17 (XXXTentacion album)
17 is the debut studio album by American rapper and singer XXXTentacion.[5] It was released through Bad Vibes Forever and Empire Distribution on August 25, 2017. With a runtime of just under 22 minutes, 17 is a brief album and does not feature a song longer than three minutes. The album was supported by the lead single "Revenge", and is XXXTentacion's second commercial record, following the compilation mixtape of the same name (2017). 17 includes a sole guest appearance from Trippie Redd and samples by Shiloh Dynasty. Production was handled by XXXTentacion, among others.
17
August 25, 2017
2017
21:54
- Bad Vibes Forever
- Empire
- XXXTentacion
- Dex Duncan
- Dub tha Prodigy
- John Cunningham
- Natra Average
- Nick Mira
- Potsu
- Taz Taylor
- Tobias Jesso Jr.
The album is built on acoustic and piano-driven songs, rather than the "turn-up" style and distortion bass sounds that was popular in XXXTentacion's native Florida scene. It experiments with a variety of genres, such as emo, lo-fi, indie rock, alternative R&B and grunge, while the lyrics are based around themes such as suicide, failed relationships, and infidelity.[6] XXXTentacion stated that the album's target audience is people who suffer with depression, and that the album is also an "entry" into his mind.
The album produced the singles "Jocelyn Flores", and "Fuck Love". "Jocelyn Flores", "Revenge", "Everybody Dies in Their Nightmares", "Depression & Obsession", "Save Me" and "Carry On" all debuted on the Billboard Hot 100. "Jocelyn Flores", "Everybody Dies in Their Nightmares" and "Fuck Love" also debuted in the top 100 of the UK Singles Chart.
Although 17 was marketed with no radio play or much press coverage, it was a commercial success and was positively reviewed by several publications. It debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200, with 87,000 album-equivalent units, and has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It also charted highly in numerous European countries, including top five positions in Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland, Italy, Sweden, and a number one position in Norway. The album has also been certified platinum in Canada, Denmark and New Zealand. XXXTentacion posthumously won Favourite Soul/R&B Album for 17 at the 2018 American Music Awards.
Themes and composition[edit]
XXXTentacion stated that the album's target audience is people who suffer with depression, and that the album is a 'gateway' into his mind.[16] The lyrics for 17 are based around suicide, failed relationships, and infidelity. It also focuses on events in XXXTentacion's life and involves a lot of internal dialogue.[6] Speaking on the sound of 17, XXXTentacion explained that the album was different from his previous works, saying "If you listen to me to get hype or to not think, don't buy this album, this one is for the depression, for the depressed ones, for the lost ones."[17]
Speaking to XXL, XXXTentacion said the album would consist of "an alternative R&B sound".[12] The album takes a different style from XXXTentacion's traditional music which is often considered rap rock and trap music.[18] The album adapts different genres of music, including emo[19] and indie rock[6] to create an unconventional style that fits within the genre of alternative R&B.[12] The album itself is produced mainly by XXXTentacion, Natra Average and Potsu, a producer who generally creates lo-fi instrumental hip hop[20] on SoundCloud.[21]
Andrew Matson of Mass Appeal highlighted that XXXTentacion "is at the forefront of the current rock & roll twist on hip-hop...and constructs an emo record that calls on some of his past work (the guitar stuff) but completely leaves behind his popular turn-up style and distortion bass" that was popular in the Florida scene. Matson further described the songs on 17 as mostly acoustic guitars and piano-driven.[22] Jon Powell of Respect. called the album an "emotional rollercoaster contained of different genres, all kept together by XXX's ever-changing lyricism and Aaron Lewis-esque harmonics", and that it "has you in absolute awe of [XXXtentacion's] talent, even in the midst of his alleged past transgressions."[18]
Commercial performance[edit]
17 was released on August 25, 2017, on iTunes,[41] Spotify[42] and Apple Music[41] for streaming. Following the release, the album was promoted on social media by numerous other artists including Kendrick Lamar,[43][44] Tory Lanez,[45] 9th Wonder,[46] and Lil Yachty.[47] The sales projections for the album, managed by the magazine Hits estimated that 17 would collect over 80 million streams and would sell 74–79,000 album-equivalent units in the US, including 16–18,000 pure sales.[48]
In the United States, 17 debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with 87,000 album-equivalent units, of which 18,000 were pure sales.[49] 17 dropped down to No. 3 on the Billboard 200 for its second week of release with 51,275 total album equivalent units sold.[50] In its third week, 17 fell to No. 6 with 40,100 album-equivalent units sold.[51] 17 had sold 313,000 album-equivalent units by October 12, 2017, dropping to No. 12 in the same week.[52] Seven songs—"Jocelyn Flores", "Revenge", "Fuck Love", "Everybody Dies in Their Nightmares", "Depression & Obsession", "Save Me" and "Carry On"—debuted in the Billboard Hot 100 at numbers 31, 77, 41, 54, 91, 94 and 95 respectively, with "Jocelyn Flores" becoming XXXTentacion's highest charting song since "Look at Me", which peaked at 31 on September 16, 2017.[53] Following XXXTentacion's death, 17 re-entered the Billboard 200 at number seven, earning 55,000 album-equivalent units.[54] It has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
17 debuted at number one in Norway (where it remained for three weeks)[55] and in the top twenty in numerous album charts, including the UK Albums Chart, where it entered at number 12, selling 4,520 album-equivalent units.[56][57] The album also charted in Belgium,[58] the Netherlands,[59] New Zealand,[60] Italy,[61] and Sweden.[62] Three songs—"Jocelyn Flores", "Everybody Dies in Their Nightmares" and "Fuck Love"—debuted in the top 100 of the UK Singles Chart, at numbers 56, 88 and 99, respectively.[63] "Jocelyn Flores" peaked at 39 on the UK Singles Chart.[64] The album has been certified platinum in Canada, Denmark and New Zealand. Rolling Stone reported that 17 "hit the charts with no record label besides his own imprint, no radio play and a near-total press blackout."[65]
Notes
Samples