Megan (album) explained

Megan
Type:studio
Artist:Megan Thee Stallion
Cover:Megan Thee Stallion - Megan.jpg
Caption:Standard cover
Released:June 28, 2024
Genre:Hip hop
Length:52:00
Label:
Producer:
Prev Title:Traumazine
Prev Year:2022

Megan is the third studio album by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion. It was released through Hot Girl Productions and Warner Music Group on June 28, 2024. It is Megan's first album to be released under her independent label, called Hot Girl Productions, after her departure from her former label 300 Entertainment and 1501 Certified.

Megan received generally favorable reviews from music critics, with praise towards the newfound creative freedom on display, although some found it to be uneven. The album was supported by four singles: "Cobra", "Hiss", "Boa", and "Mamushi". "Hiss" became Megan's first solo number-one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Global 200, while all singles peaked within the top 40 in the United States.

Commercially, Megan debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 with 64,000 album-equivalent units earned, and became the rapper's fifth top-ten album on the chart. To promote the album, Megan embarked on the Hot Girl Summer Tour, her first headlining concert tour.

Background

On October 19, 2023, 1501 Certified revealed that the company and Megan Thee Stallion have mutually parted ways with each other.[1] [2] Shortly after, Megan clarified on an Instagram livestream, stating that her album would be self-funded and "the budget is coming from me".[3] Conceptually, the album follows a snake-based theme and motif through the titles of the singles and the promotional material. For the song "Otaku Hot Girl" which pays homage to several anime series she enjoys, she managed to clear some legal paperwork with MAPPA regarding permission pertaining to use of Jujutsu Kaisen characters among those referenced days before the album release.[4]

On October 23, Megan posted on her social media a teaser of her upcoming album stating "Just as a snake sheds it skin, we must shed our past, over and over again" under her independent music and entertainment company Hot Girl Productions.[5] On February 2, 2024, Megan signed a distribution deal with Warner Music Group which would allow her the creative control of an independent artist, but with access to the company's resources.[6]

Release and promotion

On January 30, 2024, Megan Thee Stallion did an interview with Good Morning America, revealing that she planned to tour for that upcoming summer season.[7] On March 20, Megan formally announced the Hot Girl Summer Tour which began May 14 in Minneapolis and is set to conclude August 1 in Chicago.[8] Megan announced the album and its release at the first of two shows at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

Singles

The album's lead single, titled "Cobra" was released on November 3, 2023, alongside a music video directed by Douglas Bernardt.[9] Just five days later, Megan released a rock remix of "Cobra", with the Canadian-American alternative metal band Spiritbox.[10] The single debuted at number 32 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[11]

The album's second single, titled "Hiss", was released on January 26, 2024, alongside a music video, also directed by Douglas Bernardt.[12] "Hiss" debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Megan's first solo chart-topping single and third overall.[13] It also debuted at number one on the Billboard Global 200, making Megan the first female rapper in a lead role to debut atop the chart in history.[14]

The album's third single, titled "Boa", was released on May 10, 2024.[15] The track debuted at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the third top-40 single from the album.[16]

The album's fourth single, "Mamushi", featuring Japanese rapper Yuki Chiba, was released to urban radio on July 30, 2024.[17]

Critical reception

Megan received mixed reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album has an average score of 67 based on 6 reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Karen Gwee of NME wrote that the record project "flows with a palpably higher level of creative boldness", finding it more cohesive than previous albums. Gwee wrote that "Megan was often lashing out; here, she stings with venomous precision" and she "sprawls out, mining different aspects of her identity and personality at her leisure". Maria Sherman of the Associated Press also found that the rapper "sounds as strong as ever, atop chugging riffs and fluttering synths", because "on this album, Megan is most interested in exorcising the demons given to her by haters".[18]

Rachel Aroesti of The Guardian praised the rapper's "satisfyingly brisk and crisp" flow, in which she explained that "Megan’s world is one of false friends, mutually adulterous relationships and incessant betrayal, spurred by jealousy", which however "feels merely like the depressing apex of this oppressively navel-gazing rap phenomenon’s isolation". Alphonse Pierre of Pitchfork defined Megan as "an uneven album so preoccupied with giving every single type of fan exactly what they want", even though he understood the "pressures, especially in rap, where hit-making women have historically been discarded quickly".

Commercial performance

Megan debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 chart, (earning 64,000 album-equivalent units including 16,000 pure sales).[19] The album also accumulated a total of 62.67 million on-demand streams of the album's songs.[19] The album marks the biggest debut, by units, for a rap album released by a woman in 2024, alongside the first top 10-charting album by a female rapper in 2024.[19]

Track listing

Notes

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

Charts

Chart (2024)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[21] 94
Australian Hip Hop/R&B Albums (ARIA)[22] 23
Nigerian Albums (TurnTable)[23] 72

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bloom . Madison . Minsker . Evan . October 18, 2019 . Megan Thee Stallion Settles Legal Dispute With Former Label 1501 Certified Entertainment . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240627220539/https://pitchfork.com/news/megan-thee-stallion-settles-legal-dispute-with-former-label-1501-certified-entertainment/ . June 27, 2024 . May 5, 2024 . Pitchfork.
  2. Donahue . Bill . August 22, 2022 . Megan Thee Stallion Demands $1M in 1501 Lawsuit, Implies Label Helped Leak 'Traumazine' . January 27, 2024 . Billboard.
  3. News: Kaplan . Ilana . Megan Thee Stallion Says She's Currently Funding Her Own Music Career: 'Budget Is Coming from Me' . July 2, 2024 . . October 13, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231103165945/https://people.com/megan-thee-stallion-says-shes-currently-funding-her-own-music-career-8357546 . November 3, 2023 . live.
  4. Williams . Kyann-Sian . Megan Thee Stallion "jumped through eight million hoops" to sample from anime series 'Jujutsu Kaisen' on new single 'Otaku Hot Girl' . 3 July 2024 . . 28 June 2024.
  5. Web site: Mercuri . Monica . November 3, 2023 . Megan Thee Stallion Releases New Single 'Cobra' Under Her Own Label . January 27, 2024 . Forbes.
  6. Web site: Garcia . Thania . February 2, 2024 . Megan Thee Stallion Signs Distribution Deal With Warner Music Group, Will Remain Independent . February 3, 2024 . Variety.
  7. Web site: America . Good Morning . Megan Thee Stallion talks life, music and new passion projects . 2024-05-03 . Good Morning America . en . May 3, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240503191356/https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/video/megan-thee-stallion-talks-life-music-new-passion-106787197 . live .
  8. Web site: Grimes . Navier . 2024-03-20 . Megan Thee Stallion Announces Long-Awaited "Hot Girl Summer" Global Tour with GloRilla as Special Guest . 2024-05-03 . Live Nation Entertainment . en-US . May 3, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240503191356/https://www.livenationentertainment.com/2024/03/megan-thee-stallion-announces-long-awaited-hot-girl-summer-global-tour-with-glorilla-as-special-guest/ . live .
  9. Web site: Paul . Larisha . November 3, 2023 . Megan Thee Stallion Brings Her Venomous Bite to Scorching New Single 'Cobra' . November 3, 2023 . . en . November 3, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231103043635/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/megan-thee-stallion-cobra-music-video-1234868931/ . live .
  10. Kaufman . Gil . 2023-11-09 . Megan Thee Stallion Cranks 'Cobra' Up to 11 With Rocking Spiritbox-Assisted Remix . 2023-11-14 . Billboard . en-US . November 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231118224416/https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/megan-thee-stallion-cobra-rock-remix-spiritbox-1235467461/ . live .
  11. Anderson . Trevor . November 16, 2023 . Megan Thee Stallion's 'Cobra' Strikes in Top 10 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart . January 28, 2024 . . January 28, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240128094953/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/megan-thee-stallion-cobra-top-10-rb-hip-hop-songs-chart-1235473741/ . live .
  12. Web site: Zhan . Jennifer . January 26, 2024 . Megan Thee Stallion Isn't Afraid to Diss on 'Hiss' . January 27, 2024 . . January 26, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240126175734/https://www.vulture.com/2024/01/megan-thee-stallion-hiss-lyrics.html . live .
  13. Megan Thee Stallion's 'Hiss' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100. Trust. Gary. Billboard. February 5, 2024. February 5, 2024. February 5, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240205181348/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/megan-thee-stallion-hiss-number-one-debut-hot-100-1235599265/. live.
  14. Megan Thee Stallion's 'Hiss' Slithers Onto Billboard Global 200 at No. 1. Trust. Gary. Billboard. February 5, 2024. February 5, 2024. February 5, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240205205538/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/megan-thee-stallion-hiss-global-200-number-one-debut-1235599428/. live.
  15. Megan Thee Stallion Will Keep Hip-Hop Python Era Going With New Single 'Boa'. Paul. Larisha. Rolling Stone. May 7, 2024. May 7, 2024. May 7, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240507211349/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/megan-thee-stallion-new-single-boa-announcement-1235016647/. live.
  16. Megan Thee Stallion Chart History: Hot 100. Billboard. June 26, 2024. June 3, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240603205715/https://www.billboard.com/artist/megan-thee-stallion/chart-history/hsi/. live.
  17. Web site: Megan Thee Stallion & Yuki Chiba's 'Mamushi' Becomes the #1 Most Added Song on Urban Radio. TheGrapeJuice. July 30, 2024. July 30, 2024.
  18. Web site: Sherman . Maria . 28 June 2024 . Music Review: Megan Thee Stallion's fierce 'Megan' trades hot girl summers for a different freedom . 2 July 2024 . Associated Press.
  19. Caulfield. Keith. 2024-07-07 . Taylor Swift Ties Career-Best With 11th Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200 With 'The Tortured Poets Department' . 2024-07-12. Billboard.
  20. Web site: Boisvert . Lauren . Megan Thee Stallion Employs Nostalgic Imagery for New Single "BOA," Samples Gwen Stefani . . June 28, 2024 . May 10, 2024 . live . May 17, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240517093807/https://americansongwriter.com/megan-thee-stallion-employs-nostalgic-imagery-for-new-single-boa-samples-gwen-stefani/ .
  21. The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 8 July 2024. The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association. 1792. 6. July 8, 2024.
  22. Web site: ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Albums Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association. July 8, 2024. July 5, 2024.
  23. Official Top 100 Albums: July 12th, 2024 - July 18th, 2024. TurnTable. July 26, 2024. July 26, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240726182614/https://www.turntablecharts.com/charts/2. dead.

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