The Man (Aloe Blacc song)
"The Man" | |
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Song |
"The Man" is a song by American vocalist Aloe Blacc. First included on his EP Wake Me Up, the song was later released as the second single from his third studio album Lift Your Spirit by Interscope Records. Blacc co-wrote the track with Sam Barsh, Daniel Seeff, and its producer DJ Khalil; Elton John and Bernie Taupin received songwriting credits for the song's interpolation of the line "You can tell everybody" from John's 1971 single "Your Song".
The song has become Blacc's most successful single as a solo artist to date; it sold 2.5 million copies in the United States as of December 2014,[1] peaking at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside the United States, "The Man" topped the charts in the United Kingdom and peaked within the top ten of the charts in Australia, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland and Sweden. On January 22, 2014, a remix of "The Man" featuring American rapper Kid Ink was released.
Music video
A lyric video to accompany the release of "The Man" was first released to YouTube on January 10, 2014.[2]
The song's official music video followed on March 3, 2014.[3] The video takes place in the 1960s and 1970s and gives tribute to figures and events significant to African American culture during that era.
Below is a list of tributes to people/events in the music video.
0:39 Marvin Gaye What's Going On album cover
0:39-0:54 Violence and racial injustice at the time
0:54-1:12 Civil Rights and Vietnam war protest
1:12-1:45 Louis Armstrong or Clifford Brown
1:45-2:25 Marvin Gaye
2:25-2:57 Muhammad Ali
2:57-3:05 Soul Train
3:19-3:37 Malcolm X
3:37-3:49 Role of African Americans in politics [ Barack Obama ]
3:49---- Martin Luther King, Jr.
3:59---- Selma to Montgomery marches aka "Bloody Sunday"
4:18---- 1968 Olympics Black Power salute (back, right corner)
In popular culture
The song was also featured in the end credits of the film Brick Mansions, released in 2014. The film was dedicated to the late actor Paul Walker's memory.
Commercials
In December 2013, "The Man" was used as the backdrop for a series of Beats by Dre commercials promoting the company's "Hear What You Want" campaign, which featured several notable sports personalities, including NFL players Richard Sherman of the Seattle Seahawks and Colin Kaepernick of the San Francisco 49ers, NBA player Kevin Garnett of the Brooklyn Nets, and Chelsea FC football player Cesc Fabregas, wearing Beats headphones to block out the sound of heckling from disgruntled fans.[4]
The song was used extensively at the 2014 NFL Draft, being played 108 times over the course of the three-day event.[5] MLB also used the song for its ads for the 2014 MLB All-Star Game. The ad shows different highlights and celebrations of possible All-Stars for 2014.
Charts
Weekly charts |
Year-end charts
|
Certifications
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[50] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
Italy (FIMI)[51] | Gold | 15,000‡ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[52] | Gold | 7,500* |
Sweden (GLF)[53] | 2× Platinum | 80,000‡ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[54] | Gold | 400,000‡ |
United States (RIAA)[55] | Platinum | 2,500,000[1] |
Streaming | ||
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[56] | 2× Platinum | 5,200,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label |
---|---|---|---|
United States[57][58][59] | January 21, 2014 | Contemporary hit radio | Interscope Records |
Rhythmic contemporary radio | |||
February 4, 2014 | Urban adult contemporary radio | ||
United Kingdom[60] | March 28, 2014 | Digital download | |
United States[61] | June 10, 2014 | Digital download (Draft Day mix) |
References
- ^ a b "The Big 9 in 2014: Interscope". HITS Daily Double. HITS Digital Ventures. December 10, 2014. Retrieved December 10, 2014.
- ^ AloeBlaccVEVO (January 10, 2014). "Aloe Blacc – The Man (Official Lyric Video)". YouTube. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ AloeBlaccVEVO (March 3, 2014). "Aloe Blacc – The Man (Official Music Video)". YouTube. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ Yuscavage, Chris (December 11, 2013). "Colin Kaepernick's New Beats By Dre Commercial Has Seahawks Fans Super Heated". Complex. Complex Media. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ Glasspiegel, Ryan. "NFL ESPN Supposedly Played the "I'm the Man" Song 108 Times During NFL Draft". The Big Lead. The Big Lead. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc – The Man". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc – The Man" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc – The Man" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc – The Man" (in Dutch). Ultratop Urban. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc – The Man" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 17. týden 2014 in the date selector. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 23. týden 2014 in the date selector. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
- ^ "Hitlisten.NU – Aloe Blacc – The Man" (in Danish). Tracklisten. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc Chart History (Euro Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc – The Man" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved May 22, 2014.
- ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
- ^ "Chart Track: Week 14, 2014". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 17, 2014" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc – The Man" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc – The Man". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc – The Man". VG-lista. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
- ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201418 into search. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
- ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201429 into search. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
- ^ "SloTop50: Slovenian official singles weekly chart" (in Slovenian). SloTop50. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
- ^ "South African Airplay Chart Top 10 - April 15, 2014". Entertainment Monitoring Africa. Archived from the original on April 26, 2014. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc – The Man" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc – The Man". Singles Top 100. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc – The Man". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved April 13, 2014.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc Chart History (Adult R&B Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
- ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles 2014". ARIA Charts. Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2014: Urban" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "2014 Year End Charts – Top Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2014" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Top Selling Singles of 2014". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
- ^ "Årslista Singlar – År 2014" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "End of Year Singles Chart Top 100 – 2014". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
- ^ "Hot 100 Songs – Year End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
- ^ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Singles Chart - 24/03/2014". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on March 22, 2014. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
- ^ "Italian single certifications – Aloe Blacc – The Man" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
- ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Aloe Blacc – The Man". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
- ^ "Aloe Blacc - The Man" (in Swedish). Grammofon Leverantörernas Förening. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ^ "British single certifications – Aloe Blacc – The Man". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 18, 2014. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type The Man in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
- ^ "American single certifications – Aloe Blacc – The Man". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
- ^ "Certificeringer - Aloe Blacc - The Man". IFPI Denmark. Retrieved November 1, 2014.
- ^ "Top 40/M Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on January 13, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
- ^ "Top 40 Rhythmic Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on January 13, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
- ^ "Urban/UAC". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on January 30, 2014. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
- ^ "The Man – Single by Aloe Blacc". iTunes Store (GB). Apple. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
- ^ "The Man (Draft Day Mix) – Single by Aloe Blacc". iTunes Store (US). Apple. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
External links
- Single chart usages for Germany2
- 2013 songs
- 2014 singles
- Aloe Blacc songs
- Songs with music by Elton John
- Songs with lyrics by Bernie Taupin
- Interscope Records singles
- Number-one singles in Scotland
- UK Singles Chart number-one singles
- UK R&B Singles Chart number-one singles
- Song recordings produced by DJ Khalil
- Songs written by DJ Khalil
- Songs written by Sam Barsh