Compton (album) explained

Compton
Type:Studio album
Artist:Dr. Dre
Cover:DrDre-compton.jpg
Released:August 7, 2015
Genre:West Coast hip hop
Length:61:40
Prev Title:2001
Prev Year:1999
Next Year:TBA

Compton is the third studio album by American rapper and producer Dr. Dre. It was released on August 7, 2015, on Apple Music and the iTunes Store, with the physical editions released on August 21, 2015.[1] It is the follow-up to his second album, 2001 (1999), after the cancellation of the premeditated album Detox.

Production for the album took place with Detox, but the album itself was devised when production of the N.W.A biographical film Straight Outta Compton gave Dre the idea for a soundtrack, with album-specific production taking place in 2013–2015 at several recording studios and was handled by a variety of high-profile record producers, including Dr. Dre himself, Focus..., Dem Jointz, Trevor Lawrence, Jr., DJ Dahi, Cardiak and Theron Feemster, among others. Compton features guest appearances from Anderson .Paak, Marsha Ambrosius, Craig Owens, King Mez, Justus, Kendrick Lamar, Candice Pillay, Jon Connor, Sly Pyper, Dem Jointz, The Game, Xzibit, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, and others.

The album debuted at number 2 on the US Billboard 200, selling 295,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. Upon its release, Compton received acclaim from music critics.

Background

Following 11 years of unsuccessful work on his infamous Detox album, Dre officially canceled the project on August 1, 2015, during an episode of his Beats 1 radio show, The Pharmacy with Dr. Dre. He stated that the album did not meet his standards and had decided to scrap the project as a result. During the same episode, Dre announced that he would be releasing a brand-new album, entitled Compton, on August 7 on iTunes and Apple Music, with a physical release following on August 21. Earlier the same day in an interview with Power 99FM, Ice Cube had preemptively announced the album. The album was inspired by the N.W.A biographical film Straight Outta Compton and features a number of collaborators from various points in his career, including Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Xzibit, and The Game, among others.

"During principal photography of Straight Outta Compton, I felt myself going to the studio and being so inspired by the movie that I started recording an album," Dre said on his radio show. "I kept it under wraps, and now the album is finished. It's bananas. It's an 'inspired by' album. It's inspired by Straight Outta Compton. We're gonna call the album Compton: The Soundtrack. I'm really proud of this." Dre also described the upcoming release as being his 'grand finale.'[2] This claim has turned out to be false and Dr. Dre hinted at a release of his upcoming fourth album.[3] [4]

Release and reception

Compton was released by Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records on August 7, 2015, to widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, it received an average score of 82, based on 36 reviews. Following two weeks of Apple exclusivity, the album was released for other streaming services as well as music stores on August 21.[5] Rolling Stone critic Jonah Weiner deemed the album "by turns confounding and enthralling" while writing that it "contains some of his most ambitious, idea-stuffed production ever" and that "Dre's rhyming (aided as always by co-writers) is impressive". Robert Christgau from Vice was somewhat less enthusiastic, naming "Genocide" and "Animals" as highlights while writing that the record benefitted significantly from Dre's absence from half the songs because of so many guest artists.[6] At the end of the year, Compton was named the 32nd best album of 2015 by Pitchfork,[7] while The Guardian ranked it 35th.[8]

Commercial performance

Prior to its release, there was heavy anticipation on whether Compton or Luke Bryan's Kill the Lights would debut at the top of the US Billboard 200 chart.[9] Ultimately, Compton debuted at number 2 with 295,000 equivalent album units; it sold 278,558 copies in its first week, with the remainder of its unit total reflecting the album's streaming activity and track sales.[10] Compton is Dr. Dre's third solo album to debut at number one on the Billboards Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[10] The album remained in the chart's top ten for the next several weeks,[11] [12] [13] and, as of June 2016, the album has sold over 600,000 copies in the United States.[14] Compton has been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Compton debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart after selling 45,721 copies (including 2,079 streaming sales),[15] becoming Dr. Dre's first number-one album in the UK.[16] It outsold its nearest competitor, Frank Turner's Positive Songs for Negative People, by over 28,000 combined chart sales.[16] Additionally, as the physical version of the album was not released until two weeks later,[17] Dr. Dre became the first artist in history to top the UK Albums Chart with a non-physical release.[15] Compton has been certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

In 2015, Compton was ranked as the 45th most popular album of the year on the Billboard 200.[18]

Track listing

The album was mastered by Brian 'Big Bass' Gardner at Bernie Grundman Mastering, LA[19]

Notes

Sample credits[20]

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart (2015)Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[22] 21
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[23] 31
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[24] 200
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[25] 16
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[26] 46
French Albums (SNEP)[27] 91
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[28] 76
UK Albums (OCC)[29] 54
US Billboard 200[30] 45
US Digital Albums (Billboard)[31] 13
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[32] 8
US Rap Albums (Billboard)[33] 7
Chart (2016)Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[34] 179
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[35] 53

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabel
WorldwideAugust 7, 2015.[36]
August 21, 2015[37]
November 20, 2015[38]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Listen to the premiere of Dr. Dre's new album, Compton, uncensored and exclusively on Apple Music. August 4, 2015 . drdre.com. August 24, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150923085831/https://www.drdre.com/news/listen-premiere-dr-dres-new-album-compton-uncensored-and-exclusively-apple-music. September 23, 2015. live.
  2. Web site: Compton: Dr. Dre's Grand Finale. August 5, 2015. YouTube. November 29, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304095214/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY6IiMsuVfY. March 4, 2016. live.
  3. Web site: Dr. Dre's First Album In 5 Years In The Works & Will Feature Eminem | NileFM | EGYPT'S#1 FOR HIT MUSIC. nilefm.com. July 11, 2021. July 25, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220725150231/https://nilefm.com/beats/article/7058/dr-dre-has-new-album-in-the-works-his-first-in-5-years-will-feature-eminem. dead.
  4. Web site: BREAKING: Dr. Dre is dropping new album! New snippet surfaces!. February 22, 2021.
  5. Web site: Steele. Billy. Dr. Dre's 'Compton' makes its way to Google Music, Rdio and others. Engaget. August 21, 2015 . February 27, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160310203447/http://www.engadget.com/2015/08/21/dr-dre-compton-rdio-tidal-google-music/. March 10, 2016. live.
  6. Web site: Christgau. Robert. Robert Christgau. February 26, 2016. G.O.O.D. Music Abounds: Expert Witness with Robert Christgau. Vice. January 31, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170202134319/https://noisey.vice.com/en_us/article/expert-witness-kanye-west-pusha-t-travis-scott. February 2, 2017. live.
  7. Web site: The 50 Best Albums of 2015. Pitchfork. December 16, 2015. December 16, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151218152929/http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/9764-the-50-best-albums-of-2015/2/. December 18, 2015. live.
  8. Web site: The Best Albums of 2015. The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. December 2, 2015. December 14, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20170420071109/https://www.theguardian.com/music/ng-interactive/2015/dec/02/best-albums-of-2015. April 20, 2017. live.
  9. Luke Bryan & Dr. Dre Aiming for Top of Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Caulfield. Keith. August 10, 2015. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. February 11, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160220185035/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6656832/luke-bryan-dr-dre-albums-chart. February 20, 2016. live.
  10. Luke Bryan Bows at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart, Dr. Dre Debuts at No. 2. Keith. Caulfield. Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. August 16, 2015. August 16, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151020032430/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6663966/luke-bryan-billboard-200-albums-chart-dr-dre. October 20, 2015. live.
  11. Keith. Caulfield. Luke Bryan's 'Kill the Lights' Spends Second Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200. Billboard. August 23, 2015. August 23, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150824040802/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6671228/luke-bryan-kill-the-lights-billboard-200-second-week. August 24, 2015. live.
  12. Keith. Caulfield. Disturbed Scores Fifth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart. Billboard. August 30, 2015. August 30, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150831220012/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6678673/disturbed-scores-fifth-no-1-album-on-billboard-200-chart. August 31, 2015. live.
  13. Keith. Caulfield. The Weeknd's 'Beauty Behind the Madness' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart. Billboard. September 6, 2015. September 6, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20170428220657/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6685947/the-weeknd-beauty-behind-the-madness-debuts-at-no-1-billboard-200-charts. April 28, 2017. live.
  14. Web site: Billboard 200 Chart Moves: Dr. Dre's 'Compton' Hits a Half-Million Sold, Madonna's 'Immaculate' Return. Billboard. January 30, 2016. January 31, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160131131115/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/6859396/billboard-200-chart-moves-dr-dre-compton-hits-a-half-million-madonna. January 31, 2016. live.
  15. News: Official Charts Analysis: Dr. Dre tops UK Albums Chart with non-physical release. Jones. Alan. August 14, 2015. Music Week. Intent Media. January 29, 2016. subscription. https://web.archive.org/web/20170819101952/http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/official-charts-analysis-dr-dre-tops-uk-albums-chart-with-non-physical-release/062601. August 19, 2017. live.
  16. Web site: Dr Dre scores first UK Number 1 album with Compton. Moss. Liv. August 14, 2015. Official Charts Company. January 29, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20151023081650/http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/dr-dre-scores-first-uk-number-1-album-with-compton__10456/. October 23, 2015. live.
  17. Web site: Dr Dre's Compton: What You Need to Know. James. August 21, 2015. HMV. January 29, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160201234748/http://www.hmv.com/music/dr-dre-s-compton-what-you-need-to-know. February 1, 2016. live.
  18. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2015. Billboard. January 2, 2013. December 12, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20171022085548/http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/top-billboard-200-albums. October 22, 2017. live.
  19. Web site: Compton - Dr. Dre Credits. AllMusic. en-us. November 9, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191109045134/https://www.allmusic.com/album/compton-mw0002868293/credits. November 9, 2019. live.
  20. Web site: Drdre.com. Compton. August 16, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151222074016/https://www.drdre.com/music/compton. December 22, 2015. live.
  21. Web site: Official IFPI Charts - Top-75 Albums Sales Chart - Week: 38/2015. IFPI Greece. September 29, 2015. September 29, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150929180404/http://www.ifpi.gr/charts_en.html.
  22. Web site: ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Albums 2015 . . January 6, 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160112063600/http://www.aria.com.au/aria-charts-end-of-year-charts-top-100-albums-2015.htm . January 12, 2016 .
  23. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2015. Ultratop. July 2, 2020.
  24. Web site: Rapports Annuels 2015. Ultratop. July 2, 2020.
  25. Billboard Top Canadian Albums - Year-end Chart. Billboard. January 2, 2013. December 9, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160802190400/http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/top-canadian-albums. August 2, 2016. live.
  26. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Album 2015. dutchcharts.nl. July 2, 2020.
  27. Web site: Top de l'année Top Albums 2015. SNEP. fr. January 20, 2021.
  28. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2016. hitparade.ch. July 2, 2020.
  29. Web site: End of Year Album Chart Top 100 - 2015. Official Charts Company. March 19, 2016.
  30. Billboard 200 - Year-end Chart. Billboard. January 2, 2013. December 9, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160803002330/http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/top-billboard-200-albums. August 3, 2016. live.
  31. Billboard Digital Albums- Year-end Chart. Billboard. December 9, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160802211554/http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/digital-albums. August 2, 2016. live.
  32. Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums- Year-end Chart. Billboard. January 2, 2013. December 9, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20170412005121/http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums. April 12, 2017. live.
  33. Billboard Rap Albums- Year-end Chart. Billboard. January 2, 2013. December 9, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160915074801/http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/rap-albums. September 15, 2016. live.
  34. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2016. Ultratop. July 2, 2020.
  35. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2016. Billboard. January 2, 2013. July 2, 2020.
  36. Web site: iTunes music -Compton by Dr. Dre. Apple Inc.. iTunes. August 7, 2015. August 16, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150818221853/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/compton/id1025137696. August 18, 2015. live.
  37. Web site: Dr. Dre – Compton (A Soundtrack By Dr. Dre). Discogs. August 21, 2015. August 21, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160310004316/https://www.discogs.com/Dr-Dre-Compton-A-Soundtrack-By-Dr-Dre/release/7364248. March 10, 2016. live.
  38. Web site: Dr. Dre Compton (A Soundtrack By Dr. Dre). Discogs. November 20, 2015. November 20, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160126205445/http://www.discogs.com/Dr-Dre-Compton-A-Soundtrack-By-Dr-Dre/release/7715225. January 26, 2016. live.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Compton (album)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.