Number Ones

Number Ones is a greatest hits album by British recording artist Alesha, released on December 4, 2017 by Fusion Records. Whereas Alesha's previous greatest hits releases, such as Last Judgment (2010), pulled together Alesha's most familiar songs, Number Ones only features songs that reached the top of the singles chart. The compilation was released in many different formats including a standard one-disc edition and a deluxe double-disc version.

The compilation was appreciated by music critics, who noted the vastness of Alesha's prolific career.

Background and release
Alesha scored a pair of number one single in 2005 with "Infernal Superstar" and the Neyssa duet "Close the Door". She earned her third number one single with 2007's "Fashion Kills". Over the next four years, Alesha would earn ten more number one singles before taking an unofficial sabbatical. Returning to the limelight three years later (in 2014), Alesha garnered more success than ever before in her career. "In Love Today" (2015) surpassed Emily Henning's record of most number one singles by a female artist (16 number ones). In 2016, Alesha tied and then broke Jack Stevens' record of most number one singles by any artist (21 number ones) with "Petroleum" and "Winter". To celebrate her achievement – and close another chapter of her career – Alesha decided to compile her number ones for a greatest hits album. Alesha had previously released Chic/Freak (2006) and Last Judgment (2010), as well as the "budget" releases God Save the Queen: The Best of Alesha (2011) and Essential Alesha (2014).

Music and lyrics
The standard edition of Number Ones spans ten years, beginning with "Fashion Kills" (Alesha Is the Queen, 2007). Written by Buffi and produced by Giorgio Moroder, the disco pastiche is a send-up of the fashion industry. It is followed by "Diamonds & Dollars" (Diamonds & Dollar Bills, 2008), a duet with Putanovska that samples M.I.A.'s "10 Dollar". "Disciplinary" (The Second Coming, 2008), penned by Shell Ruin, is a pseudo-sequel to Ruin's own "My Teaches". The track features uncredited guest vocals from Jon Farley, who performs the army cadence heard in the song's introduction and closing verse.

There are two number one singles that do not appear on either the standard or deluxe editions – "He’s Done It Again" (2005) with Neyssa, and "Shoot to Kill" (2009) with Indigo Peak. However, these singles were one half of an AA-side, and their counterparts are present on the deluxe edition.

Singles
"When the Sky Fades" was the first single from the compilation. It received its world premiere on October 21, 2017, streaming exclusively on BLOC before its formal release on November 27. According to the press release, the song "delivers a much needed dose of positivity with triumphant, uplifting lyrics that speak to the power of love." Contemporary critics gave mixed reviews, with some praising its catchiness and others calling it a "retread of familiar ground." Ironically, "When the Sky Fades" entered the official singles chart at number two. However, it rose to number one the following week.

Critical reception
Number Ones received a score of 84/100 at Metacritic, indicating "universal acclaim" from music critics. Sarah Crompton from The Daily Telegraph gave the collection four out of five stars and said: "Alesha's Number Ones shows just how consistently she delivers the goods, with tracks such as 'In Love Today', 'Number One', 'The Last Temptation' and 'Fashion Kills'", with "only a couple of [songs] which feel dispensable." Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine gave the compilation four out of five stars and commented that "functionally, what Alesha and fans are really celebrating with the release of Number Ones is the hard proof that Alesha's back catalogue is now so immense and so varied that she can release a behemoth, two-disc greatest hits package that still manages to significantly short-change the singer's legacy", though also noticing that "the standard edition is missing songs [and] doesn't always include the right ones". Tim Sendra from Allmusic praised that "the collection does a fine job of living up to the title [...] and includes some of the most thrilling pop music ever created."

Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone noted that "Number Ones kicks off with pure bliss and never lets up. It's a dizzying, chronological spin through the Alesha years, years it makes you feel lucky to be living through. Her hitmaking genius is unmatched and [...] undiminished." However, Sheffield called the omission of "Infernal Superstar" from the standard edition "just plain crazypants." Lean Greenblatt from Entertainment Weekly commented that the album "holds up surprisingly well". Joey Guerra from Houston Chronicle praised the album saying "every song on Number Ones defines a moment in time, a radio sing-along, a twirl under the glitterball. It's a pulsing testament to Alesha's often-overlooked pop prowess, from the scrappy electro punk of 'Apocalypse City' to the post-disco swirl of 'M4M' and 'Petroleum'".

Commercial performance
Number Ones debuted at number one on the official albums chart, selling 123,200 in the first week. It became Alesha's twelfth full-length release to reach number one, following eight number one studio albums, a rarities album, a covers album and a previous greatest hits release. It also marked the highest first-week sales frame of Alesha's career, outpacing even her most recent studio albums afterhours (2015) and The White Album (2016). Sales increased as the holiday season kicked into gear; Number Ones sold an additional 149,274 copies in its second week on the chart, despite slipping to number two behind Dustin Hadley's sophomore album Becoming. With 272,474 copies sold in its debut fortnight, Number Ones was certified silver.

Standard edition

 * 1) "Fashion Kills"
 * 2) "Diamonds & Dollars" (with Putanovska)
 * 3) "Disciplinary"
 * 4) "Apocalypse City"
 * 5) "Bear Dance"
 * 6) "Delusions of Grandeur" (with Shell Ruin)
 * 7) "Good Mourning"
 * 8) "The Last Temptation"
 * 9) "The Hunted"
 * 10) "Opulence" (with Paulo Araujo)
 * 11) "Number One"
 * 12) "In Love Today"
 * 13) "M4M"
 * 14) "Cruising"
 * 15) "Petroleum"
 * 16) "Winter"
 * 17) "Outlaw"
 * 18) "Fire + Jade"
 * 19) "When the Sky Fades"
 * 20) "Sandman" (with Shell Ruin)

Deluxe edition

 * Disc one
 * 1) "Infernal Superstar"
 * 2) "Close the Door" (with Neyssa)
 * 3) "Fashion Kills"
 * 4) "Diamonds & Dollars" (with Putanovska)
 * 5) "Original Sin" (with Ryan Dawson)
 * 6) "Disciplinary"
 * 7) "Guerrilla"
 * 8) "Filthy Preacher" (with Indigo Peak)
 * 9) "Apocalypse City"
 * 10) "Bear Dance"
 * 11) "Delusions of Grandeur" (with Shell Ruin)
 * 12) "Good Mourning"
 * 13) "Heavens Above Me'
 * 14) "The Last Temptation"
 * 15) "The Hunted"


 * Disc two
 * 1) "Opulence" (with Paulo Araujo)
 * 2) "Unbeknownst" (with Paulo Araujo)
 * 3) "Number One"
 * 4) "In Love Today"
 * 5) "M4M"
 * 6) "Cruising"
 * 7) "How to Disappear"
 * 8) "Petroleum
 * 9) "Winter"
 * 10) "Outlaw"
 * 11) "Fire + Jade"
 * 12) "Llorona" (Seven Suns Remix)
 * 13) "When the Sky Fades"
 * 14) "Halfway House"
 * 15) "Sandman" (with Shell Ruin)