Loyal (Chris Brown song)
"Loyal" | ||||
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![]() Cover artwork for the album version | ||||
Single by Chris Brown featuring Lil Wayne and Tyga | ||||
from the album X | ||||
Released |
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Recorded | 2013 | |||
Studio | Glenwood Place (Burbank, California)[1] | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:24 (West Coast, East Coast, and album versions) 6:02 (extended remix) | |||
Label | RCA | |||
Songwriter(s) | ||||
Lyricist(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Chris Brown singles chronology | ||||
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Lil Wayne singles chronology | ||||
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Too Short singles chronology | ||||
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French Montana singles chronology | ||||
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Tyga singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Loyal" on YouTube |
"Loyal" is a song by American singer Chris Brown, released as the fourth single from his sixth studio album X (2014). Produced by Nic Nac and Mark Kragen, the song features American rapper Lil Wayne and another American rapper depending on a specific version: Tyga on the album version, French Montana on the East Coast version, and Too $hort on the West Coast version. The song was written by Brown, Wayne, Bobby Brackins, Ty Dolla $ign, and the producers, as well as different interpolative-credited artists, varying for each respective version.
"Loyal" received praise from critics, that commended its musicality and unapologetic lyrical content. The song became the highest charting song off the X album, peaking at number nine on the US Billboard Hot 100. It stayed on the chart for 36 weeks. Among the certifications it gained, it was most notably certified 6× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), 3× Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), and 2× Platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). The song was promoted with performances by Brown and Lil Wayne at the BET Awards 2014, Summer Jam, 2014 Soul Train Music Awards, and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Background and theme
[edit]Producer Nic Nac and American R&B singer Ty Dolla $ign, started the work of the song, creating the beat and a first version of the hook.[3] Nic Nac's manager played that unfinished demo for Chris Brown's manager, then Brown heard it and immediately decided to create a song off of it. Talking about the making of "Loyal", Brown said: “Nic Nac and Ty Dolla Sign came with a couple concepts for it, and wrote the pre-demo before I finished the record off”.[4]
On December 16, 2013, the audio to the song was premiered online.[5] The song was originally released in two versions, an East Coast version and a West Coast version. Both versions feature Chris Brown and Lil Wayne; the East Coast version also features French Montana, while the West Coast version features Too Short.[6][7][8] Then on December 19, both versions of the song were officially released as digital downloads.[9][10] On March 24, 2014, the album version of "Loyal" was released, featuring Lil Wayne and Tyga, as the fourth single from his sixth studio album X.[11] "Loyal" contains an interpolation of "Money Ain't a Thang" (1998), performed by Jay-Z featuring Jermaine Dupri, for which its composers are credited as writers. It also contains an interpolation of "Shine" (2000), by Lil Wayne.
The overall theme of the song is unfaithful women.[12] In regard to its lyrical content, Chris Brown, during a 2014 interview with Ebro Darden, called it an "updated" version of hip hop tracks like "All About U" (1996) by Tupac Shakur and Nate Dogg, where the artists express their experiences with groupies that surround celebrities for opportunistic reasons.[13]
Critical reception
[edit]The song was met with positive reviews. Brad Wete of Billboard praised the track for its "anthemic" hook, and "playful" instrumental.[14] The Guardian said that "Loyal" exemplifies how "Brown’s amorality, trust issues and joyless acquisitiveness have occasionally made for unwittingly spellbinding songs".[15] Vice's writer Slava Pastuk defined "Loyal" as "the perfect song", saying that "the beauty of this song" is that "it's evil as s**t, but you can't help but like it anyway. Just like Chris Brown", stating that it "could only be made by someone who is so deeply imperfect, that you take everything he's saying to heart", adding that "if you look past the glossy veneer of misandry, you see that the song acts as a cautionary tale for men who are foolish enough to try to pursue the same women that will run into Chris Brown at some point in their lives".[2]
HotNewHipHop called the track a "worthy addition to the impressive body of work Chris Brown has been developing over the years".[16] Complex defined “Loyal” a "catchy" track "drenched in ego and materialism".[17] HipHopDX found Nic Nac's production on the song to be similar to DJ Mustard's production style.[18] XXL called it a "record-breaking" song, finding it to be an "up-tempo" and "dance driven record".[19] The Los Angeles Times affirmed that on the song Brown "pairs his coarsest, most mean-spirited thoughts", praising "Loyal" for its "sleekest, most irresistible beats".[20] Stereogum, while reviewing Brown's X album, highlighted the song, saying that "the glaringly hypocritical yet musically brilliant “Loyal” still makes me feel terrible for losing myself in its playful neon twirls".[21]
Music video
[edit]In February 2014, the music video for "Loyal", directed by Chris Brown,[22][23] was shot at Universal City Walk with Lil Wayne and Tyga. The clip was recorded while Brown was in a rehab facility, with the singer being allowed to leave from 11 to 11 to film the video.[24][25] On March 21, 2014, Brown announced that the music video would be released on March 24, 2014.[26] Then as planned, the music video for the album version of the song was released that day. Singers Usher, Trey Songz and Ty Dolla $ign make cameo appearances in the video.[27][28] On August 25, 2020, the video passed one billion views on YouTube, becoming Brown's first music video to do so.[29][30]
Live performances
[edit]Lil Wayne sang the song with Drake at Summer Jam 2014.[31] Brown performed it live at the BET Awards 2014.[32]
Remixes
[edit]On January 8, 2014, Keyshia Cole released a remix of the song also featuring Sean Kingston, leaving Lil Wayne's original vocals on it.[33] On the same day, Tyga previewed his verse that he recorded for the official remix of the song, that ended up being the album version.[34] Then on March 24, 2014, the version featuring Tyga and Lil Wayne was released to mainstream urban radio in the United States.[35] A release for digital download followed two days later.[36] American singer Mila J and British R&B singer Craig David also released their own respective remix versions of the song.[37][38]
Chart performance
[edit]Loyal debuted at number 82 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on the week of February 1, 2014. It eventually made its way to the top-ten, peaking at number nine, becoming Brown's 10th top-ten single on the chart. The song spent a total of 36 weeks on the chart. It also peaked at number four on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and spent 14 weeks on the chart. As of July 2014, the song has sold a million digital copies in the United States.[39] In 2023, the single was certified 6× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and streaming equivalent units of over six million units in the United States.
Track listing
[edit]Digital single
- "Loyal" (East Coast Version) (featuring Lil Wayne and French Montana) – 4:24
- "Loyal" (West Coast Version) (featuring Lil Wayne and Too Short) – 4:24
- "Loyal" (Album Version) (featuring Lil Wayne and Tyga) – 4:24
Charts
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
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Year-end charts[edit]
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Certifications
[edit]Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia (ARIA)[68] | 3× Platinum | 210,000‡ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[69] | Platinum | 90,000‡ |
Germany (BVMI)[70] | Platinum | 300,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[71] | 2× Platinum | 1,200,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[72] | 6× Platinum | 6,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
Radio and release history
[edit]Country | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
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United States | December 19, 2013 | Digital download for East and West Coast version | RCA | [10] |
January 15, 2014 | Mainstream urban radio | [73] | ||
March 26, 2014 | Digital download for album version | [36] | ||
United Kingdom | April 3, 2014 | Urban contemporary radio | [74] |
References
[edit]- ^ "CHRIS BROWN / X - Courtney Walter".
- ^ a b "Why is "Loyal" the Perfect Chris Brown Song?". 11 April 2014.
- ^ "Interview: Producer Nic Nac Talks About the Making of the Other Song of the Summer, Chris Brown's "Loyal"". Complex Networks.
- ^ "MC 100: Chris Brown on "Loyal"". YouTube.
- ^ "Chris Brown Featuring Lil Wayne And French Montana "Loyal" - XXL". Xxlmag.com. December 16, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
- ^ "Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne & French Montana "Loyal"". Complex. December 16, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
- ^ "New Music: Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne & French Montana – 'Loyal'". Rap-Up.com. December 16, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
- ^ B.Dot (December 16, 2013). "New Music: Chris Brown Ft. Lil Wayne x French Montana "Loyalty"". Rap Radar. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
- ^ "iTunes - Music - Loyal (East Coast Version) [feat. Lil Wayne & French Montana] - Single by Chris Brown". Itunes.apple.com. December 19, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
- ^ a b "iTunes - Music - Loyal (West Coast Version) [feat. Lil Wayne & Too $hort] - Single by Chris Brown". Itunes.apple.com. December 19, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
- ^ "Chris Brown's 'Loyal' Drops With Lil' Wayne and French Montana". Huffingtonpost.com. December 16, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
- ^ "New Music: Chris Brown Feat. Lil' Wayne & French Montana 'Loyal'". Vibe. December 16, 2013. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
- ^ "Chris Brown On 'Ebro In The Morning' - Rap Radar". rapradar.com. 2014-10-31. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- ^ Wete, Brad (2014-09-15). "Chris Brown, 'X': Track-by-Track Review". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (2017-10-31). "45 songs by Chris Brown, anyone? Why albums are getting longer". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- ^ Lilah, Rose (2013-12-16). "Loyal". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- ^ Arceneaux, Michael (September 16, 2014). "Chris Brown's 'X' Is Bitter Progress". Complex. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
- ^ Dowling, Marcus (September 15, 2014). "Chris Brown – X". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on April 21, 2016. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
- ^ Johnson, Miranda (September 16, 2014). "Chris Brown Delivers Standout Hits On 'X'". XXL. Archived from the original on September 20, 2014. Retrieved September 24, 2014.
- ^ "Review: Chris Brown plays it both ways on long-delayed 'X'". Los Angeles Times. 2014-09-16. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- ^ "The Week In Pop: Are You Ready For Some Chris Brown? (Or Nah?)". Stereogum. 2014-09-18. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- ^ Adejobi, Alicia (2020-08-26). "Chris Brown recalls prison stint as Loyal video reaches 1bn views". Metro. Archived from the original on 2023-09-16. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
- ^ "Chris Brown is 'Loyal' to his fans – releases a new music video! | India.com". www.india.com. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
- ^ "Chris Brown Celebrates 'Loyal' Reaching 1 Billion Views: I Was in Rehab when We Shot This Video, I Was Incarcerated when the Song Was Released". August 27, 2020.
- ^ "Video: Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne & Tyga – 'Loyal' [Teaser]". Rap-Up.com. 2014-03-15. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
- ^ Loading... (2014-03-22). "Chris Brown Video Premiere To Go Ahead As Planned Despite Singer Being In Jail - Celebrity Gossip, News & Photos, Movie Reviews, Competitions". Entertainmentwise. Archived from the original on March 25, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
- ^ "Video: Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne & Tyga – 'Loyal'". Rap-Up.com. 2014-03-24. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
- ^ "Chris Brown f/ Lil Wayne & Tyga "Loyal" Video". Complex. 2014-03-24. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
- ^ "Chris Brown Celebrates "Loyal" Music Video Gaining 1 Billion Views", hotnewhiphop, August 26, 2020, retrieved August 28, 2020
- ^ "CHRIS BROWN, LIL WAYNE & TYGA'S 'LOYAL' HITS 1 BILLION YOUTUBE VIEWS", HipHopDX, August 27, 2020, retrieved August 28, 2020
- ^ Kitchener, Shaun (June 2, 2014). "Drake Joins Lil Wayne For Cover Of Nemesis Chris Brown's 'Loyal' While Ex Rihanna Looks On (WATCH)". Retrieved August 16, 2014.
- ^ Wete, Brad (June 29, 2014). "Chris Brown Surprises at 2014 BET Awards with 'Loyal'". Billboard. Retrieved August 9, 2014.
- ^ "Keyshia Cole Remixes Chris Brown's 'Loyal'". Theboombox.com. January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
- ^ "Tyga Previews His Remix Of Chris Brown's "Loyal" Single". Young Money HQ. January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
- ^ "Frequency News". Frequency News. March 24, 2014. Archived from the original on March 25, 2014. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
- ^ a b "iTunes - Music - Loyal (feat. Lil Wayne & Tyga) - Single by Chris Brown". Itunes.apple.com. 2014-03-26. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
- ^ "Craig David Drops Big Remix Of Trey Songz 'Touchin Lovin' Feat. Nicki Minaj". Capital XTRA. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- ^ Lilah, Rose (2014-04-23). "Loyal (Remix)". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- ^ Augustin, Camille (July 31, 2014). "Chris Brown's 'Loyal' Goes Platinum". Vibe. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
- ^ "Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne & Too $hort – Loyal". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
- ^ "ARIA Australian Top 40 Urban Singles". ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved May 3, 2014.
- ^ "Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne & Tyga – Loyal" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
- ^ "Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne & French Montana – Loyal" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
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- ^ "Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne & French Montana – Loyal" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
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- ^ "Chart Track: Week 19, 2014". Irish Singles Chart.
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- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "EMA Top 10 Airplay: Week Ending 2014-06-10". Entertainment Monitoring Africa. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
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- ^ "Top de l'année Top Singles 2014" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
- ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2014". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
- ^ "Hot 100 Songs – Year End 2014". Billboard.com. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year End 2014". Billboard.com. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay – Year End 2014". Billboard.com. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
- ^ "Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
- ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2019 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
- ^ "Danish single certifications – Chris Brown – Loyal". IFPI Danmark.
- ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne & Too $hort; 'Loyal')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
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- ^ "FreezePage". FreezePage. Archived from the original on April 4, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
- 2013 songs
- 2013 singles
- 2014 singles
- Chris Brown songs
- Lil Wayne songs
- Tyga songs
- French Montana songs
- Too Short songs
- RCA Records singles
- Songs written by Nic Nac
- Songs written by Chris Brown
- Songs written by Lil Wayne
- Songs written by Tyga
- Songs written by French Montana
- Songs written by Too Short
- Songs written by Sean Combs
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