Alpocalypse | ||||
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Studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic | ||||
Released | June 21, 2011 | |||
Recorded | September 29, 2008 – April 6, 2011 | |||
Genre | Comedy, parody | |||
Length | 45:56 | |||
Label | Volcano | |||
Producer | "Weird Al" Yankovic | |||
"Weird Al" Yankovic chronology | ||||
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Singles from Alpocalypse | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Aggregate scores | |
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 70/100 |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | |
The A.V. Club | B+ |
No Ripcord | 8/10 |
IGN | 8.5/10 |
Billboard | positive |
PopCrush | |
Rolling Stone | |
Consequence of Sound |
Alpocalypse is the thirteenth studio album by "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on June 21, 2011. It was the seventh studio album self-produced by Yankovic. The musical styles on the album are built around parodies and pastiches of pop and rock music of the late-2000s and early 2010s. The album's first single, "Whatever You Like" was released almost two and a half years prior to the release of the album, and the single peaked at number 104 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album's final single, "Perform This Way", was released digitally on April 25, 2011, but failed to chart.
Prior to the release of Alpocalypse, Yankovic released the EP Internet Leaks (2009); the EP was an experiment in using the Internet as a way to release music in an efficient and timely manner. All of the tracks released on Internet Leaks would later be re-released on Alpocalypse. The album was preceded by a minor controversy after Yankovic sought Lady Gaga's permission to record a parody of her song "Born This Way". Yankovic recorded the parody, but due to a communication error, was very nearly forced to leave it off the album.
Yankovic produced a music video for every song on the record. Most of these videos were animated, but a live action video for "Perform this Way" was produced. A deluxe edition of the CD was later released that included all of these music videos, sans the ones for "Perform this Way" and "Polka Face". Yankovic later issued Alpocalypse HD, a Blu-ray release which features all 12 music videos from this album, along with three videos from his previous album, Straight Outta Lynwood (2006). Alpocalypse was met with mostly positive reviews, and was nominated for the 2011 Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album. The album peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200, making it, at the time, Yankovic's highest-charting album.