In My Mind (Pharrell Williams album)
In My Mind is the solo debut studio album by American recording artist and record producer Pharrell Williams. The album was released on July 25, 2006 by Star Trak Entertainment and Interscope Records. It debuted at number 3 on the US Billboard 200 and sold 142,000 copies in its first week. It was also certified Silver in the United Kingdom for sales of over 60,000 copies.
In My Mind | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 25, 2006 | |||
Recorded | 2005–06 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 64:20 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | Pharrell Williams | |||
Pharrell Williams chronology | ||||
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Singles from In My Mind | ||||
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Background
In June 2003, after having produced and featured on several songs by other artists, Williams released his debut single "Frontin'", featuring Jay Z. Despite insisting that the single was a one-off, and that he was purely a producer and not an artist in his own right, it was announced that Williams would release his own studio album.
The album includes the three already-released singles "Can I Have It Like That" (featuring Gwen Stefani), "Angel" (only released in the UK) and "Number One" (featuring Kanye West) and performances featuring Jay Z, Nelly, Slim Thug, Snoop Dogg, Lauren London, Jamie Cullum and Pusha T of Clipse. Originally the album had been slated for release on November 15, 2005, but the date was delayed at Williams' request. Most recently, a music video for "That Girl" (featuring Snoop Dogg) was released and has been receiving airplay on VH1.[1] On this album, Pharrell makes his solo production debut without his partner Chad Hugo. In an interview on the delay, he stated that he felt the album needed more work. Nearly six months later, it was finally released.
Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 52/100 |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
The A.V. Club | B[3] |
Entertainment Weekly | C+[4] |
The Guardian | [5] |
NME | 7/10[6] |
Pitchfork Media | 3.9/10[7] |
PopMatters | 4/10[8] |
Rolling Stone | [9] |
Slant Magazine | [10] |
Stylus Magazine | D[11] |
The album received generally mixed reviews from critics. Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone called it "still only so-so, offering a series of modestly tuneful, sometimes snoozy soul-pop-hip-hop songs".[12] Entertainment Weekly said the album "seems divided against itself, rest assured that all of the songs have something in common: they're not remotely catchy".[13] For AllMusic, Andy Kellman wrote that "it's not like any part of it is flat-out poor, but it's a shame it didn't turn out better".[14] In his consumer guide for MSN Music, Robert Christgau gave the album a two-star honorable mention rating (),[15] indicating a "likable effort consumers attuned to its overriding aesthetic or individual vision may well enjoy".[16] He cited "Raspy Shit" and "Number One" as highlights and quipped, "keepin' it playa like he says, for exactly what that's worth".[15]
Accolades
The album was nominated for Best Rap Album at the Grammy Awards of 2007, but lost to Release Therapy by Ludacris.
Commercial performance
In My Mind debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 behind LeToya's self-titled debut album and the compilation's Now 22, selling 142,000 copies in its first week.[17] The album dropped to the number nine in its second week, selling an additional 51,000 units, for a two-week total of 193,000 copies sold.[18][19] As of March 2014, In My Mind has sold 406,000 copies in the United States.[20] The album has sold 2,889,025 copies worldwide.
Track listing
All songs written and produced by Pharrell Williams; songs with co-writers are noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Can I Have It Like That" (featuring Gwen Stefani) | 3:55 | |
2. | "How Does It Feel?" | 3:36 | |
3. | "Raspy Shit" | 3:35 | |
4. | "Best Friend" | 4:41 | |
5. | "You Can Do It Too" (featuring Jamie Cullum) | 5:22 | |
6. | "Keep It Playa" (featuring Slim Thug) | Stayve Thomas | 4:19 |
7. | "That Girl" (featuring Snoop Dogg and Charlie Wilson) | Calvin Broadus, Jr. | 4:01 |
8. | "Angel" | 2:45 | |
9. | "Young Girl"/"I Really Like You" (featuring JAY-Z) | Shawn Carter | 8:14 |
10. | "Take It Off (Dim the Lights)" | 4:07 | |
11. | "Stay with Me" (featuring Pusha T) | Terrence Thornton | 4:07 |
12. | "Baby" (featuring Nelly) | Cornell Haynes, Jr. | 4:06 |
13. | "Our Father" | 3:27 | |
14. | "Number One" (featuring Kanye West) | Kanye West | 3:57 |
15. | "Skateboard P Presents: Show You How to Hustle" (featuring Lauren) | 4:14 | |
16. | "Swagger International" (Japan bonus track) | 4:14 |
Notes
- A song titled "Mamacita", which featured reggaeton artist Daddy Yankee was leaked in early 2006 and was supposed to be the third single from the album, but it did not appear on the final track listing, nor was there a video for the song, but it is featured in the movie The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.
- Not on the official album, "Big White Spaceship" (featuring Timbaland & Magoo) is actually an early project with Timbaland & Magoo called Surrounded by Idiots. Pharrell recalls in an interview: "In seventh grade I met Chad. That's twenty years ago by now. Like I said earlier, we started producing beats together. But then again, I also played with this famous group which consisted of Timbaland, Magoo, myself and some other guy. Chad wasn't a part of the group, so I was in The Neptunes and in Surrounded by Idiots at the same time." A few tracks produced by the group float around on the Internet, this being the most distributed.
- The song "Skateboard P Presents: Show You How to Hustle" is featured in the game Need for Speed: Carbon.
- Other songs presumed to be B-sides or possibly just unreleased Pharrell compositions include "Creamsickle" and "I Need Love".
- The album cover is a reference to the art style of BAPE, a Japanese street clothing company that is popular in the urban scene. Williams and founder Nigo launched the first American store in New York together.
- The initial pressing offered buyers a choice of three covers; each cover had Pharrell pictured with either a Blue Ice Cream sweater, Red and White Polo Shirt, or White Billionaire Boys Club T-shirt as shown above.
- A remixed version of the album, titled "Out of My Mind", was produced, but was never officially released. This remixed version of the album featured interpolated instrumentals by drummer, Questlove and James Poyser, of the hip hop group The Roots.
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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United Kingdom (BPI)[41] | Silver | 60,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
- U.S. Week 1 sales
- Andy Kellman (2006-07-25). "In My Mind - Pharrell Williams". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
- Modell, Josh. "Pharrell: In My Mind · The A.V. Club". Avclub.com. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
- Josh Tyrangiel on Jul 24, 2006 (2006-07-24). "In My Mind Review". EW.com. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
- "CD: Pharrell, In My Mind". The Guardian. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
- "NME Album Reviews - Pharrell: In My Mind". Nme.Com. 2006-08-07. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
- Sean Fennessey (2006-07-24). "Pharrell: In My Mind". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved January 11, 2014.
- Vrabel, Jeff. "Pharrell: In My Mind". PopMatters. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
- "Rolling Stone review". Archived from the original on February 14, 2010. Retrieved 2006-10-21.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
- "Pharrell: In My Mind | Music Review". Slant Magazine. 2006-07-24. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
- "Pharrell - In My Mind - Review". Stylus Magazine. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
- Pharrell Williams: In My Mind: Music Review Archived 2010-02-14 at the Wayback Machine Rolling Stone. Accessed May 24, 2008.
- Josh Tyrangiel (July 21, 2006). Music Review - In My Mind (2006) - Pharrell Williams. Entertainment Weekly. Accessed May 24, 2008.
- In My Mind - Pharrell AllMusic. Accessed May 24, 2008.
- Christgau, Robert (December 2006). "Consumer Guide". MSN Music. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
- Christgau, Robert (2000). "Key to Icons". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
- Cohen, Jonathan (2006-08-02). "LeToya Powers Right To No. 1 On Billboard 200". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2009-02-04.
- Hasty, Katie (2006-08-09). "NOW 22' Edges Out DMX's 'Dog' At No. 1". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2009-02-04.
- U.S. Week 2 sales
- Lipshutz, Jason (March 6, 2014). "Why Pharrell's 'In My Mind' Album is Worth Revisiting - If Only For One Song". Billboard. New York. Retrieved March 7, 2014.
- "Australiancharts.com – Pharrell – In My Mind". Hung Medien.
- "Austriancharts.at – Pharrell – In My Mind" (in German). Hung Medien.
- "Ultratop.be – Pharrell – In My Mind" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
- "Ultratop.be – Pharrell – In My Mind" (in French). Hung Medien.
- "Pharrell Williams Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard.
- "Danishcharts.dk – Pharrell – In My Mind". Hung Medien.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – Pharrell – In My Mind" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
- "Pharrell: In My Mind" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
- "Lescharts.com – Pharrell – In My Mind". Hung Medien.
- "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH.
- "Italiancharts.com – Pharrell – In My Mind". Hung Medien.
- "ファレル・ウィリアムスのアルバム売上ランキング". ORICON STYLE. Oricon. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
- "Charts.nz – Pharrell – In My Mind". Hung Medien.
- "Norwegiancharts.com – Pharrell – In My Mind". Hung Medien.
- "Swedishcharts.com – Pharrell – In My Mind". Hung Medien.
- "Pharrell Williams | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
- "Pharrell Williams Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
- "Pharrell Williams Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard.
- "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2006". Billboard. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- "British album certifications – Pharrell Williams – In My Mind". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type In My Mind in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
Covers
South Korean rapper RM make a cover of the track" Take It Off (Dim The Lights)" titled as "Expensive Girl" which uploaded in the official BTS soundcloud account back in 2012, the cover has been gained notoriety within the fandom due to its sexually suggestive lyrics, the cover subsequently deleted in 2016.