Come On Over

Come On Over
Standard edition cover
Studio album by Shania Twain
Released	November 4, 1997
Studio	Emerald Sound GBT Masterfonics Tracking Room Seventeen Grand Recording (Nashville) Sven (Mamaroneck, New York) Sound Barries (New York) Glenn Gould (Toronto)
Genre	Country pop
Length	60:08
Label	Mercury
Producer	Robert John "Mutt" Lange
Shania Twain chronology
The Woman in Me (1995) Come On Over (1997) The Complete Limelight Sessions (2001)
Alternative cover
International edition cover
Singles from Come On Over
"Love Gets Me Every Time" Released: September 22, 1997 "Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)" Released: November 10, 1997 "You're Still the One" Released: January 13, 1998 "From This Moment On" Released: May 4, 1998 "When" Released: June 1, 1998 "Honey, I'm Home" Released: August 10, 1998 "That Don't Impress Me Much" Released: December 7, 1998 "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" Released: March 1999 "You've Got a Way" Released: June 1999 "Come On Over" Released: September 7, 1999 "Rock This Country!" Released: January 10, 2000 "I'm Holdin' On to Love (To Save My Life)" Released: July 2000

Come On Over is the third studio album by Canadian singer Shania Twain. Mercury Records in North America released it on November 4, 1997. Similar to her work on its predecessor, The Woman in Me (1995), Twain entirely collaborated with producer and then-husband Robert John "Mutt" Lange. With both having busy schedules, they often wrote apart and later intertwined their ideas. Twain wanted to improve her songwriting skills and write a conversational album reflecting her personality and beliefs. The resulting songs explore themes of romance and female empowerment, addressed with humor.

Produced by Lange, Come On Over is a country pop album with pop and rock influences. The songs contain country instrumentation such as acoustic guitars, fiddles, and pedal steel, in addition to rock riffs and electric guitars. She released an international version on February 16, 1998, with a pop-oriented production that toned down the country instrumentation. Then Twain embarked on the Come On Over Tour, which ran from May 1998 to December 1999. The album spawned 12 singles, including three U.S. Billboard Hot 100 top-ten singles: "You're Still the One", "From This Moment On" and "That Don't Impress Me Much."

Come On Over received mixed reviews from music critics. Some appreciated the album's crossover appeal and country-pop experimentation, while others criticized the lyrics and questioned its country music categorization. At the 41st Annual Grammy Awards in 1999, Come On Over was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Country Album.

The album reached number two on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, while topping the charts in multiple countries, including Australia, Canada, and the UK. With sales of over 40 million copies worldwide, Come On Over was recognized by Guinness World Records as the biggest-selling studio album of all time by a solo female artist. It is the best-selling country album in the U.S., and was certified 20× platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2004. Retrospectively, music journalists praised the album for revolutionizing country music, both musically and visually, and discussed its influence on subsequent country artists.

Background

Canadian singer Shania Twain signed to U.S. label Mercury Nashville Records in 1991, and released her eponymous debut studio album in April 1993. It was a commercial failure, reaching number 67 on the U.S. Top Country Albums chart and selling just over 100,000 copies. However, the music video for the album's lead single, "What Made You Say That," and Twain's singing voice attracted the interest of Zambian record producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange. The two collaborated on songwriting via phone calls, and met for the first time at the Nashville Fan Fair festival in June 1993. Soon after, they established a romantic relationship and wedded in December 1993. Together they worked on Twain's second studio album, The Woman in Me. They released it in 1995, and it represented Twain's break with the conventional country music formula to experiment with a rock-influenced country pop sound.

It sold over 10 million copies, surpassing Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits (1967) as the best-selling female country album of all time, and establishing Twain as a sensation on the country music scene. The Woman in Me spawned four number-one singles on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart and won Album of the Year and Best Country Album at the 31st Academy of Country Music Awards and the 38th Annual Grammy Awards, respectively. Despite the commercial success, Twain refused to embark on a tour to support it. Her risky decision sparked criticism and speculation from Nashville industry experts that she was a manufactured artist with no ability to perform live. Twain cited a lack of logistical support, her reluctance to sing cover songs due to not having enough powerful music, and also a desire to take time off and focus on writing songs for her next album. A concert tour, she suggested, would have distracted her from improving her songwriting.

Writing

As with The Woman in Me, Twain and Lange composed all of the songs on Come On Over. They crafted material for the album "sporadically" as early as 1994, including "You've Got a Way." Twain composed the lyrics at Michael Bolton's New Jersey home, while Lange worked on Bolton's 1995 greatest hits compilation. Due to Twain's busy promotional schedule for The Woman in Me, she and Lange often worked separately, and then later amalgamated the parts. Twain documented her ideas on devices she carried with her at all times. She wrote rough drafts of music and lyrics in a notebook, and recorded bits of melodies on a small tape recorder or a MiniDisc. She explained, "We write everywhere. When we're driving to the grocery store we write. Sometimes, I come up with a melody when we're in the car and if I didn't bring the tape deck, I have to sing it all the way home so I don't forget it. When I get home I run to the tape deck to record it." Twain's longtime friend, Hélène Bolduc, noted how the singer perpetually observed others. She then wrote these observations in her notebook, and later referred to them while composing or when coming up with a title.

When Twain and Lange wrote together, it was typically after they had spent significant time in each other's company. The couple found it difficult to compose music after being separated for a long time. Rather than scheduling time for songwriting, they waited for it to surface gradually. The pair wrote much of the material when they were relaxed, almost bored, because that was when the process felt most natural. While Twain concentrated on the concepts and themes, Lange worked on the music and arrangements. Conceiving Come On Over as a conversational album, Twain incorporated common phrases used in everyday language into her songwriting. As a result of the positive response to The Woman in Me, she also felt "freer and more comfortable" to continue writing songs that expressed her personal beliefs and attitudes. "People seemed to like hearing my perspective from a woman's point of view," she said, "and they seemed to like a sense of humour, so it seemed natural to continue on with that."

Production and recording

Twain and Lange began the recording process for Come On Over in late 1996. Before recording, Lange called session drummer Paul Leim and played him every song, singing and accompanying himself on guitar. Wanting to capture "a real fun Motown feel," Lange had several conversations with audio engineer Jeff Balding, singing and detailing the musical direction. Balding added, "A lot of thought went into it before we came into the studio to do the tracks." All tracks were recorded over three weeks at Masterfonics Tracking Room in Nashville, Tennessee. Finding the right location to place the drum kit was one challenging task, and they tested several locations. Leim recorded the drums for most songs in a room with a stone floor, and walls made of reflective rock faces. He recorded the ballads in "small 'dead booths.'" Joe Chemay played electric and fretless bass, Biff Watson played acoustic and nylon-string guitar, and Twain sang scratch vocals. Steppenwolf member Larry Byrom played the slide guitar tracks, and then recorded them at the GBT Studio. Olle Romo programmed the music at Sven Studios in Mamaroneck, New York. Twain and Lange recorded the background vocals in Toronto at the Glenn Gould Studio, and later returned to Masterfonics for overdubs.

Whilst having a specific vision for the sound of the songs, Lange also left room for the musicians to come up with their own touches. Recalling the recording of "You've Got a Way," Chemay remarked: "The fretless bass allowed me to slide and make gradual note and pitch changes. I had quite a lot of input on that song." For the fiddle recording, both Twain and Lange were of the opinion that the instruments did not sound "big enough." Thus, Lange brought in four fiddle players: Rob Hajacos, Joe Spivey, Glen Duncan, and Aubrey Haynie. They played the exact same part in unison. Additional engineer Bob Bullock noted that this technique made the instruments sound big without being cluttered, creating a different effect than "simply doubling or tripling a part by the same player." For some songs they placed microphones six to eight inches from each fiddle. For other songs, all four fiddle players stood in a semicircle, using two Neumann KM 582 microphones. After recording was finished, Mike Shipley mixed Come On Over using a SSL 9000 J console. Glenn Meadows at Masterfonics mastered the album with a SADiE's Apogee UV22 plug-in.

Musical style

Music critics debated the album's genre. Most categorized Come On Over as country pop. Christopher O'Connor of MTV News and Miriam Longino of The Atlanta Constitution remarked that the songs combined country music instruments, such as fiddles, pedal steel, and acoustic guitars, with radio-friendly pop hooks. Pitchfork's Allison Hussey stated that "fiddles are the key element in transmitting Come On Over's country core," but the "smeared edges of [Twain and Lange's] production [...] master the illusion of genre." Others argued that the album's production leaned more toward pop and adult contemporary music than country. Twain described Come On Over as a diverse and upbeat album that equally combined elements of country, pop, and rock music. Many critics noted rock influences in the album's instrumentation.

According to Jon Pareles of The New York Times, the verses on Come On Over contained "a big, blunt rock beat," while the choruses were country, with fiddles and pedal steel guitars. The album's opening track, "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!," uses twang vocal delivery, synthesized strings, and electric guitar, which some journalists compared to Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky" (1969). Described as a "country-pop-metal mix," "Love Gets Me Every Time" blends steel and "funky" electric guitars with fiddle and pedal steel. "Honey, I'm Home" is an uptempo country rock track featuring bluesy fiddles, guitars, and drums. It incorporates a stomp-clap rhythm which some critics found similar to Queen's "We Will Rock You" (1977). "If You Wanna Touch Her, Ask!" and "Black Eyes, Blue Tears" are guitar-driven songs; the former is a blues rock song, while the latter features grunge pop influences.

"I Won't Leave You Lonely" is a "European-flavored" song with juxtaposed accordions and pedal steel. The rhythm guitar track has been noted for its similarities to the Police's "Every Breath You Take" (1983). On "Rock This Country!," Twain sings over "pounding" beats, power chords, electric guitars, and fiddles. Some critics described other tracks with more uptempo productions, such as "Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)" and "That Don't Impress Me Much," as dance-able country pop numbers. In addition to an electronic Caribbean beat, the mandolin and accordion-led Latin percussion on the title track create a Cajun sound. Among the ballads on the album, "From This Moment On" combines country and rock elements. The piano-based "You're Still the One" features breathy vocals and instrumentation from guitar, organ, and mandolin. The closing track "You've Got a Way" is a Spanish guitar-driven ballad with "gentle" drums.

Lyrics and themes

Thematically and lyrically, Twain and Lange focused on accentuating the positive. Thus, Twain omitted personal details and focused on entertaining her listeners. "People ask me, 'What do you want people to get from your music?' And I say, 'I want them to be entertained.' That's really the bottom line. I'm not sending out some subliminal message or trying to change the consciousness of people." The songs on Come On Over reflect Twain's concerns, interests, and day-to-day preoccupations. She conveyed her personality through "witty" and "sassy" lyrics, as per Lange's encouragement, and she approached her topics with humor. She sourced many of the titles' pert puns, exclamation marks, and double entendres from Lange. According to music industry executive Ralph Simon "[Lange] was always the master of the double entendre; if ever there is some sexual ambiguity in the lyric, it's down to [him]." The album's predominant themes were love and romantic relationships. "I'm Holdin' On to Love (To Save My Life)" contains references to horoscopes, the internet, psychiatrists, and Dr. Ruth as "superficial crutches" to save one's life rather than love. In "Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)," Twain reassures a jealous and possessive partner.

"From This Moment On" is a duet with country singer Bryan White. Twain originally wrote the song with another artist in mind, hoping to pitch it to a "powerhouse" vocalist like Céline Dion. However, Lange convinced Twain to record it, although she initially felt uncomfortable singing a power ballad. "When" used metaphors and scenarios of an idealistic world to describe a broken relationship. Twain said it was her favorite song lyrically: "I love the whole concept. It's a neat way of saying 'never' about a relationship. Like saying 'when hell freezes over' without saying that." The "wry, chiding" humorous lyrics of "Whatever You Do! Don't!" find a vulnerable Twain "falling head over heels for a guy who seems to do everything just right." In "You're Still the One," she celebrates a successful relationship that has prevailed despite turmoil, hardships, and criticism. The lyrics were inspired by her marriage to her then-husband Lange, and the people who considered their relationship unlikely to succeed. The tongue-in-cheek "That Don't Impress Me Much" depicts her indifferent attitude toward self-absorbed men who emphasize material things, intelligence, or physical beauty, rather than personality and heart. In "I Won't Leave You Lonely," Twain added verses in French and Spanish to broaden the song's universal appeal.

Apart from romance, Come On Over explores women's issues and experiences. "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" is a self-celebratory song about female empowerment, hedonism, and women's liberty. "If You Wanna Touch Her, Ask!" explores themes of sexual consent and respecting a woman's personal space. Twain said the song was inspired by awkward feelings she experienced in her adolescence due to her physical development. However, she decided to write it from a positive perspective and sing about how to sensitively approach a woman. Twain narrates the role reversal song "Honey, I'm Home" from the perspective of a working woman coming home after a difficult day and demanding that her partner take care of her. The song drew some comparisons to Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" (1980). "Black Eyes, Blue Tears" is about domestic abuse and depicts a woman leaving a physically abusive relationship, with lyrics such as "I'd rather die standing than live on my knees, begging please." Twain wrote this from an optimistic perspective, and associated the song's theme with the 1991 American film Thelma & Louise. "I wanted to show that there's life after abuse, as opposed to doom and destruction."

Packaging and release

Twain originally wanted to title the album No Inhibitions, but opted for Come On Over because she considered the title track one of her favorites and appreciated its inviting nature. She released the album in North America on November 4, 1997, through Mercury Records. With 16 songs and a running time of slightly over an hour, Come On Over distinguished itself by deviating from the traditional standard of "cheap, short" country albums, typically consisting of only 10-12 tracks and a duration of under 35-40 minutes. George Holz designed the red and white cover artwork. It depicted Twain in a "come-hither pose," wearing a red shirt and holding her hands over her head.

When the album was complete, Lange spent four months remixing it for international release. He removed country elements from the songs to achieve a "universal" pop-oriented sound. He made the snare drums, fiddles, and pedal steel more subtle, and replaced them with pop beats, drum loops, keyboards, and synthesizers. 15 songs underwent sonic changes, with the exception of "Rock This Country!" which remained in its original version. For "From This Moment On," Twain sang solo. She also recorded two new versions, one in collaboration with Brazilian duo Chitãozinho & Xororó, and another with Irish singer Ronan Keating. However, these versions of "From This Moment On" were never released.

Twain and Lange released the international version of Come On Over in continental Europe on February 16, 1998, with a different track order and new artwork. The cover showed Twain with tousled hair, wearing a sleeveless silver gown, and turning toward the camera. They released a special edition in Australia in 1998 featuring a live version of "(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!" and dance mixes for "Love Gets Me Every Time" and "Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)." The Australian tour edition included a second disc. It contained an additional single mix of "God Bless the Child" (1996), a live medley of "Home Ain't Where His Heart Is (Anymore)," "The Woman in Me (Needs the Man in You)" (1995), and "You've Got a Way," and the original country version of "From This Moment On."

In 1999 they issued a revised international edition of Come On Over. It included the pop radio mixes of "You're Still the One" and "From This Moment On," the Notting Hill remix of "You've Got a Way," and the "UK dance mix" of "That Don't Impress Me Much." They released this version in the U.S. on November 23, 1999, after the singles' success on pop radio. In Japan, they released a limited edition 10 days earlier. It featured both a radio edit and the album version of "You're Still the One," as well as a "Mach 3 remix" of "Love Gets Me Every Time." They released a version on increasingly popular vinyl on December 2, 2016. They offered a special edition of Come On Over digitally on December 4, 2022. This included two live versions of "You're Still the One" with Elton John and Chris Martin, and a live version of "Party for Two" (2004) with Nick Jonas.

In July 2023, during the Queen of Me Tour, Twain announced Come On Over: Diamond Edition, to celebrate the album's 25th anniversary, released on August 25, 2023.

Promotion

Mercury implemented an extensive promotional campaign for Come On Over. To market it, Twain performed "Love Gets Me Every Time" at the 1997 Country Music Association Awards and held album signing sessions in the U.S. at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, and in Canada at the Southcentre Mall in Calgary. She appeared on a series of American television shows, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, Late Night with David Letterman, and Good Morning America. For the international release in Europe, she conducted press interviews and performed "You're Still the One" on The National Lottery Live in the U.K. On February 26, 1998, Twain appeared on TNN's Prime Time Country. She sang songs from both The Woman In Me and Come On Over, and then Gary Chapman interviewed her. In March 1998, Twain embarked on a promotional tour in Australia. She appeared on Midday, Hey Hey It's Saturday Night, and performed at the Australian Grand Prix concert in Melbourne.

At the VH1 Divas concert on April 14, 1998, she sang "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" and "You're Still the One." In September 1998, Twain became the first female country singer to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine since Dolly Parton in 1980. She also performed at award shows, including the Canadian Country Music Awards, Country Music Association Awards, and Billboard Music Awards. Promotion continued throughout 1999, with Twain appearing again on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Prime Time Country. On February 24, 1999, Twain sang "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" at the 41st Grammy Awards ceremony. She returned to the U.K. in July and September 1999 to perform at Capital Radio's Party in the Park and Top of the Pops, respectively. At the 1999 Country Music Association Awards, Twain performed "Come On Over." In the U.K., a Top of the Pops 2 special aired on BBC Two on December 8, 1999, where Twain sang "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" and "That Don't Impress Me Much,” among other songs.

Singles

Out of the album's 16 songs, 12 were released as singles. In North America, promoters pushed Come On Over as a country album, while internationally categorizing it as pop. Promoters serviced the first two singles, "Love Gets Me Every Time" and "Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)," only to country radio stations and both peaked within the top 40 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The former was a five-week number one on the Hot Country Songs charts, while the latter was a top-ten hit on the same. "You're Still the One" had a crossover release to U.S. pop radio on January 13, 1998, and was the first single the team released in Europe on February 2, 1998. In addition to reaching number-one in Australia and on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart, the song peaked at number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, at number seven on the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart, and at number 10 on the UK Singles Chart. Mercury relied on a crossover marketing strategy for the following singles, sending songs to pop stations only after they achieved success on country stations. On May 4, 1998, Twain and Lange's team released "From This Moment On" to U.S. country stations as the fourth single, and it peaked at number six on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart. They later serviced it to U.S. pop stations on August 25, 1998, and it peaked within the top 10 in Australia, the U.K., and the U.S.

"When" had a limited release in Europe on June 1, 1998. Twain released the original version of "That Don't Impress Me Much" to U.S. country stations on December 7, 1998, and released a dance remix to U.S. pop stations on February 23, 1999. It was the album's most successful single internationally, topping the charts in Ireland, New Zealand, and Norway. It achieved top 10 positions in other territories, including Australia, Canada, Germany, Spain, the U.K., and the U.S. "You've Got a Way" and "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" had crossover releases to U.S. pop stations throughout 1999, and peaked at numbers 49 and 23 respectively on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The promoters also serviced more singles to U.S. country stations: "Honey, I'm Home" (August 10, 1998), "Come On Over" (September 7, 1999), "Rock This Country!" (January 10, 2000), and "I'm Holdin' On to Love (To Save My Life)" (July 2000). All songs peaked within the top 30 of the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart, with "Honey, I'm Home" at number one and "Come On Over" at number six. They released a dance remix of "Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)" as the album's final single in Europe on February 7, 2000.

Touring

To further promote the album, Twain embarked on the Come On Over Tour, her first as a headliner. It kicked off in Sudbury, Northern Ontario, on May 29, 1998, and concluded in West Palm Beach, Florida, on December 5, 1999. Outside North America, the Come On Over Tour visited Australia, Ireland, and the U.K. It grossed over $70 million from 165 shows and received generally positive reviews. Music critics appreciated Twain's energetic performances as she refuted those earlier accusations of being unable to sing live, and they praised the show's production. The tour visited Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas, on September 12, 1998, and DirecTV broadcast it live. A CBS TV special titled Shania Twain's Winter Break premiered on March 3, 1999. Filmmakers documented the tour on January 15 and 16, 1999, at the Bayfront Park Amphitheater in Miami, Florida. Elton John joined Twain on stage to sing a medley of "You're Still the One" and "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" (1997). Backstreet Boys also appeared at the concert, singing "From This Moment On" alongside Twain. CBS taped a second TV special at Texas Stadium, and it aired on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1999.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Chicago Tribune
Christgau's Consumer Guide	A−
Entertainment Weekly	B+
Los Angeles Times
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Pitchfork	7.5/10
Rolling Stone
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
The Tennessean

As noted earlier, Come On Over received mixed reviews from music critics. Those who were complimentary applauded it for exploring the limits of country music. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic remarked that Come On Over transcended boundaries due to its rock-oriented production, writing that despite the relative absence of country elements, Twain "sticks to what she does best, which is countrified mainstream pop." Billboard's Paul Verna similarly stated that "country's traditions are being reinvented and redefined," calling Come On Over "the future of power pop merging with country." Some critics, however, took issue with the album's genre classification as country. Robert Christgau asserted that Come On Over "has nothing to do with country," and Jeffrey Lee Puckett of The Courier-Journal felt that "[it] sounds more like a pop singer flirting with country." The Tennessean's Tom Roland added that the array of rock references hardly made the album sound country. Conversely, J. D. Considine of Entertainment Weekly cited the country chorus on "Honey, I'm Home" as an example of how "superficial Twain's rock trappings are," concluding that "Lange has no need to countrify every arrangement for credibility's sake."

Reviews in the Dayton Daily News, The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Vancouver Sun, and The Washington Post praised the album's mainstream appeal and catchy melodies, and touted Lange's production. Other reviews from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Austin American-Statesman, the New York Daily News, and Q were negative, dismissing the album as "unforgivably bland," forgettable, and uninspired. Twain's lyrical content drew criticism for lacking depth, and some called it "predictable" (the Los Angeles Times) and "cliched" (the Springfield News-Leader). Hussey opined that Twain avoided controversy and was "the first to insist that her songs are meant to be fun, and it is OK to enjoy them on those terms alone." In the Miami Herald, Howard Cohen disliked the album's "lazy" production and "insipid" lyrics, but complimented the international version for removing "the forced country instrumentation" and revealing "the finely crafted pop it really is." The Sydney Morning Herald's Mary Tartaglione and The Guardian's Adam Sweeting were critical, deeming the international version's production "overly polished" and "manufactured."

Accolades

At the 1998 Canadian Country Music Association Awards, Come On Over won Album of the Year and was declared the Top Selling Album. It was nominated for Album of the Year at the 33rd Academy of Country Music Awards, the 1998 Country Music Association Awards, and the 1998 Juno Awards. The album received further nominations for Favorite Pop/Rock Album and Favorite Country Album at the 26th American Music Awards. At the 41st Annual Grammy Awards in 1999, Come On Over was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Country Album, and its single "You're Still the One" won Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song. The following year, at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards, "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" won Best Female Country Vocal Performance, and "Come On Over" won Best Country Song.

Commercial performance

In 2015, Guinness World Records recognized Come On Over as the biggest-selling studio album by a female solo artist, with over 40 million copies sold worldwide. It remains the best-selling country album, the best-selling album by a Canadian artist, and the world's third best-selling album of all time.

Americas

In Canada, Come On Over debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart with first-week sales of 51,840 copies. Twain became the first country artist to debut at number one since the introduction of the Nielsen SoundScan system for tracking album sales. The album spent five weeks atop the chart. By December 2014 it had sold 1.94 million copies, making it the best-selling album since the advent of the Nielsen SoundScan in Canada in 1995. Music Canada (MC) certified Come On Over double diamond for shipments of two million units. In the U.S., Come On Over debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart for November 22, 1997, with first-week sales of 172,000 copies. Mase's debut studio album Harlem World, which sold 3,000 more copies than Come On Over, held it off from reaching the top spot. The album remained second behind Barbra Streisand's Higher Ground, selling 170,000 units in the second week.

Come On Over experienced its highest weekly sales during Christmas week 1999, selling 355,000 copies, and remaining on the Billboard 200 chart for a total of 151 weeks. It spent 50 weeks at number one on the U.S. Top Country Albums chart, breaking the record for the longest-running number-one album. It was the fourth best-selling album of both 1998 and 1999 in the U.S., selling 4.9 million and 5.62 million copies, respectively. By October 2019, the album had sold 15.73 million pure copies in the U.S. It is the best-selling country album and the second best-selling album in the U.S. since Nielsen SoundScan tracking began in 1991, behind Metallica's 1991 self-titled album. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the album 20× platinum (double diamond), denoting 20 million units shipped. In Latin America, Come On Over was certified gold in Brazil, Mexico, and Uruguay and platinum in Argentina.

Europe and Oceania

The album topped the pancontinental European Top 100 Albums chart for two consecutive weeks. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) certified it 7× platinum in 2001, denoting sales of seven million copies across Europe. Come On Over was a sleeper success in the U.K. In the week ending March 21, 1998, the album debuted at number 15 on the Albums Chart. After a year and a half of fluctuating on the chart, it climbed to number one in its 74th week, with sales of 57,000 copies. The best sales week was the one ending December 25, 1999, with 278,000 copies sold. Come On Over spent 11 weeks at number one and was the best-selling album of 1999 in the U.K. with sales of 2.2 million copies. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) certified it 11× platinum and sold 3.51 million copies by January 2023, making it the 15th best-selling album in the U.K. of all time. Across Europe, Come On Over reached number one in Belgium (Flanders), Denmark, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Scotland. It received multi-platinum certifications in Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland (3× platinum), the Netherlands (5× platinum), Norway (6× platinum), and Denmark (7× platinum).

In Australia, Come On Over topped the Australian Albums Chart for 20 weeks and was the best-selling album of 1999 in the country. By December 1999, the album had sold one million units in Australia. It was certified 25× platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for earning over 1.75 million album-equivalent units in the nation. The album spent 23 weeks at number one on the New Zealand Albums Chart and received a 21× platinum certification from Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ) for shipments of over 315,000 units.

Legacy

Critics have observed the impact of Come On Over on the work of later female country artists, including Taylor Swift (left, pictured in 2012) and Carrie Underwood (right, pictured in 2018).

In a March 1999 article in the Ottawa Citizen, Lynn Saxberg wrote that Come On Over "pushed new country as far as it will go" and "may be remembered as [...] the epitome of the pop-rock influence on country music." Ron Corbett from the same publication considered Twain's crossover success to be the first of its kind: "In Nashville, they say the streets are littered with the bones of artists who tried to cross over to pop, only to end up killing their careers. Ms. Twain may turn out to be the exception." In retrospect, journalists hailed Twain as the pioneer of 1990s country-pop crossovers and observed the impact of Come On Over in country music. Alex Hopper of American Songwriter considered the album to be Twain's magnum opus and said that its country-pop crossovers "were something entirely new upon their release." In Jocelyn R. Neal's 2013 book Country Music: A Cultural and Stylistic History, Neal acknowledged Twain as the driving force behind the "major stylistic shift in country music toward country-pop."

Larry Delaney of Country Music News said that the album introduced country music to a large and new audience of young listeners. Writing for Wide Open Country, Bobbie Jean Sawyer applauded the album for being "a benchmark moment for country music." He noted its impact on female country artists "less concerned with a strict adherence to genre and more concerned with being true to themselves," including Kelsea Ballerini, Maren Morris, Carly Pearce, Carrie Underwood, and Taylor Swift. Taylor Weatherby of Billboard called Come On Over "a brilliant fusion of country, pop and rock that it quickly solidified Twain's legacy." Alison Hussey of Pitchfork observed how the album's success "changed Nashville forever" and redefined the categorization of country music. According to her, Twain set a new standard of country-pop crossovers, recognizing her influence on subsequent careers of Bomshel, Rascal Flatts, Faith Hill, and Underwood.

Pandora music analyst Kevin Seal pointed out that the "euphoric quality" of the songs had a "huge effect on Nashville production" and shaped the sound of upcoming country productions. Medium's Glenn Peoples likewise dubbed the music "ahead of its time." He cited Underwood's "All-American Girl" (2007) and "Good Girl" (2012) as songs "that would work well on Come On Over," referring to the female empowerment theme of the former and the instrumentation of the latter. The Independent's Roisin O'Connor linked the "winking, sarcastic tone" of "That Don't Impress Me Much" to Taylor Swift's music, specifically citing "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" (2012) and "Blank Space" (2014), and concluding, "Without Shania, there likely wouldn't be a Taylor." In 2021, Swift thanked Twain on the video-sharing service TikTok for eradicating the misconception that "country girls can't go to pop." Twain told Billboard that the risk she took by exploring her diversity inspired female country artists like Swift and Miranda Lambert to be confident in being "artistically expressive and unique."

Journalists have noted that Twain's image and fashion throughout the album cycle altered the public's perception of country music's visual representation. Some have credited the visual aspect of Twain's music videos, which benefited from heavy airplay on stations such as CMT, MTV, and VH1, as conveying a message that "country music doesn't have to look like just one thing." Peoples described Twain's music videos as "visually stunning, mixing glamour, romanticism, and often vibrant colors." National Post's Jeff Breithaupt accredited the success of Come On Over to the marketing strategy of "slow roll-outs of hit singles and expensive videos," and compared it to Michael Jackson's Thriller (1982). Other journalists commented that a vast audience of "underseen, under-engaged" female listeners who identified with its female empowerment themes embraced it. O'Connor cited "Black Eyes, Blue Tears" and "If You Wanna Touch Her, Ask!" for their timely relevance in light of the #MeToo movement, calling the album "an overlooked feminist masterpiece."

Consequence ranked Come On Over as the ninth-best album of 1997, and praised it for pushing the boundaries of country music. Rolling Stone included it in their 2020 revised list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, at number 300. The same publication later placed the album at number eight in its 2022 list of the "100 Greatest Country Albums of All Time." Editor Natalie Weiner found the songs "addictive," and commended both the "wild creativity" and Twain and Lange's "dangerously sharp commercial instincts," as well as their "fearless embrace of an audience too often overlooked by country music: women." In their ranking of the "150 Greatest Albums Made by Women," NPR listed Come On Over at number 89. Ann Powers opined that the album's sonic innovations were "forward thinking," revolutionizing the country genre.

Track listing

Notes:

• All editions of the album following its initial North American release include alternate pop-oriented mixes of all of the album's tracks, except for "Rock This Country!".

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.

Musicians

"Bow Bros." gang fiddles on tracks 1, 3, 4, 8, 11, 13, 15 performed by Rob Hajacos, Joe Spivey, Glen Duncan, and Aubrey Haynie.

Production

Charts

Decade-end charts

All-time charts

Certifications and sales

Release history

See also

• List of best-selling albums
• List of best-selling albums by country
• List of best-selling albums by women
• List of best-selling albums in Australia
• List of best-selling albums in Belgium
• List of best-selling albums in Canada
• List of best-selling albums in Europe
• List of best-selling albums in New Zealand
• List of best-selling albums in the United Kingdom
• List of best-selling albums in the United States
• List of best-selling albums in the United States of the Nielsen SoundScan era
• List of diamond-certified albums in Canada