T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

"T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)"
EDM
Length
  • 4:47 (single version)
  • 4:07 (clean radio edit version)
LabelInterscope
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
will.i.am singles chronology
"Forever"
(2011) 		"T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)"
(2011) 		"Great Times"
(2011)
Mick Jagger singles chronology
"Old Habits Die Hard"
(2004) 		"T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)"
(2011) 		"Black"
(2013)
Jennifer Lopez singles chronology
"Papi"
(2011) 		"T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)"
(2011) 		"Dance Again"
(2012)
Music video
"T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)" on
YouTube

"T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)" is a song by American rapper will.i.am, featuring vocals from British singer Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones and American singer Jennifer Lopez. The song was released via the iTunes Store on November 20, 2011, just hours after its debut at the American Music Awards. The music video for the song was released on December 12, 2011. The song was intended as the lead single from will.i.am's fourth studio album, #willpower, but it was ultimately omitted from the album.

Background

Nokia Theater. The performance included will.i.am and Lopez performing live, and Jagger performing via video link.[4] The song was made available on iTunes immediately following the AMA performance.[4] The song was produced by Audiobot, Dallas Austin and will.i.am,[4] as well as Jimmy Iovine.[5] will.i.am originally presented the track to Iovine without the featured artists, as a finished work, and was caught off guard by his request to add performers to the song. In response, he threw out Jagger's name among possible collaborators because he thought it would never happen.[5] Iovine ended up producing Jagger's vocals - it was the first time he had produced in decades.[5] Immediately after the AMA performance, will.i.am thanked Fighting Gravity via Twitter.[6] will.i.am also performed the song live at the American Giving Awards on December 10. Neither Lopez nor Jagger appeared.[7][8]

The song was originally released as part of will.i.am's fourth studio album, #willpower.[5] The album was originally scheduled for release in September 2012, but was delayed several times and scheduled for released on April 19, 2013.[9] When the final track listing with all its features was confirmed on April 11, 2013 by Rap-Up the song was not included on the album.[10]

Critical reception

The song received mostly negative or mixed reviews from

music critics
.

Simon Vozick-Levinson wrote a mixed review for Rolling Stone, stating that on the single will.i.am "strews dodgy rhymes ("I woke up in the morning/Hard like morning wood in the morning") over diamond-bright synths, while J. Lo handles the efficient hook. It all feels a bit perfunctory – except for Mick's guest verse, a kitschy delight delivered in a "Midnight Rambler" snarl.[11]

The website DJ Booth also gave to the song a mixed review, writing that "this tough-as-nails cut finds Will, "Audiobot" and

J-Lo (who also lends her vocals to the chorus), the Rolling Stones frontman grabs the mic to flaunt his considerable swagger (and his poor math skills: "Hard like geometry, trigonometry / This is crazy—psychology") in a gruff closing 16."[12]

Billboard's Chris Payne wrote that "The concept sounds crazy, but Will.i.am is the perfect studio whiz to oversee the commotion. The master of ceremonies adds to the fun by referencing "Back to the Future" to the Wu-Tang Clan to Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in his opening verse."[13]

Magazine No Ripcord laments in writer Joe River's write-up of the song that "The fact thousands and thousands of years of human achievement and progress have led to this moment makes me want to take a vow of silence and live in a kibbutz" and that it makes him want to "[throw] [him]self off Mount Everest".[14]

Entertainment Weekly writer Melissa Maerz stated in the magazine's write-up of the song "The hardest thing about this electro track? Liking it."[15]

Commercial performance

The song debuted on the US

R&B chart
. Two weeks later the original version of the song was released in the UK and it charted at #3 on the UK Singles Chart.

Music video

Will.i.am tweeted that a portion of the video was filmed on October 17, 2011 in Los Angeles.

Beats by Dr. Dre, Siemens Velaro, and the Chrysler 300
.

Track listing
  1. "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)" (Explicit Version) – 4:47
  2. "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)" (Clean Version) - 4:07
  3. "Go Home" (featuring Mick Jagger and Wolfgang Gartner) – 4:36
  • Digital download — Remix[28]
  1. "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)" (Z-Trip Remix) – 5:18
  • German CD single[29]
  1. "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)" – 4:47
  2. "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)" (instrumental) – 4:39

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)" CD single liner notes.[30]

  • will.i.am – songwriter, producer, synthesizers, drum programming, recording, engineer
  • Audiobot – songwriter, producer, synthesizers, drum programming
  • Dallas Austin – songwriter, producer
  • Jimmy Iovine – vocal production
  • Jennifer Lopez - lead vocals
  • Josh Lopez – guitar
  • Padraic "Padlock" Kerin – recording, engineer
  • Dylan "3-D" Dresdow – mixing
  • Mike Fontane – mixing assistant
  • Jaime Martinez – mixing assistant

Charts

Release history

Region Date Format
United States November 20, 2011 (2011-11-20) Digital download[49]
December 6, 2011 (2011-12-06) Top 40/Mainstream radio[50]
Germany January 3, 2012 (2012-01-03) Digital download[51]
February 3, 2012 (2012-02-03) CD single[29]
United Kingdom February 5, 2012 Digital download[52]

References

  1. ^ a b Will.i.am [@iamwill] (November 19, 2011). "@iamwill status" (Tweet). Retrieved November 20, 2011 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ Will.i.am [@iamwill] (November 19, 2011). "@iamwill status" (Tweet). Retrieved November 20, 2011 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ Will.i.am [@iamwill] (November 18, 2011). "@iamwill status" (Tweet). Retrieved November 20, 2011 – via Twitter.
  4. ^ a b c d e Dinh, James (November 21, 2011). "will.i.am And Jennifer Lopez Glow In The Dark At AMAs: Mick Jagger also appeared via video screen for debut performance of 'T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever.)'". MTV. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  5. ^ a b c d Baltin, Steve (November 20, 2011). "Exclusive: Will.i.am on How He Got Mick Jagger and Jennifer Lopez for New Single: Black Eyed Peas architect to debut "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)" with J.Lo on American Music Awards tonight". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
  6. ^ Will.i.am [@iamwill] (November 21, 2011). "@iamwill status" (Tweet). Retrieved November 21, 2011 – via Twitter.
  7. ^ Stelter, Brian (December 9, 2011). "For Chase, a TV Show to Promote Its Charity". The New York Times. Retrieved December 18, 2011.
  8. The Black Eyed Peas [@bep] (December 10, 2011). "@bep status" (Tweet). Retrieved December 18, 2011 – via Twitter. {{Cite tweet}}: Missing or empty |number= (help
    )
  9. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (March 18, 2013). "Will.i.am Sets Release Date For Long-Delayed '#Willpower' Album". Billboard. Retrieved April 12, 2013.
  10. ^ Tracklisting: will.i.am – ‘#willpower’ | Rap-Up
  11. ^ Vozick-Levinson, Simon (November 28, 2011). "Will.i.am feat. Jennifer Lopez and Mick Jagger "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)" - Song Reviews - Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 3, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  12. ^ "WILL.I.AM - T.H.E. (THE HARDEST EVER) - Review". DJ Booth. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  13. ^ Payne, Chris (December 12, 2011). "Track Review: Will.i.am feat. Mick Jagger & Jennifer Lopez, 'T.H.E.'". Billboard. Retrieved January 17, 2012.
  14. ^ "The Singles Bar - 6th February 2012". No Ripcord.
  15. ^ "Singles: Dec. 3, 2011". Entertainment Weekly.
  16. ^ a b Trust, Gary (November 30, 2011). "Rihanna Remains Atop Hot 100, American Music Awards Spur Gains". Billboard. Retrieved December 1, 2011.
  17. ^ a b "Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. December 10, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
  18. ^ Officialcharts.com
  19. ^ Will.i.am [@iamwill] (October 18, 2011). "@iamwill status" (Tweet). Retrieved November 20, 2011 – via Twitter.
  20. ^ Will.i.am [@iamwill] (October 24, 2011). "@iamwill status" (Tweet). Retrieved November 20, 2011 – via Twitter.
  21. ^ Will.i.am [@iamwill] (October 30, 2011). "@iamwill in reply to @JLoID" (Tweet). Retrieved December 1, 2011 – via Twitter.
  22. ^ Will.i.am [@iamwill] (December 12, 2011). "@iamwill status" (Tweet). Retrieved December 12, 2011 – via Twitter.
  23. ^ Mick Jagger [@MickJagger] (December 12, 2011). "@MickJagger status" (Tweet). Retrieved December 13, 2011 – via Twitter.
  24. ^ Jennifer Lopez [@JLo] (December 15, 2011). "@JLo status" (Tweet). Retrieved December 18, 2011 – via Twitter.
  25. ^ Mitchell, Allison (December 12, 2011). "Will.i.am Releases Stellar Music Video for 'T.H.E.' Ft. Jennifer Lopez & Mick Jagger [VIDEO]". RyanSeacrest.com. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  26. ^ Ryan Seacrest [@RyanSeacrest] (December 12, 2011). "@RyanSeacrest status" (Tweet). Retrieved December 12, 2011 – via Twitter.
  27. ^ T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever) [feat. Mick Jagger & Jennifer Lopez] - Single by will.i.am on Apple Music
  28. ^ "Hype Machine".
  29. ^ a b T.H.E (The Hardest Ever) (2-Track) - Will.I.Am, Jennifer Lopez, Mick Jagger: Amazon.de: Musik
  30. ^ T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever) (liner notes). will.i.am featuring Mick Jagger and Jennifer Lopez. will.i.am Music Group, Interscope Records. 2012. 0602527942285.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  31. ^ "Chartifacts – Week Commencing: 19th December 2011". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on January 6, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2012.
  32. ^ "Top 40 Urban Albums & Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on March 17, 2012.
  33. ^ "will.i.am feat. Jennifer Lopez & Mick Jagger – T.H.E (The Hardest Ever)" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  34. Ultratip
    .
  35. Ultratip
    .
  36. ^ "Brasil Hot 100 Airplay". Billboard Brasil (Brasil: bpp) (2): 100. December 2011.
  37. ^ ""Brasil Hot Pop & Popular Songs". Billboard Brasil (Brasil: bpp) (23): 37. December 2012". Billboard Brasil(ABPD). January 2, 2012. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved October 18, 2011.
  38. ^ "Jennifer Lopez Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
  39. ^ "Jennifer Lopez Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  40. ^ "Jennifer Lopez Chart History – Euro Digital Songs". Billboard. Retrieved August 19, 2019.
  41. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – T.H.E (The Hardest Ever)". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  42. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  43. Gaon Chart. December 15, 2012. Archived from the original
    on December 19, 2012. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
  44. ^ "will.i.am feat. Jennifer Lopez & Mick Jagger – T.H.E (The Hardest Ever)". Swiss Singles Chart.
  45. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  46. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  47. ^ "Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2012". Billboard. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  48. ^ "Top 100 Singles of 2012". BBC Radio 1. BBC Online. December 31, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  49. ^ "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever) [feat. Mick Jagger & Jennifer Lopez] - Single". Apple Inc. November 20, 2011. Retrieved December 1, 2011.
  50. ^ "CHR/Top 40". RadioandRecords.com. Archived from the original on July 10, 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2011.
  51. ^ "T.H.E (The Hardest Ever) - Explicit Version von Jennifer Lopez, Mick Jagger, Will.I.Am zum Musik Dow - Single". musicload.de. December 30, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  52. ^ Singles Release Diary

External links

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