The Element of Freedom
Encyclopedia
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 began working on the album, but knew to do it. After exhausting herself, she stated that she "finally found the key, and that is to allow yourself to be free". She explained that the album dealt with overcoming depression
. She went on to say, "I found more freedom. Before, I thought I could only show the strong side of me. Now there’s a mixture of strong and delicate. A new sound, a new emotion. That’s a lot of who I am right now" Recording for the album was completed between August and September 2009. Keys described that she "love[d] melody so much", but approached the album with a "free zone". The album includes production by Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Jeff Bhasker, Noah "40" Shebib
and Swizz Beatz
.
MTV News
reported that Keys and rapper Jay-Z
recorded "Empire State of Mind Part 2", a second version of "Empire State of Mind
", from Jay-Z's album, The Blueprint 3. The final product did not include Jay-Z. In mid-November 2009, Brothers revealed on Twitter
that Canadian recording artist Drake
will be featured on the album. Drake described the studio session with Keys as "one of the best studio experiences of my life". He explained that "I came in there and instead of being like, 'Here's the beat, get to work,' she was just like, 'Play me your favorite songs and lets battle'... It's almost like the transition from [listening to] great music to making a song — like, no one even noticed it, because she started playing the keys and I just started writing the melodies." Keys stated that due to the album being pushed back, she was able to record "How It Feels to Fly", as well as to work with recording artists Drake
and Beyoncé
, which Keys described as "the most exciting collaborations of my career yet".
and soul
to 1980s and 1990s pop
-oriented sound with the album. Ben Ratliff of The New York Times
described most of the album's songs as "professionals ... slow, clean songs with semi-classical acoustic piano, soft-pop chord changes and simple, prominent hip-hop beats". The Washington Post
s Allison Stewart wrote that the album "relies unusually heavily upon mid-tempo, carefully layered lovesick ballads". Keys received some comparisons to musician Prince
. Slant Magazine
's Matthew Cole wrote that "some retro synth work lends a funky backdrop" to Keys' "breathy vamping, alternating disco-diva choruses with Prince-worthy verses". Stephen Thomas Erlewine
of Allmusic pointed out the "always apparent" influence of Prince, as Keys "swapped the retro-soul instrumentation of her earliest music for electronics". He identified the album as "clean, small-scale collection of ballads and Prince-inspired pop". Allmusic's entry page for the album lists R&B
as its primary genre, while noting neo soul
, adult alternative, and pop rock
as styles incorporated in the album. Several writers also noted that the album's tenth track, "Put It in a Love Song", distinguishes itself from the rest of the album, being described as having "dreamy, sun-dazed production" and is "quantitatively different energy".
, Keys posted the audio to the album's lead single, "Doesn't Mean Anything
", on her YouTube
channel. The song was released on iTunes on September 22. In October, she performed the song live on the Regis and Kelly show. "Doesn't Mean Anything" peaked at number 60 on the Billboard Hot 100
and number 14 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart. On October 21, 2009, Keys held "The Element of Freedom Lecture & Performance Series" at New York University
, free for students at the Tisch School of the Arts
. Among the songs she performed included the new "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart
". The song, produced by Keys and Jeff Bhasker, was released as the second single from the album. The music video
premiered on November 16, 2009. Keys performed a medley of "Empire State of Mind", "Doesn't Mean Anything" and "No One
" on the sixth season
of The X Factor
on November 29, 2009. On December 16, 2009, BET's
106 & Park
hosted a two-hour special titled 106 & Keys, which consisted of a countdown of Keys' videos and a live performance.
On December 1, 2009, Keys performed a benefit concert
at the Nokia Theater
in New York
, where all the proceeds went to the Keep a Child Alive
program. The concert—held on World AIDS Day
—was streamed live on the video sharing
website YouTube
. A week prior to its release, Keys streamed The Element of Freedom in its entirety on the peer-to-peer
music streaming service, Spotify
, as well as social networking website, Facebook
, through an application. She became the first major recording artist in Facebook's history to do so. BillboardLive.com is working with Keys to show off its new technology that allows fans to watch free concerts broadcast in HD via iPhone
or iPod Touch
. The "Alicia Keys & Friends" concert took place on January 7, 2010, at the Apollo Theater
in New York
. In addition to her performances, Keys introduced new artists who also performed during the event. Keys also performed on Saturday Night Live
on January 9, followed by an AOL
Music Sessions premiere on January 14. On Valentine's Day
, Keys performed with recording artists Usher
and Shakira
at the 2010 NBA All-Star Game
during halftime. At the show, Keys performed "No One
" from her 2007 album As I Am
. She also performed "Empire State of Mind
" as well "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart". On March 3, 2010, Keys embarked on the North American portion of The Freedom Tour
at Allstate Arena
in Rosemont, Illinois
. The European leg of the tour will commence late April 2010. Keys will also perform at the Essence Music Festival
taking place on July 2–4, 2010. According to Keys, the album may be re-released with additional material.
" as the lead single from the album on September 22, 2009. Critics gave the song good reviews, comparing it to previous singles "No One
", "Superwoman
" and "If I Ain't Got You
". The single had mixed success, in Europe it did well reaching top five in Switzerland and top ten in the UK. It peaked at number fourteen on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart but only managed to reach number sixty on the Billboard Hot 100
. On November 17, 2009 Keys released her second single, "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart
". It received critical acclaim as the album's standout moment for its timeless synths and throwbacks to the 1980s. The single was more successful than the previous, reaching number two in Norway and five in Denmark as well as number twenty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It was later released in the UK as the album's third single, where it would go on to peak at number seven.
"Put It in a Love Song
" featuring Beyoncé
was also released as a single from the album. It did best in Australia where it peaked at number eighteen and was certified Gold. However it did only receive a limited release in the United States, a video was due to be released in March 2010 but was then delayed till Summer 2010 so that "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)
" could be pushed forward as a single instead. Despite this, "Put It in a Love Song" did peak at number sixty on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Following the album's release, Key's version
of "Empire State of Mind
" charted due to digital sales. It was released as an international-only single and was in some markets the best charting single. It peaked at number four in the UK, six in the Netherlands and number eight in Ireland. It also peaked at number fifty-five on the Billboard Hot 100.
Meanwhile in the United States, "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" began to make its impact from April 13, 2010. It was the most successful single from the album in the US, having topped the US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart for twelve consecutive weeks as well as reaching number twenty-one on the Billboard Hot 100. A remix featuring Drake was released on May 28, 2010. Following the birth of Key's first child on October 16, 2010, Keys revealed that "Wait 'Til You See My Smile" would be released as the next single in the UK on November 28, 2010. However this was since pushed back to December 12, 2010. The single features "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" (Remix featuring Drake
) as its b-side. To promote the single 12,000 film makers were invited over a period of six weeks to create a music video for the song. Keys will then select one of six short-listed videos to be released as the song's official music video for YouTube and music channels.
, selling 417,000 copies in its first week. It became Keys' first album to not debut at number one on that chart. In its second week, the album sold 280,000 copies. In its third week the album sold 80,000 copies. In its fourth week the album sold 62,000 copies. In its fifth on the US charts, the album sold 48,000 copies. The album has sold over one million copies in the United States and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
. As of August 4, 2010, it has sold 1,391,300 copies in the United States.
The album entered the UK Albums Chart
at number seventeen on December 20, 2009 and climbed to number one in the UK Albums Chart on February 7, 2010 making it her first album to ever chart within the top five and top the chart. In the space of the first month it had spawned three top ten singles in the UK, and had remained at number one on the UK R&B Albums Chart
for thirteen consecutive weeks. The album reached number one in Switzerland and has been certified gold after sales in excess of 15,000. It has since gone on to reach platinum in the country. In December 2009, the album was certified platinum in Canada for sales of 80,000. The Element of Freedom has sold four million copies worldwide.
, which assigns a normalized
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, it received an average
score of 67 based on 14 reviews. Andrew Burgess of MusicOMH
gave the album 3½ out of 5 stars and viewed its production as "a perfect counterpoint to Keys' voice, and the sentiment she's trying to convey", while calling the album one of "the best pop albums of 2009". BBC Online's Daryl Easlea wrote "Keys' canny ability to fox and beguile make The Element of Freedom an unexpected pleasure", and described Keys' vocals as "raw with emotion", which he felt matched the album's drum programming
. Chicago Tribune
writer Greg Kot
called the album Keys' "most consistent album and also her most low-key", and found it less "forced or gimmicky" than her previous albums. Killian Fox of The Observer
called it "a confident, well-crafted modern soul record" that was made without "doing anything groundbreaking". Los Angeles Times
writer Randy Lewis wrote favorably of Keys' thematic approach, stating that she "digs deep into the multitude of implications of independence". Despite writing that Keys lyrically "remains wedded to cliché", Digital Spy
's Nick Levine gave the album 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "thanks to that voice and her knack for a timeless-sounding melody, she can make even the hackneyed sound classic". Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly
commented that Keys has "established herself as an increasingly rare thing in pop music: the class act", noting that the "often-banal lyrics" were carried by her "quicksilver" voice. USA Today
s Steve Jones called its songs "consistently strong and thematically cohesive" and perceived the album as "more nuanced and intimate" than Keys' previous work.
However, Simon Price of The Independent
felt that the songs "drift by disappointingly, anodyne and indistinguishable", commenting that he "genuinely had to keep checking the LCD
display to see if we were still on the same track". Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone
found that its production "compresses her voice, making it sound a lot less like her, especially on the ballads". Vibes Clover Hope noted "rote songwriting" from Keys and wrote that the album lacks her "gritty edge that once was love at first sight". Mikael Wood of Spin
commented that "Keys seems uninterested in breaking new ground, snooze-controlling her way through a series of familiar piano-soul platitudes". Slant Magazine
's Matthew Cole commented that "As smart and savvy a songwriter as Keys should be able to do better than this". Allison Stewart of The Washington Post
noted lyrical "banalities" in her songwriting and called it "another safe, uninspiring album" from Keys. Tyler Lewis of PopMatters
gave it a 3/10 rating and perceived "uninspiring, trendy electronica production, strident lead vocal performances, and banal lyricism". Chicago Sun-Times
writer Jim DeRogatis
viewed its lyrics as "empty cliches" and found its sound pretentious. In his consumer guide for MSN Music
, critic Robert Christgau
gave the album a B rating and named it "dud of the month", indicating "a bad record whose details rarely merit further thought". Christgau interpreted Keys' attempt at "melismatic pain" to be "formal ploy merely, a diva-by-default's privilege" and stated "It's far from a shock but definitely a disappointment to watch Ms. Trained Pianist survey her branding options and choose the bland card over the brains card".
Production credits
Performance credits
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
bought several vintage keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, describing the Moog
Moog synthesizer
Moog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
as her "special best friend". Recording took place in The Oven Studios in Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Keys expressed that she "didn't know what to do" when she began working on the album, but knew to do it. After exhausting herself, she stated that she "finally found the key, and that is to allow yourself to be free". She explained that the album dealt with overcoming depression
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
. She went on to say, "I found more freedom. Before, I thought I could only show the strong side of me. Now there’s a mixture of strong and delicate. A new sound, a new emotion. That’s a lot of who I am right now" Recording for the album was completed between August and September 2009. Keys described that she "love[d] melody so much", but approached the album with a "free zone". The album includes production by Kerry "Krucial" Brothers, Jeff Bhasker, Noah "40" Shebib
40 (producer)
Noah Shebib, better known as 40, is a Canadian hip-hop producer from Toronto, Ontario. He is currently signed to Hip Hop Since 1978, a management and production company. In addition to a strong affiliation with Young Money Cash Money Records , Shebib has produced for artists such as Drake, Lil...
and Swizz Beatz
Swizz Beatz
Kasseem Dean , better known by his stage name, Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, DJ, rapper and painter. At the age of 17, he gained attention in the hip-hop world through his friendship with rapper DMX. Grady Spivey and rapper Cassidy helped launch his label Full Surface Records...
.
MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
reported that Keys and rapper Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
recorded "Empire State of Mind Part 2", a second version of "Empire State of Mind
Empire State of Mind
"Empire State of Mind" is a song by American rapper and hip hop artist Jay-Z, featuring vocals and a chorus from R&B and soul singer Alicia Keys. It was released as the third single from Jay-Z's 11th studio album The Blueprint 3 by his Roc Nation label in October 2009...
", from Jay-Z's album, The Blueprint 3. The final product did not include Jay-Z. In mid-November 2009, Brothers revealed on Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
that Canadian recording artist 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....
will be featured on the album. Drake described the studio session with Keys as "one of the best studio experiences of my life". He explained that "I came in there and instead of being like, 'Here's the beat, get to work,' she was just like, 'Play me your favorite songs and lets battle'... It's almost like the transition from [listening to] great music to making a song — like, no one even noticed it, because she started playing the keys and I just started writing the melodies." Keys stated that due to the album being pushed back, she was able to record "How It Feels to Fly", as well as to work with recording artists 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....
and Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
, which Keys described as "the most exciting collaborations of my career yet".
Music
Music writers have noted Keys' transition from 1970s R&BContemporary 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...
to 1980s and 1990s 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...
-oriented sound with the album. Ben Ratliff of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
described most of the album's songs as "professionals ... slow, clean songs with semi-classical acoustic piano, soft-pop chord changes and simple, prominent hip-hop beats". The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
s Allison Stewart wrote that the album "relies unusually heavily upon mid-tempo, carefully layered lovesick ballads". Keys received some comparisons to musician Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
. 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 Matthew Cole wrote that "some retro synth work lends a funky backdrop" to Keys' "breathy vamping, alternating disco-diva choruses with Prince-worthy verses". Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
of Allmusic pointed out the "always apparent" influence of Prince, as Keys "swapped the retro-soul instrumentation of her earliest music for electronics". He identified the album as "clean, small-scale collection of ballads and Prince-inspired pop". Allmusic's entry page for the album lists 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...
as its primary genre, while noting neo soul
Neo soul
The term neo soul was originally coined by Kedar Massenburg of Motown Records in the late 1990s as a marketing category following the commercial breakthroughs of artists such as D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and Maxwell...
, adult alternative, and pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
as styles incorporated in the album. Several writers also noted that the album's tenth track, "Put It in a Love Song", distinguishes itself from the rest of the album, being described as having "dreamy, sun-dazed production" and is "quantitatively different energy".
Marketing and promotion
In September 2009, the day after the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards2009 MTV Video Music Awards
The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards took place on September 13, 2009, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, honoring the best music videos from June 19, 2008, to June 29, 2009. Comedian Russell Brand hosted the event for the second time in a row. The awards were held a few months after Michael...
, Keys posted the audio to the album's lead single, "Doesn't Mean Anything
Doesn't Mean Anything
"Doesn't Mean Anything" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It written and produced by Keys and longtime partner Kerry "Krucial" Brothers for her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom , with its lyrics speaking about the importance of love against materialism and fake...
", on her YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel. The song was released on iTunes on September 22. In October, she performed the song live on the Regis and Kelly show. "Doesn't Mean Anything" peaked at number 60 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...
and number 14 on the 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,...
chart. On October 21, 2009, Keys held "The Element of Freedom Lecture & Performance Series" at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, free for students at the Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts
Tisch School of the Arts is one of the 15 schools that make up New York University ....
. Among the songs she performed included the new "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart
Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart
"Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart" is a song performed by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It was released as the second single from her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom . The ballad has been hailed by many music critics as the best track from the album. It marks a departure in...
". The song, produced by Keys and Jeff Bhasker, was released as the second single from the album. The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
premiered on November 16, 2009. Keys performed a medley of "Empire State of Mind", "Doesn't Mean Anything" and "No One
No One (Alicia Keys song)
"No One" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys from her third studio album, As I Am. Written and produced by Keys, Kerry Brothers, Jr., and George M. Harry, and released as the album's lead single in September 2007...
" on the sixth season
The X Factor (UK series 6)
The sixth series of British television music competition The X Factor started on ITV on 22 August 2009 and was won by Joe McElderry on 13 December 2009. Cheryl Cole emerged as the winning mentor for the second consecutive year, the first time in the show's history that a mentor has won back-to-back...
of The X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
on November 29, 2009. On December 16, 2009, BET's
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...
106 & Park
106 & Park
106 & Park is a Top Ten Hip-Hop and R&B music video show, set up in a countdown format, that airs weekdays at 6:00 PM on BET . Since its inception, it was the network's #1 rated show...
hosted a two-hour special titled 106 & Keys, which consisted of a countdown of Keys' videos and a live performance.
On December 1, 2009, Keys performed a benefit concert
Benefit concert
A benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...
at the Nokia Theater
Nokia Theatre Times Square
The Best Buy Theater in Times Square is an indoor theatre, owned and managed by Anschutz Entertainment Group , located on 1515 Broadway, at the corner of Broadway and 44th street. It was designed by architect David Rockwell and opened in September 2005...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where all the proceeds went to the Keep a Child Alive
Keep A Child Alive
Keep a Child Alive provides first class AIDS care, treatment, surrounding support and food for children and families affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa and India.-Background:...
program. The concert—held on World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day, observed December 1 every year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. Government and health officials observe the day, often with speeches or forums on the AIDS topics. Since 1995, the President of the United States has made an...
—was streamed live on the video sharing
Video hosting service
A video hosting service allows individuals to upload video clips to an Internet website. The video host will then store the video on its server, and show the individual different types of code to allow others to view this video...
website YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. A week prior to its release, Keys streamed The Element of Freedom in its entirety on the peer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer
Peer-to-peer computing or networking is a distributed application architecture that partitions tasks or workloads among peers. Peers are equally privileged, equipotent participants in the application...
music streaming service, Spotify
Spotify
Spotify is a Swedish-founded, UK-headquartered DRM-based music streaming service offering streaming of selected music from a range of major and independent record labels, including Sony, EMI, Warner Music Group, and Universal. Launched in October 2008 by Swedish startup Spotify AB, the service had...
, as well as social networking website, Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, through an application. She became the first major recording artist in Facebook's history to do so. BillboardLive.com is working with Keys to show off its new technology that allows fans to watch free concerts broadcast in HD via iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
or iPod Touch
IPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
. The "Alicia Keys & Friends" concert took place on January 7, 2010, at the Apollo Theater
Apollo Theater
The Apollo Theater in New York City is one of the most famous, and older, music halls in the United States, and the most famous club associated almost exclusively with Black performers...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. In addition to her performances, Keys introduced new artists who also performed during the event. Keys also performed on Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
on January 9, followed by an AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
Music Sessions premiere on January 14. On Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day
Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 496...
, Keys performed with recording artists Usher
Usher (entertainer)
Usher Terry Raymond IV , who performs under the mononym Usher, is an American singer-songwriter, and actor. He is considered around the world to be the reigning King of R&B. Usher rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100...
and Shakira
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll , known professionally as Shakira , is a Colombian singer who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s...
at the 2010 NBA All-Star Game
2010 NBA All-Star Game
The 2010 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game between players selected from the National Basketball Association 's Western Conference and the Eastern Conference that was played on February 14, 2010 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, United States. This game was the 59th edition...
during halftime. At the show, Keys performed "No One
No One (Alicia Keys song)
"No One" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys from her third studio album, As I Am. Written and produced by Keys, Kerry Brothers, Jr., and George M. Harry, and released as the album's lead single in September 2007...
" from her 2007 album As I Am
As I Am
As I Am is the third studio album by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It was released in the United States on November 13, 2007 by J Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at various recording studios during 2005 to 2007...
. She also performed "Empire State of Mind
Empire State of Mind
"Empire State of Mind" is a song by American rapper and hip hop artist Jay-Z, featuring vocals and a chorus from R&B and soul singer Alicia Keys. It was released as the third single from Jay-Z's 11th studio album The Blueprint 3 by his Roc Nation label in October 2009...
" as well "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart". On March 3, 2010, Keys embarked on the North American portion of The Freedom Tour
The Freedom Tour
The Freedom Tour was the fourth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Alicia Keys in support of her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom. The tour commenced at the Scotiabank Place in Ottawa on February 26, 2010. The tour continued onto North America visiting Europe as well...
at Allstate Arena
Allstate Arena
Allstate Arena is a multi-purpose arena, in Rosemont, Illinois.It is home to the Chicago Rush, of the Arena Football League, DePaul University's men's basketball team, the Chicago Wolves, of the AHL, and the Chicago Sky, of the WNBA.It is located near the intersection of Mannheim Road and...
in Rosemont, Illinois
Rosemont, Illinois
Rosemont is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States located immediately northwest of Chicago. The village was incorporated in 1956, though it had been settled long before that...
. The European leg of the tour will commence late April 2010. Keys will also perform at the Essence Music Festival
Essence Music Festival
Essence Music Festival is an annual music festival celebrating contemporary African American music and culture. It is the largest event celebrating African American culture and music in the United States. It has been held in New Orleans, Louisiana every year since 1995 except for 2006, where it...
taking place on July 2–4, 2010. According to Keys, the album may be re-released with additional material.
Singles
Keys released "Doesn't Mean AnythingDoesn't Mean Anything
"Doesn't Mean Anything" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It written and produced by Keys and longtime partner Kerry "Krucial" Brothers for her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom , with its lyrics speaking about the importance of love against materialism and fake...
" as the lead single from the album on September 22, 2009. Critics gave the song good reviews, comparing it to previous singles "No One
No One (Alicia Keys song)
"No One" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys from her third studio album, As I Am. Written and produced by Keys, Kerry Brothers, Jr., and George M. Harry, and released as the album's lead single in September 2007...
", "Superwoman
Superwoman (Alicia Keys song)
"Superwoman" is a song by American R&B-soul singer–songwriter Alicia Keys from her third studio album, As I Am . Written by Keys, Linda Perry, and Steve Mostyn, the track was released as the fourth and final single from the album...
" and "If I Ain't Got You
If I Ain't Got You
"If I Ain't Got You" is a song recorded, written, and produced by American recording artist Alicia Keys for her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys. Released in February 2004 as the album's second single, the song peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Keys' second...
". The single had mixed success, in Europe it did well reaching top five in Switzerland and top ten in the UK. It peaked at number fourteen on the US 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,...
chart but only managed to reach number sixty 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...
. On November 17, 2009 Keys released her second single, "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart
Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart
"Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart" is a song performed by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It was released as the second single from her fourth studio album, The Element of Freedom . The ballad has been hailed by many music critics as the best track from the album. It marks a departure in...
". It received critical acclaim as the album's standout moment for its timeless synths and throwbacks to the 1980s. The single was more successful than the previous, reaching number two in Norway and five in Denmark as well as number twenty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It was later released in the UK as the album's third single, where it would go on to peak at number seven.
"Put It in a Love Song
Put It in a Love Song
"Put It in a Love Song" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys. The song, written and produced by Keys and Swizz Beatz, features guest vocals by American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles. It was originally sent to radio on January 19, 2010 by J Records, as the fourth single from Keys' fourth...
" featuring Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
was also released as a single from the album. It did best in Australia where it peaked at number eighteen and was certified Gold. However it did only receive a limited release in the United States, a video was due to be released in March 2010 but was then delayed till Summer 2010 so that "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)
Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)
"Un-Thinkable " is a song performed by American recording artist Alicia Keys and has backing vocals provided by Canadian singer, Drake. According to Keys' it is the next single from her 2009 album, The Element of Freedom. It was initially scheduled to be the fifth single but will now impact as the...
" could be pushed forward as a single instead. Despite this, "Put It in a Love Song" did peak at number sixty on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Following the album's release, Key's version
Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down
"Empire State of Mind Broken Down" is a song performed by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It is an answer song to the Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z, on which Keys is featured...
of "Empire State of Mind
Empire State of Mind
"Empire State of Mind" is a song by American rapper and hip hop artist Jay-Z, featuring vocals and a chorus from R&B and soul singer Alicia Keys. It was released as the third single from Jay-Z's 11th studio album The Blueprint 3 by his Roc Nation label in October 2009...
" charted due to digital sales. It was released as an international-only single and was in some markets the best charting single. It peaked at number four in the UK, six in the Netherlands and number eight in Ireland. It also peaked at number fifty-five on the Billboard Hot 100.
Meanwhile in the United States, "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" began to make its impact from April 13, 2010. It was the most successful single from the album in the US, having topped the US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart for twelve consecutive weeks as well as reaching number twenty-one on the Billboard Hot 100. A remix featuring Drake was released on May 28, 2010. Following the birth of Key's first child on October 16, 2010, Keys revealed that "Wait 'Til You See My Smile" would be released as the next single in the UK on November 28, 2010. However this was since pushed back to December 12, 2010. The single features "Un-Thinkable (I'm Ready)" (Remix featuring 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....
) as its b-side. To promote the single 12,000 film makers were invited over a period of six weeks to create a music video for the song. Keys will then select one of six short-listed videos to be released as the song's official music video for YouTube and music channels.
Commercial performance
The Element of Freedom 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...
, selling 417,000 copies in its first week. It became Keys' first album to not debut at number one on that chart. In its second week, the album sold 280,000 copies. In its third week the album sold 80,000 copies. In its fourth week the album sold 62,000 copies. In its fifth on the US charts, the album sold 48,000 copies. The album has sold over one million copies in the United States and has been certified platinum 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...
. As of August 4, 2010, it has sold 1,391,300 copies in the United States.
The album entered 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...
at number seventeen on December 20, 2009 and climbed to number one in the UK Albums Chart on February 7, 2010 making it her first album to ever chart within the top five and top the chart. In the space of the first month it had spawned three top ten singles in the UK, and had remained at number one on the 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...
for thirteen consecutive weeks. The album reached number one in Switzerland and has been certified gold after sales in excess of 15,000. It has since gone on to reach platinum in the country. In December 2009, the album was certified platinum in Canada for sales of 80,000. The Element of Freedom has sold four million copies worldwide.
Critical response
The Element of Freedom received positive reviews from most music critics. At 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,...
, which assigns a normalized
Normalization (statistics)
In one usage in statistics, normalization is the process of isolating statistical error in repeated measured data. A normalization is sometimes based on a property...
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, it received an average
Weighted mean
The weighted mean is similar to an arithmetic mean , where instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others...
score of 67 based on 14 reviews. Andrew Burgess of MusicOMH
MusicOMH
musicOMH is a United Kingdom-based website which publishes independent reviews, featues and interviews from across all musical genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.-History:...
gave the album 3½ out of 5 stars and viewed its production as "a perfect counterpoint to Keys' voice, and the sentiment she's trying to convey", while calling the album one of "the best pop albums of 2009". BBC Online's Daryl Easlea wrote "Keys' canny ability to fox and beguile make The Element of Freedom an unexpected pleasure", and described Keys' vocals as "raw with emotion", which he felt matched the album's drum programming
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
. Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
writer Greg Kot
Greg Kot
Greg Kot is an American writer and journalist. Since 1990, Kot has been the music critic at the Chicago Tribune, where he has covered popular music and reported on music-related social, political and business issues...
called the album Keys' "most consistent album and also her most low-key", and found it less "forced or gimmicky" than her previous albums. Killian Fox of The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
called it "a confident, well-crafted modern soul record" that was made without "doing anything groundbreaking". Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
writer Randy Lewis wrote favorably of Keys' thematic approach, stating that she "digs deep into the multitude of implications of independence". Despite writing that Keys lyrically "remains wedded to cliché", Digital Spy
Digital Spy
Digital Spy is a British entertainment and media news website. According to Alexa Internet traffic statistics, as of February 2011, Digital Spy is the 93rd most popular website in the United Kingdom, with an overall Alexa ranking of 2,088....
's Nick Levine gave the album 4 out of 5 stars and wrote "thanks to that voice and her knack for a timeless-sounding melody, she can make even the hackneyed sound classic". Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
commented that Keys has "established herself as an increasingly rare thing in pop music: the class act", noting that the "often-banal lyrics" were carried by her "quicksilver" voice. USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
s Steve Jones called its songs "consistently strong and thematically cohesive" and perceived the album as "more nuanced and intimate" than Keys' previous work.
However, Simon Price of The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
felt that the songs "drift by disappointingly, anodyne and indistinguishable", commenting that he "genuinely had to keep checking the LCD
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, or video display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals . LCs do not emit light directly....
display to see if we were still on the same track". Rob Sheffield 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...
found that its production "compresses her voice, making it sound a lot less like her, especially on the ballads". Vibes Clover Hope noted "rote songwriting" from Keys and wrote that the album lacks her "gritty edge that once was love at first sight". Mikael Wood of Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
commented that "Keys seems uninterested in breaking new ground, snooze-controlling her way through a series of familiar piano-soul platitudes". 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 Matthew Cole commented that "As smart and savvy a songwriter as Keys should be able to do better than this". Allison Stewart of The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
noted lyrical "banalities" in her songwriting and called it "another safe, uninspiring album" from Keys. Tyler Lewis of PopMatters
PopMatters
PopMatters is an international webzine of cultural criticism that covers many aspects of popular culture. PopMatters publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, books, video games, comics, sports, theater,...
gave it a 3/10 rating and perceived "uninspiring, trendy electronica production, strident lead vocal performances, and banal lyricism". Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
writer Jim DeRogatis
Jim DeRogatis
James "Jim" DeRogatis is an American music critic and co-host of Sound Opinions. DeRogatis has written articles for magazines such as Spin, Guitar World and Modern Drummer, and for fifteen years was the pop music critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.He joined Columbia College Chicago as a full-time...
viewed its lyrics as "empty cliches" and found its sound pretentious. In his consumer guide for MSN Music
MSN Music
MSN Music was a part of the MSN web services. It delivered music news, music videos, spotlights on new music, artist information, and live performances of artists. In 2004, Microsoft created an MSN Music download store to compete with Apple's iTunes Music Store, though its sales in comparison were...
, critic 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 B rating and named it "dud of the month", indicating "a bad record whose details rarely merit further thought". Christgau interpreted Keys' attempt at "melismatic pain" to be "formal ploy merely, a diva-by-default's privilege" and stated "It's far from a shock but definitely a disappointment to watch Ms. Trained Pianist survey her branding options and choose the bland card over the brains card".
Track listing
Sample credits- "Like the Sea" contains an interpolation of "Arabesque No. 1Arabesques (Debussy)The Two Arabesques , L. 66, is a pair of arabesques composed by Claude Debussy. They are two of Debussy's earliest works, composed between the years 1888 and 1891, when he was still in his twenties....
", composed by Claude DebussyClaude DebussyClaude-Achille Debussy was a French composer. Along with Maurice Ravel, he was one of the most prominent figures working within the field of impressionist music, though he himself intensely disliked the term when applied to his compositions...
. - "Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down" contains a sample of "Love on a Two-Way StreetLove on a Two-Way Street"Love on a Two-Way Street" is a Soul ballad written by Sylvia Robinson and Bert Keyes in 1968. The song was originally recorded by Lezli Valentine, an artist signed to All Platinum, the record label that Sylvia Robinson co-owned with her husband, Joe...
", written by Bert Keyes and Sylvia Robinson, as performed by The MomentsRay, Goodman & BrownRay, Goodman & Brown is an American R&B vocal group. The group originated as The Moments, who formed in the mid-1960s and whose greatest successes came in the 1970s with hits including "Love on a Two-Way Street", "Sexy Mama" and "Look at Me "...
.
Personnel
Credits for The Element of Freedom adapted from Allmusic.Production credits
- Kerry Brothers – 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...
- Peter Edge – executive producer
- Erwin Gorostiza – creative directorCreative DirectorA creative director is a position often found within the graphic design, film, music, fashion, advertising, media or entertainment industries, but may be useful in other creative organizations such as web development and software development firms as well....
- Jeanine McLean Griffin – managementManagementManagement in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
- Alicia KeysAlicia KeysAlicia 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...
– 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...
, executive producer, concept - Dave Kutch – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- Ann Mincieli – coordination
- Conrad Robinson – management
- Jeff Robinson – executive producer, management
- Ashunta Sheriff – make-up
- Tippi Shorter – hair stylistBarberA barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, and to shave or trim the beards of men. The place of work of a barber is generally called a barbershop....
- Yu TsaiYu TsaiYu Tsai is an American photographer working out of Los Angeles and New York. He was born in Taiwan and moved to a farm in Indiana with his family as a young child. Yu Tsai and his family then moved to Chino, California where Yu Tsai spent his adolescent life. He attended Don Lugo High School in...
– 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... - Wouri Vice – stylist
Performance credits
- Beyoncé - featured vocals (on track number 10)
- Drake - background vocals (on track number 7)
Weekly charts
| Chart (2009/2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
19 |
| Austrian Albums Chart | 23 |
| Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders) | 11 |
| Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia) | 17 |
| 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... |
5 |
| Croatian Albums Chart Music of Croatia The music of Croatia, like the divisions of the country itself, has two major influences: the Central European one, present in the central and northern parts of the country, as well as in Slavonia, and the Mediterranean one, particularly present in the coastal regions of Dalmatia and Istria.In... |
20 |
| Czech Albums Chart | 12 |
| Danish Albums Chart | 19 |
| European Top 100 Albums European Top 100 Albums The European Top 100 Albums chart is the European adaptation of the Billboard 200 albums chart. It was created in March 1984.The European Top 100 Albums, commonly referred to as Eurochart Top 100 Albums shows the sales of an act in 19 European countries based on IFPI data.The European Top 100... |
3 |
| Finnish Albums Chart | 13 |
| French Albums Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
13 |
| German Albums Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
10 |
| Greek International 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... |
7 |
| 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... |
9 |
| Italian Albums Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
15 |
| Japanese Albums Chart 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... |
9 |
| Mexican Albums Chart | 76 |
| Netherlands Albums Chart MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
2 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
20 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
7 |
| Polish Albums Chart Polish Music Charts The Polish Music Charts are two official album charts and seven singles charts in Poland, provided by ZPAV, the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry . The first, the Top 100, is a monthly chart based on data received from the album companies... |
7 |
| Portuguese Albums Chart Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa The Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa is currently the only recording industry association in Portugal. Created in 1989, it succeeded GPPFV and UNEVA .... |
5 |
| Scottish Albums Chart Scottish Singles and Albums Chart The Scottish Singles Chart and Scottish Albums Chart are charts compiled by The Official Charts Company, based on physical and digital sales in the STV North, STV Central and ITV Border regions.... |
2 |
| South African Albums Chart Recording Industry of South Africa The Recording Industry of South Africa is a trade association that represents the collective interests of producers of music sound recordings, major and independent record labels in South Africa. Formerly known as the Association of the South African Music Industry it was established in the 1970s... |
2 |
| Spanish Albums Chart | 3 |
| Swedish Albums Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
24 |
| Swiss Albums Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
1 |
| 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... |
1 |
| 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... |
1 |
| 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 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
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| Australia Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
Gold |
| Canada Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada... |
Platinum |
| France | Platinum |
| Germany Bundesverband Musikindustrie The Bundesverband Musikindustrie or simply BVMI represents the music industry in Germany. The association represents the interests of nearly 350 labels and music industry related enterprises.... |
Gold |
| Italy Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
Gold |
| Japan Recording Industry Association of Japan The Recording Industry Association of Japan is an industry trade group composed of Japanese corporations involved the music industry... |
Gold |
| Poland Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry The Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry is the organization that represents the interests of the music industry in Poland, and the Polish chapter of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry... |
Platinum |
| Spain | Gold |
| Switzerland | Platinum |
| United States 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 |
Year-end charts
| Chart (2009) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Urban Albums | 24 |
| UK Albums Chart | 106 |
| Chart (2010) | Position |
| Australian Urban Albums | 13 |
| Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders) | 38 |
| Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia) | 45 |
| Canadian Albums Chart | 24 |
| Danish Albums Chart | 85 |
| Dutch Albums Chart | 11 |
| European Top 100 Albums | 6 |
| German Albums Chart | 60 |
| 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... albums chart |
76 |
| Spanish Albums Charts | 49 |
| Swiss Albums Chart | 9 |
| UK Albums Chart | 6 |
| US Billboard 200 | 11 |
| US R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | 3 |
Chart precession and succession
Release history
| Country | Date | Format | Label(s) | Catalog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | December 11, 2009 | Standard edition | Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation.... |
886976256128 |
| Deluxe edition | 886976309022 | |||
| Australia | Standard edition - digital download | 88697465712 | ||
| Deluxe edition - CD + DVD DVD A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions.... |
88697608982 | |||
| Ireland | Standard edition | 88697465712 | ||
| Deluxe edition | 88697608982 | |||
| United Kingdom | December 14, 2009 | Standard edition | RCA Records RCA Records RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label... |
88697465712 |
| Deluxe edition | 88697608982 | |||
| United States | December 15, 2009 | Standard edition | J Records J Records J Records was an American record label, owned and operated by Sony Music Entertainment, and was distributed through the RCA Music Group.-Company history:... |
886974657125 |
| Deluxe edition | 88697608982 | |||
| Empire edition | ||||
| Vinyl LP | 886974657118 | |||
| Canada | Standard edition | Sony Music Entertainment | 88697465712 | |
| Deluxe edition | 88697608982 | |||
| Brazil | Standard edition | 886974657125 | ||
| Argentina | Standard edition | 886974657125 | ||
| Deluxe edition | 886976089825 | |||
| Japan | December 16, 2009 | Standard edition | Sony Music Japan Sony Music Entertainment Japan is Sony's music arm in Japan. SMEJ is directly owned by Sony Corporation and independent from the United States-based Sony Music Entertainment due to its strength in the Japanese music industry.... |
SICP2462 |
| January 1, 2010 | Deluxe edition - CD + DVD | SICP2583 | ||
| Australia | January 8, 2010 | Standard edition - CD | Sony Music Entertainment | 88697465712 |
External links
- The Element of Freedom 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...