Youth Authority | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 15, 2016 | |||
Recorded | Mid–2015 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 42:44 | |||
Label | MDDN | |||
Producer | John Feldmann | |||
Good Charlotte chronology | ||||
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Singles from Youth Authority | ||||
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Youth Authority is the sixth studio album by American rock band Good Charlotte. The band went on hiatus following the release of Cardiology (2010), with the members shifting focus to their families. During this downtime, Benji and Joel Madden did production work; after working with All Time Low and 5 Seconds of Summer, the brothers, and subsequently the rest of the band, wanted to make a new album. The writing and recording process consisted of the brothers creating a song, showing it to the other members, practice and record it. Working with collaborator John Feldmann, who produced the album, sessions concluded mid-2015. After announcing the end of their hiatus in early November 2015, "Makeshift Love" was released as a single.
In early 2016, the band supported All Time Low on the UK arena tour, leading into the single release of "40 oz. Dream" in May. Preceded by the single release of "Life Can't Get Much Better" in June, Youth Authority was released in July through the Madden brothers' own label MDDN. It was promoted with performances on Warped Tour for the remainder of the month, and a handful of UK shows surrounding the band's appearance at the Reading and Leeds Festivals. A music video for "Life Changes" followed in September, as did a headlining US tour in October and November. A second headlining US tour followed in May 2017; alongside two festival appearances, a music video was released for "Keep Swingin'" in June. A few months later, a music video was released for "War"; the band closed the year with a headlining UK tour in November and December.
Youth Authority received a generally favorable reception, with the album's pop punk sound dividing critics. It charted at number 23 on the US Billboard 200, and peaked within the top 20 on five additional Billboard charts. "Makeshift Love" and "Life Can't Get Much Better" charted within the top 20 on various Billboard sales charts, with "Life Changes" charting just outside this frame. The album reached number one in Australia, where "Makeshift Love" and "Life Can't Get Much Better" peaked outside of the top 100 and top 50, respectively. Outside of these territories, the record charted within the top 20 in Switzerland, the UK, Austria, New Zealand, Germany and Canada.
The Madden brothers reunite for by-numbers emo cracker.