2020 Album of the Year Write-Up #9: Bryson Tiller - A N N I V E R S A R Y - HipHop | HipHop Channel

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2020 Album of the Year Write-Up #9: Bryson Tiller - A N N I V E R S A R Y - HipHop

2020 Album of the Year Write-Up #9: Bryson Tiller - A N N I V E R S A R Y - HipHop

2020 Album of the Year Write-Up #9: Bryson Tiller - A N N I V E R S A R Y

Posted: 29 Dec 2020 09:22 AM PST

Artist: Bryson Tiller

Album: A N N I V E R S A R Y

LISTEN

Spotify

Apple Music

YouTube

BACKGROUND

Bryson Djaun Tiller is now one of modern R&B's established veterans. Emerging as a budding, hungry 22-year-old in the middle of the decade, Tiller made immediate waves with his 2015 debut studio album, T R A P S O U L. As a new voice and sound to accompany the late night, trap-infused R&B aesthetics of contemporaries such as Drake, the Weeknd, and PARTYNEXTDOOR, Bryson became a fresh face in the industry, and quickly emerged with successful singles and a strong fanbase. While he was basking in all of this newfound fame, however, it was not all smooth sailing for Bryson. Over a series of interviews and media appearances throughout the years, he has detailed the mental burden the music industry has led him to, particularly hinting towards the criticisms of T R A P S O U L being a main factor. While the album was hugely successful and well-received by many, he had a vocal portion of detractors who merely dismissed his work as derivative of the current norm. Bryson has since detailed that, all of the noise of the industry and the fans, coupled with his youth at the time, led him to a creative block. He himself has claimed that this lack of passion towards his work had bled through on his 2017 sophomore release, True to Self, which was not nearly as well received as its predecessor. Tiller, knowing that his output of music was not what he (or the fans) wanted it to be, decided to step away from the spotlight for the coming years. The occasional loosie or feature would pop up here and there, but when it came to a new, proper body of work, Tiller was secretive towards his creative process, and there existed a lot of skepticism if he was even going to drop anything again, or just fade into his typically private life of fatherhood. Those theories were quickly dispelled once tiller announced his 3rd studio record, A N N I V E R S A R Y, coupled with a album cover paying direct homage to the original T R A P S O U L, and a release date that coincided with the 5 year anniversary of the record's release.

REVIEW

"With what the young generation's doing

And I'm like, "Yo, man, you really just got to do this, like"

Worrying about or tryna figure out

What they, if they gon' like it or not

Aww man, you gon' have about five years go by

Next thing you know, you ain't gon' wanna do this shit no more

But you really just gotta do you"

These words from Atlanta podcaster and record producer DJ Toomp open up the entire record. It's no coincidence that Bryson chose to lead off with such a statement, especially one that rings pertinent to Bryson's career. Synths begin to sweep, tension begins to build, and Bryson properly introduces the world to his third studio album with a gargantuan opener. Years Go By is a trap-tinged banger that embraces the braggadocio of some of Tiller's earlier rap cuts, with thunderous 808s and a swelling array of keys and embellishments to pair with Bryson's lyrical reflection of his recent life and confidence in his return to the music industry without a hook to be seen. As someone who has publicly expressed his lack of confidence in his musical output, you can hear the fire and passion return in his vocal performance on this track, and on the rest of the cuts to follow. He's back, and he feels back.

As an entire album, A N N I V E R S A R Y recaptures the general aesthetic of T R A P S O U L and Bryson's musical standard in general: the "trapsoul" sound, a sing-rap combination of soulful R&B confessions and punchy hip-hop percussion, makes a full-fledged return on this record, with a more fleshed out approach to the sound. Tiller's delicate flows are back, with an air of swagger through his newfound wisdom, rather than swagger through his hunger on T R A P S O U L. He's no longer an ambitious, burgeoning 22-year-old with a point to prove in the hip-hop industry. He's now 27, and while he's an established veteran, his fleeting youth and perceived lackluster output to most have put his career in a borderline position. With this new record, he reclaims the sounds that he had built his career around, and aims to utilize and refine it in a way that is both fresh, yet familiar.

The production, in terms of atmosphere, falls in line with what you may expect from Bryson and this subset of alternative R&B. While it's not a new approach, the sound of this record is much more grand, articulate and layered compared to his previous records, while not straying from his typical lane. I point to Timeless Interlude, which is driven by despondent, gorgeous piano keys, a swallowed vocal sample, and glistening synths that trickle behind the beat, as the drums take over halfway into the runtime to proliferate, emphasizing the space that the production created. The delicateness of this track is perfectly juxtaposed by Sorrows, the track succeeding it. Sorrows is massive, with these large, swelling 808s thundering overtop of a boisterous Peter Allen sample, complete with bouncy pianos and a slick guitar riff. As a whole, samples populate this album frequently, whether vocally or instrumentally, which is not a surprise or new ground for Tiller and his producers. This go-around, however, the samples act as narrative accompaniment and thematic relevance as opposed to a sonic addition.

I would be remiss to not talk about Outta Time, his first official collaboration with Drake, one of his biggest and most public musical peers and idols. Drake acts as the first feature present on any of Bryson's studio albums, and it's only appropriate that someone like him would be the first. Outta Time is a dancehall-influenced pop tune that has Drake's influence spread all over it, from the bouncy, colorful beat to the crooning, light melodies about girl troubles. It's definitely the most commercially viable track on the whole record, but I think it still fits in nicely with the rest of the tracklist, and doesn't seem out of place compared to the songs surrounding it.

Lyrically, there's nothing that's particularly out of place for a Bryson Tiller release. Relationships and heartbreak still perpetuate as the dominant lyrical theme across most of these tracks. However, there exist plenty of instances of self-reflection about internal struggle, personal growth and a newfound, mature outlook on life that he had been oblivious to while younger. These themes bleed into the aforementioned relationship based songs, as well. T R A P S O U L had plenty of songs with that youthful promiscuity; that's now gone. In a way, Bryson uses A N N I V E R S A R Y as a lyrical confessional and an update on how the past 5 years have affected his mental health and emotions, ranging from the highs and the lows.

Keep Doing What You're Doing is a particularly poignant track. Lyrically, it's highly emotionally driven as an ode to his late grandmother, one of his personal heroes. The track opens up with a voicemail from her, a loving message for his birthday. Tiller pours his depression into his words here, talking about how he does not see the man his grandmother saw, but through all of the pain he endures, he tries to remember those 5 words that his grandmother reiterated: Keep doing what you're doing. It's certainly the most depressive track on the record, and you can hear the emotions in Tiller's vocal performance. The album ends with Next to You, a plea of Bryson's love for a lover he's craving and his desire to wait, and the vocal sample of "How far out have I got to move?/Oh, I've gotta get next to you/But you're so far away/Searching for a heart another world away" helps capture the state Bryson is in.

At a concise 10 tracks, all of them refined, this album completely satisfied my expectations for a sequel to T R A P S O U L, one of my absolute favorite albums of all time. It's a refreshing take on what we already know and love from Tiller, and the newfound attitudes and themes of this record have hit a chord with me at this point in my life. It's an album that embraces nostalgia in the best way possible, and I can't get enough of it.

FAVORITE LYRICS

They be like "Do the task right, don't make no mistakes"

They negated what I sacrificed, think I live a flashy life?

But really life is flashin' by, twenty-two, go get it now

Twenty-seven, hold it down

I got several homies now, but still I keep my bro around

Crazy we both older now, babies, no, they older now

Plus, I know they count on us to lend more than a shoulder

This world is growin' colder

"Timeless Interlude"

I think that's what got me here

I gave it my best and that's exactly why I'm here

Hated how it felt to be in debt, to bein' failed 'til I did somethin'

Self-reflectin', thinkin' 'bout the testaments and wisdom

Make sure you got a will, there's a way when there is one

Keep doin' what you doin', go do what's already been done

I know you got it in you

"Keep Doing What You're Doing"

Years go by, where we at right now? (Now)

Thought we, might be able to relax right now (Now)

Pressure on me whenever I'm flatlined down

I can't keep 'em on my back right now

The game called me and said, "Come back right now" (Right now)

Put the fire on the fuckin' wax right now, yeah (Right now)

She want all the eggs in one batch right now, but (Right, right now)

I can't risk that right now, no

"Years Go By"

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Do you think this record was a worthy sequel to T R A P S O U L?

Where do you see Bryson's sound going from here?

Does Bryson have longevity in the hip-hop/R&B industry?

Do you think this heavy reliance on nostalgia benefitted the record?

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Daily Discussion Thread 12/29/2020

Posted: 29 Dec 2020 04:37 PM PST

Welcome to the /r/hiphopheads daily discussion thread!

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Detroit Pistons hire rapper Big Sean to be the team's creative director of innovation

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Westside Gunn reveals alternate cover for "Sincerely Adolf" (Hitler Wears Hermes 8)

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Cover

IG Post

SINCERELY ADOLF" #HWH8 cover 2/2 @maisonmargiela I'm so diff from EVERYBODY, a true 🐐 of this Culture, so many ppl don't understand the ART, or get the Fashion Talk, bc shit soooo over their heads they think it's trash, im literally bringing u what the culture has been missing, that was the whole point of the FLYGOD being born, I'm acknowledged by every LEGEND possible your fav curators fav Curator don't give me my flowers now it's ok bc I smell my own shit... this pic right here is LEGENDARY, it's shows how far I came from part 1 if u don't get it then it's not for you... ALBUM will be a masterpiece 🤲🏽🤲🏽

Original Cover

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Rick Ross - The Devil is a Lie feat. Jay-Z

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Billboard Chart Discussion - Week Of January 02, 2021 | Mood is the only non-Christmas song in the top 10

Posted: 29 Dec 2020 02:10 PM PST

Billboard Hot 100 chart

Position Title Artist ▲/▼ Last week Weeks Charting Peak
1 All I Want For Christmas Is You Mariah Carey ▲+1 2 43 1
2 Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree Brenda Lee ▲+1 3 38 2
3 Jingle Bell Rock Bobby Helms ▲+1 4 35 3
4 A Holly Jolly Christmas Burl Ives ▲+2 6 19 4
5 It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year Andy Williams ▲+2 7 20 5
6 Feliz Navidad Jose Feliciano ▲+4 10 14 6
7 Mood 24kGoldn Featuring iann dior ▼-2 5 20 1
8 Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow Dean Martin ▲+3 11 13 8
9 Last Christmas Wham! ▲+5 14 19 9
10 Run Rudolph Run Chuck Berry ▲+19 29 8 10
11 The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You) Nat King Cole ▲+4 15 26 11
12 Underneath The Tree Kelly Clarkson ▲+16 28 9 12
13 Sleigh Ride The Ronettes ▲+6 19 11 13
14 Positions Ariana Grande ▼-6 8 9 1
15 It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas Perry Como And The Fontane Sisters With Mitchell Ayres And His Orchestra ▼-3 12 8 12
16 Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer Gene Autry ▲+15 31 12 16
17 Santa Tell Me Ariana Grande ▲+15 32 8 17
18 Happy Holiday / The Holiday Season Andy Williams ▲+8 26 8 18
19 Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) Darlene Love ▲+18 37 7 19
20 White Christmas Bing Crosby ▲+18 38 20 12
21 Holy Justin Bieber Featuring Chance The Rapper ▼-8 13 14 3
22 (There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays Perry Como ▲+21 43 7 22
23 It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas Michael Buble ▲+19 42 5 23
24 Go Crazy Chris Brown & Young Thug ▼-8 16 33 9
25 Laugh Now Cry Later Drake Featuring Lil Durk ▼-8 17 19 2
26 Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) Gene Autry ▲+43 69 10 26
27 Levitating Dua Lipa Featuring DaBaby - 27 12 20
28 Wonderful Christmastime Paul McCartney ▲+18 46 4 28
29 For The Night Pop Smoke Featuring Lil Baby & DaBaby ▼-4 25 25 6
30 I Hope Gabby Barrett Featuring Charlie Puth ▼-10 20 52 3
31 Lemonade Internet Money & Gunna Featuring Don Toliver & NAV ▼-7 24 19 6
32 You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch Thurl Ravenscroft ▲+69 [FRESH] 2 32
33 Blue Christmas Elvis Presley ▲+68 [FRESH] 3 33
34 Dakiti Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez ▼-11 23 8 5
35 Body Megan Thee Stallion ▼-13 22 5 12
36 Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas) Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters ▲+65 [FRESH] 1 36
37 Bang! AJR ▼-4 33 25 24
38 Willow Taylor Swift ▼-37 1 2 1
39 This Christmas Donny Hathaway ▲+62 [FRESH] 1 39
40 34+35 Ariana Grande ▼-5 35 8 8
41 Kings & Queens Ava Max ▼-11 30 20 13
42 Therefore I Am Billie Eilish ▼-6 36 7 2
43 Deck The Halls Nat King Cole ▲+4 47 2 43
44 Dynamite BTS ▼-35 9 18 1
45 Please Come Home For Christmas Eagles ▲+56 [FRESH] 9 18
46 Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town Jackson 5 ▲+55 [FRESH] 1 46
47 Little Saint Nick The Beach Boys ▲+54 [FRESH] 1 47
48 Take Me Home For Christmas Dan + Shay ▲+10 58 3 48
49 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Michael Buble ▲+52 [FRESH] 1 49
50 I'll Be Home For Christmas Bing Crosby ▲+51 [FRESH] 1 50
51 What You Know Bout Love Pop Smoke ▼-3 48 16 25
52 Whoopty CJ ▲+1 53 7 51
53 Lonely Justin Bieber & benny blanco ▼-2 51 10 14
54 Hallelujah Carrie Underwood & John Legend ▲+30 84 3 54
55 WAP Cardi B Featuring Megan Thee Stallion - 55 20 1
56 Holiday Lil Nas X - 56 6 37
57 Better Together Luke Combs ▲+2 59 12 30
58 On Me Lil Baby ▲+2 60 3 30
59 Afterglow Ed Sheeran ▲+42 [FRESH] 1 59
60 Gnat Eminem ▲+41 [FRESH] 1 60
61 Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree Justin Bieber ▲+26 87 4 61
62 Favorite Time Of Year Carrie Underwood ▲+37 99 4 62
63 Hawai Maluma & The Weeknd ▲+2 65 18 12
64 Monster Shawn Mendes & Justin Bieber ▼-2 62 5 8
65 Diamonds Sam Smith ▲+1 66 14 40
66 Starting Over Chris Stapleton ▲+6 72 17 25
67 Cry Baby Megan Thee Stallion Featuring DaBaby ▲+28 95 3 67
68 You Broke Me First. Tate McRae ▲+11 79 18 50
69 My Ex's Best Friend Machine Gun Kelly X blackbear ▲+17 86 19 28
70 Without You The Kid LAROI ▲+11 81 3 63
71 Big, Big Plans Chris Lane ▲+2 73 12 42
72 Mr. Right Now 21 Savage & Metro Boomin Featuring Drake ▲+16 88 12 10
73 Forever After All Luke Combs ▲+19 92 9 2
74 Throat Baby (Go Baby) BRS Kash ▲+23 97 10 69
75 Under The Mistletoe Kelly Clarkson & Brett Eldredge ▲+26 [FRESH] 3 59
76 Tyler Herro Jack Harlow ▲+1 77 9 34
77 Champagne Problems Taylor Swift ▼-56 21 2 21
78 The First Noel Gabby Barrett ▲+23 [FRESH] 1 78
79 Love You Like I Used To Russell Dickerson ▲+4 83 16 31
80 Champagne Night Lady A ▲+21 [FRESH] 9 75
81 Prisoner Miley Cyrus Featuring Dua Lipa ▲+13 94 5 54
82 Good Time Niko Moon ▲+14 96 12 71
83 7 Summers Morgan Wallen ▲+18 [FRESH] 18 6
84 Adderall (Corvette Corvette) Popp Hunna ▲+17 [FRESH] 1 84
85 You're Mines Still Yung Bleu Featuring Drake ▲+16 [FRESH] 3 52
86 Tequila Shots Kid Cudi ▼-45 41 2 41
87 Back To The Streets Saweetie Featuring Jhene Aiko ▲+14 [FRESH] 5 76
88 Bichota Karol G ▲+13 [FRESH] 4 88
89 Way Out Jack Harlow Featuring Big Sean ▼-15 74 2 74
90 Hit Different SZA Featuring Ty Dolla $ign ▲+11 [FRESH] 15 29
91 'Tis The Damn Season Taylor Swift ▼-52 39 2 39
92 Damage H.E.R. ▲+9 [FRESH] 2 70
93 Backdoor Lil Durk ▲+8 [FRESH] 1 93
94 Silent Night Carrie Underwood ▲+7 [FRESH] 2 94
95 Golden Harry Styles ▲+6 [FRESH] 9 74
96 Hole In The Bottle Kelsea Ballerini ▲+5 [FRESH] 10 72
97 No Body, No Crime Taylor Swift Featuring HAIM ▼-63 34 2 34
98 Moonwalking In Calabasas DDG ▲+3 [FRESH] 1 98
99 Took Her To The O King Von ▲+2 [FRESH] 6 47
100 Put Your Records On Ritt Momney ▲+1 [FRESH] 10 79

Billboard Global 200 chart (most popular songs globally)

Position Title Artist ▲/▼ Last week Weeks Charting Peak
1 All I Want For Christmas Is You Mariah Carey - 1 8 1
2 Last Christmas Wham! ▲+3 5 7 2
3 Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree Brenda Lee ▲+1 4 6 3
4 Jingle Bell Rock Bobby Helms ▲+3 7 6 4
5 Santa Tell Me Ariana Grande ▲+5 10 6 5
6 It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas Michael Buble ▲+8 14 6 6
7 It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year Andy Williams ▲+4 11 6 7
8 Underneath The Tree Kelly Clarkson ▲+9 17 6 8
9 Feliz Navidad Jose Feliciano ▲+9 18 6 9
10 Dakiti Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez ▼-7 3 8 1

Ignore sales data this week, HitsDailyDouble is not updated

Billboard 200 chart

Position Title Artist Sales Change Last week Weeks Charting
1 Evermore Taylor Swift err err 1 2
2 McCartney III Paul McCartney err err [FRESH] 1
3 Music To Be Murdered By Eminem err err 199 48
4 Christmas Michael Buble err err 4 90
5 Merry Christmas Mariah Carey err err 10 99
6 The Christmas Song Nat King Cole err err 8 56
7 My Gift Carrie Underwood err err 6 13
8 Folklore Taylor Swift err err 3 22
9 The Best Of Pentatonix Christmas Pentatonix err err 13 18
10 A Charlie Brown Christmas (Soundtrack) Vince Guaraldi Trio err err 12 88

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Why is X artist higher than Y artist on the 200 chart, even though X artist sold less?

A: This is because of a discrepancy between Billboard's ranking and the ranking from the website that the sales data is scraped from

Q: Where do you get the sales data from?

A: https://hitsdailydouble.com/sales_plus_streaming

Q: What does "err" mean on the 200 chart?

A: If you are seeing "err", that means that the bot I use to gather chart data couldn't identify sales data for a particular album because of a difference in album naming between Billboard and HitsDailyDouble

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If you want to receive a message with the link when this thread is posted every week, message /u/HHHRobot with anything in the subject and put "subscribe billboard" as the message (or click this link). To unsubscribe, put "unsubscribe billboard" as the message (or click this link).

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