In My Own Words

In My Own Words
Studio album by Ne-Yo
Released February 28, 2006
Recorded 2005
Genre R&B, hip hop soul
Length 53:15
Label Def Jam, Compound
Producer Boola, Ron "Neff-U" Feemster, Brandon Howard, Jay-Z (exec.), Sixx John, Ervin "EP" Pope, Brian "B-Nasty" Reid, Stargate, Shea Taylor, Curtis "Sauce" Wilson
Ne-Yo chronology

In My Own Words
(2006)		 Because of You
(2007)
Singles from In My Own Words
  1. "Stay"
    Released: September 20, 2005
  2. "So Sick"
    Released: January 24, 2006
  3. "When You're Mad"
    Released: March 7, 2006
  4. "Sexy Love"
    Released: June 26, 2006

In My Own Words is the debut album of American singer-songwriter Ne-Yo, released on February 28, 2006. Four singles were released from the album, "Stay", "So Sick", "When You're Mad", and "Sexy Love". The first single, "Stay", was not as successful is its successors, being Ne-Yo's only song so far to not chart on the Billboard Hot 100.

The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with 301,000 copies sold. Ne-Yo went on tour in August 2006 with Chris Brown and Dem Franchize Boyz. The album was subsequently certified platinum[1] with 1.6 million copies sold in the U.S., and 2 million copies sold worldwide. Upon its release, the album received generally positive reviews from most music critics, based on an aggregate score of 69/100 from Metacritic.[2]

Background

Ne-Yo wrote the lyrics for each song on the album. Norwegian producers StarGate produced the hit single, "So Sick", and also contributed "Sexy Love", "Let Go", and "Time" for the debut LP. Other producers on the album include Ron "Neff-U" Feemster, Brian "B-Nasty" Reid, and Jai "King" Titus of Drama Family Entertainment, who produced the first single, "Stay", and the club-friendly "Sign Me Up" as well.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [3]
Entertainment Weekly B−[4]
Los Angeles Times [5]
PopMatters (7/10)[6]
Robert Christgau [7]
Rolling Stone [8]
Slant Magazine [9]
Stylus Magazine B[10]
USA Today [11]
Vibe [12]

Upon its release, In My Own Words received generally positive reviews from most music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 69, which indicates "generally favorable" reviews, based on 21 reviews.

Track listing

No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
1. "Stay" (featuring Peedi Peedi)Shaffer Smith, Ron Feemster, Ray Blaylock, Solomon Ridge, Pedro Zayas, Mark DeBarge, Etterlene JordanRon "Neff-U" Feemster 3:52
2. "Let Me Get This Right"  Smith, Brian Reid, Ridge, BlaylockBrian "B-Nasty" Reid 3:48
3. "So Sick"  Smith, Tor Erik Hermansen, Mikkel S. EriksenStargate 3:29
4. "When You're Mad"  Smith, Shea TaylorShea Taylor 3:42
5. "It Just Ain't Right"  Smith, Curtis Wilson, Bobby DeBarge, Gregory WilliamsCurtis "Sauce" Wilson 3:48
6. "Mirror"  Smith, TaylorShea Taylor 3:48
7. "Sign Me Up"  Smith, FeemsterRon "Neff-U" Feemster 3:27
8. "I Ain't Gotta Tell You"  Smith, Alfred Lewis, Brandon HowardBoola, Howard[a] 3:17
9. "Get Down Like That"  Smith, Ervin Pope, Bunny SiglerErvin "EP" Pope 4:06
10. "Sexy Love"  Smith, Hermansen, EriksenStargate 3:41
11. "Let Go"  Smith, Hermansen, EriksenStargate 3:49
12. "Time"  Smith, Hermansen, EriksenStargate 3:49
13. "Get Down Like That" (featuring Ghostface Killah) (remix)Smith, Pope, SiglerErvin "EP" Pope 4:59
Total length:
 53:15
UK bonus tracks
No. TitleWriter(s)Producer(s) Length
13. "Girlfriend"  Smith, Kenneth Gamble, Leon HuffSixx John 4:00
14. "Get Down Like That" (featuring Ghostface Killah) (remix)Smith, Pope, SiglerErvin "EP" Pope 4:59
Total length:
 57:15
Japan bonus tracks
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
13. "Lonely"  Smith, Sixx John 4:41
14. "Get Down Like That (Remix)" (featuring Ghostface Killah)Smith, Pope, Sigler 4:57
Notes

Charts

Chart positions

Chart (2006) Peak
position
Australian ARIA Urban Albums Chart[13] 41
Austrian Albums Chart 63
Dutch Albums Chart[13] 50
French Albums Chart[13] 20
German Albums Chart 27
New Zealand RIANZ Albums Chart 35
Swiss Music Charts[13] 11
UK Albums Chart[13] 14
US Billboard 200[14] 1
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[15] 1

Chart procession and succession

Preceded by
High School Musical Soundtrack		 Billboard 200 number-one album
March 12, 2006 - March 18, 2006 		Succeeded by
Reality Check by Juvenile

References

  1. ↑ RIAA - Gold & Platinum search
  2. ↑ "Critic Reviews for In My Own Words". Metacritic. Retrieved on 2009-11-18.
  3. ↑ Kellman, Andy. "In My Own Words - Ne-Yo". AllMusic. Retrieved on 2009-11-18.
  4. ↑ Fiore, Raymond (2006-03-03). "In My Own Words Review". Entertainment Weekly: 100. Retrieved 2012-11-26.
  5. ↑ Nichols, Natalie (2006-03-05). "Sonic gadgets at war with 'Words'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved on 2009-11-18.
  6. ↑ Nishimoto, Dan (2006-04-21). "Ne-Yo: In My Own Words". PopMatters. Retrieved on 2009-11-18.
  7. ↑ Christgau, Robert. "CG: Ne-Yo". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved 2012-11-26.
  8. ↑ Ringen, Jonathan (2006-03-27). "Ne-Yo: In My Own Words : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2007-10-14. Retrieved 2012-11-26.
  9. ↑ Cinquemani, Sal (2006-03-01). "Ne-Yo: In My Own Words". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2012-11-26.
  10. ↑ Inskeep, Thomas (2006-04-24). "Ne-Yo - In My Own Words - Review". Stylus Magazine. Retrieved on 2009-11-18.
  11. ↑ Jones, Steve (2006-02-27). "Ne-Yo's 'Words' rings true; Cascada's pop flows". USA Today. Retrieved 2012-11-26.
  12. ↑ Cummings, Jozen. "Ne-Yo: In My Own Words". Vibe: 129. February 2006.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 Ne-Yo - In My Own Words - Music Charts αCharts. Accessed September 20, 2008.
  14. ↑ The Billboard 200 - In My Own Words - Ne-Yo Billboard. Accessed September 20, 2008.
  15. ↑ Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums - In My Own Words - Ne-Yo Billboard. Accessed September 20, 2008.

External links