Love Always
Encyclopedia
Love Always is the debut album of American R&B duo K-Ci & JoJo, released on June 17, 1997, by MCA Records
. It was recorded at various studios in New York and the Los Angeles area in 1996 and 1997. It was produced by JoJo and several others, including DeVante Swing
, James Mtume
, and Jeff Redd
. The duo were originally a part of Jodeci
before this album.
The album peaked at sixth on the US Billboard 200
and also appeared on international charts. The single
"All My Life
" charted number one in multiple countries, and all four of the album's singles peaked above the top 25 in the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
and the New Zealand Top 40 Singles. Love Always was received favorably by critics, who praised the brothers' singing ability and the production. The album has been certified three times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) and gold by Music Canada
and IFPI Sweden
. As of June 1999 it had sold 2.9 million copies in the United States.
, which consisted of them and another pair of brothers, DeVante Swing and Mr. Dalvin. Under Uptown Records
, the group released three studio albums certified platinum by the RIAA: Forever My Lady
(1991), Diary of a Mad Band
(1993), and The Show, The After Party, The Hotel
(1995).
Jodeci has been inactive since 1996. K-Ci and JoJo, seeking to shed Jodeci's "bad boy image", began working on other projects. They appeared as featured artists in songs including Tupac Shakur
's "How Do U Want It
", which topped the Billboard Hot 100
and E-40
's Rapper's Ball
, which peaked 29th on the Hot 100. They recorded their first songs as a duo, "If You Think You're Lonely Now
" and "How Could You
", for the soundtrack albums Jason's Lyric
and Bulletproof
, respectively. Both singles reached the top 20 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs.
that he and K-Ci "wrote 75 percent" of Love Always. The brothers said they wanted to make an album that everyone, including their Christian mother, would be able to listen to. K-Ci told Ebony, "We want to write songs that women can listen to. [...] You can listen to this in the car, riding with the folks." Contrasting the album with the brothers' work with Jodeci, K-Ci told Billboard, "With Jodeci, we might sing 'Freek'n You
', and with K-Ci & JoJo, we don't use the word 'sex.
Love Always was the first album K-Ci and JoJo produced. Referring to DeVante Swing, who produced many of Jodeci's songs, K-Ci told Billboard, "We couldn't just say, 'Oh, DeVante's gonna make sure it's mixed right.' We had to do it." Other contributors to the album included Rory Bennett, James Mtume
, Jorge Corante
, Mike Smoov, Fred Rosser, Jeff Redd, Joey Wlias, Laney Stewart, Gerald Baillergeau, DeVante Swing, Derrick Garrett, Craig Brockman, Victor Merrit, Jon-John Robinson, Andrew Braxton, and Bradley Spalter. Mike Smoov, Jimi Randolph, Derrick Garrett, Thom Cadley, and Mikael Ifverson engineered the album.
Recording took place in 1996 and 1997 at recording studio
s in New York and the Los Angeles area:
New York
Southern California
and soul
styles. It consists of slow jams and love songs. The album's opening track, "HBI", is a short introduction and is followed by "Last Night's Letter", a slow jam about broken hearts. The next song, "Baby Come Back", was written by K-Ci about his past relationship with singer Mary J. Blige
. "Love Ballad" is a cover of the L.T.D.
song.
, except in Australia, where it was was only released on CD.
", was released on May 27, 1997. It peaked at 26th on the Billboard Hot 100, 15th on R&B/Hip Hop Songs, 15th on the New Zealand Singles Chart, and 21st on the UK Singles Chart
. A remix was made featuring Snoop Dogg
. The second single, "Last Night's Letter
", was released on September 16, 1997. It peaked at 46th on the Hot 100, 15th on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and 16th on the New Zealand Singles Chart.
The third single, "All My Life
", was released on March 17, 1998, and was the duo's most successful song. JoJo wrote the song about his daughter but originally intended it for another artist. In an interview with MTV
, he said, "The song was originally supposed to be used for… another artist, a female artist on A&M Records
. But we listened to it after we got out of the studio and it was like, 'I'm keeping this, this is too hot. "All My Life" peaked at number one on the Hot 100 and R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, tying a record set by The Beatles
by jumping from 15th to first on the U.S. charts. It was also a number-one song in Australia, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. It peaked at second on the Norwegian Singles Chart, third on the Flanders Belgium Singles Chart, fourth on the Swedish Singles Chart and the Swiss Singles Chart, eighth on the UK Singles Chart, 11th on the Wallonia Belgium Singles Chart, 12th on the Austrian Singles Chart, and 43rd on the French Singles Chart. It was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association
and gold by IFPI Sweden
. "All My Life" was nominated for Best R&B Video at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards
.
The fourth single, "Don't Rush (Take Love Slowly)
", was originally the B-side to "All My Life"; it was released as a single in July 1998 after it achieved more airplay than "All My Life". It peaked at 24th on the US Rhythmic Top 40, 46th on Hot R&B Airplay, 16th on the UK Singles Chart, 25th on the Dutch Singles Charts, and 26th on the New Zealand Singles Chart.
, and went on to peak at sixth. It peaked at second on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
. On July 9, 1998, Love Always was certified three times platinum by the RIAA, for shipments of three million copies in the United States. It spent 90 weeks on the Billboard 200 and 91 weeks on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. As of June 1999, Love Always had sold 2.9 million copies in the US, according to Nielsen SoundScan
.
Love Always charted internationally, as well. It peaked at 26th in Canada, and on June 30, 1998, it was certified platinum by Music Canada
, for shipments of 100,000 copies in Canada. In Australia, the album debuted at 44th, before peaking the next week at 37th. In 1998, Love Always was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA), for shipments of 35,000 copies in Australia. It peaked at fifth in New Zealand, 19th in the Netherlands, 28th in Switzerland, 51st in the UK, and 56th in Sweden.
and R-rated lyrics of the sort he had observed in Jodeci's music. He liked the songs "Now and Forever", "Still Waiting", and "Baby Come Back" and appreciated the 1970s soul music feel.
Vibe magazine's Michael Gonzalez gave the album a favorable review, writing, "Love Always is a marvelous musical testament to black love in the '90s." He enjoyed the production, especially from Rory Bennett, and compared the duo to Frankie Lymon
. He noticed K-Ci's lyrics in "Baby Come Back" were about his relationship with Mary J. Blige
stating "[K-Ci] wails like a man driven crazy by his missteps." Gonzalez also liked the songs "Don't Rush (Take Love Slowly)", and "You Bring Me Up". Borders Group
recommended "You Bring Me Up" and praised the brothers' vocal talent.
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
. It was recorded at various studios in New York and the Los Angeles area in 1996 and 1997. It was produced by JoJo and several others, including DeVante Swing
DeVante Swing
Donald Earle DeGrate, Jr. , better known by his stage name DeVante Swing, is an American record producer, singer, rapper and songwriter. Swing rose to fame in the 1990s as the founding member of the trendsetting R&B group Jodeci, one of the more popular R&B acts of its time...
, James Mtume
James Mtume
James Mtume is a jazz and R&B musician and a radio personality. Mtume's group is perhaps best known for their 1983 R&B hit song "Juicy Fruit". The song was sampled by The Notorious B.I.G. in his song "Juicy"...
, and Jeff Redd
Jeff Redd
-Career:A New York native, Redd began singing with the short-lived group, The Sophisticated Gents, at the age of 17 in the mid-1980s. Redd has also appeared on Sesame Street....
. The duo were originally a part of Jodeci
Jodeci
Jodeci is an American band, whose repertoire includes R&B, soul music, and new jack swing. The group consists of two pairs of brothers from Hampton, Virginia and Charlotte, North Carolina: Cedric & Joel Hailey and Donald & Dalvin DeGrate, all respectively known by their stage names: K-Ci & Jojo,...
before this album.
The album peaked at sixth on the US Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and also appeared on international charts. The single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"All My Life
All My Life (K-Ci and JoJo song)
"All My Life" is a song recorded by American R&B duo K-Ci & JoJo. The track was produced and written by Joel "JoJo" Hailey and Rory Bennett for K-Ci & JoJo's debut studio album, Love Always . The song was released physically as from January 6, 1998 as the third single from the album through MCA...
" charted number one in multiple countries, and all four of the album's singles peaked above the top 25 in the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
and the New Zealand Top 40 Singles. Love Always was received favorably by critics, who praised the brothers' singing ability and the production. The album has been certified three times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
(RIAA) and gold by Music Canada
Music Canada
Music Canada was a Canadian music television miniseries which aired approximately monthly on CBC Television from 1966 to 1967.-Premise:This series featured various special productions of music and dance, from classical to modern styles.-Scheduling:...
and IFPI Sweden
IFPI
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland...
. As of June 1999 it had sold 2.9 million copies in the United States.
Background
Previously, K-Ci and JoJo had been members of the group JodeciJodeci
Jodeci is an American band, whose repertoire includes R&B, soul music, and new jack swing. The group consists of two pairs of brothers from Hampton, Virginia and Charlotte, North Carolina: Cedric & Joel Hailey and Donald & Dalvin DeGrate, all respectively known by their stage names: K-Ci & Jojo,...
, which consisted of them and another pair of brothers, DeVante Swing and Mr. Dalvin. Under Uptown Records
Uptown Records
Uptown Records was an American record label, founded by Andre Harrell in 1986. It went on to become one of the most popular Hip-Hop and R&B labels of the late 1980's and early 1990s. Featured on the roster were such luminaries as Guy, Heavy D & The Boyz, Jodeci, Mary J. Blige, and Soul for Real...
, the group released three studio albums certified platinum by the RIAA: Forever My Lady
Forever My Lady
Arion Berger of Entertainment Weekly gave the effort a good review, calling the work "sophisticated beyond the band members' years" and noting that "if they can keep up the momentum of this commercially successful debut , Jodeci will be a force to be reckoned with."-Track...
(1991), Diary of a Mad Band
Diary of a Mad Band
-Album:-Singles:"—" denotes releases that did not chart.-Personnel:Information taken from Allmusic.*arranging – Dalvin DeGrate, Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey, DeVante Swing*assistant engineer – Steve Fitzmaurice*creative director – Brett Wright...
(1993), and The Show, The After Party, The Hotel
The Show, the After Party, the Hotel
-Album:-Singles:"—" denotes releases that did not chart.-Personnel:Information taken from Allmusic.*Arranging: Dalvin DeGrate, Missy Elliott*Art Direction: Robert Reives*Bass: Darryl Pearson...
(1995).
Jodeci has been inactive since 1996. K-Ci and JoJo, seeking to shed Jodeci's "bad boy image", began working on other projects. They appeared as featured artists in songs including Tupac Shakur
Tupac Shakur
Tupac Amaru Shakur , known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper and actor. Shakur has sold over 75 million albums worldwide as of 2007, making him one of the best-selling music artists in the world...
's "How Do U Want It
How Do U Want It
"How Do U Want It" is a hip-hop song performed by Tupac Shakur. It features K-Ci and JoJo and was the third single from his album All Eyez on Me. It was a Double A-side single to "California Love", and the song reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1996. In the UK, the song peaked at #17.It...
", which topped the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and E-40
E-40
Earl Stevens , better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and investor from Vallejo, California. He is also part of the rap group The Click and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. His solo debut album, Federal, was released in November 1992, after The Click's debut...
's Rapper's Ball
Rapper's Ball
"Rapper's Ball" is a song by American rap artist E-40, featuring American R&B duo K-Ci & JoJo and rapper Too $hort. It is a single from the lead rapper's 1996 album Tha Hall of Game, and is a B-side for E-40's song "Things'll Never Change", featuring rapper B-Rock. The song peaked at #29 on the U.S...
, which peaked 29th on the Hot 100. They recorded their first songs as a duo, "If You Think You're Lonely Now
If You Think You're Lonely Now
"If You Think You're Lonely Now" is a song recorded and released as a single by American soul singer-songwriter Bobby Womack in 1981. It was released from his album The Poet...
" and "How Could You
How Could You (K-Ci & JoJo song)
- Charts :...
", for the soundtrack albums Jason's Lyric
Jason's Lyric (soundtrack)
Jason's Lyric is the original soundtrack to the 1994 film Jason's Lyric. Released in the fall of 1994, it topped the Top R&B Albums chart and was a Top 20 Billboard 200 ranking album...
and Bulletproof
Bulletproof (1996 film)
Bulletproof is a 1996 American action-comedy film directed by Ernest Dickerson, and starring Damon Wayans, James Caan and Jeep Swenson.-Plot:...
, respectively. Both singles reached the top 20 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs.
Production, writing, and recording
JoJo told EbonyEbony (magazine)
Ebony, a monthly magazine for the African-American market, was founded by John H. Johnson and has published continuously since the autumn of 1945...
that he and K-Ci "wrote 75 percent" of Love Always. The brothers said they wanted to make an album that everyone, including their Christian mother, would be able to listen to. K-Ci told Ebony, "We want to write songs that women can listen to. [...] You can listen to this in the car, riding with the folks." Contrasting the album with the brothers' work with Jodeci, K-Ci told Billboard, "With Jodeci, we might sing 'Freek'n You
Freek'n You
"Freek'n You" is a song by American R&B group Jodeci recorded for their third album The Show, the After Party, the Hotel . The song was released as the first single for the album in 1995.-Track listings:CD, Maxi-Single...
', and with K-Ci & JoJo, we don't use the word 'sex.
Love Always was the first album K-Ci and JoJo produced. Referring to DeVante Swing, who produced many of Jodeci's songs, K-Ci told Billboard, "We couldn't just say, 'Oh, DeVante's gonna make sure it's mixed right.' We had to do it." Other contributors to the album included Rory Bennett, James Mtume
James Mtume
James Mtume is a jazz and R&B musician and a radio personality. Mtume's group is perhaps best known for their 1983 R&B hit song "Juicy Fruit". The song was sampled by The Notorious B.I.G. in his song "Juicy"...
, Jorge Corante
Jorge Corante
Jorge Corante is a music producer, songwriter and composer for film. Corante has worked with a number of high-profile artists and numerous films.- External links :...
, Mike Smoov, Fred Rosser, Jeff Redd, Joey Wlias, Laney Stewart, Gerald Baillergeau, DeVante Swing, Derrick Garrett, Craig Brockman, Victor Merrit, Jon-John Robinson, Andrew Braxton, and Bradley Spalter. Mike Smoov, Jimi Randolph, Derrick Garrett, Thom Cadley, and Mikael Ifverson engineered the album.
Recording took place in 1996 and 1997 at recording studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
s in New York and the Los Angeles area:
New York
- ACME Recording Studio in MamaroneckMamaroneck (town), New YorkMamaroneck is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 29,156 at the 2010 census. There are two villages contained within the town: Larchmont and the Village of Mamaroneck...
- Battery Studios in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
- Hit City Studio in Bronx
- Sony Music Studios in New York City
- Sony Recording Studio in New York City
- Sound Track Studio in New York City
- Startrak in New York City
Southern California
- Audio Achievements in TorranceTorrance, CaliforniaTorrance is a city incorporated in 1921 and located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California, United States. Torrance has of shore-front beaches on the Pacific Ocean, quieter and less well-known by tourists than others on the Santa Monica Bay, such as those of neighboring...
- Boulevard Recording Studio in CarsonCarson, CaliforniaCarson is a city in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, Carson had a total population of 91,714. Located south of downtown Los Angeles and approximately 14 miles away from the Los Angeles International Airport, it is known as a suburb of the city....
- Classroom Studio in Hollywood
- Tracken Place in Los AngelesLos Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
- Tickle Box Studios in Los Angeles
- Westlake Studio in Los Angeles
Content
Love Always is written and performed in the R&BContemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...
and soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
styles. It consists of slow jams and love songs. The album's opening track, "HBI", is a short introduction and is followed by "Last Night's Letter", a slow jam about broken hearts. The next song, "Baby Come Back", was written by K-Ci about his past relationship with singer Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
. "Love Ballad" is a cover of the L.T.D.
L.T.D.
L.T.D. is an American R&B/funk band best known for their 1977 hit single, " Back in Love Again," as well as their many ballads, such as "Love Ballad," "We Both Deserve Each Other's Love," and "Where Did We Go Wrong?."-Career:L.T.D...
song.
Release and promotion
Love Always was released in the United States and Germany on June 17, 1997, in Canada on June 24, 1997, and in the United Kingdom on March 20, 1999. It was released in Australia in August 1998 packaged with six bonus remixes of "How Could You", "Last Night's Letter", "All My Life", and "You Bring Me Up". The album was released on CD, cassette and LPLP album
The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry...
, except in Australia, where it was was only released on CD.
Singles
Four songs on Love Always became singles. All four appeared in the top 25 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and the New Zealand Singles Chart. The first single, "You Bring Me UpYou Bring Me Up
"You Bring Me Up" is a song recorded by American R&B duo K-Ci & JoJo. The track was written by Big Yam, Victor Merrit, Joel Hailey, and Cedric Hailey for K-Ci & JoJo's debut album, Love Always .- Charts :...
", was released on May 27, 1997. It peaked at 26th on the Billboard Hot 100, 15th on R&B/Hip Hop Songs, 15th on the New Zealand Singles Chart, and 21st on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
. A remix was made featuring Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
. The second single, "Last Night's Letter
Last Night's Letter
"Last Night's Letter" is a song by K-Ci & Jojo that was their third single from their debut album, Love Always.- Charts :...
", was released on September 16, 1997. It peaked at 46th on the Hot 100, 15th on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and 16th on the New Zealand Singles Chart.
The third single, "All My Life
All My Life (K-Ci and JoJo song)
"All My Life" is a song recorded by American R&B duo K-Ci & JoJo. The track was produced and written by Joel "JoJo" Hailey and Rory Bennett for K-Ci & JoJo's debut studio album, Love Always . The song was released physically as from January 6, 1998 as the third single from the album through MCA...
", was released on March 17, 1998, and was the duo's most successful song. JoJo wrote the song about his daughter but originally intended it for another artist. In an interview with MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, he said, "The song was originally supposed to be used for… another artist, a female artist on A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
. But we listened to it after we got out of the studio and it was like, 'I'm keeping this, this is too hot. "All My Life" peaked at number one on the Hot 100 and R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, tying a record set by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
by jumping from 15th to first on the U.S. charts. It was also a number-one song in Australia, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. It peaked at second on the Norwegian Singles Chart, third on the Flanders Belgium Singles Chart, fourth on the Swedish Singles Chart and the Swiss Singles Chart, eighth on the UK Singles Chart, 11th on the Wallonia Belgium Singles Chart, 12th on the Austrian Singles Chart, and 43rd on the French Singles Chart. It was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
and gold by IFPI Sweden
IFPI
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland...
. "All My Life" was nominated for Best R&B Video at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards
1999 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1999 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 9, 1999, honoring the best music videos from June 13, 1998, to June 11, 1999. The show was hosted by Chris Rock at Metropolitan Opera House in New York City....
.
The fourth single, "Don't Rush (Take Love Slowly)
Don't Rush (Take Love Slowly)
- Charts :...
", was originally the B-side to "All My Life"; it was released as a single in July 1998 after it achieved more airplay than "All My Life". It peaked at 24th on the US Rhythmic Top 40, 46th on Hot R&B Airplay, 16th on the UK Singles Chart, 25th on the Dutch Singles Charts, and 26th on the New Zealand Singles Chart.
Commercial performance
The album debuted at 24th on the US Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, and went on to peak at sixth. It peaked at second on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999...
. On July 9, 1998, Love Always was certified three times platinum by the RIAA, for shipments of three million copies in the United States. It spent 90 weeks on the Billboard 200 and 91 weeks on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. As of June 1999, Love Always had sold 2.9 million copies in the US, according to Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan
Nielsen SoundScan is an information and sales tracking system created by Mike Fine and Mike Shalett. Soundscan is the official method of tracking sales of music and music video products throughout the United States and Canada...
.
Love Always charted internationally, as well. It peaked at 26th in Canada, and on June 30, 1998, it was certified platinum by Music Canada
Music Canada
Music Canada was a Canadian music television miniseries which aired approximately monthly on CBC Television from 1966 to 1967.-Premise:This series featured various special productions of music and dance, from classical to modern styles.-Scheduling:...
, for shipments of 100,000 copies in Canada. In Australia, the album debuted at 44th, before peaking the next week at 37th. In 1998, Love Always was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA), for shipments of 35,000 copies in Australia. It peaked at fifth in New Zealand, 19th in the Netherlands, 28th in Switzerland, 51st in the UK, and 56th in Sweden.
Critical response
Love Always has received favorable reviews from music critics. Alex Henderson of Allmusic gave the album three starts out of five and called "Love Ballad" the "best thing the Hailey brothers have ever done – inside or outside of Jodeci". Henderson called the album's ballads and slow jams "above average" and noted a lack of new jack swingNew jack swing
New jack swing or swingbeat is a fusion genre spearheaded by Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle which became extremely popular from the late-1980s into the mid-1990s. Its influence, along with hip-hop, seeped into pop culture and was the definitive sound of the inventive Black New York club scene...
and R-rated lyrics of the sort he had observed in Jodeci's music. He liked the songs "Now and Forever", "Still Waiting", and "Baby Come Back" and appreciated the 1970s soul music feel.
Vibe magazine's Michael Gonzalez gave the album a favorable review, writing, "Love Always is a marvelous musical testament to black love in the '90s." He enjoyed the production, especially from Rory Bennett, and compared the duo to Frankie Lymon
Frankie Lymon
Franklin Joseph "Frankie" Lymon was an American rock and roll/rhythm and blues singer and songwriter, best known as the boy soprano lead singer of a New York City-based early rock and roll group, The Teenagers. The group was composed of five boys, all in their early to mid teens...
. He noticed K-Ci's lyrics in "Baby Come Back" were about his relationship with Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
stating "[K-Ci] wails like a man driven crazy by his missteps." Gonzalez also liked the songs "Don't Rush (Take Love Slowly)", and "You Bring Me Up". Borders Group
Borders Group
Borders Group, Inc. was an international book and music retailer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company employed approximately 19,500 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders and Waldenbooks stores....
recommended "You Bring Me Up" and praised the brothers' vocal talent.
Track listing
Writing and production gathered from Australian-charts.com.Musicians
- Richard Adcock – celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
- Anas Allaf – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker... - Robert Becker – violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
- Charlie BisharatCharlie BisharatCharlie Bisharat is a Grammy-winning violinistwho has extensively toured and/or recorded with numerous artists. He was a member of Shadowfax who won a Grammy in 1988 for Best New Age Performance for Folksongs for a Nuclear Village...
– electric guitar, stringsStrings (music)A string is the vibrating element that produces sound in string instruments, such as the guitar, harp, piano, and members of the violin family. Strings are lengths of a flexible material kept under tension so that they may vibrate freely, but controllably. Strings may be "plain"...
, violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello.... - Darius Campo – strings, violin
- Makeda Davis – background vocals
- Basil Fearrington – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Juliann French – strings, violin
- Berj Garabedian – strings, violin
- Garth Gayle – guitar
- Harris Goldman – strings, violin
- Endre GranatEndre GranatEndre Granat,former Asst. Concertmaster of the Cleveland Orchestra ,Concertmaster of the Goteborg Symphony.Laureate of the Queen Elisabeth International Competition,Recipient of the Ysaye Medal.Frequent participant of the Marlboro Festival and the Casals Festival.The former Fulbright scholar taught...
– strings, violin - Mimi Granat – viola
- Reggie Griffith – guitar
- Alan Grubfeld – strings, violin
- Reggie HamiltonReggie HamiltonReggie Hamilton is an American session bass guitar player born in New York City.Growing up in a musical New York household, Hamilton received a guitar at age five from his mother. He soon grew attracted to the sound of the lower end, and switched to bass guitar; acclaimed New York bassist was his...
– bass - Paula Hochhalter – cello
- Norman Hughes – strings, violin
- Peter Kent – strings, violin
- Razdan Kuyumjian – strings, violin
- Ennis Melchan – strings, violin
- Ed Tree Moore – guitar
- Jim Mussien – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Robbie NevilRobbie NevilRobert S. "Robbie" Nevil is an American pop singer, songwriter, producer and guitarist. He is best known for his 1986 Billboard Hot 100 #2 hit, "C'est La Vie".-Life and career:...
– guitar - Dunn Pearson, Jr. – keyboardsMusical keyboardA musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument, particularly the piano. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the...
- Kizi Pitfika – viola
- Barbara Porter – strings, violin
- Steve Richards – cello
- Anatoly Rosinsky – electric guitar, strings, violin
- Bob Sanov – electric guitar, strings, violin
- Peter "Ski" Schwartz – strings
- Sheila E.Sheila E.Sheila Escovedo , known by her stage name Sheila E., is an American drummer and percussionist, perhaps best known for her work with Prince, George Duke and Ringo Starr.-Early life and Prince period:...
– percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration... - Raymond Tischer – viola
- Ken Yerke – electric guitar, strings, violin
Production
- Steve B. – assistant engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
- Gerald Baillergeau – engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Kyle Bess – assistant engineer, mixing
- Allen Bishop – assistant Engineer, engineer
- Bradley – producer
- Stuart BrawleyStuart BrawleyStuart Brawley is a Canadian musician and Juno Award nominated record producer and mixer based in Los Angeles. Brawley was nominated for a 2009 Juno award for Producer of the Year Award for his work on Emmy Rossum's album, Inside Out...
– mixing - Andrew Braxton – keyboards, producer
- Craig BrockmanCraig BrockmanCraig Brockman is a hip hop and R&B record producer, arranger, keyboardist, and instrumentalist. He mostly works with Missy Elliott, Timbaland and Nisan Stewart.-Production:...
– producer - Thom Cadley – engineer
- Bill Carr – assistant engineer
- Cecil T. Chambers – production coordination
- Rob ChiarelliRob ChiarelliRob Chiarelli is an American record producer, mix engineer, musician and published author. Widely recognized as a music producer for Will Smith and Men in Black II , Chiarelli's work appears on numerous Gold and Platinum albums and motion picture soundtracks, including seven Grammy Award...
– mixing - Jorge CoranteJorge CoranteJorge Corante is a music producer, songwriter and composer for film. Corante has worked with a number of high-profile artists and numerous films.- External links :...
– keyboards, producer, programming - Tom Coyne – mastering
- Martin Czembor – assistant engineer, mixing
- Kevin "KD" Davis – mixing
- David de la Cruz – stylist
- Joey Elias – assistant producer
- Drew FitzGerald – design
- Derrick Garrett – engineer, producer
- Jon Gass – mixing
- Bryan Golder – assistant engineer
- Kenny J. Gravillis – art directionArt directorThe art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
- Chris Habeck – Transfers
- Cedric "K-Ci" Hailey – executive producerExecutive producerAn executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
, performer, vocal arrangement, vocals, background vocals - Joel "JoJo" Hailey – executive producer, performer, producer, vocal arrangement, vocals, background vocals
- Mikael Ifversen – engineer
- Mauricio Iragorri – assistant engineer
- Étsuko Iseki – design
- Ken Jone – make-up
- Damon Jones – executive producer
- Adam Kagen – engineer
- Adam Kudzin – mixing
- Ernie Lake – engineer
- Tommy Lockheart – transfers
- Charity Lomax – assistant engineer
- Manny MarroquinManny MarroquinManny Marroquin, born 21 September 1971 in Guatemala, is a Grammy winning mixing engineer. His family moved to Los Angeles when he was nine due to the Guatemalan Civil War....
– engineer - Victor Merrit – engineer, mixing, producer
- James MtumeJames MtumeJames Mtume is a jazz and R&B musician and a radio personality. Mtume's group is perhaps best known for their 1983 R&B hit song "Juicy Fruit". The song was sampled by The Notorious B.I.G. in his song "Juicy"...
– engineer, keyboards, producer - Greg Mull – engineer
- Derek Nakamoto – arranger, string arrangements, strings
- Rene Ochoa – production coordination, project coordinator
- Emanuel Officer – vocal arrangement, background vocals
- Genard Parker – drums, keyboards, mixing
- Kevin Parker – engineer
- David Pelman – engineer
- Dave Pendasdo – mixing
- Dave Pensado – mixing
- Jimi Randolph – engineer
- Jeff ReddJeff Redd-Career:A New York native, Redd began singing with the short-lived group, The Sophisticated Gents, at the age of 17 in the mid-1980s. Redd has also appeared on Sesame Street....
– executive producer, producer - Vince Reynolds – assistant engineer
- Jon-John Robinson – drums, piano, producer
- Fred Rosser – drums, producer
- Mike Scielzi – engineer
- Matt Silva – assistant engineer, mixing
- Mike Smoov – engineer, producer
- Bradley Spalter – keyboards, producer, programming
- Laney StewartLaney StewartLaney Stewart is an American songwriter, music producer, musician, music publisher, music executive, manager and youth mentor....
– multi-instruments, producer - DeVante SwingDeVante SwingDonald Earle DeGrate, Jr. , better known by his stage name DeVante Swing, is an American record producer, singer, rapper and songwriter. Swing rose to fame in the 1990s as the founding member of the trendsetting R&B group Jodeci, one of the more popular R&B acts of its time...
– engineer, producer - Tom Vercillo – mixing
- Brian Vibberts – assistant engineer
- Randy WaldmanRandy WaldmanRandy Waldman is a Grammy Award-winning American pianist, arranger, composer and conductor. He is also an airplane and helicopter pilot and holds a 2003 flight speed record in a Bell OH-58 helicopter.- Career :...
– conductorConductingConducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
, string arrangements - Eric White – assistant engineer
- Joey Wlias – producer
- Jeffrey "Woody" Woodruff – engineer
Weekly charts
| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Canada Top CD/Albums (RPM RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... ) |
54 |
| Netherlands (MegaCharts MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... ) |
45 |
| UK Albums (The Official Charts Company) | 64 |
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
24 |
| R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
9 |
| Chart (1998) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... ) |
37 |
| Canada Top CD/Albums (RPM RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... ) |
26 |
| Netherlands (MegaCharts MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... ) |
19 |
| New Zealand (RIANZ) | 5 |
| Sweden (Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... ) |
28 |
| Switzerland (Swiss Music Charts Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... ) |
28 |
| UK Albums (The Official Charts Company) | 51 |
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
6 |
| US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
2 |
| Chart (1999) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
146 |
| US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
68 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
196 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
66 |
| Chart (1998) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
19 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... (Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... ) |
15 |
Certifications
Release history
| Region | Release date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | June 17, 1997 | CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... , cassette, LP LP album The LP, or long-playing microgroove record, is a format for phonograph records, an analog sound storage medium. Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948, it was soon adopted as a new standard by the entire record industry... |
MCA MCA Records MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003... |
|
| Germany | ||||
| Canada | June 24, 1997 | CD, cassette, LP | Universal Music Group Universal Music Group Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations... |
|
| Australia | August 1998 | CD | MCA International | |
| United Kingdom | March 20, 1999 | CD, cassette, LP | Universal Universal Records Universal Records was a record label owned by Universal Music Group, and it is now owned by Manny Patino and Michael Jackson, and operated as part of the Universal Motown Republic Group.-History:... / Island Island Records Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group... |
External links
- Love Always at BillboardBillboard (magazine)Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...