Marry Me is the soundtrack album to the 2022 film of the same name, performed by its stars Jennifer Lopez and Maluma. It was released on February 4, 2022, by Universal Studios and Sony Music Latin, marking Lopez's first full-length release since A.K.A. (2014) and Maluma's first since Papi Juancho (2020).
| Marry Me | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.png) Digital cover | ||||
| Soundtrack album by Jennifer Lopez and Maluma | ||||
| Released | February 4, 2022 | |||
| Recorded | 2019 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 34:05 | |||
| Language |
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| Label | ||||
| Producer |
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| Jennifer Lopez chronology | ||||
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| Maluma chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Marry Me | ||||
The soundtrack album was nominated at the 13th Hollywood Music in Media Awards under the Soundtrack Album category. The Marry Me Live Concert Special was also nominated under the LIVE CONCERT FOR VISUAL MEDIA category.[2]
Background and development
editWhile promoting her single "Medicine" in April 2019, Lopez told Ebro Darden of Beats 1 radio that the next album she releases will "probably be with a new movie".[3] Later that same month, it was announced that she would be starring alongside Owen Wilson in the romantic comedy, Marry Me (2022).[4] In July 2019, Colombian singer Maluma was cast to play Lopez's fiancé in the film.[5] During their first week of shooting, on October 5, 2019, Lopez and Maluma performed her song "No Me Ames" during his show at Madison Square Garden in New York City.[6] In February 2020, Lopez announced that she would be releasing a new album alongside Marry Me that would also serve as the film's soundtrack.[7] She told Jimmy Fallon during an interview that the album would feature "six or eight" songs performed by herself and "two or three" songs performed by Maluma, as well as a duet between the two that is performed as both an uptempo and a ballad.[8]
Writing and recording
editAfter receiving the script for Marry Me, Lopez and her team started finding places in the film where they could place music. According to the singer, "you can't have a movie about two pop stars who are performing and not have a soundtrack". While on the It's My Party tour during the summer of 2019, she listened to 100 songs submitted by different writers and producers and narrowed it down to "seven or eight" songs to be featured in the film. The process of creating the soundtrack was "really difficult" for Lopez due to the fact that she wasn't making a "J.Lo album" and was instead "writing songs for the story", noting that she was on tour during the writing and recording process.[9][10]
After signing onto the project, Maluma started writing songs with his long-time producer Edgar Barrera. The first song they wrote was "Segundo", which was met with positive reception from the studio and director.[9] The "R&B-tinged pop" song features an "earworm finger-snapping beat", and lyrics where Maluma asks their lover for a second chance[10] After being asked to do "another, more commercial reggaeton song", Maluma and Barrera wrote a second song called "Uno en un Millón".[9] "Uno en un Millón" ("1 in a Million") fuses "raggeaton drums with pop beats."[10] In similar vein, "Pa Ti (For You)" is another downtempo reggaeton song. Later on "Church" Lopez creates a "non-typical church song" which would "get the party started". Billboard staff called the song "gospel-infused pop". Other songs include "Love of My Life" which centres on finding love from oneself first and features some acapella vocals by Lopez, and the acoustic guitar-driven song "After Love (Part 1)". On the latter, Lopez sings about failed relationships but the inclusion of EDM beats makes you "dance your sorrows away" according to Billboard staff.[10]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [11] |
| Rolling Stone | [1] |
Matt Collar of AllMusic rated the album three and a half out of five stars, writing that "the soundtrack is filled with a bevy of pop anthems, ballads, as well as reggaeton and club tracks" fitting the characters played in the film well.[11] TheWrap pointed out that the soundtrack and the film were made for "promoting Lopez’s music, [...] a goal built into the equation emerges in the indistinguishability of the stock score from countless other, similar movies".[12] Reviewing the film, Nick Levine of NME was less impressed by the soundtrack, writing that "the original songs are so boring you’ll find yourself wishing Kat would just bash out "On the Floor" instead".[13]
According to Tomás Mier of Rolling Stone, "Jennifer Lopez and Maluma Have Real Musical Chemistry on the ‘Marry Me’ Soundtrack". He also added "Though lyrically shallow, and unsurprisingly so, the LP aids Marry Me’s storyline with its themes of longing, love-building, and deception. Maluma doesn’t take many risks, but he still delivers when he sticks to his known reggaeton tricks. For her part, Lopez owns the album’s ballads and bops — flashing her musical prowess and versatility at every turn."[1] Holly Alvarado of Remezcla said that "Throughout the 13 tracks, its entirety is about the rigid ideals of finding love. And even if we hate to admit it, everything in life is guiding us to it, being the film’s core theme." She also added that "Each song is a hit. Even though the record is only 37 minutes short, it’s loaded with tender melodies that make the film a uniquely produced rom-com for the year."[14]
Singles
editOn September 21, 2020, Lopez and Maluma posted a 15-second teaser on both of their respective social media accounts to announce that they would be releasing a "two-song" collaboration, called "Pa' Ti + Lonely", on September 24, 2020.[15] While both songs were originally announced to be featured on the Marry Me soundtrack,[16] "Lonely" did not end up making the final cut. "Pa' Ti" marked Lopez's highest chart debut in the United States since 2017, debuting at number nine on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs for the chart dated October 10, 2020. It became Lopez's highest entry on the chart since her feature on "Adrenalina" (2014), as well as her seventh top-ten song and Maluma's 13th.[17] "On My Way", the second single from the album, was released on November 18, 2021,[18] alongside the trailer for the film.[19] "Marry Me", the title track, was released as the third and final single. Two versions of the song were released - a ballad version and an uptempo version denoted as "Kat & Bastian Duet".
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Here Comes the Bride" | Coolidge Crew | 0:45 | |
| 2. | "Marry Me" (Kat & Bastian Duet) |
| 2:37 | |
| 3. | "Pa' Ti (For You)" |
|
| 3:50 |
| 4. | "Church" | Jennifer Lopez | 2:50 | |
| 5. | "1 en 1 Millón" |
| Maluma | 2:40 |
| 6. | "Love of My Life" |
| Jennifer Lopez | 3:12 |
| 7. | "After Love" (Part 1) |
| Jennifer Lopez | 2:45 |
| 8. | "Marry Me" (Ballad) |
|
| 3:33 |
| 9. | "Segundo" |
| Maluma | 2:28 |
| 10. | "On My Way" |
| Jennifer Lopez | 3:12 |
| 11. | "Nobody's Watching (Marry Me)" |
| Jennifer Lopez | 2:56 |
| Total length: | 34:05 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Love of My Life" (Arkadi Remix) |
| Jennifer Lopez | 3:17 |
| Total length: | 37:43 | |||
Credits and personnel
editPersonnel
edit- Steve Mackey – Vocal production (all tracks)
- Trevor Muzzy – Vocal production (all tracks)
- Edgar Barrera – Production (3, 5, 9)
- The Monsters & Strangerz – Production (2, 12)
- M-Phazes – Production (7, 14)
- Keith Hetrick – Production (10, 13)
- Kim Burse – Assistant production (1); Production (8)
- Michael Pollack – Production (2); Additional production (10)
- John Debney – Production (1)
- Nicholas Sarazen – Production (2)
- Jon Leone – Production (3)
- Danja – Production (4)
- Nyal – Production (5)
- Skylar Mones – Production (6)
- Johnny Goldstein – Co-production (6)
- Noel Zancanella – Co-production (6)
- Kevin Teasley – Production (8)
- Tommy Brown – Production (9)
- Steven Franks – Production (9)
- Dalton Diehl – Production (11)
- Arkadi – Production (12)
- German – Production (12)
- Jeff Shum – Co-production (11)
- Julio Copello – Additional production (8)
- Leroy Clampitt – Additional production (10)
Recording locations
edit- 9000 (Los Angeles, California)
- Art House (Miami, Florida)
- Barbara McLean Mixing (Los Angeles, California)
- Dream Asylum (Hallandale Beach, Florida)
- Grundman Mastering (Los Angeles, California)
- Hit23 (Miami, Florida)
- Hummingbird Hill (Spring Hill, Tennessee)
- Igloo (Burbank, California)
- La Casa De Juancho (Medellín, Colombia)
- M&S (Sherman Oaks, California)
- Mastering Place (New York City, New York)
- Mixstar (Virginia Beach, Virginia)
- Newman Scoring Stage (Los Angeles California)
- Patriot (Los Angeles, California)
- SafeHouseSound (Franklin, Tennessee)
- TLM (Los Angeles, California)
- Tone Room (New Boston, Michigan)
Charts
edit| Chart (2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[22] | 90 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[23] | 132 |
| Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[24] | 90 |
| UK Album Downloads (OCC)[25] | 40 |
| UK Soundtrack Albums (OCC)[26] | 6 |
| US Billboard 200[27] | 135 |
| US Soundtrack Albums (Billboard)[28] | 5 |
Release history
edit| Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | February 4, 2022 | Sony Music Latin | [29] | |
| Poland | CD | Sony | [30] | |
| United Kingdom |
|
Relentless | [31] | |
| United States | Sony Music Latin | [32] | ||
| Canada | February 18, 2022 | CD | Sony | [33] |
References
edit- ^ a b c "Jennifer Lopez and Maluma Have Real Musical Chemistry on the 'Marry Me' Soundtrack". Rolling Stone. February 4, 2022.
- ^ "2022 HMMA Nominations".
- ^ Wass, Mike (April 4, 2019). "Jennifer Lopez Talks "Medicine," New LP & 'Hustlers' On Beats 1". idolator. Archived from the original on June 26, 2022. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (April 22, 2019). "Jennifer Lopez Reteams With STXfilms on Romantic-Comedy Co-Starring Owen Wilson". Archived from the original on September 3, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 15, 2019). "Jennifer Lopez Rom-Com 'Marry Me' Jumps From STX To Universal; Maluma Joins Cast". Archived from the original on August 16, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- ^ Fernandez, Suzette (October 7, 2019). "Watch Jennifer Lopez Make a Surprise Appearance at Maluma's Madison Square Garden Show". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- ^ Hughes, Hilary (February 8, 2020). "Jennifer Lopez Shares New Details About 'Marry Me' Rom-Com With Maluma And Their Soundtrack: Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- ^ Calvario, Liz (February 8, 2020). "J.Lo Teases New Music With Maluma From Upcoming 'Marry Me' Movie". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- ^ a b c Cobo, Leila (October 15, 2020). "Jennifer Lopez and Maluma on Heating Up Hollywood and Opening Doors for Latin Artists". Billboard.com. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Billboard Staff (February 4, 2022). "Essential Tracks on Jennifer Lopez & Maluma's 'Marry Me' Soundtrack: Staff Picks". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 2, 2022. Retrieved March 5, 2022.
- ^ a b Collar, Matt (February 4, 2022). "Marry Me [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack] Review". AllMusic. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
- ^ Aguilar, Carlos (February 10, 2022). "Marry Me Film Review: Jennifer Lopez Should Have Left This Script at the Altar". TheWrap. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
- ^ Levine, Nick (February 11, 2022). "'Marry Me' review: J.Lo's romcom return, for better or worse". NME. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
- ^ "The 'Marry Me' Soundtrack is Here – & We Can't Get Enough of It". February 4, 2022.
- ^ Roiz, Jessica (September 21, 2020). "Jennifer Lopez & Maluma Get Intimate in 'Pa' Ti / Lonely' Video Teaser: Watch". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 5, 2020. Retrieved September 23, 2020.
- ^ Roiz, Jessica (September 24, 2020). "Jennifer Lopez Teams Up With Maluma for Fiery Two-Part Video 'Pa' Ti' & 'Lonely'". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
- ^ Bustios, Pamela (October 8, 2020). "Jennifer Lopez and Maluma's 'Pa' Ti' Debuts In Top 10 on Hot Latin Songs Chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
- ^ Natasha Dado. "Jennifer Lopez Releases 'On My Way' from Upcoming Film Marry Me — Listen Here!". People. Archived from the original on January 15, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ Lopez, Julyssa (November 18, 2021). "Jennifer Lopez Previews 'Marry Me' Soundtrack With Soaring Piano Ballad 'On My Way'". Rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ "Marry Me (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Jennifer Lopez & Maluma". Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022 – via Apple Music.
- ^ "Jennifer Lopez - Marry Me (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (Target Exclusive, CD)". Target.com. Archived from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 28 February 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1669. Australian Recording Industry Association. February 28, 2022. p. 6.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Soundtrack – Marry Me" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
- ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Soundtrack – Marry Me". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
- ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
- ^ "Official Soundtrack Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
- ^ "Jennifer Lopez Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
- ^ "Jennifer Lopez Chart History (Soundtrack Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
- ^ "Marry Me (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Amazon.fr. Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
- ^ "Marry Me (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". www.empik.com. Archived from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
- ^ "Marry Me (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Amazon.co.uk. Archived from the original on June 26, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
- ^ "Marry Me (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Amazon.com. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ "Marry Me (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Amazon.ca. Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2022.