''Love in the Future'' is the fourth
studio album by American singer
John Legend
John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), known professionally as John Legend, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and record producer. He began his musical career by working behind the scenes, playing piano on Lauryn Hill's " Eve ...
. The album was released on August 30, 2013, by
GOOD Music
GOOD Music (also known simply as GOOD, stylized as G.O.O.D. Music; a backronym for Getting Out Our Dreams) is an American record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label signed an exclusive long-term worldwide label agreement with t ...
and
Columbia Records. The album, executive produced by Legend,
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
and
Dave Tozer
Dave Tozer is an American Grammy Award-winning record producer, songwriter, and musician. He has worked with several R&B, hip-hop, rock and pop artists including John Legend, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars, John Mayer, Snoop Do ...
, features
guest appearance
In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or other ...
s from
Kimbra
Kimbra Lee Johnson (born 27 March 1990), known mononymously as Kimbra, is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. Known for mixing pop with R&B, jazz and rock musical elements, her accolades include four ARIA Music Awards, two Grammy Awards and s ...
,
Rick Ross,
Stacy Barthe
Stacy or Stacey may refer to:
Places
In the United States:
* Stacy, California, an unincorporated community
* Stacy, Kentucky
* Stacy, Minnesota, a city
* Stacy, Virginia, a village
People
* Stacy (given name)
* Stacy (singer) (born 199 ...
and
Seal
Seal may refer to any of the following:
Common uses
* Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly:
** Earless seal, or "true seal"
** Fur seal
* Seal (emblem), a device to imp ...
. The album was supported by four singles, "Who Do We Think We Are", "Made to Love", "
All of Me" and "
You & I (Nobody in the World)
"You & I (Nobody in the World)" is a song by American singer John Legend. Legend co-wrote the song with James Ryan Ho, Dave Tozer and Dan Wilson, with production by Malay, Tozer and Legend. It impacted urban adult contemporary radio in the Uni ...
". ''Love in the Future'' received generally positive reviews from music critics. The album debuted at number 4 on the US
''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 68,000 copies in its first week.
Background
In August 2013, during an interview with ''
XXL'', John Legend spoke about how long it took him to finish the album, saying:
"Well I did the ''Wake Up!'' album with The Roots in 2010, so it’s really only been three years in my mind, because I put as much energy and time into that as I would my own album. Then I did some shows with them and I toured with Sade, so I spent a decent amount of time on the road, and then I spent the past couple of years on the album. It took a little longer on this album than on previous albums, but I’m really just a year off my pace."
He also spoke about working with
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
on the album, saying: "I worked with Kanye more on this album than I had before, and I think part of it is just us connecting and getting together to create, given how busy he is and how busy I am. Just finding time for us to work together kind of added a little bit of extra time to the process. But I think it was worth it."
He also spoke about how he feels this is his best album yet, saying: "I feel like it’s my best album yet, and I think creatively, we did some great things. The collaboration and the talent that we have on the album is better than we’ve ever had. As far as producers, co-writers and people just helping shape the sound. I feel like Kanye’s leadership was great in helping to do that. I really feel good about it."
Singles
The album's lead single "Who Do We Think We Are" featuring
Rick Ross was released on March 25, 2013. On May 6, 2013, the music video was released for the single. The album's second single "Made to Love" was released on June 18, 2013, and the music video was released on August 1, 2013.
"
All of Me" impacted American
mainstream urban
Mainstream may refer to:
Film
* ''Mainstream'' (film), a 2020 American film
Literature
* ''Mainstream'' (fanzine), a science fiction fanzine
* Mainstream Publishing, a Scottish publisher
* ''Mainstream'', a 1943 book by Hamilton Basso
...
radio as the album's third single on August 12, 2013. On October 2, 2013, its music video was released. "All of Me" has since peaked at number one on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming the highest-charting song from the album and John Legend's first number-one single of his career. "
You & I (Nobody in the World)
"You & I (Nobody in the World)" is a song by American singer John Legend. Legend co-wrote the song with James Ryan Ho, Dave Tozer and Dan Wilson, with production by Malay, Tozer and Legend. It impacted urban adult contemporary radio in the Uni ...
" was serviced to
urban adult contemporary
Urban adult contemporary, often abbreviated as urban AC or UAC, (also known as adult R&B,) is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have hip hop music ...
radio in the United States on April 29, 2014, as the fourth single.
Critical response
''Love in the Future'' was met with generally positive reviews from
music critics. At
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, which assigns a
normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an
average
In ordinary language, an average is a single number taken as representative of a list of numbers, usually the sum of the numbers divided by how many numbers are in the list (the arithmetic mean). For example, the average of the numbers 2, 3, 4, 7 ...
score of 72, which indicates "generally favorable reviews", based on 10 reviews.
Andy Kellman of
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
gave the album four out of five stars, saying "This is a heavy, laboriously made set of songs. The list of producers alone includes Hit-Boy, Bink, 88 Keys, the Runners, Doc McKinney, Q-Tip, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad. Kanye West, and Dave Tozer pile on as co-producers and co-executive producers. Perhaps they ensured that the whole album would have its dramatic, slightly eerie tone; even the covers of
Bobby Caldwell
Robert Hunter Caldwell (born August 15, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He released several albums spanning R&B, soul, jazz and adult contemporary. He is known for his soulful and versatile vocals. Caldwell released the ...
's "Open Your Eyes" and
Anita Baker
Anita Denise Baker (born January 26, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. She is one of the most popular singers of soulful ballads, especially renowned for her work during the height of the quiet storm period in the 1980s. Starting her career ...
's "Angel" are a little uneasy. That level of sonic indulgence seems like it should be incompatible with an artist who is, essentially, a piano man, but ''Love in the Future'' is among Legend's best work, made for couples who are into one another for the long term while feeling a little daring and crazy. "
Molloy Woodcraft of ''
The Observer
''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the ...
'' gave the album three out of five stars, saying "John Legend's fifth studio album is a far cry from his last, 2010's consciousness-raising, full-tilt collaboration with the Roots, ''Wake Up!'' The sound is positively pared in comparison, produced and programmed by the likes of Kanye West and Dave Tozer. Legend's voice is excellent throughout and comes to the fore on ballads such as All of Me."
Sal Cinquemani of
Slant Magazine gave the album three out of five stars, saying "At 16 tracks, the album moves surprisingly fast, with few songs outstaying their welcome, but it ultimately fails to successfully push Legend into the future."
Logan Smithson of
PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
gave the album an eight out of ten, saying "Whether you’ve fallen victim to cuffing season or you’re simply looking for some good music, ''Love in the Future'' can be your album. One could even make a very strong case for ''Love in the Future'' being Legend’s best album to date."
At ''
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...
'', Jerry Shriver gave the album three-and-a-half stars out of four, writing that Legend "has crafted a deeply romantic and soulful dowry".
Jon Dolan of ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' gave the album three and a half stars out of five, saying "On Legend's fourth LP, executive producer Kanye West helps give him a plush, nuanced palette to match his signature emotional generosity and strong sensuality – from mountainous piano crushers like "All of Me" to "The Beginning," which flips a freaking Sara Bareilles sample into a promise of endless babymaking rapture. And you know he's gonna cook the fuck out of some breakfast in the morning."
Ryan B. Patrick of ''
Exclaim!'' gave the album a five out of ten, saying "''Love in the Future''? Speaking of which, any forthcoming John Legend documentary should be titled The Curious Case of John Stephens. For a musical prodigy that first burst out of the gate with a lively debut album (2004's ''Get Lifted''), Legend has settled into a languid musical stride, one akin to a Las Vegas lounge singer."
Ken Capobianco of ''
The Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' gave the album a positive review, saying "Don’t be fooled by the title of John Legend’s fourth solo record, as the music actually looks backward to sweeping romanticism and pop formalism. All of Legend’s strengths are present: keen melodies, smooth vocal understatement, and artful arrangements. Essentially, the disc plays like a love letter to his fiancee, supermodel Chrissy Teigen, yet it resonates." Julia LeConte of ''
Now
Now most commonly refers
to the present time.
Now, NOW, or The Now may also refer to:
Organizations
* Natal Organisation of Women, a South African women's organization
* National Organization for Women, an American feminist organization
* Now ...
'' gave the album three out of five stars, saying "Overall, this sounds like classic John Legend. There is something wonderful about a timeless performer not bending to current musical fads. If it ain’t broke…."
Commercial performance
''Love in the Future'' debuted at number four on the
''Billboard'' 200 chart, with first-week sales of 68,000 copies in the United States. In its second week the album sold 30,000 more copies. On May 14, 2014, the album was certified Gold by the
RIAA for selling over 500,000 copies in the United States. It has sold 789,000 copies in the United States as of November 2016.
In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number 28, making it Legend's lowest-charting studio album at the time, and initially spent only one week in the top 40, dropping thirty-six places to number 64 in its second week.
However, the success of "
All of Me" caused it to re-enter the top 40 at number 36 in the chart dated February 16, 2014. ''Love in the Future'' has so far spent twenty-six weeks in the top 40 (twenty-five of which came after the release of "All of Me") and has reached a new peak of number two, making it his highest-charting album to date and only his second album to reach the UK top ten.
Accolades
In December 2013, ''Love in the Future'' was nominated for Best R&B Album at the
2014 Grammy Awards.
Track listing
Notes
* Track listing and credits from album booklet.
*
signifies a co-
producer.
*
signifies an additional
producer.
* "Made to Love" features vocals by
Kimbra
Kimbra Lee Johnson (born 27 March 1990), known mononymously as Kimbra, is a New Zealand singer and songwriter. Known for mixing pop with R&B, jazz and rock musical elements, her accolades include four ARIA Music Awards, two Grammy Awards and s ...
and Aude Cardona.
* "Save the Night" and "Aim High" feature background vocals by Jessyca Wilson.
* "Tomorrow" features background vocals by Ashley Rodriguez.
* "What If I Told You? (Interlude)" features background vocals by
James Fauntleroy
James Edward Fauntleroy II (born May 16, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Inglewood, California. He is best known for writing credits on tracks by high-profile artists such as Travis Scott, Frank Ocean, Kendrick ...
.
* "Asylum" features vocals by Jessyca Wilson.
* "Caught Up" features vocals by Aude Cardona and background vocals by Jessyca Wilson and Guordan Banks.
Sample credits
* "The Beginning..." contains a sample from "
Winter Song", written and performed by
Sara Bareilles and
Ingrid Michaelson.
[,]
* "Open Your Eyes" is a cover to the track of the same name, written by
Bobby Caldwell
Robert Hunter Caldwell (born August 15, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. He released several albums spanning R&B, soul, jazz and adult contemporary. He is known for his soulful and versatile vocals. Caldwell released the ...
, Norman Harris, and Bruce Malament, and it contains a sample from "
You're Gettin' a Little Too Smart
"You're Gettin' a Little Too Smart" is a song written by Abrim Tilmon and performed by the Detroit Emeralds. It reached number 10 on the R&B chart
The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United Stat ...
", written by Abrim Tilmon, and performed by
The Detroit Emeralds
The Detroit Emeralds are an American R&B/soul vocal group, best known in the early 1970s. They enjoyed a run of successful records in the decade including their 1973 transatlantic hit single, " Feel the Need in Me".
Career
"The Emeralds" were ...
.
* "Who Do We Think We Are" contains an excerpt from the live version of "
Let Love Rule", written and performed by
Lenny Kravitz; samples from "
Mr. Big Stuff
"Mr. Big Stuff" is a song by American singer Jean Knight. The song was released in 1971 as a single from Knight's debut album of the same title, and became a big hit, reaching No. 2 on ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song was certified double plat ...
", written by Joseph Broussard, Carol Washington, and Ralph Williams, and performed by
Jean Knight
Jean Knight (née Caliste; born January 26, 1943)Official records state that Jean Caliste, aged 16, married in June 1954, indicating a birth year of 1938. is an American R&B and soul singer from New Orleans, Louisiana. Launching her profession ...
; and samples from "
If I Should Die Tonight
"If I Should Die Tonight" is a song written by songwriter Ed Townsend and American recording artist Marvin Gaye. Gaye recorded the track, a soul ballad, for his ''Let's Get It On'' album. It was issued as the third track on the album's set list.
...
", written by
Marvin Gaye and
Ed Townsend
Edward Benjamin 'Ed' Townsend (April 16, 1929 – August 13, 2003) was an American singer, songwriter, producer and attorney. He performed and composed "For Your Love", a rhythm and blues doo wop classic, and co-wrote "Let's Get It On" with Marvi ...
, and performed by Gaye.
* "Tomorrow" contains a sample from "Glowin'", written by
Malcolm Rebennack, Jr., and performed by
Dr. John
Malcolm John Rebennack Jr. (November 20, 1941 – June 6, 2019), better known by his stage name Dr. John, was an American singer and songwriter. His music encompassed New Orleans blues, jazz, funk, and R&B.
Active as a session musician from ...
.
* "So Gone" contains a sample from "Always Together", written by Marcus Miller, Al Smith, Genevieve Smith, and Robin Smith, and performed by
The Dells
The Dells were an American R&B vocal group. Formed in high school in 1953 by founding members Marvin Junior, Verne Allison, Johnny Funches, Chuck Barksdale, and Michael and Lucius McGill, under the name the El-Rays. They released their first r ...
.
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
Certifications
Release history
References
{{Authority control
2013 albums
John Legend albums
Columbia Records albums
GOOD Music albums
Albums produced by 88-Keys
Albums produced by Bink (record producer)
Albums produced by Da Internz
Albums produced by Dave Tozer
Albums produced by Hit-Boy
Albums produced by John Legend
Albums produced by Kanye West
Albums produced by Malay (record producer)
Albums produced by Pharrell Williams
Albums produced by Q-Tip (musician)
Albums produced by the Runners
Albums produced by Travis Scott