''The ArchAndroid'' is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter
Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe Robinson (; born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, rapper and actress. She is signed to Atlantic Records, as well as to her own imprint, the Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe has received eight Grammy Award nominations. Mon ...
, released on May 18, 2010, by Wondaland Arts Society,
Bad Boy Records
Bad Boy Records (or Bad Boy Entertainment) is an American record label founded in 1993 by rapper Sean "Puffy" Combs. It operates as an imprint of Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. It has been home to many artists, including ...
, and
Atlantic Records. Production for the album took place at Wondaland Studios in Atlanta and was primarily handled by Monáe, Nate "Rocket" Wonder, and Chuck Lightning, with only one song without production by Monáe. She also collaborated for certain songs with
Saul Williams,
Big Boi
Antwan André Patton (born February 1, 1975), better known by his stage name Big Boi, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is best known for being a member of the southern hip hop duo Outkast alongside André 300 ...
,
of Montreal, and
Deep Cotton Deep Cotton is an American funk duo based in Atlanta, whose members are Chuck Lightning and Nate "Rocket" Wonder. Part of the Wondaland Arts Society,Ann Powers"Janelle Monae in Wondaland: The Atlanta-based musician lets her creative spirits flow th ...
.
The album is composed of the second and third parts to Monáe's ''Metropolis''
concept album series. Incorporating conceptual elements of
Afrofuturism
Afrofuturism is a cultural aesthetic, and philosophy of science and history that explores the intersection of the African diaspora culture with science and technology. It addresses themes and concerns of the African diaspora through technocultu ...
and
science fiction
Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...
, ''The ArchAndroid'' continues the series' fictional tale of a messianic
android and features lyrical themes of love, identity, and self-realization. Critical commentaries have compared the album to the works of
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
,
Outkast,
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...
and
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
.
''The ArchAndroid'' debuted at number 17 on the US
''Billboard'' 200, selling 21,000 copies in its first week, while charting modestly in several other countries. Monáe promoted the album with the release of two singles – "
Tightrope
Tightrope walking, also called funambulism, is the skill of walking along a thin wire or rope. It has a long tradition in various countries and is commonly associated with the circus. Other skills similar to tightrope walking include slack rope ...
" and "
Cold War" – and
concert tour
A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific to ...
s in 2010 and 2011. A widespread critical success, ''The ArchAndroid'' received praise for its thematic concepts and Monáe's eclectic musical range. It later ranked among 2010's best albums in many critics' lists and earned the singer a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
nomination for
Best Contemporary R&B Album
The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works on albums in the contemporary ...
.
Writing and recording
![Janelle Monáe 12](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Janelle_Mon%C3%A1e_12.jpg)
''The ArchAndroid'' follows
Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe Robinson (; born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, rapper and actress. She is signed to Atlantic Records, as well as to her own imprint, the Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe has received eight Grammy Award nominations. Mon ...
's debut EP ''
Metropolis: The Chase Suite'' (2007) and is composed as the second and third parts to her ''Metropolis''
concept
Concepts are defined as abstract ideas. They are understood to be the fundamental building blocks of the concept behind principles, thoughts and beliefs.
They play an important role in all aspects of cognition. As such, concepts are studied by ...
series.
[Lewis, Pete]
Janelle Monae: Funky Sensation
. ''Blues & Soul
''Blues & Soul'' is a British music magazine, established in 1967 by John Abbey. ''The Independent'' has noted ''Blues & Soul'' as being the equal of magazines such as '' NME'' and '' Q''. ''Billboard'' magazine has called ''Blues & Soul'' "a ...
''. Retrieved July 12, 2010. Partly inspired by the 1927
film of the same name,
the series involves the fictional tale of Cindi Mayweather, a messianic
android sent back in time to free the citizens of Metropolis from The Great Divide, a secret society that uses
time travel
Time travel is the concept of movement between certain points in time, analogous to movement between different points in space by an object or a person, typically with the use of a hypothetical device known as a time machine. Time travel is a ...
to suppress freedom and love.
In an interview for the ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...
'', Monáe said that she drew inspiration for the album from the quotation, "The mediator between the hand and the mind is always the heart".
She explained her incorporation of the android as a metaphor for the
minority, in addition to being the role of the story's protagonist. In an interview for ''
Blues & Soul
''Blues & Soul'' is a British music magazine, established in 1967 by John Abbey. ''The Independent'' has noted ''Blues & Soul'' as being the equal of magazines such as '' NME'' and '' Q''. ''Billboard'' magazine has called ''Blues & Soul'' "a ...
'', Monáe said the character "represents the mediator between the haves and the have-nots, the minority and the majority. So in that way she's very similar to
Neo, the Archangel from ''
The Matrix
''The Matrix'' is a 1999 science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the first installment in ''The Matrix'' film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe Pantolia ...
''. And basically her return will mean freedom for the android community".
Monáe has said about the recording sessions, "Over the last year and a half when we were recording the ''ArchAndroid'' I went through a very transformative period in my life". Monáe completed the album in Atlanta at the Wondaland Studios.
Monáe has stated that the album signifies "breaking the chains that enslave minorities of all types". She has said of recording the album, "Overall, this music came from various corners of the world—from Turkey to Prague to Atlanta—places we were on tour. While recording, we’d experiment with different sounds. Once we became engulfed in the sound, we all had an emotional connection to the album. It has definitely transformed my way of thinking, the way that I approach the stage and overall, my life".
Music and lyrics
Monáe has stated that the album's musical influences encompass "all the things I love, scores for films like ''
Goldfinger'' mixed with albums like
Stevie Wonder’s ''
Music of My Mind
''Music of My Mind'' is the fourteenth studio album by American soul musician Stevie Wonder. It was released on March 3, 1972, by Tamla Records, and was Wonder's first to be recorded under a new contract with Motown that allowed him full artist ...
'' and
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
’s ''
Ziggy Stardust'', along with
experimental
An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when a ...
hip hop influences from albums such as
Outkast’s ''
Stankonia
''Stankonia'' is the fourth studio album by American hip hop duo Outkast. It was released on October 31, 2000, by LaFace Records. The album was recorded in the duo's recently purchased Atlanta recording facility Stankonia Studios, which allowed ...
''".
Huw Jones of ''
Slant Magazine'' described her sound as "a unique gray area between
neo soul
Neo soul (sometimes called progressive soul) is a genre of popular music. As a term, it was coined by music industry entrepreneur Kedar Massenburg during the late 1990s to market and describe a style of music that emerged from soul and contempo ...
,
funk, and
art rock".
[Jones, Huw (December 8, 2010)]
Janelle Monáe (London, U.K. - December 5, 2010)
. '' Slant Magazine''. Retrieved December 9, 2010. Music writer
Greg Kot
Greg Kot (born March 3, 1957) is an American music journalist and author. From 1990 until 2020, Kot was the rock music critic at the ''Chicago Tribune'', where he covered popular music and reported on music-related social, political and busines ...
stated that the album "touches on" musical genres such as funk, hip hop,
folk
Folk or Folks may refer to:
Sociology
*Nation
*People
* Folklore
** Folk art
** Folk dance
** Folk hero
** Folk music
*** Folk metal
*** Folk punk
*** Folk rock
** Folk religion
* Folk taxonomy
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Folk Plus or Fo ...
,
electro-pop
Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a rev ...
,
glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s and was performed by musicians who wore outrageous costumes, makeup, and hairstyles, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists drew on diver ...
,
big-band jazz,
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
and
classical music.
Monáe has stated that the album's lyrical themes and storyline were heavily influenced by
Fritz Lang
Friedrich Christian Anton Lang (; December 5, 1890 – August 2, 1976), known as Fritz Lang, was an Austrian film director, screenwriter, and producer who worked in Germany and later the United States.Obituary ''Variety'', August 4, 1976, p. 6 ...
's ''
Metropolis
A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications.
A big ci ...
''. Conceptually, Kot described the album as "a self-empowerment manifesto couched inside a futuristic 'emotion-picture' about an android’s battle to overcome oppression. The notion of space travel and 'new worlds' becomes a metaphor for breaking the chains that enslave minorities of all types – a theme that has a long tradition in
African-American music
African-American music is an umbrella term covering a diverse range of music and musical genres largely developed by African Americans and their culture. Their origins are in musical forms that first came to be due to the condition of slaver ...
, from
Sun Ra
Le Sony'r Ra (born Herman Poole Blount, May 22, 1914 – May 30, 1993), better known as Sun Ra, was an American jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, and poet known for his experimental music, "cosmic" philosophy, prolific ou ...
and
Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their distinctive ...
to
Cannibal Ox and OutKast".
[Kot, Greg]
Turn It Up: Janelle Monae, the interview: 'I identify with androids'
. ''Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...
''. Retrieved August 12, 2010. ''
The Atlantic
''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher. It features articles in the fields of politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science.
It was founded in 1857 in Boston, ...
''s Brentin Mock called ''The ArchAndroid'' "unique, forward-looking, and apoplectic... something of a jitterbug between Prince's 1986 movie ''
Under the Cherry Moon
''Under the Cherry Moon'' is a 1986 romantic musical comedy-drama film starring Prince and marking his directorial debut. The film also stars former The Time member Jerome Benton, Steven Berkoff, Kristin Scott Thomas (in her feature film debut) ...
'' and the 1977 Watts movie ''
Killer of Sheep'', and ''
Daughters of the Dust
''Daughters of the Dust'' is a 1991 independent film written, directed and produced by Julie Dash and is the first feature film directed by an African-American woman distributed theatrically in the United States.Michel, Martin (November 20, 2016)" ...
''".
Seth Colter Walls of ''
Newsweek
''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely ...
'' described the album as "rocking in parts like ''
Dirty Mind
''Dirty Mind'' is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Prince. It was released on October 8, 1980, by Warner Bros. Records and produced entirely by Prince at his home studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota ...
''–era
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...
, unfolding in a suite form that recalls ''
Abbey Road
''Abbey Road'' is the eleventh studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. It is the last album the group started recording, although '' Let It Be'' was the last album completed before the band's break-up in April 1970. It was mostly ...
''s side two, and bumping throughout with the best innovations of contemporary hip-hop".
[Walls, Seth Colter]
Review: ''The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III)''
. ''Newsweek
''Newsweek'' is an American weekly online news magazine co-owned 50 percent each by Dev Pragad, its president and CEO, and Johnathan Davis, who has no operational role at ''Newsweek''. Founded as a weekly print magazine in 1933, it was widely ...
''. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
The opening song "Dance or Die" features performer
Saul Williams and contains neo soul influences. It then transitions into "Faster", which has
new wave,
gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...
and
retro
Retro style is imitative or consciously derivative of lifestyles, trends, or art forms from history, including in music, modes, fashions, or attitudes. In popular culture, the "nostalgia cycle" is typically for the two decades that begin 20–30 ...
pop influences. The song "Locked Inside" features a rhythm similar to the opening
break
Break or Breaks or The Break may refer to:
Time off from duties
* Recess (break), time in which a group of people is temporarily dismissed from its duties
* Break (work), time off during a shift/recess
** Coffee break, a short mid-morning res ...
from "
Rock with You
"Rock with You" was written by Rod Temperton and produced by Quincy Jones. It was first offered to Karen Carpenter, while she was working on her first solo album, but she turned it down. It was released on November 3, 1979, by Epic Records as ...
" by
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
, and it has been compared to Jackson's music with
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer. His career spans 70 years in the entertainment industry with a record of 80 Grammy Award n ...
.
It has also been noted for similarities to artists such as
Estelle and
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 (sometimes stylized as the Jackson 5ive, also known as the Jacksons) are an American pop band composed of members of the Jackson family. The group was founded in 1964 in Gary, Indiana, and for most o ...
. The track features a more mellow
R&B style in contrast to the previous tracks. "Sir Greendown" continues with this theme and has "old-fashioned" pop themes. The track "
Cold War" is a song with new wave tendencies which has big hooks and "sugar fuelled" beat influences.
The track "
Tightrope
Tightrope walking, also called funambulism, is the skill of walking along a thin wire or rope. It has a long tradition in various countries and is commonly associated with the circus. Other skills similar to tightrope walking include slack rope ...
", featuring vocals by
Big Boi
Antwan André Patton (born February 1, 1975), better known by his stage name Big Boi, is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer and actor. He is best known for being a member of the southern hip hop duo Outkast alongside André 300 ...
(from the hip hop duo Outkast), has influences from the duo's single "
Hey Ya!
"Hey Ya!" is a song performed by American hip-hop duo Outkast, specifically group member André 3000, who wrote and produced the song. Along with "The Way You Move", recorded by Outkast's other member Big Boi, "Hey Ya!" was released by Arista ...
" (2003) and a sound described as "
funky
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest atte ...
"
and
neojump blues.
The album's ninth track is "Oh, Maker", a song with
English pastoral folk influences.
"
Come Alive (The War of the Roses)" has been described as having rock and
punk
Punk or punks may refer to:
Genres, subculture, and related aspects
* Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres
* Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
themes. "Mushrooms & Roses" is the next track on the album and it has themes of
psychedelic music and it has influences by such songs as
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...
' "
Strawberry Fields Forever
"Strawberry Fields Forever" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was released on 13 February 1967 as a double A-side single with " Penny Lane". It represented a departu ...
" and Prince's "
Purple Rain". The next track, "Make the Bus", features
of Montreal on vocal parts and it has been compared to such artists as
Placebo
A placebo ( ) is a substance or treatment which is designed to have no therapeutic value. Common placebos include inert tablets (like sugar pills), inert injections (like saline), sham surgery, and other procedures.
In general, placebos can af ...
and
George Clinton. The song "Wondaland" has a
synth-pop sound and has been compared to the work of
Tom Tom Club
Tom Tom Club is an American new wave band founded in 1981 by husband-and-wife team Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth and as a side project from Talking Heads. Their best known songs include " Wordy Rappinghood", " Genius of Love", and a cover ...
.
Deep Cotton Deep Cotton is an American funk duo based in Atlanta, whose members are Chuck Lightning and Nate "Rocket" Wonder. Part of the Wondaland Arts Society,Ann Powers"Janelle Monae in Wondaland: The Atlanta-based musician lets her creative spirits flow th ...
guest-stars on the song "57821" which has been described as "
space
Space is the boundless three-dimensional extent in which objects and events have relative position and direction. In classical physics, physical space is often conceived in three linear dimensions, although modern physicists usually cons ...
-folk"
and has been compared to works by
Simon & Garfunkel. This is followed by the track "Say You'll Go" and features a segment from "
Clair de lune" by
Claude Debussy.
Marketing and sales
In late September 2009, "Come Alive (The War of the Roses)" was released as a free promotional single by
Kia Motors
Kia Corporation, commonly known as Kia (, ; formerly known as Kyungsung Precision Industry and Kia Motors Corporation), is a South Korean multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. It is South Korea's second lar ...
, which featured Monáe as a member of their "Kia Soul Collective" of musicians and artists.
"Tightrope" (featuring Big Boi) was released as ''The ArchAndroid''s
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
on February 11, 2010, through ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...
''s website, with a companion song entitled "Cold War" debuting the following day via Monáe's official website.
[Janelle Monae's debut album, ''The ArchAndroid'', due in May; first single, "Tightrope", to arrive via JanelleMonae.com](_blank)
. Hip Hop Press. Retrieved May 30, 2010. On March 31, the video for "Tightrope" was released presenting Monáe dancing in the Palace of the Dogs also starring Big Boi. Monáe performed the song on the ''
Late Show with David Letterman'' on May 18, 2010, ''
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' (often shortened to ''Ellen'' or ''The Ellen Show'') is an American daytime television variety comedy talk show that was created and hosted by its namesake Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it was pro ...
'' on May 26, ''
Lopez Tonight
''Lopez Tonight'' is an American late-night television talk show that was hosted by the comedian George Lopez. The hour-long program premiered on November 9, 2009, on cable network TBS. Lopez was the first Mexican-American to host a late-nig ...
'' on May 27, ''
Last Call with Carson Daly
''Last Call with Carson Daly'' is an American late-night television series that was broadcast by NBC from 2002 to 2019. Hosted by former MTV personality Carson Daly, the series was initially formatted as a late-night talk show in line with ''T ...
'' on May 28, and ''
The Mo'Nique Show
''The Mo'Nique Show'' is an American talk show hosted by comedian and actress Mo'Nique. Aired on BET, the series began October 5, 2009. The show's second and final season premiered on Monday, October 4, 2010.
Overview
The show ran all-new episo ...
'' on June 9. ''
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 ...
'' later named "Tightrope" as the eighth best single of 2010.
[Staff (December 7, 2010)]
Rolling Stone's Best Singles of 2010
. ''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 ...
''. Retrieved December 7, 2010.
To promote the album, Monáe hosted a listening session for press and VIPs at Rubin Museum of Art in New York City on March 4, 2010. A short film, teaser trailer style, was released on April 14 on
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
showing an aerial view of the fictional futuristic city of Metropolis.
[Concepcion, Mariel]
Erykah Badu Announces Tour
. ''Billboard''. Retrieved April 20, 2010. Monáe also performed at the
2010 ESPY Awards (joined on stage by comedian
Will Ferrell
John William Ferrell (; born July 16, 1967) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. He first established himself in the mid-1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show '' Saturday Night Live'', where he performed from 1995 to 2 ...
), ''
Later... with Jools Holland'' (where she performed the album-track "Faster"), and ''Last Call with Carson Daly'' (where she performed "Cold War").
![Janelle Monae with Band by Sander Bakkes](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Janelle_Monae_with_Band_by_Sander_Bakkes.jpg)
''The ArchAndroid'' was released on May 18, 2010, through Wondaland Arts Society and
Bad Boy Records
Bad Boy Records (or Bad Boy Entertainment) is an American record label founded in 1993 by rapper Sean "Puffy" Combs. It operates as an imprint of Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. It has been home to many artists, including ...
.
In the week of June 5, it debuted at number 17 on the US
''Billboard'' 200 chart, selling 21,000 copies. During the week of February 23, 2011, the album re-entered the ''Billboard'' 200 at number 171, after selling 3,000 copies that week.
In the United Kingdom, ''The ArchAndroid'' debuted at number 51 on the
UK Albums Chart
The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...
.
Monáe
toured in further support of the album. She joined recording artist
Erykah Badu
Erica Abi Wright (born February 26, 1971), known professionally as Erykah Badu (), is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Influenced by R&B, soul, and hip hop, Badu rose to prominence in the late 1990s when her debut al ...
on the latter's
Out My Mind, Just in Time Tour during May to June 2010.
In February 2011, Hooligans in Wondaland – a joint co-headlining tour by Monáe with
Bruno Mars
Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for performing in a wide range of musical ...
– was announced. The concert tour featured dates throughout North America from May to June. Monáe also toured as a supporting act for
No Doubt
No Doubt is an American rock band from Anaheim, California, formed in 1986. For most of their career, the band has consisted of vocalist Gwen Stefani, guitarist Tom Dumont, bassist Tony Kanal, and drummer Adrian Young. Since the mid-1990s, the ...
and
Paramore.
Critical reception
''The ArchAndroid'' was met with widespread critical acclaim. 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 professional publications, 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 91, based on 28 reviews.
One of 2010's best-reviewed releases, the album received praise for its Afrofuturistic concept and Monáe's eclectic musical range.
Reviewing for the ''Chicago Tribune'', Greg Kot hailed ''The ArchAndroid'' as "an audacious, sometimes bewildering statement",
and
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 ...
critic Andy Kellman called it "an extravagant 70-minute album involving more imagination, conceptual detail, and stylistic turnabouts than most gatefold prog rock epics".
''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
''s Michael Cragg found the "sheer musical scope" of the album "spellbinding",
while Barry Walters of ''
Spin'' noted
German Expressionism
German Expressionism () consisted of several related creative movements in Germany before the First World War that reached a peak in Berlin during the 1920s. These developments were part of a larger Expressionist movement in north and central ...
and
Afrofuturism
Afrofuturism is a cultural aesthetic, and philosophy of science and history that explores the intersection of the African diaspora culture with science and technology. It addresses themes and concerns of the African diaspora through technocultu ...
as conceptual elements on an album wherein Monáe ventures "so far away from soul that she's come back around to it".
Jon Pareles
Jon Pareles (born October 25, 1953) is an American journalist who is the chief popular music critic in the arts section of ''The New York Times''.The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' remarked that "Monáe gets away with most of her metamorphoses, and the sheer ambition is exhilarating even when she stretches too far".
Matthew Cole from ''Slant Magazine'' described it as "an elaborately performed and consummately freaky
cyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction in a dystopian futuristic setting that tends to focus on a "combination of lowlife and high tech", featuring futuristic technological and scientific achievements, such as artificial intelligence and c ...
epic ... so stylistically leftfield in terms of its sound".
''
The A.V. Club
''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
''s Genevieve Koski wrote that "Monáe’s inexhaustible swagger and singular style sell both the high-concept theatrics and the schizophrenic sonics".
''Pitchfork''s Matthew Perpetua called the album "about as bold as mainstream music gets, marrying the world-building possibilities of the concept album to the big tent genre-mutating pop of Michael Jackson and Prince in their prime".
Perpetua elaborated on Monáe's incorporation of science-fiction and Afrofuturist concepts and the album's "basic appeal", stating:
''
Urb''s Dan Vidal called the album "a spectrum of sound—packed and arranged perfectly into a masterfully composed (debut) full-length body of work...
genre-defying masterpiece".
Comparing it to singer
Janet Jackson's ''
Rhythm Nation 1814
''Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814'' is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Janet Jackson, released on September 19, 1989, by A&M Records. Although label executives wanted material similar to her previous album, ''Control'' (19 ...
'' (1989), Brentin Mock of ''The Atlantic'' called ''The ArchAndroid'' "a smothered funk, though perhaps at times too thick, too inaccessible, but not so much I didn't want to shake my ass" and viewed it as musically progressive, stating "Monáe has given pop music its first
Toni Morrison
Chloe Anthony Wofford Morrison (born Chloe Ardelia Wofford; February 18, 1931 – August 5, 2019), known as Toni Morrison, was an American novelist. Her first novel, ''The Bluest Eye'', was published in 1970. The critically acclaimed '' So ...
moment, where fantasy, funk, and the ancestors come together for an experience that evolves one's soul... You really don't know whether you want to diagram it, dance to it, or just be dumbstruck. It owes as much to Parliament-Funkadelic as it does to
Samuel R. Delany and
Octavia E. Butler
Octavia Estelle Butler (June 22, 1947 – February 24, 2006) was an American science fiction author and a multiple recipient of the Hugo and Nebula awards. In 1995, Butler became the first science-fiction writer to receive a MacArthur Fellowshi ...
. She is finally doing what a number of artists—particularly black artists—have not been able to do in years, and that's move pop music forward".
Robert Christgau was less impressed in ''
The Barnes & Noble Review'', deeming it "the most overrated album of the year" while writing that Monáe's "songwriting is 60th percentile, her singing technical, her sci-fi plot the usual rot".
Accolades
''The ArchAndroid'' appeared on many year-end critics lists ranking the best albums of 2010. It topped lists by several publications, including ''PopMatters'', the ''Chicago Tribune'', and ''The Guardian'', which published the following assessment: "No other album this year seems so alive with possibility. Monáe is young and fearless enough to try anything, gifted enough to pull almost all of it off, and large-hearted enough to make it feel like a communal experience: Us rather than Me". In other year-end lists, ''The ArchAndroid'' placed second (''
Paste''), fifth (''
Vibe
''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down producti ...
''s Chris Yuscavage), sixth (Nitsuh Abebe of ''
New York'' and ''Spin''),
[Staff (December 6, 2010)]
The 40 Best Albums of 2010
. ''Spin''. Retrieved December 6, 2010. eighth (
MTV and ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...
''), and 21st (''
NME
''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...
''). In ranking it number 12, ''Pitchfork'' called it a "hugely ambitious full-length debut—more ''
Sign o' the Times
''Sign o' the Times'' (often stylized as ''Sign "☮︎" the Times'') is the ninth studio album by American singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Prince. It was first released on March 30, 1987 as a double album by Paisley Park ...
'' than ''
Kid A
''Kid A'' is the fourth studio album by the English rock band Radiohead, released on 2 October 2000 by Parlophone. It was recorded with their producer, Nigel Godrich, in Paris, Copenhagen, Gloucestershire and their hometown of Oxford.
After th ...
''". The publication also included the album at number 116 on a list ranking the best from the 2010s decade.
In ''
The Village Voice
''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, th ...
''s annual
Pazz & Jop
Pazz & Jop was an annual poll of top musical releases, compiled by American newspaper ''The Village Voice'' and created by music critic Robert Christgau. It published lists of the year's top releases for 1971 and, after Christgau's two-year abs ...
critics poll, ''The ArchAndroid'' was voted the fourth best album of 2010, while five of its songs appeared in the poll's singles list: "Tightrope" (number two), "Cold War" (number 22), "Wondaland", "Locked Inside", and "Sir Greendown" (the latter three tied for number 549). Additionally, ''The ArchAndroid'' was nominated for a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
in the category of
Best Contemporary R&B Album
The Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality works on albums in the contemporary ...
for the
53rd Annual Grammy Awards
The 53rd Annual Grammy Awards were held on February 13, 2011, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. They were broadcast on CBS with a rating of 26.6 million viewers. Barbra Streisand was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year two nights pri ...
(2011). The album later featured in the book ''
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
''1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die'' is a musical reference book first published in 2005 by Universe Publishing. Part of the ''1001 Before You Die'' series, it compiles writings and information on albums chosen by a panel of music critics ...
'' (2014).
Track listing
All tracks produced by
Nate "Rocket" Wonder,
Chuck Lightning, and
Janelle Monáe
Janelle Monáe Robinson (; born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, rapper and actress. She is signed to Atlantic Records, as well as to her own imprint, the Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe has received eight Grammy Award nominations. Mon ...
, except track 14 by
Kevin Barnes
Kevin Lawrence Barnes (born May 30, 1974) is the singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter for the indie rock group of Montreal, part of the Elephant 6 Collective. Barnes started the band and, although providing several stories as to the ...
and tracks 1, 12, and 18 by
Roman GianArthur
Roman GianArthur is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer known for his collaborations with artists Janelle Monáe and Jidenna. He is a member of Monae's Wondaland Arts Collective, and was featured on Jidenna's Grammy-nom ...
.
Personnel
Information is taken from
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 ...
.
[ Credits: ''The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III)'' AllMusic. Retrieved May 17, 2010.]
Musicians
* Young Pete Alexander – drums, string arrangements
* Kevin Barnes – synthesizer, drums, guitar (bass), keyboards, vocals, vocals (background), producer, drum programming
* Terrence Brown – organ, piano
*
Deep Cotton Deep Cotton is an American funk duo based in Atlanta, whose members are Chuck Lightning and Nate "Rocket" Wonder. Part of the Wondaland Arts Society,Ann Powers"Janelle Monae in Wondaland: The Atlanta-based musician lets her creative spirits flow th ...
– vocals (background)
* DJ Cutmaster Swiff – scratching, cut
* Nworb Ecnerret – piano
* Sknuks Eht – vocals
* Eánom Ellenaj – vocals
* Jason Freeman – horn arrangements
* Jerry Freeman – horn arrangements
* Roman GianArthur – percussion, piano, arranger, conductor, vocals (background), producer, engineer, vocal arrangement, string arrangements, mixing
* Hornz Unlimited – horn
* Felicia Long – flute
* Janelle Monáe – arranger, vocals, vocals (background), producer
* The Neon Valley St. Anthony Choir – vocals (background)
* The Neon Valley Street Chancel Choir – vocals (background)
* Monroe Nervine – dulcimer, clarinet, mandolin, bassoon, harp, oboe
* Tang Nivri – percussion
* Kyle O'Brien – french horn
* Rekrap Odnillek – guitar
* Alexander Page – violin, viola
* Kelindo Parker – arranger, ukulele, guitar, guitar (rhythm), vocal arrangement, soloist
* Grace Shim – cello
* Rekrap Sillek – guitar arrangements
* Skinks – vocals (background)
* The Skunks – vocals (background)
* Dashill "Sunnovah" Smith – trumpet, soloist
* Kelly Sparker – brass
* Thesaurus Rex – harp
* Saul Williams – vocals
* Wolfmaster Z – drums, guitar (bass), guitar (rhythm), theremin, tubular bells, bass marimba
* The Wondaland ArchOrchestra – strings
* Wondaland String Ensemble – strings
* Nate "Rocket" Wonder – organ, guitar (acoustic), bass, guitar, percussion, arranger, conductor, drums, guitar (bass), guitar (electric), keyboards, vocals, vocals (background), producer, mellotron, vibraphone, horn arrangements, string arrangements, editing, mixing, Hammond B3
* Nathan Yelurvin – percussion, glockenspiel, harp, Mellotron, woodwind
Production
* Larry Anthony – mastering
* Christopher Carmouche – mixing
* Jessee Clarkson – wardrobe
* Sean "Diddy" Combs – executive producer
* Control Z – engineer, mastering, mixing
* Rednow "Tekcor" Etan – arranger
* Jeff Gillies – wardrobe
* Dr. Nathaniel Irvin III – arranger
* Charles Joseph II – arranger
* Damien Lewis – engineer, editing
* Chuck Lightning – arranger, vocals (background), producer
* Lord Mitchell A. "MitchOW!ski" Martian – mastering, mixing
* Antwan "Big Boi" Patton – executive producer, vocals (background)
* Max Stellings – liner notes
*
Phil Tan Phil Tan is a Malaysian-American music and audio engineer.
Early life and education
Tan was born in Malaysia. He attended Full Sail University in Florida in the U.S., where he attained a degree in Recording Arts in 1990. Afterwards he moved to Atla ...
– editing, mixing
* Carolyn Tracey – package production
* Chad Weatherford – costume design
* Andrew Zaeh – photography
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:ArchAndroid, The
2010 albums
Bad Boy Records albums
Metropolis albums
Atlantic Records albums
Albums produced by Roman GianArthur
Albums produced by Kevin Barnes
Albums produced by Big Boi
Albums produced by Sean Combs
Alternative R&B albums
Psychedelic pop albums