Mainstream Sellout | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 25, 2022 | |||
Genre | Pop-punk [1] [2] | |||
Length | 40:18 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
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Machine Gun Kelly chronology | ||||
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Physical edition cover | ||||
Life in Pink deluxe cover | ||||
Singles from Mainstream Sellout | ||||
Mainstream Sellout is the sixth studio album by American musician Machine Gun Kelly,released on March 25,2022,through Bad Boy Records and Interscope Records. It is his second collaborative project with drummer and producer Travis Barker,following 2020's Tickets to My Downfall . The album was initially announced in August 2021 under the title Born with Horns,before being renamed in January 2022.
A continuation of Kelly's transition into pop-punk,Mainstream Sellout was met with mixed reviews from critics. Kelly embarked on the Mainstream Sellout Tour throughout 2022 to promote the album. [4] A deluxe edition with six new tracks,subtitled "Life in Pink Deluxe",was released on June 24,2022. The album was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. [5]
The album was first announced on August 9,2021, [6] where Kelly and collaborator Travis Barker revealed matching tattoos of the phrase "born with horns",the album's previous title. [7] Kelly announced that he and Barker were "back for round two",a reference to his fifth album Tickets to My Downfall ,his first collaboration with Barker. [8] Barker returned to produce Mainstream Sellout. [9] [10]
The album's lead single,"Papercuts",was released on August 11,2021. [11] [12] [13] The accompanying music video was directed by Cole Bennett. [14] [15] A 20-second teaser of a song was teased on Instagram prior to the album announcement:the post was captioned "Signed a deal;I got papercuts",which matched the lyrics in the clip. [16] Previews teased that he had shaved his head for the music video,though it was later revealed to be a bald cap. [13] The song has led journalists to believe he was continuing in the pop punk direction of Tickets to My Downfall. [17] [12] The song addresses Kelly's struggles with his own fame. [18]
In October 2021,Kelly described the album as "darker" and more "guitar-heavy" than Tickets to My Downfall. He also hinted at a New Year's Day release date. [19] On January 31,2022,Kelly announced that the album had been retitled to Mainstream Sellout. [20] On February 4,2022,Kelly announced the release date of the album and released the second single "Emo Girl" featuring Willow. [21] On March 4,2022,Kelly released the third single,"Ay!" with Lil Wayne. [22] On March 14,2022,Kelly revealed the album cover and the tracklist using a series of Dolce &Gabbana designed clothing items that featured the song titles. [23] The album cover attracted comparisons to that of Japanese Breakfast's 2021 album Jubilee , [24] though Michelle Zauner denied the similarities,feeling the comparisons were manufactured to try to create controversy. [25] On March 16,2022,after having performed "Maybe" during Emo Nite in Los Angeles, [26] Kelly released the track as the fourth single of the album. The song features the lead vocalist,Oliver Sykes,of British rock band Bring Me the Horizon. [27] The album was released on March 25,2022. [28]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 4.9/10 [29] |
Metacritic | 55/100 [30] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Clash | 6/10 [31] |
The Guardian | [32] |
The Independent | [33] |
Kerrang! | [34] |
NME | [1] |
Pitchfork | 5.8/10 [35] |
Rolling Stone | [36] |
Sputnikmusic | 1.0/5 [37] |
At Metacritic,which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics,the album has an average score of 55 out of 100,which indicates "mixed or average reviews" based on 10 reviews. [38]
In a positive review, NME described the album as "no complacent victory lap" from Tickets to My Downfall,praising the album for having "a relatable sense of angst" that will "continue to speak to the millions who see Machine Gun Kelly as the saviour of punk rock",concluding that "though it inevitably lacks the shock of the new that made Downfall so exciting...it seems that,like the pop-punk revival itself,Machine Gun Kelly won't run out of steam any time soon." [1] AllMusic noted that while the music was filled with "big,distorted guitars,simplistic but catchy hooks,and Barker's tight,snappy drumming",they found it to be not as good as Tickets to My Downfall,with it being "lighter on ideas and cohesion". [2]
Charles Aaron of Rolling Stone named the tracks "evolving,not-very-joyful noise" while opining "his buzzsaw-bubblegum can be entertaining. But he needs to realize that 'introspective' songwriting is about more than just yelling about how much you suck." [39] Jesper L. of Sputnikmusic gave the album one out of five,ending his negative review stating that the album "proves that you don't need musical talent to make it big in the music scene". [37] Helen Brown of The Independent called the album "dull","formulaic",and "the kind of thing you'd expect to hear in the Vans outlet of your local shopping mall". [40]
Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph opined that "the music hits you,not with a roar,but a very loud meh". [41] Jake Richardson of Kerrang! stated the album "is the weakest record of MGK's rock era so far",although he specifically pointed out "5150" as "MGK's rock dalliance at its most effective". [42]
Alim Kheraj of The Guardian named the record "entertaining but cliched". [43] Emily Swingle of Clash opined that the album was "a brash but ultimately shallow return" and that "it's a shame that Kelly couldn't release a follow-up equally as fresh and fluid",but did name "Sid &Nancy" and "Twin Flame" as standout tracks. [44] Arielle Gordon of Pitchfork wrote that "the enfant terrible of the pop-rock revival wades deeper into the genre,coming back with even less than before" and that it "too often feels like a concept album about rock." [45]
Mainstream Sellout debuted atop the US all-format Billboard 200 albums chart dated April 9,2022,moving 93,000 album equivalent units. The figure includes 42,000 pure album sales,also making it the highest-selling album of the week. It is Kelly's second US number-one album. [46] In its following week the album dropped to number-nine,selling 30,500 units,figure includes 4,700 pure album sales. [47] [48] At the end of June 2022,Kelly released the "Life in Pink" deluxe version,as well had released the vinyl copy of the album. Mainstream Sellout jumped to number-seventeen and accumulated 25,900 album units,9,000 being pure album sales. [49] Mainstream Sellout entered at number-five on the Billboard Vinyl's chart. [50] In the following week it dropped to twenty-eight on the Billboard 200 selling just over 17,000 album units,2,600 of which were pure album sales. [51]
After a close race in the United Kingdom,it debuted at number-two on the UK Albums Chart selling an estimated 210 units behind Michael Bublé eleventh studio album Higher, [52] and marked his highest LP debut in the United Kingdom,eclipsing his previous best Tickets to My Downfall which debuted at number-three. [53] Mainstream Sellout entered the UK's Official Vinyl Albums Chart debuting at number-nine,before falling off the chart in its following week. The album also re-entered the UK Albums Chart at number forty,before dropping to eighty-three. [54] [55]
In Canada,the album debuted atop the Canadian Albums Chart for the chart dated 9 April 2022,becoming Kelly's consecutive number-one album in the country. [56] The album dropped to number-five in its following week. [56]
In Australia,it debuted atop the ARIA Albums Chart,becoming Kelly's first number-one album in the country. [57] Besting his previous 2020 album Tickets to My Downfall peak of number-two on the chart. In the albums following week it dropped seven chart positions to number-eight. [58]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Born with Horns" |
| 2:27 | |
2. | "God Save Me" |
|
| 3:00 |
3. | "Maybe" (with Bring Me the Horizon) |
|
| 2:50 |
4. | "Drug Dealer" (featuring Lil Wayne) |
|
| 2:52 |
5. | "Wall of Fame (Interlude)" |
| 0:32 | |
6. | "Mainstream Sellout" |
|
| 1:47 |
7. | "Make Up Sex" (with Blackbear) |
|
| 2:02 |
8. | "Emo Girl" (with Willow) |
|
| 2:39 |
9. | "5150" |
|
| 2:54 |
10. | "Papercuts" (album edit) |
|
| 3:01 |
11. | "WW4" |
|
| 1:12 |
12. | "Ay!" (with Lil Wayne) |
|
| 2:04 |
13. | "Fake Love Don't Last" (with Iann Dior) |
|
| 2:23 |
14. | "Die in California" (featuring Gunna, Young Thug and Landon Barker) |
|
| 3:27 |
15. | "Sid & Nancy" |
|
| 3:09 |
16. | "Twin Flame" |
|
| 3:59 |
Total length: | 40:18 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
17. | "Love Race" (featuring Kellin Quinn) |
|
| 3:08 |
Total length: | 43:16 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
18. | "Why Are You Here" |
|
| 2:55 |
Total length: | 46:11 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "9 Lives" |
|
| 3:01 |
2. | "More than Life" (featuring Glaive) |
|
| 3:15 |
3. | "Why Are You Here" |
|
| 2:55 |
4. | "Last November" |
|
| 2:54 |
21. | "Papercuts" (live from Red Rocks) |
|
| 4:04 |
22. | "Maybe" (acoustic version) (with Bring Me the Horizon) |
| T. Barker | 2:54 |
Total length: | 59:33 |
Notes
Guest musicians
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada) [94] | Gold | 40,000‡ |
Hungary (MAHASZ) [95] | Platinum | 4,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI) [96] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
United States (RIAA) [97] | Gold | 500,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Colson Baker, known professionally as Machine Gun Kelly, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor.
The discography of American musician MGK consists of six studio albums, four extended plays (EPs), eight mixtapes, 32 singles and 75 music video.
American drummer Travis Barker has released one studio album, five extended play (EP), and 60 singles under his own name. Barker, best known for his work with Blink-182, has been a part of various punk rock bands throughout his career, including the Aquabats, Box Car Racer, Transplants, +44, and Goldfinger. Outside of his work in rock music, Barker has worked prolifically in hip hop; he was a member of the supergroup Expensive Taste and the drummer-and-DJ duo TRV$DJAM, and has released extended plays with Yelawolf, and Asher Roth and Nottz. He has also produced music for musicians such as Machine Gun Kelly, Fever 333, Avril Lavigne and Trippie Redd. He holds many guest appearances on songs from a variety of musicians, including many rappers such as Lil Wayne, Paul Wall, the Game, and Run the Jewels. Barker became well known in the late 2000s for creating rock remixes to rap songs. His debut studio album, Give the Drummer Some, was released in 2011 and debuted at number nine on the Billboard 200 in the United States.
Hotel Diablo is the fourth studio album by American rapper Machine Gun Kelly. It was released on July 5, 2019, via Bad Boy Records and Interscope Records. The album was supported by four singles: "Hollywood Whore", "El Diablo", "I Think I'm Okay" with Yungblud and Travis Barker, and "Glass House" featuring Naomi Wild, with promotional single "Floor 13". The record is a rap rock album and followed less than 10 months after September 2018's Binge EP. The album's production also included Foster the People frontman Mark Foster.
Michael Ian Olmo, known professionally as Iann Dior, is an American rapper, and singer-songwriter. He is best known for his guest appearance on 24kGoldn's 2020 single "Mood", which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 and remains his sole entry on the chart. He signed to Internet Money Records and 10K Projects prior to the release of his debut album, Industry Plant (2019), which was followed by On to Better Things (2022)—both of which entered the Billboard 200.
"Bloody Valentine" is a song by American musician Machine Gun Kelly, released on May 1, 2020 by Interscope Records. The song is the first single from his fifth studio album Tickets to My Downfall.
Tickets to My Downfall is the fifth studio album by American musician Machine Gun Kelly. It was released on September 25, 2020, by Bad Boy Records and Interscope Records. The album marks the departure from his established rap sound and became a more guitar-driven pop-punk album. It was his first collaborative project with drummer and producer Travis Barker, and features guest appearances from Halsey, Trippie Redd, Blackbear, and Iann Dior, as well as Bert McCracken and Yungblud on the deluxe edition.
"My Ex's Best Friend" is a song by American musician Machine Gun Kelly featuring fellow American musician Blackbear. It is the third single off of the former's pop-punk fifth studio album Tickets to My Downfall. The song reached number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the third top-40 hit for both artists.
"Concert for Aliens" is a song by Machine Gun Kelly. It was released as the second single from his fifth studio album Tickets to My Downfall. It peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart in 2020.
"Forget Me Too" is a song by American musician Machine Gun Kelly. The song features guest vocals by American singer Halsey and drumming and production by Travis Barker. It is the fifth track on Machine Gun Kelly's fifth studio album Tickets to My Downfall (2020).
"Love Race" is a song by American musician Machine Gun Kelly featuring fellow American musician Kellin Quinn of the band Sleeping with Sirens, released through Bad Boy and Interscope on April 29, 2021. In collaboration with frequent collaborator Travis Barker, "Love Race" was later included on the European and Japanese editions of Kelly's sixth studio album Mainstream Sellout (2022).
"Papercuts" is a song by American musician Machine Gun Kelly, released on August 11, 2021, as the first single from his sixth studio album Mainstream Sellout (2022). The song features drumming and production from collaborator Travis Barker.
Love Sux is the seventh studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne, released on February 25, 2022, by DTA and Elektra Records. Her first studio album since Head Above Water (2019), Lavigne worked on Love Sux with various artists including Machine Gun Kelly, Blackbear and Mark Hoppus of Blink-182. Musically, it embraces emo pop angst and Lavigne's early skate punk influences from Blink-182, Green Day, NOFX and the Offspring. The album was preceded by two singles: "Bite Me" and "Love It When You Hate Me".
"Emo Girl" is a song by Machine Gun Kelly, featuring Willow. Produced by Travis Barker, the song was released on February 4, 2022, as the second single off of Kelly's sixth studio album Mainstream Sellout, following "Papercuts".
"Ay!" is a song by American rappers Machine Gun Kelly and Lil Wayne. It was released on March 4, 2022 as the third single from the former's sixth studio album Mainstream Sellout (2022). The song was produced by Travis Barker, BazeXX, and SlimXX.
"Make Up Sex" is a song by American musician Machine Gun Kelly featuring fellow American musician Blackbear. The song released on April 26, 2022 as the fifth single from Kelly's sixth studio album Mainstream Sellout (2022). The song was written by the artists, Nick Long, and producers Travis Barker and Omer Fedi.
The Mainstream Sellout Tour was a concert tour by American musician Machine Gun Kelly. The tour supported his sixth studio album Mainstream Sellout (2022), and visited North America and Europe. The tour began on June 8, 2022, at the newly built Moody Center in Austin, Texas, and concluded on October 12, 2022, at the AFAS Live in Amsterdam. The tour was promoted by Live Nation Entertainment.
"Maybe" is a song by American musician Machine Gun Kelly. It was released on March 16, 2022, as the fourth single from his sixth studio album Mainstream Sellout. The song features performances from members of the British rock band Bring Me the Horizon.
Nicholas Alexander Long is an American songwriter and singer. He is best known as the founder and frontman of indie pop band Dark Waves, and for co-writing Machine Gun Kelly's Tickets to My Downfall and Mainstream Sellout LP's. Long has also co-written several singles, including Børns' "Electric Love".
"More than Life" is a song by the American musician Machine Gun Kelly featuring the American musician Glaive. It was released by Bad Boy and Interscope Records on June 10, 2022, as a single from the deluxe edition of the former's sixth studio album, Mainstream Sellout. It was written by both Machine Gun Kelly and Glaive, alongside Corey Sanders, Ichika Fukui, Steve Manovski, and Travis Barker; the latter assisted in its production. It is a pop-punk track characterized by its angsty vocals and histrionics, as well as a guitar motif and eighth note power chords. A music video directed by Colin Tilley premiered on the same day as the song's release. During July 2022, a live performance music video released via Vevo, and the pair performed the song at Lollapalooza. Machine Gun Kelly included it in the setlist of his Mainstream Sellout Tour throughout 2022.