Loverboy (Mariah Carey song)
Encyclopedia
"Loverboy" is a song by American singer-songwriter
Mariah Carey
. It was released on July 16, 2001 by Virgin Records
as the lead single
from Carey's eighth studio album
, Glitter (2001). Written and produced by Carey, Larry Blackmon
, Thomas Jenkins
, Clark Kent
, "Loverboy" is built around a sample from "Candy" by Cameo
, who are also featured on the track. An uptempo song, it draws influence from R&B
, pop
and hip-hop
music genres, and incorporates derivatives from 1980s melodies. Lyrically, the song finds Carey fantasizing about her loverboy, a man that will fulfill her physical and sexual desires.
The song was subject to controversy, following reports that Jennifer Lopez
and Tommy Mottola
(Carey's ex-husband) stole the idea of sampling the singer's original planned sample, Yellow Magic Orchestra
's "Firecracker", over a month after Carey had signed for it. Since Carey's Glitter was to be released over a month after Lopez's album, she changed the song's melody to sample from "Candy" instead. Controversy ensued following the song's release; Carey was hospitalized for severe mental and physical exhaustion, following poorly received television appearances involving the song and album.
The song received generally mixed reviews from music critics; many felt Carey was overwhelmed by the song's guests (primarily on the remix version), while others felt it was unoriginal and dated. After the song's release in the United States, "Loverboy" stalled on the Billboard
Hot 100
, leading Virgin to reduce the price to 49 cents. After the price cut, the song reached a peak of number two on the Hot 100, though failing top the chart due to weak radio airplay. Though finishing as the best-selling song of 2001 in the United States, "Loverboy" became Carey's first lead single to not reach number one. Internationally, the song failed to garner strong charting, reaching the top-ten in Australia and Canada, and the top-twenty in Italy and the United Kingdom.
"Loverboy" was accompanied by an official remix, titled "Loverboy (Remix)", featuring guest artists Ludacris
, Da Brat
, Shawnna
and Twenty II. The remix was panned by critics, who felt that aside from overpowering Carey, the featured artists made the song disorganized. A music video, directed by David LaChapelle
, was shot for both versions of the song. The first version features Carey as a scantily-clad cheerleader, waving a flag as her loverboy finishes a race. The video for the remix version features similar footage, only including shots of the song's guests in race-cars during their verses.
program Total Request Live
(TRL). As the show's host Carson Daly
began taping following a commercial break, Carey came out onto the filming stage, pushing an ice cream cart while wearing a large men's shirt. Seemingly anxious and exhilarated, Carey began giving out individual bars of ice cream to fans and guests on the program, while waving to the crowd down below on Times Square
, while diverging into a rambling monologue regarding therapy. Carey then walked to Daly's platform and began a striptease
, in which she shed her shirt to reveal a tight yellow and green ensemble, leading him to exclaim "Mariah Carey has lost her mind!". While she later revealed that Daly was aware of her presence in the building prior to her appearance, she admitted that he was meant to act surprised in order to provide a more dramatic effect for the program. Carey's appearance on TRL garnered strong media attention, with many critics and newspapers citing her behavior as "troubled" and "erratic". In the days following her appearance on TRL, Carey had began displaying "erratic behavior" during a public record singing for the single at Tower Records
in New York. As the appearance was filmed, she began rambling on several points, leading her to discuss radio-host Howard Stern
, and how his form of humor on his program bothered her greatly. At that point, Carey's publicist Cindi Berger grabbed the microphone from her hand, and ordered the cameras to stop filming. Only days later, Carey began posting irregular voice notes and messages on her official website:
After the quick removal of the messages, Berger commented that Carey had been "obviously exhausted and not thinking clearly" when she posted the letters. Two days later on July 26, she was suddenly hospitalized, citing "extreme exhaustion" and a "physical and emotional breakdown". Following the heavy media coverage surrounding Carey's publicized breakdown and hospitalization, Virgin Records
and 20th Century Fox
delayed the release of both Glitter
, as well as its soundtrack of the same name. The announcement was made on August 9, 2001, that both the film and accompanying soundtrack would be postponed three weeks, from August 21 to September 11, and from August 31 to September 21. Following Carey's absence from the public eye, as well as her abandonment of promotional appearances for the film and soundtrack, her unprecedented $100 million five-album record deal with Virgin Records
(EMI Records
) was bought out for $50 million. The decision was brought out due to the low sales of the project, as well as the negative publicity surrounding her breakdown. Soon after, Carey flew to Capri, Italy for a period of five months, in which she began writing material for her new album, stemming from all the personal experiences she had endured throughout the past year. Additionally, she founded her own label modeled after her initials, MonarC Entertainment, and signed a new three-album record deal with Island Records
, valued at over $23 million.
, pop
and hip-hop
music genres, and incorporates derivatives from 1980s melodies. The song's Hook
is built around a sample of "Candy", by Cameo
. Aside from borrowing from the melody, "Loverboy" features Cameo as a lead vocalist on the track. According to Chuck Taylor from Billboard
, "Loverboy" is reminiscent of several of Carey previous lead singles
, as they too were predominantly built around samples of older songs. He described some of its background flourishes as "swirling harmonies overtop", and noted the inclusion of many shouts and ad-libs
from Carey and Cameo. Due to the song's heavy usage of the "Candy" sample, and the heavy blend of instrumentation and vocals, he said that to his bewilderment, the song was "devoid of a standard hook". MNE
s Elios Therepio felt the idea of sampling "Candy" was genius "on paper", but once recorded, suffered from various miscalculations. He felt it didn't match the success Carey's previous single, "Fantasy
" (which also recalled its melody from an older song), and criticized the inclusion of several over-the-top "keyboard and synth arrangements". Regarding Carey's voice, aside from describing it as "obscured", Therepio expressed his difficulty in understanding her lyrical phrases, claiming it was weakened from "no-everyone-can-understand-what-you're-saying'-itis". Gil Kaufman from MTV News
noted the inclusion of "bouncing funky bass [and] rock guitars", while Roger Caitlin of the Hartford Courant described how Carey was often reduced to "breathy background vocals" on "Loverboy". Lyrically, the song finds Carey looking for her "loverboy", and a sugar-daddy that's going to "love her right". Therepio found it ironic how Carey was crooning for a sugar-daddy, when she had just left one (referring to her older ex-husband Tommy Mottola
). Additionally, he felt Carey was molding her image from that of a balladeer, to a "pin-up image" of a pop star. The song's lyrics are racy, and feature the protagonist asking for her "loverboy" to fulfill her sexual desires: "Loverboy come on and love me / Give me more".
, "Loverboy". Originally, Carey had sampled the melody and hook from the 1978 Yellow Magic Orchestra
song "Firecracker", using an interpolation
of it throughout the chorus and introduction. In early theatrical trailers for Glitter, the original version of "Loverboy" was still featured. As Carey had ended her contract with Columbia Records
, Jennifer Lopez
was signed by Tommy Mottola
, and had begun recording material for her album, J.Lo (2001). According to The Inc.
's Irv Gotti, Mottola, head of Columbia and Carey's ex-husband, knew of Carey's usage of the "Firecracker" sample, and attempted to have Lopez use the same sample before her. At the time, Carey had become increasingly paranoid over outside executives being informed about Glitter, especially following news of Lopez's "theft" of the song. When the music publisher's for "Firecracker" were questioned, they admitted Carey had licensed usage of the sample first, and Lopez had signed for it over one month later, under Mottola's arrangement. Following the scandal, Carey was not able to use the original sample, as Lopez's album was to be released far earlier than Glitter. She subsequently changed the composition of "Loverboy", and incorporated a new sample, "Candy
" by Cameo
. According to Gotti, Mottola contacted him with instructions to create an additional song that sounded exactly like another Glitter track he produced, titled "If We" featuring rappers Ja Rule
and Nate Dogg
. The "Firecracker" sample was eventually used by Lopez on her song "I'm Real", from her album J.Lo.
described the song's production as a "traffic-jam" and wrote "'Loverboy' is another in an increasingly long line of glitzy, candy-coated, creatively stunted song." Writing for the Los Angeles Times
, Natalie Nichols felt "Loverboy" was "predictable" and presented nothing new for Carey's audience. USA Today
s Edna Gunderson wrote the song off as "skimpy", while Glenn Gamboa from Newsday
described its overall reception as "lukewarm". Harry Guerin from Raidió Teilifís Éireann
outed the song as one of Carey's "finest moments" on Glitter, and disagreed with criticism regarding he "overly-populated" musical background". Allmusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine
listed the song as the only "recommended" song from Glitter, while Gil Kaufman of MTV News
called it an "fun, uptempo dance number". Craig Seymour from Entertainment Weekly
rated "Loverboy" a C-, and criticized its lyrical content and production. An anonymous writer from The Guardian
felt the song had "no decipherable tune", due to the inclusion of electronic musical instruments and background shouts and ad-libs. Billboard
s Chuck Taylor described the song as "self-sabotage", and felt Carey was gambling her longevity. He described the production as a "mumbo jumbo of disparate elements", and wrote "the mighty may have fallen here".
s Hot Singles Sales chart for four consecutive weeks, though due to weak airplay, only managed to reach number two on the Hot 100. "Loverboy" finished as the best-selling single of 2001 in the United States, with sales of over 570,000 units, falling short of the previous years best-seller, which accumulated sales upwards of one million copies. The Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA) certified the song Gold
, denoting shipments of over 500,000 units. In Canada, "Loverboy" peaked at number three on the singles chart, and charted for a total of thirteen weeks.
Throughout Australasia and Europe, the song peaked outside the top-twenty in most major countries. "Loverboy" debuted at its peak position of number seven on the Australian Singles Chart
, during the week of July 29, 2001. The following week, the song began its decline, and experienced a total chart trajectory of seven weeks. The song was certified Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association
(ARIA), denoting shipments of over 35,000 units. On July 29, 2001, "Loverboy" debuted at number sixty-five on the Ö3 Austria Top 40
chart, spending a total of three weeks in the chart. The song achieved relatively weak charting in both the Flemmish and Wallonian territories in Belgium, peaking at numbers forty-nine and thirty-four, respectively. Making its debut at its peak position of number fifty-four, "Loverboy" charted for a total of nine weeks in France, before falling out on November 3, 2001. On the Dutch Top 40
chart, the song made its debut at number sixty-eight. The following week the song peaked at number thirty-four, before dropping outside the top 40 three weeks later, ending its five week run. On July 26, 2001, "Loverboy" debuted at number forty-nine on the Swedish Singles Chart
, and reached a peak of number forty-four. Similarly in Switzerland, the song peaked at number sixty-six, and spent only four weeks fluctuating inside the chart. On the UK Singles Chart
, the song debuted at its peak of number twelve. The following week, the song dropped to number twenty-nine on the chart, before dropping outside the top-forty two weeks later.
, Ludacris
, Shawnna
, and Twenty II. Critics panned the song, agreeing that the inclusion on the former pair only made it more difficult to hear and understand Carey's singing. Many described their inclusion as "upstaging" the singer, while others felt they made the song increasingly tumultuous. NME
writer Elios Therepio rated the remix five out of ten stars, and claimed the song to have been a much weaker lead single
than Carey's "Fantasy
" (1995). Jim Farber from Daily News criticized Brat's verse, writing how it "cut right through" the production. The Morning Call
s Len Righi described the remix as "cloddish", while Jim Abbott from the Orlando Sentinel
felt the song's guests "upstaged" Carey.
, were shot for the song and its accompanying remix. The videos introduced a less demure image of Carey, one that received negative backlash from critics. She appears in the video with a lighter hair color than she had sported in the past, and wearing a series of revealing ensembles. Reviewers disregarded Carey's newer image, primarily her double-handkerchief bra, and likened her to younger pop singers such as Britney Spears
, which they felt cheapened the singer. The video begins with Cameo driving all over a racetrack, while Carey, dressed in revealing clothing, is shown singing in various "car girl" positions at the track on a hot summer day. She flags down cars as the "flag girl" and dances as a "tire girl" in a kaleidoscope
-inspired sequence, before jumping out of a cake to the roars of the crowd below. Several other scenes of Carey in a pink jumpsuit while riding on top of a race-car are shown, during which Cameo continues the race. A video was also made for the remix and retains most of the shots of the original. In it, Ludacris and Shawnna
can be seen rapping together as they ride in an old car, while Da Brat and Twenty II rap together in a more modern car without a hood.
criticized the video, calling it "wacky" and describing Carey's choreography as "running amok". Slant Magazine
's Sal Cinquemani felt the video was "brilliantly over-the-top", while an anonymous columnist from NME
commented that it would cause male viewers to "play with themselves" after watching. In a countdown of the "The 5 Least Sexiest Music Videos", Priya Elan from NME included the video at number three, writing how the singer "spins with the mad-eyed grace of someone who hasn’t been to sleep for 72 hours" (referring to Carey's mention of insomnia as a reason for her breakdown). Japiya Burns of The Michigan Daily was critical of Carey's portrayal in the video, primarily her double-handkerchief bra. He felt that in doing so, Carey was cheapening herself and her image to resemble younger pop singers such as Britney Spears
.
Australian promo CD single
Japanese CD single
European CD maxi-single
European CD single
UK 12" vinyl single
UK Promo maxi-single
US CD maxi-single
Remix
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
. It was released on July 16, 2001 by Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
as the lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
from Carey's eighth studio album
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
, Glitter (2001). Written and produced by Carey, Larry Blackmon
Larry Blackmon
Larry Ernest Blackmon is the lead singer and frontman for the funk and R&B band, Cameo. He came to Cameo from the band, Black Ivory....
, Thomas Jenkins
Cameo (band)
Cameo is an American soul-influenced funk group that formed in the early 1970s. Cameo was initially a 13-member group known as the New York City Players; this name was later changed to Cameo to avoid a lawsuit from Ohio Players, another group from that era. Since then, Cameo has recorded several...
, Clark Kent
Clark Kent (producer)
Clark Kent is a hip hop DJ, record producer and music executive of Panamanian descent . His crew of DJs is called "The Supermen", and his DJ moniker is derived from the name of Superman's alter ego....
, "Loverboy" is built around a sample from "Candy" by Cameo
Cameo (band)
Cameo is an American soul-influenced funk group that formed in the early 1970s. Cameo was initially a 13-member group known as the New York City Players; this name was later changed to Cameo to avoid a lawsuit from Ohio Players, another group from that era. Since then, Cameo has recorded several...
, who are also featured on the track. An uptempo song, it draws influence from R&B
Contemporary 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...
, pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and hip-hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
music genres, and incorporates derivatives from 1980s melodies. Lyrically, the song finds Carey fantasizing about her loverboy, a man that will fulfill her physical and sexual desires.
The song was subject to controversy, following reports that Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
and Tommy Mottola
Tommy Mottola
Thomas Daniel "Tommy" Mottola is an American music executive, co-owner of Casablanca Records in a joint venture with the Universal Music Group. He is the ex-husband of Mariah Carey and is married to Mexican singer Thalía...
(Carey's ex-husband) stole the idea of sampling the singer's original planned sample, Yellow Magic Orchestra
Yellow Magic Orchestra
Sakamoto first worked with Hosono as a member of his live band in 1976, while Takahashi recruited Sakamoto to produce his debut solo recording in 1977 following the split of the Sadistic Mika Band...
's "Firecracker", over a month after Carey had signed for it. Since Carey's Glitter was to be released over a month after Lopez's album, she changed the song's melody to sample from "Candy" instead. Controversy ensued following the song's release; Carey was hospitalized for severe mental and physical exhaustion, following poorly received television appearances involving the song and album.
The song received generally mixed reviews from music critics; many felt Carey was overwhelmed by the song's guests (primarily on the remix version), while others felt it was unoriginal and dated. After the song's release in the United States, "Loverboy" stalled on the 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...
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...
, leading Virgin to reduce the price to 49 cents. After the price cut, the song reached a peak of number two on the Hot 100, though failing top the chart due to weak radio airplay. Though finishing as the best-selling song of 2001 in the United States, "Loverboy" became Carey's first lead single to not reach number one. Internationally, the song failed to garner strong charting, reaching the top-ten in Australia and Canada, and the top-twenty in Italy and the United Kingdom.
"Loverboy" was accompanied by an official remix, titled "Loverboy (Remix)", featuring guest artists Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
, Da Brat
Da Brat
Shawntae Harris , better known as Da Brat, is an American rapper and actress. Her debut album, Funkdafied, sold one million copies, making her the first female rapper to have a platinum-selling album.-Early life:...
, Shawnna
Shawnna
Rashawnna Guy , better known by her stage name Shawnna is an American rapper. She was the first female artist signed to Def Jam through Ludacris' Disturbing tha Peace Records...
and Twenty II. The remix was panned by critics, who felt that aside from overpowering Carey, the featured artists made the song disorganized. A music video, directed by David LaChapelle
David LaChapelle
David LaChapelle is a photographer and director who works in the fields of fashion, advertising, and fine art photography, and is noted for his surreal, unique, sexualized, and often humorous style.-Early life:...
, was shot for both versions of the song. The first version features Carey as a scantily-clad cheerleader, waving a flag as her loverboy finishes a race. The video for the remix version features similar footage, only including shots of the song's guests in race-cars during their verses.
Background and release
Following the release of "Loverboy", Carey embarked on a short promotional campaign for the song. On July 19, 2001, Carey made a surprise appearance on the MTVMTV
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....
program Total Request Live
Total Request Live
Total Request Live is a television series on MTV that featured popular music videos. TRL was MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL featured daily guests...
(TRL). As the show's host Carson Daly
Carson Daly
Carson Jones Daly is an American television host. He is the host of NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, a late-night talk show that began airing on January 7, 2002. Before his role as host of that program, Daly was a VJ on MTV's TRL, and a DJ for the Southern California based radio station KROQ-FM...
began taping following a commercial break, Carey came out onto the filming stage, pushing an ice cream cart while wearing a large men's shirt. Seemingly anxious and exhilarated, Carey began giving out individual bars of ice cream to fans and guests on the program, while waving to the crowd down below on Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
, while diverging into a rambling monologue regarding therapy. Carey then walked to Daly's platform and began a striptease
Striptease
A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner...
, in which she shed her shirt to reveal a tight yellow and green ensemble, leading him to exclaim "Mariah Carey has lost her mind!". While she later revealed that Daly was aware of her presence in the building prior to her appearance, she admitted that he was meant to act surprised in order to provide a more dramatic effect for the program. Carey's appearance on TRL garnered strong media attention, with many critics and newspapers citing her behavior as "troubled" and "erratic". In the days following her appearance on TRL, Carey had began displaying "erratic behavior" during a public record singing for the single at Tower Records
Tower Records
Tower Records was a retail music chain that was based in Sacramento, California. It currently exists as an international franchise and an online music store....
in New York. As the appearance was filmed, she began rambling on several points, leading her to discuss radio-host Howard Stern
Howard Stern
Howard Allan Stern is an American radio personality, television host, author, and actor best known for his radio show, which was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2005. He gained wide recognition in the 1990s where he was labeled a "shock jock" for his outspoken and sometimes controversial style...
, and how his form of humor on his program bothered her greatly. At that point, Carey's publicist Cindi Berger grabbed the microphone from her hand, and ordered the cameras to stop filming. Only days later, Carey began posting irregular voice notes and messages on her official website:
I'm trying to understand things in life right now and so I really don't feel that I should be doing music right now. What I'd like to do is just a take a little break or at least get one night of sleep without someone popping up about a video. All I really want is [to] just be me and that's what I should have done in the first place ... I don't say this much but guess what, I don't take care of myself.
After the quick removal of the messages, Berger commented that Carey had been "obviously exhausted and not thinking clearly" when she posted the letters. Two days later on July 26, she was suddenly hospitalized, citing "extreme exhaustion" and a "physical and emotional breakdown". Following the heavy media coverage surrounding Carey's publicized breakdown and hospitalization, Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
and 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
delayed the release of both Glitter
Glitter (film)
Glitter is a 2001 film starring R&B singer, songwriter Mariah Carey. It was produced by 20th Century Fox and Columbia Pictures and directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall. It centers on the life and times of a struggling singer from the early club music scene in the 1980s.-Production:Carey has said about...
, as well as its soundtrack of the same name. The announcement was made on August 9, 2001, that both the film and accompanying soundtrack would be postponed three weeks, from August 21 to September 11, and from August 31 to September 21. Following Carey's absence from the public eye, as well as her abandonment of promotional appearances for the film and soundtrack, her unprecedented $100 million five-album record deal with Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
(EMI Records
EMI Records
EMI Records is the flagship record label founded by the EMI company in 1972 and launched in January 1973 as the successor to its Columbia label. The EMI label was launched worldwide...
) was bought out for $50 million. The decision was brought out due to the low sales of the project, as well as the negative publicity surrounding her breakdown. Soon after, Carey flew to Capri, Italy for a period of five months, in which she began writing material for her new album, stemming from all the personal experiences she had endured throughout the past year. Additionally, she founded her own label modeled after her initials, MonarC Entertainment, and signed a new three-album record deal with Island Records
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...
, valued at over $23 million.
Composition
"Loverboy" is an uptempo song, which draws influence from 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...
, pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and hip-hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
music genres, and incorporates derivatives from 1980s melodies. The song's Hook
Hook (music)
A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to "catch the ear of the listener". The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often...
is built around a sample of "Candy", by Cameo
Cameo (band)
Cameo is an American soul-influenced funk group that formed in the early 1970s. Cameo was initially a 13-member group known as the New York City Players; this name was later changed to Cameo to avoid a lawsuit from Ohio Players, another group from that era. Since then, Cameo has recorded several...
. Aside from borrowing from the melody, "Loverboy" features Cameo as a lead vocalist on the track. According to Chuck Taylor from 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...
, "Loverboy" is reminiscent of several of Carey previous lead singles
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
, as they too were predominantly built around samples of older songs. He described some of its background flourishes as "swirling harmonies overtop", and noted the inclusion of many shouts and ad-libs
Ad libitum
Ad libitum is Latin for "at one's pleasure"; it is often shortened to "ad lib" or "ad-lib"...
from Carey and Cameo. Due to the song's heavy usage of the "Candy" sample, and the heavy blend of instrumentation and vocals, he said that to his bewilderment, the song was "devoid of a standard hook". MNE
MNE
MNE may mean:* Minimum Number of Elements, a measure in Zooarchaeology* Multinational Enterprise* Multinational Experiment, a country in Southeastern Europe, has the international licence plate code and ISO country code MNE...
s Elios Therepio felt the idea of sampling "Candy" was genius "on paper", but once recorded, suffered from various miscalculations. He felt it didn't match the success Carey's previous single, "Fantasy
Fantasy (Mariah Carey song)
"Fantasy" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on September 12, 1995 by Columbia Records as the lead single for her fifth studio album, Daydream . The song was written by Carey and Dave Hall, both serving as primary producers alongside Sean Combs...
" (which also recalled its melody from an older song), and criticized the inclusion of several over-the-top "keyboard and synth arrangements". Regarding Carey's voice, aside from describing it as "obscured", Therepio expressed his difficulty in understanding her lyrical phrases, claiming it was weakened from "no-everyone-can-understand-what-you're-saying'-itis". Gil Kaufman from MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
noted the inclusion of "bouncing funky bass [and] rock guitars", while Roger Caitlin of the Hartford Courant described how Carey was often reduced to "breathy background vocals" on "Loverboy". Lyrically, the song finds Carey looking for her "loverboy", and a sugar-daddy that's going to "love her right". Therepio found it ironic how Carey was crooning for a sugar-daddy, when she had just left one (referring to her older ex-husband Tommy Mottola
Tommy Mottola
Thomas Daniel "Tommy" Mottola is an American music executive, co-owner of Casablanca Records in a joint venture with the Universal Music Group. He is the ex-husband of Mariah Carey and is married to Mexican singer Thalía...
). Additionally, he felt Carey was molding her image from that of a balladeer, to a "pin-up image" of a pop star. The song's lyrics are racy, and feature the protagonist asking for her "loverboy" to fulfill her sexual desires: "Loverboy come on and love me / Give me more".
Sampling controversy
Throughout 2000, Carey had already been writing and recording material for Glitter. During this period, she developed the concept for the album's lead singleLead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
, "Loverboy". Originally, Carey had sampled the melody and hook from the 1978 Yellow Magic Orchestra
Yellow Magic Orchestra
Sakamoto first worked with Hosono as a member of his live band in 1976, while Takahashi recruited Sakamoto to produce his debut solo recording in 1977 following the split of the Sadistic Mika Band...
song "Firecracker", using an interpolation
Interpolation (music)
Interpolation in music refers to an abrupt change in musical elements from the main theme.-In classical music:In music and musical composition, especially 20th century and later, interpolation is an abrupt change of elements, with continuation of the first idea...
of it throughout the chorus and introduction. In early theatrical trailers for Glitter, the original version of "Loverboy" was still featured. As Carey had ended her contract with Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
was signed by Tommy Mottola
Tommy Mottola
Thomas Daniel "Tommy" Mottola is an American music executive, co-owner of Casablanca Records in a joint venture with the Universal Music Group. He is the ex-husband of Mariah Carey and is married to Mexican singer Thalía...
, and had begun recording material for her album, J.Lo (2001). According to The Inc.
The Inc. Records
The Inc. Records , is an American record label, owned by Irv Gotti.In 1999, Murder Inc. released its first album, Venni Vetti Vecci by Ja Rule. The album featured the hit single "Holla Holla". The album was executively produced by Irv Gotti and moved on to go platinum, which rose Ja Rule and...
's Irv Gotti, Mottola, head of Columbia and Carey's ex-husband, knew of Carey's usage of the "Firecracker" sample, and attempted to have Lopez use the same sample before her. At the time, Carey had become increasingly paranoid over outside executives being informed about Glitter, especially following news of Lopez's "theft" of the song. When the music publisher's for "Firecracker" were questioned, they admitted Carey had licensed usage of the sample first, and Lopez had signed for it over one month later, under Mottola's arrangement. Following the scandal, Carey was not able to use the original sample, as Lopez's album was to be released far earlier than Glitter. She subsequently changed the composition of "Loverboy", and incorporated a new sample, "Candy
Candy (Cameo song)
"Candy" is a song by funk group Cameo, released as the second single from their 1986 album Word Up!. It reached number twenty-one on the Hot 100 and number one on the R&B charts in 1987...
" by Cameo
Cameo (band)
Cameo is an American soul-influenced funk group that formed in the early 1970s. Cameo was initially a 13-member group known as the New York City Players; this name was later changed to Cameo to avoid a lawsuit from Ohio Players, another group from that era. Since then, Cameo has recorded several...
. According to Gotti, Mottola contacted him with instructions to create an additional song that sounded exactly like another Glitter track he produced, titled "If We" featuring rappers Ja Rule
Ja Rule
Jeffrey Atkins , better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor.Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla"...
and Nate Dogg
Nate Dogg
Nathaniel Dwayne Hale , better known by his stage name Nate Dogg, was an American musician. He is noted for his membership of rap trio 213 and his solo career in which he collaborated with Dr. Dre, Warren G, Tupac and Snoop Dogg on many hit releases. Nate Dogg released three solo albums, G-Funk...
. The "Firecracker" sample was eventually used by Lopez on her song "I'm Real", from her album J.Lo.
Critical reception
"Loverboy" was me with generally mixed reviews from music critics; many were not impressed with the incorporation of the sample, and felt the song didn't lead Carey into any newer ground or innovation. Additionally, several reviewers were not impressed with Carey's concealed vocals and the song's overly-complicated production. Sarah Rodman of the Boston HeraldBoston Herald
The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
described the song's production as a "traffic-jam" and wrote "'Loverboy' is another in an increasingly long line of glitzy, candy-coated, creatively stunted song." Writing for the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, Natalie Nichols felt "Loverboy" was "predictable" and presented nothing new for Carey's audience. USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
s Edna Gunderson wrote the song off as "skimpy", while Glenn Gamboa from Newsday
Newsday
Newsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
described its overall reception as "lukewarm". Harry Guerin from Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
outed the song as one of Carey's "finest moments" on Glitter, and disagreed with criticism regarding he "overly-populated" musical background". Allmusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
listed the song as the only "recommended" song from Glitter, while Gil Kaufman of MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
called it an "fun, uptempo dance number". Craig Seymour from Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
rated "Loverboy" a C-, and criticized its lyrical content and production. An anonymous writer from The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
felt the song had "no decipherable tune", due to the inclusion of electronic musical instruments and background shouts and ad-libs. 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...
s Chuck Taylor described the song as "self-sabotage", and felt Carey was gambling her longevity. He described the production as a "mumbo jumbo of disparate elements", and wrote "the mighty may have fallen here".
Chart performance
Prior to Virgin's release of "Loverboy", Carey halted all promotional appearances corresponding to the song. Citing an emotional breakdown and a subsequent hospitalization, Carey remained out of the public eye for several weeks. After its release, "Loverboy" failed to garner strong charting on prominent international markets, and received poor radio airplay throughout the United States. After "languishing" on stateside radio, Virgin reduced the price of the single to 49 cents, hoping to induce a surge in sales. Following the song's price cut, "Loverboy" peaked atop the 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...
s Hot Singles Sales chart for four consecutive weeks, though due to weak airplay, only managed to reach number two on the Hot 100. "Loverboy" finished as the best-selling single of 2001 in the United States, with sales of over 570,000 units, falling short of the previous years best-seller, which accumulated sales upwards of one million copies. 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) certified the song Gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
, denoting shipments of over 500,000 units. In Canada, "Loverboy" peaked at number three on the singles chart, and charted for a total of thirteen weeks.
Throughout Australasia and Europe, the song peaked outside the top-twenty in most major countries. "Loverboy" debuted at its peak position of number seven on the Australian Singles Chart
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...
, during the week of July 29, 2001. The following week, the song began its decline, and experienced a total chart trajectory of seven weeks. The song 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), denoting shipments of over 35,000 units. On July 29, 2001, "Loverboy" debuted at number sixty-five on the Ö3 Austria Top 40
Ö3 Austria Top 40
Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann...
chart, spending a total of three weeks in the chart. The song achieved relatively weak charting in both the Flemmish and Wallonian territories in Belgium, peaking at numbers forty-nine and thirty-four, respectively. Making its debut at its peak position of number fifty-four, "Loverboy" charted for a total of nine weeks in France, before falling out on November 3, 2001. On the Dutch Top 40
Dutch Top 40
The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting...
chart, the song made its debut at number sixty-eight. The following week the song peaked at number thirty-four, before dropping outside the top 40 three weeks later, ending its five week run. On July 26, 2001, "Loverboy" debuted at number forty-nine on the Swedish Singles Chart
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 ....
, and reached a peak of number forty-four. Similarly in Switzerland, the song peaked at number sixty-six, and spent only four weeks fluctuating inside the chart. 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 ...
, the song debuted at its peak of number twelve. The following week, the song dropped to number twenty-nine on the chart, before dropping outside the top-forty two weeks later.
Remix
Aside from the regular version of the song, an official remix of "Loverboy" was included on Glitter. The song's main remix, titled "Loverboy" (Remix), uses the same sample as the album version and retains all of Carey's original vocals. It has a different introduction, the singing and spoken parts of Cameo are greatly reduced (and are not credited), and additional raps are included by Da BratDa Brat
Shawntae Harris , better known as Da Brat, is an American rapper and actress. Her debut album, Funkdafied, sold one million copies, making her the first female rapper to have a platinum-selling album.-Early life:...
, Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
, Shawnna
Shawnna
Rashawnna Guy , better known by her stage name Shawnna is an American rapper. She was the first female artist signed to Def Jam through Ludacris' Disturbing tha Peace Records...
, and Twenty II. Critics panned the song, agreeing that the inclusion on the former pair only made it more difficult to hear and understand Carey's singing. Many described their inclusion as "upstaging" the singer, while others felt they made the song increasingly tumultuous. NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
writer Elios Therepio rated the remix five out of ten stars, and claimed the song to have been a much weaker lead single
Lead single
A lead single is usually the first single released by a musician or a band before the release of its home album.During the era of the grammophone record, all music arrived in the marketplace as what is now termed a single, one potential hit song backed by an additional song of generally less...
than Carey's "Fantasy
Fantasy (Mariah Carey song)
"Fantasy" is a song by American singer-songwriter Mariah Carey. It was released on September 12, 1995 by Columbia Records as the lead single for her fifth studio album, Daydream . The song was written by Carey and Dave Hall, both serving as primary producers alongside Sean Combs...
" (1995). Jim Farber from Daily News criticized Brat's verse, writing how it "cut right through" the production. The Morning Call
The Morning Call
The Morning Call is a daily newspaper based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The newspaper is owned by the Tribune Company, whose other publications include the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and Baltimore Sun....
s Len Righi described the remix as "cloddish", while Jim Abbott from the Orlando Sentinel
Orlando Sentinel
The Orlando Sentinel is the primary newspaper of the Orlando, Florida region. It was founded in 1876. The Sentinel is owned by Tribune Company and is overseen by the Chicago Tribune. As of 2005, the Sentinel’s president and publisher was Kathleen Waltz; she announced her resignation in February 2008...
felt the song's guests "upstaged" Carey.
Synopsis
Two music videos, both directed by David LaChapelleDavid LaChapelle
David LaChapelle is a photographer and director who works in the fields of fashion, advertising, and fine art photography, and is noted for his surreal, unique, sexualized, and often humorous style.-Early life:...
, were shot for the song and its accompanying remix. The videos introduced a less demure image of Carey, one that received negative backlash from critics. She appears in the video with a lighter hair color than she had sported in the past, and wearing a series of revealing ensembles. Reviewers disregarded Carey's newer image, primarily her double-handkerchief bra, and likened her to younger pop singers such as Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, which they felt cheapened the singer. The video begins with Cameo driving all over a racetrack, while Carey, dressed in revealing clothing, is shown singing in various "car girl" positions at the track on a hot summer day. She flags down cars as the "flag girl" and dances as a "tire girl" in a kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope
A kaleidoscope is a circle of mirrors containing loose, colored objects such as beads or pebbles and bits of glass. As the viewer looks into one end, light entering the other end creates a colorful pattern, due to the reflection off the mirrors...
-inspired sequence, before jumping out of a cake to the roars of the crowd below. Several other scenes of Carey in a pink jumpsuit while riding on top of a race-car are shown, during which Cameo continues the race. A video was also made for the remix and retains most of the shots of the original. In it, Ludacris and Shawnna
Shawnna
Rashawnna Guy , better known by her stage name Shawnna is an American rapper. She was the first female artist signed to Def Jam through Ludacris' Disturbing tha Peace Records...
can be seen rapping together as they ride in an old car, while Da Brat and Twenty II rap together in a more modern car without a hood.
Reception
The music video for "Loverboy" received generally mixed reviews from critics, many of whom felt Carey was portrayed in an overtly sexual manner. A writer from The GuardianThe Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
criticized the video, calling it "wacky" and describing Carey's choreography as "running amok". Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
's Sal Cinquemani felt the video was "brilliantly over-the-top", while an anonymous columnist from NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
commented that it would cause male viewers to "play with themselves" after watching. In a countdown of the "The 5 Least Sexiest Music Videos", Priya Elan from NME included the video at number three, writing how the singer "spins with the mad-eyed grace of someone who hasn’t been to sleep for 72 hours" (referring to Carey's mention of insomnia as a reason for her breakdown). Japiya Burns of The Michigan Daily was critical of Carey's portrayal in the video, primarily her double-handkerchief bra. He felt that in doing so, Carey was cheapening herself and her image to resemble younger pop singers such as Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
.
Formats and track listings
Australian CD single- "Loverboy" (featuring CameoCameo (band)Cameo is an American soul-influenced funk group that formed in the early 1970s. Cameo was initially a 13-member group known as the New York City Players; this name was later changed to Cameo to avoid a lawsuit from Ohio Players, another group from that era. Since then, Cameo has recorded several...
) - "Loverboy" (Remix featuring Da BratDa BratShawntae Harris , better known as Da Brat, is an American rapper and actress. Her debut album, Funkdafied, sold one million copies, making her the first female rapper to have a platinum-selling album.-Early life:...
and LudacrisLudacrisChristopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
) - "Loverboy" (Club of Love Remix)
- "Loverboy" (MJ Cole Remix)
- "Loverboy" (Dub Love Remix)
Australian promo CD single
- "Loverboy" (featuring Cameo)
- "Loverboy" (David Morales Club of Love Mix)
- "Loverboy" (Remix Featuring Da Brat & Ludacris)
- "Loverboy" (MJ Cole Main Mix Radio Edit)
- "Loverboy" (David Morales Drums Of Love Mix)
Japanese CD single
- "Loverboy" (featuring Cameo)
- "Loverboy" (Remix featuring Da Brat and Ludacris)
European CD maxi-single
- "Loverboy" (MJ Cole Remix)
- "Loverboy" (MJ Cole Radio Edit)
- "Loverboy" (MJ Cole London Dub Mix)
- "Loverboy" (MJ Cole Instrumental)
- "Loverboy" (Club of Love Remix)
- "Loverboy" (Club of Love Radio Edit)
- "Loverboy" (Dreamy Club of Love Radio Edit)
- "Loverboy" (Dub of Love Remix)
- "Loverboy" (Drums of Love)
European CD single
- "Loverboy" (featuring Cameo)
- "Loverboy" (Remix featuring Da Brat and Ludacris)
UK 12" vinyl single
- "Loverboy" (Drums of Love)
- "Loverboy" (Dub Love Remix)
- "Loverboy" (MJ Cole London Dub Mix)
UK Promo maxi-single
- "Loverboy" (featuring Cameo)
- "Loverboy" (MJ Cole Remix)
- "Loverboy" (Club of Love Remix)
US CD maxi-single
- "Loverboy" (featuring Cameo)
- "Loverboy" (Remix featuring Da Brat and Ludacris)
- "Loverboy" (MJ Cole Remix)
- "Loverboy" (MJ Cole Instrumental)
- "Loverboy" (MJ Cole London Dub Mix)
- "Loverboy" (Club of Love Remix)
- "Loverboy" (Dub Love Remix)
- "Loverboy" (Drums of Love)
Credits and personnel
Credits for Glitter adapted from the album's liner notes.- Mariah CareyMariah CareyMariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
– songwriting, 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...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, background vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists... - Larry BlackmonLarry BlackmonLarry Ernest Blackmon is the lead singer and frontman for the funk and R&B band, Cameo. He came to Cameo from the band, Black Ivory....
– songwriting - Tomi JenkinsCameo (band)Cameo is an American soul-influenced funk group that formed in the early 1970s. Cameo was initially a 13-member group known as the New York City Players; this name was later changed to Cameo to avoid a lawsuit from Ohio Players, another group from that era. Since then, Cameo has recorded several...
– songwriting - Clark KentClark Kent (producer)Clark Kent is a hip hop DJ, record producer and music executive of Panamanian descent . His crew of DJs is called "The Supermen", and his DJ moniker is derived from the name of Superman's alter ego....
– producer - Carl "Butch" Small – 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...
- Peter NovakPeter NovakPeter Aerts also known as Peter Novak , is one of Belgium's leading DJ's.- Biography :...
– engineer - Andrew Felluss – engineer
- Ann Mincieli – engineer
- Anthony Kilhoffer – engineer
- Elliot Blakely – engineer
- Dana Jon Chappelle – 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...
- Michael "Mikizza" Schlesinger – mixing
- CameoCameo (band)Cameo is an American soul-influenced funk group that formed in the early 1970s. Cameo was initially a 13-member group known as the New York City Players; this name was later changed to Cameo to avoid a lawsuit from Ohio Players, another group from that era. Since then, Cameo has recorded several...
– vocals - Mary Ann Tatum – background vocals
Remix
- Da BratDa BratShawntae Harris , better known as Da Brat, is an American rapper and actress. Her debut album, Funkdafied, sold one million copies, making her the first female rapper to have a platinum-selling album.-Early life:...
– songwriting, vocals - LudacrisLudacrisChristopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...
– songwriting, vocals - ShawnnaShawnnaRashawnna Guy , better known by her stage name Shawnna is an American rapper. She was the first female artist signed to Def Jam through Ludacris' Disturbing tha Peace Records...
– songwriting, vocals - Twenty II – songwriting, vocals
Charts
| Chart (2001) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart 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... |
7 |
| Austrian Singles Chart Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
66 |
| Belgian Flandres Singles Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... |
49 |
| Belgian Wallonia Singles Chart Ultratop Ultratop is an organization which generates and publishes the official record charts in Belgium, and it is also the name of most of those charts... |
34 |
| Canadian Singles Chart Canadian Singles Chart The Canadian Singles Chart is currently compiled by the U.S.-based music sales tracking company, Nielsen SoundScan . The chart is compiled every Wednesday, and is published by Jam! Canoe on Thursdays.... |
3 |
| Dutch Singles Chart Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
34 |
| French Singles Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
54 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
57 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
50 |
| Italian Singles Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
13 |
| Japanese Singles Chart Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... |
32 |
| Swedish Singles Chart 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 .... |
44 |
| Swiss Singles Chart 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... |
66 |
| 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 ... |
12 |
| US 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... |
2 |
| US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play | 45 |
| US Billboard 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,... |
1 |
| US Billboard Hot Singles Sales | 1 |
Certifications
| Region | Certifications |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA 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... ) |
Gold |
| United States (RIAA 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... ) |
Platinum |
Year-end charts
| End of Year Chart (2001) | Position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 80 |