PUSSYCAT DOLLS – DOLL DOMINATION

Description

Arriving in September 2008, Doll Domination was framed as the Pussycat Dolls’ grand declaration of pop supremacy, though its creation was famously chaotic. Following the departure of Carmit Bachar, the project absorbed much of what was intended to be Nicole Scherzinger’s shelved solo debut, Her Name Is Nicole, resulting in a maximalist 16-track odyssey (extending to 25 on some editions) that feels like a high-budget sonic explosion. The album is a dizzying tour of mid-to-late 2000s production royalty, featuring the futuristic electropop of Rodney Jerkins on the smash hit “When I Grow Up,” the signature rhythmic snap of Timbaland on tracks like “Magic,” and soulful contributions from Ne-Yo on the ballad “Happily Never After.” While it successfully yielded global hits like the cinematic “I Hate This Part” and the Missy Elliott-assisted “Whatcha Think About That,” the record was often critiqued for its lack of cohesion and the increasingly visible “Nicole and the backups” dynamic.