You Mean the World to Me (Toni Braxton song) explained

You Mean the World to Me
Cover:ymtwtm tb.jpg
B-Side:Seven Whole Days (Live)
Type:single
Artist:Toni Braxton
Album:Toni Braxton
Genre:Pop-soul[1]
Length:4:56
Label:LaFace
Producer:
  • Reid
  • Babyface
  • Simmons
Prev Title:Seven Whole Days
Prev Year:1993
Next Title:I Belong to You"/"How Many Ways
Next Year:1994

"You Mean the World to Me" is a song by American singer-songwriter Toni Braxton. It was written and produced by Antonio "L.A." Reid, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, and Daryl Simmons for her self-titled debut album (1993). Selected as the album's fourth single, it was released on CD on April 21, 1994, by LaFace and Arista Records. It peaked at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number three on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart, while reaching the top ten of the Canadian Singles Chart. The music video for "You Mean the World to Me" was directed by Lionel C. Martin.

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard described the song as a "warm and fuzzy ballad", adding that "finger-poppin' rhythms give motion to a virtual mountain of slick synths. Of course, her increasingly familiar vocal style is a total joy. Watch this one soar up the charts within mere moments."[2] Troy J. Augusto from Cash Box named it Pick of the Week, describing it as "a down-tempo soul burner", that "actually brings Toni closer to the style of Whitney Houston, her closest R&B competitor. Already in heavy rotation at many urban stations, a sure-bet hit."[3] Alan Jones from Music Week declared it "a typically tuneful, intelligent and pleasing LA and BabyFace creation, custom-built for Braxton's soulful scale-sliding. As well as being a hit in its own right, expect this to push her album into a higher orbit."[4]

Dele Fadele from NME wrote, "Toni Braxton is gifted with a gospel-tinged voice, but the big-money LA & Babyface production smothers her in molasses."[5] Ralph Tee from the Record Mirror Dance Update commented, "On the back of two hits, this record should face very little resistance as it eases nicely into the charts. Vocally, the track gives Toni another opportunity to showcase one of the best set of tonsils about and forces the shuffling midtempo pace and production to take a back seat."[6] Another Record Mirror editor, James Hamilton, deemed it a "glorious gurgling sultry swayer".[7]

Commercial performance

In the United States on April 2, 1994, the song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 86, 20 days ahead of its initial release.[8] On April 9, 1994 in its second week the song moved up number 52.[9] The song continued to rise at numbers 37, 23, 17 in its third, fourth and fifth week.[10] [11] [12] In its sixth, seventh and eighth week the song rose to numbers 16, 14 and 10.[13] [14] [15] On May 28, 1994, the song reached its peak at number seven remaining for one week.[16] The song continued to spend a total of 31 weeks on the Billboard chart before leaving the Hot 100 at number 47 on October 29, 1994.[17]

On June 12, 1994 the song debuted at number 36 in New Zealand and reached its peak at number 32 on July 3, 1994 spending a total of five weeks before leaving the New Zealand Singles Chart.[18] On July 9, 1994 the song peaked at number 30 in the United Kingdom and became a non-mover for two weeks.[19] [20] The song later fell to numbers 40, 50, and 68 in its third, fourth and fifth week respectively.[21] [22] [23] On July 25, 1994 the song peaked at number 69 in Germany and remained in the German Singles Chart for seven weeks before leaving the chart on November 11, 1994.[24] On September 4, 1994 the song peaked at number 49 in Australia lasting one week before falling out of the Australian Singles Chart.

Music video

The music video for "You Mean the World to Me" was directed by American music video director, film director and VJ Lionel C. Martin. The video shows a sequence of Braxton playing the piano in a mansion intercut with scenes with her love interest (portrayed by German-born Michael Calvin Bacon, who later starred as J.B. Reese on Saban's syndicated television series VR Troopers). It stayed in heavy rotation during the spring and summer of 1994. The video was later made available on Braxton's VEVO account on October 25, 2009.[25]

Track listings and formats

  1. "You Mean the World to Me" (Radio Edit) – 4:00
  2. "You Mean the World to Me" (Radio Edit Remix) – 4:11
  3. "You Mean the World to Me" (Extended Mix) – 5:32
  4. "Seven Whole Days" (Live) – 6:15
  1. "You Mean the World to Me" (Radio Edit) – 4:00
  2. "You Mean the World to Me" (Album Version) – 4:54
  1. "You Mean the World to Me" (Radio Edit) – 4:00
  2. "You Mean the World to Me" (Extended Mix) – 5:32
  3. "Seven Whole Days" (Ghetto Vibe) – 6:32
  4. "Seven Whole Days" (Live) – 6:15

A1. "You Mean the World to Me" (Extended Mix) – 5:32

B1. "Seven Whole Days" (Ghetto Vibe) – 6:32

B2. "Seven Whole Days" (Ghetto Instrumental) – 6:36

  1. "You Mean the World to Me" (Radio Edit) – 4:00
  2. "Seven Whole Days" (Live Version) (Radio Edit) – 4:42

Credits and personnel

Credits taken from liner notes.[26]

Performers and musicians
Technical personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1994)Peak
position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[31] 6
Canada Contemporary Hit Radio (The Record)[32] 7
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[33] 74
Europe (European AC Radio)[34] 14
Europe (European Dance Radio)[35] 3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[36] 13
Netherlands (Dutch Single Tip)[37] 4

Year-end charts

Chart (1994)Position
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[38] 45
Europe (European Dance Radio)[39] 23
US Billboard Hot 100[40] 17
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[41] 13
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[42] 15

Release history

Release dates and formats for "You Mean the World to Me"
RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)
JapanApril 21, 1994Mini-CD[43]
GermanyMay 2, 1994CD[44]
United StatesLaFace[45] [46] [47]
United KingdomCD[48]
SwedenJune 6, 1994[49]
United KingdomJune 27, 1994[50]

Notes and References

  1. Bruce. Pollock. A Parent's Guide to Pop Music. Entertainment Weekly. August 12, 1994. June 3, 2022.
  2. Larry . Flick . Single Reviews . . March 26, 1994 . N55 . March 17, 2021 . Larry Flick.
  3. Troy J.. Augusto. Pop Singles — Reviews: Pick of the Week. Cash Box. March 26, 1994. February 27, 2022.
  4. Alan . Jones . Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles . . July 2, 1994 . 16 . April 18, 2021.
  5. Dele. Fadele. Singles. NME. June 25, 1994. 43. October 1, 2023. Dele Fadele.
  6. Ralph . Tee . Hot Vinyl . Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert) . June 18, 1994 . 6 . April 17, 2021.
  7. James . Hamilton . Dj directory . Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert) . July 9, 1994 . 7 . April 18, 2021 . James Hamilton (DJ and journalist).
  8. Web site: The Hot 100 April 2, 1994. Billboard. Billboard. 21 September 2016.
  9. Web site: The Hot 100 April 9, 1994. Billboard. Billboard. 21 September 2016.
  10. Web site: The Hot 100 April 16, 1994. Billboard. Billboard. 21 September 2016.
  11. Web site: The Hot 100 April 23, 1994. Billboard. Billboard. 21 September 2016.
  12. Web site: The Hot 100 April 30, 1994. Billboard. Billboard. 21 September 2016.
  13. Web site: The Hot 100 May 7, 1994. Billboard. Billboard. 21 September 2016.
  14. Web site: The Hot 100 May 14, 1994. Billboard. Billboard. 21 September 2016.
  15. Web site: The Hot 100 May 21, 1994. Billboard. Billboard. 21 September 2016.
  16. Web site: The Hot 100 May 28, 1994. Billboard. Billboard. 21 September 2016.
  17. Web site: The Hot 100 October 29, 1994. Billboard. Billboard. 21 September 2016.
  18. Web site: charts.nz - Toni Braxton - You Mean The World To Me. charts.nz. charts.nz/. 20 September 2016.
  19. Web site: Official Singles Chart Top 100 03 July 1994 - 09 July 1994. officialcharts.com. Official Charts Company (UK). 20 September 2016.
  20. Web site: Official Singles Chart Top 100 10 July 1994 - 16 July 1994. officialcharts.com. Official Charts Company (UK). 20 September 2016.
  21. Web site: Official Singles Chart Top 100 17 July 1994 - 23 July 1994. officialcharts.com. Official Charts Company (UK). 21 September 2016.
  22. Web site: Official Singles Chart Top 100 24 July 1994 - 30 July 1994. officialcharts.com. Official Charts Company (UK). 21 September 2016.
  23. Web site: Official Singles Chart Top 100 31 July 1994 - 06 August 1994. officialcharts.com. Official Charts Company (UK). 21 September 2016.
  24. Web site: Toni Braxton Germany Singles Chart History. musicline.de. musicline.de. 20 September 2016.
  25. Web site: Toni Braxton - You Mean The World To Me. https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/JB5FxcI7Pyw . 2021-12-19 . live. YouTube. YouTube. 25 October 2009.
  26. Web site: Toni Braxton - You Mean The World To Me (CD) 1993 at Discogs. Discogs. Discogs. 21 September 2016.
  27. Web site: Toni Braxton - You Mean The World To Me (CD) at Discogs. Discogs. Discogs. 21 September 2016.
  28. Web site: Toni Braxton - You Mean The World To Me (Vinyl) (UK) at Discogs. Discogs. Discogs. 21 September 2016.
  29. Web site: Toni Braxton - You Mean The World To Me (Vinyl) (Germany) at Discogs. Discogs. Discogs. 21 September 2016.
  30. Web site: Toni Braxton - You Mean The World To Me (CD) (Europe) at Discogs. Discogs. Discogs. 21 September 2016.
  31. Web site: Top RPM Singles: Issue 1641. RPM. Library and Archives Canada. July 5, 2018.
  32. Book: Lwin, Nanda. Nanda Lwin. 2000. Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. 51. 1-896594-13-1.
  33. Eurochart Hot 100 Singles. Music & Media. 11. 30. 1994-06-23. 11. 2018-03-31.
  34. Adult Contemporary Europe Top 25. Music & Media. 11. 34. 1994-08-20. 30. 2023-05-28.
  35. European Dance Radio Top 25. Music & Media. 11. 30. 1994-07-23. 17. 2023-05-27.
  36. Web site: Toni Braxton – You Mean The World To Me. July 18, 2021. top40.nl. Dutch.
  37. Web site: TONI BRAXTON - YOU MEAN THE WORLD TO ME. July 18, 2021. dutchcharts.nl. Dutch.
  38. Web site: RPM 100 Hit Tracks of 1994. RPM. November 23, 2017.
  39. 1994 in Review: European Dance Radio. Music & Media. 11. 52. 8. December 24, 1994. March 4, 2024.
  40. Web site: Billboard Top 100 - 1994 . August 27, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090301121519/http://longboredsurfer.com/charts.php?year=1994 . March 1, 2009 .
  41. 1994 The Year in Music. Billboard. 106. 52. YE-68. December 24, 1994. August 25, 2021.
  42. Web site: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1994. Billboard. March 30, 2021.
  43. Web site: あなたがすべて トニー・ブラクストン. You Are All Toni Braxton. Oricon. ja. September 16, 2023.
  44. Web site: You Mean the World to Me / Seven Whole Days. Amazon. Amazon (Germany). 21 September 2016.
  45. Web site: You Mean the World to Me / Seven Whole Days. Amazon. Amazon (U.S.). 21 September 2016.
  46. Web site: You Mean the World to Me Cassette. Amazon. Amazon (U.S.). 21 September 2016.
  47. Web site: Seven Whole Days/You Mean The World To Me Vinyl. Amazon. Amazon (U.S.). 21 September 2016.
  48. Web site: You Mean the World to Me / Seven Whole Days. Amazon. Amazon (UK). 21 September 2016.
  49. Web site: Toni Braxton: You Mean the World to Me. click2music.se. sv. https://web.archive.org/web/20020225111534/http://click2music.se/product.asp?prd=201&art=61. February 25, 2002. November 29, 2023.
  50. Single Releases. Music Week. 27. 25 June 1994.

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