Dream (Angie Stone album)

Dream is the seventh studio album by the American singer Angie Stone. It was released on November 6, 2015, by Shanachie Records in collaboration with Conjunction Entertainment and TopNotch Music.[1] Following short stints with Stax Records and Saguaro Road Records, Stone signed with Shanachie Records Entertainment through a partnership with frequent collaborator Walter Millsap III. Millsap and Stone co-wrote the majority of the album with a core group that included former The Clutch members Candice Nelson and Balewa Muhammad as well as the producers Teak Underdue and The Heavyweights.[2][3]

Dream
Studio album by Angie Stone
Released	November 6, 2015 (2015-11-06)
Genre	Soul R&B
Length	36:42
Label	Shanachie
Producer	Sheldon "Coz" Ellerby The Heavyweights Walter Millsap III Candice Nelson Monte Neuble Jason Penncock Tim Stewart Teak Underdue
Angie Stone chronology
Rich Girl (2012) Dream (2015) Covered in Soul (2016)
Singles from Dream
"2 Bad Habits" Released: September 11, 2015

Release and promotion

On May 8, 2015, thevpromotional single "Dream" was released to iTunes Store.[4] The song was used in the TV1 television film Love of Ruth. Later in August, Stone confirmed that her seventh studio album would be released on November. On October 3, the album was made available for pre-order on the iTunes Store with the promotional single "Magnet" open for downloading.

Singles

"2 Bad Habits" was the first single released from the album, on September 11, 2015.[5] Its accompanying music video was released on October 6, 2015.[6] The song peaked at number 18 on Billboard's Adult R&B Songs chart.[7]

On December 5, 2015, Stone revealed on her official Facebook page that a second single would be chosen by fans through a seven-day poll on Singersroom.[8] The options for the second single were "Dream", "Magnet" and "Dollar Bill".

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[9]
Exclaim!	8/10[10]
Music Connection	8/10[11]

Dream received generally postitie reviews from music critics. The AllMusic, editor Andy Kellman, found that "while it doesn't sound as big-budgeted as her earlier releases, Dream is very much in line with Stone's discography, neither straight retro-soul nor pop-oriented contemporary R&B, though it does lean closer to the former." He called the album "a concise album where the singer covers a lot of ground, batting her eyelashes, declaring devotion, seeking affirmation, repairing a relationship, and scolding an immature lover".[9]

Matt Bauer of Exclaim! gave the album an 8/10 reating and wrote that its themes of personal and romantic renewal as well as tackling the rocky terrain of failed relationships never seem redundant over the listen, calling the record "another solid and empowering effort".[10] In his review for Music Connection, Jonathan Widran found that with Dream Stone "lays a powerful, emotional and spiritual foundation even when she’s floating dreamily in atmospheric old-school soul textures. Deftly balancing the passion with the pain, she artfully—and with sensuality to spare—traverses the classic sounds she emerged with in the late ‘70s and created for D’Angelo in the ‘90s with more contemporary driving beats. Stone gives R&B fans of all generations something to dream on."[11]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number 59 on the US Billboard 200 and number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, with approximately 9,000 copies sold in the week ending November 12, 2015, according to Nielsen Music.[12] This marked Stone's highest debut on both charts since her fourth album, The Art of Love & War (2007).[12]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Dollar Bill"	Walter Millsap III Candice Nelson Balewa Muhammad Perry Mapp Angie Stone Tenille Johnson	Millsap Sheldon "Coz" Ellerby Nelson	3:15
2.	"Begin Again" (featuring Dave Hollister)	Millsap Nelson Muhammad Mapp Monte Neuble Tim Stewart Stone	Millsap Neuble Stewart Nelson	4:03
3.	"Clothes Don't Make a Man"	Millsap Nelson Muhammad Mapp Stone Albert Walton Teak Underdue	Millsap Underdue Nelson	2:36
4.	"Magnet"	Millsap Nelson Muhammad Mapp Xavier T. Gordon Stone	Millsap Gordon Nelson	4:06
5.	"Dream"	Millsap Nelson Muhammad Mapp Underdue Stone	Millsap Underdue Nelson	3:29
6.	"2 Bad Habits"	Millsap Nelson Muhammad Mapp Underdue Stone	Millsap Underdue Nelson	3:57
7.	"Quits"	Millsap Nelson Muhammad Mapp Underdue Stone	Millsap Underdue Nelson	3:12
8.	"Think it Over"	Stone Jamie Jones Jack Kugell Jason Penncock Robert Louis Daniel	The Heavyweights Pennock	4:22
9.	"Forget About Me"	Millsap Nelson Muhammad Mapp Underdue Stone	Millsap Underdue Nelson	3:42
10.	"Didn't Break Me"	Millsap Nelson Muhammad Mapp Underdue Stone	Millsap Underdue Nelson	3:38
Total length:				36:42

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Dream.[13]

• Charles Amos – assistant
• Bobby & The Heavyweights – arranger, engineer, producer, vocal producer
• John Cranfield – assistant
• Toby Davis – keyboards
• Sheldon Ellerby – engineer, producer
• Xavier Gordon – instrumentation, producer
• John Greenham – mastering
• Lavi Hendin – art direction
• Dave Hollister – vocals
• Breyona Holt – photography
• Dae Howerton – photo editing
• Adam Johnson – bass
• Jamie Jones – instrumentation
• David Lopez – mixing
• Perry Mapp – assistant
• Alec Jace Millsap – assistant
• Walter Millsap III – engineer, executive producer, producer
• Walter Millsap IV – assistant, executive producer
• Peter Mokran – mixing
• Monte Neuble – instrumentation, producer
• Balewa Muhammad – assistant, engineer, executive producer, producer
• Candice Nelson – executive producer, coordinator, backing vocalist
• Jason Pennock – instrumentation, producer
• Brian Peters – executive producer, project coordinator
• Jim Reid – horn
• David Rideau – mixing
• Tim Stewart – guitar, instrumentation, producer
• Angie Stone – executive producer, vocals
• Teak Underdue – executive producer, instrumentation, producer
• Rick Watford – guitar

Charts

Chart (2015)	Peak position
US Billboard 200[14]	59
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[15]	5
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[16]	3

References

1. https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dream/id1045532505
2. Mitchell, Gail. "Angie Stone Talks About Her 'Dream' Album, D'Angelo and More: 'I Wanted to Quit'". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
3. http://www.allmusic.com/album/dream-mw0002882681
4. "Dream – Single by Angie Stone". iTunes Store. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
5. "2 Bad Habits - Single by Angie Stone on iTunes". iTunes. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
6. "Angie Stone – 2 Bad Habits". Retrieved December 15, 2015.
7. "Angie Stone Chart History (Adult R&B Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
8. "The Angie Stone - Timeline Photos | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
   - "Events and Contest: HELP Choose Angie Stone's Next Single; WIN a Copy of The Album & A Phone Call From Angie!". Singersroom. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
9. Kellman, Andy. "Angie Stone - Dream". AllMusic. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
10. Bauer, Matt (November 6, 2015). "Angie Stone - Dream". Exclaim!. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
11. Widran, Jonathan. "Album Review: Angie Stone - "Dream" (8/10)". Music Connection. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
12. "Angie Stone's 'Dream' Debuts on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2015.
13. Dream (liner notes). Angie Stone. Shanachie Records. 2015.CS1 maint: others (link)
14. "Angie Stone Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
15. "Angie Stone Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
16. "Angie Stone Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 17, 2015.