The Breakthrough

For other uses of "The Breakthrough", see Breakthrough.

Untitled

The Breakthrough is the seventh studio album by American R&B and soul singer Mary J. Blige, released by Geffen Records in Britain on December 12 2005 and December 20 in North America (see 2005 in music).

History

It debuted at #1 on both the R&B albums and Billboard 200 albums charts, selling 727,163 copies in its first week — the biggest first-week sales for an R&B solo female artist in SoundScan history, the 5th largest first-week sales for a female artist and was the 4th largest debut of the 2005.

The Production on the album included Blige herself, Rodney Jerkins, will.i.am, Bryan Michael Cox, 9th Wonder, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Raphael Saadiq, Cool and Dre, Dre & Vidal, and includes a duet with U2 on the cover of the 1992 U2 hit, "One", which was released as the second single in Europe and Latin America.

Indeed a return to her prime, the lead off single "Be Without You" quickly raced up both the R&B and pop singles charts; "Be Without You" topped the R&B singles chart for a record setting fifteen consecutive weeks.

The album's second single "Enough Cryin" was not as successful as "Be Without You" as it peaked at #32 on the Billboard Hot 100, but was successful at #2 on the R&B chart.

One was released in the US July 17, 2006; it is a R&B mixed with alternative rock song. It was the album's second single in the UK, and gave Mary her biggest hit to date in the UK, peaking at #2 on the Top 40. Nevertheless, "One" was voted in Britain as the song with the nation's favourite lyric: "One Life, With Each Other Sisters, Brothers".

The album's 3rd and current single is "Take Me As I Am" with production by "infinity". The song "MJB Da MVP" was released as a radio only single prior to the release of Be Without You. Another song, "Ain't Really Love", reached number seventy-three on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the U.S., although it was not released as a single. [1]

The album has so far gone 2x Platinum, and has been proclaimed as her comeback album (after the disappointment of Love & Life). The album has shown signs of longevity, remaining in the top five of the Billboard 200 for eleven consecutive weeks (including 2 weeks at #1). As of November 29, 2006, the albums Nielsen SoundScan American sales stood at 2,660,986 units.

Incidentally, the album is somewhat notable for its cover featuring Blige sporting a Yulia Tymoshenko-esque look.

In December 2006, Blige received 8 Grammy Award nominations, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year for "Be Without You".

Track listing

#	Track	Songwriters	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"No One Will Do"	E Ortiz, K Crowe, C Brown III, D Young, B Sigler	J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League	4:48
2.	"Enough Cryin" (featuring Brook)	M J Blige, R Jerkins, S Garrett, S Carter	Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins	4:20
3.	"About You" (featuring will.i.am)	M J Blige, W. J, Adams, K Harris, A Newley, L Bricusse	Will.I.Am	4:05
4.	"Be Without You"	M J Blige, B Michael-Cox, J Perry, J Austin	Bryan-Michael Cox	4:05
5.	"Gonna Breakthrough" (featuring Brook)	M J Blige, D Gordon, D Emile, Q Wages, H Palmer	D. Emile	4:00
6.	"Good Woman Down"	M J Blige, S Garrett, P Douthit, R Aries, F Jackson, M Morgan	9th Wonder	4:07
7.	"Take Me As I Am"	J Sucof, E Lewis, C Nelson, K Hilson, T Nkkerfante, L Smith	Infinity & Ron Fair	3:57
8.	"Baggage"	M J Blige, J Harris III, T Lewis, B Avia, I Avia, J Right, D Young	Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis	3:35
9.	"Can't Hide From Luv" (featuring Jay-Z)	M J Blige, A Harris, V Davis, R Toby	Dre & Vidal	3:52
10.	"MJB Da MVP"	C Jackson, J Taylor, A Lyon, M Valenzano, N Harris, R Backer, A Felder, J Johnson, P Rushen, D Ecans, R Ayers	Cool & Dre	3:21
11.	"Can't Get Enough"	M J Blige, Jam & Lewis, B Avila, I Avila	Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis	3:40
12.	"Ain't Really Love"	M J Blige, B Michael-Cox, J Austin, C Childress	Bryan-Michael Cox	4:40
13.	"I Found My Everything" (featuring Raphael Saadiq)	M J Blige, R Saadiq, K Wooten, R Ozuma	Raphael Saadiq	5:23
14.	"Father In You"	M J Blige, A Harris, V Davis, R Toby	Dre & Vidal	5:23
15.	"Alone" (featuring Dave Young)	D McKenzie, D Young	Davel "Bo" McKenzie	4:29
16.	"One" (with U2)	Bono, A Clayton, The Edge, L Mullen Jr	Ron Fair	4:20

North American edition (released December 20 2005)

#	Track	Songwriters	Producer	Length
17.	"Show Love"	M J Blige, R Saadiq, T Moses	Raphael Saadiq	3:40

International edition (released December 12 2005)

#	Track	Songwriters	Producer	Length
17.	"Show Love"	M J Blige, R Saadiq, T Moses	Raphael Saadiq	3:40
18.	"So Lady" (featuring Raphael Saadiq)	M J Blige, S Garrett, C Thompson	Raphael Saadiq	4:18

Japanese edition (released December 12 2005)

#	Track	Songwriters	Producer	Length
17.	"Show Love"	M J Blige, R Saadiq, T Moses	Raphael Saadiq	3:40
18.	"So Lady" (featuring Raphael Saadiq)	M J Blige, S Garrett, C Thompson	Raphael Saadiq	4:18
19.	"Out My Head"	M J Blige	Rich Harrison

Unreleased, unused or leftover songs

1. "Turn Off The Lights" (Version 1 featuring Jay-Z)
2. "Turn Off The Lights" (Version 2 Featuring Jay-Z & T.I.)
3. "Best Friend"
4. "Enough Cryin" (Unreleased Version featuring Foxy Brown)

Charts performances

Peak positions

Chart (2006)	Providers	Peak	Certification
The Official UK Album Chart	BPI / The Official UK Charts Company	22	Gold
German Album Chart	Media Control	28
The Billboard RnB/HipHop (U.S.)	Billboard	1	2x Platinum
The Billboard 200 (U.S.)	Billboard	1	2x Platinum

Chart runs

United States Billboard 200 Albums Chart
Week	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30
Position	1	2	2	1	2	4	2	2	4	4	5	11	12	12	21	30	21	24	33	31	29	41	38	30	41	53	47	39	49	62
Week	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51	52	53	54	55	56	57	58	59	60
Position	62	40	58	77	85	80	83	53	81	100	110	128	133	148	157	175	180	135	171	179	134
UK Top 75 Album Chart
Week	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30
Position	48	43	58	48	44	48	42	48	43	58	48	44	48	42	40	42	45	47	47	55	62	55	41	30	22	22	29	37	41	45
Week	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51	52	53	54	55	56	57	58	59	60
Position	57	61	75	74	63	50	56
German Top 100 Album Chart
Week	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30
Position	96	70	^	^	^	28	29	30	36	38	57	69	93	76	58	53	48	48	43	41	47	54	58	64	64	64	76	80	90

Footnotes:

• ^ indicates that the album left the chart.

See also

• Mary J. Blige discography

External Links

• The Breakthrough Album at WikiMusicGuide