Title | ||||
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EP by | ||||
Released | September 9, 2014 | |||
Studio | The Carriage House (Nolensville, Tennessee) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 12:45 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Producer | Kevin Kadish | |||
Meghan Trainor chronology | ||||
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Singles from Title | ||||
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Title is the debut EP by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. Kevin Kadish produced all of its songs and wrote them with Trainor. The two conceived the EP shortly after Trainor signed with Epic Records in 2014. The label released it on September 9, 2014, and replaced it with a pre-order for Trainor's 2015 debut major-label studio album of the same name the following month.
Musically, Title comprises songs inspired by 1950s doo wop that lie between modern R&B and melodic pop. The EP has a lyrical theme of commitment and staying true to oneself, which Trainor hoped would empower women. It includes Trainor's debut single, "All About That Bass", which was released on June 30, 2014, and reached No. 1 in 58 countries with worldwide sales of 11 million units.
Title garnered mixed reviews from critics, who thought its tracks had potential for commercial success, but considered the lyrics too repetitive and questioned Trainor's musicality. The EP debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200 and sold 171,000 copies in the United States. It also entered charts in Canada and Denmark. Trainor promoted Title by performing "All About That Bass" on various television shows and its title track at other venues. She included all tracks from the EP on the set lists of her 2015 concert tours That Bass Tour and MTrain Tour.
Meghan Trainor developed an early interest in music and started singing at age six. After her father encouraged her to pursue her musical interests, she independently released three albums from material she had written, recorded, performed, and produced, between the ages 15 and 17. These included Trainor's eponymous 2009 release, and her 2010 albums I'll Sing with You and Only 17. [1] She introduced herself to former NRBQ member Al Anderson at a music conference in Nashville. [2] Impressed by Trainor's songwriting, he referred her to his publisher Carla Wallace of music publishing firm Big Yellow Dog Music. [1] [2] Though Trainor had been offered a full scholarship to the Berklee College of Music, she decided to pursue her songwriting career and signed with Big Yellow Dog in 2012. [3] [4]
American songwriter Kevin Kadish met Trainor in June 2013 at Wallace's request. He liked Trainor's voice and felt a strong songwriting affinity with her due to their mutual love of pop music from the 1950s and 1960s. [5] [6] Disenchanted with the electronic dance music that populated Top 40 radio, he had wished to create a "'50s-sounding record of doo-wop-inspired pop" for three years, but could not find any artist that shared his interest. [7] [8] Trainor, who had been introduced to doo-wop by her father at a young age, found it to be "the catchiest stuff" and wanted to create something reminiscent of The Chordettes's 1958 single "Lollipop". [9] Kadish shared his idea with Trainor after the two bonded over Jimmy Soul's 1963 song "If You Wanna Be Happy", and they decided to create an extended play (EP) with the same sound, "just for fun". [7] [8] They completed three songs before Kadish started producing a rock album for the rest of the year. [7] Trainor moved to Nashville in November 2013 and they co-wrote the song "All About That Bass", pitching it to different record labels, all of which rejected it due to its doo-wop pop sound as synth-pop was more popular at the time. [1] [4] [10]
L.A. Reid, the chairman of Epic Records, heard the song and encouraged Trainor to record it herself. She signed with the label in 2014 and immediately began working on more songs with Kadish as Epic wanted her to record an entire album. [5] The label briefly suggested that Trainor work with other producers, such as Pharrell Williams or Timbaland, but she insisted on continuing with Kadish: "Kevin's my guy". [7] Epic Records's artists and repertoire division called Kadish and said, "whatever you did on 'Bass,' do it 10 more times. Don't bring in any more writers. Don't bring in any other producers. Whoever you used on that song." [7] Upon its release as Trainor's debut single on June 30, 2014, [11] "All About That Bass" reached number one in 58 countries and sold 11 million units worldwide. [12] [13] [14] Some critics considered it a novelty song, [15] [16] [17] and questioned if Trainor would be able to release a successful follow-up or end up a one-hit wonder. [6] [18]
Title comprises songs inspired by 1950s doo-wop music that "straddle the line between modern R&B and melodic pop", according to AllMusic's Matt Collar. [19] Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone stated that the EP combines "trickle-down Beyoncé empowerment themes" and "sugary doo-wop and girl-group melodies". [20] Kadish produced, recorded, engineered, and mixed the entire EP at the Carriage House studio in Nolensville, Tennessee. He plays the drums, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, and bass; Trainor handled drum programming and clapping, and plays percussion and ukulele. David Baron plays the piano, baritone saxophone, and hammond organ; and Jim Hoke plays the baritone and tenor saxophone. Dave Kutch mastered Title at The Mastering Palace in New York City. [21]
The opening track, "All About That Bass", is a bubblegum pop, [22] [23] doo-wop, [2] [24] hip hop, [6] [25] Italo-Latin soul, [26] and retro-R&B pop song, [27] influenced by 1960s genres—soul-pop, groove, [28] Motown bounce, [22] and girl-group pop. [15] [25] The song includes syncopated handclaps, bass instrumentation, [29] and, according to Slate 's Chris Molanphy, "a scatting tempo and shimmying melody". [26] The title track is a doo-wop song with Caribbean music influences and a ska-inflected bridge, [30] [23] [29] which blends the horn and ukulele folk-pop with island percussion instrumentation and a programmed beat, and also incorporates handclaps and modern sound effects. [29] Trainor projects an assertive and retro aural tone according to Knoxville News Sentinel , and delivers a rap verse. [29] [31] She felt it showcased "what [her] sound really is", and considered its Caribbean drum and rapping new territory for her. [32] "Dear Future Husband" is a doo-wop, [32] [33] pop, [34] [35] [36] and girl-group bounce song, with influences of jazz. [37] [38] It opens with a stylus sound on a damaged vinyl and transitions into retro ukulele instrumentation, [1] further incorporating brisk piano, buoyant brass, and a drum track. [29] The final track, "Close Your Eyes", is a contemporary ballad on which Trainor gives a soulful and "nuanced, fluttery vocal performance" over an acoustic guitar and pitch-shifted background vocals. [19] [29] [31]
For Title, Trainor wrote lyrics about things she thought many people ignore, such as "commitment and staying true to one's self". [39] She wanted to speak from the place of "an awkward 19-, 20-year-old, when you're pretty sure you're an adult but you're not, yet," and identified the EP's material as "too young for Kesha" and too mature for Disney. [2] It comprises "very personal, girl power anthems" that Trainor wishes existed when she attended high school: "Like, love yourself more, respect yourself more [...] There are girl empowerment songs—like 'I love myself I'm beautiful'—but there are also 'I deserve a good man, I deserve a good boyfriend, man, you should take me out.'" [1] [2]
Trainor and Kadish grew up as "chubby" kids, [30] [40] and wrote the lyrics of "All About That Bass" as a call to embrace inner beauty, and promote positive body image and self-acceptance. [41] [42] [43] She calls out the fashion industry for creating unreachable beauty standards and criticizes the use of Photoshop in magazines. [44] It includes the line "I'm bringing booty back", as a reference to Justin Timberlake's single "SexyBack" (2006). [29] Trainor, who was ill-treated by unemployed men she dated in the past, [4] [30] wrote the title track and "Dear Future Husband" to correct issues with contemporary dating and hookup culture, like women basing their self worth on social media likes and whether their partner replied to their texts. [45] On the title track, she refuses to be friends with benefits and pushes her partner to define their relationship more clearly. [20] [46] "Dear Future Husband" is about chivalry and dating, [39] [47] and lists the things a man needs to do to be Trainor's life partner, and win her adoration and dedication. [48] These include "treat[ing her] like a lady" even when she behaves insanely, calling her pretty every night, and putting her family above his. [45] [49] "Close Your Eyes" encourages listeners to embrace what makes them different and show their authentic personality to the world. [31]
MTV News premiered the title track on September 5, 2014. [46] Epic Records released the EP through compact disc (CD) and digital download formats four days later. [50] [51] The label released the CD in Australia on September 12. [52] It debuted at number 15 on the Billboard 200 chart dated September 27, with first-week sales of 21,000 copies, [53] and sold over 171,000 copies in the United States. [54] Title peaked at number 17 on the Canadian Albums Chart and number 35 on the Danish Albums Chart. [55] [56] The digital release of "All About That Bass" in some European countries shared an identical track list. [57] [58] [59] A pre-order of Trainor's 2015 debut major-label studio album of the same name, which included all tracks from the EP, replaced it later that month. [60]
"All About That Bass" served as the lead single from Title. [61] It spent eight consecutive weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, the longest run for any Epic Records artist in the chart's history, [62] [63] and was the best-selling song by a female artist in the 2010s, with 5.8 million digital downloads. [64] The lyrics caused controversy; some critics called the song anti-feminist and accused Trainor of shaming thin women. [27] [65] [66] It was nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards. [67] "Dear Future Husband" and the title track were both considered options for release as Trainor's second single. [32] Reid scrapped them in favor of "Lips Are Movin" (2014), which he thought "will do better". [68] "Dear Future Husband" was eventually chosen as the third single from the album in 2015, and peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. [a] [69] The title track attained viral popularity on video-sharing service TikTok in 2021. [70]
Trainor promoted Title by performing its songs on various television shows and her concert tours. She sang "All About That Bass" at an Emily West concert, Live! with Kelly and Michael , [71] for Entertainment Tonight , [72] The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon , [73] The X Factor (Australia), [74] and 2Day FM. [b] [75] She reprised the title track in sessions for MTV and the National Post , and as a mashup with "All About That Bass" at the 2014 iHeartRadio Music Festival. [32] [76] [77] Trainor included all tracks from the EP on her set list for the Jingle Ball Tour 2014, and her 2015 concert tours That Bass Tour and MTrain Tour. [35] [78] [79]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [19] |
Knoxville News Sentinel | [31] |
Rolling Stone | [20] |
Title received mixed reviews from music critics. Collar rated the EP four stars out of five, [19] and Knoxville News Sentinel and Dolan rated it three. [20] [31] Collar praised Trainor's vocals as "soulful, highly resonant," and catchy; he considered "Dear Future Husband" and "All About That Bass" irresistible. [19] Others criticized the lyrical themes as repetitive on Title despite its short duration. Knoxville News Sentinel thought she showed crisp artistic vision on the EP but dubbed its tracks "sort-of sequels" of her debut single. [31] The newspaper said it proved Trainor was a "one-trick pony" and left much to the imagination about what else she is capable of doing. [31] Chris DeVille of Stereogum thought she could only outlast the success of "All About That Bass" if she found new topics to write about, and was disappointed that the lyrics of "Dear Future Husband" and the title track were interchangeable. He maintained that any tracks on Title could achieve chart success with ample promotion. [29]
Kadish produced all songs and wrote them with Trainor. [21]
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "All About That Bass" | 3:07 |
2. | "Title" | 2:54 |
3. | "Dear Future Husband" | 3:04 |
4. | "Close Your Eyes" | 3:40 |
Total length: | 12:45 |
Credits are adapted from the EP's liner notes. [21]
Locations
Personnel
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
Country | Date | Format | Label |
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United States [50] [51] | September 9, 2014 | Epic | |
Australia [83] | Digital download | ||
Ireland [84] | |||
Germany [85] | CD | ||
Australia [52] | September 12, 2014 |
Kevin Paul Kadish is an American songwriter and record producer. He co-wrote, produced, and mixed the 2014 Diamond certified single "All About That Bass" by Meghan Trainor which spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2018, the song was named the 67th Biggest Hot100 Hit of All-Time, by Billboard, seated between The J. Geils Band's "Centerfold" (66) and John Lennon's "(Just Like) Starting Over" (68). The song received two nominations at the 57th Grammy Awards: Record of the Year and Song of the Year.
Meghan Elizabeth Trainor is an American singer-songwriter and television personality. She rose to prominence after signing with Epic Records in 2014 and releasing her debut single "All About That Bass", which reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and sold 11 million copies worldwide. Trainor has released six studio albums with the label and has received various accolades, including a Grammy Award, four ASCAP Pop Music Awards, and two Billboard Music Awards.
"All About That Bass" is the debut single of American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, released on June 30, 2014, through Epic Records. The song was included on Trainor's debut extended play (EP), Title (2014), and her debut studio album of the same name (2015). Written by Trainor and producer Kevin Kadish, "All About That Bass" is a bubblegum pop, doo-wop and pop rap track. Trainor, who as a teenager struggled with her negative body image, was inspired to write the song to promote self-acceptance.
Title is the debut major-label studio album by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. It was released on January 9, 2015, by Epic Records. Initially a songwriter for other artists in 2013, Trainor signed with the label the following year and began recording material she co-wrote with Kevin Kadish. They were dissatisfied with the electronic dance music predominant in contemporary hit radio and drew influence from retro-styled 1950s and 1960s music.
"Lips Are Movin" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, taken from her debut major-label studio album, Title (2015). It was written by Trainor and the album's producer, Kevin Kadish. Epic Records premiered the song on MTV News on October 15, 2014, and released it to the United States contemporary hit radio stations on October 21, as the second single from Title. A retro-tinged doo-wop and pop song with girl-group harmonies and bubblegum pop hooks, "Lips Are Movin" was inspired by Trainor's conflict with her record label. However, critical commentary has described it as a song about Trainor leaving her significant other after discovering he is cheating on her.
"Dear Future Husband" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. It was included on Title, her 2014 extended play, and later on her 2015 studio album of the same name. Trainor wrote the song with its producer, Kevin Kadish. Epic Records released "Dear Future Husband" as the album's third single on March 17, 2015. A doo-wop and pop song, it has lyrics about chivalry and dating. In the song, Trainor lists things a potential romantic suitor needs to do to win her affection.
"Like I'm Gonna Lose You" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from her debut major-label studio album Title (2015), featuring guest vocals from John Legend. Trainor wrote the song with Justin Weaver and Caitlyn Smith, and produced it with Chris Gelbuda. Epic Records released it as the album's fourth single on June 23, 2015. A soul love ballad, "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" is about savoring moments spent with loved ones and not taking them for granted.
"Title" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from her 2014 debut extended play of the same name. Kevin Kadish produced the track and wrote it with Trainor. Epic Records considered it for release as Trainor's second single but eventually decided on "Lips Are Movin" (2014). The song is in a doo-wop style with Caribbean influences. Lyrically, Trainor demands that her partner define their relationship more clearly and call her his girlfriend.
"Marvin Gaye" is the debut single by American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth featuring fellow American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, from his third EP, Some Type of Love (2015). It later served as the lead single for his debut studio album, Nine Track Mind (2016). Puth co-wrote it, with Julie Frost, Jacob Luttrell and Nick Seeley, and produced it. Artist Partner Group released it as a single on February 10, 2015. The doo-wop and soul song is named after singer Marvin Gaye, whose name is used as a verb in the lyrics.
"Boys Like You" is a song by American singer Who Is Fancy, featuring singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor and singer Ariana Grande. Fancy co-wrote it with J.R. Rotem, Jason Gantt, and Bob DiPiero, while the former of the three handled production. Republic Records released the song for digital download and streaming as a single on November 23, 2015. The doo-wop and pop song has a beachy vibe and lyrics about Who Is Fancy, Trainor and Grande attempting to court the men they desire.
Thank You is the second major-label studio album by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. Epic Records released it on May 13, 2016, after a week of exclusive streaming on Apple Music. Trainor wrote most of its material with songwriter Jacob Kasher Hindlin and the album's producer Ricky Reed. Influenced by various genres including dance, hip hop, funk, and Caribbean music, Trainor conceived the album to showcase her versatility. It features guest appearances by Yo Gotti, LunchMoney Lewis, Trainor's mother, and R. City.
"No" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from her second major-label studio album, Thank You (2016). Ricky Reed produced the song and wrote it with Trainor and Jacob Kasher Hindlin; Epic Records released it as the album's lead single on March 4, 2016. A dance-pop song inspired by 1990s pop music and R&B, "No" has lyrics about sexual consent and empowerment, encouraging women to reject unwanted advances from men.
Treat Myself is the third major-label studio album by the American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. Epic Records released it on January 31, 2020, after delaying it for over a year from its originally scheduled release date. Trainor worked with producers including Mike Sabath, Tyler Johnson, Ojivolta, and Andrew Wells. Initially inspired by pop artists and her experiences with panic disorder, Trainor rewrote the album to adapt to changing trends in the music industry and the rising popularity of hip-hop. It features guest appearances by Sabath, Nicki Minaj, Lennon Stella, Sasha Sloan, the Pussycat Dolls, and AJ Mitchell.
"Wave" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, featuring the producer Mike Sabath, from her third major-label studio album Treat Myself (2020). The track, which was written and produced by the duo, was released on September 27, 2019, as the second single from the album. Backed by panoramic piano and ostentatious background vocals, the electropop and house song lyrically tells the story of the emotional fallout of a failed relationship.
"Bad for Me" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor, featuring guest vocals from Teddy Swims. Trainor, Stephen Wrabel, Ajay Bhattacharyya, and Federico Vindver wrote it, and Vindver handled the production. The song was released on June 24, 2022, as the lead single from her fifth major-label studio album, Takin' It Back (2022). A pop song with gospel influences, it has lyrics about a toxic relationship with a family member and distancing oneself from them.
Takin' It Back is the fifth major-label studio album by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. Epic Records released the album on October 21, 2022. Trainor worked with producers including Federico Vindver, Gian Stone, Kid Harpoon, and Tyler Johnson. Featured artists include Scott Hoying, Teddy Swims, Theron Theron, Natti Natasha, and Arturo Sandoval. It is a doo-wop and bubblegum pop album, which Trainor conceived as a return to the sound of her debut major-label studio album, Title (2015), after its title track went viral on TikTok. Takin' It Back's lyrical themes revolve around motherhood and self-acceptance.
"Made You Look" is a song by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor from her fifth major-label studio album, Takin' It Back (2022). Trainor wrote it with songwriter Sean Douglas and its producer, Federico Vindver. Epic Records released it as the album's second single on October 31, 2022. A doo-wop song that recalls earlier styles of popular music, it was inspired by Trainor's insecurities about body image and encourages listeners to embrace their natural beauty and confidence.
"Been Like This" is a song by American singer-songwriters Meghan Trainor and T-Pain from the former's sixth major-label studio album, Timeless (2024). They co-wrote the song with Kurt Thum, Trainor's brother Ryan, and its producers, Gian Stone and Grant Boutin. Epic Records released it as the album's lead single on March 14, 2024. A doo-wop song with contemporary influences, it incorporates a jazz intro and trumpet melody and has lyrics about confidence.
Timeless is the sixth major-label studio album by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. Epic Records released it on June 7, 2024. Trainor worked with producers including Federico Vindver, Gian Stone, Grant Boutin, and Jason Evigan. Featured artists include T-Pain, Lawrence, and Niecy Nash. It is a doo-wop and bubblegum pop album with club beats and influences of dance-pop and R&B. The album has a message of self-empowerment, women's empowerment, and positive self-talk, inspired by Trainor's family, motherhood, and experiences in the music industry.