Timeless (Meghan Trainor album)
| Timeless | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 7, 2024 | |||
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| Length | 44:20 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
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| Meghan Trainor chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Timeless | ||||
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Timeless is the sixth major-label studio album by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. Epic Records released the album on June 7, 2024. Trainor worked with producers including Federico Vindver, Gian Stone, and Grant Boutin. Featured artists include T-Pain, Lawrence, and Niecy Nash. It is a doo-wop and bubblegum pop album. Trainor has promoted Timeless with a performance on the 22nd season of American Idol. After the album's release, she will embark on The Timeless Tour (2024), her first concert tour in over seven years. The album has been supported by two singles, "Been Like This", a collaboration with T-Pain, and "To the Moon".
Background
Meghan Trainor hosted producer Gian Stone in an episode of her podcast Workin' on It in March 2023, during which she announced that she had one more album left in her contract with Epic Records. She was considering recording country songs for it: "Let's do the country album, bro. [I wanna do a country one] so bad. I'll crush that."[1] After previously citing T-Pain as an inspiration in a 2014 interview,[2] Trainor met him at her 30th birthday celebration in 2023 when her husband, Daryl Sabara, surprised her with him. The two subsequently discussed collaborating on future material.[3]
Trainor's friend and social media influencer Chris Olsen announced new music from Trainor was due to be released later in the year during an interview with Billboard's Rania Aniftos in February 2024.[4] In a statement accompanying the announcement of Timeless, her sixth major-label studio album, she stated: "I cannot believe it has been 10 years since this all started. I have never been more grateful for this life that my incredible Megatronz have gifted me with. This new album and tour are all for them and my beautiful family."[5]
Composition
Overview
The standard edition of Timeless contains 16 tracks;[6] on physical editions, the track "Bite Me" is exclusive to the Target version.[7] The album's sound is "firmly rooted in pop" according to Riff's Mike DeWald, but "nods to doo-wop and classic vocal standards" are found throughout it.[8] John Meagher of Irish Independent believed that it combines various genres, including doo-wop and bubblegum pop, and the Official Charts Company's George Griffiths thought it mixes a doo-wop aesthetic with "energetic" club beats and R&B.[9][10] Lyrically, Timeless has a message of self-empowerment and positive self-talk found in Trainor's earlier music, inspired by her family, motherhood, and experiences in the music industry.[8][11]
Songs
The opening track, "To the Moon", incorporates brass instrumentation, a compact groove, and club beats with space-themed lyrics inspired by Trainor's son's love of space and rocket ships.[8][10][11] "Been Like This", a collaboration with T-Pain, begins with a jazz-influenced intro and transitions into a trumpet melody,[5] combining doo-wop with contemporary influences and Charleston.[12][13] According to DeWald, "Crowded Room" has the same "brassy sway" as Trainor's 2014 single "All About That Bass", but its harmonized vocals are distinct and "more quiet and intimate".[8] The fourth track, "Whoops", is a pop-doo-wop break-up song with influences of R&B, on which Trainor quaintly addresses an ex-partner and derides the woman who he cheated on her with.[8][10][14]
"Crushin'" is a pop song with a covert rhythm and many vocals, which features American band Lawrence and lyrically details how the narrator has a crush on themself.[8][15] "I Wanna Thank Me" samples Niecy Nash's acceptance speech at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, where she thanked herself, incorporating background vocals from her wife and daughter.[11] The seventh track, "Love On Hold", features Auto-Tuned vocals from T-Pain over a more modern production than "Been Like This".[8] Trainor wrote "Forget How to Love" with her brothers a week after having a caesarean section, addressing the increase in online hate.[10] The ninth track, "Rollin'", has Brill Building production which incorporates strings, bass, and brass instrumentation; in its feminist lyrics influenced by her experiences in the music industry, Trainor declares: "This one is for the girls out there with opinions."[8][11]
"I Don't Do Maybe" has a rhythm influenced by Cuban music and sees her confront a love interest who refuses to commit and demand full commitment from him. Trainor declares that she understands how overwhelmed the subject feels upon falling in love with her and asks him to not be "afraid of gettin' deeper" on "I Get It". On the 12th track, "Sleepin' on Me", she addresses people who have been ignoring her and asks them to not insult her. "Hate It Here" is about having a bad time somewhere and wanting to leave and have a sexual encounter instead. "Bestie" has a simplistic production and is about friendships. "Doin' It All for You" has a 1980s synth-pop song about doing things to satisfy a lover.[8][15] Timeless closes with the title track, a rhythmic ballad about Trainor's death anxiety.[8][11] The Target edition includes the additional track "Bite Me".[7]
Release and promotion
Trainor and T-Pain released "Been Like This" as the lead single from Timeless on March 14, 2024.[16] The same day, she announced the album, titled Timeless, would be released on June 14, 2024, and shared its official artwork on social media.[5] "Been Like This" was sent for radio airplay in Italy on March 22 and charted at number 40 in the UK and number 51 in Ireland.[17][18][19] The second single, "To the Moon" was released on May 3, 2024,[20] accompanied by a music video which featured appearances by Sabara, their son, Nash, and influencers Olsen and Brookie and Jessie. Trainor performed the songs during the 22nd season of American Idol on May 5.[21][22]
Epic Records released the album on June 7, 2024.[6] The same day, Trainor performed "Whoops" and a medley of "Been Like This" and "To the Moon" on Today.[23] In an episode of Workin' on It, she stated that her team would not be promoting any further singles to radio stations unless they attained viral popularity on TikTok first.[24] A music video for "Whoops" was released on June 10.[14] Timeless will be supported by Trainor's first headlining concert tour in over seven years, The Timeless Tour, which will begin in Cincinnati in September 2024 and conclude in Inglewood, California, in October 2024. Natasha Bedingfield, Olsen, Paul Russell, and Trainor's brother Ryan will serve as special guests.[25][26]
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Riff | 7/10[8] |
DeWald gave Timeless a score of seven out of ten. He believed that though Trainor has always combined different genres in her music, Timeless offers her "fresh perspective" after becoming a mother and "the synthesis feels like it's deeper this time around". DeWald added: "Timeless always feels fresh. While Trainor's style is well-defined, these songs never get stale. Each one brings something unique to the table".[8]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "To the Moon" |
| 2:29 | |
| 2. | "Been Like This" (with T-Pain) |
| 2:25 | |
| 3. | "Crowded Room" |
| 2:24 | |
| 4. | "Whoops" |
|
| 2:28 |
| 5. | "Crushin'" (featuring Lawrence) |
| 2:03 | |
| 6. | "I Wanna Thank Me" (featuring Niecy Nash) |
| 2:23 | |
| 7. | "Love On Hold" (featuring T-Pain) |
| 2:57 | |
| 8. | "Forget How to Love" |
| 3:18 | |
| 9. | "Rollin'" |
| 2:46 | |
| 10. | "I Don't Do Maybe" |
| 2:30 | |
| 11. | "I Get It" |
| 3:05 | |
| 12. | "Sleepin' on Me" |
| 3:02 | |
| 13. | "Hate It Here" |
| 2:46 | |
| 14. | "Bestie" |
| 3:11 | |
| 15. | "Doin' It All for You" |
| 3:20 | |
| 16. | "Timeless" |
| 3:13 | |
| Total length: | 44:20 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17. | "Bite Me" |
| 2:51 | |
| Total length: | 47:11 | |||
Notes
Personnel
Musicians
- Meghan Trainor – lead vocals, background vocals (all tracks); percussion (track 7)
- Federico Vindver – programming (tracks 1, 3, 6, 9, 11, 16, 17), keyboards (1, 3, 6, 9, 11), electric guitar (3, 11), guitar (17), Mellotron (3), piano (6, 11, 16), drums (6, 17)
- Gian Stone – programming (tracks 2, 4, 10, 13, 16), background vocals (2, 4, 10, 13), keyboards (10, 12), electric guitar (10, 14), percussion (10)
- Grant Boutin – programming (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 12, 14, 15), background vocals (2, 4, 7, 12, 15), keyboards (4, 12, 14); electric guitar, percussion (7)
- T-Pain – lead vocals, background vocals (tracks 2, 7)
- Kurt Thum – programming (track 2)
- Jesse McGinty – trumpet (tracks 3, 6, 9–11, 16, 17), tuba (3, 6, 9, 11), trombone (3, 9–11, 16, 17), tenor saxophone (6, 9, 11, 16, 17), baritone saxophone (6, 11, 16, 17), euphonium (6), flugelhorn (9), saxophone (10, 16)
- Sean Douglas – background vocals (track 4), keyboards (5)
- Clyde Lawrence – background vocals, bass, organ, piano (track 5)
- Gracie Lawrence – lead vocals, background vocals (track 5)
- Jonny Koh – guitar (track 5)
- Jordan Cohen – saxophone, trumpet (track 5)
- Dia La Ren Nash – background vocals (track 6)
- Jessica Betts – background vocals (6)
- Niecy Nash – lead vocals, background vocals (track 6)
- Justin Trainor – background vocals (tracks 7, 8, 12, 13, 15), programming (13, 15, 17)
- Daryl Sabara – background vocals (tracks 7, 8, 13, 15)
- Ryan Trainor – background vocals (tracks 7, 8, 15)
- Scott Hoying – background vocals (tracks 8, 16)
- Jason Evigan – background vocals (track 10)
- Parris Fleming – trumpet (track 10)
- Guillermo Vadalá – bass (tracks 11, 16)
- Davide Rossi – cello, viola, violin (tracks 11, 17)
- Scott Harris – electric guitar (track 12)
- Steph Jones – background vocals (track 13)
- Chris Gelbuda – background vocals, electric guitar (track 15)
- Karl Feher – drums (track 16)
Technical
- Randy Merrill – mastering
- Tom Norris – mixing (tracks 1–9, 11–16)
- Jeremie Inhaber – mixing (track 10)
- Justin Trainor – engineering (tracks 1–3, 5–16)
- Federico Vindver – engineering (tracks 1, 3, 6, 9, 11), arrangement (1)
- T-Pain – engineering (tracks 2, 7)
- Brian Starley – engineering (tracks 3, 6, 9, 11)
- Gian Stone – engineering (track 4)
- Grant Boutin – engineering (track 4)
- Meghan Trainor – vocal arrangement (track 8)
- Scott Hoying – vocal arrangement (track 8)
Release history
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Edition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | June 7, 2024 | Epic | Original | [6][27] | |
| CD | Target | [7] |
References
- ^ Trainor, Meghan (March 29, 2023). Workin' on It Ft. Gian Stone. Event occurs at 3:19. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023 – via YouTube.
- ^ Lambe, Stacy (September 10, 2014). "Meghan Trainor Is 'All About that Bass,' T-Pain & Drunk Texting". Out. Archived from the original on December 16, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- ^ Trainor, Meghan (January 4, 2024). Workin' on Meghan's Birthday. Archived from the original on March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ Aniftos, Rania. "Chris Olsen on Taylor Swift's Upcoming Album The Tortured Poets Department, Teases New Meghan Trainor Music & More". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 13, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ a b c Dailey, Hannah (March 14, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Announces New Album Timeless & North American Tour". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Timeless — Album by Meghan Trainor". Apple Music (US). Retrieved March 29, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Meghan Trainor — Timeless (Target Exclusive, CD)". Target Corporation. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l DeWald, Mike (June 6, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Turns Back the Clock on Timeless". Riff. Archived from the original on June 7, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ Meagher, John (June 6, 2024). "Meghan Trainor: 'I Compare Myself to Other People Online All the Time… I Want to Protect My Kids From All That'". Irish Independent. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Griffiths, George (June 7, 2024). "The Official Chat with Meghan Trainor: "I'm Happy to Be the 'All About That Bass' Girl at 70"". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c d e Sherman, Maria (June 5, 2024). "A Decade After 'All About That Bass,' Meghan Trainor Aims to Make Her Feel-good Songs Timeless". ABC News. Archived from the original on June 9, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ Rossignol, Derrick (March 14, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Launches Her Upcoming Album Timeless with the T-Pain Collab 'Been Like This'". Uproxx. Archived from the original on March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ Potton, Ed (June 3, 2024). "Meghan Trainor: 'Is Everyone Getting Meaner or Just Louder?'". The Times. Archived from the original on June 7, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ a b Mier, Tomás (June 10, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Drags a Dummy Who Fumbled the Bag in 'Whoops' Video". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ a b Epic Records (2024). Timeless (Media notes). Meghan Trainor.
- ^ "Meghan Trainor on Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
- ^ Micaletto, Ylenia. "Meghan Trainor 'Been Like This'" (Press release) (in Italian). Radio Airplay SRL. Archived from the original on April 13, 2024. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
- ^ "Meghan Trainor on Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
- ^ Whidden, Samantha (May 5, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Takes the American Idol Stage to Perform 'Been Like This' & 'To the Moon'". American Songwriter. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
- ^ Zemler, Emily (May 8, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Blasts Off in 'To the Moon' Music Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Martin, Annie (June 7, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Releases Timeless Album, Performs on Today". United Press International. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Trainor, Meghan (May 30, 2024). Workin' on Los Angeles Friends. Event occurs at 15:01. Retrieved June 11, 2024 – via YouTube.
{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Mier, Tomás (March 14, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Announces Timeless Album and First Tour in 7 Years". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ Irvin, Jack (March 14, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Announces New Album Timeless and Tour with Natasha Bedingfield, Chris Olsen and More". People. Archived from the original on March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
- ^ "Timeless — Meghan Trainor". Meghan Trainor. Archived from the original on March 13, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.