Love Me Back (album)

Love Me Back is the second studio album by American R&B singer Jazmine Sullivan, released on November 29, 2010, by J Records. Sullivan co-wrote the album with producers Missy Elliott, Ne-Yo, No I.D., Los da Mystro, and Salaam Remi, among others.

Love Me Back
Studio album by Jazmine Sullivan
Released	November 29, 2010 (2010-11-29)
Studio	Various Carrington House Studios (Atlanta, Georgia) CNSO Recording Studio (Czech Republic) Cutting Room Studios (New York City, New York) Germano Studios (New York City, New York) Instrument Zoo (Miami, Florida KMA Studios (New York City, New York) Lostas Studi (Atlanta, Georgia) MSR Studios (New York City, New York) Metropolis Studios (London, England) Strawberrybee Studios (Los Angeles, California Goldmind Studios (Atlanta, Georgia) The Studio (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) Waya Flow Studios (Los Angeles, California Westlake Studios (Los Angeles, California
Genre	R&B hip hop soul
Length	40:12
Label	J Arista
Producer	Missy Elliott (also exec.) Salaam Remi (also exec.) Anthony Bell Ricky Blaze Peter Edge Toby Gad Chuck Harmony Trevor Jerideau Cainon Lamb Bei Maejor Los da Mystro Ne-Yo No I.D. Prolyfic Salaam Remi Jazmine Sullivan
Jazmine Sullivan chronology
Fearless (2008) Love Me Back (2010) Reality Show (2015)
Singles from Love Me Back
"Holding You Down (Goin' in Circles)" Released: July 10, 2010 "10 Seconds" Released: October 15, 2010

The album debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200 and sold 57,000 copies in its first week. It produced two singles, including the lead single "Holding You Down (Goin' in Circles)", which peaked at number three on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Love Me Back received universal acclaim from music critics, who praised its songwriting and Sullivan's singing.

Background

The album is the follow-up to Sullivan's debut album Fearless (2008), which was well received by music critics, sold 517,000 copies, and earned Sullivan seven Grammy Award nominations.[1] Recording sessions for the album took place at various recording locations, including Carrington House Studios, Goldmind Studios, and Lostas Studi in Atlanta, Georgia, CNSO Recording Studio in Czech Republic, Cutting Room Studios, Germano Studios, KMA Studios, and MSR Studios in New York, New York, Instrument Zoo in Miami, Florida, Metropolis Studios in London, Waya Flow Studios and Westlake Studios in Los Angeles, California, Strawberrybee Studios in California, and The Studio in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[2]

Marketing and sales

Love Me Back was released by J Records on November 29, 2010, in the United Kingdom,[3] November 30 in the United States,[4] and December 8 in Japan.[5] Prior to its release, Sullivan accompanied R&B recording artist Mary J. Blige on the latter's Music Saved My Life concert tour during October 2010.[6][7] Love Me Back was also promoted with two singles: "Holding You Down (Goin' in Circles)" was released on July 10,[8] and "10 Seconds" on October 15.[9] The album's cover was premiered on September 21, 2010 and features Sullivan dressed in all black, leaning against a vintage model Chevrolet Impala, a reference to her hit single "Bust Your Windows".[10]

Love Me Back debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 57,000 copies in the United States.[11] It also entered at five on Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and at number 12 on its Digital Albums chart.[12][13] The album ultimately spent six weeks on the Billboard 200.[14]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[15]
Entertainment Weekly	B+[16]
The Guardian	[17]
Los Angeles Times	[18]
MSN Music (Expert Witness)	A–[19]
The Philadelphia Inquirer	[20]
Rolling Stone	[21]
Slant Magazine	[22]
Spin	8/10[23]
USA Today	[24]

Love Me Back was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional critics, the album received an average score of 82, based on 11 reviews.[25]

Reviewing for AllMusic, Andy Kellman said the album "sprawls and stuns in equal measure".[15] In Spin magazine, Maura Johnston found Sullivan "both feisty and classy",[23] while Michael Cragg of The Guardian said her singing is marked by experience and accommodates each song.[17] Jon Pareles, writing in The New York Times, said Sullivan sounds "narrow and jagged" on the album, "with more grain and more tears as she applies gospel dynamics to her venting".[26] New York magazine's Nitsuh Abebe described her voice as "warm, well-textured, and big — authentically, naturally big", and stated, "the warmth and weight of the songwriting and production live up to the singing".[27] Alex Macpherson of The Quietus commended Sullivan for "letting [her] ideas run riot while staying true to genre values" on the "most creative R&B album of the year".[28] In his review for MSN Music, Robert Christgau felt that the songwriting is "a big extra difference maker, with enough pop moves to lighten the overall mood" amid "the soulful melodrama". He believed Sullivan role-plays "with unflinching intelligence" on each song and, although the lyrics could be based on personal history, "it's simpler just to wish every pro was such an astute student of the female condition."[19]

Some reviewers were less receptive. Jon Dolan of Rolling Stone expressed ambivalence about Sullivan's decision to play "a little nicer, adhering to the Mary J. Blige school of gritty, nuanced hip-hop soul".[21] Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani felt that the album "fails to reprise many of its predecessor's themes or explore any overarching new ones".[22] Margaret Wappler of the Los Angeles Times said that Sullivan "walks herself to the precipice of emotion without falling off", but lamented what she believed to be not enough "experimentation".[18]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Holding You Down (Goin' in Circles)"	Melissa Elliott Cainon Lamb Sullivan	Missy Elliott Lamb^[a]	3:36
2.	"10 Seconds"	Salaam Remi Sullivan	Remi	3:07
3.	"Good Enough"	Charles Harmon Sullivan	Chuck Harmony	4:02
4.	"Don't Make Me Wait"	Carlos McKinney Sullivan	Los da Mystro	3:29
5.	"Love You Long Time"	Remi Sullivan	Remi	3:12
6.	"Redemption"	Anthony Bell Steve McKie Sullivan	Bell	3:51
7.	"Excuse Me"	Elliott Lamb Sullivan	Elliott Lamb^[a]	3:33
8.	"U Get on My Nerves" (featuring Ne-Yo)	Brandon Green Shaffer Smith Sullivan	Bei Maejor Ne-Yo^[a]	3:53
9.	"Stuttering"	Toby Gad Sullivan	Gad Remi	3:10
10.	"Famous"	David Ewing Kevin Randolph Sullivan Ernest Wilson	No I.D. Prolyfic^[a]	4:43
11.	"Luv Back"	Elliott Lamb Quame Riley Sullivan	Elliott Ricky Blaze^[a] Lamb^[a]	3:36

iTunes bonus track[29]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
12.	"In Vain" (pre-order only)	Ewing, Randolph, Sullivan, Wilson	Anthony Bell	4:03

Japan bonus track[5]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
12.	"Catalogue Girl"	Ivan Barias, Carvin Haggins, Johnnie Smith, Sullivan	Carvin & Ivan	3:23

Notes

• ^{^[a]} denotes vocal producer

Personnel

Credits are adapted from AllMusic.[30]

Guy Aroch – photography Christian Baker – engineer Anthony Bell – instrumentation, producer, programming Ricky Blaze – drum programming, producer Jesse Bonds – guitar Anita Marisa Boriboon – art direction, design Cary Clark – engineer Los DaMystro – conductor, producer Gleyder "Gee" Disla – engineer DJ Showoff – vocals Peter Edge – producer Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott – engineer, executive producer, producer Paul J. Falcone – engineer Rick Frederick – engineer Toby Gad – engineer, piano, producer Anthony "Rocky" Gallo – engineer Erwin Gorostiza – creative director Chuck Harmony – producer Brandon Henderson – assistant Vincent Henry – flute, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, wah wah guitar Trevor Jerideau – producer Mike "TrakGuru" Johnson – engineer Rob Kinelski – engineer StayBent KrunkaDelic – keyboards Dave Kutch – mastering Lamb – drum programming, engineer, producer

Erik Madrid – assistant, mixing engineer Bei Maejor – producer Manny Marroquin – mixing Scott Naughton – engineer Ne-Yo – producer, vocals No I.D. – producer Brandon Parks – engineer Calvin Parmer – bass Christian Plata – assistant Prolyfic – additional production Questlove – drums, engineer Kevin Randolph – keyboards Rebel One – management Geno Regist – engineer Salaam Remi – bass, drum programming, drums, executive producer, Fender rhodes, keyboards, producer, strings Harold Robinson – bass Andros Rodriguez – engineer Davide Rossi – cello, string arrangements, strings, viola, violin Ashunta Sheriff – make-up Jazmine Sullivan – producer, vocals Pam Sullivan – management Pamela Watson – stylist Sam Wheat – engineer Yusef Williams – hair stylist Steve Wyreman – guitar

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2015)	Peak position
scope="row"	US Billboard 200[31]	17
scope="row"	US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[32]	5

Year-end charts

Chart (2011)	Position
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[33]	43

Release history

List of release dates, showing region, formats, label, and reference

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label	Ref
United Kingdom	November 29, 2010	CD digital download	RCA	[3]
United States	November 30, 2010			[4]
Japan	December 8, 2010			[5]

References

1. Herrera, Monica. Lipshutz, Jason (November 12, 2010). Jazmine Sullivan to Receive Billboard's Rising Star Award for Women in Music. Billboard. Retrieved on 2010-12-01.
2. Product notes – Love Me Back. Muze. Retrieved on 2010-12-01.
3. Love Me Back: Jazmine Sullivan. Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
4. Love Me Back: Jazmine Sullivan. Amazon.com. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
5. ラヴ・ミー・バック: ジャズミン・サリヴァン. Amazon.co.jp. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
6. Rodriguez, Jayson (August 31, 2010). "Mary J. Blige Announces Tour With Jazmine Sullivan". MTV. Viacom. Retrieved December 1, 2010.
7. Concepcion, Mariel (December 3, 2010). "Jazmine Sullivan Thrilled to Succeed Gaga As Billboard's Rising Star". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 3, 2010.
8. Staff (November 19, 2010). Jazmine Sullivan's New Album Available For Preview. RTTNews. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
9. Amazon.com: 10 Seconds: Jazmine Sullivan: MP3 Downloads Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved February 17, 2011.
10. "Album Cover: Jazmine Sullivan – 'Love Me Back'". Rap-Up. September 21, 2010. Retrieved November 27, 2010.
11. Caulfield, Keith (December 8, 2010). "Boyle Back to No. 1 on Billboard 200, Peas Begin At No. 6". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 8, 2010.
12. "Jazmine Sullivan Album & Song Chart History – R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 9, 2010.
13. "Jazmine Sullivan Album & Song Chart History – Digital Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 9, 2010.
14. "Jazmine Sullivan Album & Song Chart History – Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 9, 2010.
15. Kellman, Andy (November 26, 2010). "Review: Love Me Back". AllMusic. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
16. Maerz, Melissa (November 24, 2010). "Review: Love Me Back". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved November 27, 2010.
17. Cragg, Michael (November 25, 2010). "Review: Love Me Back". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved November 27, 2010.
18. Wappler, Margaret (November 30, 2010). "Review: Love Me Back". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
19. Christgau, Robert (February 8, 2011). "Consumer Guide: Love Me Back". MSN Music. Archived from the original on 2011-02-11.
20. Amorosi, A.D. (December 19, 2010). Review: Love Me Back. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved on 2011-01-02.
21. Dolan, Jon (November 30, 2010). "Review: Love Me Back". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
22. Cinquemani, Sal (November 23, 2010). "Review: Love Me Back". Slant Magazine. Retrieved November 27, 2010.
23. Johnston, Maura (November 25, 2010). "Review: Love Me Back". Spin. SpinMedia. Retrieved November 27, 2010.
24. Gardner, Elysa (November 30, 2010). "Review: Love Me Back". USA Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
25. "Love Me Back (2010): Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
26. Pareles, Jon (November 26, 2010). Review: Love Me Back. The New York Times. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
27. Abebe, Nitsuh (December 8, 2010). Review: Love Me Back. New York. Retrieved on 2010-12-08.
28. Macpherson, Alex (December 23, 2010). Review: Love Me Back. The Quietus. Retrieved on 2010-12-24.
29. Preorder Love Me Back on iTunes. iTunes Store. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
30. Credits: Love Me Back. AllMusic. Retrieved on 2010-11-27.
31. "Jazmine Sullivan Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
32. "Jazmine Sullivan Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
33. "R&B/Hip-Hop Albums: Best of 2011". Billboard. Retrieved January 31, 2020.

External links

• Official website
• Love Me Back at Discogs (list of releases)