Heroes & Villains | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | December 2, 2022 | |||
Recorded | 2021 – 2022 | |||
Studio | ||||
Genre | Psychedelic trap [1] [2] | |||
Length | 48:07 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
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Metro Boomin chronology | ||||
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Singles from Heroes & Villains | ||||
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Heroes Version | ||||
Villains Version | ||||
Heroes &Villains (stylized in all caps) is the second studio album by American record producer Metro Boomin. It was released through Republic Records and Boominati on December 2,2022. The album contains guest appearances from John Legend,Future,Chris Brown,Don Toliver,Travis Scott,21 Savage,Young Nudy,Young Thug,the Weeknd,Mustafa,ASAP Rocky,the late Takeoff,and Gunna. Production was mainly handled by Metro himself,alongside TM88,DJ Moon,Peter Lee Johnson,Johan Lenox,Allen Ritter,David x Eli,Honorable C.N.O.T.E.,Scriptplugg,Prince85,Oz,Nik D,D. Rich,DaHeala,My Best Friend Jacob,Elkan,Simon on the Moon,and Xz.
A psychedelic trap album,ASAP Rocky and Morgan Freeman serve as its narrators. [1] The album serves as the sequel to Metro's previous album, Not All Heroes Wear Capes (2018),and serves as the second project for a trilogy. The album's cover resembles that of English rock band Pink Floyd's 1975 album Wish You Were Here. An instrumental version of the album,titled the "Heroes Version",was released on December 5,2022. A chopped not slopped remix edition of the album by OG Ron C and DJ Candlestick,titled the "Villains Version",was released on February 17,2023. Heroes &Villains debuted at the top of the US Billboard 200,with 185,000 album-equivalent units sold in its first week of release,making it Metro's third number one album.
On November 17,2021,Metro revealed the title of the album through a letter written with DJ Holiday for the three-year-anniversary of Not All Heroes Wear Capes,which was fifteen days before. [3] On September 16,2022,his 29th birthday,he took to social media to announce the album along with a trailer video,sharing that the album was dedicated to his late mother. [4] At the time,the album was originally scheduled to be released on November 4. [5] However,on October 26,Metro announced it would be pushed back by four weeks due to sample clearance issues. [6] Fan speculation initially arose that it was due to the fact that his previous collaborators,Drake and 21 Savage,released their collaborative studio album, Her Loss ,the same day that Metro originally was supposed to release the album,in which the reason was later proven untrue. [7] On November 22,Metro shared the album's cover art and stated that it would have two sides:the "Hero" side and the "Villain" side. [8] The cover art is inspired by Pink Floyd's ninth studio album, Wish You Were Here (1975). [9] Exactly a week later,Metro shared a short film for the album that was directed by Gibson Hazard and stars himself alongside Young Thug,Gunna,Morgan Freeman,and Lakeith Stanfield. [10] Eight days later,he shared songs from the tracklist one by one on his official website,in which fans would go to the website and tweet the name tracks they found on it and the names of the other artists on it. [11] The next day,which was the day before its release,Metro used a comic book theme,in which he revealed the guest artists one by one and teased some of the lyrics that they said in the songs that they contributed to and shared the full tracklist to reveal the answers to the website. [12] The lead single of the album,"Creepin'",a collaboration with Canadian singer the Weeknd and 21 Savage,was sent to Italian contemporary hit radio on January 27,2023. [13]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 73/100 [14] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Clash | 7/10 [15] |
Mic Cheque | 7/10 [16] |
Pitchfork | 7.2/10 [1] |
Slant Magazine | [17] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic ,Heroes &Villains received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 73 out of 100 from five critic scores. [14]
Robin Murray of Clash wrote,"Indeed,one faultline on the record is that there is simply too much going on. 'HEROES &VILLAINS' bursts with ideas,not all of which land. A record that revels in contradictions,it grasps towards the light while framing itself in darkness." He also summarized,"A bold artist statement from Metro Boomin,'HEROES &VILLAINS' progresses his arena-level sonic tapestry,while also leaving space to grow. A statement of intent,he utilises one of the finest contact books in American hip-hop to build his rogue's gallery." [15] Writing for Mic Cheque,Hamza R. felt that "it means one must treat Heroes &Villains like a holistic experience,driven by its tight theme,and Metro's muted but irresistible sound that keeps the album's engine running" and "he remains a conductor,waving his wand to summon a trap album that may not be his personal best but is robust enough to upstage most albums of its kind this year". [16] Brady Brickner-Wood of Pitchfork described the album as "an ambitious,detail-rich record that splits the difference between streaming fodder and world-building",adding that "proves that Metro aspires to more than hits". [1] Charles Lyons-Burt of Slant Magazine summarized that the album is "not very ambitious as far as subject matter goes,but the majority of the guests,whose appearances never feel obligatory,at least cursorily touch on the central theme". [17]
In the United States,Heroes &Villains debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 185,000 album-equivalent units,which included 5,000 pure album sales in its first week,making it his third number-one album in the country. [18] In its second week,the album remained in the top ten and fell to number three,earning 102,000 album-equivalent units. [19] [20] On June 5,2023,the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over a million units in the United States. [21] As of December 27,2023,Heroes &Villains was the ninth best-selling album of the year according to Hits ,moved a total 1,472,000 album-equivalent units,including 51,000 pure album sales,77,000 song sales,1.893 billion audio-on-demand streams,and 56 million video-on-demand streams. [22]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "On Time" (with John Legend) |
|
| 2:49 |
2. | "Superhero (Heroes & Villains)" (with Future and Chris Brown) |
| 3:03 | |
3. | "Too Many Nights" (featuring Don Toliver with Future) |
|
| 3:19 |
4. | "Raindrops (Insane)" (with Travis Scott) |
|
| 3:08 |
5. | "Umbrella" (with 21 Savage and Young Nudy) |
|
| 3:42 |
6. | "Trance" (with Travis Scott and Young Thug) |
|
| 3:14 |
7. | "Around Me" (featuring Don Toliver) |
|
| 3:12 |
8. | "Metro Spider" (with Young Thug) |
|
| 2:55 |
9. | "I Can't Save You (Interlude)" (with Future featuring Don Toliver) |
|
| 1:31 |
10. | "Creepin'" (with the Weeknd and 21 Savage) |
| 3:42 | |
11. | "Niagara Falls (Foot or 2)" (with Travis Scott and 21 Savage) |
|
| 3:27 |
12. | "Walk Em Down (Don't Kill Civilians)" (with 21 Savage featuring Mustafa) |
|
| 5:11 |
13. | "Lock on Me" (with Travis Scott and Future) |
|
| 2:55 |
14. | "Feel the Fiyaaaah" (with ASAP Rocky featuring Takeoff) |
|
| 3:09 |
15. | "All the Money" (with Gunna) (bonus track) |
|
| 2:47 |
Total length: | 48:07 |
Notes
Sample credits
Musicians
Technical
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA) [71] | Gold | 35,000‡ |
Canada (Music Canada) [72] | Platinum | 80,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [73] | Platinum | 20,000‡ |
France (SNEP) [74] | Platinum | 100,000‡ |
Germany (BVMI) [75] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
Italy (FIMI) [76] | Platinum | 50,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ) [77] | 2× Platinum | 30,000‡ |
Poland (ZPAV) [78] | 2× Platinum | 40,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [79] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [80] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
"Overdue" is a song by American record producer Metro Boomin featuring American rapper Travis Scott from the former's debut studio album Not All Heroes Wear Capes (2018). With additional production from Milan Beker, the song samples the Berlin Breakdown Version of "Anthonio" by Annie, from the 2014 film The Guest.
"Trance" is a song by American record producer Metro Boomin and American rappers Travis Scott and Young Thug, from Metro's second studio album Heroes & Villains (2022). It was produced by Metro Boomin and Allen Ritter, with violin performances from Peter Lee Johnson.
Leland Tyler Wayne, known professionally as Metro Boomin, is an American record producer and songwriter. Known for his dark production style, he is regarded as one of the most influential producers in modern hip hop and trap music. His frequent collaborators include Big Sean, Future, Young Thug, The Weeknd, Travis Scott, Don Toliver, 21 Savage, Gucci Mane, Gunna, and Nav.
Rodeo is the debut studio album by American rapper Travis Scott. It was released on September 4, 2015, through Grand Hustle Records and distributed by Epic Records. The album features guest appearances from Quavo, Future, 2 Chainz, Juicy J, Kacy Hill, The Weeknd, Swae Lee, Chief Keef, Kanye West, Justin Bieber, Young Thug, Toro y Moi, and Schoolboy Q, while production was provided by Scott himself, alongside WondaGurl, Allen Ritter, Mike Dean, Metro Boomin, Frank Dukes, and Sonny Digital, among others.
What a Time to Be Alive is a collaborative commercial mixtape by Canadian rapper Drake and American rapper Future. It was released on September 20, 2015, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, Republic Records, Epic Records, A1 Records and Freebandz. The mixtape was executive produced by Metro Boomin, who also produced or co-produced eight of its 11 songs. Additional producers include 40, alongside Southside, Allen Ritter, Boi-1da, Frank Dukes, and others. It was released on the iTunes Store and Apple Music, and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200.
Not All Heroes Wear Capes is the debut studio album by American record producer Metro Boomin. It was released by Boominati Worldwide and Republic Records on November 2, 2018. The album features guest appearances from Gucci Mane, Travis Scott, 21 Savage, Swae Lee, Gunna, Young Thug, Wizkid, J. Balvin, Offset, Kodak Black, and Drake. The deluxe edition of the album was released, consisting of the instrumental versions of all songs from the standard edition on November 6, 2018. The album is the first part of a trilogy, with the second part being its sequel, Metro's second studio album, Heroes & Villains, which was released on December 2, 2022.
Without Warning is a collaborative studio album by British-American rapper 21 Savage, American rapper Offset, and American record producer Metro Boomin. The album was released on October 31, 2017, by Slaughter Gang, Epic Records, Capitol Records, Motown, Quality Control Music, Boominati Worldwide, and Republic Records. It features guest appearances from Travis Scott and Quavo. Meanwhile, the album's production was handled primarily by Metro Boomin, alongside Bijan Amir, Cubeatz, Dre Moon, and Southside. Without Warning peaked at number four on the US Billboard 200, and received generally positive reviews from critics.
"Ric Flair Drip" is a song by American rapper Offset and American record producer Metro Boomin. It was included on their collaborative studio album with 21 Savage, Without Warning (2017). Upon the album's release, it charted at number 71 on the Billboard Hot 100. After its release as the lead single, on March 1, 2018, and a subsequent music video starring Ric Flair himself, it rose to number 13, becoming both Metro Boomin and Offset's highest-charting song as lead artists at the time, until the release of Metro's "Like That", which would peak at number 1. It is prominently featured in the WWE 2K19 soundtrack, particularly in the "Ric Flair Collector's Edition" version of the game. The song has amassed over 1.2 billion streams on Spotify, making it the 271st most played song ever on the streaming service. It is also the second most streamed song of all time on Spotify's influential RapCaviar playlist. The song has been credited for popularizing the term "drip", a slang expression denoting one's fashionability and excess swagger.
The discography of American record producer Metro Boomin consists of two studio albums, five collaborative albums, one soundtrack album, two mixtapes, one extended play, and 21 singles.
Savage Mode II is a collaborative studio album by British-American rapper 21 Savage and American record producer Metro Boomin. It was released on October 2, 2020, and was previewed through a trailer with narration by Morgan Freeman. The album serves as a sequel to the duo's extended play Savage Mode (2016). It features guest appearances by Drake, Young Thug, and Savage's cousin Young Nudy. On October 19, 2020, a chopped and screwed version of the album was released by OG Ron C and Slim K.
"Glock in My Lap" is a song by Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage and American record producer Metro Boomin, from their collaborative studio album Savage Mode II (2020). The song was produced by Metro Boomin, Southside and Honorable C.N.O.T.E.
"Runnin" is a song by British-American rapper 21 Savage and American record producer Metro Boomin. It was released on October 2, 2020, as the opening track from their collaborative album Savage Mode II. The "haunting" song samples Diana Ross' 1976 song "I Thought It Took a Little Time", with 21 Savage delivering lethal threats to his enemies in a casual fashion. The official video sees 21 take a victory lap through the streets of his hometown, celebrating his Grammy award for "A Lot". It was serviced to US rhythmic radio on October 13, 2020, together with "Mr. Right Now" as the dual lead singles from the album. Debuting and peaking at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100, it was both artists' highest-charting song as lead artists, until the releases of "My Life", "Creepin'", "Type Shit", and "Like That".
"Too Many Nights" is a song by American record producer Metro Boomin and American rapper Future featuring fellow American rapper Don Toliver, from Metro's second studio album Heroes & Villains (2022). It was written by the artists alongside Honorable C.N.O.T.E. and Allen Ritter, who produced it with Metro.
"Raindrops (Insane)" is a song by American record producer Metro Boomin and American rapper Travis Scott from the former's second studio album Heroes & Villains (2022). It was produced by Metro, Honorable C.N.O.T.E., Allen Ritter, David x Eli and Scriptplugg.
"Umbrella" is a song by American record producer Metro Boomin, Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage and American rapper Young Nudy, from Metro's second studio album Heroes & Villains (2022). It was produced by Metro Boomin and David X Eli.
"Creepin'" is a song by American record producer Metro Boomin, Canadian singer the Weeknd, and British-American rapper 21 Savage. It was sent to Italian contemporary hit radio through Republic Records and Boominati Worldwide as the lead and only single from Metro's second studio album, Heroes & Villains, on January 27, 2023. It is a remake of "I Don't Wanna Know" (2004) by Mario Winans featuring Enya and P. Diddy, which is based on a sample of the Fugees' song "Ready or Not" (1996), and itself samples Enya's "Boadicea" (1987). Winans himself returned to contribute to the song as a backing vocalist along with Travis Scott. Diddy himself would also join the artists on a remix of the song on March 17, 2023.
"Niagara Falls " is a song by American record producer Metro Boomin, American rapper Travis Scott, and British-American rapper 21 Savage, from Metro's second studio album Heroes & Villains (2022). It was written by the artists alongside Allen Ritter, My Best Friend Jacob, and Peter Lee Johnson, the latter three producing it with Metro.
"Superhero " is a song by American record producer Metro Boomin, American rapper Future, and American singer Chris Brown, released as the title track from the former's second studio album Heroes & Villains (2022). Co-produced by Allen Ritter and David X Eli, it peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The soundtrack for the 2023 American animated superhero film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, based on the Miles Morales incarnation of the superhero Spider-Man and produced by Sony Pictures Animation, consists of a soundtrack album curated by American record producer Metro Boomin and an original score composed by English composer Daniel Pemberton. Both albums were released on June 2, 2023, in conjunction with the film's release; Metro's soundtrack was released under the title Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse , stylized in all caps and referred to by its full title: Metro Boomin Presents Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse under the Boominati Worldwide and Republic Records labels and Pemberton's score was released as Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse under the Sony Classical label.
We Don't Trust You is the first collaborative studio album by American rapper Future and American record producer Metro Boomin, released on March 22, 2024, by Freebandz, Epic Records, Boominati Worldwide, and Republic. The album contains guest appearances from the Weeknd, Travis Scott, Playboi Carti, Kendrick Lamar, and Rick Ross. Production was primarily handled by Metro himself, alongside Mike Dean, Oz, Southside, Boi-1da, Honorable C.N.O.T.E., Allen Ritter, Dre Moon, Zaytoven, Doughboy, Lil 88, Wheezy, G Koop, and others.