Year of the Gentleman
Encyclopedia
Year of the Gentleman is the third studio album
by American R&B
and pop
singer-songwriter Ne-Yo
, released September 16, 2008, on Def Jam Recordings
in the United States. Ne-Yo worked with several record producers for the album, including Stargate
, Chuck Harmony
, Polow da Don
, Stereotypes
, and Reggie "Syience" Perry
, among others.
Year of the Gentleman received positive reviews from most music critics upon its release, who complimented its musical aesthetic and Ne-Yo's songwriting, and it earned him seven Grammy Award
nominations, including for Album of the Year
. It was also met with a considerable amount of commercial success and sales. The album produced four singles, including international hits "Closer
", "Miss Independent
", and "Mad
". Year of the Gentleman has been certified platinum
by the Recording Industry Association of America
, for shipments of one million copies in the United States. It has also been certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry
, for shipments of 600,000 copies in the United Kingdom.
cited the 1960s American
group Rat Pack
, particularly members Frank Sinatra
and Sammy Davis, Jr.
as influences, whose style inspired his clothes and music. Explaining the album's title, he said he was "trying to take it back to where you couldn't walk out of the house unless you looked your best". Commenting on the likes of the Rat Pack and Nat King Cole he commented that "they're suited and everything is right from top to bottom. Not saying it has to be a suit, 'cause clothes don't make the man — it's the attitude and person. The music
needs to personify that.". No featurings are present on the album, as previously announced, though "Single
" also features as a version with New Kids on the Block
on their album, The Block
.
Although Ne-Yo has claimed that he wanted to "take a different direction" on the album by not making R&B sounds, however, according to Billboard
magazine, "it seems he still has a heavy—yet welcome—case of the (rhythm and) blues on the finished product". The scene in the background for the cover was shot at the $20 million dollar mansion, known as Pink Palace, in the Buckhead
district of Atlanta, Georgia
.
", was released on April 15. The song debuted at number twenty-two on the UK Singles Chart
, and later reached number one. On Billboard's Hot 100, the song peaked at number seven, while it has reached number one on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. The second single was supposed to be "Stop This World", but was replaced by "Miss Independent
", which was released on August 11. The physical release will be accompanied by a video which premiered on August 21 on Access Granted
.
Both of these songs are produced and co-written by Stargate. The album was re-released on December 3, 2008 in Japan, featuring the original Japanese bonus tracks, "What's The Matter" and "She Got Her Own" (featuring Fabolous & Jamie Foxx), as well as two remixes of "Closer" and an exclusive US iTunes track "In The Way" (tracklist on hmv.co.jp)
The third single is confirmed to be "Mad
" and goes for adds on Urban/Rhythmic on October 14, 2008. A video has been made for song "She Got Her Own" and is the official international single. On May 21, 2008 -- months before the album's release -- Ne-Yo performed the ballad "Stop This World" on the ABC
soap opera All My Children
. Appearing as himself, Ne-Yo sang the song during the lavish wedding ceremony of supercouple Jesse and Angie Hubbard. The fourth single is confirmed to be "Part of the List
". The music video is shot in Prague on March 22. Director is TAJ of the Popular Kid. Video produced by Andrew Listermann of Riveting Entertainment.
with 250,000 copies sold making his first album not to debut at number one on the chart. The album debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart
, giving Ne-Yo his highest-charting album in the UK, beating Because of You, which debuted at number six in 2007. In Japan, the album debuted at number one and has thus far sold over 200,000 copies and in the UK 100,000 copies in its first week. The album has since been certified platinum in the UK and Japan. The album went on to sell 371,000 copies during 2008 in the UK, and finished at #24 in the year end chart. In the US the album remained in the top 10 for its first five weeks and has been certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of more than 1 million copies. Additionally, the album enjoyed strong Top Ten debuts in both Canada and Australia.
. Caryn Ganz of Rolling Stone
magazine gave Year of the Gentleman 4 out of 5 stars and stated "The 28-year-old singer-songwriter says his latest collection of heartfelt love songs is a tribute to the Rat Pack's pressed-suit style, but it's actually a superb concept album about what a great boyfriend he can be." However, Slant Magazine
's Eric Henderson gave the album 3 out of 5 stars and called it "musically uneven and ballad-heavy". Robert Christgau
gave the album a rating of honorable mention , indicating a "likable effort consumers attuned to its overriding aesthetic or individual vision may well enjoy". Vibes Brad Wete wrote that Ne-Yo "is a stronger, more confident man than the one many remember licking his wounds" on his previous work. Newsday
writer Glenn Gamboa gave it an A- rating and wrote "for the bulk of the album, Ne-Yo has simply honed his hit-making skills, churning out one memorable melody after another, building an album that finally lives up to the potential he only hinted at on his first two releases, both lyrically and vocally". The album was nominated for six Grammys Awards, including Album of the Year
at the 51st Grammy Awards
. According to Rolling Stone, the album is also rated number 33 among the 50 Best albums of 2008.
Bonus tracks
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...
by American 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...
and 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...
singer-songwriter Ne-Yo
Ne-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
, released September 16, 2008, on Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused primarily on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group...
in the United States. Ne-Yo worked with several record producers for the album, including Stargate
Stargate (production team)
This is a list of songs written and produced by the Norwegian production team Stargate.-Produced singles:-1999:5ive - Invincible*05. "Two Sides to Every Story"*06. "You Make Me a Better Man"Noora Noor - Curious*01. "Curious"...
, Chuck Harmony
Chuck Harmony
Charles T. Harmon better known as Chuck Harmony is an American music producer, musician and songwriter, based in Los Angeles, California, USA.-Early life:Harmon was born and raised in East St. Louis, Illinois...
, Polow da Don
Polow Da Don
Polow-Freache Jamal Fincher Jones , better known by known by professional name Polow da Don or Awesome Jones, is an American record producer, songwriter, rapper, and singer. His cousin is Atlanta singer Monica. He has produced for a variety of artists including Usher, Nelly, Christina Aguilera, T.I...
, Stereotypes
Stereotypes (producers)
Stereotypes are a R&B/hip hop/dance production team created in 2003, composed of Jonathan Yip, Ray Romulus and Jeremy Reeves. They were listed as Top 10 Songwriters and Producers to Watch in the June 5, 2010 Billboard magazine. The first artists on their production company/label is Far*East...
, and Reggie "Syience" Perry
Syience
Reggie Syience Perry is a Grammy Award-winning American songwriter, record producer and musician. He has worked with a number of recognizable and respected artists, including Beyoncé, Cheryl Cole, Jay-Z, John Legend, Mary J Blige, Ne-Yo, and Nelly. Syience won two Grammys for his work on Mary J...
, among others.
Year of the Gentleman received positive reviews from most music critics upon its release, who complimented its musical aesthetic and Ne-Yo's songwriting, and it earned him seven Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nominations, including for Album of the Year
Grammy Award for Album of the Year
The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is the most prestigious award category at the Grammys. It has been awarded since 1959 and though it was originally presented to the artist alone, the award is now presented to the artist, the producer, the engineer and/or mixer and the mastering engineer...
. It was also met with a considerable amount of commercial success and sales. The album produced four singles, including international hits "Closer
Closer (Ne-Yo song)
"Closer" is a 2008 Single by American pop/R&B singer Ne-Yo. The song was produced by Stargate.The song was released as the first single from his third album Year of the Gentleman. It reached #1 in the UK, scoring Ne-Yo his second UK No.1 following 2006's So Sick...
", "Miss Independent
Miss Independent (Ne-Yo song)
"Miss Independent" is a 2008 single by American pop/R&B singer Ne-Yo. It is the second single from his album Year of the Gentleman and was produced by Stargate. It samples the song "Forget About Me" by Lil Bit. The song was written by Ne-Yo and co-written by Stargate...
", and "Mad
Mad (song)
"Mad" is a song by American pop/R&B singer Ne-Yo. It is the third single from his album Year of the Gentleman and was produced by Stargate and himself.-Music video:...
". Year of the Gentleman has been certified platinum
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...
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...
, for shipments of one million copies in the United States. It has also been certified double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
, for shipments of 600,000 copies in the United Kingdom.
Background
Year of the Gentleman was named in honor of Ne-Yo's artistic influences. Ne-YoNe-Yo
Shaffer Chimere Smith, Jr. , better known by his stage name Ne-Yo, is an American pop and R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer and actor. Beginning his career as a songwriter, Ne-Yo penned the hit "Let Me Love You" for singer Mario...
cited the 1960s American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
group Rat Pack
Rat Pack
The Rat Pack was a group of actors originally centered on Humphrey Bogart. In the mid-1960s it was the name used by the press and the general public to refer to a later variation of the group, after Bogart's death, that called itself "the summit" or "the clan," featuring Frank Sinatra, Dean...
, particularly members Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
and Sammy Davis, Jr.
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
as influences, whose style inspired his clothes and music. Explaining the album's title, he said he was "trying to take it back to where you couldn't walk out of the house unless you looked your best". Commenting on the likes of the Rat Pack and Nat King Cole he commented that "they're suited and everything is right from top to bottom. Not saying it has to be a suit, 'cause clothes don't make the man — it's the attitude and person. The music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
needs to personify that.". No featurings are present on the album, as previously announced, though "Single
Single (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song)
"Single" is the second single off New Kids on the Block's fifth studio album, The Block, which is a duet with Ne-Yo. The lead vocals were sung by Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Jordan Knight. Donnie also rapped in the song....
" also features as a version with New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block
New Kids on the Block are an American boy band from Boston, Massachusetts, assembled in 1984 by producer Maurice Starr. The band currently consists of brothers Jordan and Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood.New Kids on the Block enjoyed success in the late 1980s and...
on their album, The Block
The Block (album)
The Block is the fifth studio album by New Kids on the Block. The album was released on September 2, 2008, along with a deluxe edition that included four bonus tracks. It sold 100,000 copies in its first week of release and debuted at number one on the U.S. Top Pop Albums chart and at number two on...
.
Although Ne-Yo has claimed that he wanted to "take a different direction" on the album by not making R&B sounds, however, according to 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...
magazine, "it seems he still has a heavy—yet welcome—case of the (rhythm and) blues on the finished product". The scene in the background for the cover was shot at the $20 million dollar mansion, known as Pink Palace, in the Buckhead
Buckhead (Atlanta)
Buckhead is the uptown district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States, comprising approximately the northern one-fifth of the city. Buckhead is a major commercial and financial center of the Southeast, and it is the third-largest business district in Atlanta, behind Downtown and Midtown...
district of Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
.
Release and promotion
The first single, "CloserCloser (Ne-Yo song)
"Closer" is a 2008 Single by American pop/R&B singer Ne-Yo. The song was produced by Stargate.The song was released as the first single from his third album Year of the Gentleman. It reached #1 in the UK, scoring Ne-Yo his second UK No.1 following 2006's So Sick...
", was released on April 15. The song debuted at number twenty-two 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 ...
, and later reached number one. On Billboard's Hot 100, the song peaked at number seven, while it has reached number one on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. The second single was supposed to be "Stop This World", but was replaced by "Miss Independent
Miss Independent (Ne-Yo song)
"Miss Independent" is a 2008 single by American pop/R&B singer Ne-Yo. It is the second single from his album Year of the Gentleman and was produced by Stargate. It samples the song "Forget About Me" by Lil Bit. The song was written by Ne-Yo and co-written by Stargate...
", which was released on August 11. The physical release will be accompanied by a video which premiered on August 21 on Access Granted
Access Granted
Access Granted is an American television series that features an in depth look at the planning and production of R&B and hip hop music videos. Each week, a different artist and their new music video are featured, with the video premiering at the end of the episode. The series began airing in 2001...
.
Both of these songs are produced and co-written by Stargate. The album was re-released on December 3, 2008 in Japan, featuring the original Japanese bonus tracks, "What's The Matter" and "She Got Her Own" (featuring Fabolous & Jamie Foxx), as well as two remixes of "Closer" and an exclusive US iTunes track "In The Way" (tracklist on hmv.co.jp)
The third single is confirmed to be "Mad
Mad (song)
"Mad" is a song by American pop/R&B singer Ne-Yo. It is the third single from his album Year of the Gentleman and was produced by Stargate and himself.-Music video:...
" and goes for adds on Urban/Rhythmic on October 14, 2008. A video has been made for song "She Got Her Own" and is the official international single. On May 21, 2008 -- months before the album's release -- Ne-Yo performed the ballad "Stop This World" on the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
soap opera All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
. Appearing as himself, Ne-Yo sang the song during the lavish wedding ceremony of supercouple Jesse and Angie Hubbard. The fourth single is confirmed to be "Part of the List
Part of the List
"Part of the List" is a song by American recording artist Ne-Yo. It was released as the fourth single from his album Year of the Gentleman and was produced by Chuck Harmony. It was released to U.S. radio in April 2009...
". The music video is shot in Prague on March 22. Director is TAJ of the Popular Kid. Video produced by Andrew Listermann of Riveting Entertainment.
Commercial performance
Year of the Gentleman debuted at number two on the 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...
with 250,000 copies sold making his first album not to debut at number one on the chart. The album debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, giving Ne-Yo his highest-charting album in the UK, beating Because of You, which debuted at number six in 2007. In Japan, the album debuted at number one and has thus far sold over 200,000 copies and in the UK 100,000 copies in its first week. The album has since been certified platinum in the UK and Japan. The album went on to sell 371,000 copies during 2008 in the UK, and finished at #24 in the year end chart. In the US the album remained in the top 10 for its first five weeks and has been certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of more than 1 million copies. Additionally, the album enjoyed strong Top Ten debuts in both Canada and Australia.
Critical response
The album received generally positive reviews from most music critics, based on an aggregate score of 79/100 from MetacriticMetacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. Caryn Ganz of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine gave Year of the Gentleman 4 out of 5 stars and stated "The 28-year-old singer-songwriter says his latest collection of heartfelt love songs is a tribute to the Rat Pack's pressed-suit style, but it's actually a superb concept album about what a great boyfriend he can be." However, 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 Eric Henderson gave the album 3 out of 5 stars and called it "musically uneven and ballad-heavy". Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
gave the album a rating of honorable mention , indicating a "likable effort consumers attuned to its overriding aesthetic or individual vision may well enjoy". Vibes Brad Wete wrote that Ne-Yo "is a stronger, more confident man than the one many remember licking his wounds" on his previous work. 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...
writer Glenn Gamboa gave it an A- rating and wrote "for the bulk of the album, Ne-Yo has simply honed his hit-making skills, churning out one memorable melody after another, building an album that finally lives up to the potential he only hinted at on his first two releases, both lyrically and vocally". The album was nominated for six Grammys Awards, including Album of the Year
Grammy Award for Album of the Year
The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is the most prestigious award category at the Grammys. It has been awarded since 1959 and though it was originally presented to the artist alone, the award is now presented to the artist, the producer, the engineer and/or mixer and the mastering engineer...
at the 51st Grammy Awards
51st Grammy Awards
The 51st Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA on February 8, 2009. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss were the biggest winners of the night, jointly winning five awards including Album of the Year and Record of the Year...
. According to Rolling Stone, the album is also rated number 33 among the 50 Best albums of 2008.
Track listing
- (*) Co-producer
Bonus tracks
- "What's the Matter" (produced by Chuck Harmony) (UK iTunes Pre-Order/UK/Australia/Japan) — 3:46
- "She Got Her Own" (featuring Jamie FoxxJamie FoxxEric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, singer-songwriter, stand-up comedian, and talk radio host. As an actor, his work in the film Ray earned him the Academy Award and BAFTA Award for Best Actor as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a...
and FabolousFabolousJohn David Jackson , better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper of African American and Dominican descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Part of his early popularity arose from his hit single "Can't Deny It" in 2001, from his debut...
) (produced by Butter Beats) (US iTunes/Japan) — 5:32 - "In the Way" (produced by J. R. RotemJ. R. Rotem- Early life :Rotem was born in South Africa to Israeli immigrant Jewish parents. He moved to Toronto at the age of two and finally to Moraga, California when he was twelve.Rotem's entry point into music was in receiving classical piano tuition at a young age...
) (US iTunes Pre-Order/Japan re-release) — 4:16 - "So SickSo Sick"So Sick" is an R&B–pop song by American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo. The track was produced by Norwegian production team Stargate for Ne-Yo's debut album In My Own Words....
" (produced by StarGate) (Brazil) — 3:27 - "Because of YouBecause of You (Ne-Yo song)"Because of You" is a 2007 song by singer and songwriter Ne-Yo. It is the first single from his second album of the same name. The single started radio play the week of February 4, 2007.-Song information:...
" (produced by StarGate) (Brazil/Australia) — 3:46 - "Sexy LoveSexy Love"Sexy Love" is the fourth and final U.S. single and the second and final international single released from R&B and pop artist Ne-Yo's debut album, In My Own Words. It has reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the United Kingdom, the single charted at number twenty-one on downloads alone...
" (produced by StarGate) (Brazil) — 3:40
Personnel
Credits for Year of a Gentleman adapted from Allmusic.- Davis A. Barnett – Viola
- Jesse Bond – Guitar
- Jay Brown – A&R
- Chavez – Audio Engineer
- Jeff Chestek – String Engineer
- Carol Corless – Package Production
- Ryan D – Assistant Engineer, Audio Engineer
- Kevin "KD" Davis – Mixing
- Mikkel Storleer Eriksen – Engineer, Instrumentation, Various
- Larry Gold – Arranger, Conductor, String Arrangements, String Conductor
- Jaymz Hardy-Martin III – Engineer, Mixing, Vocal Mixing, Vocal Recording
- Chuck Harmony – Arranger, Audio Production, Producer, String Arrangements
- Reynell "Tango" Hay – A&R
- Tor Erik Hermanson – Instrumentation, Various
- Josh Houghkirk – Audio Engineer, Engineer, Mixing Assistant
- Nicole Jackson – A&R
- Terese Joseph – A&R
- Olga Konopelsky – Violin
- Emma Kummrow – Violin
- Alexandra Leem – Viola
- Jennie Lorenzo – Cello
- Rob Martin – Violin
- Micayle McKinney – Keyboards
- Ne-Yo – Audio Production, Executive Producer, Producer, Vocals
- Charles Parker – Violin
- Polow da Don – Audio Production, Producer
- Herb Powers – Mastering
- Geno Regist – Engineer, Vocal Recording
- L.A. Reid – Executive Producer
- Montez Roberts – Assistant Engineer, Audio Engineer
- J. Peter Robinson – Art Direction, Design
- John Stahl – Assistant Engineer, Audio Engineer
- Chris Stanford – Photography
- Stargate – Audio Production
- The Stereotypes – Producer
- Bernt Rune – Stray Guitar
- Syience – Audio Production, Various
- Igor Szwec – Violin
- Phil Tan – Mixing
- Robert Taylor "R.T." – Guitar
- Shea Taylor – Audio Production, Drum Programming, Piano, Strings, Synthesizer
- Gregory Teperman – Violin
- Tony Terrebonne – Engineer
- Brandon Thomas – Guitar
- Shomari "Sho" Wilson – Audio Production, Instrumentation, Producer, Various
Charts
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart | 7 |
| Greek Albums Chart | 11 |
| Austrian Albums Chart | 41 |
| Belgium Albums Chart | 35 |
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
4 |
| Dutch Albums Chart | 26 |
| French Albums Chart | 24 |
| German Albums Chart | 22 |
| Irish Albums Chart Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on its behalf by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured electronically... |
13 |
| Italian Albums Chart | 22 |
| Japanese Oricon 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... Album Chart |
15 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart | 6 |
| Swiss Albums Charts | 9 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
2 |
| U.S. 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... |
2 |
| U.S. 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... |
1 |
Certifications
| Territory | Certifier | Certification |
|---|---|---|
| Japan | RIAJ Recording Industry Association of Japan The Recording Industry Association of Japan is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved the music industry... |
Platinum |
| United Kingdom | BPI British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
2x Platinum |
| 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 |
Release history
| Region | Country | Date | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asia Asia Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population... |
Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
September 11, 2008 | Universal International |
| Europe Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting... |
Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
September 12, 2008 | Def Jam Def Jam Recordings Def Jam Recordings is an American record label, focused primarily on hip hop and urban music, owned by Universal Music Group, and operates as a part of The Island Def Jam Motown Music Group... |
| Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
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| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
September 15, 2008 | Mercury Mercury Records Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal... |
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| Americas Americas The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily... |
United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
September 16, 2008 | Def Jam |
| Brazil Brazil Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... |
October 21, 2008 | Universal Music |
External links
- Year of the Gentleman at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Ne-Yo interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' June 2008
- Year of the Gentleman at MetacriticMetacriticMetacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
- Album Review at About.comAbout.comAbout.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....