24K Magic (album)
24K Magic (stylized as XXIVK Magic) is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars. It was released by Atlantic Records on November 18, 2016. Mars reunited with Philip Lawrence and Christopher Brody Brown, who composed the album under their joint alias Shampoo Press & Curl. Mars enlisted new composers including the Stereotypes and James Fauntleroy. Recording sessions for 24K Magic took place between late 2015 and September 2016 at Glenwood Place Studios in Burbank, California.
24K Magic
Several critics said 24K Magic was crafted from elements of R&B, funk, pop, and new jack swing. Mars was inspired to create an album on which he could capture the sound of 1990s R&B, that he listened and danced to during his childhood. He wanted to make people dance and have the same enjoyment he had. The lyrics of 24K Magic explore themes similar to those of its predecessor, Unorthodox Jukebox (2012), including money and sex. According to Mars, although he was able to convince Atlantic Records of the album's sound, they were initially hesitant.
24K Magic debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart with first-week sales of 231,000 equivalent album units and became Mars's first number-one album on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. It also peaked at number two in Canada, France, and New Zealand, and produced five singles: "24K Magic", "That's What I Like", and "Finesse" (remix featuring Cardi B), which were commercially successful while "Versace on the Floor" charted moderately and "Chunky" had a limited release. "That's What I Like" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Mars's seventh number-one song in the United States, while "24K Magic" peaked at number one in New Zealand. The album sold five million units globally and was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Music Canada (MC), and Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ).
Critical responses to 24K Magic were generally favorable; many reviewers noticed the change of style, focusing on contemporary R&B and the improvement on the production. Others criticized the detachment from the casual listener and the lack of "vulnerability" from his previous ballads. At the 2018 Grammy Awards 24K Magic won seven Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Best R&B Album, while the title track won Record of the Year and "That's What I Like" won Song of The Year at the same ceremony. Several publications listed the album as one of the best records of the year and the Associated Press named it as the tenth-best album of the 2010s. The album was also promoted through the 24K Magic World Tour (2017–2018), along with a number of television appearances.
Background[edit]
In early 2014, Bruno Mars was interviewed by that's Shanghai and gave some details of a new album, stating, "I want to write better songs ... put on better shows ... make better music videos. I want my next album to be better than the first and the second."[1] In September 2014, Mars tweeted, "Now it's time to start writing chapter 3", hinting that he was working on new music. Following the release of British-American musician Mark Ronson and Mars's single "Uptown Funk" (2014), Mars went to the studio to record more songs; he said he had no plans to release a new album "until it's done".[2] Mars's new album was due in March 2016 but its release was postponed for several months because of his appearance at that year's Super Bowl half-time show. At the time, seven songs were already recorded.[2] Mars worked with Canadian recording engineer Charles Moniz, who called the album the "next movement of Bruno" and confirmed the album was close to being finished in February 2016.[3] Mars also worked with American musician Andrew Wyatt, who was involved in Mars's previous studio albums, and American bass guitarist Jamareo Artis, of The Hooligans, who said they had been "trying different ideas and experimenting" and "It's going to have a new sound ... the material is very groove-oriented".[4][5] Mars also worked with American rapper Missy Elliott, but he said they were just hanging out.[6]
In an interview with New Zealand radio DJ Zane Lowe for the Apple Music podcast Beats 1, Mars said the album is filled with 1990s influences.[7] Mars concluded; "I just want to do music. I want to be the guy that brings joy to your life through his music."[8] Mars affirmed he felt he was correct to record nine songs, saying; "If I can't pull you in with nine songs, I'm not gonna pull you in with nineteen!"[6] He told that the album was inspired by a non-existent movie that he visualized. Mars said it featured "a Versace-wearing pimp" in New York during a summer night at the "baddest rooftop house party. 2:30 in the morning, the band comes out, fucking dipped in Versace. The girls are screaming."[9][10] Mars stated this album contrasts with his others, on which he would experiment with genres: "I wanted to really hone it in and give myself a world in which I could keep it contained ... I want to sing more so than I did on the other albums".[10] He chose to emulate "the feeling of the R&B he fell in love with as a kid", avoiding making it sound like a tribute or forced, taking inspiration from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, New Edition, Bobby Brown, Jodeci, Boyz II Men, Teddy Riley, Mariah Carey and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds.[9][11] In November 2017, Mars was a guest on the Charlie Rose Show and said as he grew up pop music was "R&B-rooted songs", which he danced to at school balls and barbecues. Mars wanted to achieve the same "feeling and emotion", concluding "it was fun to dance, it was cool to smile on the dance floor with a girl and flirt with a girl on the dance floor". To achieve his aim to make people want to dance again, he needed the songs to make him dance.[12] Mars was inspired by his passion "for R&B acts"; he said that was the feeling they wanted the album to have. He added, "it was all about the live show and the kind of party I want to throw".[13]
Although Mars was able to convince Atlantic Records of the album's sound, they were initially hesitant.[13] A private album listening party was held at Atlantic's offices in New York City for several journalists.[10]
Music and lyrics[edit]
24K Magic explores several genres, including, R&B, funk, pop, and new jack swing.[29][30][31] Andy Kellman of AllMusic, thinks the album "might as well be considered the full-length sequel to "Uptown Funk"; Mars abandoned his previous new wave and reggae sound for an "all-out R&B" effort.[32] The album includes the R&B ballads "Versace on the Floor", "Straight Up & Down" and "Too Good To Say Goodbye".[33][34][35] "24K Magic", "Chunky" and "Perm" are funk tracks, while "Calling All My Lovelies" is an R&B heartbreaker song.[33][34][36] 24K Magic also features new jack swing, hip hop soul and funk on the tracks "Finesse" and "That's What I Like", with the latter also being an R&B song.[21][34][37] Lyrics on the album are themed around money and sex.[38]
The album opens with a talk box on "24K Magic"; the track's synthesizer riff and backbeat are inspired by "The Message" (1982) by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Its lyrics celebrate extravagance, glamour, and the party lifestyle.[39][40][41] "Chunky" is an electro-funk track that features synthesizers and drum machines. It is an anthem for big buttocks.[33][36][42] "Perm" is influenced by the 1960s and James Brown's style on the horns, stabs and drums, according to The New York Times' Jon Caramanica.[39] It is also inspired by Nile Rodgers' electric guitar.[43] Its "shuffle" was compared to Brown's "Funky Drummer" (1970) and features "shout-singing" style and Mars's "scraped-up vocal".[42][39] The song is about Mars going out and having a "good time" with his companions.[43] "That's What I Like", the album's second single, draws from "the silky vibes" of R. Kelly's 12 Play (1993), taking them to "the boom of modern trap".[31] The song is about extravagance, a luxurious lifestyle, and love.[30][33][44]
The slow jam of "Versace on the Floor" shows Mars's romantic side, with champagne flutes, rose petals, dancing and getting intimate with his lover.[33][34][45] "Straight Up & Down" opens with a choir and samples of Shai's "Baby I'm Yours" (1993).[43] Its lyrics detail Mars's "favorite bedroom tricks" and a "booty celebration".[44][36] According to Andrew Unterberger from Billboard, "Calling All My Lovelies" draws inspiration from Silk's "Freak Me" with its "massive harmonies and bass-voiced spoken-word".[34] It tells a story of heartbreak.[33] It includes a "dreamy voicemail message" spoken by American actress Halle Berry.[34][46] "Finesse" is also a funk, hip-hop soul recording with R&B influences.[21][47] Lyrically, it demonstrates the happiness and positive outcomes of being with one's lover.[47] The album's final song of the standard edition, "Too Good To Say Goodbye", includes "horn bleats", piano, various harmonies, and "one of Mars' most emotional vocal performances".[33] The track draws its structure from early 1970s Philly soul and 1990s R&B.[30][32] The remix of "Finesse" features American rapper Cardi B with a flow and rhyme resembling a "turn-of-the-1990s cadence", as well as Salt-N-Pepa and Heavy D styles.[48][49][50]
Cover[edit]
The cover of 24K Magic shows Mars sitting on a chair and wearing a red shirt and shorts, and a white cap. Mars and Greg "Giden's Dad" Burke created the artwork, which was shot by Chinese photographer Kai Z. Feng.[51] According to Mars, the cover art was inspired by a "musky cologne" advertisement and the Cadillac Allanté convertible that felt like "bootleg luxury". During its development, Mars thought about a man driving the Cadillac that would wear his best silk clothing, a style inspired by his father that included "the pinkie rings, the pompadour", the hairstyle and the "flashy" glasses.[6][11] The album's cover art was styled to resemble a 1990s album; the song titles are printed in a basic font.[6] During a photography season, Feng was unaware of the reason for Mars "throwing up the number 24 with his fingers". Feng asked Mars whether his pose had anything to do with the album; Mars told Feng to be quiet. He said Mars gave him "a lot of trust to do my thing" and added Mars "is not shy in front of the camera; he's always moving and dancing, as long as you have the right music playing".[27]
Commercial performance[edit]
24K Magic debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 231,000 equivalent album units (194,000 in traditional album sales), becoming Mars's best sales week to that point and his third top-ten album in the United States.[125] The next week, it sold 73,000 units, dropping to number four.[126] The album remained in the US top ten for a third consecutive week despite a 20% fall in sales to 58,000 units.[127] The album remained in the top ten for the next few weeks, returning to number two for four nonconsecutive weeks; one of these followed Mars's two performances at the 2017 Grammy Awards.[128][129][130]
As of July 7, 2017, 24K Magic had sold 1,110,000 equivalent units in the United States.[131] On January 3, 2018, Billboard announced the best-selling albums of 2017 in the United States, with 24K Magic selling 710,000 copies and 1,626,000 total equivalent album units. It was the country's fourth-highest-selling and overall fifth-most-consumed record of the year.[132] It was Mars first album to enter the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, debuting at number one.[133] The album has spent 54 weeks on the top ten and eight non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[134][135] In 2017, 24k Magic was the second-most popular record on the Billboard 200.[136] The album was ranked as the 16th-best performing album of the 2010s decade on the U.S. Billboard 200 Albums.[137] It has been certified three-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[138]
The album was less successful in Europe. It debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart with sales of 52,300 copies in its first week.[139] Its equivalent album units of 600,000 in the UK, earned a double platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).[140] In France, 24K Magic debuted in the top three and spent almost the whole year in the chart.[141] Seven months after its release, equivalent album units exceeded 200,000, being certified twice platinum by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP).[142] The record peaked at number four on the Spanish Albums Chart and spent 109 weeks on the chart.[143] It was certified platinum by Productores de Música de España (PROMUSICAE).[144] It also debuted and peaked at number five in the Netherlands, spending 135 weeks on the chart.[145] It was certified platinum by NVPI.[146] In Denmark, 24K Magic peaked at number six after debuting at number nine upon release.[147] It was certified double platinum by IFPI Danmark.[148]
In Oceania, 24K Magic debuted at number two in New Zealand and was certified gold by the Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ) for selling more than 7,500 equivalent album units in three weeks.[149][150] The album returned to number two in New Zealand, becoming the singer's third consecutive record to do so.[149] 24K Magic was certified three-times platinum in New Zealand for shipments of 45,000 units.[151] It was the seventh best-selling album in New Zealand in 2017.[152] The record entered the Australian Albums charts at number three, and with it, his three first albums reached the top five.[153] The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) certified it platinum.[154] In Japan, the album debuted at number six on the Oricon Albums Chart with first-week sales of 20,000 copies.[155] In the second week the album jumped to number three on the chart, selling 15,000 copies.[156] It was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).[157] In Canada, 24K Magic debuted at its peak position of number two with 21,000 total consumption units.[158] It spent 89 weeks on the Canadian Albums Chart and was certified three times platinum by Music Canada (MC).[159][160] As of October 2019, 24K Magic sold five million units globally.[161]
Credits adapted from the liner notes of 24K Magic.[51]
Notes
Sample credits