Love Hurts
Cher · 1991
47 min · 12 tracks · folk music
A blend of pop balladry and emotional storytelling, showcasing Cher's powerful vocals against lush, orchestrated arrangements.
Top tracks — play these first
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Save Up All Your Tears Start here — This opening track sets a poignant tone for the album with its reflective lyrics and powerful delivery, highlighting Cher's emotional range.
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Love Hurts — The title track is a haunting ballad that encapsulates the themes of heartache and longing prevalent throughout the album, making it a standout moment.
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The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss) — This upbeat cover adds a playful contrast to the more somber tracks, showcasing Cher's versatility while becoming a chart hit in its own right.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album combines heartfelt ballads with polished production, showcasing Cher's vocal range but lacks strong cohesion.
What we noticed
- The first half of the album features mid-tempo ballads, while the second half shifts to more upbeat tracks, creating a dynamic contrast.
- Cher's vocal delivery varies from soft and intimate in 'Love Hurts' to powerful and soaring in tracks like 'Save Up All Your Tears'.
- Several songs incorporate orchestral arrangements, enhancing the emotional weight of the lyrics and melodies.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady emotional exploration
- heartfelt ballads for reflection
- evening introspection with warmth
- powerful vocals for deep connection
Maybe skip if you
- seeking upbeat party tracks
- prefer short, standalone songs
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — Marked Cher's return and resurgence in popularity after a brief hiatus.
- Themes
- heartbreak ballads· Hollywood nostalgia
- Career context
- By the time 'Love Hurts' was released in 1991, Cher had experienced a successful career resurgence, particularly following her 1989 album 'Heart of Stone'. This album continued to solidify her status as a pop icon, embracing adult contemporary themes while integrating her signature style.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Madonna· Diana Ross· Kylie Minogue
Tracklist
- 1 Save Up All Your Tears Start here 4:01
- 2 Love Hurts 4:21
- 3 Love and Understanding 4:44
- 4 Fires of Eden 3:43
- 5 I’ll Never Stop Loving You 3:58
- 6 One Small Step 3:27
- 7 A World Without Heroes 3:10
- 8 Could’ve Been You 3:31
- 9 When Love Calls Your Name 3:34
- 10 When Lovers Become Strangers 4:46
- 11 Who You Gonna Believe 4:47
- 12 The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss) 2:51
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
What's Love Got to Do with It
Tina Turner
Shares the same powerful vocals and themes of heartbreak with polished pop production.
Falling into You
Céline Dion
Combines emotional balladry and lush arrangements, resonating with Cher's vocal depth.
Like a Prayer
Madonna
Explores personal themes with dramatic production, paralleling Cher's Hollywood nostalgia.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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