Released April 25, 2007 Length 49:57 Release date 1 May 2007 | Recorded 2006–07 | |
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Producer Ron "Neff-U" Feemster, The Heavyweights, Eric Hudson, Jay-Z (exec.), Timothy Bloom, Knobody, Ne-Yo, StarGate, Syience, Shea Taylor Label Universal Music Ireland Ltd. Genres Contemporary R&B, Pop music, Rhythm and blues, Hip hop soul Awards Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album Similar Ne-Yo albums, Contemporary R&B albums | ||
Ne yo because of you
Because of You is the second studio album by American recording artist Ne-Yo, released on April 25, 2007 by Def Jam Recordings in the United States. It features guest contributions from rapper Jay-Z on "Crazy" and singer Jennifer Hudson on "Leaving Tonight". Because of You debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, selling over 250,000 copies in its first week and was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, which makes this Ne-Yo's second number one album, second platinum-selling album, and second top ten album in the United States following In My Own Words in 2006. Upon its release, the album received generally positive reviews from most music critics, based on an aggregate score of 74/100 from Metacritic. It won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards.
Contents
Ne yo because of you
Critical reception
The album has drawn mainly positive reviews, with Entertainment Weekly magazine noting, "Indeed, the album is an unmistakable attempt to channel [Michael Jackson's early work such as "Off the Wall"]...and the effort often pays off beautifully...Ne-Yo's lithe falsetto puts the many others who've been labeled Jackson-esque to shame." PopMatters.com called the album "a masterpiece of a record" and praised the title track's blend of "upbeat modern-day funk tempo, beautifully melodic backdrop and love-sick (in a good way) vocals...[it's] the perfect lead single off an album that is filled with number-one hits". Slant Magazine also compared the album's sensual ballads to Janet Jackson.
Commercial performance
Because of You debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, selling 251,000 copies on its first week of release. Because of You is Ne-Yo's second number-one album. The album has shipped one million units in the US. It has sold over 1,630,000 copies in the United States alone. It spawned four singles: "Because Of You", "Do You", "Can We Chill", and "Go On Girl". "Leaving Tonight" was released as a radio single.
The album won Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards.
Track listing
Songs
1Because of You4:27
2Crazy4:21
3Can We Chill4:24