No One Ever Really Dies | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | December 15, 2017 | |||
Studio |
| |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 51:09 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
| |||
N.E.R.D. chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from No One Ever Really Dies | ||||
No One Ever Really Dies (stylized as NO_ONE EVER REALLY DIES) is the fifth and final studio album by American hip hop and rock band N.E.R.D., released on December 15, 2017, by I Am Other and Columbia Records. [5] It is the group's first full-length album in 7 years, following 2010's Nothing , [6] and features guest appearances from Rihanna, André 3000, Kendrick Lamar, M.I.A., Gucci Mane, Wale, Future and Ed Sheeran among others, and was preceded by three singles; "Lemon" with Rihanna, "1000" with Future, and "Don't Don't Do It!" with Kendrick Lamar.
On February 6, 2017, during an interview with BBC Radio 1, Pharrell stated that "it's feeling really good, really special" about the group's return. [7]
In October 2017, the album was teased after posters were popping up on the side of streets, and by concertgoers at the 2017 Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival. [8] [9]
The album was debuted with a live listening party during the first day at ComplexCon, thus revealing the tracklist. [10] Pharrell revealed the album's cover art and release date via Instagram and Twitter on November 22, 2017. [11] [12]
The album's artwork depicts a tongue with the album's title placed on top and aluminum foil on the teeth to substitute grills. [13] [14]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 74/100 [15] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [16] |
Consequence of Sound | B [17] |
Exclaim! | 8/10 [18] |
The Guardian | [19] |
HipHopDX | 4.1/5 [20] |
Pitchfork | 6.2/10 [21] |
Rolling Stone | [22] |
Tom Hull – on the Web | B+ ( ) [23] |
Chicago Tribune | [24] |
The Observer | [25] |
No One Ever Really Dies received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 74, based on 17 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [15]
Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune, in a 3.5 out of 4 star review, praised the album saying "No One Ever Really Dies” (Columbia), the band's first album in seven years, is a typically diverse, trippy ride from the group." [24] In a four out of five star review for AllMusic, critic Andy Kellman claimed that "Tied together with recurring declarations of "mad ethnic right now," sampled from Retch's 2016 viral clip, the album is all raucous resistance to issues ranging from anti-immigration to police brutality to transgender rights. When Williams barks "You fuckin' with survivors!" like an activist Rockwell, he perfectly summarizes the indignant optimism that dominates the best N.E.R.D album since the original version of In Search of.... ." [16] With an 8/10 rating, A Harmony of Exclaim! declared "We're approaching 2018, but N.E.R.D. are centuries ahead of the rest of us. No_One Ever Really Dies is the group's most futuristic and experimental effort to date; it's gutsy and more than a little weird, but there's a slick tidiness underpinning the chaos from start to finish." [18]
Giving a 4.1 out of 5 grade, Kyle Eustice of HipHopDX opined "True to form, the 11-track effort is more like a collection of fiery mini-symphonies that effortlessly swing from genre to genre. Every track has multiple intricate parts that make each one feel like its own wild musical journey. Much like the trio’s 2002 debut In Search Of…, it’s impossible to classify the record as merely “Hip Hop” when it's a cornucopia of layered, eclectic sounds, including pop, R&B, trap, rock, fast-paced electronica, reggae and calypso." [20] Consequence of Sound's Dan Weiss gave a B saying "With NO_ONE EVER REALLY DIES, the trio have delivered the party-at-the-end-of-the-world record that only their Rolodex could truly dream to life." [17] Kitty Empire of The Observer, in a 4 out of 5 star review, found "This is a brash, busy party record with its eyes wide open, in which the NERD brand is thoroughly refreshed." [25]
Credits adapted from Tidal. [26] All tracks are produced by Pharrell Williams, except where noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Lemon" (with Rihanna) | Pharrell Williams |
| 3:39 |
2. | "Deep Down Body Thurst" | Williams | 4:11 | |
3. | "Voilà" (with Gucci Mane and Wale) |
| 4:20 | |
4. | "1000" (with Future) |
| 4:03 | |
5. | "Don't Don't Do It!" (with Kendrick Lamar) |
| 4:17 | |
6. | "ESP" | Williams | 5:29 | |
7. | "Lightning Fire Magic Prayer" | Williams | 7:44 | |
8. | "Rollinem 7's" (with André 3000) |
| 5:09 | |
9. | "Kites" (with Kendrick Lamar and M.I.A.) |
| 4:50 | |
10. | "Secret Life of Tigers" | Williams | 3:45 | |
11. | "Lifting You" (with Ed Sheeran) | Williams | 3:42 | |
Total length: | 51:09 |
Notes
N.E.R.D
Additional musicians
Technical
Release
Chart (2017) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA) [27] | 58 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [28] | 92 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [29] | 138 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard) [30] | 57 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [31] | 32 |
New Zealand Heatseeker Albums (RMNZ) [32] | 2 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [33] | 65 |
UK Albums (OCC) [34] | 80 |
US Billboard 200 [35] | 31 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [36] | 13 |
N.E.R.D. were an American rock and hip hop band, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1994. The Neptunes were signed by Teddy Riley to Virgin. After producing songs for several artists throughout the late 1990s, the duo formed the band with Shay Haley as a side project band of The Neptunes in 1994. N.E.R.D.'s debut album, In Search Of..., sold 603,000 copies in the United States and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was also awarded the second annual Shortlist Music Prize. The band's second album, Fly or Die, sold 412,000 copies in the United States, but shipped at least 500,000 units, certifying it Gold.
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams, often known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician. He first became known as one half of the music production duo the Neptunes, which he formed with Chad Hugo in 1992. Fifteen of their productions have peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, which includes four songs that peaked atop the chart. The two also formed the alternative band N.E.R.D. with drummer Shay Haley in 1999, for which Williams served as lead vocalist. He has been considered one of the most influential music producers of the 21st century for his impact on popular music.
Charles Edward Hugo is an American record producer. Alongside close colleague Pharrell Williams, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in 1992, with whom he has produced numerous hit records for various artists. He is also a member of the band N.E.R.D., alongside Williams and Shay Haley, and co-founded the record label Star Trak Entertainment with Williams in 2001. In contrast to Williams, Hugo does not perform vocals on records.
Hell Hath No Fury is the third studio album by hip hop duo Clipse. The album was released on November 28, 2006 in the United States by Re-Up, Star Trak and Jive. Recording sessions for the album took place over a period of several years, and suffered numerous delays prior to release. Production was handled by The Neptunes.
Seeing Sounds is the third studio album by American alternative rock band N.E.R.D released June 10, 2008 on Star Trak Entertainment and Interscope Records in the United States. After ending their contract with Virgin Records in 2005, the band felt their previous album Fly or Die (2004) was too consistent. Using their own money, the band recorded the album in Florida and California. The album was produced solely by record production duo The Neptunes, consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, with additional assistance by rock band Spymob and was mainly written by Williams. The album's title, as well as its content, revolves around the neurological phenomenon of synesthesia, the mixing of sensory modalities.
Nothing is the fourth studio album by American rock band N.E.R.D, released November 2, 2010 on Star Trak Entertainment and Interscope Records in the United States. On October 17, 2010, the standard edition and the deluxe edition of the album became available for pre-order on iTunes.
"Happy" is a song written, produced, and performed by American singer-songwriter Pharrell Williams, released as the only single from the soundtrack album for the film Despicable Me 2 (2013). The song was first released on July 2, 2013 with the soundtrack, and it was released as a single on November 21, 2013, alongside a long-form music video. The song was reissued on December 16, 2013, by Back Lot Music under exclusive license to Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music. The song also served as the lead single from Williams's second studio album, Girl (2014). An official remix features American rapper Sky Blu of LMFAO.
Girl is the second studio album by American musician Pharrell Williams. The album was released on March 3, 2014, by Williams' label I Am Other and Columbia Records. Girl was Williams' first studio album since his 2006 debut, In My Mind. It contains appearances by Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, Daft Punk, JoJo, and Alicia Keys.
Bush is the thirteenth studio album by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on May 12, 2015, through Doggy Style Records and I Am Other, and distributed by Columbia Records. The album was produced by Pharrell Williams with additional production by Chad Hugo. It features guest appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Stevie Wonder, Charlie Wilson, Gwen Stefani, T.I. and Rick Ross. Bush was the first album by the rapper after his return to the hip hop moniker Snoop Dogg.
Cherry Bomb is the fourth studio album by the American rapper Tyler, the Creator. It was released on April 13, 2015, by Odd Future Records. On April 9, 2015, the album was informally announced on iTunes, along with the release of two tracks. Production was handled entirely by Tyler himself, with additional contributions by Incubus guitarist Mike Einziger. The album features guest appearances from Schoolboy Q, Charlie Wilson, Kali Uchis, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Pharrell Williams and Austin Feinstein, among others. The album was supported by two singles: "Deathcamp" and "Fucking Young / Perfect", accompanied by 2 music videos.
"So Many Pros" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Snoop Dogg, featuring uncredited vocals by Charlie Wilson, The Neptunes and Rhea Dummett. It was released on April 14, 2015 as the second single from his thirteenth studio album Bush, through the record labels I Am Other and Columbia Records. The song was produced by The Neptunes.
Hidden Figures: The Album is the soundtrack album consisting of 10 original songs, that accompanies the 2016 film Hidden Figures. The songs were written and produced by Pharrell Williams who scored much of the songs in late-2014. The album mostly consisted of gospel music, and featured involvement of various artists, mostly female vocalists performing the tracks, while Williams also featured as the primary artist and also accompanied the female artists in few tracks. The album was released through Williams' i am OTHER label, Columbia Records and Sony Classical Records on December 21, 2016. The album spawned five singles: "I See a Victory", "Runnin'", "Surrender", "Crave" and "Able".
Drunk is the third studio album by American musician Thundercat, released on February 24, 2017, by Brainfeeder. It features guest appearances from Kenny Loggins, Michael McDonald, Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller, and Pharrell. It was released nearly four years after his previous studio album, Apocalypse.
Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 is the fifth studio album by Scottish DJ and record producer Calvin Harris. It was released on 30 June 2017 by Columbia Records. The album features guest appearances by Frank Ocean, Migos, Schoolboy Q, PartyNextDoor, DRAM, Young Thug, Pharrell Williams, Ariana Grande, Future, Khalid, Travis Scott, Snoop Dogg, John Legend, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Big Sean, Kehlani, Lil Yachty, and Jessie Reyez, as well as prominent writing contributions from Starrah. It is also Harris' first album not to feature his vocals.
Luv Is Rage 2 is the debut studio album by American rapper and singer Lil Uzi Vert. It was released through Generation Now and Atlantic Records on August 25, 2017. The album features guest appearances from The Weeknd, Oh Wonder, and Pharrell Williams. Production was handled by a variety of record producers, including Lil Uzi Vert themself, Cubeatz, Don Cannon, Honorable C.N.O.T.E., Illmind, Maaly Raw, Metro Boomin, Pharrell Williams, The Weeknd, Pi'erre Bourne, TM88, WondaGurl, and among others. The album serves as a successor to their third extended play, Luv Is Rage 1.5 (2017), and their debut commercial mixtape, Luv Is Rage (2015). Luv Is Rage 2 was supported by three singles: "XO Tour Llif3", "The Way Life Goes" and "Sauce It Up".
Man of the Woods is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. It was released on February 2, 2018. The production of the album was handled by Timberlake, The Neptunes, Timbaland, Danja, J-Roc, Eric Hudson, and Rob Knox. The album sees Timberlake experimenting with elements of R&B, funk, pop, soul, and Americana. The album is named after his son Silas, whose name means "man of the forest". The album's lead single "Filthy" was released on January 5, 2018, followed by "Supplies" and "Say Something" on January 19 and 26, respectively. The title track was also accompanied by a music video.
"Sweetener" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande from her fourth studio album of the same name, released in 2018. The song was written alongside producer Pharrell Williams.
"Get Well Soon" is a song by American singer Ariana Grande, who co-wrote the song with its producer Pharrell Williams. It is the final track on Grande's fourth studio album Sweetener (2018). It is inspired by Grande's personal anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following the May 2017 terrorist attack after her concert in Manchester, United Kingdom.
Despicable Me 3 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to the 2017 film Despicable Me 3, the fourth installment in the Despicable Me franchise and the sequel to Despicable Me 2 (2013). Pharrell Williams produced the soundtrack album, and also contributed five original songs for the film. The other tracks consisted of several pop singles from the 1980s performed by Michael Jackson, Madonna, Nena, A-ha and few songs and themes from the previous installments. The soundtrack for Despicable Me 3 was released on June 23, 2017, featuring sixteen tracks, and was led by two singles – "Yellow Light" and "There's Something Special" – which was made available through digital download and streaming on June 8 and 13, prior to the album release. Heitor Pereira, who worked on the previous installments, had composed the film's music. Despicable Me 3 (Original Motion Picture Score), which featured Pereira's original score of 38 tracks, was released by Back Lot Music on June 30.
Tequila Ever After is the fifth studio album by Nigerian singer Adekunle Gold. It was released on 28 July 2023 through Def Jam Recordings. It features guest appearances from Pharrell Williams, Simi, Zinoleesky, Odumodublvck, Khalid, Coco Jones, Nile Rodgers, Habib Koité and Ami Faku. The album featured production from mainly Kel-P and Blaisebeatz, with additional production on songs from Pharrell Williams, Labrinth, Seyifunmi, Tony Duardo, The Elements, Monro, Jonah Christian, Bizness Boi, Mannywell, Fridayy, Shae Jacobs, Phil The Keys, Harv, Michaël Brun and Labrinth. Tequila Ever After serves as a follow-up to Catch Me If You Can (2022).