Blue is the debutstudio album by American country singer LeAnn Rimes, released in the United States on July 9, 1996 by Curb Records. It reached No. 3 on Billboard 200, and No. 1 on Top Country Albums. Singles released from this album include, in order of release: "Blue", "Hurt Me", "One Way Ticket ", "Unchained Melody" and "The Light in Your Eyes". These songs all charted on BillboardHot Country Songs charts between 1996 and 1997; "Blue" and "The Light in Your Eyes" both reached top 10, while "Hurt Me" fell short off top 40. "One Way Ticket" is Rimes's only No. 1 hit on the country music charts. When purchased at Target stores during the 1996 Christmas season, the album included a bonus single of "Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart", with "Unchained Melody" on the B-side. "Unchained Melody" peaked at number three on the Country Songs chart while "Put a Little Holiday in Your Heart" peaked at number 51 on the same chart in 1997.
Reception
The album was met with some positive reviews. Allmusic rated Blue four out of five stars. Shawn M. Haney, who reviewed the album, called it "a glorious free-for-all of sassy pick-me-up country", and stated that "perhaps people of any age or style of interest will feel youthful again after a good listen and a half." Similarly, Entertainment Weekly gave the album a B+ and stated that "such raw, old-fashioned country music, with such a big, twangy, sexy voice at the center, wouldn't be making such a stir in bland '90s Nashville if LeAnn Rimes weren't 13. In other words, the hype machine has inadvertently coughed up a gem." Los Angeles Times gave the album two-and-a-half stars out of four and said that "Rimes displays the unbridled power and freshness you'd expect from a teenager. In an ideal world, she'd bring all that to bear on songs that tap her youthful zeal. Instead, too many on this major-label debut require a level of experience that's clearly beyond her years. There's no question Rimes has been blessed with a magnificent voice. Let's hope she'll be given a few years--say, at least until she's out of high school--to let her natural talent mature." In his Consumer Guide, however, Robert Christgau gave the album a "neither" score, and said it "may impress once or twice with consistent craft or an arresting track or two. Then it won't."
Blue debuted at No. 4 on Billboard 200 with 123,000 copies sold in the week ending of July 27, 1996, it peaked at No. 3 in its second week with 129,500 copies sold.
