Several critics said 24K Magic was crafted from elements of R&B, funk, pop, and new jack swing. Mars was inspired to create an album on which he could capture the sound of 1990s R&B, that he listened and danced to during his childhood. He wanted to make people dance and have the same enjoyment he had. The lyrics of 24K Magic explore themes similar to those of its predecessor, Unorthodox Jukebox (2012), including money and sex. According to Mars, although he was able to convince Atlantic Records of the album's sound, they were initially hesitant.
Critical responses to 24K Magic were generally favorable; many reviewers noticed the change of style, focusing on contemporary R&B and the improvement on the production. Others criticized the detachment from the casual listener and the lack of "vulnerability" from his previous ballads. At the 2018 Grammy Awards24K Magic won seven Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Best R&B Album, while the title track won Record of the Year and "That's What I Like" won Song of The Year at the same ceremony. Several publications listed the album as one of the best records of the year and the Associated Press named it as the tenth-best album of the 2010s. The album was also promoted through the 24K Magic World Tour (2017–2018), along with a number of television appearances.
Background
In early 2014, Bruno Mars was interviewed by that's Shanghai and gave some details of a new album, stating, "I want to write better songs... put on better shows... make better music videos. I want my next album to be better than the first and the second."[1] In September 2014, Mars tweeted, "Now it's time to start writing chapter 3", hinting that he was working on new music. Following the release of British-American musician Mark Ronson and Mars's single "Uptown Funk" (2014), Mars went to the studio to record more songs; he said he had no plans to release a new album "until it's done".[2] Mars's new album was due in March 2016 but its release was postponed for several months because of his appearance at that year's Super Bowl half-time show. At the time, seven songs were already recorded.[2] Mars worked with Canadian recording engineer Charles Moniz, who called the album the "next movement of Bruno" and confirmed the album was close to being finished in February 2016.[3] Mars also worked with American musician Andrew Wyatt, who was involved in Mars's previous studio albums, and American bass guitarist Jamareo Artis, of The Hooligans, who said they had been "trying different ideas and experimenting" and "It's going to have a new sound... the material is very groove-oriented".[4][5] Mars also worked with American rapper Missy Elliott, but he said they were just hanging out.[6]
In an interview with New Zealand radio DJ Zane Lowe for the Apple Music podcast Beats 1, Mars said the album is filled with 1990s influences.[7] Mars concluded; "I just want to do music. I want to be the guy that brings joy to your life through his music."[8] Mars affirmed he felt he was correct to record nine songs, saying; "If I can't pull you in with nine songs, I'm not gonna pull you in with nineteen!"[6] He told that the album was inspired by a non-existent movie that he visualized. Mars said it featured "a Versace-wearing pimp" in New York during a summer night at the "baddest rooftop house party. 2:30 in the morning, the band comes out, fucking dipped in Versace. The girls are screaming."[9][10] Mars stated this album contrasts with his others, on which he would experiment with genres: "I wanted to really hone it in and give myself a world in which I could keep it contained... I want to sing more so than I did on the other albums".[10] He chose to emulate "the feeling of the R&B he fell in love with as a kid", avoiding making it sound like a tribute or forced, taking inspiration from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, New Edition, Bobby Brown, Jodeci, Boyz II Men, Teddy Riley, Mariah Carey and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.[9][11] In November 2017, Mars was a guest on the Charlie Rose Show and said as he grew up pop music was "R&B-rooted songs", which he danced to at school balls and barbecues. Mars wanted to achieve the same "feeling and emotion", concluding "it was fun to dance, it was cool to smile on the dance floor with a girl and flirt with a girl on the dance floor". To achieve his aim to make people want to dance again, he needed the songs to make him dance.[12] Mars was inspired by his passion "for R&B acts"; he said that was the feeling they wanted the album to have. He added, "it was all about the live show and the kind of party I want to throw".[13]
Although Mars was able to convince Atlantic Records of the album's sound, they were initially hesitant.[13] A private album listening party was held at Atlantic's offices in New York City for several journalists.[10]
Recording
Mars reunited with frequent collaborators, American songwriter, and producers, Philip Lawrence and Christopher Brody Brown, forming a new production trio, Shampoo Press & Curl, to record 24K Magic.[14] It was recorded at Glenwood Place Studios in Burbank, California between the fall 2015 and September 2016. Nevertheless, the singer returned to the studio on the first week of October to complete the album. Mars revealed that he was not confident about returning to the studio after releasing "Uptown Funk" (2014) and was struggling to write new songs.[9] On top of that, he added that it took him so long to create a song, he needed to "touch an instrument or it won't come out. If I'm not touching the guitar or touching the drum machine or playing the piano, the song just won't come out."[6] He imposed a dress code in the studio during the recording process, favoring jewelry and "fine clothes" over sweatpants to create the "groovy, smooth and soulful songs" on the record.[13]
Lawrence said, "We got the sitting in the studio laboring over songs for hours and days and weeks". He furthered that playing new songs live while recording helped. They noticed what was or not working and what it could be improved.[13] "Finesse" underwent twenty different versions, including one in which Mars sang about "gold chains and cognac over a silky beat", and another which sounded "like a Seventies cop show". "Versace on the Floor" started with a "piña colada vibe" before the beat was remixed, though, Mars felt his vocal performance and lyrics were not emotive enough for a ballad, and changed the melody and re-wrote the track.[9] The singer-songwriter took a long time to write "Too Good to Say Goodbye". It was not complete until Babyface heard the chorus, encouraging the former to complete the song. They composed the song together on a piano.[6] Mars used a flexatone, a percussion instrument, on the album, given to him by DJ Quik.[13]
The Stereotypes (pictured) composed several tracks for 24K Magic.
Mars asked American singer-songwriter James Fauntleroy to help him write "That's What I Like", but Fauntleroy end-up co-writing most of the songs on the album. Fauntleroy said; "Bruno is the core of those songs and Phil is a huge part of the reason those songs sound like that." He added that despite having a good time with them, it was "probably the most intense album process of my life".[15] American record producer and DJ Skrillex said he and Mars were creating something "different, awesome and next level and sounds like nothing else that's happened before".[16] He also affirmed that they could work on "more of a Skrillex thing".[17] The song they were working on was not completed in time for the album's release.[6] American rapper T-Pain who worked on "Straight Up & Down", said he saw Mars and his band, with the engineer "jamming out and having a good time". T-Pain affirmed Mars "was real specific about what he wanted".[18]
The Stereotypes, a production team, were also involved in the album's composition. They have worked with Mars since 2007, however, after the singer signed a deal with Atlantic Records they did not collaborate very often.[19] Nevertheless, in 2015, Jonathan Yip, a member of the Stereotypes, talked with Mars about working together. The latter asked for "some beats" for 24K Magic, but "nothing came of it".[20][21] In June 2016, Mars asked Yip if they would like to help him finish a song for his album. He needed another song with a certain tempo and key.[20][21][22] Yip sent Mars an idea that caught his attention, and he asked the Stereotypes to come to the studio.[19][20][23] Once in the studio, it took them some time to "get the groove" on the track. They spent the first couple of hours catching up and having fun.[19][23][24] The Stereotypes helped Mars finishing "24K Magic" and "That's What I Like". They also created "Finesse" with Shampoo Press & Curl.[19][23] The team noticed that Mars "is his own biggest critic", a "perfectionist".[24]
In August 2016, the album entered the mixing stage.[9] Romanian-American mixing engineer Serban Ghenea had to return to his early career as an R&B and hip hop engineer, to come up with the "esthetic" for 24K Magic. He explained, "the idea was to have a '90s R&B/hip-hop-influenced album, but with a modern sonic presentation".[25] Moniz told they would felt great regarding a certain song and Mars wanted to "push it further" as he wanted 24K Magic to be "the foundation for his live show". The singer would ask to imagine the songs being performed live, to know their feeling and if they were danceable.[26] The engineer confessed they would start to work in the afternoon and spent 14 hours in the studio each day, with the album taking 22 months to record and once the writing stopped, the singer would "bounce ideas around the room." He said Mars and his team were set to create an R&B album as "it's a part of who they are". Mars was close to the mixing process describing what he wanted for the album.[27]
24K Magic explores several genres, including, R&B, funk, pop, and new jack swing.[29][30][31] Andy Kellman of AllMusic, thinks the album "might as well be considered the full-length sequel to "Uptown Funk"; Mars abandoned his previous new wave and reggae sound for an "all-out R&B" effort.[32] The album includes the R&B ballads "Versace on the Floor", "Straight Up & Down" and "Too Good To Say Goodbye".[33][34][35] "24K Magic", "Chunky" and "Perm" are funk tracks, while "Calling All My Lovelies" is an R&B heartbreaker song.[33][34][36]24K Magic also features new jack swing, hip hop soul and funk on the tracks "Finesse" and "That's What I Like", with the latter also being an R&B song.[21][34][37] Lyrics on the album are themed around money and sex.[38]
The album opens with a talk box on "24K Magic"; the track's synthesizer riff and backbeat are inspired by "The Message" (1982) by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Its lyrics celebrate extravagance, glamour, and the party lifestyle.[39][40][41] "Chunky" is an electro-funk track that features synthesizers and drum machines. It is an anthem for big buttocks.[33][36][42] "Perm" is influenced by the 1960s and James Brown's style on the horns, stabs and drums, according to The New York Times'Jon Caramanica.[39] It is also inspired by Nile Rodgers' electric guitar.[43] Its "shuffle" was compared to Brown's "Funky Drummer" (1970) and features "shout-singing" style and Mars's "scraped-up vocal".[42][39] The song is about Mars going out and having a "good time" with his companions.[43] "That's What I Like", the album's second single, draws from "the silky vibes" of R. Kelly's 12 Play (1993), taking them to "the boom of modern trap".[31] The song is about extravagance, a luxurious lifestyle, and love.[30][33][44]
The slow jam of "Versace on the Floor" shows Mars's romantic side, with champagne flutes, rose petals, dancing and getting intimate with his lover.[33][34][45] "Straight Up & Down" opens with a choir and samples of Shai's "Baby I'm Yours" (1993).[43] Its lyrics detail Mars's "favorite bedroom tricks" and a "booty celebration".[44][36] According to Andrew Unterberger from Billboard, "Calling All My Lovelies" draws inspiration from Silk's "Freak Me" with its "massive harmonies and bass-voiced spoken-word".[34] It tells a story of heartbreak.[33] It includes a "dreamy voicemail message" spoken by American actress Halle Berry.[34][46] "Finesse" is also a funk, hip-hop soul recording with R&B influences.[21][47] Lyrically, it demonstrates the happiness and positive outcomes of being with one's lover.[47] The album's final song of the standard edition, "Too Good To Say Goodbye", includes "horn bleats", piano, various harmonies, and "one of Mars' most emotional vocal performances".[33] The track draws its structure from early 1970s Philly soul and 1990s R&B.[30][32] The remix of "Finesse" features American rapper Cardi B with a flow and rhyme resembling a "turn-of-the-1990s cadence", as well as Salt-N-Pepa and Heavy D styles.[48][49][50]
Cover
The cover of 24K Magic shows Mars sitting on a chair and wearing a red shirt and shorts, and a white cap. Mars and Greg "Giden's Dad" Burke created the artwork, which was shot by Chinese photographer Kai Z. Feng.[51] According to Mars, the cover art was inspired by a "musky cologne" advertisement and the Cadillac Allanté convertible that felt like "bootleg luxury". During its development, Mars thought about a man driving the Cadillac that would wear his best silk clothing, a style inspired by his father that included "the pinkie rings, the pompadour", the hairstyle and the "flashy" glasses.[6][11] The album's cover art was styled to resemble a 1990s album; the song titles are printed in a basic font.[6] During a photography season, Feng was unaware of the reason for Mars "throwing up the number 24 with his fingers". Feng asked Mars whether his pose had anything to do with the album; Mars told Feng to be quiet. He said Mars gave him "a lot of trust to do my thing" and added Mars "is not shy in front of the camera; he's always moving and dancing, as long as you have the right music playing".[27]
Mars and The Hooligans during the 24K Magic World Tour, as part of the 2018 Lollapalooza festival in Chicago, Illinois.
On October 3, 2016, Mars announced the release of the album's first single "24K Magic" via Instagram, dubbing it "the invitation to the party". On October 7, 2016, Mars unveiled the album's title, cover and release date, and a link to a pre-order on iTunes, along with the release of "24K Magic" and its music video.[41][52] The record was made available for pre-order worldwide via Mars's official site with four buying options.[53] On November 4, 2016, "Versace on the Floor", was issued as a promotional single in several countries.[54]
Mars performed "24K Magic" and "Chunky" live for the first time on Saturday Night Live on October 15, 2016; his performance received positive reactions from critics and the audience.[55][56] He also performed "24K Magic" live on The X Factor UK on October 30, 2016. The Daily Express's Becca Longmire called the performance "epic".[57] On November 2, 2016, Mars performed several songs for Radio 1 at the BBC's Live Lounge, including "24K Magic", "Treasure", "Locked Out of Heaven" and a cover of Adele's "All I Ask".[58] A couple of days after, the singer performed "24K Magic" at the MTV Europe Music Awards.[59] Later the same month, Mars performed "24K Magic" on the Norwegian television talk show Skavlan and the following day at the 2016 NRJ Music Awards.[60][61]
Mars embarked on the 24K Magic World Tour, which started on March 28, 2017, at the Sportpaleis in Antwerp, Belgium.[66] The second row of shows consisted of concerts throughout North America and ran from July to November 2017.[66] It also featured performances in Oceania and Asia until May 2018.[67][68][69] The 24K Magic World Tour ended on December 31, 2018.[66][70] On September 12, 2017, it was announced that Mars and his band would be performing a television special concert titled, Bruno Mars: 24K Magic Live at the Apollo at the Apollo Theater. Subsequently, CBS confirmed they would air the program on December 14.[71]
Singles
The title track "24K Magic" was released as the album's lead single on October 7, 2016, along with its music video.[72] The song was generally well received; reviewers complimented Mars's vocals and compared them to those of James Brown. The song was listed by several publications, including Billboard and Entertainment Weekly, as being among the best songs of the year.[73][74][75] The recording was a success, topping the charts in Argentina, Belgium (Flanders), France and New Zealand, and reached the top ten in several other countries, including Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and the United States.[76][77][78] "24K Magic" received a Grammy Award for Record of the Year at the 2018 Grammy Awards.[79]
"That's What I Like" was released on January 30, 2017, as the album's second single.[80] Critics gave the song mixed reviews; some considered it to be one of the best on 24K Magic[34][81] but others criticized its lyrical content.[42][36] The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming Mars's seventh number-one single in the United States, and peaked at number two on the Philippine Hot 100.[82][83] It also reached the top twenty in other territories, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, and New Zealand.[78][84] "That's What I Like" received three Grammy Awards; Song of the Year, Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song.[79]
"Versace on the Floor" was released as the album's third single in the United States on June 12, 2017, while a version of the song remixed by French DJ David Guetta was released as the album's third international single on June 27, 2017;[85][86][87] the original version had been premiered as the promotional single from 24K Magic, on November 4, 2016.[54] The track received generally favorable reviews from critics; some considered it to be the soundtrack to school dances while others said its lyrics are sexually driven.[88][37][89] The song charted moderately, reaching number 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the top three of the Philippine Hot 100 while its remix peaked at number eight in Belgium (Wallonia).[78][83][90]
"Chunky" was released as a single in Australia with a radio release date of November 29, 2017.[91] It received mixed reviews from music critics, who noted the track's resemblance to the works of rhythm and blues artists of the 1980s and 1990s.[42][38] Its charting was influenced by the release of its parent album 24K Magic; "Chunky" reached number 79 on the UK Singles Chart and 34 on the French Singles Chart on the week ending November 26, 2016.[92][93]
"Finesse" was announced as the fifth and final single from the album; unlike the original track, the single version features verses rapped by Cardi B.[94] It was released on January 4, 2018, to digital stores and streaming services.[95] The single was received well by music critics, who complimented Cardi B's verses and noticed the resemblance to the sound of Bobby Brown's album Don't Be Cruel (1988), Bell Biv DeVoe's track "Poison" (1990) and Michael Jackson's "Remember the Time" (1992).[38][34][37] The song was a commercial success, peaking at number two in New Zealand, and at number three in the United States and Canada. It entered the top ten of several countries, including Australia, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.[78][92][96]
24K Magic was met with generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, the album received an average score of 70, based on 14 reviews.[98] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave 24K Magic 6.5 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[97]
Patrick Bowman of Idolator rated the album four and a half stars out of five, writing that Mars "relish[es] every moment he gets to play the golden-voiced lothario dripping with swag and Versace."[102]HipHopDX's Carl Lamarre gave it a 4.3/5 rating. Lamarre felt Mars "succinctly gets his point across by instilling that much needed old-school nostalgia lacking in music today with nine tracks.[44] Nolan Feeney from Entertainment Weekly gave it a B+ and stated that "With only nine songs, there's not an ounce of fat on Magic, and nearly every track sounds like Top 40 gold", describing the record as a fusion of 70's funk and 90's R&B.[99] Nick Levine of NME rated the record four out of five stars. Levine said "few albums designed to sound like a party actually play like one, but Bruno Mars has pulled it off with style."[37] Reviewing 24K Magic for AllMusic, Andy Kellman gave the album four stars out of five, finding the recording to be the sequel to "Uptown Funk" (2014).[32]
The A.V. Club's Annie Zaleski gave it a B rating and wrote it is "easily his most cohesive and enjoyable collection, an escapist record that comes by its evocations of the past honestly".[33] Troy L. Smith from Cleveland.com wrote, "Mars is the kind of songwriter who knows how to take what's worked a million times over and that something extra to make it his own. At this point it's getting damn near impossible to not like a Bruno Mars album."[103]The New York Times' Jon Caramanica said "the new songs– his most diverse set to date, and mostly rigorously executed and fun– show Mr. Mars to be interested in different musical eras, different production approaches and different singing voices without veering into chaos".[39] Karen Gwee of Consequence awarded the album a B− score, calling it a "fun, nostalgic R&B album from one of pop's best performers today".[46] Andrew Unterberger from Billboard said it "pays homage to any number of pop performers from his canon, in winking tributes that still keep one foot (or at least a couple of toes) in the present".[34]
In a mixed review, Daniel Bromfield writing for Spectrum Culture rated 24K Magic 3.25 out of 5 stars. Bromfield said, "There's a sense of remove here– as if you can only gaze at Mars in awe, like his namesake planet, and never hope to connect with him. 24K Magic may improve with time. For now, it's hard not to feel underwhelmed."[104]Pitchfork's Katherine St. Asaph rated it 6.2 out of 10, and likened it to a theme-park version of funk and R&B: "rebuilt shinier and glitzier and safer, every element engineered to please more than the real thing, and with a hell of a tour guide. It's not history, not even historical fiction, but harmless fun."[30]The Wall Street Journal' Jim Fusilli wrote, "In comparison to what he's done in the past and to today's rich and adventurous funk and R&B, the album feels a tad tepid at times. But it's quality, never-dull work by a quality, never-dull artist who lovingly revives the sounds he savored on his way up."[43]Jim Carroll from The Irish Times, Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian, and Victoria Segall from Q all rated 24K Magic three stars out of five. Carroll said, "Mars shows he's a smart operator when it comes to the sort of pop which has all the accoutrements needed to engineer earworms, yet is sussed enough to know a little dab of special sauce is often required".[29] Sullivan wrote, "though Mars styles himself as a playa here... the core of the album is his passion for the early 90s period when hip-hop met soul".[100] Segall stated "24K Magic's luxe exterior writes cheques its soul can't cash".[101]
Reviewing the record for Rolling Stone, Christopher R. Weingarten rated it three stars out of five. He said it "may not be the most glittering display for Bruno Mars the pop star, but fans can rest assured it is a shining moment for Bruno Mars the producer, arranger and nostalgia curator".[31] In a similar vein, USA Today' Patrick Ryan called it Mars's "most polished album yet and a laudable step forward production-wise" but added it appears "oddly aloof" because it lacks the "vulnerability" of Mars's own ballads such as "Grenade" (2010) and "When I Was Your Man" (2013). Ryan rated it two and a half stars out of four.[36] Jonathan Wroble of Slant Magazine gave it three stars out of five stars and called the album "a tidy, if derivative, antidote to today's overthought, overwrought pop".[38]The Observer'sKitty Empire rated the album three stars out of five and wrote, "Anyone in need of indulgent escapism will find plenty here. But you do wonder... if more bling and circuses is what's required right now."[105] In a negative review, Andy Gill from The Independent gave it two stars out of five, saying, "the final product is a much tamer beast, taking its lead more from Mars' position as frontman of Mark Ronson's "Uptown Funk" (2014)". Gill heavily criticized "That's What I Like" and "Chunky".[42]
Accolades
At the end of 2016, 24K Magic appeared on a number of critics' lists of the year's top albums. Idolator listed the album at number seven on its list of the Top 10 Best Albums of 2016. Carl Willot wrote, "Bruno's complete dedication to reviving lost sounds on 24K means it probably won't leave a long shadow. But that's the point." Willot described it as "pop party pizza".[106] In a top-twenty list, Rolling Stone rated it the twelfth-best pop album of 2016. Keith Harris wrote the recording has the "high-energy Eighties dance-pop homage Mars perfected on "Uptown Funk" with some Nineties retro flavor for retro escapism".[107] According to Rap-Up, it was the seventeenth-best album of 2016.[108]
Digital Spy's Lewis Corner considered it the eighteenth-best album of 2016, saying it "resulted in Bruno's most confident and seductive collection yet".[109]Complex, in its list of 50 Best Albums of 2016, ranked the record in the twentieth-eight position. Ross Scarano asked, "If I told you Bruno Mars recorded an album that sounded like a middle school dance, would you know I meant that as a compliment?"[110] The Associated Press named 24K Magic the tenth-best album of the 2010s; according to Mesfin Fekadu, "Bruno Mars released three epic albums this decade, but 24K Magic was a whole mood".[111] The record was also deemed the sixty-ninth best album of the decade by Billboard.[112]
24K Magic debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 231,000 equivalent album units (194,000 in traditional album sales), becoming Mars's best sales week to that point and his third top-ten album in the United States.[125] The next week, it sold 73,000 units, dropping to number four.[126] The album remained in the US top ten for a third consecutive week despite a 20% fall in sales to 58,000 units.[127] The album remained in the top ten for the next few weeks, returning to number two for four nonconsecutive weeks; one of these followed Mars's two performances at the 2017 Grammy Awards.[128][129][130]
As of July 7, 2017, 24K Magic had sold 1,110,000 equivalent units in the United States.[131] On January 3, 2018, Billboard announced the best-selling albums of 2017 in the United States, with 24K Magic selling 710,000 copies and 1,626,000 total equivalent album units. It was the country's fourth-highest-selling and overall fifth-most-consumed record of the year.[132] It was Mars first album to enter the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, debuting at number one.[133] The album has spent 54 weeks on the top ten and eight non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[134][135] In 2017, 24k Magic was the second-most popular record on the Billboard 200.[136] The album was ranked as the 16th-best performing album of the 2010s decade on the U.S. Billboard 200 Albums.[137] It has been certified three-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[138]
The album was less successful in Europe. It debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart with sales of 52,300 copies in its first week.[139] Its equivalent album units of 600,000 in the UK, earned a double platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).[140] In France, 24K Magic debuted in the top three and spent almost the whole year in the chart.[141] Seven months after its release, equivalent album units exceeded 200,000, being certified twice platinum by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP).[142] The record peaked at number four on the Spanish Albums Chart and spent 109 weeks on the chart.[143] It was certified platinum by Productores de Música de España (PROMUSICAE).[144] It also debuted and peaked at number five in the Netherlands, spending 135 weeks on the chart.[145] It was certified platinum by NVPI.[146] In Denmark, 24K Magic peaked at number six after debuting at number nine upon release.[147] It was certified double platinum by IFPI Danmark.[148]
In Oceania, 24K Magic debuted at number two in New Zealand and was certified gold by the Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ) for selling more than 7,500 equivalent album units in three weeks.[149][150] The album returned to number two in New Zealand, becoming the singer's third consecutive record to do so.[149]24K Magic was certified three-times platinum in New Zealand for shipments of 45,000 units.[151] It was the seventh best-selling album in New Zealand in 2017.[152] The record entered the Australian Albums charts at number three, and with it, his three first albums reached the top five.[153] The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) certified it platinum.[154] In Japan, the album debuted at number six on the Oricon Albums Chart with first-week sales of 20,000 copies.[155] In the second week the album jumped to number three on the chart, selling 15,000 copies.[156] It was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).[157] In Canada, 24K Magic debuted at its peak position of number two with 21,000 total consumption units.[158] It spent 89 weeks on the Canadian Albums Chart and was certified three times platinum by Music Canada (MC).[159][160] As of October 2019, 24K Magic sold five million units globally.[161]
Track listing
Credits adapted from the liner notes of 24K Magic.[51]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
The Stereotypes are a production team created in 2003, comprising Jonathan Yip, Ray Romulus, Jeremy Reeves and Ray Charles McCullough II. In June 2010, they were listed among the "Top 10 Songwriters and Producers to Watch" in Billboard magazine.
Peter Gene Hernandez, known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and for singing in a wide range of musical styles, including pop, R&B, funk, soul, reggae, disco, and rock. Mars is accompanied by his band, the Hooligans, whose members are also backup singers and dancers. In 2021, Mars and fellow singer Anderson .Paak formed the musical superduo Silk Sonic.
The Smeezingtons were an American songwriting and record production team consisting of Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, and Ari Levine formed in 2009. The Smeezingtons were established in Los Angeles, California; the trio primarily served as the producers for the singles and albums of Mars, with additional work for diverse range of artists. Eventually, the trio split, and Mars and Lawrence formed a successor production trio with Christopher Brody Brown called "Shampoo Press & Curl".
Doo-Wops & Hooligans is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars. It was released on October 4, 2010, by Atlantic and Elektra Records and was made available to listen before its official release on September 24, 2010. After the release of the EP It's Better If You Don't Understand, Mars's writing and production team, the Smeezingtons, began working on the album with Needlz, Supa Dups and Jeff Bhasker as producers. The album title was chosen to reflect simplicity and appeal to both men and women.
"Marry You" is a song by American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars from his debut studio album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans (2010). Written and produced by the Smeezingtons, it serves as the record's sixth track and was released as a single outside of the United States. "Marry You" is a pop, doo-wop and soul song. The recording focuses on spontaneous marriage and therefore, since its release, has frequently been used as a proposal song. "Marry You" received generally positive reviews from music critics, with some complimenting its production and its reminiscence of 1960s pop style. Some criticized a perceived lack of creativity.
American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars has released three studio albums, one collaborative studio album, one EP, 34 singles and four promotional singles. With estimated sales of over 26 million albums and 200 million singles worldwide, Mars is one of the best-selling artists of all time. Six of his singles are among the best-selling singles of all time: in order of release date, "Just the Way You Are", "Grenade", "The Lazy Song", "When I Was Your Man", "Uptown Funk" and "That's What I Like". According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), he has sold 91.5 million copies in the United States. His first two albums have sold 5.04 million copies in the US market alone. In 2012, Mars was named 2011's best selling music artist worldwide. In 2022, he became the first artist to receive six diamond certified songs in the United States.
"Talking to the Moon" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars from his debut studio album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans (2010). The song was first unveiled on Mars's debut extended play, It's Better If You Don't Understand (2010), as its last track. It was written by Mars, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Albert Winkler, and Jeff Bhasker, while production was handled by the Smeezingtons in collaboration with Bhasker. "Talking to the Moon" is a pop and R&B power ballad about a failed relationship, solitude, and sadness. Instrumentally, the track relies on drum percussion and piano.
Unorthodox Jukebox is the second studio album by American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars. It was released on December 7, 2012, by Atlantic Records and was made available to listen to in its entirety for a week before its release. It serves as the follow-up to Mars' debut record Doo-Wops & Hooligans (2010). Mars' writing and production team, the Smeezingtons, composed the whole record and worked with several past collaborators, Jeff Bhasker and Supa Dups, while enlisting new producers, such as Mark Ronson and Emile Haynie, and no guest vocalists.
"Treasure" is a song by American singer and songwriter Bruno Mars from his second studio album, Unorthodox Jukebox (2012). It was written by Mars himself along with Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, and Phredley Brown, while production was handled by Mars, Lawrence and Levine under the name of the Smeezingtons. Due to the similarities shared with Breakbot's "Baby I'm Yours", new writing credits were added. The song was selected as the third single by Atlantic Records and was first issued to airplay in Italy on May 10, 2013.
American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars has released one concert video and appeared in various music videos, films, television shows, and commercials. After guest appearing in music videos, including "Long Distance" by Brandy and "Wavin' Flag " by K'naan, between 2008 and 2010, he was first featured on the chorus and videos for B.o.B.'s "Nothin' on You" and Travie McCoy's "Billionaire". A home video for "The Other Side" was issued, introducing Mars as a lead artist. From his debut album Doo-Wops & Hooligans (2010), he released music videos for "Just the Way You Are", "Grenade", "Liquor Store Blues", and "The Lazy Song". In 2011, he received awards for the "Just the Way You Are" music video, including MTV Video Music Award Japan for Best Male Video and Favorite International Video at the Myx Music Awards.
"24K Magic" is a song by American singer Bruno Mars from his studio album of the same name (2016). Atlantic Records released it as the album's lead single on October 7, 2016, for digital download and streaming. It was provided as an instant grat track for those who pre-ordered the album. Mars, Philip Lawrence and Christopher Brody Brown wrote the single. Calling themselves Shampoo Press & Curl the three of them handled production, with additional production by the Stereotypes. The song has been described as a funk, disco and contemporary R&B track. The A.V. Club noticed the synthesizer riff and backbeat resembled the one in "The Message" (1982) by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. The song's lyrics address extravagance, glamour, and the party lifestyle.
"Chunky" is a song by American singer Bruno Mars from his third studio album 24K Magic (2016). It was solely released as a radio single in Australia on November 29, 2017 by Warner Music Australia and Atlantic, and served as the album's fourth single. "Chunky" was co-written by Mars, Philip Lawrence,Christopher Brody Brown, and James Fauntleroy. Mars, Lawrence, and Brown produced the song under their alias, Shampoo Press & Curl. Musically, "Chunky" is a funk and electro-funk ballad, while lyrically acting as an anthem for big buttocks.
"Versace on the Floor" is a song by American singer Bruno Mars from his third studio album, 24K Magic (2016). Atlantic Records released the song as the only promotional single and the third official single from the album to Hot AC radio in the United States on June 12, 2017. "Versace on the Floor" was written by Mars, Philip Lawrence, Christopher Brody Brown and James Fauntleroy. Mars, Lawrence and Brown handled the track's production under the name Shampoo Press & Curl. A remix by French DJ David Guetta was released on June 27, 2017, for digital download and streaming in various countries. "Versace on the Floor" is an retro-styled R&B song reminiscent of the slow jams from the 1990s, and resembles the early works of Michael Jackson. The song's lyrics address romance, intimacy and Gianni Versace's clothing line.
The 24K Magic World Tour was the fourth concert tour of American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars that was performed in support of his third studio album 24K Magic (2016) from March 2017 to December 2018. Anderson .Paak was the opening act for the first European leg while Camila Cabello, Dua Lipa, and Jorja Smith opened the shows during the first North American leg. In Latin America, DNCE, Bebe Rexha, and Nick Jonas were the supporting acts, and in Oceania, Lipa and DJ Leggo My Fueggo opened shows. The second European leg included appearances at several music festivals such as Pinkpop in the Netherlands and Rock in Rio in Portugal. It was Mars's first tour to include a show in Africa, where he appeared at the Mawazine festival in Morocco.
"That's What I Like" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars from his third studio album, 24K Magic (2016). The song was written by Mars, Philip Lawrence, Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Johnathan Yip, Ray Romulus, Jeremy Reeves, and Ray McCullough II. The former three produced the song under the name of Shampoo Press & Curl with the latter four, as the Stereotypes, co-producing it. Atlantic Records released the song to Hot AC radio in the United States on January 30, 2017, as the second single from the album. The song is a hip hop soul, new jack swing, R&B and funk track. The song's lyrics address extravagance, a luxurious lifestyle, and love.
"Finesse" is a song by American singer Bruno Mars from his third studio album, 24K Magic (2016). The song was written by Mars, Philip Lawrence, Christopher Brody Brown, James Fauntleroy, Jonathan Yip, Ray Romulus, Jeremy Reeves and Ray McCullough II. The former three produced it under the name Shampoo Press & Curl, along with the latter four, as the Stereotypes. The song was composed after a jam session as Mars wanted to recreate the "new jack swing sound". Atlantic Records released a remix, featuring verses from American rapper Cardi B, as the album's fifth and final single on January 4, 2018. Musically, it is a new jack swing, hip hop soul and funk song. The lyrics demonstrate the happiness of being with who one loves and the positive outcome of that for them and others.
Philip Martin Lawrence II is an American songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur and voice actor, best known for his work with the songwriting and production team The Smeezingtons, alongside Bruno Mars and Ari Levine. He has won eight Grammy Awards for his work. Lawrence's latest recording project, 24K Magic, won at the Grammys in the categories Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best R&B Song, Best R&B Album, and Best R&B Performance. Lawrence is co-writer and co-producer on the majority of the songs released under these ventures. He also sings vocal with The Hooligans band who tours with Mars. He is also a voice actor, as he is the current voice of Sebastian since 2007, replacing Samuel E. Wright.
Bruno Mars: 24K Magic Live at the Apollo was a television special starring American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars performing live at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York City. It was produced by Fulwell 73 Productions and co-produced by Ben Winston, Mars and Julie Greenwald. Aired on November 29, 2017, the show depicts Mars and his band, the Hooligans, interacting with locals intercut with a performance of most of Mars's third studio album, 24K Magic (2016). The special had previously begun at Apollo's marquee with a performance of the album's title song.
Silk Sonic is an American musical superduo composed of musicians Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak. The duo released their debut single, "Leave the Door Open", in March 2021. They later released "Skate" in July 2021, followed by third single, "Smokin out the Window", and their debut album, An Evening with Silk Sonic, in November 2021. The album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, while the first three singles reached the top twenty on the Billboard Hot 100, with "Leave the Door Open" spending 18 weeks in the top ten and two non-consecutive weeks at the top spot. The song later won four Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
↑ O'Donnell, Kevin; Greenblatt, Leah; Vain, Madisson; Feeney, Nolan; Goodman, Jessica; Renner Brown, Eric; Rahman, Ray; Biedenharn, Isabella (December 9, 2016). "The 100 best songs of 2016". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved June 11, 2018.
↑ Tharpe, Frazier; Ortiz, Edwin; Drydenlund, Zach; Scarano, Ross; Klinklenberg, Brendan; M. Jackson, Lauren; Khal; Turner, Gas; Cadenas, Kerensa; Yoonsoo Kim, Kristen; Diaz, Angel (December 5, 2016). "50 Best Albums of 2016". Complex. Archived from the original on August 5, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
↑ "Fonogram Awards 2017". Fonogram Awards (in Hungarian). February 17, 2017. Archived from the original on February 4, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
↑ "Top Stranih [Top Foreign]" (in Croatian). Top Foreign Albums. Hrvatska diskografska udruga. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
↑ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 47.Týden 2016 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
↑ "Los más vendidos 2016" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
↑ "Los más vendidos 2017" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Archived from the original on February 4, 2018. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
