All of the Lights

Last updated

"All of the Lights" is a hip hop song that runs for 4 minutes and 59 seconds. [22] According to the sheet music published by Universal Music Publishing Group at Musicnotes.com, it was composed in the key of B flat minor using common time and a steady groove. The vocal range spans from the low note of Ab3 to the high note of F5. [22] Instrumentation is provided by drums, bass, [23] piano [24] and horns. [25] The piano is played by Elton John, who also together with thirteen other vocalists provides the background vocals. [22] [23] American singers Fergie and Alicia Keys, sing the break-downs and ad-libs, respectively. [26] Alex Deney from NME called the song a "sleb-studded centrepiece". [27]

Reception

"All of the Lights" received universal critical acclaim. AllMusic's Andy Kellman stated "At once, the song features one of the year’s most rugged beats while supplying enough opulent detail to make Late Registration collaborator Jon Brion's head spin". [21] Alex Denney of NME called it "the sleb-studded centrepiece", commenting that "In anyone else’s hands it’d be an A-list circle-jerk of horrid proportions, but through Kanye’s bar-raising vision it becomes a truly wondrous thing". [28] Zach Baron of The Village Voice found the song's lyrics relevant to the "year of economic suffering", writing that "West interrupted his own wealthy anomie to pen 'All of the Lights,' an incongruously star-stuffed song about a disoriented parolee trying to beat a restraining order and see his daughter, working out a brief reunion with her estranged mother: 'Public visitation, we met at Borders'". [29] Chicago Sun-Times writer Thomas Conner viewed that "as crowded as 'All of the Lights' is [,] it maintains an almost operatic drama, telling a tale of adultery and its aftermath that winds up being quite moving". [30] The Guardian 's Kitty Empire cited the song as "the album's most magnificent high", writing that it "backs up operatic levels of sound with great drama". [31]

Ann Powers of NPR included "All of the Lights" in her list of the Top 10 Top 40 singles of 2011, commenting "its like an action painting: the artist scatters elements across its canvas to form a whole that's all motion and colorful build." [32] Slant Magazine named it the best single of 2011, describing the song as "perhaps the most acute example of Kanye West’s pitched mania for theatrical expressions of manic-depressive instability, his mixture of self-destruction and self-love", [33] they later listed it second in their list of the best singles of the 2010s in 2019. [34]

Tampa Bay Times named it the second best pop song of the decade, proclaiming "Everything Kanye West has ever believed himself to be came to life in this song: The stadium-sized horns, the chilling Rihanna hook, the snarl of cockiness in his voice, the insane list of uncredited cameos .. It’s the moment King Midas figured out how to use his touch." [35] Elsewhere, Nothing but Hope and Passion listed it 13th on its list of "100 Must Listen Songs of the 2010s". [36] Time Out named it the 13th best song of all time in 2016. [37]

Music video and remix

West on a police car in the music video. Screenshot All of the Lights.png
West on a police car in the music video.

The music video for "All of the Lights" was filmed in January 2011 and directed by Hype Williams. [2] [38] It features strobe-lit images of Rihanna and West, Kid Cudi in a red leather suit, and visual references to Gaspar Noé's 2009 film Enter the Void . [39] [40] The video premiered through West's Vevo channel on February 19, 2011. [38] [39] After reports of the video's images causing seizures with epileptic viewers and a public response from British organization Epilepsy Action, an alternate video was released that includes a discretionary warning that the video "potentially trigger[s] seizures for people with photosensitive epilepsy", [3] and removed its opening prologue and neon credits. [41] In 2015, the video faced controversy when Gaspar Noé commented on the similarities between the video and Enter the Void, especially the portion where Hype Williams featured his name in the title and credit sequences over and over again. [40]

An earlier version of the song's remix was leaked in 2010, featuring a verse by Drake. [42] On March 14, 2011, an unfinished version of the remix was leaked to the internet, featuring guest verses from Lil Wayne, Big Sean, and Drake, a different verse from the leak. [43] It did not feature West himself, though he did write a verse for it, according to Big Sean. [44]

On May 3, 2023, a version of the song by rapper Lil Uzi Vert was leaked onto Twitter. The few seconds were leaked by Waterfalls, an online user known for leaking songs from popular artists. The snippet has gained traction from social media and music services such as SoundCloud and YouTube. The song was supposed to release on Uzi's third album, Pink Tape .

Media

In 2016, the song was used in a Gatorade commercial starring Serena Williams. [45] The song is also featured in the game NBA 2K14 as part of the soundtrack chosen by LeBron James. [46] In 2019, the song was featured in a Peloton TV commercial, entitled; Our Kind of Joy. [47]

In 2023, Rihanna sang the hook of the song as a part of the Super Bowl LVII halftime show. [48] [49]

In 2024, the song became viral on TikTok due to a video named "olive delights". This could be seen here on YouTube. [50]

Accolades

"All of the Lights"
Single by Kanye West featuring Rihanna and Kid Cudi
from the album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
ReleasedJanuary 18, 2011 (2011-01-18)
Recorded2009–2010
Genre
Length
  • 4:20 (radio edit)
  • 5:00 (album version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Kanye West singles chronology
"Hurricane 2.0"
(2010)
"All of the Lights"
(2011)
"Christmas in Harlem"
(2010)
Rihanna singles chronology
"Raining Men"
(2010)
"All of the Lights"
(2011)
"S&M"
(2011)
YearCeremonyCategoryResultRef(s)
2011 BET Awards Best Collaboration Nominated [51]
BET Hip Hop Awards Best Hip-Hop VideoNominated [52]
Viewer's ChoiceNominated [52]
MP3 Music AwardsBest Hip Hop/R&B/RapWon [53]
MTV Video Music Awards Best Male Video Nominated [54]
Best Editing Nominated [54]
Best Collaboration Nominated [54]
Best Hip-Hop Video Nominated [54]
Soul Train Music Awards Song of the Year Nominated [55]
Hip-Hop Song of the Year Nominated [55]
Teen Choice Awards Choice Music: R&B/Hip-Hop TrackNominated [56]
2012ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music AwardsAward Winning R&B/Hip-Hop SongsWon [57]
Award Winning Rap SongsWon [57]
MTV Video Play AwardsGoldWon [58]
BMI R&B/Hip-Hop AwardsAward Winning SongsWon [59]
54th Annual Grammy Awards Song of the Year Nominated [60]
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration Won [60]
Best Rap Song Won [60]
International Dance Music AwardsBest Rap/Hip Hop/Trap Dance TrackNominated [61]

Credits and personnel

Credits for "All of the Lights" adapted from liner notes. [5]

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [88] 2× Platinum140,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [89] Platinum90,000
Germany (BVMI) [90] Gold150,000
New Zealand (RMNZ) [91] Gold7,500*
United Kingdom (BPI) [92] 2× Platinum1,200,000
United States (RIAA) [93] 7× Platinum7,000,000
Streaming
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [94]
Streaming
Gold900,000

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history

"All of the Lights" release history
RegionDateFormatsLabelsRef.
AustraliaDecember 13, 2010
[19]
United StatesJanuary 18, 2011
  • Def Jam
  • Roc-A-Fella
[20]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Famous (Kanye West song)</span> 2016 single by Kanye West

"Famous" is a song by American rapper Kanye West, produced and co-written by fellow American hip hop artist/producer Havoc. It serves as the lead single from his seventh studio album The Life of Pablo (2016). The song features vocals from Barbadian singer Rihanna and ad-libs from American hip hop artist Swizz Beatz, and enlists samples of Jamaican singer Sister Nancy's song "Bam Bam" and "Do What You Gotta Do" by American singer Nina Simone. The single was serviced to US urban and rhythmic contemporary radio stations on March 28, 2016, and was confirmed for release three days before. It was sent to Italian contemporary hit radio stations on April 15 by Universal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kanye West singles discography</span>

American rapper Kanye West has released 138 singles, four promotional singles and charted with 65 other songs.

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