Stronger (Mary J. Blige album)
Encyclopedia
Stronger with Each Tear (stylized as Stronger withEach Tear) is the ninth studio album
from American R&B
and soul
singer Mary J. Blige
. The album was released in the US on December 21, 2009 under Blige's own imprint Matriarch Records.
Internationally it was released December 18, 2009 in Australia and Germany, December 21 in France, December 23 in Japan, and on February 2, 2010 in Korea with further international releases (in some cases re-releases) March, April, and May 2010. With this album, she landed a record of nine albums that have debuted at the top of the US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
magazine she stated the following about the album:
The album was initially titled Stronger after the song, "Stronger
" which Blige recorded and released as the lead single from the soundtrack Music Inspired by More Than a Game
from the LeBron James' documentary More Than a Game
. However Rap-Up later revealed that the album had been re-titled Stronger with Each Tear.
The album features productions and writing credits from the likes of Ryan Leslie
, Darkchild and Johntá Austin
. Also included are several features like Canadian rapper Drake
who features on the first single "The One
", rapper T.I.
who features on "Good Love" which was initially planned as the second single and Trey Songz
himself revealed that he had recorded a duet called "Hood Love" with Blige for the album. The song was previously recorded by Austin and Blige for Austin's debut solo album that never got released. The song has since been reworked and re-titled "We Got Hood Love". Following the album's release in the US the song charted at 82 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart due to strong digital downloads. The album cut "I Feel Good" entered the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 83 on the issue dated February 6, 2010 and on the issue dated March 6, 2010, it reached a peak of number 68. whilst "Good Love" featuring T.I.
entered the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 59 and has been on the charts for around eleven weeks with a peak of 58.
Australian media outlets revealed that the international version of the album would be released with an altered track listing. The new version of the album will have a duet version of the song "Each Tear" with Australian artist Vanessa Amorosi
. There are also four other versions of the track performed by Italian singer Tiziano Ferro
and UK singer Jay Sean, Rea Garvey
and K'naan
. According to HMV
, it will also feature the Led Zeppelin
cover "Stairway to Heaven", "Whole Lotta Love
" and the song "Stronger
" from the soundtrack More Than a Game.
The International version of the album does not feature the songs "Said and Done", "We Got Hood Love" and "Kitchen".
' new album The Element of Freedom
. The album was then pushed back once more to December 21, 2009.
After a number of appearances to promote the song "Stronger" for the soundtrack Music Inspired by More Than a Game
, Blige formally began the album's promotion in America by premiering the second single "I Am
" at the American Music Awards (2009)
. The following day she appeared on the Lopez Tonight
show for an interview and encore performance of "I Am". Blige also appeared on Jay Leno Show, The Today Show, and was also on a special aired on BET
named Words & Sounds With Mary J. Blige. She was on a taping of The View. On April 21, 2010 Blige appeared on American Idol
's charity telethon, Idol Gives Back
to perform her cover of Led Zeppelin
's "Stairway to Heaven" with Orianthi
and Randy Jackson
on guitars.
April 13, 2010, Blige appeared on an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show
where she performed the hit "Each Tear
" and her rendition of the Led Zeppelin
classic, "Stairway to Heaven
", which is featured on the Stronger with Each Tear international edition and on iTunes
as a digital single.
Other songs
chart with first-week sales of 332,000 copies. It also went to number one on the R&B chart. Blige is the ninth woman in SoundScan's 18-year history to see at least three albums all debut with an opening sales week of 300,000 or more. (2007). The album has now sold over 900,000 copies in the United States alone.
In the UK it debuted at number 33 on the main albums chart in its first week but dropped out of the top forty on its second week. On the UK R&B Chart
it debuted at number four and fell nine places to number 13 in its second week.
^ The international version of the album is the same as the UK version.
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...
from 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 soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
. The album was released in the US on December 21, 2009 under Blige's own imprint Matriarch Records.
Internationally it was released December 18, 2009 in Australia and Germany, December 21 in France, December 23 in Japan, and on February 2, 2010 in Korea with further international releases (in some cases re-releases) March, April, and May 2010. With this album, she landed a record of nine albums that have debuted at the top of the US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
Background
Blige started working on her upcoming ninth album while she toured with Robin Thicke in 2008. In an interview with Rap-UpRap-Up
Rap-Up is a magazine launched in 2001 by founder Devin Lazerine. The publication was originally a website devoted to hip hop, until Lazerine decided to pitch the possibility of a magazine to several publishers. The magazine is focused on the hip hop and R&B aspect of the music industry, and...
magazine she stated the following about the album:
The album was initially titled Stronger after the song, "Stronger
Stronger (Mary J. Blige song)
"Stronger" is a 2009 song by American R&B singer Mary J. Blige. It was written by American songwriter Ester Dean. It was co-written and produced by record producer Polow da Don. It was also co-written by Keri Hilson, Chauncy Hollis, Dwayne Dalton and American R&B singer Chris Brown, who provides...
" which Blige recorded and released as the lead single from the soundtrack Music Inspired by More Than a Game
Music Inspired by More Than a Game
Music Inspired by More Than a Game is the official album name for music taken from and inspired by the film More Than a Game. The film is centered around the life of LeBron James and was released in October 2009. The soundtrack and film were both executive produced by Harvey Mason, Jr. on behalf of...
from the LeBron James' documentary More Than a Game
More Than a Game
More Than a Game is a 2009 American documentary film that follows NBA superstar LeBron James and four of his teammates through the trials and tribulations of high school basketball in Akron, Ohio, and James's journey to fame. The film trailer was released in April featuring the single "Stronger" by...
. However Rap-Up later revealed that the album had been re-titled Stronger with Each Tear.
The album features productions and writing credits from the likes of Ryan Leslie
Ryan Leslie
Anthony Ryan Leslie, known professionally as Ryan Leslie, is a Grammy nominated American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, entrepreneur, and singer. Founder of the media company NextSelection Lifestyle Group, Leslie has produced singles for a number of artists in a variety of genres...
, Darkchild and Johntá Austin
Johnta Austin
Johntá Austin is an American singer-songwriter, who is currently signed to Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings. He is commonly known for collaborating with Producers Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri & The Production Team StarGate. Austin was awarded two Grammy Awards for his work on the songs...
. Also included are several features like Canadian rapper Drake
Drake (entertainer)
Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
who features on the first single "The One
The One (Mary J. Blige song)
"The One" is the first single from Mary J. Blige's album Stronger with Each Tear. The producer of the song is Rodney Jerkins aka Darkchild and the writers are Mary J. Blige, Canadian rapper Drake, who is also featured on it, Ester Dean and Rodney Jerkins....
", rapper T.I.
T.I.
Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. , better known by his stage name T.I., is an American rap artist, film and music producer, actor and author. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records....
who features on "Good Love" which was initially planned as the second single and Trey Songz
Trey Songz
Tremaine "Trey" Aldon Neverson , better known by his stage name Trey Songz, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. His debut album, I Gotta Make It, was released in 2005, while his second album, Trey Day, was released in 2007...
himself revealed that he had recorded a duet called "Hood Love" with Blige for the album. The song was previously recorded by Austin and Blige for Austin's debut solo album that never got released. The song has since been reworked and re-titled "We Got Hood Love". Following the album's release in the US the song charted at 82 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart due to strong digital downloads. The album cut "I Feel Good" entered the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 83 on the issue dated February 6, 2010 and on the issue dated March 6, 2010, it reached a peak of number 68. whilst "Good Love" featuring T.I.
T.I.
Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. , better known by his stage name T.I., is an American rap artist, film and music producer, actor and author. He is also the founder and co-chief executive officer of Grand Hustle Records....
entered the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart at number 59 and has been on the charts for around eleven weeks with a peak of 58.
Australian media outlets revealed that the international version of the album would be released with an altered track listing. The new version of the album will have a duet version of the song "Each Tear" with Australian artist Vanessa Amorosi
Vanessa Amorosi
Vanessa Amorosi is an Australian singer-songwriter and recording artist. Her combined album and single sales have reached over 2 million worldwide.-Early life:...
. There are also four other versions of the track performed by Italian singer Tiziano Ferro
Tiziano Ferro
Tiziano Ferro is an Italian pop singer. He reached notoriety in 2001 and during his career he has also sung in Spanish, English, French and Portuguese.-Childhood and early beginnings:...
and UK singer Jay Sean, Rea Garvey
Rea Garvey
Raymond Michael "Rea" Garvey is an Irish singer-songwriter, guitarist and frontman of the German rock/pop band Reamonn....
and K'naan
K'naan
K'naan , born Keinan Abdi Warsame in 1978, is a Somali Canadian poet, rapper, singer, songwriter and instrumentalist.-Biography:Born in Somalia, K'naan spent his childhood in Mogadishu and lived there during the Somali Civil War, which began in 1991. His aunt, Magool, was one of Somalia's most...
. According to HMV
HMV Group
HMV is a British global entertainment retail chain and is the largest of its kind in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company also operates in Hong Kong and Singapore. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE Fledgling Index...
, it will also feature the Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
cover "Stairway to Heaven", "Whole Lotta Love
Whole Lotta Love
"Whole Lotta Love" is a song by English rock band Led Zeppelin. It is featured as the opening track on the band's second album, Led Zeppelin II, and was released in the United States and Japan as a single. The US release became their first hit single, it was certified Gold on 13 April 1970, when it...
" and the song "Stronger
Stronger (Mary J. Blige song)
"Stronger" is a 2009 song by American R&B singer Mary J. Blige. It was written by American songwriter Ester Dean. It was co-written and produced by record producer Polow da Don. It was also co-written by Keri Hilson, Chauncy Hollis, Dwayne Dalton and American R&B singer Chris Brown, who provides...
" from the soundtrack More Than a Game.
The International version of the album does not feature the songs "Said and Done", "We Got Hood Love" and "Kitchen".
Release and promotion
The album was originally slated for US release on November 24, 2009 but this was pushed back to December 15, 2009 which would have put Blige's album in a chart battle with Alicia KeysAlicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook , better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and occasional actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began playing the piano...
' new album The Element of Freedom
The Element of Freedom
Keys began working on the album in May 2009. During this time, Keys and her audio engineer bought several vintage keyboards, describing the Moog as her "special best friend". Recording took place in The Oven Studios in Long Island, New York. Keys expressed that she "didn't know what to do" when she...
. The album was then pushed back once more to December 21, 2009.
After a number of appearances to promote the song "Stronger" for the soundtrack Music Inspired by More Than a Game
Music Inspired by More Than a Game
Music Inspired by More Than a Game is the official album name for music taken from and inspired by the film More Than a Game. The film is centered around the life of LeBron James and was released in October 2009. The soundtrack and film were both executive produced by Harvey Mason, Jr. on behalf of...
, Blige formally began the album's promotion in America by premiering the second single "I Am
I Am (Mary J. Blige song)
"I Am" is a song taken from American R&B singer-songwriter Mary J. Blige's album Stronger with Each Tear. The song was written by Blige, Johntá Austin, Ester Dean, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Eriksen with musical production from Stargate and was released as the second single from the album.The song...
" at the American Music Awards (2009)
American Music Awards of 2009
The 37th American Music Awards took place on November 22, 2009 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California. The nominees were announced on October 13, 2009. For the first time in history, there was no host for the year's ceremony. Instead, various celebrities introduced the performers similar...
. The following day she appeared on the Lopez Tonight
Lopez Tonight
Lopez Tonight was an American late-night television talk show hosted by comedian George Lopez. The hour-long program premiered on November 9, 2009, on cable network TBS. Lopez was the first Mexican American to host a late-night talk show on an English-language network in the United States. The...
show for an interview and encore performance of "I Am". Blige also appeared on Jay Leno Show, The Today Show, and was also on a special aired on BET
Black Entertainment Television
Black Entertainment Television is an American, Viacom-owned cable network based in Washington, D.C.. Currently viewed in more than 90 million homes worldwide, it is the most prominent television network targeting young Black-American audiences. The network was launched on January 25, 1980, by its...
named Words & Sounds With Mary J. Blige. She was on a taping of The View. On April 21, 2010 Blige appeared on American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
's charity telethon, Idol Gives Back
Idol Gives Back
Idol Gives Back is the name of a charitable campaign that spanned two episodes of American Idol during its sixth season. A second Idol Gives Back concert and fundraiser occurred on April 9, 2008, during the seventh season of the show. Idol Gives Back was not held in 2009 due to the ongoing...
to perform her cover of Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
's "Stairway to Heaven" with Orianthi
Orianthi
Orianthi Panagaris , better known simply as Orianthi, is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist. She is perhaps best known for being Michael Jackson's lead guitarist for his ill-fated This Is It concert series. Her debut single "According to You" has peaked at No. 3 in Japan, No. 8...
and Randy Jackson
Randy Jackson
Randall Darius "Randy" Jackson is an American bassist, singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol and executive producer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew...
on guitars.
April 13, 2010, Blige appeared on an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show is an American syndicated talk show hosted and produced by its namesake Oprah Winfrey. It ran nationally for 25 seasons beginning in 1986, before concluding in 2011. It is the highest-rated talk show in American television history....
where she performed the hit "Each Tear
Each Tear
"Each Tear" is a song performed by American R&B recording artist Mary J. Blige. It will be released as the second international single from her ninth studio album Stronger with Each Tear. The song is originally sung by just Blige on the U.S...
" and her rendition of the Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
classic, "Stairway to Heaven
Stairway to Heaven
"Stairway to Heaven" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released in late 1971. It was composed by guitarist Jimmy Page and vocalist Robert Plant for the band's untitled fourth studio album . The song, running eight minutes and two seconds, is composed of several sections, which...
", which is featured on the Stronger with Each Tear international edition and on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
as a digital single.
Singles
- "The OneThe One (Mary J. Blige song)"The One" is the first single from Mary J. Blige's album Stronger with Each Tear. The producer of the song is Rodney Jerkins aka Darkchild and the writers are Mary J. Blige, Canadian rapper Drake, who is also featured on it, Ester Dean and Rodney Jerkins....
", featuring DrakeDrake (entertainer)Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
was released as the album's first single in the US and Australia on July 21, 2009. Featuring DrakeDrake (entertainer)Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
, the song was co-written by Ester DeanEster DeanEster Renay Dean is an American singer and songwriter, and record producer signed to Zone 4 Records/Interscope Records. She is most notable for her dual appearance on Rio: Music From The Motion Picture and her 2009 US hit single "Drop It Low", which featured singer Chris Brown...
and produced by Rodney JerkinsRodney JerkinsRodney "Darkchild" Jerkins is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician. Jerkins received two Grammy nominations in 2011.-Biography:...
. It peaked at number sixty-three on the US Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100The 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...
.
- "I AmI Am (Mary J. Blige song)"I Am" is a song taken from American R&B singer-songwriter Mary J. Blige's album Stronger with Each Tear. The song was written by Blige, Johntá Austin, Ester Dean, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel Eriksen with musical production from Stargate and was released as the second single from the album.The song...
" which was written by Blige, Johntá AustinJohnta AustinJohntá Austin is an American singer-songwriter, who is currently signed to Jermaine Dupri's So So Def Recordings. He is commonly known for collaborating with Producers Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri & The Production Team StarGate. Austin was awarded two Grammy Awards for his work on the songs...
and Ester Dean with music produced by StargateStargate (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"...
, was released as the first international single (second in the US) in December 2009. It debuted on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart at number forty-six prior to its full release and peaked at number four upon release. It debuted on Japan's Oricon chart at number ninety-two and peaked at number eleven on that chart, while also debuting on the Hot 100 at sixty-seven and peaking at number fifty-five. It also served as the international lead single from the album.
- "Each TearEach Tear"Each Tear" is a song performed by American R&B recording artist Mary J. Blige. It will be released as the second international single from her ninth studio album Stronger with Each Tear. The song is originally sung by just Blige on the U.S...
" was released as the second international single from the album in February 2010. There are different versions of the song. For Australia, it features singer-songwriter Vanessa AmorosiVanessa AmorosiVanessa Amorosi is an Australian singer-songwriter and recording artist. Her combined album and single sales have reached over 2 million worldwide.-Early life:...
; for Italy, Tiziano FerroTiziano FerroTiziano Ferro is an Italian pop singer. He reached notoriety in 2001 and during his career he has also sung in Spanish, English, French and Portuguese.-Childhood and early beginnings:...
; for the UK, Jay Sean; for Germany, Rea GarveyRea GarveyRaymond Michael "Rea" Garvey is an Irish singer-songwriter, guitarist and frontman of the German rock/pop band Reamonn....
and for Canada, K'naanK'naanK'naan , born Keinan Abdi Warsame in 1978, is a Somali Canadian poet, rapper, singer, songwriter and instrumentalist.-Biography:Born in Somalia, K'naan spent his childhood in Mogadishu and lived there during the Somali Civil War, which began in 1991. His aunt, Magool, was one of Somalia's most...
. Marcus RaboyMarcus RaboyMarcus Raboy is an American film and music video director.Since the early 1990s, Raboy has amassed a large number music video credits directing music videos for Mary J...
filmed a video which was then edited to feature each of the guests in versions for their respective markets. It peaked at number one in Italy and number one-hundred-eighty-three in the UK, while failing to chart elsewhere. The single wasn't released in the United States.
- "We Got Hood LoveWe Got Hood Love"We Got Hood Love" is a song performed by American R&B recording artist Mary J. Blige and features American singer Trey Songz. It will be released as the third U.S. and last single from her ninth studio Stronger With Each Tear. The song was originally sung with Blige & Johnta Austin.-Music video:A...
" featuring Trey SongzTrey SongzTremaine "Trey" Aldon Neverson , better known by his stage name Trey Songz, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer and actor. His debut album, I Gotta Make It, was released in 2005, while his second album, Trey Day, was released in 2007...
was released as the third US single from the album on March 30, 2010. The song debuted at number eighty-two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart following the album’s release due to strong digital downloads and radio airplay. A video was filmed with Mary J. Blige and football player George Wilson in Miami, while Trey Songz filmed his scenes in a New York City apartment. Chris Robinson directed the video for the single with a planned May 10, 2010 premiere through VevoVevoVevo is a music video website. It is a joint venture among Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Abu Dhabi Media with EMI licensing its content to the group without taking an ownership stake. The service was launched officially on December 8, 2009...
, though it actually appeared on Rap-Up on May 6, 2010.
Other songs
- "Stairway to Heaven" was released on April 13, 2010 as an iTunes only release. Available as a download only and with no video the Led ZeppelinLed ZeppelinLed Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
cover features Travis BarkerTravis BarkerTravis Landon Barker is an American musician, producer and entrepreneur, most noted as the drummer for the American pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the alternative rock band +44, the rap rock band The Transplants, and the alternative rock band Box Car Racer. He was a frequent collaborator with...
, Randy JacksonRandy JacksonRandall Darius "Randy" Jackson is an American bassist, singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol and executive producer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew...
, Steve VaiSteve VaiSteven Siro "Steve" Vai is a three time Grammy Award-winning American guitarist, songwriter and producer who has sold over 15 million albums. Steve Vai is widely known as a flamboyant guitar virtuoso....
and OrianthiOrianthiOrianthi Panagaris , better known simply as Orianthi, is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist. She is perhaps best known for being Michael Jackson's lead guitarist for his ill-fated This Is It concert series. Her debut single "According to You" has peaked at No. 3 in Japan, No. 8...
. Another Zeppelin cover, "Whole Lotta Love" features as the single's B-side. The songs only feature on the international version of the album. It was released again on April 22, 2010 to raise money for American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
's "Idol Gives BackIdol Gives BackIdol Gives Back is the name of a charitable campaign that spanned two episodes of American Idol during its sixth season. A second Idol Gives Back concert and fundraiser occurred on April 9, 2008, during the seventh season of the show. Idol Gives Back was not held in 2009 due to the ongoing...
".
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number two on the US 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...
chart with first-week sales of 332,000 copies. It also went to number one on the R&B chart. Blige is the ninth woman in SoundScan's 18-year history to see at least three albums all debut with an opening sales week of 300,000 or more. (2007). The album has now sold over 900,000 copies in the United States alone.
In the UK it debuted at number 33 on the main albums chart in its first week but dropped out of the top forty on its second week. On the UK R&B Chart
UK R&B Chart
The Official UK R&B Chart is a forty-position R&B/Hip-Hop chart compiled by The Official UK Charts Company. Although the chart does not receive any airplay, its compilation is viewed on BBC Radio 1's website and publications such as ChartsPlus and Music Week...
it debuted at number four and fell nine places to number 13 in its second week.
Critical response
Reviewers' response to the album was mostly positive, currently holding a score of 75 (out of 100) on music review aggregation website Metacritic. Andy Kellman from AllMusic said "Stronger with Each Tear is a very good Blige album, if not quite a classic. One of her briefest sets, it is tremendously (almost studiously) balanced between all the ground she has covered so well before. That’s no criticism, though, since most of the songs are easily memorable and display so much range. Those who detest “The One” on principle, for its use of Auto-Tune, need only to forward to the album’s final song, a quiet and sparse throwback (to 40-plus years ago) production from Raphael Saadiq in which Blige professes new love to chilling effect." Mikael Wood from Spin magazine also liked the album saying "Mary J. Blige has spent the past decade effecting a slow transformation from R&B's queen of pain to the closest thing the genre counts to Oprah Winfrey. Judging by the titles on Blige's latest, that transformation is almost complete: 'Good Love,' 'I Feel Good,' 'I Love U (Yes I Du).' It's hard to believe this is the same woman who once felt the need to announce she was done with drama. Yet despite the conviction that those track names suggest—and despite solid writing and production contributions from A-listers [...] it feels less vital than 2005's terrific The Breakthrough or 2007's Growing Pains [...] The result is minor Mary—strong by many standards, a bit tepid by hers."Original release
Reissue release
Notes^ The international version of the album is the same as the UK version.
- In some markets Jay Sean is omitted from "Each Tear" and replaced with a regional artist:
- In Italy, Tiziano FerroTiziano FerroTiziano Ferro is an Italian pop singer. He reached notoriety in 2001 and during his career he has also sung in Spanish, English, French and Portuguese.-Childhood and early beginnings:...
; in Australia, Vanessa AmorosiVanessa AmorosiVanessa Amorosi is an Australian singer-songwriter and recording artist. Her combined album and single sales have reached over 2 million worldwide.-Early life:...
; in Germany, Rea GarveyRea GarveyRaymond Michael "Rea" Garvey is an Irish singer-songwriter, guitarist and frontman of the German rock/pop band Reamonn....
; in Canada, K'naanK'naanK'naan , born Keinan Abdi Warsame in 1978, is a Somali Canadian poet, rapper, singer, songwriter and instrumentalist.-Biography:Born in Somalia, K'naan spent his childhood in Mogadishu and lived there during the Somali Civil War, which began in 1991. His aunt, Magool, was one of Somalia's most...
- In Italy, Tiziano Ferro
Personnel
- Kory Aaron - assistant engineer
- Mary J. Blige - executive producerExecutive producerAn executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
, vocals, bck vocals, co-writer - Dylan "3-D" Dresdow - mix engineer
- Jaime Martinez - assistant engineer
- Aubry "Big Juice" Delaine - engineer
- Steven Dennis - assistant engineer
- Pat Dillett - engineer
- Mike "Handz" Donaldson - engineer
- Mikkel S. EriksenStargate (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"...
- engineer - Ron FairRon FairRon Fair is a veteran A&R executive, record producer arranger, recording engineer and songwriter. In a career that has spanned over 30 years at major record labels he has produced and arranged hits for several artists, but he is best known as a "guru/mentor", guiding the careers of unknown artists...
- vocal tracking - Drew FitzGerald - creative director
- Brian "Big Bass" Gardner - Mastering
- Thaddis Kuk HarrellKuk HarrellThaddis "Kuk" Harrell is an American songwriter, vocal producer, arranger and engineer. He is managed by RedZone Entertainment, and is a member of a songwriting–production team composed of himself, Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and Terius "The Dream" Nash...
- vocal tracking - Tal Herzberg - engineer
- Josh Houghkirk - mixing assistant
- Kendu Isaacs - 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...
, management - Jaycen Joshua - mixing
- Jaha Johnson - management
- Kim Kimble - hair stylist
- Damien Lewis - engineer
- Giancarlo Lino - mixing assistant
- Anthony MandlerAnthony MandlerAnthony Mandler is a commercial and music video director, who has written and directed music videos for several artists. His most notable and frequent collaborator is Rihanna...
- photographyPhotographyPhotography is the art, science and practice of creating durable images by recording light or other electromagnetic radiation, either electronically by means of an image sensor or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film...
- Tony Mardini - engineer
- D'Andre Michael - make-up
- Peter Mokran - mixing
- Luis Navarro - assistant engineer
- Carlos Oyanedel - engineer
- Tal Oz - assistant
- Dave Pensado - mixing
- Marni Senofonte - stylist
- Jason Sherwood - assistant engineer
- Allen Sides - engineer
- Allen Sodes - string engineer
- The Stereotypes - engineer
- Phil Tan - mixing
- Brian "B-Luv" Thomas - engineer
- Sam Thomas - engineer
- Pat Thrall - engineer
- Jenifer Tracy - design
- Pat Viola - vocal engineer
- Eric Weaver - assistant
- Frank Wolf - string engineer
- Andrew Wuepper - engineer
Charts
| Chart (2009/10) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| 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... |
42 |
| Dutch Albums Chart | 89 |
| Greek Albums Chart IFPI Greece International Federation of the Phonographic Industry Greece or IFPI Greece is the Greek branch of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and is the official charts provider and recording sales certification body for Greece. Currently two charts are compiled, one for sales of... |
20 |
| Italian Albums Chart | 18 |
| Swedish Albums Chart IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... |
38 |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 66 |
| 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... |
33 |
| UK R&B Albums Chart UK R&B Chart The Official UK R&B Chart is a forty-position R&B/Hip-Hop chart compiled by The Official UK Charts Company. Although the chart does not receive any airplay, its compilation is viewed on BBC Radio 1's website and publications such as ChartsPlus and Music Week... |
4 |
| US 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 |
| US 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 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2010) | Position |
|---|---|
| US 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... |
24 |
Chart procession and succession
Awards
| Year | Region | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | United States | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Album |
Original release
| Country | Date | Format | Label | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | December 18, 2009 | CD Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... , digital download Music download A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment... |
Universal Music Universal Music Group Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations... |
2725654 |
| Germany | 0602527256542 | |||
| Italy | 060252725654 | |||
| Greece | ||||
| Sweden | ||||
| Netherlands | ||||
| Switzerland | ||||
| France | December 21, 2009 | Barclay Records Barclay Records Barclay Records is a French record label founded in the mid-1950s by Eddie Barclay under the alias, Edouard Ruault. Eddie Barclay also founded the Riviera label in the early-1950s.... |
||
| United States | Matriarch Records | 602527256542 | ||
| Japan | December 23, 2009 | CD | Universal Music | UICF9065 |
| Korea | February 2, 2010 | DF6424 | ||
| Brazil | Digital download |
Reissue release
| Country | Date | Format | Label | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | March 15, 2010 | CD, digital download | Universal Music | 060252731839 |
| Italy | March 19, 2010 | |||
| Greece | ||||
| Sweden | ||||
| Netherlands | ||||
| Switzerland | ||||
| United Kingdom | March 22, 2010 | Polydor Records Polydor Records Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone... |
2725654 | |
| France | Barclay Records | 060252731839 | ||
| Australia | March 23, 2010 | International re-release | Universal Music | |
| Canada | April 13, 2010 | CD, Digital download | Geffen Records | |
| Brazil | April 20, 2010 | CD | Universal Music | 602527318394 |
| Australia | April 23, 2010 | Australian re-release | 2736019 | |
| Japan | May 12, 2010 | CD, Digital download | UICF1125 |