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All of the Lights

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"All of the Lights"
Song

"All of the Lights" is a single by American hip hop recording artist Kanye West, released January 18, 2011, as the fourth single from his fifth studio album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010). It was produced by West and features additional vocals from several other recording artists, including John Legend, The-Dream, Elly Jackson, Alicia Keys, Fergie, Kid Cudi, Elton John, and Rihanna, who is solely credited as a featured artist on the single.

The single reached number 54 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 14 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while it became a top-30 hit in Australia and New Zealand and a top-40 hit in Ireland and Belgium. "All of the Lights" was well-received by music critics who complimented its detailed production and dramatically-themed style.

Background

The music of "All of the Lights" was written by West, producer Jeff Bhasker, rapper Malik Yusef, and rapper Really Doe.[1] It was produced by West, with co-production by Bhasker.[1] For the song's recording, West enlisted 11 guest vocalists, namely Alicia Keys, John Legend, The-Dream, Fergie, Kid Cudi, Elton John, Ryan Leslie, Charlie Wilson, Tony Williams, Elly Jackson, Alvin Fields, Ken Lewis, and Rihanna,[1] who sings the song's hook.[2] In an interview for MTV, Jackson explained the layering of the vocals for the song, stating "He got me to layer up all these vocals with other people, and he just basically wanted to use his favorite vocalists from around the world to create this really unique vocal texture on his record, but it's not the kind of thing where you can pick it out".[3]

Release

West announced through his Twitter account that "All of the Lights" will be the album's fourth single.[4] Following the album's release, the song debuted at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100.[5][6] "All of the Lights" was released as a single on January 18, 2011 in the US and is set for a February 21, 2011 release in the UK.[7][8] Rihanna was credited as a featured artist for the single in its release to radio.[9] In the United Kingdom, it was included in BBC Radio 1's B-Playlist.[10]

Reception

Allmusic's Andy Kellman stated "At once, the song features one of the year’s most rugged beats while supplying enough opulent detail to make Late Registration collaborator Jon Brion's head spin".[11] Alex Denney of NME called it "the sleb-studded centrepiece", commenting that "In anyone else’s hands it’d be an A-list circle-jerk of horrid proportions, but through Kanye’s bar-raising vision it becomes a truly wondrous thing".[12] Zach Baron of The Village Voice found the song's lyrics relevant to the "year of economic suffering", writing that "West interrupted his own wealthy anomie to pen 'All of the Lights,' an incongruously star-stuffed song about a disoriented parolee trying to beat a restraining order and see his daughter, working out a brief reunion with her estranged mother: 'Public visitation, we met at Borders'".[13] Chicago Sun-Times writer Thomas Conner viewed that "as crowded as 'All of the Lights' is [,] it maintains an almost operatic drama, telling a tale of adultery and its aftermath that winds up being quite moving".[14] The Guardian's Kitty Empire cited the song as "the album's most magnificent high", writing that it "backs up operatic levels of sound with great drama".[15]

Music video

"All of the Lights"
The song exemplifies its album's contrasting elements and has been called "a celebration of fame and a lament of its consequences".[11]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

The music video for "All of the Lights" was filmed in January 2011 and directed by Hype Williams.[16][17] It features strobe-lit images of Rihanna and West, Kid Cudi in a red leather suit, and visual references to Gaspar Noé's 2009 film Enter the Void.[18][19] The video premiered through West's Vevo channel on February 19, 2011.[17][18]

Personnel

Credits for "All of the Lights" adapted from liner notes.[1]

Charts

Charts (2011) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[20] 27
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Flanders)[21] 39
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)[22] 35
Ireland (IRMA)[23] 37
New Zealand (RIANZ)[24] 21
UK Singles Chart[25] 86
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[26] 30
US Billboard Hot 100[27] 54
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[28] 14
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[29] 7

References

  1. ^ a b c d My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (Media notes). Roc-A-Fella Records. 2010. {{cite AV media notes}}: Unknown parameter |bandname= ignored (help)
  2. ^ Anderson, Kyle (November 4, 2010). Kanye West's Massive Posse Track 'All Of The Lights' Leaks. MTV. Retrieved on 2010-11-26.
  3. ^ Roberts, Steven (November 22, 2010). Kanye's 'All Of The Lights': A Vocal Breakdown. MTV. Retrieved on 2010-11-26.
  4. ^ Rodriguez, Jayson (October 5, 2010). Kanye West's Album To Be My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. MTV News. Retrieved on 2010-11-28.
  5. ^ Anderson, Kyle (December 2, 2010). Pink Scores Her Second Billboard Hot 100 Chart-Topper. MTV News. Retrieved on 2010-12-03.
  6. ^ Copsey, Robert (December 2, 2010). Pink scores third US chart topper. Digital Spy. Retrieved on 2010-12-02.
  7. ^ Top 40/M Future Releases. All Access Music Group. Retrieved on 2011-01-04.
  8. ^ Radio1: U.K. - Forthcoming Singles. Radio1. Retrieved on 2010-12-28.
  9. ^ Available for Airplay: 2011 – 1/18 Mainstream. FMBQ. Retrieved on 2011-02-19.
  10. ^ Radio 1 - Playlist: 16 February 2011. BBC Radio. Retrieved on 2011-02-19.
  11. ^ a b Kellman, Andy (November 21, 2010). Review: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Allmusic. Retrieved on 2011-01-30.
  12. ^ Denney, Alex (November 19, 2010). Review: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. NME. Retrieved on 2011-01-30.
  13. ^ Baron, Zach (January 19, 2011). Kanye West Wins One for the Douchebags. The Village Voice. Retrieved on 2011-02-19.
  14. ^ Conner, Thomas (November 21, 2010). Review: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved on 2011-01-30.
  15. ^ Empire, Kitty (November 19, 2010). Review: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The Guardian. Retrieved on 2011-01-30.
  16. ^ J.R. (Jan 2, 2011). "Kanye West Behind the Scenes of 'All Of The Lights' Music Video Shoot". Hip-Hop RX. Retrieved 2011-02-18.
  17. ^ a b Kanye West - All Of The Lights ft. Rihanna, Kid Cudi. Vevo. Retrieved on 2011-02-24.
  18. ^ a b Staff (February 19, 2011). Kanye West ‘All of the Lights,’ Featuring Rihanna: Video. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on 2011-02-19.
  19. ^ Rubin, Julia (February 19, 2011). WATCH: Kanye’s ‘All Of The Lights’ Video Is Here!. Styleite. Retrieved on 2011-02-19.
  20. ^ "Kanye West – All of the Lights". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved January 20, 2011.
  21. ^ "Kanye West – All of the Lights" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  22. ^ "Kanye West – All of the Lights" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved February 25, 2011.
  23. ^ ">> IRMA << Irish Charts - Singles, Albums & Compilations >>". Irish Recorded Music Association. 2011-02-24. Archived from the original on 2011-02-25. Retrieved 2011-02-25.
  24. ^ "Chart #1759 - Monday 7 February 2011: Top 40 Singles Chart". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. 2011-02-07. Retrieved 2011-02-08.
  25. ^ "Charts". The Official Charts Company. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); |archive-url= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  26. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  27. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  28. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  29. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
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