3.15.20 | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 22, 2020 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 57:44 | |||
Label | RCA | |||
Producer |
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Childish Gambino chronology | ||||
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Singles from 3.15.20 | ||||
3.15.20 is the fourth studio album by American recording artist Donald Glover, under his stage name Childish Gambino. It was initially uploaded to the website donaldgloverpresents.com on March 15, 2020, before being taken down 12 hours later. After a countdown, it was released to streaming and download services under the title 3.15.20 on March 22. [4] It is therefore interchangeably referred to as both 3.15.20 and Donald Glover Presents. [5] The album features guest appearances from Ariana Grande, Kadhja Bonet, 21 Savage and Ink. Glover produced the album with a range of collaborators including DJ Dahi, longtime producer Ludwig Göransson, Chukwudi Hodge, Kurtis McKenzie and James Francies, Jr.
The album was taken down on all streaming services on May 8, 2024, most likely as Glover is planning to release a finished version of the album named Atavista, and wants to excite the new album, featuring Kanye West and Kid Cudi.
Most of the album's track titles refer to the time at which they appear on the album; for example, "12.38" appears 12 minutes and 38 seconds into the album. The 2018 promotional single, "Feels Like Summer", appears on the album under the title "42.26". [4] The album received critical acclaim, with praise particularly directed towards Glover's songwriting and the album's themes. [6] [7] [8]
In 2017, Donald Glover, during a live performance, revealed he planned to retire the stage name Childish Gambino, telling the Governors Ball Music Festival audience, "I'll see you for the last Gambino album." [9] After some disputes with Glassnote, Glover signed with RCA Records in January 2018. [10] [11] In May 2018, he premiered two songs titled "Saturday" and "This Is America" while performing as both host and musical guest on Saturday Night Live . [12] The latter and its political music video went viral, achieving widespread success and critical acclaim, giving him his first song to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. [13] [14]
In July 2018, Glover released the Summer Pack extended play containing the songs "Summertime Magic" and "Feels Like Summer", the former of which was labeled to be the lead singles from Glover's forthcoming fourth studio album. [15] Later that year, Glover performed live dates on the This Is America Tour and announced at the debut show in Atlanta that the tour would be his last. [16] Individuals who purchased tickets to the tour received exclusive unfinished demos of the songs "Algorhythm" and "All Night" before the tour dates. [17] Along his tour, he played "Algorhythm" and "All Night" (the latter was only played in Atlanta), and he also premiered new songs, then believed to be from his upcoming studio album, including "Atavista", "39.28" (then untitled), and "Human Sacrifice". [18]
A Google Pixel 3 advertisement debuted during the 61st Annual Grammy Awards featuring Donald Glover and using the previously teased song "Human Sacrifice." [19]
Glover also debuted a trailer for his musical film Guava Island at his PHAROS event in December 2018, which leaked online. Glover performed a new record at his Pharos festival called “Warlords” that featured Kid Cudi, which attendees described as ambient, chill, and had an 808s & Heartbreaks inspired production. Glover debuted a performance of his new song “32.22/Shock" during Glover's headlining performance at Coachella in 2019, and the film debuted the same weekend. [20] [21] The musical film Guava Island contained several unreleased songs, including "Time", "Die with You", and "Saturday", hinting at their inclusion on the album. [22]
In the early morning of March 15, 2020, the website donaldgloverpresents.com was circulated and promoted on social media by individuals connected to Glover and his management. [23] The website featured a collection of songs, including a few previously performed and teased tracks, playing live on a loop which were subsequently removed 12 hours later. Additionally, the website displayed promotional artwork, appearing to be a sketched concept for extendable album art. A few days after the stream ended, the website displayed a countdown set to end a week after the original stream. [23]
Following the concluded countdown, the website was updated with the same looped stream of songs with a handwritten note from Glover about his inspirations behind the album. At the same time, the previously streamed collection of songs was uploaded to streaming services as 3.15.20, Glover's fourth studio album. The album, released with limited song titles and a blank white cover, was released as a 12 track album under the Childish Gambino moniker, as well as a continuous play version under the artist name Donald Glover Presents. [24]
In an interview with Complex in 2023, when reflecting on how the album's lack of traditional release, art style, and tracklist may have impacted its reception, Glover said "I had just lost my father, I had just had a kid, and I was going through a lot. I was having a lot of different new experiences and that's what I expressed. I think people are right. It would have garnered a different [response]. My wife's always been like, 'If you do punk things, you get punk results.' And it was a punk thing." [25]
On March 15, 2024, four years after the album's initial release, Glover teased a re-release of the album with the title Atavista, showing an updated tracklist that included "Human Sacrifice" and the title track, two previously unreleased songs performed on the This is America Tour. [26] A month later during a radio stream by his production company GILGA, Glover revealed that 3.15.20 was rushed out to streaming services because of personal issues and the start of the pandemic, and he plans to re-release the project as a "finished" album under its original title Atavista. [27] [28]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 7.9/10 [29] |
Metacritic | 83/100 [30] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [31] |
Clash | 5/10 [32] |
Consequence of Sound | B+ [6] |
Exclaim! | 7/10 [33] |
The Guardian | [7] |
NME | [8] |
Pitchfork | 6.0/10 [34] |
PopMatters | [35] |
Sputnikmusic | 4.0/5 [36] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, the album received critical acclaim, with an average review score of 83 out of 100. [30] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.9 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus. [29]
AllMusic 's critic Tim Sendra wrote in his review that "the 2020 Childish Gambino record 3.15.20 is an expansive, mind-bending trip that never takes an expected step." Sendra continued by comparing the album to other artists work, stating that "The result is a challenging, hooky, mysterious and odd record that feels like it was built out of pieces left over from a collision between Outkast, David Bowie, Sly and the Family Stone, and Prince." Sendra ended his review by saying that 3.15.20 is the "second classic, timeless and timely Childish Gambino record in a row." [31] Writing for Consequence of Sound , Okla Jones praised the album, stating that "Glover's willingness to experiment with different sounds and harmonies is evidence that things either foreign or unknown need not be feared, but embraced. No, as in life, there's beauty in uncertainty." While praising Glover's songwriting and the features on 3.15.20, Jones criticized the production and vocals on a few of the album's tracks. [6]
The Guardian 's reviewer Dean Van Nguyen acclaimed the album, saying that "The actor, comedian, and musician Donald Glover has made the first truly outstanding album of the decade, offsetting cultural examinations with moments of sweet levity." Nguyen further stated that the themes of the album fit the present-day insecurities with the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that "The disruption caused by the coronavirus forces us to question how strong the foundations of civilization are. Glover never could have seen the pandemic coming when he was recording the album, yet at a time when much of what we thought was strong is weak - what we thought was eternal is potentially fleeting – 3.15.20 captures the insecurity of lived reality and the humanity that truly defines our existence." [7] Sam Moore of NME gave the album a favorable review, particularly praising Glover's decision to bring up more private matters on the album, referring to the song "47.48". Moore wrote that "The rolling groove of '47.48' is another highlight: Glover's doomy proclamations about the violent and unjust aspects of society ('little boys playing 'round, shot down') eventually subside for a more optimistic outlook for the future as Glover sweetly interacts with his young son Legend about the people they each love." Moore continued by saying that "Glover's willingness to share such a candid moment on record is particularly interesting given his past proclivity towards keeping his private life largely offline, and may be a sign that the star is beginning to let his guard down as the outside world continues to try to peer in." [8]
Some reviews were more mixed. Debbie Ijaduola of Clash unfavorably compared the album to Childish Gambino's previous efforts, stating that "Lacking the strong narrative thrust so apparent on his [Glover's] past albums, the project is incredibly disappointing. From what it looks like, it seems like there was a reason he said he was quitting music." However, Ijaduola highlighted the songs "Algorhythm", "42.26" and "47.48" as the album's most enjoyable tracks. [32] Pitchfork 's critic Paul A. Thompson stated that "3.15.20 is studded with little hooks and big ideas that serve as lures. Its spiritual largesse is weighed down by impulses carried halfway to their endpoints and moments of frustrating pretense." Thompson, alike other reviewers, praised the song "47.48", saying that the track "sounds like a locked-in house band; the lyrics are actually about a crushing and ever-present violence, and the tension mesmerizes. That song ends with a conversation between Glover and his young son about love-sweeter than it sounds on paper, chilling given the juxtaposition." [34]
Publication | Accolade | Rank | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Variety | Variety's Best Albums of 2020 – Mid-Year | N/A |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "0.00" |
| D. Glover | 2:59 |
2. | "Algorhythm" |
|
| 3:32 |
3. | "Time" (featuring Ariana Grande) |
| 6:07 | |
4. | "12.38" (featuring 21 Savage, Ink, and Kadhja Bonet) |
|
| 6:32 |
5. | "19.10" |
|
| 5:08 |
6. | "24.19" |
|
| 7:59 |
7. | "32.22" |
|
| 3:12 |
8. | "35.31" |
| DJ Dahi | 3:56 |
9. | "39.28" |
|
| 2:59 |
10. | "42.26" |
|
| 5:21 |
11. | "47.48" |
|
| 6:00 |
12. | "53.49" |
|
| 3:55 |
Total length: | 57:44 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "3.15.20" | 57:44 |
Total length: | 57:44 |
Notes
Sample credits
Credits adapted from Tidal. [38]
Musicians
Production
Chart (2020) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA) [39] | 11 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [40] | 55 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [41] | 24 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [42] | 112 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard) [43] | 17 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [44] | 60 |
Estonian Albums (Eesti Tipp-40) [45] | 29 |
Irish Albums (OCC) [46] | 17 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [47] | 18 |
Scottish Albums (OCC) [48] | 53 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [49] | 45 |
UK Albums (OCC) [50] | 20 |
US Billboard 200 [51] | 13 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [52] | 8 |
Donald McKinley Glover Jr., also known by his stage name Childish Gambino, is an American actor, comedian, singer, rapper, writer, director, and producer. While he studied at New York University and after working in Derrick Comedy, a comedy group, Glover was hired by Tina Fey to write for the NBC sitcom 30 Rock; he was 23. He gained fame for portraying college student Troy Barnes on the NBC sitcom Community from 2009 to 2014. From 2016 to 2022, he starred in the FX series Atlanta, which he created and occasionally directed. For his work on Atlanta, he won various accolades including two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.
"So Into You" is a song performed by Canadian singer Tamia from her self-titled debut album Tamia (1998). It was written by Tamia, Tim Kelley, and Bob Robinson, with production helmed by Kelley and Robinson under their production moniker Tim & Bob. The song is built around a sample from "Say Yeah" (1978) by American soul band The Commodores. Due to the inclusion of the sample, its writers Lionel Richie and Ronald LaPreads are credited as songwriters. "So Into You" is a mid-tempo R&B song with lyrics describing the protagonist's feelings of love for her partner.
Camp is the debut studio album by American recording artist Donald Glover, under his stage name Childish Gambino. It was released on November 15, 2011, by Glassnote Records. After releasing four mixtapes and three independent albums, Gambino signed a deal to Glassnote, making Camp his first album on a major record label. The album was co-produced in its entirety by Gambino's longtime collaborator Ludwig Göransson.
The discography of American hip hop recording artist Childish Gambino comprises four studio albums, fourteen mixtapes, and four EPs. After releasing his first five mixtapes and EP independently, he signed to Glassnote Records and released Camp (2011), his first album on a major record label.
Because the Internet is the second studio album by American recording artist Donald Glover, under the stage name Childish Gambino. It was released on December 10, 2013, by Glassnote Records. The recording process began in 2012 and ended in October 2013. Recording primarily took place at a mansion owned by basketball player Chris Bosh, which Gambino rented. The album features guest appearances from Chance the Rapper, Jhené Aiko, and Azealia Banks, with production primarily handled by Gambino himself, Stefan Ponce, and Ludwig Göransson, among others.
"3005" is a song by American rapper Childish Gambino from his second studio album Because the Internet. The song was released on October 22, 2013 as the first official single from the album. It peaked at number eight on the UK R&B Chart and 64 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
STN MTN / Kauai is the combined release of the seventh mixtape and second extended play (EP) by American recording artist Childish Gambino. The STN MTN mixtape was released on October 2, 2014 as a free download from DatPiff, while the Kauai EP was made available the following day through online music stores by Glassnote Records. They are each considered dual sides of a concept album that are unified by a cohesive story line, and come ten months after Glover's second studio album, Because the Internet.
"Awaken, My Love!" is the third studio album by American recording artist Donald Glover, under his stage name Childish Gambino. It was released by Glassnote Records on December 2, 2016. Consisting of tracks being sung rather than rapped, its fusion of psychedelic soul, funk and R&B influences was considered a bold departure from the predominantly hip hop style of his prior work. The album was produced by Glover and his longtime collaborator, Ludwig Göransson.
"Me and Your Mama" is a single by American rapper and singer Donald Glover, under his stage name Childish Gambino. It was released on November 10, 2016 worldwide, and is the first single from his third studio album "Awaken, My Love!"
"Redbone" is a song recorded by American rapper and singer Childish Gambino, the stage name of Donald Glover. It was released on November 17, 2016, and serves as the second single from his third studio album "Awaken, My Love!" The song received three Grammy Award nominations including Record of the Year at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, eventually winning the award for Best Traditional R&B Performance. In 2021, it was ranked No. 383 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
"This Is America" is a song by American rapper Childish Gambino. Written and produced by Gambino and Ludwig Göransson, with additional writing credits going to American rapper Young Thug, it was released on May 6, 2018 at the same time that Gambino was hosting an episode of Saturday Night Live. The song features background vocals from Young Thug alongside fellow American rappers Slim Jxmmi of Rae Sremmurd, BlocBoy JB, Quavo of Migos, and Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage. The lyrics and accompanying music video, reflecting the core of the Black Lives Matter movement, confront issues of ongoing systemic racism, including prejudice, racial violence, the ghetto, and law enforcement in the United States, as well as the wider issues of mass shootings and gun violence in the United States. Originally, Gambino intended it to be a diss record towards fellow rapper Drake.
"Feels Like Summer", also known as "42.26", is a song by American recording artist Childish Gambino. The song was released by Wolf+Rothstein, Liberator Music and RCA Records on July 11, 2018. It was written and produced by Gambino and his longtime collaborator Ludwig Göransson. The song was made available for digital download and streaming along with "Summertime Magic" as a part of the extended play Summer Pack. It is featured on the FIFA 19 soundtrack. It later appeared on his fourth album, 3.15.20, under the title "42.26". The song received a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Song at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.
The This Is America Tour was the fifth concert tour by American recording artist Childish Gambino. The tour began in the summer of 2018, playing over 20 shows in North America and Europe.
This Land is the third studio album by American blues rock musician Gary Clark Jr., and was released on February 22, 2019, by Warner Bros. Records. It won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album in 2020, while the title track won Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance.
"Garden (Say It like Dat)" is a song by American singer SZA. It was released as the fifth and final single from June 19, 2018, from her debut album, Ctrl (2017). The song was serviced to Urban radios on June 19, 2018, by Top Dawg and RCA. The song was produced by Bēkon and additionally produced by Craig Balmoris.
K Bye for Now (SWT Live) is the first live album by American singer Ariana Grande. It was released on December 23, 2019, featuring Grande's setlist from her Sweetener World Tour in 2019, which contains guest appearances from Big Sean, Childish Gambino, Nicki Minaj and Zedd. All of its tracks were produced by Grande and Natural. The album reached number 79 on the Billboard 200. On June 12, 2021, CD and vinyl versions of the album were released for Record Store Day.
It Is What It Is is the fourth studio album by American musician Thundercat, released through Brainfeeder on April 3, 2020. It was preceded by five singles: "King of the Hill," which was released as a single from the label's compilation album Brainfeeder X in 2018, and "Black Qualls," "Dragonball Durag," "Fair Chance," and "Innerstellar Love," the latter four being released in 2020. The track "Unrequited Love" had previously been used in an episode of the anime Carole & Tuesday in 2019. The album was executive produced by Thundercat and Flying Lotus, and features guest appearances from Louis Cole, Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington, Childish Gambino, Ty Dolla Sign, Lil B, Kamasi Washington, BadBadNotGood, and Zack Fox.
"Time" is a song by American rapper Donald Glover, under the stage name Childish Gambino, from his fourth studio album 3.15.20 (2020). The song features guest vocals by American singer Ariana Grande and background vocals by American gospel musician Brent Jones and his backing group The Best Life Singers. It was produced and written by Glover and Grande, along with DJ Dahi, Ludwig Göransson, and Chukwudi Hodge. Australian songwriter Sarah Aarons is also credited for writing and British producer Jai Paul provided miscellaneous production.
"12.38" is a song by American rapper Donald Glover, performed under the stage name Childish Gambino, from his fourth studio album, 3.15.20 (2020). The song features guest vocals by rapper 21 Savage, American singer-songwriter Atia "Ink" Boggs, and American musician Kadhja Bonet. It was written by the artists and DJ Dahi who produced it with Gambino.
2093 is the fourth studio album by American rapper Yeat, released on February 16, 2024, through Capitol Records, Field Trip Recordings and Lyfestyle Corporation. The album features guest appearances from Lil Wayne and Future, while the P2 deluxe edition adds another guest appearance from Drake. It serves as the follow-up to Afterlyfe (2023).