If You're Reading This It's Too Late

This article is about the album. For the novel, see If You're Reading This, It's Too Late.
If You're Reading This It's Too Late
Mixtape by Drake
Released February 13, 2015
Recorded 2014–15
Studio
Genre Hip hop
Length 68:40
Label
Producer


Drake chronology

  • If You're Reading This It's Too Late
  • (2015)
  • Views from the 6
  • (2015)

If You're Reading This It's Too Late is the fourth mixtape by Canadian recording artist Drake. It was released through the iTunes Store without prior announcement on February 13, 2015, by OVO Sound, Aspire Music Group, Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Republic Records. There is debate as to whether the project is a mixtape or an album, as it was released commercially through his record label, while Drake himself considers the project a mixtape.[1][2][3][4][5]

The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with three-day sales of 495,000 copies and 40,000 online streaming credits, and topped his native Canadian Albums Chart, after moving 37,000 units upon the conclusion of the tracking week.

Background

In July 2014, Drake announced the title of his fourth studio album would be Views from the 6, however he had not yet begun to record the album.[6] In November 2014, in an interview, Toronto Raptors basketball player DeMar DeRozan mentions Drake intending to release a mixtape in January 2015.[7] On February 12, 2015, Drake released a short film titled Jungle.[8] There were snippets of the songs "Know Yourself" and "Jungle" in the video hinting that Drake would be releasing new music.[9]

In an interview with HipHopDX, DatPiff founder Kyle Reilly revealed that If You're Reading This It's Too Late was intended to be released for free download on DatPiff and it will be hosted by DJ Drama, before Cash Money Records intervened.[10] Due to being released through iTunes, by copyright it is considered his fourth studio album for Cash Money records[11] and as such, is acknowledged as an album by Cash Money.[12] Simultaneously, Young Money recognizes it as Drake's second EP, while Republic has yet to acknowledge it as an official release under their label.[13]

Release and promotion

On February 12, 2015, the mixtape was tweeted as an iTunes link from Drake's Twitter. It also was uploaded to OVO Sound's official SoundCloud account, but was quickly removed. Neither Drake nor his publicists have commented as to why it was released in such a format.[11] It was released onto the iTunes Store on February 13, 2015 by OVO Sound, Aspire Music Group, Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Republic Records.[14][15][16][17]

Drake hinted on his Instagram account of an alternate version of the mixtape titled If You're Choppin' This It's Too Late hosted by OG Ron C.[18]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source Rating
Metacritic 78/100[19]
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [20]
The A.V. Club B-[21]
Consequence of Sound B+[22]
Exclaim! 8/10[23]
The Guardian [24]
Los Angeles Times [25]
Pitchfork 8.3/10[26]
Rolling Stone [27]
Spin 7/10[28]
The Telegraph [29]

Upon its release, If You're Reading This It's Too Late received generally favorable reviews from contemporary music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the mixtape received an average score of 78 based on 32 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[19] Neil McCormick of The Telegraph said "Drake is amongst the most musically and lyrical progressive proponents of his chosen medium, bringing a level of educated artiness and psychological self-awareness to a genre too often reliant on big beats and braggadocio."[29] Eric Zaworski of Exclaim! praised the release's production, writing that it "revels in the hazy drone of the 'Toronto Sound' that OVO's 40 and Boi-1da helped define, with offerings from up-and-comers like Brampton's Wondagurl and PRIME's Eric Dingus rounding it out."[23] Paul Lester of The Guardian said "the former child TV star comes out fighting, amid machinegun fire, complaining about everyone from his peers to his family – but he convinces more as the original sad rapper."[24] Simon Vozick-Levinson of Rolling Stone said "For the first time in his career, Drake doesn't sound like he wants to be remembered as one of the greats. This time, he just is."[27]

Commercial performance

If You're Reading This It's Too Late debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart, selling 37,000 copies in its first week.[30] The album also debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 535,000 copies in total, 495,000 of which consisted of traditional whole album sales.[31] The album was also streamed 17.3 million times on Spotify, breaking Drake's own record that was made with Nothing Was the Same‍ '​s debut week.[32] Because of the album, Drake also became the first rapper to top Billboard‍ '​s Artist 100 chart.[33] It is currently 2015's best-selling digital album and second best-selling overall album in the United States, having sold 835,000 copies as of April.[34][35]

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
1. "Legend"  
PartyNextDoor 4:01
2. "Energy"  
 3:01
3. "10 Bands"  
  • Boi-1da
  • Sevn Thomas[a]
 2:57
4. "Know Yourself"  
 4:35
5. "No Tellin'"  
  • Graham
  • Miller
  • Kenza Samir
  • Samuels
  • Feeney
  • Tommy Paxton-Beesley
 5:10
6. "Madonna"  
Noah "40" Shebib 2:57
7. "6 God"  
  • Graham
  • Samuels
  • Scruggs
  • Wise
  • Boi-1da
  • Syk Sense
 3:00
8. "Star67"  
  • Graham
  • Amir Obie
  • E. Ahmed
  • C. Essel
  • D. Smith
  • D. Levy
  • Shebib
  • Nylz
  • Most High
  • Obie
 4:55
9. "Preach" (featuring PartyNextDoor)
PartyNextDoor 3:56
10. "Wednesday Night Interlude" (featuring PartyNextDoor)
  • Brathwaite
  • Ekali
PartyNextDoor 3:32
11. "Used To" (featuring Lil Wayne)
Wondagurl 4:28
12. "6 Man"  
  • Graham
  • Miller
  • Shebib
  • Noah "40" Shebib
  • Daxz[a]
 2:47
13. "Now & Forever"  
  • Dingus
  • Jimmy Prime
 4:41
14. "Company" (featuring Travi$ Scott)
  • Wondagurl
  • TM88
  • Travi$ Scott
 4:12
15. "You & the 6"  
 4:24
16. "Jungle"  
  • Graham
  • Gabriel Garzón-Montano
  • Samir
  • Shebib
Noah "40" Shebib 5:20
17. "6PM in New York" (bonus track)
  • Graham
  • Samir
  • Samuels
  • Feeney
  • Thomas III
  • Boi-1da
  • Frank Dukes[a]
  • Sevn Thomas[a]
 4:43
Total length:
 68:40
Notes
Sample credits

Charts

Chart (2015–16) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[38] 2
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[39] 20
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[40] 31
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[41] 47
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[42] 1
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[43] 6
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[44] 15
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[45] 30
French Albums (SNEP)[46] 55
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[47] 89
New Zealand Albums (Recorded Music NZ)[48] 3
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[49] 14
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[50] 16
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[42] 7
UK Albums (Official Charts Company)[51] 3
UK R&B Albums (Official Charts Company)[52] 1
US Billboard 200[53] 1

See also

References

  1. ↑ Young, Alex. "Surprise: Drake releases new 17-track album If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late". Consequence of Sound.
  2. ↑ Beauchemin, Molly. "Drake Shares New Collection of Music If You're Reading This It's Too Late". Pitchfork. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  3. ↑ Joe, Jim. "If You're Reading This It's Too Late Album Art / Track List". Genius. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "Drake - Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Drake -Twitter".
  6. ↑ "Drake Announces Fourth Album: "Views From The 6"". Billboard. 15 July 2014.
  7. ↑ Davis, Justin. "A Toronto Raptors Player Dropped Some Hints About an Upcoming Drake Mixtape". Complex. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  8. ↑ Robinson, Will. "Drake releases short film Jungle and teases new songs". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  9. ↑ Geslani, Michelle. "Drake’s new short film Jungle is quintessential Drake, features new music — watch". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  10. ↑ Stein, Spencer. "Drake's "If Youre Reading This Its Too Late" Counts Toward His Cash Money Contractual Obligation, DatPiff's KP Says". HipHopDX. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Ramirez, Erika. "Drake Releases 'If You're Reading This It's Too Late' Album Out of Nowhere". Billboard. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  12. ↑ Records, Cash Money. "DRAKE – IF YOU’RE READING THIS IT’S TOO LATE". Cash Money Records. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  13. ↑ Records, Young Money. "If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late". Young Money Records. Retrieved 13 February 2015.
  14. ↑ Peters, Micah. "Drake surprised everyone and dropped a 17-track mixtape out of nowhere". USA Today.
  15. ↑ Markman, Rob. "Drake’s New Project Is Finally Here: Listen To If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late". MTV.
  16. ↑ McCormick, Rich. "Drake drops surprise mixtape". The Verge.
  17. ↑ USA, Spotify. "While you slept, @Drake dropped a new mixtape". Twitter.
  18. ↑ "ogronc @candlestickem for the town man. Chopped not slopped.". Instagram.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "If You're Reading This It's Too Late Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  20. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/if-youre-reading-this-its-too-late-mw0002825574
  21. ↑ Rytlewski, Evan (February 17, 2015). "Drake leaves a trail of questions on If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  22. ↑ Josephs, Brian (February 16, 2015). "Drake – If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Zaworski, Eric (February 17, 2015). "Drake - If You're Reading This It's Too Late". Exclaim!. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Drake: If You're Reading This, It's Too Late review – intimate, intense, wistful". 2015-02-13.
  25. ↑ "Mortality, fame hang heavy on Drake's 'If You're Reading This'". 2015-02-16.
  26. ↑ Jenkins, Craig (February 17, 2015). "Drake: If You're Reading This It's Too Late". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Vozick-Levinson, Simon (February 17, 2015). "Drake’s New Album: If You’re Reading This, It’s Too Late". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  28. ↑ Unterberger, Andrew (February 17, 2015). "SPIN Album of the Week: All Work and No Play for Drake on 'If You're Reading This It's Too Late'". Spin. SpinMedia. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 "Drake: If You're Reading This, It's Too Late review - 'hip hop from the interior'". 2015-02-16.
  30. ↑ Cross, Alan (February 18, 2015). "Weekly Music Sales Report and Analysis: 18 February 2015". Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  31. ↑ Caulfield, Keith. "Drake's Surprise Mixtape Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  32. ↑ Press, Associated. "Drake's Surprise Mixtape Sets Spotify Records". Billboard. Billboard. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  33. ↑ Trust, Gary. "Drake Becomes First Rapper to Top Artist 100". Billboard. Billbaord. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  34. ↑ Christman, Ed (April 3, 2015). "SoundScan's Q1: 'Uptown Funk' Best-Selling Song, Universal Music Stays On Top". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  35. ↑ Balfour, Jay (April 22, 2015). "Hip Hop Album Sales: Tyler The Creator, Drake, Kendrick Lamar". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  36. ↑ "If You're Reading This It's Too Late [Explicit]". Amazon.com. Amazon.com, Inc. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
  37. ↑ Trammell, Matthew (9 March 2015). "River Tiber's "No Talk" Is The Previously Unheard Sample From Drake's "No Tellin'"". The FADER.
  38. ↑ "Drake – If You're Reading This It's Too Late". Australiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  39. ↑ "Drake – If You're Reading This It's Too Late" (in German). Austriancharts.at. Hung Medien. Retrieved February 25, 2015.
  40. ↑ "Drake – If You're Reading This It's Too Late" (in Dutch). Ultratop.be. Hung Medien. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  41. ↑ "Drake – If You're Reading This It's Too Late" (in French). Ultratop.be. Hung Medien. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  42. ↑ 42.0 42.1 "Drake Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for Drake. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
  43. ↑ "Drake – If You're Reading This It's Too Late". Danishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  44. ↑ "Drake – If You're Reading This It's Too Late" (in Dutch). Dutchcharts.nl. Hung Medien. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  45. ↑ "Drake: If You're Reading This It's Too Late" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
  46. ↑ "Drake – If You're Reading This It's Too Late". Lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  47. ↑ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
  48. ↑ "Drake – If You're Reading This It's Too Late". Charts.org.nz. Hung Medien. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  49. ↑ "Drake – If You're Reading This It's Too Late". Norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  50. ↑ "Drake – If You're Reading This It's Too Late". Swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  51. ↑ "Official Album Charts UK Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  52. ↑ "UK Top 40 R&B Albums Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  53. ↑ "Drake Album & Song Chart History" Billboard 200 for Drake. Retrieved January 24, 2015.