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Good to Know
Studio album by JoJo
Released	May 1, 2020 (2020-05-01)
Studio	Blackwood (Los Angeles) Mirrorball (North Hollywood) Becker Mastering (Pasadena)
Genre	R&B
Length	29:33 – digital edition 35:17 – physical edition 51:39 – deluxe edition
Label	Clover Music Warner
Producer	30 Roc A Pluss Beatgodz DatBoiSqueeze Lido Fade Majah Doc McKinney Noise Club Dylan Wiggins
JoJo chronology
Mad Love (2016) Good to Know (2020) December Baby (2020)
Singles from Good to Know
"Man" Released: March 13, 2020 "What U Need" Released: August 7, 2020

Good to Know is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter JoJo. The album was released on May 1, 2020, by Clover Music and Warner Bros. Records. Incorporating a base core of R&B, pop and soul music, JoJo curated the album as a concept of self reflection, learning to be a single women, questioning monogamy, self love and how to be empowered but still eventually wanting to have a great partnership with a great man. A deluxe edition of the album featuring 2 bonus tracks can be found only on the physical edition of the album and was released simultaneously alongside the nine-track standard edition. JoJo co-wrote every song on the album while also vocal producing every song.

JoJo called upon the likes of Lido, Doc McKinney, 30 Roc, xxxxx, xxxxxx and xxxxx as well as others, to handle production for the album. JoJo had begun production on the album shortly after the release of "Mad Love." (2016), however three months after the conclusion of her Mad Love Tour JoJo parted ways with Atlantic Records in order to launch her own record label imprint Clover Music through a joint venture with Warner Bros. Records. The album had then begun majority of the production and recording again at the beginning of 2019 following the re-release of her first two albums. Occasionally the album dips into other genres such adult contemporary and soul music.

Good to Know was promoted with live renditions of the album's songs during the Good to Know Tour. The album was also preceded by the release of the lead single, a Beatgodz and Fade Majah production called "Man". The song became moderate success charting on the U.S. Billboards R&B Digital Songs chart, peaking at number six. It became JoJo's first charting single on the U.S. Billboards R&B/Hip-Hop R&B Digital Songs chart peaking at number sixteen. "Joanna" and "Sabotage" were released initally to be included on the album, however were excluded from the final tracklisting with "Comeback" serving as the only promotional single leading up to the album's release.

Background

Following the conclusion of JoJo's Mad Love Tour in May 2017. JoJo released a new single Wonder Woman the following month on June 22, 2017 to her SoundCloud and YouTube channel, and served as her first release since her third studio album Mad Love. (2016) Shortly after the release of the song JoJo stated that she was back in the studio and begun writing and recording new material for her fourth studio album.

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"Anything"—the final single from her second studio album The High Road—in late 2007, JoJo stated that she had been writing and working with producers for her third studio album, but would not go into the studio until early 2008. The album has spent a long time on hiatus, which was accompanied with a leak of many of its tracks. As of August 2011, thirty tracks leaked, well over an album's worth of material.

The album was preceded by the extended play III (pronounced "tringle"), which was released on August 21, 2015. Following its release JoJo embarked on her second worldwide headlining "I Am JoJo Tour". Which saw her visit 23 cities nationwide with several international dates in Europe. Initially the tour and Tringle's release was a reintroduction for JoJo into the industry with a major label backing that had been lacking from her previous label. During this time a large portion of the album had already been recorded. The "Tringle" was originally set to appear on JoJo's third album as the first 3 singles from the album that would each receive service to top 40 radio at different stages leading up to the impending albums release. Subsequently, during the tour, Levesque's father Joel had passed away in November 2015 due to struggles with addiction and had also broken up with her boyfriend of two years.

Following the tours conclusion in December 2015, Levesque took a 6-day rest from work during the first week of January, where JoJo booked a hotel and spent time with herself and re-evaluated her life. As a result, JoJo was unhappy with the approach the album was taking and decided to "take control" and begun re-recording and re-writing the entire album to fit her new feelings and emotions. This resulted in the Tringle becoming its own stand-alone project with majority of the albums re-recordings taking place over a six month period at the top of 2016, with only a few tracks from earlier Tringle recording sessions making it onto the final album. These two tracks would be "I Am." and "Good Thing.". From September 9 to September 15, 2016, JoJo uploaded short videos of her singing each song from the album on her Instagram account, revealing the track listing of the album. A vinyl LP edition of the album was made available through JoJo's official web-store on February 3, 2017.

Recording and composition

Good to Know was inspired by JoJo's life experiences over the last couple of years including issues with her previous label, her relationship and her personal growth continuing "my mom just got married, my brother had a baby, he got married — just huge milestones have been happening so I've been really inspired by all of that". Sparks cites soul legends Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Boyz II Men and Babyface for their influence on her sound.

Music and lyrics

Bad Habits (Intro)

A short track starts the CD version of the good to know album and it opens with a haunting repetitive beat that makes us long for her vocals. It’s a great track to transcend into the album as it makes the listener aware of what they are getting themselves into. This album is JoJo at her finest, her independence away from a record label. This is music that she, herself, wanted you to hear, so you better come prepared because she certainly is.

So Bad

This is the first track on the album and JoJo is here to prove herself and make sure you listen to her whole album, throughout. Slow and steady, this starts off as a ballad and JoJo jumps in after a few seconds giving strength, attitude, and power. She’s here to make a stripped-back statement and we are here for it! The chorus turns the track upbeat with typical JoJo R&B vibes, for a while before it returns to the slow ballad-like pace. The lyrics talk about sex with JoJo possibly acting as the other woman. She’s seductive in the words of the song and her voice manages to convey that perfectly.

Pedialyte

For those of you who don’t know – which also included us prior to looking it up – “Pedialyte” is a brand of solution which helps prevent dehydration and replenishes electrolytes and nutrients in one’s body. So, even before listening to this song JoJo has already taught us all something new – well unless you already knew what Pedialyte was. The song is all about the morning after the night before – we’ve all been there and we totally can relate, it feels as if JoJo pulled inspiration from her drinking days, which she mentioned in her candid interview with UPROXX and we can only imagine what she was going through back then. It’s a gritty song, with talk-like verses as if she’s addressing us personally. Vocals relaxed but still on-point, and a truly unforgettably catchy chorus that we just know we’re going to have stuck in our heads for the rest of the day.

The ending of this track includes a hidden track, titled “Take Me” which seems like a snippet of an intro into the next song. It’s a builder of a track and excites you for the rest of the songs/ It feels like it was something they messed around within the studio as it feels raw and very real, at the same time – and that is what makes it special… We’re sad that it wasn’t a short one-minute interlude track all by itself, we could so imagine having that snippet on repeat.

Gold

Time for some extreme sultriness, JoJo gives us whispered vocals on this track, “Gold”. It has an old-school R&B vibe going on. It’s a typical album-track, one we couldn’t imagine becoming a single, yet one that stands out for all the right reasons. It’s a love track that we can’t help but admire as we know how amazing JoJo can be with her runs and her voice, yet she strips it all back and gives us a quieter sound to fully allow the rhythm and the vibe to flood into our body and our hearts. It’s this track that gives us chills and fills us with warmth.

Man

We can so see why this was chosen as the first single, “Man” is just the most-epic feel-good song on the album that helps the transition from her Mad Love era to the good to know era. We knew a new vibe was coming with this album when she dropped “Joanna” and “Sabotage”, but it was this single “Man” that truly laid it down for us. It’s beyond catchy with the lyrics, “love me like I love me, love me like I can”, being full-on addicting. We all know we need to love ourselves and who we are, but gosh did JoJo speak to us all when she sang those lyrics – they’re ones that will embed themselves in our heads and allow us to know our worth.

Find out more on what we thought of the song “Man” and the corresponding music video in our article.

Small Things

Wow! This has to be a single, with a narrative music video because this is deep! We all have emotions and as we grow older, we learn how to bottle them up, put them to the side, hide them under the carpet, and pretend that they’re not there; and, truly, it’s the little small things in life that can unleash those emotions, and JoJo full-on captures that in this song. Vulnerable, honest, and chilling, JoJo lets us in by describing how she shuts people out when it comes to how she’s feeling. This song, in itself, is a mood, and we are feeling it in every way.

Lonely Hearts

It must’ve been difficult to choose which song would follow “Small Things” but we think they nailed it with “Lonely Hearts” as it’s an honest portrayal of how she is feeling. It easily showcases JoJo’s versatility especially when we expect her to come out with incredible runs and beautiful vocals, and she does exactly that with calm precision that have a yearning quality to them. “Lonely Hearts” is undeniably powerful, and we’re glad it was chosen as the second single from the album.

Find out more about our thoughts on the song “Lonely Hearts” and its respective music video, here on CelebMix.

Think About You

This is classic R&B, “Think About You” sounds like it’s been taken from the ’00s and been refreshed, so much so that we swear we’ve heard it somewhere before. Cool, reflected, and chilled, JoJo brings some blue fire to this album with this track. This is some deep emotions that she’s laid out for the world to hear as she sings about someone she loved with all her heart and now can’t get over that person, no matter what. This is just one beautiful song, and we know what it’s like to not stop thinking about someone.

Comeback (feat. Tory Lanez & 30 Roc)

There are two different versions of this track, the one on the CD is pure JoJo, but the digital version features Tory Lanez and 30 Roc. This featured version is planned for the third single off the album, and JoJo has recently teased a snippet from the upcoming music video. It’s a very sexually charged track which sees JoJo sing about getting with someone she’s known for years and she wants all of it. It even references her recent acrobatic skills as she’s been learning athletic pole dancing, which she’s shared on social media – maybe we’ll see some of it in the music video. Tory Lanez adds a rap verse, starting off with a lyric from his song “The Take” before launching into more sexually charged lyrics – he adds flavour and depth, which switches this whole album up and makes this track a stand-out.

Don’t Talk Me Down

Last song on the digital version of the album, and so we expect it to be a wind-down anthem that makes us want to replay all the tracks again, and gosh were we right. Backed by a piano throughout, JoJo shows spirit, courage, and her vulnerable side with this awesome track “Don’t Talk Me Down”. It follows the relaxed vibe found throughout this album, whilst centring on her vocals in every way. The lyrics touch upon coming to the decision to leave a relationship but knowing that that person can influence her and make her change her decision and take this guy back. It’s one of those songs that show an internal battle at a crucial moment and it’s clever that it’s the last track because she talks us into replaying the whole album!

Proud (Outro)

Now, we have to admit that we’re disappointed that this song is only on the CD version. JoJo uses words from her mother (Diana Blagden) for this track, and it reminds us of the spirit of the song “Music.” from her Mad Love album. JoJo has grown up and matured and can see how much love and support her mother has given her throughout her career. Her mom is clearly so proud of her and the lyrics turn this track into a very personal song that sees JoJo sings to herself, telling herself to be confident and proud, to see how far she has come. This is a life-changing track, one that tells her fans to be proud of who they are. We’ve all been through tough times and made it out the other side, JoJo more than anyone else (if you don’t know the full story, listen to her talk about it in her UPROXX interview), and this song is something we all need to hear. “Proud (Outro)” is a self-confident track full of self-esteem and inspiration.

Lonely Hearts (feat. Demi Lovato) [Remix]

We’ve been so excited about this collaboration since it was first announced, the whole idea of JoJo and Demi Lovato on a track together blew our minds, but we weren’t prepared enough. Demi Lovato adds a good solid vocal to the track and adds the sense of girl power to the song too. Their harmonies heighten this track up to its true potential. JoJo is a force in the music industry with her vocals, and it’s difficult to beat the original version of the solo track, but this duet is truly unforgettable. Now we just need these two awesome singers to perform the song together on a stage – that’ll be something we wouldn’t want to miss!

Comeback

On the standard digital version of the album, this song features Tory Lanez & 30 Roc, but for the deluxe version, JoJo has released the solo version of the track, which can also be heard on the CD standard version. This is one fierce track as a solo song, really allowing JoJo to fully shine in a slowed-down R&B number that is full of sexual desire. We can’t help but love this solo version!

Kiss

A chilled R&B track about kissing a friend and playing with his head and just having a bit of fun and chill, “Kiss” is such a mood of a track. Its relaxed vibe is felt within our bones as JoJo impresses with her riffs and her incredible falsetto which really allows this song to stand out for all the right reasons. It’s a short simple track but one that we’ll be listening to on repeat for a while.

Love Reggae (feat. Tinashe)

JoJo said that Tinashe went hard on this track, and gosh did she mean it! “Love Reggae” is all about making love, sexually charged throughout with JoJo and Tinashe bringing the fire in more ways than one. Vocals are on-point, as ever, and yet they explode with harmonies that make this song truly epic. The track is giving us the late ’90s / early ’00s R&B vibes refreshed into JoJo’s current style. This is a superstar track and deserves success all around the world.

What U Need

JoJo’s soulful voice really shines on this track, and it’s no surprise that they used this as the promotional single for the deluxe version because the song would fit nicely on the good to know standard edition but also shows why it wasn’t. That third verse is absolute perfection and JoJo fully brings it for this song. We also adore the incredible music video that you need to check out right now.

X (1 Thing Wrong)

A more of an experimental ballad-type of song, “X (1 Thing Wrong)” is a grower of a track and is likely to not make an impact on the first listen but after a while, you’ll end up loving it. JoJo sings about her ex and how he did one thing wrong by giving her up. It’s got this sad emotion attached to it which we can subtly hear in her confident and sexed-up tracks on the album and that’s what makes this one even more special. Strong and powerful, this track is one we will totally remember from this album.

In Your Room

Ending this album is “In Your Room”, and to follow “X (1 Thing Wrong)” to end this collection of tracks, makes this track even more important. This is JoJo on-form, bringing positivity in a world where a lot of people aren’t all right and she makes us all realise that during this time we need to do the things that make us feel right and that makes us feel like everything’s all right. It’s an uptempo number that will surely get you grooving along as she sings about being in someone’s room and doing what they want to do, together. This is a perfect track to end the deluxe album with because it is upbeat, addicting, and certainly makes us want to re-listen to the whole album again.

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Mad Love. was inspired by JoJo's life experiences over the last couple of years including issues with her previous label, her relationship and her personal growth continuing "my mom just got married, my brother had a baby, he got married — just huge milestones have been happening so I've been really inspired by all of that". Sparks cites soul legends Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Boyz II Men and Babyface for their influence on her sound.

Hayley Warner was one of the most consistent songwriters on the album co-writing a total of six songs on the album including "I Can Only." and "FAB."

Album: http://exepose.com/2016/11/28/album-review-jojo-mad-love/ http://outletmag.co/album-review-jojo-mad-love/

All: http://vinylmag.org/2016/10/19/track-by-track-review-of-jojos-mad-love/ http://outletmag.co/album-review-jojo-mad-love/

Music: http://exepose.com/2016/11/28/album-review-jojo-mad-love/ http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/jojo-mad-love http://ew.com/article/2016/10/14/jojo-mad-love-ew-review/ https://www.theyoungfolks.com/music/89557/album-review-jojo-mad-love/

I Can Only: http://exepose.com/2016/11/28/album-review-jojo-mad-love/ https://www.theyoungfolks.com/music/89557/album-review-jojo-mad-love/

Fuck Apologies: http://exepose.com/2016/11/28/album-review-jojo-mad-love/ http://ew.com/article/2016/10/14/jojo-mad-love-ew-review/ https://www.theyoungfolks.com/music/89557/album-review-jojo-mad-love/

FAB: http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/jojo-mad-love https://www.theyoungfolks.com/music/89557/album-review-jojo-mad-love/

Mad Love: http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/jojo-mad-love

Vibe: http://exepose.com/2016/11/28/album-review-jojo-mad-love/ http://ew.com/article/2016/10/14/jojo-mad-love-ew-review/

(Cold) - Honest: https://www.theyoungfolks.com/music/89557/album-review-jojo-mad-love/

Like This: http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/jojo-mad-love

Edibles: http://exepose.com/2016/11/28/album-review-jojo-mad-love/

High Heels: http://exepose.com/2016/11/28/album-review-jojo-mad-love/

I Am: http://exepose.com/2016/11/28/album-review-jojo-mad-love/ http://ew.com/article/2016/10/14/jojo-mad-love-ew-review/ https://www.theyoungfolks.com/music/89557/album-review-jojo-mad-love/

Clovers:

Reckless:

Good Thing:

Rise Up:

TBA: http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/71942/JoJo-Mad-Love./ http://blacksquirrelradio.com/album-review-jojos-mad-love/ https://www.idolator.com/7648319/jojo-mad-love-review https://www.nylon.com/articles/jojo-mad-love-review http://celebmix.com/album-review-jojos-mad-love-soulfully-fueled/ http://www.entertainment-focus.com/music-section/music-reviews/albums/jojo-mad-love-album-review/ http://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/51192/review-jojos-new-album-mad-love/ https://mic.com/articles/156840/jo-jo-mad-love-review-her-first-album-in-10-years-feels-empowered-but-aimless#.FTrslZkgs http://pressplayok.com/albums/review-jojo-mad-love/ http://jcinldn.com/jojo-mad-love-album-review http://musiccritic.com/jojo/mad-love http://www.allmusic.com/album/mad-love-mw0002979928 http://renownedforsound.com/index.php/album-review-jojo-mad-love/ https://themusicalhype.com/2016/10/19/jojo-mad-love-review/ http://popfection.net/2016/10/14/jojo-mad-love-review/ http://www.pulsemedia-online.co.uk/review-jojo-mad-love-full-album/ http://popcrush.com/jojo-mad-love-must-listen-album-tracks/ https://reeldealbsu.com/2016/11/01/review-jojos-mad-love/ https://thomasbleach.com/2016/10/22/album-review-jojo-mad-love/ http://www.kurrentmusic.com/blogviewer.html?blog-guid=39174682-30d6-47cc-b768-d2d5512c72ac

Music and lyrics

Talk a Good Game was inspired by R&B artists New Edition, Pebbles, and Babyface, Rowland spoke on the album's musical direction saying “[It] feels like everything I wanted to make as far as music and R&B, I wanted to make sure my roots were really pronounced on this album.” Rowland cited Whitney Houston, Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder as the album's inspirations.

"Freak" was first recorded by American entertainer Jamie Foxx, on his album Best Night of My Life (2010).

The album opens with "Freak", an electro-R&B song that was originally recorded by American entertainer Jamie Foxx for his album Best Night of My Life (2010) It references Michael Jackson's "Thriller" as well as including a spoken bridge towards the end. Then comes "Kisses Down Low", an R&B and electronic track written by Marquel Middlebrooks, Timothy and Theron Thomas, Rowland, Mike Will Made It, with the latter producing the song. Rap-Up described the song as a "bedroom banger", whilst Billboard's Andrew Hampp described the song as an "unofficial" sequel to Rowland's most successful and sexually explicit single, 2010's "Motivation" (featuring Lil Wayne). Third in the album, is the adult contemporary-influenced "Gone", which features American rapper Wiz Khalifa. Harmony Samuels produced the "base-heavy" and radio friendly "snapping" beat which features a prominent sample of "Big Yellow Taxi", a 1970s single by American singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell. It lyrically speaks about a "man who played with her heart" and how "she’s done putting up with his games". Lyrics from Rowland include "There's a million ways that I could tell you / But I think I would rather show you that it's over / And I won't be back no more", whilst Khalifa raps "I been here before / And you know Kelly never lied / So you can get your stuff / And get to going / I'll get back to getting high".

The album is named after track four, "Talk a Good Game" which features Kevin Cossom. Over a "snaky but sweet" production from T-Minus Rowland sings "I don’t think I can take another broken promise / Why do things the hard way when you can just be honest". Hampp said that Cossom's rap gave the song a "street edge". It takes the listener on an emotional journey according to The Honesty Hour. The next song, "Down on Love", is a midtempo production featuring another classic sample, this time the 1987 song "Rock Steady" by American R&B group The Whispers. Using her mezzo-soprano vocals, Rowland takes on a downtrodden romantic situation, "We want two different things at two different times / You know how the story go / Easy come easy go". "Dirty Laundry" was co-written by Rowland, Carlos McKinney and The Dream, and is R&B "confessional" ballad, containing "R&B jam spools" and a piano-led melody. It details a "frank and often poignant commentary" on Rowland's life. The song is a "brutal" chronicle of the last ten years of Rowland's life, covering her envy of Beyoncé's solo success and the end of an abusive relationship. Amongst the lyrics, Rowland sings "Kinda lucky I was in her shadow / Phone call from my sister what’s the matter / She said, 'Oh no / You gotta leave' / I’m on the kitchen floor / He took the keys."

Beyoncé is envied by Rowland on "Dirty Laundry", before joining Rowland and Michelle Williams on "You've Changed".

This moves onto another track called "You've Changed" that features her ex bandmates Beyoncé and Michelle Williams. Lyrically the song talks about a relationship that has gone "awry". Rowland takes prominence on the track, though Beyoncé and Williams each get their "own cathartic verse to go off on a clueless ex". The Honesty Hour compared "You've Changed" to the 2004 Destiny's Child single "Girl". Production on the album then moves on to a light midtempo dance track on "I Remember", which was produced by The Runners. Atop a "tinkling piano and propulsive dance beat", Rowland's "characteristically soulful vocals" can be heard. Hampp said that the song incorporated tribal music and a vibe that "consciously stops short of being a full-on four-on-the-floor banger." According to the Honesty Hour, "I Remember" remains firmly a ballad, but incorporates elements of techno and EDM. Rowland dabbles in some 80's funk pop on the Boi-1da and Matthew Burnett-produced "Red Wine". The song features dreamy synths and a soaring chorus, in a vintage throwback. It was compared to songs by Brandy Norwood. The pace continues on the romantic "This is Love" which focuses on a guy that "got [Rowland] goin’ on cloud 9". Over the light production, Rowland sings "I’m waiting and anticipating for you to give it to me / Boy I’m trying to hold it inside / Heart racing, my body shaking / ‘Cause when you give it to me, boy you are the truth, I can’t lie." According to the Honesty Hour, "This is Love" had crossover appear for both R&B and pop radio.

"Street Life" sees Rowland opt for a "no BS" attitude. She sings about how "chasing fast money takes precedence over self-improvement" atop a mid-2000s pop music production, built around layers of hand drums and horn stabs. It was produced by Pharrell Williams and opens with Rowland saying "Ooh ‘dere go my baby daddy!". The lyrics then continue on to speak about the current problems society is facing, "the recession ate me alive / Tryin’ to get where the breeze is nice / So I can breath." She then goes on to speak about social issues and the breakdown of society on lyrics like "coming from the street life we know it's letting go / We like to go to school for education / But the street life we know don't write no notes / It's like parole with the time we’re facing." Pusha T appears in the song's middle 8 where he raps about honor and US president Barack Obama, "this is for my niggas with them four baby mamas...this Presidential Rollie don’t make me Obama / so don’t judge me by my jewelry, please your honor". The Huffington Post described "Street Life" as a departure from Rowland's previous "softer sound". The standard edition of the album finishes with "Stand in Front of Me", a 50's doo-wop inspired "ode to love". The simple production and lyrics include the lines "You just do it / Mean it / Prove it"; Hampp of Billboard said you can expect to hear the song at weddings.

Clover Music

Following JoJo's multi-year battle with her former record label Blackground Records and its imprint DaFamily Entertainment, JoJo was finally released from her original recording contract in December 2013 and signed her new record deal that same month with Atlantic Records. Senior Vice President of A&R at Atlantic Records at the time, Aaron Bay-Schuck orchestrated the deal and was instrumental to JoJo's signing with the record label. Two years after her signing to Atlantic, JoJo finally released her third studio album Mad Love. on October 14, 2016. JoJo supported the album by embarking on the Mad Love. World Tour for four months that begun on January 15, 2017 and concluded on May 26 2017, thus fulfilling her contractual obligations with the album cycle. The tours conclusion left JoJo craving more control over her career after being halted from releasing music for so many years. On August 18, 2017, JoJo officially announced that she had left Atlantic Records and had reunited with Aaron Bay-Schuck by launching her own record label imprint Clover Music through a joint venture with Interscope Records.

In an official press release, JoJo states, "I'm reunited with Aaron Bay-Schuck, my original A&R at Atlantic, who was instrumental in signing me there. One of the hardest things I’ve had to do in my career was leave the Atlantic family. It was a decision I seriously struggled with, but felt I owed it to myself to fulfill my ultimate goal, which was ownership". On October 3, 2017, just over a month following the announcement it was reported that Bay-Schuck would be leaving his post as President of A&R at Interscope Records and would be appointed the new Co-Chairman and CEO of Warner Records. Bay-Schuck waited out the remainder of his contract with that label until September 2018 before commencing at Warner, with his move Clover Music was re-homed and will now be housed and distributed through Warner Records. On December 21, 2018 JoJo's first two studio albums were re-released with re-recorded vocals and slightly reworked production due to Blackground Records' removing of both of the records from all music platforms following the singer's disputes with the label. "Joanna" marked JoJo's first original release since the creation of Clover Music and the singer signing to Warner Bros. Records.

Concept and title changes

On February 21, 2020, JoJo revealed that the album,titled ‘’Good to Know’’, was scheduled for a second quarter release in spring that year. "I called the album good to know because of everything I’ve learned in the past few years – every piece of feedback, criticism (internal or external), whatever it is – it’s all just information. And it’s all good! I’ve been lucky to have the space to reflect on my own journey up to now, and I hope people can take comfort in the fact that I am not anywhere near perfect, and I will never sugarcoat anything. We are all constantly living and learning, and that’s what makes this life so fun."

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In mid-2008, JoJo revealed that the album, titled All I Want Is Everything, was scheduled for a fourth quarter release that year, to coincide with her eighteenth birthday in December. The title was taken from the self-penned title track, which sums up her feelings about what she wants in life and how she can go about getting it as being an "inspirational anthem for everyone who has struggled and strives for more". The song is featured on her first mixtape Can't Take That Away From Me which was released on September 7, 2010 exclusively to Rap-Up.com.

In December 2010, it was announced that the album was no longer titled All I Want Is Everything On February 28, 2011, JoJo revealed the new title in a viral video. She said, "My third album will be called Jumping Trains and it's very symbolic for a variety of reasons... Moving from Boston to L.A., transitioning from being a girl to being a young woman, living on my own, taking a different direction sonically, and just really finding myself and just jumping into a new chapter of life." Following the albums continuous delay with her label Blackground Records JoJo filed a lawsuit against the label to get out of her contract and eventually signed with Atlantic Records, subsequently shelving all previous recorded material resulting in the album being written and recorded from scratch under Atlantic since February 2014.

During an interview with BBC Radio 1 in August 2016 JoJo was hush about announcing any details but stated that the album's title was two words first beginning with "M" and second beginning with "L". In a follow-up interview On March 28, 2016 with Malcolm Music during her "I Am JoJo Tour" in Europe JoJo spoke on a new song from album titled "Mad Love" calling it one of her "favorite songs" on the album suspecting fans to believe that was the albums title. On July 28, 2016 it was officially announced that JoJo's third album would in fact be titled "Mad Love", speaking on the meaning behind the albums title JoJo stated: "Mad Love. means so many different things, and I loved that about the title. It was one of the first songs that I wrote for this album, and I felt like it kind of shaped the intention of it, of this work. And, a phrase that I use in my family a lot, we say, 'I love you madly.' That's that 'I love you through it all, I love you as you are, I love you in a crazy way, in a deep way, in a way that other people might not understand.' And that's how I feel about music, and that's what my relationship is with my fans, and it's an intense, passionate love. That's also the love that I like to have in my romantic life. So, all of that is represented on this album."

Artwork

On February 20, 2020, JoJo teased a blurred out picture of an upcoming tour schedule that featured a side profile of JoJo against a blue background. On February 21, 2020 just over two months away from the albums release, JoJo officially revealed the tour and album artwork via her social media accounts and announced the album would be available for pre-order on March 13, 2020 with a run of U.S. and European tour dates throughout 2020.

Unlike JoJo's previous albums which both included a deluxe edition album with separate or modified artwork, a standard edition of the album artwork had been serviced to all markets. JoJo appears on the cover, "looking fierce as ever" while the rest of the artwork is otherwise blurred by paint smears and blots of pink, green, and white hues with the album art direction and design created by Nick Malvone. In early 2016 JoJo shot the album packaging photoshoot with LA based photographer Brooke Nipar. Photos from the shoot and a series of promotional/press photos were Gradually released online. While others were released with the revamping of JoJo's official website.

During her album photoshoot JoJo released A picture through her Twitter account which shows her wearing a slim fitting black dress with white lace over it and a red skirt, she was also seen wearing a pair of Dr. Dre Beat headphones with her arm bent forward looking into the distance. The shoot included various scenes including JoJo pinned up against a grey wall which shows her rocking a zippered leather jacket, skeleton cutout tee, and gray jeans, with her jet black hair cascading over her shoulders. Another set included her posing in a hallway in a white top and black shorts as well as posing on a staircase. One of these shots were used for the single cover for "Disaster".

Singles

JoJo's triple single extended play III. (Tringle) was released on August 21, 2015. The three singles, "When Love Hurts", "Save My Soul" and "Say Love" Although originally intended to be the first three singles from the album that would each receive service to top 40 radio at different stages leading up to the impending album release. It was subsequently not included on the standard or deluxe editions of Mad Love and instead used as a standalone project to promote the album.

The album's lead single "Fuck Apologies" featuring Wiz Khalifa was teased by JoJo on July 26, 2016 in a promotional video previewing new music. The following day the single leaked in full online only hours before its release. The single was officially released as the lead single from the album on July 28, 2016. The music video, which was directed by Francesco Carrozzini, for the song was released on July 28, 2016, through JoJo's YouTube channel. The song debuted at number 40 on the US Pop Digital Songs Chart. Internationally, the song peaked at 104 on the UK Singles Chart and number 18 on he UK R&B Singles Chart. JoJo performed "Fuck Apologies" for the first time live during her first stop on the 7/27 Tour closing her set with the song. On October 14, 2016, she performed the song live on the Today show.

Promotional singles

"Mad Love" was released as the first promotional single on September 16, 2016, along with the pre-order of the album. JoJo released the audio video of the single on her YouTube channel. "FAB", featuring Remy Ma, was released on September 23, 2016, as the second promotional single. The three letters form an acronym, which stands for "Fake Ass Bitches". "Music" was released as the third and final promotional single on October 6, 2016.

Promotion

On June 6, 2016, prior to any official announcements for release of JoJo's third album. It was announced that JoJo would be joining Fifth Harmony on their 7/27 Tour as a special guest opener in promotion for their second studio album. The North American leg of the tour begun on July 27 in Manchester, New Hampshire before concluding on September 17 in Las Vegas.

On July 27, 2016, JoJo uploaded a short video on her YouTube channel titled "Mad Love. 10.14.16", previewing "Music" and revealing the album title and release date. On July 26, 2016, JoJo debuted a short YouTube video that delivered a preview of new material to come from her forthcoming album. In it, scenes flash in and out, from present day to her past, showing what an impact music has had on her throughout the years. The video included a preview of a new emotional piano ballad titled "Music.". A more upbeat snippet of a song appeared at the end of the video later revealed to be the lead single.

The following day, JoJo announced the release of her new album through a shot of a pregnancy test and announced the first official lead single "Fuck Apologies", through her official Facebook page. That same day, the song was released to all digital retailers for purchase. Following the release, the songs accompanying music video debuted on JoJo's official website the next day.

JoJo performed "Fuck Apologies" for the first time live during her first stop on the 7/27 Tour closing her set with the song. She also performed a clean acoustic version of the song on the Elvis Duran and the Morning Show on August 1, 2016, along with a cover of Shawn Mendes' "Treat You Better". On September 30, 2016, JoJo made her first televised performance of the song along with Wiz Khalifa on MTV's newest music show Wonderland, where she also performed albums cuts for the first time including "FAB." and "Mad Love.". On October 14, 2016, JoJo performed "No Apologies", the clean version of "Fuck Apologies", on Today on October 14, 2016, and on Good Day New York on October 20, 2016. JoJo shot her first live TV performance of "Fuck Apologies." In late September 2016 and previewed new songs from the album including "FAB." and "Mad Love." on Revolt TV's original concert show "Revolt Sessions" which aired on October 22, 2016.

Tour

Main article: Good to Know Tour

On February 21, 2020 JoJo announced her fifth headlining and third major world tour in support of her fourth studio album entitled the "Good to Know Tour". The multi-city tour will travel throughout North America and Europe with the first leg of the tour largely takes place in North America and will begin on April 21 at the Showbox in Seatlle and travels to theatres across the country stopping in Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Atlanta, Chicago, Houston and more wrapping up in Minneapolis, MN on May 30. The tour will continue traveling across the UK in the following months beginning in Dublin, Ireland on Aug. 31, before concluding on Sep. 25 in Stockholm, Sweden. On March 27, 2020 just under a month before the tour was set to launch, due to increasing health and safety concerns caused by the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic the North American leg of the tour was rescheduled with dates now running throughout November and December. In the announcement JoJo stated "It breaks my heart to have to postpone this tour... I was so excited to get on the road and play the new music for you guys, but everyone’s safety and health of course comes first, and we have no choice but to do the right thing and reschedule for later this year. Until then we’ll dance and sing together virtually!".

Reception

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Idolator
Metro Weekly
MusicOMH
The Guardian
The Irish News	8/10
This Is R&B	Positive
Variety	Positive

Writing for Variety, A.D. Amorosi highlighted the singer's maturity "it's the album where all of her tics – of rushing too many breathy rap-sung syllables into one phrase, overly dreamy production and voluminous multi-tracked harmonies – have become agreeable signatures. JoJo sounds right on time: she's grown into herself." He still added the album comes across like an update of Janet Jackson's Control in a weird way, especially its simmering, slow closer "Funny How Time Flies (When You're Having Fun) "from its cultured chord changes and hushed emotive vocals to its clicking rhythms and orchestrated synths" Mike Wass from Idolator said the album is elevated by JoJo's growth as a vocalist "in much the same way that Mariah Carey purposely dialed it back a notch in the ’90s to focus on agility and delivery, there isn't an unnecessary note on this album. It's one thing to be able to sing well, it's another to make people feel it. And that's exactly what JoJo does on Good To Know."

Writing for This Is R&B, Dai Poole praised JoJo's growth as a vocalist and storyteller "each ad-lib and melisma feels deliberate [...] Each song on this album could stand on its own, but collectively they create an experience. If Good To Know is a snapshot of JoJo’s life these past few years, we can’t wait for our next musical conversation with the talented star. Sean Maunier from Metro Weekly said the album finds JoJo sounding relaxed, at ease with herself, and its assured tone nicely complements its self-love vibes "it may be a one-note album, but it delivers plenty of good feelings packaged with low synths, slick R&B production and some truly head-turning vocals."

Writing for The Irish News, Edd Dracott said the album feels both classic to her style and an evolution of her work at different moments "there is a depth and reflective mood as well, with her nimble voice celebrated in the lighter-raising Small Things and matched with booming bass and samples in Think About You. This is R&B with style and thought.". Nick Smith from MusicOMH noted how JoJo has matured both musically and vocally "some of the raw lyrics here will sledgehammer that point home, even if they detract from the material a little. The underlying message here appears to be one of self-acceptance being possible through the unravelling of toxic relationships. Some brilliant sonic touches coupled with canny and self-assured slams add up to a sound and credible return".

Aimee Cliff from The Guardian said with its themes of independence and self-knowledge, the album carries with it a sense that she has finally arrived as the kind of artist she was always meant to be, "slowed down to a treacle pace and layered in indulgent harmonies, these bass-rich songs are the most mature JoJo has ever recorded. It's a hangover album (one spacious, swirling song is named Pedialyte, for the rehydration drink), all about making clear-eyed assessments of past bad decisions in the light of day. Her voice, always impressive, is now an intimidating muscle, and while her message occasionally brushes against empowerment-pop cliché, the naked passion in her vocal sells every line."

Year-end lists

Publication	List	Rank
Rolling Stone	20 Best Pop Albums of 2016	19

Commercial performance

Good to Know debuted at number 33 on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling 14,600 album-equivalent units, of which 9,600 were traditional album sales in its first week. It charted 27 spots lower and with significantly lower sales than her third album "Mad Love". Good to Know also debuted on the Current Billboard Albums, Billboard's Top Digital Albums chart and Billboard's R&B Albums chart at number 5, number 4 and number 4 respectively.

Track listing

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.

Digital version

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"So Bad"	Joanna Levesque Merna Bishouty Chantal Kreviazuk Martin McKinney Dylan Wiggins	Doc McKinney Wiggins JoJo Bishouty	3:11
2.	"Pedialyte"	Levesque James Norton Peder Losnegard Enrico Pieranunzi Silvano Chimenti Tobias Brewer	Lido	4:06
3.	"Gold"	Levesque Kennedi Lykken Joelle James Robert McCurdy Christopher Petrosino Asheton Hogan	A Pluss Noise Club Lido	2:26
4.	"Man"	Levesque Lauren LaRue Rodrick Doss Jr. Evon Barnes Sofia Quinn Chelsea Lena Cameron Lazar	Beatgodz Fade Majah JoJo Tommy Parker	2:53
5.	"Small Things"	Levesque Brandon Skeie Caroline Ailin McCurdy Petrosino Hogan Ishmael Windley	A Pluss Noise Club Wow Jones JoJo Parker	3:24
6.	"Lonely Hearts"	Levesque Elizabeth Lowell Boland Bishouty McKinney Wiggins	Doc McKinney Wiggins JoJo Bishouty	3:23
7.	"Think About You"	Levesque Andrew Jackson Losnegard	Lido JoJo	3:48
8.	"Comeback" (featuring Tory Lanez and 30 Roc)	Levesque LaRue Samuel Gloade Daystar Peterson Adarius Morgane	30 Roc DatBoiSqueeze JoJo	2:55
9.	"Don't Talk Me Down"	Levesque Natalie Dunn Losnegard	Lido Johan Lenox JoJo Dunn	3:27
Total length:				29:33

Physical edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Bad Habits (Intro)"	Levesque Jordan Orvosh Jason Gilbert Sebastian Kole	Jordan XL JoJo	1:09
2.	"So Bad"	Levesque Bishouty Kreviazuk McKinney Wiggins	Doc McKinney Wiggins JoJo Bishouty	3:11
3.	"Pedialyte"	Levesque Norton Losnegard Pieranunzi Chimenti Brewer	Lido	4:06
4.	"Gold"	Levesque Lykken James McCurdy Petrosino Hogan	A Pluss Noise Club Lido	2:26
5.	"Man"	Levesque LaRue Doss Jr. Barnes Quinn Lena Lazar	Beatgodz Fade Majah JoJo Parker	2:53
6.	"Small Things"	Levesque Skeie Ailin McCurdy Petrosino Hogan Windley	A Pluss Noise Club Wow Jones JoJo Parker	3:24
7.	"Lonely Hearts"	Levesque Boland Bishouty McKinney Wiggins	Doc McKinney Wiggins JoJo Bishouty	3:23
8.	"Think About You"	Levesque Jackson Losnegard	Lido JoJo	3:48
9.	"Comeback"	Levesque LaRue Gloade Morgane	30 Roc DatBoiSqueeze JoJo	3:30
10.	"Don't Talk Me Down"	Levesque Dunn Losnegard	Lido Lenox JoJo Dunn	3:27
11.	"Proud (Outro)"	Levesque Lykken Jamie Hartman Losnegard Brandon Wollman	Lido Santell JoJo	3:19
Total length:				35:17

Deluxe version

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Bad Habits (Intro)"	Levesque Orvosh Gilbert Kole	Jordan XL JoJo	1:09
2.	"So Bad"	Levesque Bishouty Kreviazuk McKinney Wiggins	McKinney Wiggins JoJo Bishouty	3:11
3.	"Pedialyte"	Levesque Norton Losnegard Pieranunzi Chimenti Brewer	Lido	4:06
4.	"Gold"	Levesque Lykken James McCurdy Petrosino Hogan	A Pluss Noise Club Lido	2:26
5.	"Man"	Levesque LaRue Doss Jr. Barnes Quinn Lena Lazar	Beatgodz Fade Majah JoJo Parker	2:53
6.	"Small Things"	Levesque Skeie Ailin McCurdy Petrosino Hogan Windley	A Pluss Noise Club Wow Jones JoJo Parker	3:24
7.	"Lonely Hearts" (Remix) (featuring Demi Lovato)	Levesque Boland Bishouty McKinney Wiggins	Doc McKinney Wiggins JoJo Bishouty	3:23
8.	"Think About You"	Levesque Jackson Losnegard	Lido JoJo	3:48
9.	"Comeback"	Levesque LaRue Gloade Morgane	30 Roc DatBoiSqueeze JoJo	3:30
10.	"Don't Talk Me Down"	Levesque Dunn Losnegard	Lido Lenox JoJo Dunn	3:27
11.	"Proud (Outro)"	Levesque Lykken Jamie Hartman Losnegard Wollman	Lido Santell JoJo	3:19
12.	"Kiss"	Levesque Lykken McCurdy Petrosino	Noise Club	3:09
13.	"Love Reggae" (featuring Tinashe)	Levesque Tinashe Brittany Coney Denisia "Blu June" Andrews Faris Al-Majed Nevin Sastry Richard Munos The ANMLS	NOVA Wav Sastry The ANMLS	3:27
14.	"What U Need"	Leveseque Coney Denisia Andrews Matias Saabye Peschcke-Køed	NOVA Wav	4:08
15.	"X (1 Thing Wrong)"	Leveseque Ben Shapiro Daniel Hackett Diana Gordon Felicia Ferraro Nima Jahanbin Paimon Jahanbin	Kid Culture Wallis Lane	3:23
16.	"In Your Room"	Levesque Bishouty Boland Adam Fujiki McKinney Michael Sonier Wiggins Daniel Wilson	Wiggins Doc McKinney Sonier	2:56
Total length:				51:39

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies a co-producer
• ^{^[b]} signifies an additional producer
• ^{^[c]} signifies a vocal producer
• ^{^[d]} "Pedialyte" contains elements from "Feasing" written by Silvano Chimenti and Enrico Pieranunzi, and "Surf Club 76BPM" written by Tobias Brewer. The outro contains a hidden track titled "Take Me" commencing at approximately three minute and fourteen seconds (3:14) into the track.
• ”Comeback” samples “Some Cut” by Trillville & an contains an interpolation of “The Take” by Tory Lanez.
• On digital standard versions of the album, "Comeback" features Tory Lanez and 30 Roc, while physical standard versions and digital deluxe versions of the album feature a solo version.

Personnel

Credits adapted from album's liner notes. All track numbers refer to the physical release of the album.

• 30 Roc – producer (track 9)
• A Pluss – producer (tracks 4, 6), programming (track 6)
• Beatgodz – producer (track 5)
• Dale Becker – mastering (all tracks)
• Merna Bishouty – vocal producer (tracks 2, 7)
• Daniel Brooks – engineer (track 8), additional engineering (track 6)
• Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner – bass (track 11)
• Jon Castelli – mixing (track 1)
• Miles Comaskey – mix engineer (tracks 5, 8, 10)
• DatBoiSqueeze – producer (track 9)
• Natalie Dunn – vocal producer (track 10)
• Wissam Ghorayeb – engineer (track 5)
• Jason Gilbert – engineer (track 1)
• Ryan Gladieux – engineer (tracks 2-7, 9, 10), mixing (track 11)
• JoJo – vocals (all tracks), vocal producer (all tracks)
• Najeeb Jones – assistant mix engineer (tracks 3, 4, 6, 7)
• Wow Jones – additional production (track 6)
• Jordan XL – producer, instruments, and programming (track 1)
• Johan Lenox – additional production (track 10)
• Lido – producer (tracks 3, 8, 10, 11), additional production (track 4)
• Fade Majah – producer (track 5)
• Tony Maserati – mixing (tracks 2-10)
• Rob McCurdy – guitar (track 6)
• Doc McKinney – producer (tracks 2, 7)
• James Musshorn – engineer (track 11)
• Noise Club – producer (tracks 4, 6), programming (track 6)
• Tommy Parker – vocal producer (tracks 5, 6)
• Chris Petrosino – keyboards (track 6)
• Santell – co-producer (track 11)
• Tyler Scott – mix engineer (tracks 2, 9)
• Dylan Wiggins – producer (tracks 2, 7)
• Jamar Williams – engineer (track 8)
• David K. Younghyun – assistant mix engineer (track 4)

Charts

Chart listings for Good to Know

Chart (2020)	Peak position
Portuguese Albums (AFP)	22
Scottish Albums (OCC)	78
UK R&B Albums (OCC)	4
UK Albums Sales (OCC)	44
US Billboard 200	33
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)	19

Release history

Release formats for Good to Know

Region	Date	Format	Version	Label	Ref.
Various	May 1, 2020	Digital download streaming	Digital edition	Warner Clover Music
		CD	Physical edition
	July 10, 2020	Digital download streaming	Acoustic album
	August 28, 2020	Digital download streaming vinyl	Deluxe edition

External links

Category:2020 albums Category:Warner Records albums Category:English-language albums Category:JoJo (singer) albums