Weekly[9] said:

Let's give them the benefit of the doubt and say they didn't model Pop Trash after U2's Pop, but darn if Duran Duran aren't after a very similar juxtaposition of groove-based kitsch and super-sincerity. Not surprisingly, there are ephemeral confectionary delights [...] and a general witlessness, never more than when Simon LeBon keeps crooning "We'll all be famous for 15 minutes" as if he just thought of the idea.

A reviewer for Salon called Pop Trash "a mediocre Britpop album",[6] while Q defended the album and said that "Pop Trash proves to be far from embarrassing".[6] Another negative review came from MTV.com who said that "most of the album is, in fact, pop trash".[11]

Ultimately, the album would become the band's lowest-selling album, and their last until 2004's Astronaut.

Singles

[edit]

The lead single "Someone Else Not Me" peaked only at #53 in the UK, and did not chart at all in United States. However, it made the top 10 in Latvia. Le Bon also recorded versions of this song in Spanish ("Alguien Que No Soy Yo") and French ("Un Autre Que Moi"). The music video for the single was the first to be created entirely in Macromedia Flash digital animation.

The song "Playing with Uranium" was supposed to be released as a single in Italy only, but was available only as a radio promo.[15]

The song "Last Day on Earth" was released in Japan;[16] it was also played during the opening of the Universal Studios Japan theme park in Osaka. Parts of the song were submitted for the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies soundtrack, but were not chosen.[17]

Track listing

[edit]

All songs written by Duran Duran

  1. "Someone Else Not Me" – 4:48
  2. "Lava Lamp" – 3:54
  3. "Playing with Uranium" – 3:51
  4. "Hallucinating Elvis" – 5:26
  5. "Starting to Remember" – 2:38
  6. "Pop Trash Movie" – 4:54
  7. "Fragment" – 0:49
  8. "Mars Meets Venus" – 3:07
  9. "Lady Xanax" – 4:53
  10. "The Sun Doesn't Shine Forever" – 4:51
  11. "Kiss Goodbye" – 0:41
  12. "Last Day on Earth" – 4:27

Bonus tracks on various international releases:

  1. "Un Autre Que Moi" (French version of "Someone Else Not Me") – 4:19
  2. "Alguien Que No Soy Yo" (Spanish version of "Someone Else Not Me") – 4:16
  3. "Prototypes" – 6:17

Personnel

[edit]

Duran Duran

Additional musicians

Artwork and photography

  • Andrew Day

Charts

[edit]
Chart (2000) Peak
position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[19] 80
Scottish Albums (OCC)[20] 88
UK Albums (OCC)[21] 53
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[22] 9
US Billboard 200[23] 135

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Pop Trash is the tenth studio album by the English rock band , released on 19 June 2000 by . It features the core lineup of vocalist , keyboardist , and guitarist , marking the first Duran Duran album without any of the Taylor brothers (bassist John, drummer Roger, or guitarist Andy) and serving as Cuccurullo's final recording with the group. The album was recorded during a transitional period for , following their departure from / after over a decade, and aimed to explore a more experimental and edgier sound influenced by 1970s elements reminiscent of and Sparks. Songwriting was primarily handled by Rhodes and Cuccurullo due to Le Bon's reported , with engineering by and final mixing by to give it a poppier edge. The tracklist includes 12 songs, such as the "Someone Else Not Me," alongside instrumentals like "Fragment" and "Kiss Goodbye," blending with elements. Commercially, Pop Trash underperformed, peaking at number 53 on the for one week and reaching number 135 on the 200. The sole single, "Someone Else Not Me," failed to chart significantly in either market, contributing to the album's overall lack of promotion by . Critically, the album received mixed to negative reviews, with publications like describing it as "jaded hooks" suitable only for dedicated fans, while criticized its "groove-based " and lack of wit. Despite its commercial disappointment, Pop Trash has been retrospectively noted for its bold artistic risks during a challenging phase for the band, preceding their reunion with original members and a return to mainstream success.

Background and development

Band lineup and context

Pop Trash marked Duran Duran's tenth studio album and represented the culmination of a transitional period for the band, featuring only the core trio of on vocals, on keyboards, and on guitar. This lineup excluded any involvement from the Taylor brothers—John, Roger, or Andy—who had been integral to earlier phases of the group's history but had departed by the late 1990s. Cuccurullo, who joined in as a before becoming a full member, contributed guitar and bass parts alongside melodic ideas, helping shape the album's organic sound through the use of vintage equipment. The album emerged amid significant contractual shifts, as parted ways with longtime label / following the release of in 1997. In 1999, during a summer tour without a label, signed a multi-album deal with Disney-owned , which became their new home for Pop Trash and positioned the project as a fresh start. Throughout the late , Duran Duran grappled with creative challenges stemming from lineup instability after the Taylors' exits, which left the group navigating an uncertain identity. The band sought to evolve beyond their new wave roots toward a more rock-oriented aesthetic, though this ambition faced resistance from management and prior labels wary of diverging from established expectations. Simon Le Bon's further complicated contributions, intensifying the period's difficulties as recording began in 1999. Pop Trash ultimately served as Cuccurullo's with the band, preceding his departure in 2001 to reunite with his prior group, Missing Persons.

Songwriting origins

The songwriting for Pop Trash was led primarily by keyboardist and guitarist , with vocalist Simon Le Bon's contributions limited by a period of . Rhodes and Cuccurullo drew from earlier material developed under Cuccurullo's side project TV Mania, reworking demos in Cuccurullo's home studio without Le Bon's initial involvement. This collaborative approach allowed the duo to experiment with edgier, rock-infused structures before incorporating Le Bon's vocals, marking a shift following the band's departure from . Inspirations for the album's tracks stemmed from personal and cultural reflections, blending themes of fleeting fame and personal peril. For instance, the track "Pop Trash Movie" was influenced by Andy Warhol's famous quote, "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes," which Rhodes deliberately appropriated to critique disposable celebrity culture. Similarly, "Playing With Uranium" drew from the real-life story of , a teenager who attempted to build a in his backyard, as recounted by Le Bon during a VH1 Storytellers performance. These elements underscored a futuristic lens on alienation and transience. The album's title originated from the phrase in "Pop Trash Movie," symbolizing the ephemeral nature of pop culture and media saturation, a that permeated the early brainstorming sessions. Rhodes later praised Cuccurullo's melodic contributions to the track, noting its widescreen ballad quality as a highlight of their joint efforts. This foundational work in 1999 laid the groundwork for the album's experimental demos, prioritizing thematic depth over immediate commercial appeal.

Recording and production

Studio sessions

The recording of Pop Trash spanned 1998–2000, with initial sessions at ’s studio and further work at Privacy Studios in , . Demos were developed in early 1999, followed by core tracking in late 1999, and overdubs and mixing in early 2000. Final mixes were completed by March 2000, shortly before the release of the first single "Someone Else Not Me" in May.

Production techniques

The production of Pop Trash was handled primarily by Duran Duran under their production alias TV Mania, consisting of Nick Rhodes and Warren Cuccurullo, who oversaw the songwriting, recording, and overall sonic direction. Assistance came from programmer Mark Tinley and additional engineering by Greg Goldman and John "Geetus" Aguto on select tracks, with string arrangements by David Campbell contributing orchestral layers to several songs, including "Someone Else Not Me" and "Mars Meets Venus." This self-production approach allowed the band to experiment freely, blending their electronica roots with a push toward a more organic rock aesthetic. Key techniques included extensive layering of analogue synthesizers, such as the for melodic elements and the AKAI S3200 sampler for textures, alongside digital tools like for flexible editing and manipulation of beats and segments. Guitar sounds shifted to a rockier edge through vintage amplifiers and microphones on tracks like "Playing with ," where Cuccurullo employed a Gibson 335 and direct speaker miking to achieve raw, amplified tones rather than simulated effects. Drums incorporated live performances over programmed elements, emphasizing a 1970s-inspired groove, while "Mars Meets Venus" featured derived from text in personal ads for its quirky narrative drive. The mixing process balanced analog warmth and digital precision, initially handled by veteran engineer using vintage equipment like old-school microphones and the Fairchild compressor to evoke a glam-era feel reminiscent of David Bowie's work. However, the band opted for a more modern, angular revision of Scott's organic mixes, with final mixing by to better suit the late-1990s transition from to rock and give it a poppier edge, resulting in a hybrid sound that layered dense synth beds with live instrumentation. This dual-format approach preserved the album's experimental edge, particularly in sound design elements like subtle vocal effects and chord modulations on tracks such as "Someone Else Not Me."

Musical style and themes

Genre influences

Pop Trash represents a fusion of and new wave elements rooted in Duran Duran's 1980s origins, combined with a more pronounced rock edge influenced by styles. The album's sound draws heavily from mid-1970s glam rock, incorporating organic instrumentation like vintage guitars and analogue synths to create an edgier, guitar-driven aesthetic that departs from the band's earlier polished . This blend results in tracks that balance pop hooks with experimental textures, reflecting influences from rock acts like Sparks and Cockney Rebel. External influences are evident in specific stylistic nods, including David Bowie's Berlin-era experimentalism, particularly in the ambient, atmospheric closer "Fragment," which evokes Brian Eno's ambient works through its minimalist synth layers. The album also integrates pop melodies reminiscent of and , adding a lounge-like sophistication to pieces like the title track "Pop Trash Movie," which features orchestral swells and noir-inspired soundscapes achieved via layered synths and production techniques. Psychedelic elements surface in tracks such as "," with and Eastern motifs, while bluesy rock shades of Led Zeppelin appear in the ballad "Lady Xanax." Compared to the preceding album , which leaned into industrial and electronic experimentation, Pop Trash evolves toward a rockier, more guitar-centric approach, emphasizing live-feel arrangements and pop accessibility amid its textural depth. This shift underscores the band's intent to modernize retro glam influences without fully replicating aesthetics, resulting in a sound that prioritizes emotional introspection over dance-floor energy.

Lyrical content

The lyrics of Pop Trash predominantly explore themes of isolation, hedonism, and futurism, reflecting the band's introspective state during a period of transition. Isolation emerges in tracks like "Starting to Remember," which delves into feelings of being lost and the search for simplicity, drawing inspiration from Pablo Picasso's quote about painting like a child after a lifetime of effort. is implied through escapist indulgences, particularly in "Lady Xanax," where critiques pharmaceutical dependency based on a friend's real-life reliance on drugs to enter a dreamlike state, portraying it with a mix of empathy and wry observation. appears in sci-fi-infused narratives, such as "Last Day on Earth," which envisions apocalyptic scenarios amid technological and existential shifts. A key example of identity and is found in "Someone Else Not Me," a melancholic about the pain of letting go in a relationship and yielding to another's happiness, rooted in Le Bon's personal struggles during a challenging time that included . Le Bon's vocal delivery throughout the album often carries an ironic and detached tone, underscoring themes of emotional distance and the band's navigation of aging within the music industry, as his limited involvement in songwriting led Nick Rhodes to contribute more . This detachment enhances the album's reflective mood, aligning with the synth-rock elements that amplify its introspective atmosphere. Standout tracks further illustrate these motifs: "Lady Xanax" employs dark humor to highlight the superficial allure and dangers of chemical , while "Lava Lamp" evokes psychedelic through imagery of and sensory immersion. Overall, the album forms a cohesive critiquing superficial in the new millennium, epitomized by "Pop Trash Movie," which satirizes transient fame via Andy Warhol's "" concept and envisions a celluloid dream of artificial .

Release and promotion

Album distribution

Pop Trash was released on 19 June 2000 by . The album marked Duran Duran's first release on a major label outside of their long-standing partnership with . Initial physical formats included standard jewel case s and cassettes, available in the (catalog HR-62266-2 for , HR-62266-4 for cassette) and various international markets. Regional variations featured a digipak edition in , released by in partnership with Edel (catalog 0110942HWR), which included bonus tracks such as the acoustic version of "Starting to Remember" in limited German pressings. In contrast, the version consisted of the standard 12 tracks without additional content. Cassette editions were also distributed in via Edel (catalog 0107514HWR) and other regions including , , and . The format went by 2001 following underwhelming commercial performance, resulting in physical copies becoming scarce and sought after by collectors. Digital versions became available on platforms like by July 2008, restoring access after the physical went . In 2022, BMG reissued the album on , followed by a vinyl edition in December 2023, making it available in physical formats again after over two decades .

Marketing and singles rollout

The from Pop Trash, "Someone Else Not Me", was released on 13 March 2000 in and select international markets, marking the album's primary promotional vehicle ahead of its June 2000 launch. The accompanying , directed by , was innovative for its time as the first major created using Macromedia Flash technology, featuring surreal, animated visuals that premiered via Shockwave.com on 13 June 2000. This digital-first approach highlighted the band's adaptation to emerging media, though the video received limited traditional broadcast exposure. Subsequent singles were far more restricted in scope. "Playing with Uranium" appeared as a promotional-only release in October 2000, primarily for radio play in , with no commercial physical formats issued beyond limited promo CDs in . Similarly, "Last Day on Earth" was issued exclusively in on 7 March 2001 as a , targeting that market's fanbase without wider international distribution. The overall marketing campaign for Pop Trash was notably subdued, constrained by the band's transition from to , which provided minimal label support and enthusiasm compared to their lavish promotions. Efforts included sparse TV appearances, such as interviews on VH1's The Daily One and promotional spots on U.S. programs like with , alongside early online previews of tracks and the lead single's video. Hollywood's limited investment meant no extensive world tour or major advertising push, focusing instead on core fan engagement through digital platforms and regional radio. Singles were predominantly issued in CD formats, including standard singles, maxi-singles, and various promotional editions with remixes such as the Peter's Honor Radio Mix; 12-inch vinyl pressings were absent for these releases, and there was no significant U.S. promotional campaign beyond promo s. This restrained rollout reflected the era's shifting dynamics and the band's uncertain commercial standing post-EMI.

Critical reception

Initial reviews

Upon its release in June 2000, Pop Trash received mixed reviews from critics, with an aggregate score of 52 out of 100 on Metacritic based on nine reviews, reflecting a generally average reception. Some reviewers highlighted positive aspects of the album's pop sensibilities. Rolling Stone praised its "jaded hooks and nasty wit," noting the blend of familiar pop elements that appealed to longtime fans despite the band's evolution. Similarly, Q magazine gave it a generally positive assessment, stating that Pop Trash "proves to be far from embarrassing" amid its synth-rock elements. However, several critics expressed disappointment with the album's execution. AllMusic awarded it 2.5 out of 5 stars, criticizing the overproduction that drained the tracks of energy and made the overall effort feel uninspired and routine. NME suggested the band sounded outdated, as if "still trying to sound like a band who split up years ago." Entertainment Weekly encapsulated the ambivalence in its review, calling Pop Trash "a competent but unexciting return to form."

Later assessments

In the 2010s and beyond, retrospective analyses have begun to reframe Pop Trash as a transitional album in Duran Duran's discography, with Classic Pop Magazine describing its sound as landing on "shaky ground with a rocking" edge that bridged the band's experimental phase to the more polished Astronaut in 2004. This reappraisal has positioned the album as underrated among critics and dedicated listeners, particularly for its experimental elements such as the ambient, 49-second interlude "Fragment," which exemplifies the record's psychedelic and diverse stylistic explorations during catalog revisits. The 2022 BMG reissue, available on and later vinyl formats, elicited reviews that commended its accessibility and bonus content—like multilingual versions of "Someone Else Not Me"—while acknowledging the production's dated aspects from the original 2000 sessions, though the album holds up better than initial perceptions suggested. A 2025 retrospective in Classic Pop Magazine further reinforced this view, quoting original critics and highlighting the album's bold risks during a challenging period for the band. Band members, reflecting in a 2020 duranduran.com feature marking the album's 20th anniversary, characterized the recording as a "different experience" without the Taylor brothers, emphasizing its organic, glam-influenced evolution amid personal and creative challenges.

Commercial performance

Chart positions

Pop Trash achieved modest commercial success upon its release, debuting on several international album charts but failing to reach the upper echelons in most markets. In the , the album entered the Official Albums Chart at number 53 during the week of 1 July 2000 and spent only one week in the top 200. In the United States, it peaked at number 135 on the in 2000, marking Duran Duran's lowest-charting studio album in that territory at the time. The album also appeared on the German Albums Chart, reaching number 80, though it had limited longevity there. The , "Someone Else Not Me," mirrored the album's underwhelming trajectory by debuting at number 53 on the UK Singles Chart in June 2000, its highest and only charting position. Subsequent singles like "" received promotional airplay in the but did not enter major charts, while "Playing with " was limited to airplay in without achieving a formal chart placement.
Chart (2000)Peak Position
UK Albums (OCC)53
Billboard 200135
German Albums ()80
Single (2000)ChartPeak Position
"Someone Else Not Me"UK Singles (OCC)53

Sales figures

Pop Trash achieved modest commercial success upon its release, making it Duran Duran's lowest-selling studio album to date, a stark contrast to their multimillion-selling efforts from the , such as Rio, which was certified double in the for over 2 million units. In the United States, the album sold just 41,689 copies by early 2001, prompting Hollywood Records to terminate the band's contract after only one release. The poor performance underscored the challenges faced by the trio lineup during this period, with no certifications awarded for the album in any major market, unlike the gold and accolades garnered by their earlier works. Long-term sales received a modest boost following its digital availability on platforms like around the late 2000s and a CD reissue by BMG in , which made the album more accessible to new and existing fans. However, it remains an underperformer in the band's compared to their blockbuster releases.

Album content

Track listing

The standard edition of Pop Trash features 12 tracks with a total runtime of 48:39.
No.TitleDuration
1"Someone Else Not Me"4:48
2""3:54
3"Playing with "3:51
4"Hallucinating Elvis"5:26
5"Starting to Remember"2:38
6"Pop Trash Movie"4:53
7"Fragment"0:49
8"Mars Meets "3:07
9"Lady Xanax"4:53
10"The Sun Doesn't Shine Forever"4:51
11"Kiss Goodbye"0:41
12"Last Day on Earth"4:23
International editions include bonus tracks such as the French version "Un Autre Que Moi" and Spanish version "Alguien Más Que No Soy Yo" of "Someone Else Not Me." The Japanese edition adds these versions and "Prototypes." The album carries no explicit content warnings.

Personnel

Pop Trash was produced by (under the TV Mania), with on lead vocals, on keyboards and programming, and on guitars. Cuccurullo also played bass on select tracks, while Le Bon contributed guitars on select tracks. Additional contributors included session musicians such as on percussion (tracks 2, 4, 6), John Tonks on drums (tracks 1–4, 6, 9), Steve Alexander on drums (tracks 6, 10, 12), and David Campbell on string arrangements (tracks 1, 6, 10). engineered and mixed several tracks, with final mixing on select tracks by . Initial recording took place at ’s studio, among other locations. The cover artwork was designed by Andrew Day, featuring a rhinestone-encrusted , with photography by Neil Zlozower.

Legacy

Cultural impact

Pop Trash represented a pivotal low point in Duran Duran's , culminating in the departure of longtime guitarist in 2001 following the album's tour, which led to a three-year hiatus for the band until their reunion and the release of in 2004. This period marked a transitional phase, allowing core members and to regroup with original lineup elements, ultimately revitalizing the group's direction. The album's title encapsulated broader cultural critiques of Y2K-era disposable media and ephemeral celebrity, echoing Andy Warhol's notion of "15 minutes of fame" amid the burgeoning reality television landscape. Fan communities have since credited Pop Trash with showcasing the band's mature artistic evolution, particularly through its edgier, rock-infused sound that diverged from their earlier new wave roots. Despite achieving no major awards and modest global sales of around 100,000 copies, the attained cult status among devotees, as evidenced by reflective "Pop Trash at 20" commemorations in 2020 that highlighted its enduring appeal within dedicated fan circles.

Reissues and availability

Following the original 2000 release on , the CD edition of Pop Trash went in 2001 after Duran Duran's contract with the label ended. In July 2008, the was reissued digitally via the in the United States and , making it available again to fans after years of limited physical access. On August 19, 2022, BMG issued a reissue in digipak format, adding three bonus tracks: "Prototypes," "Someone Else Not Me (En )," and "Someone Else Not Me (En Français)." A limited-edition vinyl version, the album's first official pressing on the format, followed on December 1, 2023, available in black vinyl and editions. Pop Trash became available on major streaming platforms including and starting March 19, 2021. As of November 2025, the album has accumulated over 8.7 million streams on . No deluxe edition has been released to date, though a 2020 20th-anniversary on the band's official website featured an with detailed from , , and .

References

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