Good News from the Next World

The album's recording started in the band's own studio in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1993, and finished in Los Angeles, US, in summer 1994.^[4] The two original band members – singer Jim Kerr and guitarist Charlie Burchill – wrote all nine tracks on the album. They were joined by a number of guest musicians for recording sessions. Keith Forsey, who had previously worked with Simple Minds on their breakout single "Don't You (Forget About Me)", shares producing credits with the band.

In some markets the album performed somewhat better than their previous record, Real Life (1991), but it quickly faded from public attention, producing only two moderately successful hit singles.^[5]

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Commercial performance

The album garnered moderate commercial success. In the UK, it reached number 2 and produced two UK top 20 hits: "She's a River" (number 9) and "Hypnotised" (number 18).

"She's a River", inspired by Herman Hesse's novel Siddhartha,^[6] was also a commercial success worldwide, reaching number 3 in Canada, number 6 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart (now the Mainstream Rock chart) and number 52 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was their first hit in the United States since "See the Lights" in 1991.^[7]

"Hypnotised" was less successful globally, though it charted in Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland and Italy.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	^[8]
Canoe.ca	^[9]
Q	^[10]

Good News from the Next World received favourable reviews among critics in the United States.^[11]^[12] In the UK, it received mixed reviews. John Harris wrote in Melody Maker that the album "approximates the noise that would be made if the entire contents of a music shop were strapped to an Empire transport ship from Star Wars", adding "for all its cod-Wagnerian vastness, there are no tunes."^[13] Good News from the Next World also received a favourable review from Time Out,^[14] while Vox gave an unfavourable review.^[15]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill

No.	Title	Length
1.	"She's a River"	5:32
2.	"Night Music"	5:24
3.	"Hypnotised"	5:53
4.	"Great Leap Forward"	5:56
5.	"7 Deadly Sins"	5:11
6.	"And the Band Played On"	5:32
7.	"My Life"	5:16
8.	"Criminal World"	5:03
9.	"This Time"	4:58

Japanese edition bonus track
No.	Title	Length
10.	"Celtic Strings"	5:15

Personnel

Simple Minds

Jim Kerr – vocals
Charlie Burchill – guitar, keyboards

Additional musicians

Mark Browne – bass
Malcolm Foster – bass
Marcus Miller – bass
Lance Morrison – bass
Mark Schulman – drums
Tal Bergman – drums
Vinnie Colaiuta – drums
Stefani Spruill – backing vocals
Pat Hodges – backing vocals
Maxann Lewis – backing vocals
Julia Walters – backing vocals

Technical

Keith Forsey – producer
Simple Minds - producer
Brian Reeves – recording
Tom Lord Alge – mixing
Chris Fogel – assistant engineer
Sean O'Dwyer – assistant engineer
Rob Kirwan – assistant engineer
Gil Morales – assistant engineer
Kenny Polakovich – assistant engineer
Doug Cowan – technical direction
Tony Donald – equipment
Clive Banks for CBL – worldwide representation
Alan McBlane – coordination
Stylorouge – art direction and design
David Scheinmann – band photography
Rob O'Conner – textural photography
Stuar MacKenzie – textural photography

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for *Good News from the Next World*
Chart (1995)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[16]	20
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)^[17]	6
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[18]	21
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)^[19]	11
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)^[20]	37
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[21]	5
European Albums (European Top 100 Albums)^[22]	2
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)^[23]	10
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[24]	4
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)^[25]	8
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)^[26]	5
Scottish Albums (OCC)^[27]	1
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[28]	2
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[29]	1
UK Albums (OCC)^[30]	2
US Billboard 200^[31]	87

Year-end charts

1995 year-end chart performance for *Good News from the Next World*
Chart (1995)	Position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)^[32]	47
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[33]	46
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)^[34]	19
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)^[35]	84
European Albums (European Top 100 Albums)^[22]	22
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[36]	41
Swedish Albums & Compilations (Sverigetopplistan)^[37]	94
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[38]	22
UK Albums (OCC)^[39]	81

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for *Good News from the Next World*
Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)^[40]	Gold	25,000^*
France (SNEP)^[41]	Gold	100,000^*
Germany (BVMI)^[42]	Gold	250,000^{^}
Italy	—	150,000^[43]
Norway (IFPI Norway)^[44]	Gold	25,000^*
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)^[45]	Gold	25,000^{^}
United Kingdom (BPI)^[46]	Gold	100,000^{^}
^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

^ "Good News from the Next World". Amazon Germany.
^ "シーズ・ア・リバー | シンプル・マインズ" [She's a River | Simple Minds] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 25 March 1995. p. 35. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
^ "Good News From The Next World". simpleminds.com. 30 January 1995. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
^ Good News from the Next World - Simple Minds | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 8 August 2021
^ "She's a river". simpleminds.org. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
^ "Simple Minds Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Simple Minds: Good News from the Next World at AllMusic. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
^ Sakamoto, John (1995). "Simple Minds – Good News From the Next World – Articles & Reviews". Canoe.ca. Quebecor Media. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
^ Aizlewood, John (February 1995). "Good News from the Next World". Q. Bauer Media. ISSN 0955-4955. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
^ Roger, Donna (1995). "Simple Minds – Good News From the Next World – Articles & Reviews". CMJ New Music Monthly. CMJ Network, Inc. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
^ "Simple Minds: Good News from the Next World". Rolling Stone. Straight Arrow. 2 February 1998. ISSN 0035-791X. Archived from the original on 2 October 2007.
^ Harris, John. "Good News from the Next World". Melody Maker. IPC Media. ISSN 0025-9012. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2011.
^ Davies, Laura Lee (1995). "Simple Minds – Good News From the Next World – Articles & Reviews". Time Out. Time Out. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
^ McLean, Craig (February 1995). "Simple Minds – Good News From the Next World – Articles & Reviews". Vox. IPC Media. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2013.
^ "Australiancharts.com – Simple Minds – Good News from the Next World". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
^ "Austriancharts.at – Simple Minds – Good News from the Next World" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
^ "Ultratop.be – Simple Minds – Good News from the Next World" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
^ "Ultratop.be – Simple Minds – Good News from the Next World" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 8012". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Simple Minds – Good News from the Next World" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
^ ^a ^b "1995 Year in Review" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 52. 23 December 1994. p. 14. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Simple Minds – Good News from the Next World" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
^ "Charts.nz – Simple Minds – Good News from the Next World". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Simple Minds – Good News from the Next World". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
^ "Swedishcharts.com – Simple Minds – Good News from the Next World". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
^ "Swisscharts.com – Simple Minds – Good News from the Next World". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
^ "Simple Minds Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
^ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1995". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
^ "Jaaroverzichten 1995". Ultratop. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
^ "Rapports Annuels 1995". Ultratop. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1995". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
^ "Årslista Album (inkl samlingar) – År 1995" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1995". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 1995". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 1995". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
^ "French album certifications – Simple Minds – Good News From the Next World" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Simple Minds; 'Good News from the Next World')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
^ "Simple Minds, sacerdoti dell'antico rito rock". La Stampa. 20 March 1995. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
^ "IFPI Norsk platebransje Trofeer 1993–2011" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Good News from the Next World')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
^ "British album certifications – Simple Minds – Good News from the Next World". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 26 May 2019.

External links

Good News from the Next World at Discogs (list of releases)

v t e Simple Minds
Jim Kerr Charlie Burchill Ged Grimes Sarah Brown Gordy Goudie Cherisse Osei Brian McGee Tony Donald Duncan Barnwell Mick MacNeil Derek Forbes Kenny Hyslop Mike Ogletree John Giblin Eddy Duffy Mel Gaynor Andy Gillespie Catherine AD
Albums	Life in a Day Real to Real Cacophony Empires and Dance Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Call New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84) Sparkle in the Rain Once Upon a Time Street Fighting Years Real Life Good News from the Next World Néapolis Our Secrets Are the Same Neon Lights Cry Black & White 050505 Graffiti Soul Big Music Acoustic Walk Between Worlds Direction of the Heart
Live albums	Live in the City of Light Real Live 91 Sunday Express – Live (Volumes 1 & 2) 5X5 Live Acoustic in Concert Live in the City of Angels
Compilations	Themes for Great Cities 79/81 Celebration Glittering Prize 81/92 The Promised The Best of Simple Minds Early Gold Silver Box Celebrate: The Greatest Hits
Singles	"Love Song" "Promised You a Miracle" "Glittering Prize" "Someone Somewhere (In Summertime)" "Waterfront" "Speed Your Love to Me" "Up on the Catwalk" "Don't You (Forget About Me)" "Alive and Kicking" "Sanctify Yourself" "All the Things She Said" "Ghostdancing" "Belfast Child" "This Is Your Land" "Kick It In" "Let There Be Love" "See the Lights" "Stand by Love" "She's a River"
Promo singles	"Mandela Day" (US)
Themes series	Themes – Volume 1: March 79–April 82 Themes – Volume 2: August 82–April 85 Themes – Volume 3: September 85–June 87 Themes – Volume 4: February 89–May 90 Themes – Volume 5: March 91–September 92
Related articles	Discography Concert tours Lostboy! AKA Jim Kerr Ex-Simple Minds

This page was last edited on 23 June 2024, at 10:16