I Don't Want You Back

Last updated
I Don't Want You Back
Eamon i dont want you back album cover.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedFebruary 17, 2004 (2004-02-17)
Recorded2003
Studio
(New York City)
Genre R&B [1]
Length48:55
Label Jive
Producer
Eamon chronology
I Don't Want You Back
(2004)
Love & Pain
(2006)
Singles from I Don't Want You Back
  1. "Fuck It (I Don't Want You Back)"
    Released: November 24, 2003
  2. "I Love Them Ho's (Ho-Wop)"
    Released: April 26, 2004

I Don't Want You Back is the debut album by American R&B singer Eamon, released in the United States on February 17, 2004. Produced by Milk Dee and Roy "Royalty" Hamilton, the album spawned two singles which combined modern hip hop with classic doo wop: "Fuck It (I Don't Want You Back)" and "I Love Them Ho's (Ho-Wop)". The album garnered a mixed reception from critics who found the production too predictable and the repeated profanity wearing. The album debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 106,000 copies. It was certified Gold by the RIAA for selling over 500,000 copies.

Contents

Reception

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Blender Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Entertainment.ie Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
People Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Robert Christgau Rating-Christgau-dud.svg [8]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [1]
Slant Magazine Star full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
USA Today Star full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [10]

I Don't Want You Back received generally mixed reviews from music critics who found the production by-the-numbers and felt that his potty-mouth gimmick wore thin. Johnny Loftus of AllMusic found a lot of filler in the album but said that it is "still quite promising, especially with such a statement-making single." [2] Entertainment.ie was mixed about the album's tracks with their depiction of women, concluding that "Eamon certainly has plenty of attitude and his album is undeniably good fun. But he also has a bit of growing up to do." [4] Rob Kemp of Rolling Stone said he saw promise in Eamon through the album's competent R&B production and the track "I Love Them Ho's (Ho-Wop)," concluding that "you wonder if this modestly gifted kid has something special inside him that perhaps Kanye West or R. Kelly could coax out." [1]

Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine found Eamon's talent on the album limited, saying that the tracks that don't mix his dirty mouth with Motown and doo-wop melodies aren't "clever or well-constructed enough to transcend the misogyny and double-standards put on whorish display." [9] Despite praising Eamon's vocals, the album's beats and guest rap appearances, Caroline Sullivan of The Guardian found the swearing crooner gimmick throughout the album wearing thin before it even ended. [5] Robert Christgau graded the album as a "dud", [8] indicating "a bad record whose details rarely merit further thought." [11] Elysa Gardner of USA Today criticized the album for its lack of humor or irony throughout the tracklist, saying that "Eamon makes Eminem look like a standard-bearer for feminists." [10]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 106,000 copies. [12] It dropped to number nine in its second week with sales dropping 31% to 73,000 copies. [13] It was certified Gold by the RIAA and sold 591,000 copies as of June 2006. [14]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Fuck It (I Don't Want You Back)"
  • E. Doyle
  • K. Robinson
  • M. Passy
Milk Dee3:45
2."I Love Them Ho's (Ho-Wop)"
2:27
3."Somethin' Strange" (featuring Rap Legend Milk Dee)
  • E. Doyle
  • K. Robinson
  • Milk Dee
  • M. Passy
3:04
4."On & On"
  • E. Doyle
  • K. Robinson
  • Yared Williams
  • Milk Dee
  • Y. Williams
3:27
5."Intro" (featuring Al Trautwig)
M. Passy0:15
6."Get off My Dick!" (featuring Rap Legend Milk Dee)
  • E. Doyle
  • K. Robinson
  • Y. Williams
Milk Dee3:42
7."Girl Act Right"
R. Hamilton3:05
8."My Baby's Lost"
  • E. Doyle
  • K. Robinson
  • Y. Williams
  • Milk Dee
  • Eamon*
2:59
9."I Want You So Bad"
  • E. Doyle
  • K. Robinson
  • M. Passy
  • Milk Dee
  • M. Passy
3:30
10."4 the Rest of Your Life"
  • E. Doyle
  • K. Robinson
  • Y. Williams
  • Milk Dee
  • Y. Williams
4:06
11."All Over Love"
  • Y. Williams
  • A. Brito
  • Y. Williams
  • Milk Dee*
3:16
12."Controversy"
  • E. Doyle
  • Y. Williams
  • Y. Williams
  • Milk Dee*
3:54
13."Lo Rida" (featuring N.O.R.E.)
Y. Williams4:00
14."I'd Rather Fuck with You"R. Hamilton3:25
15."Finally"
  • E. Doyle
  • V. Jeffrey Smith
  • Milk Dee
  • V. Jeffrey Smith
4:00
Sample credits

Personnel

Adapted from the I Don't Want You Back liner notes. [15]

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [39] Gold100,000^
United States (RIAA) [40] Gold591,000 [14]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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