The Truth About Love

In November 2010, Pink released her first greatest hits album, titled Greatest Hits... So Far!!!. The album spawned two singles, "Raise Your Glass" and "Fuckin' Perfect", which achieved commercial success, peaking at number one and number two, respectively, on the US Billboard Hot 100. On June 2, 2011, Pink gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Willow Sage Hart. Despite media speculation that Pink would take an extended break from music to focus on motherhood, her management team suggested in an interview with American Top 40 that the singer could release a new album next year. In March 2012, Pink confirmed via Twitter that she had begun working on her sixth studio album. In an open letter to her fans posted on her official website, she detailed the process of crafting the record, saying, "I'm putting my heart and soul into every song and there's a lot of that these days. This little girl has expanded me and what I am capable of feeling as a human". Pink later appeared on the cover of Cosmopolitan in June 2012. While discussing her return to the music scene, Pink revealed that the album was set to be released during the fall of the same year, and that she worked on new music with Billy Mann, among others. She added, "I've been in mommy mode, and I'm just starting to get back out there into the real world. I've been in the studio recording my new album, so now it feels like everything is falling back into place." ==Writing and recording==

The development process of The Truth About Love took place between January and May 2012. Pink recorded the album in sessions at Earthstar Creation Center in Venice, Conway Recording Studios in Los Angeles, Suite 203, and The Modern Dirt Laboratories in London, UK. In an interview for Rolling Stone, she explained, "Every album, I'm worried that I'm a dork and a fraud – what if I can't sing anymore? Then I stop thinking and start playing guitar, and I realize that it's ok to suck, and move forward". While her previous albums were created by working every day until the early morning, Pink said becoming a mother has changed the process of making music, essentially complying with a strict routine. Recording sessions were therefore held only from Monday to Friday between 1 p.m. and 10 pm, with breaks for nursing her daughter and having dinner. Weekends were off and dedicated to family time. wrote and produced several tracks on The Truth About Love. She also reunited with record producer Greg Kurstin, with whom the singer had not collaborated since her fourth studio album, ''I'm Not Dead'' (2006). Noting that they shared great camaraderie, Pink felt that Kurstin would align with her musical ideas and elevate her production and musicality. Approximately 40 songs were written during the album's development process; Pink said she would write ideas for songs in her journal. Pink drew inspiration for her songwriting from the various emotions she had experienced in her "exhausting search" for love, as well as the year she and husband Carey Hart were separated, admitting she was "still exorcising some demons". Explaining her writing process, Pink told Daily News that the record reflects her life at the time and her newfound happiness, inspired by motherhood. She continued, "Everything's a song. It's just a lot more fun. [...] I think that's a new thing for me. I was having a lot more fun than I was having before". She also sought to incorporate more musicality and raise the bar for herself, being more interested in the production aspects. Every day spent in the studio resulted in the completion of a new song, and Pink would record just "one or two takes", which, according to Kurstin, were "usually amazing". They later pitched "Try" to Rani Hancock, an A&R executive of RCA Records, hoping to give the song to Kelly Clarkson or Daughtry. A demo version was also recorded by Adam Lambert, but according to Busbee, he "just wasn't the right fit". The concept of "Just Give Me a Reason" was developed during a songwriting session with Bhasker and Nate Ruess. Bhasker was introduced to Pink by Peter Edge, an executive of RCA Records. Pink approached Ruess because she was captivated by his "intense incredible" voice. After the first verse was written, Pink later worked on the lyrics at home. She envisioned that the song's conversational nature demanded another collaborator, and selected Ruess to be a guest vocalist. Nonetheless, Pink persuaded Ruess to record "Just Give Me a Reason" in a duet after "many, many months of convincing". She concluded; "I totally tricked him into doing it and I'm so glad that I was able to because no one could have done it better, and I think now he's very happy that he did it". ==Music and lyrical interpretation==

Overview ", during The Truth About Love Tour.|alt=Pink performing a choreography with a shirtless dancer on The Truth About Love Tour The Truth About Love has been characterized as a pop and pop rock album that incorporates elements of electropop, dance-pop, and rock music. The album consists mostly of "shouty" pop songs with "radio-gripping hooks" and confessional power ballads. According to Jon Pareles of The New York Times, the album's instrumentation makes use of "dance beats, rock guitars, piano hymns, string orchestras, and hip-hop loops". Lyrical contents on the album are centered around Pink's recurring themes of love, sex, self-reliance, long-term relationships, and rebellion. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic noted that the album explored more "grown-up emotions" and Pink "embracing every one of her contradictions". Mesfin Fekadu from the Associated Press summarized The Truth About Love as a "rollercoaster of emotions", comparing the album with "watching a reality show about the ups and downs of her relationship with her husband". Similarly, Christina Lee of Idolator suggested that the album documented Pink's year-long separation from her husband and her overall tumultuous relationship, pointing out the singer's realization that "the love of your life can also cause the heartbreak of your life". Songs analysis The album opens with "Are We All We Are", a self-empowering protest song Described as a breakup anthem, the next track, "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)", is an upbeat electropop song with "Modest Mouse-style rock riffs" and "snappy guitars". The song drew comparisons to Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" for having a similar sound; both songs were produced by Kurstin. The third track, "Try", is a 1980s-influenced power ballad about a damaged relationship and taking risks with love. Lyrically, it has been described as "a celebration of dysfunctional love" and retells aspects of Pink's riotous relationship. Critics found similarities between the track and Blur's 1997 single, "Song 2", as well as references to the 1983 American crime drama film, Scarface. It is followed by "Where Did the Beat Go?", a midtempo R&B song with military drums and multi-layered vocals. The deluxe version of The Truth About Love continues with the track "My Signature Move", an anthemic pop-rock song produced by Walker, while "Is This Thing On?" contains influences of four-on-the-floor. The next song is "Run", an emotional power ballad dedicated to Pink's daughter, with lyrics such as the opening lines, "Remember make believe in you/ All the things I said I'd do/ I wouldn't hurt you, like the world did me/ Keep you safe, I'd keep you sweet". The final track of the deluxe edition, "Good Old Days", is characterized by "a refreshing, live-in-the-moment" message and melancholic lyrics. ==Release and artwork==

In 2011, RCA Music Group announced that it would be disbanding Jive Records, Arista, and J Records. With the shutdown, all artists previously signed to those labels, including Pink, would release their future material through RCA Records. Pink announced the album title during an interview on Australia's Today on July 4, 2012. The album's artwork was unveiled through Pink's official website on July 16, 2012. Photographed by Andrew Macpherson, On September 4, 2012, Pink announced that she partnered with the American retail company Target for a promotional campaign. The partnership included the release of an exclusive, deluxe edition of The Truth About Love album, featuring four extra tracks, and Pink appearing in television commercials for Target to promote the album. A special Fan Edition of the album was released in November 2012. In addition to the standard version of the album, the Fan Edition contains six additional songs, as well as a DVD containing the music videos of "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" and "Try", four live performances from a special The Truth About Love concert held in Los Angeles, and exclusive scenes from the album photoshoot. ==Promotion==

Live performances .|alt=Pink in a black leotard with rhinestones hanging on ropes and performing To bolster album sales, Pink and RCA Records implemented an extensive marketing plan for the album. At the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, Pink gave the first televised performance of "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)", which she also performed on September 10, 2012, on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Le Grand Journal. Three days later, Pink sang at the 2012 iTunes Festival at Roundhouse, in London. On September 14, 2012, Pink appeared on Alan Carr: Chatty Man, where she was interviewed and performed "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)". Concurrent with the album's release in Germany, Pink held a special concert at Circus Krone, in Munich. Songs performed included "Are We All We Are", "How Come You're Not Here?", "True Love", "Try", "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)", and "Slut Like You", along with other tracks from her discography. She later performed "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" and "Try" on Today as part of their Toyota Concert Series. Pink also appeared on The View and The Daily Show singing "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)". Later the same month, the singer performed at the 2012 iHeartRadio Music Festival where her setlist included "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" and "Try". In Australia, Pink promoted The Truth About Love by performing "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" and "True Love" on Today. She also performed "Try" during the fourth season of The X Factor Australia and held a one-night-only concert at the Forum Theatre, in Melbourne. On November 12, 2012, she performed during the "Power of Pink" benefit concert at Sony Pictures Studios, singing her previous singles as well as "How Come You're Not Here?", "Try", and "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)". A day later, Pink was featured on an episode of VH1 Storytellers. Her setlist included "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)", "How Come You're Not Here?", and she was accompanied on stage by Lily Allen and Nate Ruess during the performances of "True Love" and "Just Give Me a Reason", respectively. At the 2012 American Music Awards, Pink performed "Try" and recreated the highly choreographed routine from the music video joined by her male dancer, Colt Prattes. The performance was met with positive reviews from critics. Pink then returned to Europe to further promote the album. On November 30, 2012, Pink played a private concert organized by NRJ at Salle Wagram in Paris. The following day, she appeared on Swiss television show Benissimo and sang "Try". Pink performed the song again on the semi-finale of the ninth series of The X Factor UK. On December 8, 2012, she performed "Try" on German television show Wetten, dass..?, accompanied by Prattes. The singer was a main headliner at the 2012 edition of Jingle Bell Ball, an annually-held event promoted by Capital FM, which took place at the O2 Arena in London. Among the songs performed were "Blow Me (One Last Kiss)" and "Try". At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards on January 26, 2014, Pink performed a medley of "Try" and "Just Give Me a Reason". Pink descended from the ceiling on ropes and performed "Try" while flying above the audience and executing an aerial dancing routine. She then landed on stage and sang "Just Give Me a Reason" joined by Nate Ruess. It received positive commentary from music critics; reviewers complimented Pink's vocals and the song's anthemic chorus, being heralded as a return to form. An accompanying music video, directed by Dave Meyers, was released on July 26, 2012. It depicts Pink taking revenge and crashing the wedding of a former lover. "Try" was released as the album's second single on September 6, 2012. The song attained top ten status in the United States and other 15 countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Released on October 10, 2012, the video portrays Pink and her lover, played by Prattes, expressing their intense love story and frustrations through an elaborate choreography inspired by the Apache dance. "Just Give Me a Reason" was released as the third single from the album, on February 26, 2013. The song was a commercial success, topping the charts in over ten countries and reaching the top ten elsewhere. The accompanying music video, directed by Diane Martel, is mainly set on a floating mattress surrounded by mist and water and features a cameo from Pink's husband. The album's fourth single, "True Love", was released on June 28, 2013. The song performed moderately on the charts, peaking within the top 40 charts in over 15 countries, including Australia, Canada, and Italy. "Walk of Shame" was serviced to Australian contemporary hit radio stations on September 25, 2013, as the album's fifth single. The song's music video consists of a compilation of concert and behind-the-scenes footage from The Truth About Love Tour. In Europe, "Are We All We Are" was released as the final single from The Truth About Love on October 31, 2013. Tour The album received further promotion from The Truth About Love Tour, which started on February 13, 2013, in Phoenix, Arizona. The first leg consisted of 26 dates, visiting venues in North America, while the second row of shows comprised 30 concerts throughout Europe. The third leg included 46 dates in Australia and ran from June to September. Pink played an additional 40 shows in North America, which commenced on October 10, 2013, and concluded on January 31, 2014. The tour garnered positive reviews, with critics commending her vocals, stage presence, and aerial acrobatics. It became the third highest-grossing tour of 2013 and grossed a total of $183 million with over 1.9 million ticket sales. A video album of the tour was released on November 15, 2013, as DVD, Blu-ray, and digital download. ==Critical reception==

The Truth About Love was met with generally positive reviews. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 77, based on 16 reviews. Billboards Andrew Hampp rated the record 4.5 out of 5 stars and hailed it as being a "peerlessly witty, endlessly melodic tour de force". Jon Pareles of The New York Times found the recording to be "[recognizing] some nonstorybook sides of romance". Writing for The Guardian, Caroline Sullivan noted that the singer "funnels her thoughts into some of the most pungent songs in pop" and commended her for having "the nous to convert raw emotion into pop-punk earworms". However, she criticized the ballads which "detract from an otherwise fierce record". Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune perceived "formula production and hack songwriting", but complimented Pink's personality showcased in its "handful" of worthy tracks. In his list for The Barnes & Noble Review, Christgau named The Truth About Love the fourth best album of 2012. Billboard ranked it as one of the best albums of the 2010s decade, with reviewer Sarah Grant affirming that Pink "created a ramshackle masterpiece that reminds us of what it's really like to be human" by "figuring out how the foreign experiences of a family-woman fit into [her] repertoire". The album was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, while "Just Give Me a Reason" received nominations for Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, respectively, at the 56th ceremony. In Canada, the album was nominated for International Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2014. ==Commercial performance==

The Truth About Love became Pink's first number-one album in the United States, debuting at the summit of the Billboard 200 chart with 280,000 copies sold and earning her biggest first-week sales at the time. The following week, the album fell to number four with sales of 94,000 copies. It sold 945,000 copies by the end of 2012, finishing as the country's 12th highest-selling album of the year. By December 2013, the album had sold over 1.83 million copies. It was certified 3× Platinum by Music Canada (MC) for shipments of 240,000 copies. As of February 2019, the album has sold 907,000 sales in the UK and has been certified 3× Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). The Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP) certified the album gold, which denotes sales of 50,000 copies. The album spent ten non-consecutive weeks at the summit of the chart, becoming the longest-running number-one album since Adele's 21 (2011). The Truth About Love was the nation's highest-selling album of both 2012 and 2013, thus becoming the first album to ever achieve this feat. As of January 2014, it has sold 560,000 copies and was certified 9× Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for selling over 630,000 units. and by November 2016, it had sold an estimated seven million copies worldwide. ==Track listing==

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Credits are adapted from the liner notes of The Truth About Love. Additional recording locations • Enormous Studios guitars recording • Capitol Studios (Hollywood) strings recording Engineering locations • Earthstar Creation Center (Venice, California) • Ruby Red Studios (Santa Monica, California) • Sonora Recorders (Los Angeles) • Echo Studio (Los Angeles) • Modern World Studios (Tetbury) • Turtle Sound Studios (Weston, Connecticut) • Monster Island (Nashville, Tennessee) • New Track City (London/Los Angeles) • Ballroom West (Los Angeles) • Mission Sound (Brooklyn) Mixing and mastering locations • Eldorado Recording Studios (Los Angeles) • MixStar Studios (Virginia Beach, Virginia) • The Ballroom Studio (Los Angeles) • Super Sonic Scale (France) • Ruby Red Studios (Santa Monica, California) Musicians • Pink lead vocals, background vocals • Butch Walker background vocals, arranger • Phillip A. Peterson strings • Zachary Baird keyboards • Greg Kurstin keyboards, guitar, bass, piano • Kevin Dukes guitars • Jeff Bhasker keyboards, synthesizer • Nate Ruess featured vocals • Anders Mouridsen guitars • Lily Rose Cooper featured vocals • Willow Sage Hart bells, bass • Max Martin keyboards, background vocals • Shellback guitars, bass, drums, keyboards, background vocals • Billy Mann arranger, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, bass, piano, live percussion • David Schuler arranger, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, bass, drums • Jonathan Yudkin strings • Eminem featured vocals • Erik Alcock guitars • Chin Injeti bass • DJ Khalil keyboards • Danny Keyz keyboards • Liz Rodrigues background vocals • Tracklacers arranger, bass, keyboards • Pete Wallace string arrangements • Dan Wilson piano, acoustic guitar, keyboards • Steve Wolf tambourine • David Campbell string arrangements, conducting • Charlie Bisharat strings concertmaster • Sara Parkins violin • Tamara Hatwan violin • Andrew Duckels viola • Steve Richards cello • Dave Stone bass • Oli Kraus additional cello, viola, violin • Jake Sinclair background vocals • Boyce Buchanan children's vocal • Barbara Klaskin Silberg children's vocal directing • Eg White instruments, background vocals • Robin Lynch electric guitars • Niklas "Nikey" Olovson bass • Mark Shulman drums • Justin Derrico lead electric guitars Production • Butch Walker producer, music, songwriting, keyboard programming • John Hill producer, music, songwriting • Emile Haynie producer, music, songwriting • Jake Sinclair music, engineer • Pink songwriting, executive producer • Laura Sisk engineer • Rich Costey mixing • Chris Kasych Pro Tools engineer • Eric Isip assistant engineered for mix • Greg Kurstin songwriting, producer, programming, engineer, mixing • Jesse Shatkin additional engineering • Serban Ghenea mixing • John Hanes engineered for mix • Phil Seaford assistant engineered for mix • Busbee songwriting • Ben West songwriting • Jeff Bhasker songwriting, producer, programming • Nate Ruess songwriting • John X Volaitis recording, assistant vocal recording • Pawel Sek guitars recording • Tyler Johnson guitars recording • Tony Maserati mixing • Justin Hergett assistant engineered for mix • James Krausse assistant engineered for mix • Lily Rose Cooper songwriting • Max Martin songwriting, producer • Shellback songwriting, producer, programming • Sam Holland recording • Billy Mann songwriting, producer, drum programming, engineer, keyboard programming • David Schuler songwriting, additional production, drum programming, engineer, keyboard programming • Mark Needham mixing • Will Brierre assistant engineered for mix • Pete Wallace engineer • Veronica Ferraro mixing • DJ Khalil songwriting, producer • Chin Injeti songwriting, producer • John Brown additional production • Mike Strange vocal recording • Jon Keep songwriting • Steve Daly songwriting • Tracklacers additional production, drum programming • Jonathan Yudkin engineer • Dan Wilson songwriting, producer • John Rausch engineer • Phil Allen engineer • Oliver Straus engineer • Charlie Paakkari strings recording • Eg White songwriting, producer, engineer, programming • Tom Coyne mastering • Machopsycho producer, keyboard programming, engineer • Niklas "Nikey" Olovson songwriting • Robin Lynch songwriting • Pete Wallace keyboard programming Management and design • Roger Davies management • Shady Farshadfar management • Irene Taylor management • Lisa Garrett management • Andrew Macpherson photography • Deborah Anderson photography • Jeri Heiden art direction, designing • Nick Steinhardt art direction, designing • Donald Passman legal • Gene Solomon legal • Helen Stotler legal • Nancy Chapman business affairs • Teresa Polyak business affairs • Otto Perez business affairs ==Charts==

Weekly charts Year-end charts Decade-end charts All-time charts ==Certifications and sales==