Love Letter (R. Kelly album)
Love Letter | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | December 14, 2010 | |||
Length | 60:12 | |||
Label | Jive | |||
Producer | R. Kelly | |||
R. Kelly chronology | ||||
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Singles from Love Letter | ||||
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Love Letter is the tenth
The album debuted at number 6 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 154,000 copies in its first week. It produced two singles that attained respectable charting on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Upon its release, Love Letter received positive reviews from most music critics, who complimented its classically minded style and praised Kelly for his singing and songwriting. As of June 2022, It has sold over one million copies in the United States and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Composition
Love Letter is an homage to the classic soul music of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.[1][2] Kelly was heavily inspired by such soul artists as Marvin Gaye, Jackie Wilson, Donny Hathaway, Sam Cooke, Michael Jackson, and Stevie Wonder.[3] Kelly further pays tribute to Jackson, who died in 2009, with his own version of "You Are Not Alone" (a song he had written for Jackson), featured on Love Letter as a hidden bonus track.
Release and promotion
Prior to its physical CD release on December 14, Love Letter was released as a
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Pitchfork Media | 8.2/10[12] |
Rolling Stone | [13] |
Slant Magazine | [14] |
Spin | 8/10[15] |
Love Letter received generally positive reviews from
In a mixed review, Slant Magazine's Eric Henderson found Kelly's sentiments "generic" and described its music as "vanilla-smooth, grown-folks grooves that hearken not just to stepping in the name of love, but also some of the faux-Motown simulations from that most mechanical of recent musicals, Dreamgirls".[14] New York writer Nitsuh Abebe called its songs "the audio equivalent of buying flowers" and interpreted its theme of forgiveness to be directed at "the alleged capacity of women to forgive men for all failures, so long as a little knee-bending and charm is involved".[20] Rolling Stone observed a "relatively novel concept", but commented that "it's a testament to Kelly's ingenuity as a singer and songwriter that Love Letter doesn't fizzle — even with the fly zipped up on his wildest eccentricities".[13] Hugh Montgomery of The Observer wrote that "It's pastiche, certainly, but Kelly's expressive croon carries the day: equal parts honeyed and rasping, and bristling with a sincerity that reaches its zenith on the spine-tingling, a cappella finale of 'When a Woman Loves'".[21]
Accolades
Jon Caramanica of
Commercial performance
The album debuted at number 6 on the US
Track listing
All songs written and produced by R. Kelly.[32]
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Love Letter (Prelude Intro)" | 0:49 |
2. | "Love Letter" | 4:49 |
3. | "Number One Hit" | 4:24 |
4. | "Not Feelin’ the Love" | 3:34 |
5. | "Lost in Your Love" | 4:34 |
6. | "Just Can’t Get Enough" | 3:10 |
7. | "Taxi Cab" | 4:00 |
8. | " Radio Message" | 3:50 |
9. | "When a Woman Loves" | 5:10 |
10. | "Love Is" (featuring K. Michelle) | 3:24 |
11. | "Just Like That" | 3:19 |
12. | "Music Must Be a Lady" | 4:35 |
13. | "A Love Letter Christmas" | 5:44 |
14. | "How Do I Tell Her?" | 4:20 |
15. | "You Are Not Alone" (hidden track) | 4:29 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
15. | "Fallin' Hearts" | 4:30 |
16. | "Butterfly" | 4:38 |
17. | "Relief" | 3:27 |
18. | "When a Woman Loves (Remix)" | 2:30 |
19. | "You Are Not Alone" (hidden track) | 4:29 |
Personnel
Credits for Love Letter adapted from
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Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA)[42] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ AllMusic
- ^ a b c Kot, Greg (December 12, 2010). "Review: Love Letter". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on December 15, 2010. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
- ^ a b Love Letter - The Documentary (Part 1 of 3). Vevo. Retrieved on 2010-12-16.
- ^ Love Letter by R. Kelly - Download Love Letter on iTunes. iTunes Store. Retrieved on 2010-12-18.
- ^ a b R. Kelly Album & Song Chart History – R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Billboard. Retrieved on 2010-12-16.
- ^ R. Kelly Album & Song Chart History – Hot 100. Billboard. Retrieved on 2010-12-24.
- ^ R. Kelly Music News & Info | Billboard.com. Billboard. Retrieved on 2011-05-27.
- ^ a b Rabin, Nathan (January 4, 2011). Review: Love Letter. The A.V. Club. Retrieved on 2011-02-05.
- ^ Dolan, Jon (December 8, 2010). "Review: Love Letter". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 21, 2017. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
- ^ Cragg, Michael (January 6, 2011). Review: Love Letter. The Guardian. Retrieved on 2011-01-07.
- ^ a b Brown, August (December 13, 2010). Review: Love Letter. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on 2010-12-16.
- ^ Pitchfork Media. Retrieved on 2011-01-07.
- ^ a b Weiner, Jonah (December 14, 2010). Review: Love Letter. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2010-12-16.
- ^ a b Henderson, Eric (December 12, 2010). Review: Love Letter. Slant Magazine. Retrieved on 2010-12-16.
- ^ a b Johnston, Maura (December 17, 2010). Review: Love Letter. Spin. Retrieved on 2010-12-17.
- ^ a b Love Letter Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More. Metacritic. Retrieved on 2011-02-28.
- ^ Caramanica, Jon (December 14, 2010). Review: Love Letter. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2010-12-16.
- ^ Wood, Mikael (December 15, 2010). R&B Serenity Now: R. Kelly, Ne-Yo, and Others Keep the Quiet-Storm Flame Alive. The Village Voice. Retrieved on 2010-12-16.
- ^ Capobianco, Ken (December 20, 2010). Review: Love Letter. The Boston Globe. Retrieved on 2010-12-21.
- ^ Abebe, Nitsuh (December 15, 2010). Review: Love Letter. New York. Retrieved on 2010-12-18.
- ^ Montgomery, Hugh (December 12, 2010). Review: Love Letter. The Observer. Retrieved on 2010-12-16.
- ^ Caramanica, Jon (December 16, 2010). Pop Top 10, Rick Ross, Kanye West, Taylor Swift and More. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2010-12-18.
- ^ a b "Nominees and Winners". GRAMMY. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on 2011-12-01. Retrieved 2011-12-01.
- ^ 2011 Grammy Awards – complete list of nominees
- ^ a b Caulfield, Keith (December 22, 2010). Swift Back at No. 1 on Billboard 200, 'Michael' Bows at No. 3. Billboard. Retrieved on 2010-12-22.
- ^ R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Week of January 01, 2011. Billboard. Retrieved on 2010-12-24.
- ^ Digital Albums – Week of January 01, 2011. Billboard. Retrieved on 2010-12-24.
- ^ "Love Letter certification". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
- ^ Langhorne, Cyrus (March 9, 2011). CHRIS BROWN'S FAME SHOOTS HIM TO NO. 1, JENNIFER HUDSON CRUSHES HER COMPETITION, GUCCI MANE ICES TOP 20 Archived 2012-05-12 at the Wayback Machine. SOHH. Retrieved on 2011-03-30.
- ^ The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved on 2010-12-26.
- ^ dutchcharts.nl - R. Kelly - Love Letter. Hung Meiden. Retrieved on 2011-02-11.
- ^ Overview: Love Letter. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2010-12-16.
- ^ Love Letter【CD】-R Kelly. HMV. Retrieved on 2010-12-20.
- ^ Credits: Love Letter. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2010-12-16.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – R. Kelly – Love Letter" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
- ^ "R. Kelly | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
- ^ "R. Kelly Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
- ^ "R. Kelly Chart History (Digital Albums)".[dead link] Billboard. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
- ^ "R. Kelly Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
- ^ Billboard 200 Albums : Oct 27, 2016 | Billboard Chart Archive
- ^ "Year-End Charts: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (2011)". Billboard. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
- ^ "American album certifications – R. Kelly – Love Letter". Recording Industry Association of America.