{"id":118782,"date":"2024-11-12T21:01:11","date_gmt":"2024-11-12T21:01:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lascrucestoday.com\/magic\/2024\/11\/12\/this-is-b-a-n-a-n-a-s-gwen-stefanis-love-angel-music-baby-turns-20\/"},"modified":"2024-11-12T21:01:11","modified_gmt":"2024-11-12T21:01:11","slug":"this-is-b-a-n-a-n-a-s-gwen-stefanis-love-angel-music-baby-turns-20","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lascrucestoday.com\/magic\/2024\/11\/12\/this-is-b-a-n-a-n-a-s-gwen-stefanis-love-angel-music-baby-turns-20\/","title":{"rendered":"This is B-A-N-A-N-A-S: Gwen Stefani’s ‘Love. Angel. Music. Baby.’ turns 20"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Interscope<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Twenty years ago, on Nov. 12, 2004,\u00a0Gwen Stefani<\/strong> drove us all\u00a0B-A-N-A-N-A-S with her debut solo album,\u00a0Love. Angel. Music. Baby.<\/em><\/p>\n

Released during No Doubt<\/strong>‘s hiatus, the album featured a throwback ’80s dance pop sound inspired by artists like Madonna<\/strong>, Prince<\/strong> and Depeche Mode<\/strong>, and was overseen by a long list of all-star producers, including Outkast<\/strong>‘s\u00a0Andr\u00e9 3000<\/strong>,\u00a0Dr. Dre<\/strong>,\u00a0Jimmy Jam<\/strong> and Terry Lewis<\/strong>,\u00a0the Neptunes<\/strong>\u00a0and Gwen’s No Doubt bandmate Tony Kanal<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The album debuted in the top 10 and went on to sell over\u00a08 million copies worldwide. It produced hits like “What You Waiting For”; “Rich Girl<\/a>,” featuring rapper Eve<\/strong>; the #1 hit “Hollaback Girl<\/a>“; and “Cool<\/a>.”<\/p>\n

Gwen said that “Hollaback Girl,” which has become her signature solo tune, was inspired by an interview with Courtney Love<\/strong> in which the Hole<\/strong> frontwoman said, “Being famous is just like being in high school. But I’m not interested in being the cheerleader. I’m not interested in being Gwen Stefani. She’s the cheerleader.”<\/p>\n

Gwen later\u00a0said in an interview, “Y’know someone one time called me a cheerleader, negatively, and I’ve never been a cheerleader. So I was, like, ‘OK, f*** you. You want me to be a cheerleader? Well, I will be one then. And I’ll rule the whole world, just you watch me.'”<\/p>\n

Love. Angel. Music. Baby.<\/em> earned Gwen six Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year. In 2006, she followed it up with her second solo album, The Sweet Escape<\/em>. Gwen returned to No Doubt for their 2009 tour; the band eventually released a comeback album, Push and Shove<\/em>, in 2012.<\/p>\n

Gwen wouldn’t release another solo album until 2016’s This Is What the Truth Feels Like<\/em>. Her latest solo release, Bouquet,<\/em> is due out Nov. 15.<\/p>\n

(Videos contain uncensored profanity.)<\/em><\/p>\n