Share My World
Share My World | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 22, 1997 | |||
Studio | The Hit Factory (New York City) Battery Studios Chicago Trax The Chicago Recording Company (Chicago, Illinois) Flyte Tyme Studios (Edina, Minnesota) The Record Plant (Los Angeles, California) | |||
Genre | R&B[1] | |||
Length | 65:15 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
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Mary J. Blige chronology | ||||
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Singles from Share My World | ||||
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Share My World is the third studio album by American
Guest appearances are made by
It is certified
Background
Share My World marked several personal and professional changes in Blige’s life and career. Following the departure of label head
During the making and run of her second album In late 1996, however, Blige reportedly made a concerted effort to clean up her life and subsequently found herself in more positive frame of mind while recording Share My World, which influenced the albums noticeably lighter mood.
Critical reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [7] |
Entertainment Weekly | B+[8] |
Music Week | [9] |
Rolling Stone | [10] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [11] |
Spin | 8/10[12] |
USA Today | [13] |
The Village Voice | A−[14] |
Alex Henderson of AllMusic wrote in his review, "Her strongest and most confident effort up to that point, Share had much more character, personality, and honesty than most of the assembly line fare dominating urban radio in 1997. For all their slickness, emotive cuts like "Get to Know You Better," "Love Is All We Need," and "Keep Your Head" left no doubt that Blige was indeed a singer of depth and substance. Although high tech, the production of everyone from R. Kelly (with whom she duets on the inviting "It's On") and Babyface to Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis doesn't come across as forced or robotic, but, in fact, is impressively organic."[15] Ernest Hardy of Rolling Stone commended Blige's transition from sound to singing, writing that "On Share My World even Blige's harshest critics will have to concede that she's moved beyond sound to real singing. Listen to "Seven Days," "Missing You" and the already-classic "Not Gon' Cry" (also on the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack), and you hear Blige's signature ache married to newfound technique. There's shading, depth and control in her vocals now."[16]
Steve Jones of
Awards and nominations
Ceremony | Category | Result |
---|---|---|
25th Annual American Music Awards | Favorite Soul/R&B Album | Won |
25th Annual American Music Awards | Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist | Nominated |
40th Grammy Awards
|
Best R&B Album
|
Nominated |
Soul Train Music Awards | Best R&B/Soul Album – Female | Nominated |
Soul Train Music Awards | Best R&B/Soul Single – Female (for "Everything") | Nominated |
Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards | Best R&B/Soul Album | Won |
NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Female Artist | Nominated |
Commercial performance
For the Billboard issue dated May 10, 1997, Share My World debuted at number one on both the US Billboard 200 and R&B Albums chart with sales of 240,000 copies, marking Blige's first official number-one album on the Billboard 200 chart.[18] The album had ended the four-week stint of Life After Death by The Notorious B.I.G., which was released posthumously five weeks earlier.
In addition to debuting number one in the US, the album also debuted in the top ten in countries such as
.Share My World was certified
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Intro" |
|
| R. Jerkins | 4:39 |
14. | "Get to Know You Better" | Bryce Wilson | Wilson | 4:32 | |
15. | "Searching" (featuring Roy Ayers) |
|
| 5:05 | |
16. | "Our Love" | James Mtume | 5:21 | ||
17. | "Not Gon' Cry" | Babyface | Babyface | 4:54 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
18. | "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" | Mtume | 2:57 |
Notes
- ^[a] denotes co-producer(s)
Sample credits
- "I Can Love You" contains a sample of "Queen Bitch" as performed by Lil' Kim.
- "Love Is All We Need" contains a sample of "Moonchild" as performed by Rick James.
- "Round and Round" contains a sample of "Go Back Home" as performed by Allen Toussaint.
- "Share My World" contains an interpolation of "Share My World" by DeBarge.
- "Everything" contains a sample of "You Are Everything" as performed by The Stylistics; "The Payback" as performed by James Brown; "Sukiyaki" as performed by A Taste of Honey.
- "Searching" contains replayed elements of "Searchin" as performed by Roy Ayers.
Personnel
Musicians
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|
Production
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|
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Canada (Music Canada)[39] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Japan (RIAJ)[40] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[41] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[42] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
See also
- List of number-one albums of 1997 (U.S.)
- List of number-one R&B albums of 1997 (U.S.)
References
- Complex. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
- ^ Murrell, Morgan (24 June 2021). "Mary J. Blige On Her "My Life" Album: "I Was Depressed, Ready To Die"". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ^ "A more obliging Blige". CNN. October 12, 1999. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ^ AllMusic review
- ^ Kot, Greg (April 25, 1997). "Share My World (MCA)". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 18, 2016. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
- ISBN 978-0857125958.
- ^ a b Bernstein, Jonathan (May 2, 1997). "Share My World". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 14, 2022.
- ^ "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music Week. April 5, 1997. p. 28. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
- ^ Hardy, Ernest (April 25, 1997). "Mary J. Blige: Share My World : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 14, 2007. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
- ^ ISBN 0743201698.
- ^ Robson, Britt (June 1997). "Records". Spin. p. 118. Retrieved September 18, 2016.
- ^ a b USA Today review
- ^ a b Christgau, Robert (November 4, 1997). "Records". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on December 7, 2010. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
- ^ "Share My World - Mary J. Blige | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
- ^ "Mary J. Blige: Share My World : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. November 14, 2007. Archived from the original on November 14, 2007. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
- ^ "CD REVIEWS". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on June 14, 1997. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
- ^ "Mary J. Blige's Share My World Tops Album Chart". MTV. Viacom International Inc. May 1, 1997. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
- .
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 33.
- ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3202". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Mary J Blige – Share My World" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Mary J Blige – Share My World". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "シェア・マイ・ワールド" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on February 3, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Mary J Blige – Share My World". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Mary J Blige – Share My World". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Mary J. Blige – Share My World". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "Mary J. Blige | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "Mary J. Blige Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
- ^ "Albums: Top 100 of 1997". Jam!. Archived from the original on March 20, 2001. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
- ^ "RnB Albums: Top 25 of 1997". Jam!. Archived from the original on March 6, 2002. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
- ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 1997". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
- ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1997". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2021.
- ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1997". Billboard. Retrieved April 24, 2021.