Get Your Heart On!

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Get Your Heart On! is the fourth studio album by Canadian rock band Simple Plan, released on 21 June 2011. In some countries such as Australia and the Netherlands, the album was released on 17 June 2011. "Can't Keep My Hands off You" was released as the first single on 31 March 2011. "Jet Lag" was released as the record's lead single on 25 April 2011 and several music videos were released. On 4 May 2011 the English version was released and on 16 May 2011, the French version was released. On 27 December 2011, Chinese singer Kelly-Cha collaborated with Simple Plan to create a Chinese version of the song. Two days after, an Indonesian version was made featuring collaborations from KOTAK lead vocalist Tantri. The third single "Astronaut" was released on 19 September 2011 with the music video premiering the same day. "Summer Paradise" was released as the album's fourth official single on 13 December in Australia, then worldwide on 28 February 2012, with a music video shot entirely in Australia on their Get Your Heart On! Tour. On 26 March 2013, an official music video for "This Song Saved My Life" was released on YouTube.

Video Get Your Heart On!

Release and promotion

Prior to the release of the album, the band started playing the song "You Suck at Love" live during the Bamboozle Roadshow Tour in June 2010, and on 11 February 2011 the band released a snippet preview of the studio version of the song on their website and YouTube channel. The song was speculated to be the first single of the album (which later proved to be "Can't Keep My Hands Off You").

The album marks Simple Plan's second time since their debut No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls--which featured Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte--to feature collaborations with other artists, including Weezer's Rivers Cuomo, Natasha Bedingfield, K'naan, Marie-Mai, Kelly-Cha and Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low.

On 30 March, the band launched a new official website to hold over until the "actual new website" was launched, with a new video talking about the first listen of their new song "Can't Keep My Hands Off You" (feat. Rivers Cuomo) which is available to stream on their website and to purchase on iTunes. On 20 April the band announced that "Jet Lag" would be the first single from the album, and would feature Natasha Bedingfield. To promote the song, a service called "JetLag Airlines" was set up on the website, releasing news, lyrics, track lists and videos regarding the album. "Jet Lag" premiered on 25 April. On 6 May the band released the song "You Suck at Love" for free download for those who pre-ordered the album. The video for "Jet Lag", featuring Natasha Bedingfield, was released on 4 May, and the video featuring Marie-Mai was released on 16 May.

Fans who pre-ordered the album were given access to several other songs from the album prior to the actual release date. Three tracks were released for those who pre-ordered, including "You Suck at Love", "Loser of the Year" and "Freaking Me Out" (feat. Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low). The album was leaked entirely onto YouTube just days before its release. The cause was mainly due to fans who had pre-ordered, uploading their exclusive files, thus making the album available for other fans to hear, regardless of if they pre-ordered it or not.

The band played the Vans Warped Tour 2011, performing at various locations between 6-30 July. During September/October 2011, Simple Plan performed 4 shows in Australia, on their "Get Your Heart On" tour, with supporting bands Tonight Alive and New Empire. During the tour, Jenna McDougall from Tonight Alive was featured in "Jet Lag". In October and November, Simple Plan went on a headlining US tour with support from Forever the Sickest Kids, The Cab and Marianas Trench. In February 2012, the group went on a Canadian tour to promote their album with support from All Time Low, Marianas Trench and These Kids Wear Crowns in Canada.

Maps Get Your Heart On!

Reception

Critical response

Upon its release, the album received generally positive reviews from most music critics, based on an aggregate score of 66/100 from Metacritic. Andrew Leahey wrote for Allmusic that " Get Your Heart On! manages to sound young at heart without making most of the mistakes that plague albums by younger groups." Leahey finished his review, writing that "Simple Plan may be too old to write this sort of music, which sounds as though it's still aimed at teenagers, but that doesn't mean they've lost their knack for it, and Get Your Heart On! is every bit as tuneful as the group's debut." The Alternative Press review was favorable, writing that "While Get Your Heart On! might not be the true return to form the band envisioned, it's ultimately worth the wait." Absolute Punk's Joe DreAndrea wrote that "Get Your Heart On! is a Simple Plan album -- it's an obvious statement, but one that some people will have trouble realizing anyway. Because of this, it's still one of the poppiest records you'll hear all year. The production is big, and the lyrics are ridiculous."

Liam McGarry from "Alter the Press" also gave to the album a favorable review, writing that "Simple Plan were never going to turn heads with a brave new style or a complete musical makeover to shatter any pre-conceptions you had of them. With GYHO!, they have stayed true to their own sound, a sound that got them where they are today. So while they more than likely wont garner any new fans, they'll please their die hard following, and continue to live the dream." Entertainment Weekly wrote: "The pop-punkers too often distract from adenoidal loud-and-proud angst-athons". Kerrang! was direct, writing "It may not be rocket science, but there is an art to doing this right and Simple Plan have once again pulled it off", while Andy Ritchie from Rock Sound applauded the album, writing "This is still above average dude rock from the Canadian five-piece."

On the other hand, an unfavorable review came from the Sputnikmusic's staff, who went to write that "'Get Your Heart On!' is an album of missed opportunities. Despite being Simple Plan's poppiest release yet, it is also their least catchy, indistinct and forgettable."

Commercial performance

In Canada, Get Your Heart On! debuted at number two on the Canadian Albums Chart selling 13,000 copies, only behind Adele, whose album 21 charted atop with 15,000 copies. The album debuted on the US Billboard 200 at number fifty-two, selling only 9,000 copies, being comparatively weak comparing to the band's previous albums. It fell off the week after with a complete lack of record sales in contrast to the band's previous efforts. In other countries it managed to reach the top ten.