VOA标准英语2011--Lady Antebellum's Success Continues With 'Own the Night'

Lady Antebellum's Success Continues With 'Own the Night'

 

Only five years ago, Lady Antebellum was performing in small Nashville nightclubs. Three Number One albums later, the Country trio has become internationally famous. Lady Antebellum’s latest album is “Own The Night.”

Lady Antebellum’s recent Number One Country single, “Just A Kiss,” debuted¹ at Number 7 on Billboard²’s Hot 100 chart to give the trio its highest career entry on that list.

First-week sales of the band’s new album, “Own the Night,” far exceeded initial projections³. The collection sold 347,000 copies and earned Number One debuts⁴ on both the Country and Billboard 200 charts.

Lady Antebellum’s previous release, “Need You Now,” was the second best-selling album of 2010. Its title track was a Grammy-winning Country-pop crossover hit that sold a staggering five million digital downloads.

Lady Antebellum wrote or co-wrote 10 of the 12 songs on “Own the Night.” The group’s Dave Haywood says, “We’re definitely more in tune⁵ with each other musically and personally than ever. It’s an exciting place to be. With ‘Own The Night,’ more than ever before, I think we share a real feeling of accomplishment⁶ both as a band and as friends.”

Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood all use social media to maintain a strong connection to their fans. The trio’s Facebook page boasts more than 5.5 million followers⁷ and each member communicates with close to 500,000 fans on Twitter.

Lady Antebellum (file)

Lady Antebellum also offers a glimpse into the members’ professional and personal lives in its Webisode Wednesday video series. The clips are posted on the band’s website, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter accounts.

In 2009, Lady Antebellum broke Rascal⁸ Flatts’ six-year winning streak⁹ by taking home the Country Music Association’s Vocal¹⁰ Group of the Year award. The trio repeated that win in 2010 and is a nominee¹¹ again this year.

Two days after the November 9 CMA Awards ceremony, Lady Antebellum will kick off a U.S. tour that runs through the end of the year. Pop-turned-Country singer Josh Kelley will open the concerts. Josh is the brother of Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley. The group’s first arena¹² headlining tour is scheduled to begin in January 2012.

Lady Antebellum is rocketing up the Country chart with the second single from its new album, “We Owned The Night.”

1 debuted   

初次表演，初次登台（debut的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• In late 2003 a full-size SUV, the Pathfinder Armada, debuted. 2003年末，全尺寸SUV的探路者无敌舰队，推出。
• The album debuted at number two and quickly went platinum. 专辑一亮相就荣登排行榜第二名，很快就取得了白金销量。

2 billboard   

n.布告板，揭示栏，广告牌

参考例句：

• He ploughed his energies into his father's billboard business.他把精力投入到父亲的广告牌业务中。
• Billboard spreads will be simpler and more eye-catching.广告牌广告会比较简单且更引人注目。

3 projections   

预测( projection的名词复数 )； 投影； 投掷； 突起物

参考例句：

• Their sales projections are a total thumbsuck. 他们的销售量预测纯属估计。
• The council has revised its projections of funding requirements upwards. 地方议会调高了对资金需求的预测。

4 debuts   

演员首次演出( debut的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He never really debuts the idea of taking money from his parents any longer. 他从此就再也没有认真起过向父母要钱的念头。
• This young soprano debuts next month at the metropolitan opera. 这位年轻的女高音歌唱家下个月将在纽约大都会歌剧院举行首演。

5 tune   

n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整

参考例句：

• He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
• The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

6 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

7 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

8 rascal   

n.流氓；不诚实的人

参考例句：

• If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做，我就认为他是个恶棍。
• The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。

9 streak   

n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动

参考例句：

• The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。
• Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

10 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

11 nominee   

n.被提名者；被任命者；被推荐者

参考例句：

• His nominee for vice president was elected only after a second ballot.他提名的副总统在两轮投票后才当选。
• Mr.Francisco is standing as the official nominee for the post of District Secretary.弗朗西斯科先生是行政书记职位的正式提名人。

12 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。