From the Choirgirl Hotel, released in 1998, was the fifth major label album by singer and songwriter Tori Amos. A departure from her previous albums, it was a very radio-friendly project featuring a full rock band sound (instead of Amos' usual minimalist piano sound). The album was very successful, although it did not spawn any major radio hits, and "Spark", "Cruel", "Raspberry Swirl" and "Jackie's Strength" were released as singles. From the Choirgirl Hotel received two 1999 Grammy nominations: Alternative Music Performance, and Female Rock Vocal Performance for "Raspberry Swirl."

Following the trend set by 1996's Boys For Pele, Amos allowed several songs from the album to be remixed. Remixes of both "Raspberry Swirl" and "Jackie's Strength" were club hits. The album's theme dealt very closely with Amos' series of three miscarriages between 1996 and 1999, two of which she had before recording the album.

Thematically and conceptually, the "choirgirl hotel" of the title refers to the fictional, imaginary place where the songs "live." Amos pointed out that although the songs are recorded, they are also alive themselves - they can be re-modelled and reshaped in concert etc. Amos imagined the songs as living their own lives, all checking into the "choirgirl hotel" (i.e. the album) but living separate lives. In the artwork, Amos included a hand-drawn map detailing the stomping ground of these songs.

The album title may refer to the Grateful Dead album From the Mars Hotel.

The album artwork was heralded by the art community as innovative, featuring full-body color photocopies of Amos (in various couture outfits) as scanned by a human-sized photocopier.

The album did moderately well, reaching gold status and selling around two million copies worldwide. It remains a fan favourite, perhaps for its sweeping, majestic sound, and the darkness and intensity in Amos' voice and performances.

Track listing

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(all songs written by Amos)

1. "Spark" – 4:13
2. "Cruel" – 4:07
3. "Black-Dove (January)" – 4:38
4. "Raspberry Swirl" – 3:58
5. "Jackie's Strength" – 4:26
6. "iieee" – 4:07
7. "Liquid Diamonds" – 6:21
8. "She's Your Cocaine" – 3:42
9. "Northern Lad" – 4:19
10. "Hotel" – 5:19
11. "Playboy Mommy" – 4:08
12. "Pandora's Aquarium" – 4:45

Charts

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Album

Year	Chart	Position
1998	Billboard 200 (U.S.)	5
1998	Official UK Album Chart (U.K.)	6

Single

Title	Chart	Position
"Spark" (1998)	Billboard Modern Rock Tracks (U.S.)	13
"Spark" (1998)	Billboard Hot 100 (U.S.)	49
"Spark" (1998)	Billboard Adult Top 40 (U.S.)	32
"Spark" (1998)	Official UK Singles Chart (U.K.)	16
"Jackie's Strength" (1998)	Billboard Hot 100 (U.S.)	54
"Jackie's Strength/Raspberry Swirl" (1998)	Hot Dance Music/Club Play (U.S.)	1
"Jackie's Strength/Raspberry Swirl" (1998)	Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles (U.S.)	5

B-Sides

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The album, as with most of Tori Amos' albums, is also known for its collection of original b-sides. Amos recorded a host of songs that did not make the album, but were released as b-sides to various singles or performed live in concerts. The songs "Cooling," "Never Seen Blue," and "Beulah Land" were originally written and recorded for 1996's Boys for Pele album.

Title	Single
Purple People (Christmas in Space)	"Spark" (1998)
Bachelorette	"Spark" (1998)
Cooling	"Spark" (1998)
Never Seen Blue	"Jackie's Strength" (1998)
Beulah Land	"Jackie's Strength" (1998)

1998 albums | Tori Amos albums