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''Nothing Was the Same'' is the third studio album by Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on September 24, 2013, through OVO Sound, Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and
Republic Records Republic Records is a New York City–based American record label owned by Universal Music Group (UMG). It was founded by Avery Lipman and Monte Lipman as an independent label in 1995, and was acquired by UMG in 2000. Republic was initially an ...
. Work on the record began in 2012 and continued through 2013. As an executive producer, Drake enlisted collaborators such as
2 Chainz Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (or Tity Boi), is an American rapper. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he initially gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Playaz Circle, al ...
, Big Sean, Majid Jordan,
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
,
Jhené Aiko Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo (; born March 16, 1988) is an American singer who embarked on her music career contributing vocals and appearing in several music videos for R&B group B2K. In an effort to promote Aiko and cultivate a following for he ...
and
Sampha Sampha Lahai Sisay (born 16 November 1988) is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer from Morden, South London. Sampha is widely known for his collaborative work with Kendrick Lamar, SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, Drake, Kanye Wes ...
for guest appearances on the album. The album's production was primarily handled by 40 and other OVO Sound producers; including Boi-1da,
Mike Zombie William Michael Coleman (born July 8, 1992), professionally known as Mike Zombie, is an American record producer and rapper from Willingboro Township, New Jersey. Since 2012, Coleman has been an in-house producer for Drake's label OVO Sound. His b ...
,
Nineteen85 Anthony Paul Jefferies (born July 1, 1985), known professionally as Nineteen85, is a Canadian record producer and songwriter. Nineteen85 holds the distinction of winning an ASCAP Music Award back-to-back in 2014 and 2015. He is best known for p ...
and Detail. The album was supported by the seven successful singles; "
Started from the Bottom "Started from the Bottom" is a song by Canadian hip hop recording artist Drake, released as the first single from his third studio album ''Nothing Was the Same''. The song was written by Drake, Michael Coleman, and Noah "40" Shebib, and it was pr ...
", " Hold On, We're Going Home", " All Me", " Pound Cake", "
The Language "The Language" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake from his third studio album ''Nothing Was the Same'' (2013). "The Language" was produced by frequent collaborator Boi-1da, along with additional production by Allen Ritter and Vinylz. It also fea ...
", " Too Much" and "
Worst Behavior "Worst Behavior" is a song by Canadian recording artist Drake from his third studio album ''Nothing Was the Same'' (2013). "Worst Behavior" was produced by DJ Dahi, and was written by Drake, Anthony Palman, DJ Dahi, and Detail. The song peaked a ...
". " Wu-Tang Forever" was released prior to the album as a promotional single. "Started from the Bottom" and "Hold On, We're Going Home" were both top 10 hits on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Drake also toured with
Future The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ...
, Miguel and PartyNextDoor from October through December 2013, on the Would You Like a Tour? concert tour. ''Nothing Was the Same'' received generally positive reviews, and was named as one of the best albums of 2013 by multiple publications. The album was a commercial success, debuting at number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200 with 658,000 copies sold in its first week of release. Within three months of its release, the album became the seventh best-selling album of 2013 in the United States. It also debuted at number one in Canada and Denmark, and number two in Australia and the United Kingdom. The album was nominated for Best Rap Album at the
2014 Grammy Awards The 56th Annual Grammy Awards presentation was held on January 26, 2014, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT and was hosted for the third time by LL Cool J. The show was moved to January to avoid compe ...
.


Background

While touring the United Kingdom in support of '' Take Care'' during March 2012, Drake announced in an interview that he had begun work on his third studio album. In April 2012, Drake had stated that the album will have a different style and tempo than that of ''Take Care''. This is due to his different mindset and his recent move to the Los Angeles area in Hidden Hills, where he is Kanye West's neighbor. He told '' GQ'', "This is my fucking moment to say if I wanted to rap all the time, really rap, I would, but I also love to make music. I'll do this for you right now. But it's for me, too. It's my story…I'm trying to get back to that kid in the basement. To say what he has to say. And I'm trying to make it last." On February 10, 2013, the same night Drake won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album at the
55th Grammy Awards The 55th Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 10, 2013, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles honoring the best in music for the recording year beginning October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. E ...
, he announced the title of his third album would be ''Nothing Was the Same''. During an interview with
Ryan Seacrest Ryan John Seacrest (born December 24, 1974) is an American media personality and producer. He is the co-host of ''Live with Kelly and Ryan'', as well as the host of multiple media shows including ''American Idol'', ''American Top 40'', and '' ...
on the red carpet, Drake told E!, "I think music, it's a process we all go through," he said. "It's an evolution. You're constantly figuring out what works for you." He explained the difference between ''Nothing Was the Same'' and ''Take Care'' to '' XXL'' saying,
''Take Care'' was about connecting with my city and connecting with my past and sort of still feeling guilty that I'm not in love with one of these girls that cared about me from back in the day. Now, I'm 26, I'm with my friends, I'm making jobs for people, I'm making memories for people that will last a lifetime. I don't need to be in love right now. I don't need these things that I maybe once thought that I needed to feel normal and feel righteous about myself. I think for the first time in an album I'm content—not satisfied—but proud of where I'm at as a person.
Drake also stated that
Marvin Gaye Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo ar ...
's 1978 double album ''
Here, My Dear ''Here, My Dear'' is the fifteenth studio album by music artist Marvin Gaye, released as a double album on December 15, 1978, on Motown-subsidiary label Tamla Records. allmusic - Here, My Dear overview/ref> Recording sessions for the album took ...
'' had been a big influence on his current musical direction to ballads rather than "straight rap" and he had been doing recording in Gaye's old studio Marvin's Room. He later told
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
, "This album is not some straight rap album, I'll never do a straight rap album. That's not how I came into this and that's never what I'll do. I make songs for the people." He also spoke of Marvin Gaye again saying, "I have aspirations to be Marvin Gaye in the back of my head. So I just want to sing the world's triumphs and problems on one record." In the same interview he explained more about the differences between ''Nothing Was the Same'' and ''Take Care'' saying; "The music I'm making is more concise, more clear, I've been able to get my thoughts across a lot better on this album. Take Care is a great album but I listened to it and realized where I could do better and I think I've done better on this album."


Recording and production

In March 2012, Drake was reportedly in the studio with rapper
2 Chainz Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (or Tity Boi), is an American rapper. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he initially gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Playaz Circle, al ...
and record producer 40. He has been stating that he was hoping that he could work with
Jamie xx James Thomas Smith (born 28 October 1988), known professionally as Jamie xx, is an English musician, DJ, record producer and remixer. He is known for both his solo work and as a member of the English indie pop band The xx. He has been described ...
, while in the United Kingdom, saying that he wants him to "have a bigger presence on my third record".
Jake One Jacob Brian Dutton (born May 11, 1976), known professionally as Jake One, is an American record producer and songwriter.Palermo, Thomas (2008)Jake One Readies New Album, XLR8R, September 5, 2008Matos, Michaelangelo (2004)Rocketship Blowing Up, Se ...
produced a song for Drake, originally expected to be released ahead of the third annual OVO Fest. The video, which features Drake previewing the untitled song, while smoking a
hookah A hookah (Hindustani language, Hindustani: (Nastaleeq), (Devanagari), IPA: ; also see #Names and etymology, other names), shisha, or waterpipe is a single- or multi-stemmed instrument for heating or vaporizing and then smoking either tobacco ...
, was released on June 26, 2012, through Vimeo. In December 2012,
Young Chop Tyree Lamar Pittman (born November 14, 1993), better known by his stage name Young Chop, is an American record producer, rapper, and songwriter. In 2012, he gained widespread recognition within the American hip hop community for producing Chief K ...
confirmed that he was working on a song with Drake. He also then released two free songs, which is a collaboration with singer-songwriter James Fauntleroy. In 2013, Drake was also seen in the studio with rapper
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
, working on what has yet to be a song, titled " Pound Cake". On June 3, 2013, Drake revealed the first guest appearance on the album, which is American singer
Jhené Aiko Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo (; born March 16, 1988) is an American singer who embarked on her music career contributing vocals and appearing in several music videos for R&B group B2K. In an effort to promote Aiko and cultivate a following for he ...
and then he also said that he had recently been in the studio with singer Anthony Hamilton. On June 15, 2013, Drake confirmed with Hot 107.9, that he had made the final recording process for the album. On September 3, 2013, Drake confirmed on Twitter, that the album has been mixed and mastered. In July 2013, '' Complex'' reported that he was in the studio with artists, such as
Future The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ...
,
Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
,
Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
,
Sade Sade may refer to: People * Marquis de Sade (1740–1814), French aristocrat, writer, and libertine * Sade (singer) (born 1959, Helen Folasade Adu), British Nigerian musician and lead singer of the eponymous band * Sade Baderinwa (born 1969), WAB ...
,
Migos Migos () is an American hip hop trio from Lawrenceville, Georgia, founded in 2008. The group was originally composed of Southern rappers Quavo, Takeoff, and Offset. Quavo is from Athens, Georgia; Offset and Takeoff were born and raised in Law ...
, Saukrates,
TLC TLC may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2 * TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network ** TLC (Asia), an As ...
and Miguel, while working on the album. ''Complex'' also reported that he had worked with producers, during the recording process, including Hit-Boy, Just Blaze, Chilly Gonzales, Mike Will Made It,
Zaytoven Xavier Lamar Dotson (born January 12, 1980), professionally known as Zaytoven, is an American trap music record producer, disc jockey, and keyboardist from Atlanta, Georgia. He has released collaborative projects with artists including Gucci Ma ...
,
Bink Bink may refer to: * Bink Video, a video format popular in many video games * Bink (The Magicians of Xanth), a character of the Xanth series by Piers Anthony * Bink (producer) Roosevelt Harrell III (born February 20, 1972) professionally know ...
, Detail, James Blake, Swizz Beatz and Timbaland. On July 27, 2013, Drake posted a picture of him and frequent collaborator The Weeknd in the studio. In August 2013, Drake told '' Rolling Stone'' during an interview that the album would contain features by Jay-Z and Lil Wayne, with production from Hudson Mohawke. In a story in the September issue of ''Rolling Stone'', he confirmed that the album was primarily produced by Noah "40" Shebib, with production also coming from Hit-Boy, Boi-1da, Detail and Hudson Mohawke. He also confirmed working with OVO Fest performer, singer and post-dubstep producer James Blake. The final track listing contained guest appearances by Jhené Aiko, Majid Jordan, Detail,
Sampha Sampha Lahai Sisay (born 16 November 1988) is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer from Morden, South London. Sampha is widely known for his collaborative work with Kendrick Lamar, SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, Drake, Kanye Wes ...
, Jay-Z, Big Sean and 2 Chainz.


Album artwork

On August 21, 2013, Drake revealed the album's cover artwork was an oil painting by Southern California's Kadir Nelson, the designer behind Michael Jackson's posthumous album, ''
Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian an ...
''. The two versions of the cover feature illustrations of profiles of Drake as a child, while the other shows the rapper as an adult. His younger self is adorned only with an afro comb in his hair, and his older self has a gold chain. Both covers are set against a blissful cloudy blue sky. The cover artwork was compared to iconic hip hop albums
Nas Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones. Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to: Aviation * Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea * National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia ** Nas Air ( ...
' '' Illmatic'',
The Notorious B.I.G. Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta ...
's '' Ready to Die'' and Lil Wayne's '' Tha Carter III''. "What that album art is to me, is the fact that this is my most clear, concise thoughts from now, and my best recollection of then," Drake explained. Both covers will be available side by side in stores, so consumers may choose which one they want. The artist, Kadir Nelson told MTV, "Drake wanted a signature painting, he didn't want something that looked like a hip-hop album cover. He wanted something that was a little bit more artsy and had more weight to it, so I did a number of sketches, and when we picked out what he liked, I sculpted it together." He said he listened to Drake's music in the studio to gain inspiration and he also gave Drake a full sized painting of the album cover. The album artwork would end up being named the fourth-best album cover of 2013 by ''Complex''. ''XXL'' also listed it among the best album covers of 2013.


Release

On June 22, 2013, Drake announced a release date of September 17, 2013, via Twitter. On the following day, he has released the first trailer for the album, featuring him and his friends drinking alcohol out of his 2012's Grammy Award for Best Rap Album for his previous album ''Take Care''. On August 21, 2013, the album was pushed back one week from its initial release date for September 17, 2013, until September 24, 2013. On September 10, 2013, Drake released the second trailer for the album, featuring " Trophies", which was produced by Hit-Boy. In the video Drake and his entourage drive various luxury cars such as
Bentley Bentley Motors Limited is a British designer, manufacturer and marketer of luxury cars and SUVs. Headquartered in Crewe, England, the company was founded as Bentley Motors Limited by W. O. Bentley (1888–1971) in 1919 in Cricklewood, North ...
,
Lamborghini Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. () is an Italian brand and manufacturer of luxury sports cars and SUVs based in Sant'Agata Bolognese. The company is owned by the Volkswagen Group through its subsidiary Audi. Ferruccio Lamborghini (1916–1993) ...
and
Bugatti Automobiles Ettore Bugatti was a German then French manufacturer of high-performance automobiles. The company was founded in 1909 in the then-German city of Molsheim, Alsace, by the Italian-born industrial designer Ettore Bugatti. The cars w ...
's, all sporting small Canadian flags while driving down an empty street.


Promotion

In March 2013, Drake premiered a song, titled "5AM in Toronto", which is a sequel to the '' Thank Me Later'' track "
9AM in Dallas "9AM in Dallas" is a song by rapper Drake from his debut album ''Thank Me Later ''Thank Me Later'' is the debut studio album by Canadian rapper and singer Drake. It was released on June 15, 2010, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Record ...
". In the same month, he filmed a music video for the song and it was released on April 1, 2013. On April 15, 2013, Drake released two more songs, " No New Friends" (which ended up being a track for DJ Khaled's album ''
Suffering from Success ''Suffering from Success'' is the seventh studio album by American disc jockey and producer DJ Khaled. It was released on October 22, 2013, by We the Best Music Group, Terror Squad Entertainment, Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records an ...
'') and "Girls Love Beyoncé", which contains samples from
Destiny's Child Destiny's Child was an American girl group whose final line-up comprised Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams. The group began their musical career as Girl's Tyme, formed in 1990 in Houston, Texas. After years of limited ...
's song " Say My Name", and the song features guest vocals from James Fauntleroy. On June 17, 2013, an unreleased track, titled "On My Way", which was recorded back in 2010, that had been leaked. This song also features guest appearances from Fauntleroy. On June 22, 2013, Drake released four songs for streaming via his official website. This included collaborations with
J. Cole Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his d ...
, PartyNextDoor, Migos and a song titled "The Motion". It was confirmed that these songs were only released, in promotion for the album, that did not make the album. However, "The Motion" appeared as a
Best Buy Best Buy Co. Inc. is an American multinational consumer electronics retailer headquartered in Richfield, Minnesota. Originally founded by Richard M. Schulze and James Wheeler in 1966 as an audio specialty store called Sound of Music, it was rebra ...
bonus track on the album. On June 18, 2013, Drake announced that he would be going on tour, in support of ''Nothing Was the Same'', starting September 25, 2013, in Portland, Oregon. The tour, titled Would You Like a Tour?, featured supporting acts by singers Future, Miguel and OVO Sound's PartyNextDoor. In the months leading up to the album's release, Drake was featured on the covers of various magazines, such as ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'', ''GQ'' and the 150th issue special of ''XXL''. On September 20, 2013, Drake revealed that he had rescheduled the Would You Like A Tour? due to "an intense rehearsal schedule and technical production requirements that will be part of the show." The tour was rescheduled to begin on October 19, and the first leg ran until December 16, 2013.


Singles

In January 2013, Drake was seen filming a music video for a new song, titled "
Started from the Bottom "Started from the Bottom" is a song by Canadian hip hop recording artist Drake, released as the first single from his third studio album ''Nothing Was the Same''. The song was written by Drake, Michael Coleman, and Noah "40" Shebib, and it was pr ...
", which was directed by Director X. Drake later announced that he would release the song as the first single for his third album, which happened on the night of the 55th Grammy Awards. The single premiered instead on February 1, 2013, and was released on
iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
, five days later. On February 10, 2013, the music video for "Started from the Bottom" was released. The song charted in many countries, reaching a peak of number six on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and has been certified double platinum in the United States by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). On August 4, 2013, it was revealed that Drake would soon be releasing the second single, titled " Hold On, We're Going Home". The song featuring Majid Jordan, with production by Noah "40" Shebib and Nineteen85, and was released via iTunes on August 7, 2013. On September 24, 2013, the music video was released for "Hold On, We're Going Home". The song peaked at number four on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number five on the
Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music industry record chart in Canada for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. The Canadian Hot 100 was launched on the issue dated March 31, 2007, and is currently the standard record chart in Canada; a n ...
, respectively. Drake premiered a song from ''Nothing Was the Same'', titled " All Me", via SoundCloud on August 1, 2013. The song features guest appearances from rappers 2 Chainz and Big Sean, and was produced by Key Wane. On the album's US release date of September 24, 2013, Drake sent "All Me" to urban contemporary radio as the album's third single. The song peaked at number 20 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. On September 12, 2013, Drake released the previously announced track, titled " Wu-Tang Forever", as the album's second promotional single, along with the pre-order of ''Nothing Was the Same'' on iTunes. The song is a reference to the Wu-Tang Clan and their critically acclaimed double album '' Wu-Tang Forever'' (1997). The track also samples their song, "It's Yourz". After the song's release, Wu-Tang Clan member U-God told '' Vibe'', that Wu-Tang Clan members, including himself and Method Man among others, has recorded a remix to the track. "
Pound Cake / Paris Morton Music 2 "Pound Cake / Paris Morton Music 2" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake from his third studio album ''Nothing Was the Same'' released in 2013. The track consists of two songs, "Pound Cake" featuring a guest appearance by Jay-Z, and "Paris Morton ...
" serves as the album's outro and consists of two songs, "Pound Cake" featuring a guest appearance from Jay-Z and "Paris Morton Music 2" is a sequel to " Paris Morton Music". "Pound Cake" features a significant sample of "
C.R.E.A.M. "C.R.E.A.M." (an acronym of "Cash Rules Everything Around Me") is a song by the American hardcore hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released on January 31, 1994 by Loud Records, as the second single from their debut studio album ''Enter the Wu-Tang (36 ...
", performed by Wu-Tang Clan and was produced by frequent collaborator Boi-1da. "Pound Cake" was released to radio in the United Kingdom on September 26, 2013, as the album's fourth single, and was subsequently added to the
BBC Radio 1Xtra BBC Radio 1Xtra is a British digital radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It broadcasts black music and urban music, including hip hop and R&B and is a sister station to Radio 1. Launching at 18:00 on 16 August 2002, it had been cod ...
playlist. The song peaked at number 65 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. "
The Language "The Language" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake from his third studio album ''Nothing Was the Same'' (2013). "The Language" was produced by frequent collaborator Boi-1da, along with additional production by Allen Ritter and Vinylz. It also fea ...
" was released to mainstream urban radio as the album's fifth single on October 29, 2013. It received many positive reviews, one coming from Nick Cutucci of '' Entertainment Weekly'', which named the song, along with "Hold On, We're Going Home" as one of the album's best songs. Erika Ramirez of ''Billboard'' also credited Drake with "arrogantly" reinstating his spot in the rap game with the song. The song was said to be "addressed" and "acting passively" towards rapper Kendrick Lamar's recent diss record, but it was later denied by Birdman, whom appeared to be seen on MTV, prior to the album's release and said that it was not directed towards Lamar. The song peaked at number 51 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number 13 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, respectively. " Too Much" was released to urban contemporary radio in the United Kingdom as the album's sixth single on October 31, 2013. On November 11, 2013, the music video was released for the song, "
Worst Behavior "Worst Behavior" is a song by Canadian recording artist Drake from his third studio album ''Nothing Was the Same'' (2013). "Worst Behavior" was produced by DJ Dahi, and was written by Drake, Anthony Palman, DJ Dahi, and Detail. The song peaked a ...
", the song was released to urban contemporary radio in the United Kingdom as the album's seventh single on June 9, 2014.


Critical reception

''Nothing Was the Same'' was met with generally positive reviews. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 79, based on 33 reviews. Aggregator
AnyDecentMusic? AnyDecentMusic? is a website that collates album reviews from magazines, websites, and newspapers. Primarily focused on popular music – covering rock, pop, electronic, dance, folk, country, roots, hip-hop, R&B, and rap – albums are adjudg ...
gave it 7.5 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus. Nick Catucci of ''Entertainment Weekly'' wrote that ''Nothing Was the Same'' "bristles with epiphanies, absurdities, and plenty of bluster, but it's all fodder for a hyperrealistic portrait of Aubrey Drake Graham, not some coronation ceremony." Elysa Gardner of '' USA Today'' noted that Drake "continues to juggle bravado with brooding, though he sounds more empowered in the latter." ''Rolling Stone''s Simon Vozick-Levinson wrote, "After a while, his confessions start to sound like sneaky boasts about all the beautiful hearts he's broken. And maybe he wants you to see that contradiction. After all, hiding his flaws has never been Drake's style – they're the whole point." '' Pitchfork'' writer Jayson Greene praised ''Nothing Was the Same'' as "Drake and 40's most audacious experiment yet in how far inward they can push their sound; a lot of the album sounds like a black hole of all 40's previous productions being sucked into the center. Song-to-song transitions, which have always been melty and blurry, are more notional than ever." In the '' Chicago Tribune'', critic Greg Kot noted that "Drake's increasing mastery of not just rhyme, but tone and inflection is readily apparent", while Eric Diep of ''XXL'' noted Drake's apparent desire on the album "to hold the spot as an innovator". Bonsu Thompson of ''Vibe'' felt that while ''Nothing Was the Same'' was not a "classic album", "its accomplishments may end up more pivotal. Hip-hop music hasn't been blurred and stretched this wide since Kanye's '' 808s & Heartbreak''." Evan Rytlewski of '' The A.V. Club'' concluded that "if ''Nothing Was the Same'' doesn't resonate quite as consistently as ''Take Care'', it's because Drake and his in-house collaborator Noah "40" Shebib sometimes seem content to revisit that album's sonic landscapes instead of carving out new ones." Tim Sendra of AllMusic wrote that the album "doesn't show large amounts of growth, but the small changes to the sound and the slightly wider net his lyrics cast make it worthwhile." Randall Roberts of the '' Los Angeles Times'' felt that the album "overwhelms even by Drake's selfie standards, and confirms that just because they're well-marketed and Midwest-palatable doesn't make internal diaries wholly compelling." Aaron Matthews of ''
Exclaim! ''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly Exclaim! print magazine publishes 7 ...
'' praised it as a "challenging, uncompromised major label rap album" that is nonetheless "weighed down slightly by the rapper's increasingly solipsistic viewpoint."


Rankings

Closing out the year, ''Nothing Was the Same'' was named to multiple "Best Albums of the Year" lists. ''XXL'' named it the best album of 2013. They commented saying, "The OVO general is at his highest point of his career, perfecting his formula of singing and rapping that truly carries the album from start to finish. With 40 in his corner, the pair executed tighter levels of their dark, lush sound that became easily identifiable. The compelling cuts—"From Time", "Too Much", "Hold On, We're Going Home"—as well as obvious anthems like "Started From The Bottom" and "Worst Behaviour" display leaps of growth." ''Complex'' named it the second best album of 2013 stating, "it was one of the most anticipated albums of the year, and one that actually lived up to the hype. ''Nothing Was the Same'' might not have had a legendary producer on hand to "minimalize" its sound, but it has minimized the discussion of who is the most popular rap star in the world right now." Nick Catucci of ''Entertainment Weekly'' also named it the second best album of 2013 saying, "When he gets to flexin' – as on "Worst Behavior," with its
Rube Goldberg Reuben Garrett Lucius Goldberg (July 4, 1883 – December 7, 1970), known best as Rube Goldberg, was an American cartoonist, sculptor, author, engineer, and inventor. Goldberg is best known for his popular cartoons depicting complicated gadge ...
underpinnings; the MC smackdown "The Language"; and the hypnotic "Started From the Bottom" – he's flawlessly confident. But his restless thoughts keep the elegant music here taut." It was ranked at number 14 on ''Rolling Stone''s list of the 50 best albums of 2013. They commented saying, "Drake is the people's rapper, a smart kid conflicted about his fame, heart, family, everything except his mic potency. But what makes his lonely fantastic voyage matter is its emotional weight, which gets crucial amplification from Noah "40" Shebib's whirlpool beats." '' The Guardian'' placed it at number 31 on their list of the forty best albums of 2013. ''Exclaim!'' named it the third best hip hop album of 2013. It was named the ninth best album of 2013 by ''
Slant Magazine ''Slant Magazine'' is an American online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York ...
''. They commented saying, "Drake, the Canadian master of confession-rap, cuts the usual sharp lines, and his lamentations have never felt so knowing, nor more tuneful. He doesn't need a handful of guest MCs, and he doesn't want our sympathy either—just the chance to give us mellow ear-gasms, which he does on nearly every track." It was ranked at number 19 on '' Consequence''s list of the top 50 albums of 2013. ''
Stereogum ''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine. ''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several award ...
'' ranked it at number 28 on their list of the 50 best albums of the year. ''
Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' positioned it at number 50 on their list. ''Pitchfork'' ranked ''Nothing Was the Same'' as the 41st best album of the decade "so far"—between 2010 and 2014.


Industry awards


Commercial performance

''Nothing Was the Same'' debuted at number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200, with first-week sales of 658,000 copies. The album has the second highest first week sales of any album in 2013, at the time of its release. It would also be the highest first week sales for a hip hop album since Lil Wayne's '' Tha Carter IV'' (2011). In its second week, the album sold 148,000 more copies. In its third week, the album sold 83,000 more copies. In its fourth week, the album continued to remain in the top five on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling 58,000 more copies. The album sold 1,344,000 copies in 2013 in the United States, making it the seventh best-selling album of the year. On April 2, 2018, the album was certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over four million units. As of August 2016, the album has sold 1,783,000 copies in the United States. The album debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart, selling 61,000 copies in its first week. It would be Drake's highest debut on the chart and was the fastest selling hip hop album of 2013 in the United Kingdom, at the time of its release. The album also debuted at number one on the main album charts in Canada and Denmark, along with peaking in the top five of the main album charts in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. The album sold 108,000 copies in Canada in 2013.


Track listing

Notes * signifies a co-producer * signifies an additional producer Sample credits * "Tuscan Leather" contains an interpolation of "Serious", written by Warren McGlone and Lawrence Parker; a sample of " I Have Nothing", written by David Foster and
Linda Thompson Linda Diane Thompson (born May 23, 1950) is an American songwriter, former actress and beauty pageant winner. Thompson began her acting career as a " Hee Haw Honey" on the American television variety show '' Hee Haw''. She was also a girlfrien ...
, as performed by Whitney Houston; and a sample of "When Seasons Change" (live), as performed by Curtis Mayfield. * "Started from the Bottom" contains a sample from the composition '' Ambessence Piano & Drones'', written and performed by Bruno Sanfilippo. * "Wu-Tang Forever" contains a sample of "It's Yourz", written by Dennis Coles, Robert Diggs, Lamont Hawkins, Jason Hunter, Corey Woods, Thor Baldursson, Mats Bjoerklyn and Juergen Koduletsch, as performed by Wu-Tang Clan; and a sample of "Loss Config", as performed by Zodiac Beats. * "Own It" contains an interpolation of "Wu-Tang Forever". * "Too Much" contains a sample of "Too Much", written by
Sampha Sampha Lahai Sisay (born 16 November 1988) is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer from Morden, South London. Sampha is widely known for his collaborative work with Kendrick Lamar, SBTRKT, Jessie Ware, Drake, Kanye Wes ...
and Emile Haynie, as performed by Sampha. * "Pound Cake / Paris Morton Music 2" contains an interpolation of "
C.R.E.A.M. "C.R.E.A.M." (an acronym of "Cash Rules Everything Around Me") is a song by the American hardcore hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, released on January 31, 1994 by Loud Records, as the second single from their debut studio album ''Enter the Wu-Tang (36 ...
", written by Dennis Coles, Robert Diggs, Gary Grice, Lamont Hawkins,
Isaac Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, actor, songwriter, and composer. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwri ...
, Jason Hunter, Russell Jones, David Porter, Clifford Smith and Corey Woods, as performed by Wu-Tang Clan; a sample of "Don't Say a Word", written by
Jim Eliot Jim Eliot is an English songwriter, record producer and singer from London. He has written and produced for artists including Foxes, Ellie Goulding, Will Young, Kylie Minogue, Rae Morris and Olly Murs. Eliot (synthesizer, vocals) is also a me ...
and
Ellie Goulding Elena Jane Goulding ( ; born 30 December 1986) is an English singer and songwriter. Her career began when she met record producers Starsmith and Frankmusik, and she was later spotted by Jamie Lillywhite, who became her manager and Artists and ...
, as performed by Ellie Goulding; and a sample of "Jimmy Smith Rap", as performed by Jimmy Smith. * "All Me" contains a sample of "
My Man "Mon Homme" (),also known by its English translation, "My Man", is a popular song first published in 1920. The song was originally composed by Maurice Yvain with French lyrics by Jacques-Charles (Jacques Mardochée Charles) and Albert Willemet ...
", written by Jacques Charles, Maurice Yvain and Albert Lucien Willemetz, as performed by Abbey Lincoln.


Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes. *
Jhené Aiko Jhené Aiko Efuru Chilombo (; born March 16, 1988) is an American singer who embarked on her music career contributing vocals and appearing in several music videos for R&B group B2K. In an effort to promote Aiko and cultivate a following for he ...
– vocals (track 7) * Chris Athens – mastering * Les Bateman – system engineer * Adrian Bent – replay musician (track 2) * Noel Cadastre – engineer (tracks 1, 2, 5, 6, 10–13), assistant engineer (tracks 3, 4, 8, 9, 14, 15), mixing assistant (track 16) * Noel "Gadget" Campbell – mixing (tracks 1–15) * Cappadonna – background vocals (track 1) * Dwayne "Lil Wayne" Carter – executive producer * Rachel Craig – background vocals (tracks 2, 8) * Jeff Crake – assistant engineer (tracks 1, 8, 11) * Detail – producer and engineer (tracks 5, 11), vocals (track 11) * Adrian "X" Eccleston – guitar (tracks 1, 2) * Oliver El-Khatib – executive producer * Jordan Evans – producer (track 13) * Grace Gayle – background vocals (track 8) * Chris Godbey – engineer (track 13) * Chilly Gonzales – piano (track 7) *
G Koop Robert Mandell, professionally known as G Koop, is an American Grammy award, Grammy-nominated record producer, songwriter and musician. Early life G Koop is originally from Boston, Massachusetts. His father had a large collection of albums, and ...
– replay musician (track 2) *
Aubrey Drake Graham Aubrey Drake Graham ( ; born October 24, 1986) is a Canadian rapper and singer. An influential figure in contemporary popular music, Drake has been credited for popularizing singing and R&B sensibilities in hip hop. He gained recognition by ...
– vocals, executive producer * Brian Hamilton – background vocals (tracks 2, 8) * Emile Haynie – engineer (track 12) * Donald Hearn – art direction, design * Maximilian Jaeger – assistant engineer (track 15) *
Jake One Jacob Brian Dutton (born May 11, 1976), known professionally as Jake One, is an American record producer and songwriter.Palermo, Thomas (2008)Jake One Readies New Album, XLR8R, September 5, 2008Matos, Michaelangelo (2004)Rocketship Blowing Up, Se ...
– co-producer and drum programming (track 2) *
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
– vocals (track 13) * Paul "Nineteen85" Jeffries – producer and instrumentation (tracks 8, 12), additional drum programming (track 1) * Michael Kalin – mixing assistant (track 3) * Rob Kinelski – engineer (track 15) * Shawn Lawrence – background vocals (track 9) * Owen Lee – background vocals (track 2) * Luke Leveille – assistant engineer (tracks 1, 3, 4, 9, 14, 16) * Deborah Mannis-Gardner – sample clearance *
Majid Al Maskati Majid Jordan is a Canadian R&B duo, consisting of singer Majid Al Maskati and producer Jordan Ullman from Toronto, Ontario. They formed in 2011 and signed to OVO Sound, the record label co-founded by rapper Drake, producer Noah "40" Shebib and O ...
– producer and vocals (track 8) * Greg Moffett – assistant engineer (tracks 5, 6, 12) * Hudson Mohawke – co-producer and additional instrumentation (track 9) * Dacoury "DJ Dahi" Natche – producer and instrumentation (track 6) * Kadir Nelson – cover art * John Nettlesbey – assistant engineer (track 1) * PartyNextDoor – background vocals (tracks 5, 14) * Christian Plata – vocal engineer (track 7) * Jas Prince – executive producer * Omar Richards – background vocals (tracks 2, 8) * Allen Ritter – additional production (track 10) * Isa Saalabi – art direction, design * Matthew "Boi-1da" Samuels – producer (tracks 10, 13), additional drum programming (track 1) * Travis Savoury Baka AKA "Not Nice" – background vocals (track 7) * Les Schaeffer – assistant engineer (track 13) * Miguel Scott – assistant engineer (track 1) * Big Sean – vocals (track 15) * Travis Sewchan – engineer (track 8), assistant engineer (tracks 5–7, 10–13) * Noah "40" Shebib – producer (tracks 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 14, 16), engineer (tracks 1–5, 7–11, 13–16), instrumentation (tracks 1, 4, 7, 9, 14), co-producer (track 8), additional production (tracks 3, 5, 15), mixing (tracks 8, 15, 16), pianos (track 2), additional keyboards (tracks 3, 5, 8, 16), additional drums (track 16), executive producer * Patricia Shirley – background vocals (tracks 2, 8) * Sampha Sisay – producer and instrumentation (tracks 12, 16) * David "Gordo" Strickland – assistant engineer (track 10) * Dalton Tennant – replay musician (track 2) * Marvin "Hagler" Thomas – producer and drum programming (track 2) * Trae tha Truth – background vocals (track 9) * Jennifer Tulloch – background vocals (track 2) *
2 Chainz Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (or Tity Boi), is an American rapper. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he initially gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Playaz Circle, al ...
– vocals (track 15) *
Jordan Ullman Majid Jordan is a Canadian R&B duo, consisting of singer Majid Al Maskati and producer Jordan Ullman from Toronto, Ontario. They formed in 2011 and signed to OVO Sound, the record label co-founded by rapper Drake, producer Noah "40" Shebib and O ...
– producer and instrumentation (track 8) * Deborah Vernal – background vocals (tracks 2, 8) * Vinylz – additional production (track 10) * Brian Warfield – vocal engineer (track 7) * Lindsey Warner – mixing assistant (tracks 1, 9) * Dwane "Key Wane" Weir – producer and instrumentation (track 15) * Finis "KY" White – engineer (track 15) * Bryan "Baby Birdman" Williams – executive producer * Ronald "Slim Tha Don" Williams – executive producer * Dionne Wilson – background vocals (track 8) *
Mike Zombie William Michael Coleman (born July 8, 1992), professionally known as Mike Zombie, is an American record producer and rapper from Willingboro Township, New Jersey. Since 2012, Coleman has been an in-house producer for Drake's label OVO Sound. His b ...
– producer and instrumentation (track 3)


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Decade-end charts


Certifications


Release history


References

{{Authority control Drake (musician) albums 2013 albums Albums produced by Allen Ritter Albums produced by Boi-1da Albums produced by Detail (record producer) Albums produced by DJ Dahi Albums produced by Hudson Mohawke Albums produced by Jake One Albums produced by Key Wane Albums produced by Majid Jordan Albums produced by Nineteen85 Albums produced by Noah "40" Shebib Albums produced by Vinylz Albums recorded at Metalworks Studios Albums recorded at Noble Street Studios Young Money Entertainment albums Cash Money Records albums Republic Records albums Juno Award for Rap Recording of the Year recordings