Good Life (Kanye West song)
Encyclopedia
This article is about the Kanye West song. For the OneRepublic
song, see Good Life (OneRepublic song)
.
"Good Life" is the third single from American
rapper Kanye West
's album Graduation
. The song features R&B
artist T-Pain
, and uses sampled keys from the song "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
" as performed by Michael Jackson
. It contains background vocals provided by John Legend
and Ne-Yo
as well as additional drum programming and production by Timbaland
and Mike Dean
, respectively. The single was officially released on October 2, 2007, even though it had already charted. The song won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song
at the 50th Grammy Awards
.
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
during the chart week of September 22, 2007 and eventually peaked at number three, becoming his second top ten single off of Graduation. The chart week of September 29, 2007, it was the "Hot Shot Debut" of the week on the Billboard Hot 100
debuting at number fourteen due to strong digital downloads. It has since climbed to the seventh position, becoming his second consecutive top ten Hot 100 single from Graduation, and T-Pain
's sixth top ten single. The song debuted on the Canadian Hot 100
at number thirty-nine, and has peaked at number twenty-three. "Good Life" showed a strong reaction from the MuchMusic Countdown, where it reached number-one. The song was released in the UK on November 5, 2007, however it reached number thirty-three there without being officially released. Upon its release it has so far risen to twenty-three there.
' "Jam of the Week". It features West and T-Pain performing with animated backdrops and often mouthing the words of the song lyrics, which appear in large letters. The version of the song used in the video contains an additional twenty-three second intro that the album version does not have. The video also features model Angel Melaku
.
The video has reached #4 so far on VH1
's VSpot Top 20 Countdown
. It ranked #40 on VH1
's "Top 40 Videos of 2007." The video was the recipient of several awards nominations, winning "Best Hip-Hop Video" at the BET Hip Hop Awards
and "Best Special Effects in a Video" at the MTV Video Music Awards
.
UK CD single
OneRepublic
OneRepublic is an American pop rock band from Colorado Springs, Colorado. Formed in 2002 by Ryan Tedder and Zach Filkins, the band achieved massive success on MySpace, becoming the most prominent unsigned act on the website then...
song, see Good Life (OneRepublic song)
Good Life (OneRepublic song)
"Good Life" is a song by American alternative rock band OneRepublic, taken from their second studio album, Waking Up . The song was written by group members Ryan Tedder, Brent Kutzle, and Eddie Fisher along with group associate Noel Zancanella, with production done by Tedder...
.
"Good Life" is the third single from American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rapper Kanye West
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
's album Graduation
Graduation (album)
Graduation is the third studio album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released September 11, 2007 on Roc-A-Fella Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during 2005 to 2007 at Chung King Studios and Sony Music Studios in New York City and at Chalice Studios and The Record Plant...
. The song features 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...
artist T-Pain
T-Pain
Faheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...
, and uses sampled keys from the song "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
"P.Y.T. " is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. The original demo version of the song was written by Jackson and Greg Phillinganes. It is the sixth single from Jackson's sixth solo album, Thriller . Quincy Jones passed on the song itself but liked the title and, with James Ingram,...
" as performed by Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
. It contains background vocals provided by John Legend
John Legend
John Roger Stephens , better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer, musician, and actor. He is the recipient of nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career...
and 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...
as well as additional drum programming and production by Timbaland
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper....
and Mike Dean
Mike Dean (producer)
Mike Dean is an American hip-hop producer. He is known for pioneering the "Dirty South" sound in the 1990s, particularly in work for artists from Rap-A-Lot Records. Dean has most notably worked alongside Scarface of the Geto Boys, 2Pac, Do or Die, Tha Dogg Pound, Yukmouth of the Luniz, Outlawz,...
, respectively. The single was officially released on October 2, 2007, even though it had already charted. The song won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song
Grammy Award for Best Rap Song
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Song was first awarded in 2004. It is a songwriting award given to all who wrote the lyrics and music of the song. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were presented, for works released in the previous year...
at the 50th Grammy Awards
50th Grammy Awards
The 50th Annual Grammy Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on February 10, 2008. Kanye West received the most nominations, with eight. Amy Winehouse was the big winner, winning a total of five awards. Herbie Hancock's River: The Joni Letters won Album of the Year,...
.
Chart performance
The song debuted at number sixty-three on 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...
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,...
during the chart week of September 22, 2007 and eventually peaked at number three, becoming his second top ten single off of Graduation. The chart week of September 29, 2007, it was the "Hot Shot Debut" of the week on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
debuting at number fourteen due to strong digital downloads. It has since climbed to the seventh position, becoming his second consecutive top ten Hot 100 single from Graduation, and T-Pain
T-Pain
Faheem Rasheed Najm , better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, and actor, currently signed to Young Money Entertainment. His debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, was released in 2005. In 2007, T-Pain released his second studio album Epiphany,...
's sixth top ten single. The song debuted on the Canadian Hot 100
Canadian Hot 100
The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...
at number thirty-nine, and has peaked at number twenty-three. "Good Life" showed a strong reaction from the MuchMusic Countdown, where it reached number-one. The song was released in the UK on November 5, 2007, however it reached number thirty-three there without being officially released. Upon its release it has so far risen to twenty-three there.
Music video
The music video for "Good Life" was directed by Jonas & François with animation by So-Me. The video premiered on September 11, 2007 as MTV JamsMTV Jams
MTV Jams is a Viacom-owned American hip-hop/urban music video channel that debuted on 1998 as MTVX, then was relaunched in 2002 under its current name...
' "Jam of the Week". It features West and T-Pain performing with animated backdrops and often mouthing the words of the song lyrics, which appear in large letters. The version of the song used in the video contains an additional twenty-three second intro that the album version does not have. The video also features model Angel Melaku
Angel Melaku
LoLa Monroe is a Ethiopian born American rapper, model and actress.-Early life:Monroe was born Fershgenet Melaku . She is of Ethiopian and Trinidadian descent. She was raised in Garfield Terrace, Washington D.C....
.
The video has reached #4 so far on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's VSpot Top 20 Countdown
VSpot Top 20 Countdown
VH1 Top 20 Video Countdown is a weekly television show on the VH1 cable television network in the United States. The long-running series began in 1994 as the VH1 Top 10 Countdown, as part of VH1's "Music First" rebranding effort...
. It ranked #40 on VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's "Top 40 Videos of 2007." The video was the recipient of several awards nominations, winning "Best Hip-Hop Video" at the BET Hip Hop Awards
BET Hip Hop Awards
The BET Hip Hop Awards are an annual awards show, airing on BET, showcasing hip hop performers, producers and music video directors. The awards ceremony began in 2006, was held on November 12, 2006 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia, was first aired November 15 and was hosted by comedian Katt...
and "Best Special Effects in a Video" at the MTV Video Music Awards
MTV Video Music Awards
An MTV Video Music Award , is an award presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in music videos...
.
Track listings
US CD single- "Good Life" (Explicit Album Version) – 3:30
- "Good Life" (Instrumental) – 3:24
- "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (Remix) – 4:09
- "Good Life" (Video) – 3:56
UK CD single
- "Good Life" – 3:27
- "Can't Tell Me Nothing" (Remix) – 4:07
Personnel
Information taken from Graduation liner notes.- Songwriters: Kanye West, Faheem Najm, James Ingram, Quincy Jones, Adrian Davis
- Producers: Kanye West, DJ Toomp
- Additional drum programming: Timbaland
- Additional production: Mike Dean
- Recorders: Andrew Dawson, Anthony Kilhoffer, Paul Sheehy
- Mix engineer: Mike Dean
- Piano/synths: Omar Edwards
- Violins: Eric Gorfain, Daphne Chen
- Viola: Leah Katz, Alma Fernadez
- Cello: Richard Dodd, John Krovoza
- Background vocals: John Legend, Ne-Yo
Chart positions
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. 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... |
7 |
| U.S. 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,... |
3 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Rap Tracks Hot Rap Tracks Rap Songs is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. It lists the 25 most popular hip-hop/rap songs, calculated weekly by airplay on rhythmic and urban radio stations and sales in hip hop-focused or exclusive markets. From 1989 through 2001, it was based on how much the single... |
1 |
| U.S. Billboard Pop 100 Pop 100 The Pop 100 was a songs chart that debuted in February 2005 and was released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States until its discontinuation in 2009... |
18 |
| U.S. Billboard Pop Songs | 18 |
| Australian Singles Chart | 21 |
| Canadian Hot 100 Canadian Hot 100 The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007... |
23 |
| Finnish Singles Chart Mitä hittiä The Official Finnish Charts is a national record chart in Finland composed by Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.The singles chart was started in January 1991 as Radiomafian lista and was broadcast on the radio station Radiomafia of the Finnish Broadcasting Company, YLE. This chart is based on a... |
20 |
| German Singles Chart | 78 |
| 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... |
24 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 11 |
| Portuguese Singles Chart | 43 |
| 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 ... |
23 |
Sales and certifications
| Country | Provider | Certification | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
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 | 1,000,000+ |