Dark Sky Paradise

Singles

The album's lead single, titled "I Don't Fuck with You" featuring E-40, was released on September 19, 2014. The production on the song was handled by DJ Mustard, Kanye West and Mike Free. After the reception the song received, it was released as the album's first single. It became a commercial success peaking at number one on the Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. To date, the song has sold over a million copies in the United States.

The album's second single, "Paradise" was released on October 7, 2014. The song was produced by Mike Will Made It. In September 2014, it was announced that the song would be included on his untitled EP; which it was released alongside with these tracks "I Don't Fuck with You" and 2 others, "4th Quarter" and "Jit / Juke". Leading to its album release, Sean re-recorded the track as the extended version to be included on the album. Despite never being sent to radio, the song was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 13, 2015.

In January 2015, Sean released the track, titled "Blessings" featuring guest appearances by Drake, and GOOD Music's label-mate Kanye West. The song was produced by Vinylz. It was officially released on January 31, 2015, as the album's third single. The shorten version of the song, featuring the collaboration between Sean and Drake, has been announced to be included on the album. The song peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. As of March 2016, the song was certified double Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

"One Man Can Change the World" featuring Kanye West and John Legend, was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio on June 19, 2015, as the album's fourth single. The song was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 13, 2015.

"Play No Games" featuring Chris Brown and Ty Dolla Sign, was sent to urban contemporary radio on September 22, 2015, as the album's fifth single. The song was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on February 15, 2016.

Critical reception

Dark Sky Paradise received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 72, based on 19 reviews. In a review for Exclaim!, Samantha O'Connor noted that "stormier production and moodier lyricism replace Sean's predictable sunny wordplay and pop culture puns," further concluding that "Big Sean has reached a personal high by finding his Dark Sky Paradise, and it's his honesty that takes listeners there with him." David Jeffries of AllMusic said, "Artistically, three is the charm Big Sean as Dark Sky Paradise is much more expansive than previous efforts, sometimes grinding with executive producer Kanye West's love of the dark, and other times bouncing with the snark, swagger, and style that propelled this Detroit rapper to the top." John Kennedy of Billboard said, "With sterling wordplay and a consistent melancholy vibe, the Detroit native took all the tension, the highs and lows, and laid it out on wax, compiling the strongest project of his career." Justin Charity of Complex said, "Occasionally clumsy but wonderfully plainspoken, and impassioned when he wants to be, Sean has advanced (if not graduated) from the tepid mythmaking of Hall of Fame. Here he's dynamic, and a pretty good rapper." Eric Diep of HipHopDX said, "With Dark Sky Paradise, Big Sean is prepared to leave his mark."

Kyle Anderson of Entertainment Weekly said, "A spirited combination of grown-man statement-making and round-the-way bull." Jon Caramanica of The New York Times said, "In the last year, he's made real strides toward lucidity, and on Dark Sky Paradise, his third and best album, he is more human than ever before." Jordan Sargent of Pitchfork said, "Dark Sky Paradise is a big leap in the direction of the ideal Big Sean full-length." Dan Rys of XXL said, "'One Man Can Change the World' in particular, which deals with the loss of his grandmother and his acceptance of her passing, really underlines what the entire work is about: dealing with the ups and downs in life and figuring out the best way to accept them and move forward. With Dark Sky Paradise, Big Sean has finally found that balance." Michael Madden of Consequence of Sound said, "Mostly, though, Dark Sky Paradise is an ambitious tasteful album from a rapper who's often viewed as neither." Dan Weiss of Spin said, "More of the same, really, and what same is that anyway? His beats, hooks and musicality tread slightly above water." Christopher R. Weingarten of Rolling Stone stated, "His third and best record isn't that moment yet, but he's one step closer."

Accolades

Critics from Billboard considered Dark Sky Paradise the 15th best album of the year, and the 5th for hip-hop albums. For its mid-year list, Complex placed it the 6th best album of the year, while HipHopDX listed it among their list of 25 best.

Commercial performance

Dark Sky Paradise debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with 173,000 album-equivalent units and first-week sales of 139,000 copies in the United States, Big Sean's biggest sales week yet. It was Big Sean's first number one album on the chart. The album spent a further two weeks in the chart's top 10. On February 1, 2016, Dark Sky Paradise was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales, streaming and track-sales equivalent of one million units. In December 2015, the album has sold over 350,000 copies in the United States.

Track listing

Notes

Sample credits