America's Sweetheart
by Courtney Love
  • Record Label: Virgin
  • Release Date: Feb 10, 2004
User Score
7.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 72 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 50 out of 72
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 72
  3. Negative: 17 out of 72

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  1. AmericanSkins
    Jan 28, 2023
    10
    A storm of negative press surrounded Courtney’s debut solo album and the detractors came out in droves to form ill informed opinions about it, what they missed was quite possibly the greatest album of all time by a female solo artist. Courtney wasn’t pleased with the production but it has aged magnificently, her lyricism was genius and her voice in top form despite her drug problems at theA storm of negative press surrounded Courtney’s debut solo album and the detractors came out in droves to form ill informed opinions about it, what they missed was quite possibly the greatest album of all time by a female solo artist. Courtney wasn’t pleased with the production but it has aged magnificently, her lyricism was genius and her voice in top form despite her drug problems at the time and made for an authentic and consistent rock album, the likes of which has rarely been seen in the 21st century. Opening with the solid ‘Mono’, Courtney snarls “Hey, yeah, we had everything vinyl in mono” over a fierce guitar riff and whilst she agrees that rock is probably dead, it is clear she is the one with the spark to bring it back, features the simultaneously badass and tragic lines “An 8-ball isn’t love, a hookers never gonna come, just give it back to me, blow out all of the lights tonight”. On ‘Julian’ she takes a few tongue-in-cheek swipes at Casablancas of The Strokes in brilliant punk rock fashion, again her lyrics shine “Busty co-eds, live, live, live, you’ll crash the car, man, if you drive a 1-800, 1-800, 1-800 wired!” and a personal favourite of mine “Adorable, affordable, guaranteed discretion” before accusing him of ripping off The Clash with a fantastically raunchy double entendre. The third track ‘Hold On To Me’ would not be out of place on a list of the greatest songs of all time, it is lovelorn, tragic and defiant, Courtney’s inflection on the titular hook is one of the finest moments in her discography and rock music history, I only wish her screams on the final chorus were mixed higher. ‘Sunset Strip’ is seemingly a homage to ‘The Needle and The Damage Done’ musically, it features further commentary on Hollywood, fame, love and death, it sounds like it was written whilst she was actually sat on the Hollywood sign as the lyrics state reflecting on her life, it is truly great, the lyrics are hard to decipher towards the end of the song and are not available on lyric sites but are under the song’s youtube video courtesy of me, she really goes to town on it and it may well be her magnum opus. ‘All The Drugs’ is badass and ferocious, ‘Almost Golden’ is beautiful and classic Courtney “I was stuck and you stoned in a daze”, ‘I’ll Do Anything’ is an intentional rip off of ‘Teen Spirit’, ‘Song 2’ and ‘Gimme Danger’, she certainly packs a punch on the song and it is in turn hilarious, menacing and sexy ‘Gimme dick, gimme speed, gimme white hot heat’ is one of the tamer lines. ‘Uncool’ is a brilliant downtempo rock ballad. ‘Life Despite God’ is a genius, alluring piece, Courtney channels Robert Plant and it is her most experimental song since ‘Pretty On The Inside’, it almost shouldn’t work, there are sleigh bells, but it does and it kicks ass, when she screams on the second half, damn it’s good, “run away your head’s on fire, can’t tell the difference between hate and desire”, I honestly can’t think of a better rock song, the final line “I can not find a vein” she delivers with so much authentic emotion, it’s epic. ‘Hello’ can go. ‘Zeplin Song’ is great, great punk rock riff and some of her best lyrics “He was so cute, Johnny punk rock, so cynical, you woulda jumped him to!” and the chorus “Why are the stoners always stoned?”, Courtney is seemingly frustrated with the monotony of a Led Zeppelin song and life as a rock star. ‘Never Be The Same’ is anthemic and beautiful. A thoroughly enjoyable and interesting album that reflects Courtney and her passions and relatable problems perfectly, her incredible voice, emotional honesty and dedication to guitar rock will keep you coming back for more. The perfect musical embodiment of the rise and fall and perseverance of a genius rock star, it is easily one of the greatest and most underrated albums of all time, anyone who says otherwise is a moron.… Expand
  2. MaxOakland
    Oct 23, 2021
    6
    It's hard to review this album. In some ways I think time has made it sound better. Free from expectations of what you *wish* Courtney had done after Hole, this album appears to be a pretty decent product of its time that does a lot of critique of the star-obsessed celebrity culture. But I also think the album falls into that culture enough that the critique seems lightweight

    The    It's hard to review this album. In some ways I think time has made it sound better. Free from expectations of what you *wish* Courtney had done after Hole, this album appears to be a pretty decent product of its time that does a lot of critique of the star-obsessed celebrity culture. But I also think the album falls into that culture enough that the critique seems lightweight

    The production is pretty bad, but the songs are good. I like how intense "Life Despite God" gets, and there are some really nice melodies. I think it suffers because the project wasn't done in a cohesive way. There's too much slickness that doesn't complement the rawness of Courtney's vocals and delivery so it feels like it's trying to cover it up rather than celebrate it    … Expand
  3. perk8j
    Mar 30, 2021
    6
    America’s Sweetheart (2004) is Courtney Love’s first solo debut and is reminiscent of her previous albums with the now disbanded Hole. Love provides some decent rock ballads in Hold on to me, which serves as the album’s Malibu from Celebrity Skin (1998). Most of the songs in America’s Sweetheart are soulless such as All the drugs where Love howls, "With all all of my money, it doesn’t feelAmerica’s Sweetheart (2004) is Courtney Love’s first solo debut and is reminiscent of her previous albums with the now disbanded Hole. Love provides some decent rock ballads in Hold on to me, which serves as the album’s Malibu from Celebrity Skin (1998). Most of the songs in America’s Sweetheart are soulless such as All the drugs where Love howls, "With all all of my money, it doesn’t feel as good as the drugs.” It’s easy to see why Love considers it ‘Le disaster’.… Expand
  4. perkjl
    Jan 4, 2016
    7
    Usually regarded as the worst of her albums and that's mostly true, however it's definitely a guilty pleasure. There are some tunes on the album that are underrated such as Hold on to Me and Almost Golden. Mono is a fun rock ballad and serves as a decent "come back" intro song for the album. All the Drugs features some fun, but simple riffs. Overall, most of the songs are just good ol' funUsually regarded as the worst of her albums and that's mostly true, however it's definitely a guilty pleasure. There are some tunes on the album that are underrated such as Hold on to Me and Almost Golden. Mono is a fun rock ballad and serves as a decent "come back" intro song for the album. All the Drugs features some fun, but simple riffs. Overall, most of the songs are just good ol' fun punk rock esque songs without any deep meaning. Hold on to Me and Almost Golden try to serve as the albums "Malibu" entries. They are decent nothing more. Other songs such as All the Drugs are mostly dark and soul less enabling drug addiction and prostitution. The whole album is pretty narcissistic, but fun overall. Like I said it's a guilty pleasure. A far cry from Hole's Live through this or even Celebrity Skin.… Expand
  5. Joe
    May 24, 2009
    1
    Hole had like 2 good albums, that's all courtney has contributed to music worth listening.
  6. AnnaH
    Mar 7, 2008
    10
    Kickass, raw and emotional like no-one else. Courtney Love is still the queen of Rock. Her most accomplished songwriting yet. Nasty and wild like "Pretty on the inside" and the early stuff on "My Body the Hand-grenade", raw and honest like "Live Through This", soulful like "Celebrity Skin" but with even better songwriting and production. Can't wait til the next album!
  7. HG
    Jul 26, 2007
    9
    Just stunningly good.
  8. iieee
    May 7, 2007
    8
    what a fun kick ass rock album this is!? it took me a LONG time to buy it and give it an open listen but i'm happy i finally did! i tip my hat to Courtney. she's such a car crash you forget to just listen to the music. when you do forget her personal life and just listen you know why she has a recording contract.
  9. KatK
    Apr 20, 2007
    9
    Most songs should have been instant hits, such as Sunset Boulevard, and Hold On To Me, etc. A few a little less on par, but still listenable. Overall, incredible album. Great lyrics, emotionally reminisent of Celebrity Skin, but much more raw, similar to Live Through This. Anyone who gives this album a bad review is obviously basing it more on their opinion of Courtney, then on her album. Most songs should have been instant hits, such as Sunset Boulevard, and Hold On To Me, etc. A few a little less on par, but still listenable. Overall, incredible album. Great lyrics, emotionally reminisent of Celebrity Skin, but much more raw, similar to Live Through This. Anyone who gives this album a bad review is obviously basing it more on their opinion of Courtney, then on her album. This album makes it clear that Love is obviously a musical and lyrical genius. Overall, incredible album. Cant wait for the next if even one of it's songs is half as good as America's Sweetheart.… Expand
  10. BillyA
    Oct 17, 2006
    10
    Absolutely brilliant CD. Courtney Love still has it.
  11. MikeH
    Jun 19, 2005
    10
    Yes, she repeats the lines "shut up!", "tied to the Bed", and something about burning in more than three songs and she uses the riff from 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' for 'I'll do Anything', but 'America's Sweetheart' is a vicious rocker. Courtney snarls the way she did on 'Live Through This' and expresses her frustration with drugs and Yes, she repeats the lines "shut up!", "tied to the Bed", and something about burning in more than three songs and she uses the riff from 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' for 'I'll do Anything', but 'America's Sweetheart' is a vicious rocker. Courtney snarls the way she did on 'Live Through This' and expresses her frustration with drugs and lovers in a way that most people can't touch; while others follow tired cliches, Courtney rips flesh and leaves a scar. Her vanity is unquestionable here, but that's because the album is about her. More than a year later it's still amazing, and I anxiously await her second solo outing. LOVE COURTNEY!!!!!… Expand
  12. flaviab
    May 15, 2005
    10
    muy bueno!!!!
  13. yasmine
    Apr 12, 2005
    0
    I would've probably loved this album if I was still a carefree, reckless tween but I really can't listen to it without cringing. The music itself is outdated and tacky and the lyrics are self-rightous and egotistical. It really wouldn't matter who made this album - be it an angst-ridden, self-obsessed 20 year old or a sexually frustrated, delusional 40 year old - it'd I would've probably loved this album if I was still a carefree, reckless tween but I really can't listen to it without cringing. The music itself is outdated and tacky and the lyrics are self-rightous and egotistical. It really wouldn't matter who made this album - be it an angst-ridden, self-obsessed 20 year old or a sexually frustrated, delusional 40 year old - it'd still be a piece of crap. I understand that being a 'punk' rock record, the voice doesn't really matter but Courtney sounds so much like my aunt singing on the karaoke machine, pissed out of her head while slurring her way through a cheesy ballad....it's funny yet very painful to listen to. It also sounds obvious that Courtney's voice relies on a great deal of autotuning as the live performances indicate how busted up her voice really is. Singing and music aside, the name dropping and celebrity references are extremely embarrassing. The lyrics are juvenile and repetative (how many times must one mention burning and fire?) and just too self-centered for me to take it seriously. Her personal problems, unfortunately, just so happen to magnify the tragic, patheitc figure that is Ms. Love even though the music speaks for itself. But seriously kids, Courtney has not come back to save rock for you. Instead, she's come back to spit in your face and laugh at your utter stupidity because you think it needs saving you bunch of MTV loving twatlets!… Expand
  14. RandyB
    Mar 10, 2005
    9
    Courtney has never been a person to admire, let's just get that straight. She's always been a whack job, and she always will be. However, I completely LOVE this record, and even after having a year of repeated listens it still makes me quiver. Sure there are the recurring lines of "Hey!" "Shut up!" and "Tied to the bed", and 'I'll do Anything' borrows a riff from Courtney has never been a person to admire, let's just get that straight. She's always been a whack job, and she always will be. However, I completely LOVE this record, and even after having a year of repeated listens it still makes me quiver. Sure there are the recurring lines of "Hey!" "Shut up!" and "Tied to the bed", and 'I'll do Anything' borrows a riff from 'Smells Like Teen Spirit', but it still emerges as one of the best of 2004. Why? The lyrics are otherwise very clever, as in the fun 'Zepelin Song', and even when it's time to hear a ballad it still rocks as in 'Still Golden' and 'Life Despite God'. Perhaps if it had been another artist that released this exact material people and critics would feel differently about 'America's Sweetheart', but unfortunately Courtney has dug herself that massive hole I fear she will never be able to crawl out of.… Expand
  15. MikeL
    Oct 26, 2004
    10
    To all the people who gave this cd a low rating or said the lyrics suck.....I think you missed something or just don't get it. People tend to judge Courtney and her music very hastily. There is so much behind everything if you take the time to look. Do you guys know what the song "Mono" is about ???? I would assume not if you criticize the lyrics on this CD. Maybe you should listen To all the people who gave this cd a low rating or said the lyrics suck.....I think you missed something or just don't get it. People tend to judge Courtney and her music very hastily. There is so much behind everything if you take the time to look. Do you guys know what the song "Mono" is about ???? I would assume not if you criticize the lyrics on this CD. Maybe you should listen to the "popular" CD's comparable to Courtney's and see if your opinions change a little. … Expand
  16. DerekG
    Jun 9, 2004
    8
    Courtney Love may be a mess, but she's also brilliant.
  17. CantedView
    Apr 12, 2004
    2
    Courtney had me leading up to this album. I had read some recent interviews, and it sounded as though she was ready to direct a big FU at critics and listeners alike. It sounded like she was ready to unleash something that would vidicate her self-indulged antics and constant public displays of buffoonery. Instead, this album, utterly devoid of any such merit, followed. This album's Courtney had me leading up to this album. I had read some recent interviews, and it sounded as though she was ready to direct a big FU at critics and listeners alike. It sounded like she was ready to unleash something that would vidicate her self-indulged antics and constant public displays of buffoonery. Instead, this album, utterly devoid of any such merit, followed. This album's lyrics are among the least insightful to have been commited to a recording of any notable artist in memorable history. They are so bad, in fact, that I pity her. I pity Linda Perry for having her name drug around this work--as Love has been so keen to do. At one point recently, in Interview, she went so far as to pull rank on Perry by reducing her to some sort of stage hand in Love's preproduction process. Come on, anything even closely resembling genius that has appeared in her past albums has always suspectly taken place under the direction of certafiable types, like Corgan or Cobain. She has never been able to prove that anything of substance in her repoirtoir has been of her own devising. To date, I am not convinced that she is capable of anything other than medicore songwritting. Then comes the sound. I was equally dissapointed when Liz Phair reduced her sound to similar watered down pop-punk crap that annoys any of us seeking craft behind a band's lead vocals. Love, it seems could muster neither adequately on this album, her ability to direct her supporting musicians seems to have been a pointless attempt, as there is no connection between the two throughout the album, and her voice, something that has in the past been capable of saving an otherwise uneventful track, has since lost its power and now just tends to sound like a forgery of its past self. Courtney Love, is this is the best you have to offer? If so, start coming to grips with the fact that you are almost wholy talentless. Any remaining facination that the world will hold for you will, I asure you, will have nothing to do with your attempts such as these as a musician. I would imagine having another session with some real musicians before bowing out of music entirely would be a good game plan for your career (and legacy, which we all know has nothing to do with YOUR music anyway).… Expand
  18. mk
    Mar 8, 2004
    0
    and the album drops off the face of the earth almost instantaneously...
  19. brandon
    Mar 5, 2004
    0
    I agree with DE, Courtney Love's music is a waste of time and money.
  20. Batman
    Mar 1, 2004
    5
    5 because I like her.
  21. Batman
    Mar 1, 2004
    5
    5 because I like her.
  22. SharonD
    Mar 1, 2004
    10
    Courtney Love has a lot of vulnerability and arrogance and the combination is really genius. It's a funny, raw, painful, aggressive album. One of the best in a long time. Too bad people's determination to hate this woman will deprive them of a great listening experience. It's better to be a lover of Love in the long run. She creates great art.
  23. DE
    Feb 28, 2004
    0
    why couldnt she have been the one to go? why kurt? it just isn't fair.
  24. Gary
    Feb 25, 2004
    10
    Best album of the year. Funny, ironic, brilliant and rocks hard. Courtney is Jesus come to be the godd*mn Saviour of Rock. And come to kick Julian Casablanca's ass. Gabba gabba - hey!
  25. SimonM
    Feb 20, 2004
    9
    I like this a lot. It's raw, funky and heartfelt. Nice to hear something that isn't overproduced... Buy it. It rocks!
  26. DaveN
    Feb 19, 2004
    8
    This is a great pop/rock CD. I am only a casual Hole and Courtney fan but the basic thing here is that these songs are catchy and well made for the most part. The lyrics are also very good and adds to the listening pleasure, overall this album is a blast. It does reflect deep troubles in her life but who cares, why are people so damn interested yet they complain about her. I am reviewing This is a great pop/rock CD. I am only a casual Hole and Courtney fan but the basic thing here is that these songs are catchy and well made for the most part. The lyrics are also very good and adds to the listening pleasure, overall this album is a blast. It does reflect deep troubles in her life but who cares, why are people so damn interested yet they complain about her. I am reviewing this CD, not courtney, which many reviewers stupidly did in there reviews. Great songs, great lyrics, unique voice...it comes down to that. I am not comparing it to anything nor did i have lofty expectations like alot of people did. Its just a good pop and rock record that shows she can kick butt. Simple as that… Expand
  27. jennyfer
    Feb 19, 2004
    10
    this is the new amazing cd by courtney love shows us that she is back! we are delightned and screaming for more already! there are some wonderful track we´ve got here and courtney manages to touch all the right spots so make us (at least me) smile, cry and scream. just as she has always done through her music. this shows us that she´s alive and everyone that had forgotten this is the new amazing cd by courtney love shows us that she is back! we are delightned and screaming for more already! there are some wonderful track we´ve got here and courtney manages to touch all the right spots so make us (at least me) smile, cry and scream. just as she has always done through her music. this shows us that she´s alive and everyone that had forgotten about her are STUPID! GET YOUR OWN COPY OF THIS RIGHT NOW or you will regret it :)… Expand
  28. AnonymousMC
    Feb 17, 2004
    10
    BUY THIS ALBUM NOW.
  29. MikeK
    Feb 17, 2004
    1
    wow i didn't know whores made music nowadays...
  30. DirtySanchez
    Feb 17, 2004
    10
    LOVE IT
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Awards & Rankings

44
#44 Most Discussed Album of 2004

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 24
  3. Negative: 4 out of 24
  1. The A.V. Club
    30
    Love has nothing new to say and no better way to say it.
    Read full review
  2. Uncut
    20
    America's Sweetheart is petulant and self-pitying. Worse, it's self-righteous. Worse still, it's musically crass. [Mar 2004, p.98]
  3. New Musical Express (NME)
    60
    This being Courtney, there’s also an emotional rawness to ‘America’s Sweetheart’ which you’ll either love or be repelled by.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »