Late Nights: The Album

Late Nights (released with the subtitle Late Nights: The Album) is the third studio album by American singer Jeremih. It was released on December 4, 2015, by Def Jam Recordings. The album serves as a sequel to his mixtape Late Nights with Jeremih (2012) and the follow-up to his second studio album All About You (2010). Recording sessions took place during 2013 to 2015. The production on the album was handled by several producers, including: London on da Track, The Mekanics, Soundz, DJ Mustard, Needlz, Vinylz and Frank Dukes, among others. The album features guest appearances from Ty Dolla $ign, Jhené Aiko, Migos, Juicy J, YG, Twista, Future, Big Sean, J. Cole and Feather. Late Nights was supported by four singles; "Don't Tell 'Em", "Planez", "Oui" and "Pass Dat".

Late Nights: The Album
Studio album by
ReleasedDecember 4, 2015 (2015-12-04)
Recorded2013–2015
Studio
Various
GenreElectro-R&B[1]
Length57:47
LabelDef Jam
Producer
Jeremih chronology
All About You
(2010)
Late Nights: The Album
(2015)
MihTy
(2018)
Singles from Late Nights
  1. "Don't Tell 'Em"
    Released: June 6, 2014
  2. "Planez"
    Released: January 22, 2015
  3. "Oui"
    Released: October 30, 2015
  4. "Pass Dat"
    Released: April 12, 2016

Background and release edit

The album was originally intended to be called Thumpy Johnson, and was supposed to be released in 2013.[2] In August 2014, Jeremih announced that he was changing the title of the album to Late Nights: The Album, being a sequel to his 2012 mixtape Late Nights with Jeremih. During an interview with XXL, he explained his decision to change the title:

"The last body of work I put out was Late Nights," Jeremih said. "I still feel like how I was feeling when I recorded that. I was traveling, up late nights, recording all the time. It just felt like every record was catering to… I imagined if it was a big bed in the club, everybody would be in one big ass orgy off of all the songs. My first two albums I was making sad songs. I don’t feel like that no more. I was in a relationship then. I’m single as hell right now. You’re getting the best of my last single years".[3]

On August 4, 2014, Jeremih released a mixtape called N.O.M.A. (Not On My Album), containing recorded songs not included on Late Nights. During an interview with Billboard, Jeremih explained how his personal issues were the reason for the delays of the album's release. He said:

"I blame myself". I had a video scheduled. I just didn't show up to it because of..." he started, choosing not to finish his thought. "I'm not going to point my finger at somebody else at this point". Jeremih then pointed to some personal troubles he was having with the mother of his child. "I stopped caring about being Jeremih over the last few months," he said. "A lot of people don't know I have a two-year-old son. His mom wasn't allowing me to see him, and it was messing with me. I was internally unbalanced. But I just got out of that trial and I won".

Jeremih also expressed some frustration with his label. "Def Jam is hesitating and not being on my side," he explained. "I see other artists and how they're supported. It's hard when I'm on a roster with Rihanna, Rick Ross and Kanye West".[4]

On May 15, 2015, in a separate interview with Billboard, producer and frequent Jeremih collaborator Mick Schultz confirmed that the originally released track listing and album cover had been changed and was no longer accurate.[5]

On November 21, 2015, the official album artwork, release date and track list was leaked by music streaming service Deezer.[6] The following day, snippets of the album were leaked to the internet.[7] With no announcement or promotion to confirm its release prior, the album was officially released to digital platforms and streaming services on December 4, 2015.[8][9]

Singles edit

The lead single, "Don't Tell 'Em" featuring YG was released on June 6, 2014.[10] The single became his third top 10 hit and eventually went triple platinum. The second single, "Planez" featuring J. Cole was released on January 22, 2015.[11] The single reached top 10 on urban and rhythmic radio and later went triple Platinum. "Oui" was released as the third single from the album on October 30, 2015.[12] The single reached number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 becoming his fourth top 20 hit as lead artist. "Pass Dat" was released as a promotional single, along with the album's pre-order on December 1, 2015.[13] The track was sent to urban contemporary radio on April 12, 2016, as the fourth single.[14]

"Tonight Belongs to U!" featuring Flo Rida was released on April 21, 2015, but was scrapped from the final tracklist.[15] The first promotional single, "Royalty" featuring Big Sean and Future was released October 29, 2015.[16] The second promotional single is "Peace Sign" featuring Fabolous and Red Cafe was released November 18, 2015 but didn't appear on the album.[17] Jeremih expressed in an interview with German music journalist Malcolm Ohanwe, that he had plans to issue "Impatient" with Ty Dolla Sign as a single.[18] Despite never being released, the track was certified Gold by the RIAA in 2017 and later double platinum in 2020.

Critical reception edit

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.4/10[19]
Metacritic78/100[20]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [21]
Consequence of SoundB+[1]
HipHopDX     [22]
Pitchfork8.3/10[23]
PopMatters7/10[24]
Spin8/10[25]
Tiny Mix Tapes     [26]

Late Nights was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 78, based on seven reviews.[20] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave Late Nights 7.4 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.[19]

Meghan Garvey of Pitchfork said, "Late Nights, in its subtle seduction, feels all the more special in an era that increasingly rewards artists who shout the loudest. Jeremih makes you shut everything else out so that you can hear him whisper in your ear. It was worth the wait."[23] David Sackllah of Consequence of Sound said, "Jeremih's vision is astounding, and the places in which he gets to indulge in adventurous risk-taking more than make up for the safe plays that surround them."[1] Brooklyn Russell of Tiny Mix Tapes said, Jeremih's a night owl, not a lark, and on Late Nights: The Album — his first in a lustrum — he retreats even further from the spotlight he seemed predestined for, carefully crafting an album that surprisingly finds tranquility in the 28-year-old's thrill-seeker ways."[26] Colin Joyce of Spin said, "It's a haze, reflective of the real world consequences of living out the entirety of your life in the twilight hours. Or maybe it's just the head trauma, from the setbacks and knockdowns that threatened to abort this record before it had a chance to even enter the room. Either way, the beauty's in the blur."[25] Shirley Ju of HipHopDX said, "Song after song limbers as you go through them and guest appearances from some of the game's hottest artists ensures that he doesn't feel years late. In truth, he doesn't need them, delivering apple-pie-like R&B like the retro futurist he's been trying to be. Late Nights is exactly what Jeremih needed to get his career moving."[22] Andy Kellman of AllMusic said, "Despite the winding path that led to it, Late Nights is together, neither tentative nor overcooked. It's apparently truer to Jeremih's vision than his first two albums, though only the most attentive listening reveals an artist with more dimensions – or more vocal ability – than the one who sang "Birthday Sex" and "Down on Me."[21]

Accolades edit

Publication Accolade Year Rank
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 2015 2015

Commercial performance edit

Late Nights debuted at number 42 on the US Billboard 200, selling 19,000 album equivalent units, and 10,000 pure album copies in its first week.[28] Despite the album's initial soft debut, On March 15, 2016, the album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over 500,000 units in the United States.[29] Later on March 20, 2018, the album was certified platinum.

Track listing edit

Credits adapted from Jeremih's official website.[30]

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Planez" (featuring J. Cole)4:00
2."Pass Dat"
  • RetroFuture
  • Jeremih[c]
  • Left Lane[d]
2:53
3."Impatient" (featuring Ty Dolla $ign)London on da Track4:05
4."Oui"
3:58
5."Drank"
  • Felton
  • Pena
RetroFuture2:50
6."Giv No Fuks" (featuring Migos)
4:51
7."Feel Like Phil"
  • Felton
  • Uforo Ebong
  • Arin Ray
Hitmaka Bongo2:58
8."Royalty" (featuring Big Sean & Future)
4:14
9."I Did" (featuring Feather)
4:06
10."Actin' Up"
Bongo3:52
11."Remember Me"
Schultz2:55
12."Don't Tell 'Em" (featuring YG)
4:26
13."Woosah" (featuring Juicy J & Twista)Soundz5:29
14."Worthy" (featuring Jhené Aiko)
3:33
15."Paradise"
  • Felton
  • Schultz
  • James
Schultz3:37
Total length:57:47

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies a co-producer.
  • ^[b] signifies an additional producer.
  • ^[c] signifies a vocal producer.
  • ^[d] signifies an additional vocal producer.
  • "Pass Dat" features additional vocals by Starrah.
  • "Giv No Fuks" features background vocals by Herbert Travis.

Sample credits

Charts edit

Certifications edit

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[36] Gold 10,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[37] Gold 100,000
United States (RIAA)[38] 2× Platinum 2,000,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history edit

Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various December 4, 2015 Def Jam [39]
November 30, 2018 Vinyl [40]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Jeremih – Late Nights: The Album - Album Reviews - Consequence of Sound". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  2. ^ Projections (2013-07-22). "Jeremih: Thumpy Johnson". Has It Leaked?. Retrieved 2015-02-08.
  3. ^ Lilah, Rose (2014-08-01). "Jeremih Changes Album Title To "Late Nights: The Album", Reveals Release Date". Hot New Hip Hop. Retrieved 2015-02-08.
  4. ^ Smith, Trevor (2014-11-21). "Jeremih Cites Personal Issues For His Album's Delay". Hot New Hip Hop. Retrieved 2015-02-08.
  5. ^ "Jeremih's Go-To Producer Mick Schultz Talks Long-Delayed 'Late Nights: The Album' & His Next Hits". Billboard. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  6. ^ "Jeremih's Late Nights: The Album (Artwork x Release Date)". 2DOPEBOYZ. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  7. ^ Nyce. "[Album Snippets] Jeremih – Late Nights: The Album". Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  8. ^ Ryan Reed (2015-12-04). "Hear Jeremih's Surprise-Released 'Late Nights: The Album'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2022-05-08.
  9. ^ "Jeremih Surprises Fans With Release Of "Late Nights: The Album"; Stream Available". Hotnewhiphop.com. 2015-12-03. Retrieved 2022-05-08.
  10. ^ "iTunes – Music – Don't Tell 'Em (feat. YG) - Single". iTunes Store (US). Apple Inc. Archived from the original on June 28, 2014. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  11. ^ "iTunes – Music – Planes - (feat. J. Cole) by Jeremih". iTunes Store (US). Apple Inc. Archived from the original on March 22, 2015. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
  12. ^ "iTunes – Music – Oui - Single by Jeremih". iTunes Store (US). Apple Inc. Archived from the original on December 12, 2015. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
  13. ^ "iTunes – Music – Pass Dat - Single by Jeremih". iTunes Store (US). Apple Inc. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
  14. ^ "All Access Urban Future Releases". Archived from the original on 30 March 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  15. ^ "iTunes – Music – Tonight Belongs to U! (feat. Flo Rida) - Single". iTunes Store (US). Apple Inc. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  16. ^ "Jeremih – "Royalty" (Feat. Future & Big Sean)". Stereogum. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  17. ^ Smith, Trevor (19 November 2015). "Jeremih - Peace Sign Feat. Fabolous & Red Cafe (Prod. By DJ Mustard) - Stream [New Song]". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  18. ^ Ohanwe, Malcolm. "Jeremih not amused by Apple Music, talks Love Life". MalcolmMusic. Retrieved 22 October 2016.
  19. ^ a b "Late Nights: The Album by Jeremih reviews - Any Decent Music".
  20. ^ a b "Late Nights: The Album by Jeremih". Metacritic.
  21. ^ a b Kellman, Andy. "Late Nights: The Album". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  22. ^ a b "Jeremih - Late Nights: The Album". HipHopDX.
  23. ^ a b "Jeremih". Pitchfork. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  24. ^ "Jeremih: Late Nights: The Album". 26 January 2021.
  25. ^ a b "Review: Jeremih, 'Late Nights: The Album' - SPIN". Spin. 10 December 2015. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  26. ^ a b Russell, Brooklyn. "Jeremih - Late Nights: The Album - Music Review - Tiny Mix Tapes". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
  27. ^ "The 50 Best Albums of 2015". Pitchfork. December 16, 2015. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  28. ^ "Hip Hop Album Sales: G-Eazy, Rick Ross & Kid Cudi". HipHopDX. 14 December 2015.
  29. ^ "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". Recording Industry Association of America.
  30. ^ "LATE NIGHTS: THE ALBUM (THE CREDITS)". Retrieved 2017-01-23.
  31. ^ "NZ Heatseekers Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. July 11, 2016. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
  32. ^ "Jeremih Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  33. ^ "Jeremih Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
  34. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  35. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  36. ^ "Danish album certifications – Jeremih – Late Nights: The Album". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  37. ^ "British album certifications – Jeremih – Late Nights". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  38. ^ "American album certifications – Jeremih – Late Nights: The Album". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
  39. ^ Various releases of Late Nights:
  40. ^ "Late Nights: The Album [2 LP]". Amazon. Retrieved January 9, 2019.