Twenty 4 Seven

Twenty 4 Seven is a Dutch Eurodance group formed in 1989 by Dutch producer Ruud van Rijen and American rapper/producer Tony Dawson-Harrison (Captain Hollywood). The project is best known in Europe for the hit singles "I Can't Stand It", "Are You Dreaming?", "Slave to the Music", "Is It Love" and "Take Me Away."

Twenty 4 Seven
Twenty 4 Seven at Sunshine Live - Die 90er (Mannheim, Germany) - 2016
Background information
OriginNetherlands
GenresEurodance
Years active1989-1991, 1993-Present
LabelsBCM Records BMG
Associated actsCaptain Hollywood Project
MembersStacey Seedorf (Stay-C)
Li-Ann
Ruud van Rijen
Past membersTony Dawson-Harrison (Captain Hollywood)
Ricardo Overman (MC Fixxit)
Giovanni Falco (Hanks)
Wolfgang Reis (Jacks)
Nancy "Nance" Coolen
Stella
Elle
Sharon Doorson (Miss Cherry)

History

1989-1990: Original lineup

Original Street Moves cover art (1989)

Twenty 4 Seven was formed in 1989 by Dutch producer Ruud van Rijen and American producer/rapper/dancer Tony Dawson-Harrison (Captain Hollywood) in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In the beginning stages, the project consisted of Dutch singer Nancy "Nance" Coolen and Dutch rapper Ricardo Overman (MC Fixxit). The single "I Can't Stand It" was released early in 1989 featuring vocals from Coolen and Overman. After having internal disputes with van Rijen, Overman left the team shortly after the release of the debut single. In response to Overman's departure from the act, Harrison chose to step out of his producer role to become the new front man and rapper of the project. Dancers Giovanni Falco (Hanks) and Wolfgang Reiss (Jacks) were recruited by Harrison to front the act alongside himself and Coolen. The project name was also modified to "Twenty 4 Seven featuring Captain Hollywood."' The group's innovative new mixture of traditional male raps and female singing choruses proved to be a massive success across Europe. "I Can't Stand It" charted at No.3 in Israel and at No.7 in the United Kingdom. The next single, "Are You Dreaming?" charted at No. 17 in the United Kingdom. In 1990, Street Moves, the project's debut album was released.

By 1991, Harrison had left the project to continue developing his own music project called Captain Hollywood Project. Despite Harrison's departure from the project, the popularity "I Can't Stand It" continued throughout Europe. The single was later chosen to be a part of film soundtrack for the 1991 film Dying Young starring Julia Roberts. After Harrison's departure, Twenty 4 Seven remained dormant for two years.

1993-1994: Slave to the Music & I Wanna Show You

In 1993, Dutch rapper/singer Stacey Seedorf (Stay-C) was recruited into the act as a replacement for Harrison. The singles "Slave To the Music" "Is It Love", "Take Me Away", "Leave Them Alone" and the album Slave to the Music were released.

After the success of Is It Love, the band quickly capitalized on their success by readying material for another new album. In 1994, "Oh Baby!" and "Keep on Tryin'" were released, Although the singles did not chart in the United Kingdom, where they had experienced large success before, the band continued its success throughout the rest of Europe. After both singles were released, the band released I Wanna Show You, their third studio album, in mid-1994. After several live performances across Europe, the band once again went silent, releasing no new material for the next two years.

Lineup changes and decline

In 1996, the band returned featuring a new female vocalist, Stella, to replace veteran member Nance Coolen, who had walked out on the group in favor of a solo career.[1] The first single featuring Stella's vocals, "We Are the World", managed to break charts in the Czech Republic and Netherlands, but was unable to continue the band's large success.

In 1997, "If You Want My Love" and "Friday Night" were released, with both songs charting poorly in countries where they had once experienced success. Although the Netherlands remained a constant area of success for the band, interest throughout the rest of Europe had waned considerably. Following a few live performances and the release of the band's fourth studio album, Twenty 4 Hours A Day, Seven Days A Week, Stella left the group, leaving Paton the lone collaborator with van Rijen.

In 1999, the band released "Ne Ne", a brand new single, which failed to enter even the Dutch charts. After three years on the decline, van Rijen finally decided to put the group to rest in late 1999.

New faces and sound

After nearly a decade of silence, Twenty 4 Seven was revived in 2007 by van Rijen, who had collaborated with vocalist Elle to create a jumpstyle cover of the Berlin song "Like Flames". The song entered the Dutch charts in November at #45, and peaked at #20 in late 2007. Although the group announced they would soon be performing live again,[2] nothing materialized. Following the single's success, Elle left the group.

Lineup changes, returns and Slave to the Music 2010

Twenty 4 Seven (2016)

In 2010, van Rijen announced that Stacey Paton had returned to the group, along with two new vocalists, Li Ann (Lianne van Groen) and Miss Cherry (Sharon Doorson). In July 2010, van Rijen announced a brand new version of "Slave to the Music", titled "Slave to the Music 2010", would be released in late 2010. Following the recording of the single, Miss Cherry ended her involvement with the group, which was promptly re-recorded with only Li Ann and Stacey's voices. Although a teaser video was released in December 2010 with a "coming soon" teaser banner, no information about the exact release of the single has been released. A single was released in 2012 titled 'The Reason'. A music video was made for this single. 'The Reason' had some success in the Netherlands, which peaked at #33 in the Dutch charts.

Discography

Twenty 4 Seven discography
Studio albums4
Music videos12
Singles15

Studio albums

Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications
AUS
[3]
AUT
[4]
GER
[5]
NED
[4]
SUI
[4]
SWE
[4]
UK
[6]
Street Moves
  • Release date: November 25, 1990
  • Label: BCM Records
  • Formats: CD, Cassette
25 50 69
Slave to the Music
  • Release date: November 22, 1993
  • Label: Indisc
  • Formats: CD, Cassette
79 30 15 22 17
  • SAF: 2× Platinum
  • CZE: Platinum
  • NED: Gold
I Wanna Show You
  • Release date: December 12, 1994
  • Label: CNR Music
  • Formats: CD
66 64 31
  • SAF: Gold
Twenty 4 Hours A Day, Seven Days A Week
  • Release date: September 1997
  • Label: CNR Music
  • Formats: CD
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Certifications
(sales thresholds)
Album
AUS
[3]
AUT
[4]
FRA
[4]
BEL
(Vl)

[7]
ITA
[8]
GER
[9]
NED
[4]
NOR
[4]
FIN
[10]
NZ
[4]
SUI
[4]
SWE
[4]
UK
[6]
EUR [11]
1989 "I Can't Stand It!" 130 2 39 38 2 3 17 22 2 5 7 1 Street Moves
1990 "Are You Dreaming?" 22 8 16 18 6 4 17 8
1992 "It Could Have Been You" N/A
1993 "Slave to the Music" 2 23 8 6 5 7 14 4 20 Slave to the Music
"Is It Love" 20 9 11 5 6 24 7 11
"Music Is My Life"
1994 "Take Me Away" 52 28 24 14 11 20 41 23 25
"Leave Them Alone" 89 23 41 36 9 17 34 39
"Oh Baby" 120 27 33 26 37 I Wanna Show You
1995 "Keep on Tryin'" 189 32 29
1996 "We Are the World" - 39 32 Twenty 4 Hours A Day, Seven Days A Week
1997 "If You Want My Love" 77
"Friday Night"
1999 "Ne Ne" Singles only
2007 "Like Flames" 20
2012 "The Reason" 33
"—" denotes a title that did not chart.

Other singles

As Twenty 4th Street

Year Single Peak positions Album
Hot Dance Club Play[14]
1991 "I Can't Stand It!" 44 Street Moves

Music videos

This is a list of official music videos for Twenty 4 Seven singles and when they were released.

Year Single Director
1989 "I Can't Stand It"
1990 "Are You Dreaming?"
1993 "Slave to the Music" Fernando Garcia
"Is It Love"
1994 "Take Me Away"
"Leave Them Alone"
"Oh Baby" Steve Walker
1996 "We Are the World"
1997 "If You Want My Love"
"Friday Night"
2007 "Like Flames"
2010 "Slave To The Music Reloaded"

References

  1. Lineup changes of 1996
  2. "Jan Vis".
  3. Australian (ARIA) peaks:
  4. International peaks
  5. "Home - Offizielle Deutsche Charts".
  6. "Official Charts > Twenty 4 Seven". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  7. "Radio2 top 30: 16 april 2016". Archived from the original on 9 April 2012.
  8. Peak positions for Italy
  9. "Home - Offizielle Deutsche Charts".
  10. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  11. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 563. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  12. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Twenty 4 Seven)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
  13. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (pdf ed.). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 287.
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