Trigga is the sixth studio album by American singer Trey Songz. It was released on July 1, 2014, by Songbook and Atlantic Records. The album serves as the follow-up to the singer's fifth studio album Chapter V (2012). Trey Songz enlisted a variety of record producers such as DJ Mustard, Mike Will Made It, Da Internz, Soundz, Dun Deal, The Featherstones, D'Mile and The Insomniakz, among others.
| Trigga | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | July 1, 2014 | |||
| Recorded | 2012–2014[1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 54:38 | |||
| Label |
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| Producer |
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| Trey Songz chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Trigga | ||||
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Musically, Trigga is a hip hop-influenced R&B album, with its topics focusing on promiscuity and infidelity. The album was met with positive reviews from critics, who praised Trigga's musicality and brazenness. The album fared well commercially, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200. The album was supported by six official singles: "Na Na", "SmartPhones", "Foreign", "Change Your Mind", "What's Best for You", and "Touchin, Lovin" featuring Nicki Minaj. Trigga has been available in a repackaged version, titled Trigga Reloaded, as of June 2015.
Background
editOn February 15, 2014, Trey Songz announced that the title to his sixth studio album would be called Trigga and announced it would be released on June 30, 2014.[3] Talking about the album the singer said: "My album is very unapologetic, but at the same time, it’s real. And when I do speak about love, you feel the emotion there, whether I’m joyous about it or not, it’s still emotion. And I think that’s what music is, is emotion".[4] When asked about Trigga's lyrical content being different from the average R&B album in regards to love he stated:
The thing about being an R&B singer is, people want you to be in love, people want you to sing about love, and of course we need more songs about love. But that ain’t my truth right now. I’m not in love. I don’t have a girlfriend; I ain’t even really looking for one right now, you know? That’s definitely showcased in the music.[4]
Music and lyrics
editTrigga is a hip hop-influenced R&B album.[4][5] According to Iyana Robertson of Vibe, the album finds the singer "in the most brash musical space of his career".[4] Andy Kellman of AllMusic said that the persona portrayed by Songz on Trigga "relishes his playboy status more than ever, boasting about a multitude of behavioral stunts".[5] Spin's reviewer Anupa Mistry said that the album succeeded into representing sonically and lyrically the merge of R&B and hip hop that was happening during that period, that was carried by other artists such as Chris Brown and Drake.[2]
Singles
editOn January 21, 2014, Songz released a song, titled "Na Na" as the album's first official single.[6] The music video for "Na Na" was released on March 12.[7] The song peaked at number 21 on the US Billboard's Hot 100.[8]
On April 1, 2014, Songz released a song, called "SmartPhones" as the album's second official single.[9] The music video for "SmartPhones" was released on May 10.[10]
"Foreign" and "Change Your Mind" were released as the album's third and fourth singles respectively on May 13, 2014.[11][12] The music video for "Foreign" was released on June 16.[13] The music video for "Change Your Mind" was released on June 24.[14]
"What's Best for You" was released as the album's fifth single on June 2, 2014.[15] On August 19, 2014, the music video was released for "What's Best For You".[16] The song peaked at number one on the Billboard's Adult R&B Songs,[17] number 21 on the Billboard's R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, and number 20 on the Billboard's Hot R&B Songs charts.
"Touchin, Lovin", featuring Nicki Minaj, was sent to US urban radio as the album's sixth single on September 9, 2014.[18] On January 5, 2015, the music video was released for "Touchin Lovin" featuring Nicki Minaj.[19]
"Ordinary", featuring Jeezy, was previously released as a promo-only single on April 22, 2014,[20] but did not appear on the album.
Critical reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 68/100[21] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [5] |
| The Guardian |  [22] |
| HipHopDX | 4/5[23] |
| Now | 3/5[24] |
| Slant Magazine | [25] |
| Spin | 8/10[2] |
| USA Today | [26] |
| XXL | 3/5 (L)[27] |
Trigga was met with positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 68, which indicates "generally positive reviews", based on 9 reviews.[21] Andy Kellman of AllMusic said, "This is, no doubt, one of the most flagrantly lecherous commercial R&B albums of its time. It also has sharp hooks and slick productions to spare."[5] Anupa Mistry of Spin stated, "Trigga ... [is] a sublime, soulful convergence of the sonic minimalism and oil-slicked synths of today's hip-hop and R&B (courtesy, mostly, of Young Thug and Migos-famous producer Dun Deal), and its sound provides a charismatic contrast to its almost anhedonic pursuit of pleasure."[2] Paul MacInnes of The Guardian said, "It might all feel a little mechanical, but Trigga does hang together, and has a seductive power that (one presumes) is befitting of the man himself."[22] Matt Fruchtman of Slant Magazine stated, "At times, Songz's lyrics venture into personal territory: "Y.A.S. (You Ain't Shit)" displays both genuine self-loathing and anger that's a stark contrast to the arrogant persona featured throughout the bulk of the album. This kind of vulnerability is refreshing, but Trigga is otherwise designed like a Hollywood blockbuster: squandered talent, obvious themes, and fleeting moments of creative excellence that stick among the clichés."[25]
Martín Caballero of USA Today said, "Trey Songz's engaging sixth album, Trigga, is a statement of intent — not of a bold new direction, but rather of the singer's determination to solidify the hitmaker's pedigree he's worked hard to earn."[26] Julia LeConte of Now stated, "Trigga is smooth and singable, with its share of gems. "Change Your Mind" is the most initially catchy (in that vanilla, Jason Derülo way) and "Foreign (Remix)" begs for repeat spins."[24] Erin Lowers of XXL said, "Filled with lust, desire and sexual journeys, Trey Songz reaches an expected level of mainstream success with Trigga, and while safe is always encouraged during sexual acts, perhaps Trey could’ve taken a few more risks with this album."[27] Marcus Dowling of HipHopDX found his vocal performance on the record "irrepressibly pleasing", stating that "his delivery makes the simplistic and direct tone of his songwriting stand out".[28]
Commercial performance
editThe album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 105,000 copies in the United States.[29] The album spent an additional two weeks in the chart's top ten.[30][31] As of October 2014, the album had sold 264,000 copies.[32] The release of Trigga Reloaded prompted the album's return to the album chart at number 23 for the week of July 11, 2015 with 17,000 equivalent album units; it sold 8,000 copies that week, with the remainder of its unit total reflecting the album's streaming activity and track sales.[33] The album made its chart debut in the United Kingdom where it debuted at number seventeen on the UK Albums Chart and number one on the UK R&B Albums Chart.[34][35] In July 2016, the album was certified platinum for combined sales and streaming equivalent units of over a million units in the United States.
In 2014, Trigga was ranked as the 58th most popular album of the year on the Billboard 200.[36]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Cake" |
| Dun Deal | 4:45 |
| 2. | "Foreign" |
|
| 4:08 |
| 3. | "Na Na" |
| 3:51 | |
| 4. | "Touchin, Lovin" (featuring Nicki Minaj) |
| The Featherstones[37] | 3:42 |
| 5. | "Disrespectful" (featuring Mila J) | D'Mile | 3:56 | |
| 6. | "Dead Wrong" (featuring Ty Dolla Sign) |
| The Featherstones[37] | 3:47 |
| 7. | "All We Do" |
| $K | 4:27 |
| 8. | "Foreign (Remix)" (featuring Justin Bieber) |
|
| 4:33 |
| 9. | "Late Night" (featuring Juicy J) |
| 5:08 | |
| 10. | "SmartPhones" |
|
| 3:52 |
| 11. | "Yes, No, Maybe" |
|
| 5:18 |
| 12. | "Y.A.S. (You Ain't Shit)" |
| L&F | 6:05 |
| 13. | "Change Your Mind" |
| Da Internz | 3:42 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14. | "What's Best for You" |
|
| 3:31 |
| 15. | "Love Around the World" |
| Da Internz | 3:33 |
| 16. | "I Know (Can't Get Back)" |
| $K, Bertell, Kevin Ross | 4:15 |
| 17. | "Mr. Steal Your Girl" | Neverson |
| 4:35 |
Trigga Reloaded
edit| Trigga Reloaded | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album (reissue) by | ||||
| Released | June 23, 2015 | |||
| Recorded | 2014–15 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 75:11 | |||
| Label |
| |||
| Trey Songz chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Trigga Reloaded | ||||
| ||||
Trigga Reloaded is the reissue of American singer and songwriter Trey Songz' sixth studio album, Trigga. It was released on June 23, 2015, by Songbook and Atlantic Records. Released eleven months after the original, Trigga Reloaded features five newly recorded songs.
Preceding the reissue's release was the lead single, "Slow Motion"; which reached number 26 on the US Billboard Hot 100. To push the album further, Songz performed and appeared at several high-profile events across the United States. The second single, "About You"; was then released on May 18, 2015. During the following week of the re-release, Trigga rose to number 23 on the US Billboard 200, selling 17,000 copies.[40][41]
Background
editSoon after releasing Trigga, the singer continued to make music that according to him kept the "vibe" of the music that he created for the previous project, working on it with the same mindset, so instead of developing it for a new project he wanted to "incorporate it to the expericence" of the Trigga album, updating it with a version called Trigga Reloaded.[42]
Songz announced the reissue's release in February 2015 with an Instagram post.[43]
Singles
editThe lead single from the reissued album, "Slow Motion" was released on January 20, 2015. The production on the song was handled by Charlie Puth and Geoffro Cause. The song has reached at number 26 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
The second single from the reissued album, "About You" was released on May 18, 2015. It was written and produced by Mark Nilan, Jr., alongside the productions to this song by 21 Music.
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "About You" |
|
| 3:16 |
| 2. | "Slow Motion" |
|
| 3:17 |
| 3. | "Cake" |
| Dun Deal | 4:45 |
| 4. | "Serve It Up" |
|
| 3:47 |
| 5. | "Foreign" |
|
| 4:09 |
| 6. | "Na Na" |
| DJ Mustard | 3:51 |
| 7. | "Loving You" (featuring Ty Dolla $ign) |
| Bryan "Composer" Nelson | 4:06 |
| 8. | "Touchin, Lovin" (featuring Nicki Minaj) |
| The Featherstones | 3:41 |
| 9. | "Disrespectful" (featuring Mila J) |
| D'Mile | 3:56 |
| 10. | "Dead Wrong" (featuring Ty Dolla $ign) |
| The Featherstones | 3:47 |
| 11. | "All We Do" |
| McGee | 4:27 |
| 12. | "Foreign (Remix)" (featuring Justin Bieber) |
|
| 4:33 |
| 13. | "Late Night" (featuring Juicy J) |
| 5:08 | |
| 14. | "SmartPhones" |
|
| 3:52 |
| 15. | "Yes, No, Maybe" |
|
| 5:18 |
| 16. | "Y.A.S. (You Ain't Shit)" |
|
| 6:05 |
| 17. | "Change Your Mind" |
| Da Internz | 3:42 |
| 18. | "What's Best for You" |
|
| 3:31 |
| Total length: | 75:11 | |||
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[61] | Silver | 60,000‡ |
| United States (RIAA)[62] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Trey Songz #TRIGGA Release Day Google+ Hangout with XXL". 2014-07-02. Retrieved 2022-02-11 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b c d Mistry, Anupa. "Trey Songz, 'Trigga' Review". Spin.com. Retrieved 2014-07-08.
- ^ "Trey Songz Announces New Album 'Trigga'". Rap-Up.com. 2014-02-15. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
- ^ a b c d Robertson, Iyana (1 July 2014). "Interview: Trey Songz Talks 'Trigga,' Love & Misogyny In R&B". Vibe.com. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ^ a b c d Andy Kellman (2014-07-01). "Trigga – Trey Songz". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-07-08.
- ^ "Na Na: Trey Songz: MP3 Downloads". Amazon. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
- ^ "Video: Trey Songz – 'Na Na'". Rap-Up.com. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
- ^ "Trey Songz – Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
- ^ "SmartPhones [Explicit]: Trey Songz: MP3 Downloads". Amazon. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
- ^ "Video: Trey Songz – 'SmartPhones'". Rap-Up.com. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
- ^ "Foreign [Explicit]: Trey Songz: MP3 Downloads". Amazon. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
- ^ "Change Your Mind: Trey Songz: MP3 Downloads". Amazon. Retrieved 2014-08-06.
- ^ "Video: Trey Songz – 'Foreign'". Rap-Up.com. 2014-06-16. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
- ^ "Trey Songz - Change Your Mind [Official Video]". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-15.
- ^ "Trey Songz - What's Best For You [Official Audio]". YouTube. Atlantic Records. Archived from the original on 2021-12-15.
- ^ "Trey Songz - What's Best For You [Official Video]". YouTube. Atlantic Records. Archived from the original on 2021-12-15.
- ^ "Trey Songz Billboard chart history". Billboard.
- ^ "Urban/UAC Future Releases – R&B, Hip Hop, Release Schedule and Street Dates – ..." All Access. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
- ^ "Rap-Up.com – Video: Trey Songz f/ Nicki Minaj – 'Touchin, Lovin'". Rap-Up.com. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
- ^ "Ordinary (feat. Jeezy) - Single by Trey Songz on Apple Music - iTunes". iTunes. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ a b "Reviews for Trigga by Trey Songz". Metacritic. Retrieved 2014-07-08.
- ^ a b Paul MacInnes (2014-06-26). "Trey Songz: Trigga review – seductive power". The Guardian. Retrieved 2014-07-08.
- ^ Dowling, Marcus K. (2014-07-02). "Trey Songz – Trigga". HipHop DX. Retrieved 2014-07-08.
- ^ a b Julia LeConte (2014-07-03). "Trey Songz – Trigga". Nowtoronto.com. Retrieved 2014-07-08.
- ^ a b "Trey Songz: Trigga". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2014-07-08.
- ^ a b Martín Caballero (2014-07-01). "Trey Songz still has his finger on 'Trigga'". Usatoday.com. Retrieved 2014-07-08.
- ^ a b "Trey Songz Shows Veteran Status In R&B On 'Trigga'". Xxlmag.com. Retrieved 2014-07-11.
- ^ "Trey Songz - Trigga". HipHopDX.com. 2 July 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ^ "Trey Songz Scores Second No. 1 Album With 'Trigga'". Billboard. 2013-12-28. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
- ^ Tardio, Andres (2014-06-25). "Hip Hop Album Sales: Trey Songz, Iggy Azalea, Pharrell, Eminem, 50 Cent". HipHopdx.com. Retrieved 2014-07-16.
- ^ Tardio, Andres (2014-07-23). "Hip Hop Album Sales: Weird Al Yankovic, Trey Songz, Iggy Azalea, Marsha Ambrosius". HipHopdx.com. Retrieved 2014-07-23.
- ^ Tardio, Andres (2014-10-01). "Hip Hop Album Sales: Prince, Chris Brown, Childish Gambino". HipHopdx.com. Retrieved 2014-10-01.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (July 4, 2015). "Billboard 200 Chart Moves: 'Teen Beach 2' Bounds Into Top 10". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- ^ "TREY SONGZ | Artist". Official Charts. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
- ^ "2014-07-12 Top 40 R&B Albums Archive". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2014-07-09.
- ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
- ^ a b "Artist Publishing Group". Artist Publishing Group. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
- ^ "iTunes – Music – Trigga (Deluxe Version) by Trey Songz". Itunes.apple.com. 1984-11-28. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
- ^ Trey Songz – Trigga (Deluxe) – Only at Target (2013-03-27). "Trey Songz – Trigga (Deluxe) – Only at". Target. Retrieved 2014-06-28.
- ^ "Billboard 200 Chart Moves: 'Teen Beach 2' Bounds Into Top 10". Billboard.com. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ "Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard.
- ^ "Interview: Trey Songz Talks 'Trigga Reloaded' on Ebro In The Morning". Microphonebully.com. 25 June 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ^ "Instagram post by @treysongz • Feb 15, 2015 at 4:54am UTC". Instagram.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Trey Songz – Trigga". Hung Medien.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Trey Songz – Trigga" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Trey Songz – Trigga" (in French). Hung Medien.
- ^ "Trey Songz Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard.
- ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Trey Songz – Trigga". Hung Medien.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Trey Songz – Trigga" (in Dutch). Hung Medien.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Trey Songz – Trigga". Hung Medien.
- ^ "Officialcharts.de – Trey Songz – Trigga". GfK Entertainment Charts.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Trey Songz – Trigga". Hung Medien.
- ^ "Trey Songz | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart.
- ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "Trey Songz Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
- ^ "Trey Songz Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
- ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
- ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2014". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
- ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
- ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
- ^ "British album certifications – Trey Songz – Trigga Reloaded". British Phonographic Industry.
- ^ "American album certifications – Trey Songz – Trigga". Recording Industry Association of America.