Nobody Is Listening | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 15 January 2021 | |||
Studio |
| |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 35:43 | |||
Label | RCA | |||
Producer |
| |||
Zayn chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Nobody Is Listening | ||||
Nobody Is Listening is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter Zayn. It was released on 15 January 2021 through RCA Records, [1] which is his last album under the label. The album features guest appearances from Syd and Devlin. It follows his previous album, Icarus Falls , which was released in late 2018. The album was preceded by the release of the singles "Better" and "Vibez". Upon release, Nobody Is Listening received generally favorable reviews from critics; the album peaked at number forty-four on the US Billboard 200 and number seventeen on the UK Albums Chart.
The album's artwork is designed by Zayn himself and is inspired by expressionism and graffiti. [2] The cover was revealed on his website along with the CD pre-order on 8 January 2021.
The album was supported by the singles "Better" and "Vibez". [3] The album contains eleven tracks including the two singles. Zayn said to have "total creative rein" on the project, as well as "making the music he has always wanted to". [4] In an interview with Entertainment Daily, Zayn described the album as his "most personal project to date". [5]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 5.7/10 [6] |
Metacritic | 63/100 [7] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [8] |
Clash | 7/10 [9] |
The Daily Telegraph | [10] |
Evening Standard | [11] |
The Guardian | [12] |
The Independent | [13] |
The Irish Times | [14] |
NME | [15] |
Pitchfork | 5.6/10 [16] |
Rolling Stone | [17] |
The album holds an aggregate score of 63 out of 100 on Metacritic based on nine reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [7]
Dhruva Balram of NME wrote that the album "has its flaws" and that it "doesn’t add many new colours to his palette" but complimented it for being "wrenchingly intimate and sweetly playful" and "quietly purposeful pop" and that it is "a step in a new and fresh direction for the enigmatic artist". [15] Writing for Rolling Stone , Brittany Spanos felt that Malik "found his sweet spot" with the record, naming "Tightrope" and "River Road" as "two of Malik's best songs to date". [17] Jem Aswad of Variety named the album "concise and to the point" and felt that it "clears the table for whatever might be coming next". [18] Malvika Padin of Clash felt that the record "indicates that he’s achieved some sort of clarity on the direction he wants to take as a solo artist" although she felt that it had "minimal production and few moments of experimentation" that "only offers negligible glimpses into Zayn’s personality". [9]
Kitty Empire of The Guardian felt that Malik sounds "freer than ever before" while naming his voice "assuredly elastic", feeling that "the songs suit him more and more" and that he "keeps refining"; she felt the record as a whole was an improvement over Icarus Falls . [12] Writing for AllMusic, Neil Yeung felt that the album was "a logical turn" and "moving closer toward heartfelt love songs instead of exaggerated playboy fantasies" while naming it his "most mature album to date." [8] Craig Jenkins of Vulture wrote that Malik's "solo career still makes no sense, yet the intrigue remains earned" while calling him "a stronger man for his efforts, however seemingly minimal," ending his review by opining that his "way to write songs that leans into the strength of his voice and speaks coolly and quietly to the ups and downs of a high-profile romance will suffice." [19] Sheldon Pearce of The New Yorker opined that "his music has often felt a bit forced" but felt that "he finally taps into something more natural: sophisticated, largely atmospheric pop that simmers like quiet-storm R&B." [20]
In a less positive review, Alexandra Pollard of The Independent opined the album as "a blancmange of watered-down R&B" and felt that it lacked personality. She went on to write that "the lyrics feel insultingly half-arsed" and that he "doesn't do it [his voice] justice here". [13] Kate Solomon of The Daily Telegraph felt the album lacked personality while writing that "he has nothing mature to say" and "fails to make the most of his talents". [10] Writing for The Evening Standard , David Smyth felt that the record included "largely hazy, stoned R&B, offering blurred textures and smoky atmospheres but few standout moments" and that he "may not be sustainable unless the music speaks a little louder"; he did, however, compliment Malik's voice, writing that it was "undoubtable that his vocal ability was wasted on One Direction’s primary-coloured pop." [11] Louise Bruton of The Irish Times wrote that Malik "has now found his niche in lo-fi R&B-pop that’s intentionally made without any aim at all." [14] Dani Blum, writing for Pitchfork , called the album a "low bar he congratulates himself for clearing—knowing that no matter what he sings, legions of fans will listen" and felt that "he’s never sounded like this much of an amateur" while naming the songs "blathering and diluted, a derivation of a derivation. [16] Writing for Renowned for Sound , Angus Whitfield felt that the album "might have had more weight, importance and potential relatability" if it had focused more on "his struggle with fame and mental health" as opposed to "love making and smoking weed." He complimented tracks like "Outside" and "When Love's Around" (calling Syd's feature "welcome and warming") but criticized "Vibez" as "boring and repetitive" and disliked Devlin's "aggressive rapping" in "Windowsill". [21]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Calamity" | Zayn Malik |
| 3:07 |
2. | "Better" |
|
| 2:54 |
3. | "Outside" |
| Charlie Handsome | 3:28 |
4. | "Vibez" |
|
| 2:43 |
5. | "When Love's Around" (featuring Syd) |
|
| 3:11 |
6. | "Connexion" |
|
| 3:16 |
7. | "Sweat" |
| Saltwives | 3:52 |
8. | "Unfuckwitable" |
|
| 2:44 |
9. | "Windowsill" (featuring Devlin) |
| Saltwives | 3:08 |
10. | "Tightrope" |
|
| 3:24 |
11. | "River Road" |
|
| 3:56 |
Total length: | 35:43 |
Performers
| Technical
|
Chart (2021) | Peak position |
---|---|
Argentine Albums (CAPIF) [22] | 2 |
Australian Albums (ARIA) [23] | 10 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [24] | 22 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [25] | 83 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard) [26] | 21 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [27] | 31 |
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) [28] | 21 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [29] | 35 |
Irish Albums (OCC) [30] | 32 |
Italian Albums (FIMI) [31] | 8 |
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA) [32] | 5 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [33] | 31 |
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [34] | 22 |
Polish Albums (ZPAV) [35] | 5 |
Portuguese Albums (AFP) [36] | 1 |
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [37] | 9 |
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) [38] | 20 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [39] | 17 |
Scottish Albums (OCC) [40] | 88 |
UK Albums (OCC) [41] | 17 |
US Billboard 200 [42] | 44 |
Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Various | 15 January 2021 | RCA | [43] |
Blowback is the fifth studio album by English rapper and producer Tricky. It was released on 26 June 2001.
"Drag Me Down" is a song recorded by English-Irish boy band One Direction as the lead single for their fifth studio album, Made in the A.M. (2015). The song was released worldwide on 31 July 2015 and was the band's first single since Zayn Malik's departure earlier that same year. "Drag Me Down" debuted atop the charts in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Austria, Australia, and New Zealand. It became the group's first number-one single in France and Australia, as well as their fourth number-one in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. It debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won the fan-voted 'Best Video Award' at the 2016 Brit Awards.
Junk of the Heart is the third studio album from British indie band The Kooks. It was released in Europe on 9 September 2011, and in the United Kingdom on 12 September 2011 by Virgin Records. The first single, "Is It Me", was released on 4 September 2011 and the second single, "Junk of the Heart (Happy)" was released on 6 November 2011. This was the last album to feature original drummer Paul Garred.
Shahid Khan, better known by his stage name Naughty Boy, is a Pakistani-English DJ, record producer, music programmer, and songwriter. In 2012, Khan signed a three-year publishing deal with Sony ATV, as well as a recording contract with Virgin EMI Records to release his debut studio album, Hotel Cabana (2013). The album was supported by the singles "Wonder", "Lifted", and "La La La" ; the latter peaked atop the UK singles chart while the album peaked at number two on the UK Albums Chart.
Take Me Home is the second studio album by British-Irish boy band One Direction, released on November 9, 2012 by Syco Music and Columbia Records. As a follow-up to One Direction's internationally successful debut album Up All Night (2011), Take Me Home was written in groups and has an average of just under five songwriters per track. Largely recorded and composed in Sweden during 2012, Savan Kotecha, Rami Yacoub and Carl Falk, who composed One Direction's hits, "What Makes You Beautiful" and "One Thing", spent six months in Stockholm developing songs for the album, and were able to shape melodies around the members' tones.
Midnight Memories is the third studio album by English-Irish boy band One Direction, released on 25 November 2013 by Columbia Records, Syco Music and Sony Music. It was described as having a "slightly rockier tone" than their previous efforts. The album became the fastest-selling album in Amazon UK history, breaking the record set by their previous release, Take Me Home (2012). It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, making One Direction the first group in history to debut at number one in the US with their first three albums. Despite being released five weeks before the year's end, Midnight Memories nevertheless became the best-selling album of 2013 as listed by the IFPI, with sales of four million copies. The album was supported by four singles: "Best Song Ever", "Story of My Life", the album's title track "Midnight Memories", and "You & I".
Four is the fourth studio album by English-Irish boy band One Direction, released on 17 November 2014 by Columbia Records and Syco Music. The album was preceded by two singles, "Steal My Girl" and "Night Changes", both achieving platinum status in the US, and scoring the band their tenth and eleventh UK top-ten hits. The album was also One Direction's last with member Zayn Malik, who announced he was leaving the band on 25 March 2015.
Zain Javadd Malik, known professionally as Zayn Malik or simply Zayn, is an English singer. He auditioned as a solo contestant for the British music competition television series The X Factor in 2010. After being eliminated, he was brought back to the competition to form the five-piece boy band One Direction, which went on to become one of the best-selling boy bands of all time. He left the group in March 2015 and signed a solo recording contract with RCA Records.
"Pillowtalk" is the debut solo single by English singer-songwriter Zayn Malik, from his debut solo studio album Mind of Mine. He co-wrote the track with Anthony Hannides, Michael Hannides, Joe Garrett, and its producer Levi Lennox. The song was released as the lead single from the album on 29 January 2016 along with its own music video, which featured his girlfriend at the time, American model Gigi Hadid. It is Zayn's first single released after his departure from One Direction in March 2015. It debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100, making Malik the first British artist to debut at number one in the US with a debut single. It reached 1 billion views in YouTube on 23 September 2020.
Mind of Mine is the debut solo studio album by English singer-songwriter Zayn. It was released on March 25, 2016 through RCA Records, and was released one year after his departure from One Direction. Primarily an R&B and alternative R&B record, the album blends elements from various genres, including pop, folk, dub, soul, funk, electronic, Qawwali, hip hop, reggae, classical and soft rock. Upon release, it was met with generally positive reviews, with praise for Malik's new musical direction and his vocal performance.
As a solo artist, English singer Zayn has released four studio albums, one mixtape, twenty-six singles, seven promotional singles, and twenty music videos.
"Befour" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Zayn for his debut solo studio album, Mind of Mine (2016). It was written by Zayn Malik, James Ho, Harold Lilly and Terrence "Scar" Smith, and produced by Malay. It was released as the third promotional single from the album on 17 March 2016 by RCA Records. "Befour" is a smooth R&B and synth-pop song, which incorporates musical elements of disco and soul music. It features four-on-the-floor beats, mellow synths, and a grinding guitar loop in its instrumentation. The song is also noted for Malik's high-reaching falsetto during the song's middle eight section.
AIM is the fifth studio album by British rapper and singer M.I.A. It was released on 9 September 2016 by Interscope and Polydor Records. Prior to its release, M.I.A. claimed that it would be her final album. She worked on the composition and production of the album with a range of collaborators, including Blaqstarr, Diplo, and Skrillex. The album was recorded in various countries, including Jamaica and India, and includes vocal contributions from Dexta Daps and Zayn. As with M.I.A.'s earlier releases, the album mixes Eastern and Western musical influences. Lyrically, several tracks on the album contain themes of borders and refugees.
Harry Styles is the debut solo studio album by English singer and songwriter Harry Styles. The album was released on 12 May 2017, through Erskine and Columbia Records. For the album, Styles worked with producers Jeff Bhasker, Alex Salibian, Tyler Johnson and Kid Harpoon.
To the Bone is the fifth studio album by British musician Steven Wilson, released on 18 August 2017 on Caroline International. It became Wilson's highest charting album ever, reaching number 3 on the UK Albums Chart and the US Billboard Independent Albums chart.
"Dusk Till Dawn" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Zayn featuring Australian singer-songwriter Sia. It was released on 8 September 2017 by RCA Records and appears on the Japanese edition of Zayn's second studio album, Icarus Falls (2018), while the radio edit appears on the 2020 reissue of the album. It was written by Zayn Malik, Sia Furler, Alex Oriet, David Phelan and Greg Kurstin, and produced by Kurstin. The song's accompanying music video was released on the same day and features Zayn and British-American actress Jemima Kirke. The song is featured in the official trailer for the 2017 film The Mountain Between Us. Commercially, the single peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart. It also topped the charts in seven countries and peaked within the top ten on the charts in more than twenty countries including: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, Slovenia, and Sweden.
Icarus Falls is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Zayn. It was released on 14 December 2018, as a double album by RCA Records. Originally planned for 2017, the album was delayed so that Zayn could focus on the aesthetic and sound the album would adopt, marking a shift from the visual identity used on his debut studio album, Mind of Mine (2016). Icarus Falls is a concept album influenced by Greek Mythology and Icarus, addressing themes such as self-love, finding yourself again as a person, and hope.
Aladdin (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is a soundtrack for the film of the same name, released by Walt Disney Records on May 17, 2019. The soundtrack features a cover of "A Whole New World" by Zayn Malik and Zhavia Ward, songs from the original film, a new song written by the original film's composer, Alan Menken, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and a score composed by Menken. The soundtrack was released on May 17, 2019.
"Vibez" is a song by English singer-songwriter Zayn Malik. It was released on 8 January 2021 through RCA Records as the second single from his third studio album, Nobody Is Listening. Malik wrote the song with its producers, Rogét Chahayed and Scribz Riley, alongside Nija Charles and Darnell Donohue. The song marks his first release of the year and it was released only one week exactly before the album was released.
Room Under the Stairs is the fourth studio album by English singer-songwriter Zayn. It was released through Mercury and Republic Records on 17 May 2024. Production was primarily handled by Zayn and Dave Cobb, alongside Gian Stone, James Ghaleb, Carter Lang, Rodaidh McDonald, German, and Kareen Loomax. The "Z Sides" version of the album was released three days later, which includes five additional tracks with two of them being demos. Serving as the follow-up to Zayn's previous album, Nobody Is Listening (2021), it is his first project not to feature any guest appearances. The album spawned three singles: "What I Am", "Alienated", and "Stardust". The album received generally favourable reception from music critics. It debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart and number fifteen on the US Billboard 200.