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{{Infobox single
{{Infobox single
| Name = Love on the Brain
| Name = Love on the Brain
| Cover =
| Artist = [[Rihanna]]
| Artist = [[Rihanna]]
| Cover =Rihanna - Love On The Brain.png
| Album = [[Anti (album)|Anti]]
| Album = [[Anti (album)|Anti]]
| Released = 6 September 2016
| Released = 6 September 2016
| Format =
| Recorded = Windmark Studios, (<small>[[Santa Monica, California]])</small>
| Recorded = Windmark Studios, (<small>[[Santa Monica, California]])</small>
| Format =
| Genre = {{hlist|[[Doo-wop]]|[[soul music|soul]]}}<!-- Sourced on the article-->
| Genre = {{hlist|[[Doo-wop]]|[[soul music|soul]]}}<!-- Sourced on the article-->
| Length = {{Duration|m=3|s=44}}
| Length = {{Duration|m=3|s=44}}
Line 15: Line 15:
| Chronology = Rihanna singles
| Chronology = Rihanna singles
| Last single = "[[Too Good]]"<br />(2016)
| Last single = "[[Too Good]]"<br />(2016)
| This single = "'''Love on the Brain'''"<br />(2016)
| Next single =
| Next single =
| This single = "'''Love on the Brain'''"<br />(2016)
| Misc =
| Misc =
}}
}}

Revision as of 11:31, 9 September 2016

"Love on the Brain"
Song

"Love on the Brain" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her eighth studio album, Anti (2016). It was written and produced by Fred Ball with additional writing by Joseph Angel and Rihanna, and vocal production by Kuk Harrell. The song will be released as the album's fourth single from the album, which the singer confirmed via her Instagram account on August 21, 2016. "Love on the Brain" is a doo-wop and soul ballad, inspired by 1950s and 1960s music. Its instrumentation consists in a guitar arpeggio, swirling organ, a simple chord progression, syncopated strings, and orchestra. Lyrically, the song has themes of swinging back and forth between the highs and lows of a toxic love.

Rihanna's vocals on "Love on the Brain" were noted to be versatile, having lower and higher notes throughout the track, and were compared to those of Amy Winehouse, Beyoncé and a range of soul artists. Prior to its release as a single, the song has charted on the top-twenty in New Zealand, as well as on the French Singles Chart and on the US Billboard Hot 100 at lower points. Rihanna performed the track during the 2016 Billboard Music Awards, as well as on her Anti World Tour and the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards.

Background and release

Norwegian producer Fred Ball co-wrote and produced the song.

"Love on the Brain" was the first song commissioned for Anti.[1] It was written by Norwegian[2] songwriter and producer Fred Ball in late 2014 with American songwriter Joseph Angel.[1] They wanted the song to be "old school - a mix between Prince and Al Green." As Ball recalled, "We wanted it to have that juxtaposition of an old school soul feel with modern lyrics. That’s why Amy Winehouse was never pastiche or retro even though her music has an old soul sound."[1] Ball also stated that he didn't write the song with Rihanna in his mind, however his manager at Roc Nation, Jay Brown, heard the song and loved it. Brown sent it to Rihanna and she also reacted similarly, and wrote additional lyrics.[1]

Ball was also the song's producer, meanwhile Kuk Harrell was responsible for Rihanna's vocal production. Ball and Angel also supplied the song's keyboards and drums, whilst Angel arranged the track. "Love on the Brain" was recorded at the Windmark Studios in Santa Monica, in California. The vocal recording was done by Marcos Tovar for Allfadersup and Harrell. The song was finally mixed by Manny Marroquin at Larrabee Studios, North Hollywood, California, along with mixing assistants Chris Galland, Jeff Jackson & Ike Schultz before being mastered by Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound, in New York City.[3]

"Love on the Brain" was first announced as a recorded track in 2015, and was planned to be debuted at the 2015 Brit Awards, however Rihanna allegedly pulled out.[4] In early August 2016, Philadelphia radio personality Mike Adam stated that the "Love on the Brain" would be the album's fourth single.[5] Later, on August 21, 2016. Rihanna confirmed via her Instagram account that the song will be the album's next single.[6][7] Def Jam confirmed that they would be pushing the song for Contemporary hit radio on 6 September 2016.[8]

Composition and lyrical interpretation

According to some reviewers, Rihanna was channeling Amy Winehouse in the track.[9][10]

"Love on the Brain" is a mid-tempo '50s and '60s inspired doo-wop and soul ballad,[10][11][12][13][14] with a "rock edge".[13] Its instrumentation consists in "a guitar arpeggio," "swirling organ", a "simple chord progression,"[9] syncopated strings,[13] and "a wave of an orchestra".[15] "Love on the Brain" is written in the key of G major with a tempo of 57 beats per minute in compound quadruple (12
8
) time
. The song follows a chord progression of G–Am–Em–D, and Rihanna's vocals span from D3 to G5.[16]

Rihanna's vocals on the track were noted as being acrobatic and ranging from her "trademark snarl", to high notes,[12] being complemented by an all-tenor backing vocals.[15] Forrest Wickman of Slate commented that "[t]he song seems designed as a showcase for Rihanna’s vocal versatility: She starts out singing high and sweet, then drops into her chest to show off the lower part of her range, and finally powers into some Beyoncé-style belting. She even does a few seconds of what sounds like Frankie Valli's falsetto."[17] Jordan Bassett of NME compared her high notes to those of Mariah Carey and to "Beyoncé-style vocal acrobatics." [12] Jessica McKinney of Vibe and Maeve McDermott of USA Today agreed with the Beyoncé comparisons,[15][18] with the latter perceiving an "Erykah Badu-esque vocal quirks" on it.[18] Bianca Gracie of Idolator cited Amy Winehouse, Etta James' "Rather Go Blind" and Sam Cooke as other influences,[10] with Winehouse also being cited by other critics.[9]

Lyrically, "Love on the Brain" has dark lyrics that depict a destructive, yet addictive relationship,[15] with themes of "swinging back and forth between the highs and lows of love."[17] Bassett noted that the song was an "ode to a violent lover" which he believed was Chris Brown following their highly published domestic violence case. He stated that the violence themes were introduced in lines such as "It beats me black and blue but it fucks me so good / Must be love on the brain,"[12] comparing to a 2016 version of The Crystals' "He Hit Me (And It Felt Like A Kiss)".[12] McDermott opined that the song's lyrics "may or may not reference a certain tumultuous past relationship", indicating the lines "I'm fist fighting with fire" and "It beats me black and blue but it [fucks] me so good" as examples.[18] For Adam R. Holz of Plugged In, the song "mingles nihilism, lust and at least the metaphorical presence of physical abuse."[19] Jessica Eggert of Mic agreed, noting that "Rihanna wears her heart right on her sleeve and takes no prisoners in expressing the pain of a metaphorically and physically damaging-yet-undying love."[20]

Critical reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic picked it as a highlight from the album, noting that "her voice is hoarse and ravaged, yet she's also controlled and precise, knowing how to hone these imperfections so her performance echoes classic soul while feeling fresh."[21] Julianne Escobedo Shepherd of Billboard deemed it "a doo-wop powerhouse sung in a Prince-adjacent falsetto — and is proof Rihanna’s been working with some primo vocal coaches."[22] Idolator's Bianca Gracie was also complimentary of her vocals, writing that the "rough-edged, soulful ballad finds Rih at her vocal best."[10] Patrick Ryan of USA Today called the song an "easy highlight," noting the "cozy doo-wop nostalgia."[18] Emily Mackay of NME noted the doo-wop groove, deeming Rihanna's vocals as a "powerhouse vocal performance."[23] Jordan Bassett of the same publication called it "totally brilliant, with the singer showcasing the kind of vocals we’ve not heard from her before."[12] Safy-Hallan Farah of Spin was also favorable with her singing, while James Grabay of the same magazine named it an "effortlessly time-traveling track."[14]

Chris Gerard of PopMatters noted it for being "one of the more interesting tracks on the album," addressing her "Macy Gray-like drawl during the verses."[24] Corbin Reiff of The A.V. Club highlighted "the deep soulful tones" found on the track, and was favorable with her voice being "the undeniable focal point" of the track.[25] Nolan Feeney of Time declared that "Love on the Brain" and "Higher" "offer the most stirring vocal performances of her career."[26] Jessica McKinney of Vibe agreed, being positive about the "soulful performance that showcases her own range."[15] Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph defined it as a "standard, mid-tempo retro soul anthem" that "in the context of Anti , it sounds like a work of pop genius."[27] Calling it hnotic", Eric Renner Brown of Entertainment Weekly remarked that on the track "she delivers some of her finest vocal moments yet."[28] Sarah Rodman of The Boston Globe picked it as "essential", stating: "As she implores 'Don’t you stop loving me,' her performance has a grit, sweat, and weariness to it that’s unusual and humanizing."[29]

Commercial performance

Prior to being announced as a single and followed by Rihanna's performance at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards, "Love on the Brain" debuted on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs at number thirty. Streams for the track were up 78 percent, while digital downloads rose 743 percent, selling 30,000 copies. The sales helped "Love on the Brain" become Rihanna’s 55th charting entry on the Billboard Hot 100, debuting at number eight-three.[30] In New Zealand, the song debuted at number forty before being released as a single, and in the following weeks it kept on climbing, until it reached number fifteen, becoming her thirty-second solo top-twenty.[31]

Live performances

Rihanna included "Love on the Brain" on the encore of her Anti World Tour.[32] After attending the show at the Wembley Stadium, Lewis Corner of Digital Spy called the performance "a triumph, as Rihanna's tone on the Motown sway is pure joy."[33] Michael Cragg of The Guardian claimed that the performance is "delivered with such conviction it feels like you’re watching a different artist."[34] On May 22, 2016, Rihanna performed the song at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards; the performance featured a low lit stage with Rihanna wearing a green fur stole and sunglasses. Her performance was described by Billboard as being a "standout".[35] Sarah Grant of Rolling Stone named it a "gut-wrenching solo performance," comparing her stage persona to those of Whitney Houston, due to the "storm of tour-de-force vocals."[36] Megan French of Us Magazine stated that she "slayed the performance with her impressive vocals."[37]

On August 28, 2016, Rihanna received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, in honour of the award she performed four separate medleys. The fourth and final medley consisted of Rihanna singing Stay, Diamonds and Love on the Brain, Rihanna wore a white dress, and performed informant of a full orchestra accompanied white grand piano.[38] Christopher Rosa of Glamour called the performance "breathtaking" continuing to state that the setlist was a "feat of vocal gymnastics,"which Rihanna "sang the hell out of."[39] Billboard's Joe Lynch ranked Rihanna's medley's the second best of the night and particularly praising the fourth stating "the absolute stunner was the final performance," continuing to say "her vocals, which are sometimes under-appreciated by critics and even fans, were gorgeous and impressive, reminding everyone that beyond the chart-toppers and DGAF behavior, there's an astonishing voice that propelled her to where she is now."[40]

Other uses and covers

On May 19, 2016, the song was featured on the season 12 finale of the long-running ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy. It topped the Top TV Songs Chart, powered by its 40,000 Shazam tags in May. Additionally, it also moved 45,000 downloads and drew 8.1 million U.S. streams during May, according to Nielsen Music.[41] American singer Kelly Clarkson performed the song during a Facebook Live on her Facebook page on August 26, 2016.[42] Her performance was accompanied by an acoustic guitar and keyboard.[42]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Rihanna's official website.[3]

Locations
Personnel
  • Rihanna – vocals, writing
  • Fred Ball;– writing, production, keyboards, drums
  • Joseph Angel;– writing, keyboards, drums, arrangement
  • Marcos Tovar – vocal recording
  • Kuk Harrell – vocal recording, vocal production
  • Manny Marroquin – mixing
  • Chris Galland – mixing assistant
  • Jeff Jackson – mixing assistant
  • Ike Schultz – mixing assistant
  • Chris Gehringer – mastering

Charts

Chart (2016) Peak
position
France (SNEP)[31] 71
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[43] 15
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[44] 175
US Billboard Hot 100[45] 83
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[46] 30

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[47] Gold 15,000

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format Label Ref.
United States Sept 6, 2016 Contemporary hit radio Def Jam [48]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Oseran, Anna (February 26, 2016). "How to Write a Song for Rihanna". Genius. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  2. ^ "Fred Ball - Roc Nation". Roc Nation. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Anti (Deluxe Edition) | Rihanna | Credits". Rihannanow.com. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
  4. ^ Barnes, Nick (September 18, 2015). "Rihanna reveals R8 song titles & she explains WHY her album still isn't ready!". Unreality TV. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  5. ^ Wass, Mike (August 9, 2016). "Rihanna's Next Single Is (Probably) "Love On The Brain"". Idolator. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  6. ^ Sonis, Rachel (August 9, 2016). "Rihanna Confirms "Love On The Brain" As Her Next Single". Idolator. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  7. ^ Lindner, Emilee (August 22, 2016). "Rihanna Picks her Next 'Anti' Single - Fuse". Fuse. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  8. ^ http://headlineplanet.com/home/2016/09/06/def-jam-confirms-pop-radio-push-rihannas-love-brain/
  9. ^ a b c McCormick, Neil (January 28, 2016). "Rihanna, Anti, track by track". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  10. ^ a b c d Gracie, Bianca (January 29, 2016). "Rihanna's 'ANTI': A Track-By-Track Album Review". Idolator. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  11. ^ Cinquemani, Sal (January 28, 2016). "Rihanna: Anti - Slant Magazine". Slant Magazine. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  12. ^ a b c d e f Bassett, Jordan (January 28, 2016). "Rihanna's Anti : Track-By-Track Review". NME. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
  13. ^ a b c Benjamin, Jeff (January 28, 2016). "Rihanna's 'ANTI' Album: Track-by-Track Review". Fuse. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  14. ^ a b Farah, Safy-Hallan; Barlow, Eve (January 28, 2016). "Rihanna's 'ANTI': SPIN's Impulsive Reviews". Spin. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  15. ^ a b c d e McKinney, Jessica (January 29, 2016). "Review: Rihanna's ANTI Is Gold... If You're Willing To Give It A Try". Vibe. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  16. ^ Fenty, Robyn. "Rihanna "Love on the Brain" Sheet Music in G Major (transposable) - Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved 2016-08-24.
  17. ^ a b Wickman, Forrest (January 28, 2016). "Rihanna's Anti: A Track-by-Track Breakdown". Slate. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  18. ^ a b c d Ryan, Patrick (January 28, 2016). "Rihanna's 'ANTI:' A track-by-track review". USA Today. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  19. ^ Holz, Adam R. "Anti Album Review (2016)". Plugged In. Retrieved July 19, 2016. {{cite web}}: templatestyles stripmarker in |website= at position 1 (help)
  20. ^ Eggert, Jessica (January 28, 2016). "What Is Rihanna's "Love on the Brain" About? Lyrics to Her Sultry, Old-School Love Ballad". Mic. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  21. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Anti - Rihanna - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  22. ^ Shepherd, Julianne (February 1, 2016). "On 'Anti,' Being Rihanna Isn't Easy: Album Review". Billboard. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  23. ^ Mackay, Emily (February 1, 2016). "Rihanna - 'Anti' Review". NME. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
  24. ^ Gerard, Chris (January 29, 2016). "Rihanna: Anti - PopMatters". PopMatters. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  25. ^ Reiff, Corbin (January 29, 2016). "Rihanna shifts moods in the highly anticipated Anti". The A.V. Club. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  26. ^ Feeney, Nolan (January 28, 2016). "Review: Rihanna's Anti Rewrites the Rules of Her Career". Time. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  27. ^ {{broken ref |prefix=Cite error: The named reference {
    Unexpected use of template {{1}} - see Template:1 for details. (see the help page).
  28. ^ Brown, Eirc Renner (January 29, 2016). "Rihanna's 'Anti': EW Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  29. ^ Rodman, Sarah (January 28, 2016). "'Anti' proves climactic change of pace for Rihanna". The Boston Globe. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  30. ^ Mendizabal, Amaya (June 6, 2016). "Guordan Banks' 'Keep You In Mind' Reaches No. 1 on Adult R&B Songs". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  31. ^ a b "Rihanna – Love on the Brain" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  32. ^ "Rihanna Kicks Off 'Anti World Tour'". Rap-Up. Retrieved March 13, 2016.
  33. ^ Corner, Lewis (June 25, 2016). "Rihanna live review: Riri rips up the rulebook at Wembley Stadium". Digital Spy. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  34. ^ Cragg, Michael (June 24, 2016). "Rihanna review – like watching a different artist". The Guardian. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  35. ^ "Rihanna Astounds With 'Love on the Brain' at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards". Billboard. May 22, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  36. ^ Grant, Sarah (May 22, 2016). "See Rihanna Channel Whitney Houston at Billboard Music Awards". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  37. ^ French, Megan (May 22, 2016). "Rihanna Nails Performance of 'Love on the Brain' at 2016 'Billboard' Music Awards". Us Magazine. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  38. ^ http://www.billboard.com/articles/events/vma/7487917/rihanna-we-found-love-2016-vmas
  39. ^ http://www.glamour.com/story/rihanna-mtv-vma-2016-performances
  40. ^ http://www.billboard.com/articles/events/vma/7487968/2016-vmas-performances-ranked
  41. ^ Rutherford, Kevin (June 24, 2016). "Rihanna's 'Love on the Brain' Leads Top TV Songs Chart Thanks to 'Grey's Anatomy'". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2016.
  42. ^ a b Drysdale, Jennifer (August 26, 2016). "Kelly Clarkson Completely Slays Rihanna's 'Love on the Brain'". ET Online. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  43. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. August 22, 2016. Retrieved August 19, 2016.
  44. ^ Peak chart positions for other charted songs in the United Kingdom:
  45. ^ "Rihanna Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  46. ^ "Rihanna Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  47. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Rihanna – Love on the Brain". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved September 2, 2016.[dead link]
  48. ^ "Def Jam Confirms Pop Radio Push of Rihanna's "Love on the Brain"". Headline Planet. Retrieved September 6, 2016.