Joe (singer)
Joe | |
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Birth name | Joseph Lewis Thomas[1] |
Born | [1] Columbus, Georgia, U.S. | July 5, 1973
Genres | R&B |
Occupations |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 1992–present |
Labels | |
Website | officialjoethomas |
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2000–2007: Rise to success
In April 2000, Joe released his third album, My Name Is Joe. Produced by Joe and several other record producers such as Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, Teddy Riley and Tim & Bob, it received favorable reviews from critics and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, while topping the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[2] It charted internationally as well, peaking within the top 10 in Netherlands and Canada. My Name Is Joe produced three singles, including "I Wanna Know", "Treat Her Like a Lady", and "Stutter", the first and last of which reached the top five of the US Billboard Hot 100. The biggest seller of his discography, My Name Is Joe was certified triple-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and earned platinum and silver certifications from Music Canada, Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP), and the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). In 2001, the album and "I Wanna Know" received Grammy Award nominations in the Best R&B Album and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance categories.
The following year, Better Days, Joe's fourth album, was released. Significantly less successful, it reached number 32 on the Billboard 200 but peaked at number four on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, reaching gold status in the US. The album spawned two singles, "Let's Stay Home Tonight", which reached number 18 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and the Adult R&B Songs chart-topper "What If a Woman". A critical success, Better Days became his second album to receive a Grammy nomination in the Best R&B Album category, while "Let's Stay Home Tonight" was nominated for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. In 2002, Joe did another collaboration with Mariah Carey on the remix version of "Through the Rain", the first single from her album Charmbracelet (2002).[3]
Joe recruited a diverse roster of high-profile musicians to work with him on his fifth studio album, including Carvin & Ivan, Dre & Vidal, R. Kelly, and The Underdogs. Released in late 2003, And Then... reached number 26 on the US Billboard 200. While Kelly-penned lead single "More & More" became a top 20 R&B in the US, it was released on double A-side with "Ride Wit U", a collaboration with rap group G-Unit, elsewhere. A moderate success, the single entered Australia's top 40 in July 2004, and peaked at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming one if his biggest hits there.[4] A steady seller, And Then... was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Joe's sixth album Ain't Nothin' Like Me, released in April 2007, was produced by Stargate, Tank, Cool & Dre, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Sean Garrett and featured guest appearances by rappers Nas, Fabolous, Papoose, Young Buck and Tony Yayo. It received generally positive reviews from music critics and debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 and on top of the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart, selling about 98,000 copies in its first week, while marking his highest-charting album since My Name Is Joe. While lead single "Where You At" charted in the United Kingdom only, follow-up "If I Was Your Man" reached number three on Billboard's Adult R&B Songs. Ain't Nothin' Like Me marked Joe's final album with Jive Records following a fallout with label surrounding rumors of his dissatisfaction with the promotion of his material.[5] Also in 2007, Joe performed a cover version of "Before He Cheats", a Carrie Underwood hit, as a Pepsi Smash exclusive on Yahoo! Music.[6]
2008–present: Independent releases
Following his departure from Jive Records, Joe released his seventh album Joe Thomas, New Man independently on record label executive Kedar Massenburg's Kedar Entertainment company in September 2008. Production on the album was helmed by Bryan-Michael Cox, Stereotypes, and D'Mile among others.[7] Upon release, it debuted at number eight on the US Billboard 200, selling 56,733 copies in its first week. Lead single "E.R. (Emergency Room)" became the only single to reach the top forty on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[8] Only ten months later, Signature, his second album with Kedar, was released.[9] An album composed of ballads written, produced, and arranged by Joe, it debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[10] The same year, Joe released the holidays EP Make Sure You're Home for Christmas, which was released exclusively through Target and features two original songs and four cover versions of Christmas standards and carols. A top twenty success on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, the standalone EP was worked into a full-length album, entitled Home Is the Essence of Christmas, released the following year.[11]
In 2010, Joe collaborated with label mate Keith Sweat on the song "Test Drive", written for Sweat's album Ridin' Solo. Also in 2010, he released his ninth studio The Good, the Bad, the Sexy. The singer worked with Brandon "B.A.M." Alexander, Gragston, The Ambassadorz, and Gerald Issac on most of the record which debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop albums chart.[12] Following a short hiatus, Joe's next effort, his tenth studio album Doubleback: Evolution of R&B, was released in July 2013, marking his first release on Massenburg's newly formed company Massenburg Media after the dissolution of his Kedar Entertainment.[13] It debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 and number one on the R&B/Hip Hop chart, selling 31,500 copies in its first week.[14] The singer worked with a small group of musicians on the album, including San Francisco-based producer D.O.A., who contributed "I'd Rather Have a Love" and the duet "Love & Sex", featuring singer Fantasia.[15] Rapper Too Short also appears on the album.[16]
In March 2014, Joe signed a distribution deal with BMG Rights Management.[17] His eleventh album, Bridges, marked his first album under Plaid Takeover Entertainment, a venture of regular co-executive producer Gerald Isaac, after severing business ties with Massenburg.[18] After a decade of consecutive top ten entries on the Billboard 200, it debuted and peaked at number 17, with first-week sales of 15,126 copies in the United States.[19] The first single released from the album was "Love & Sex, Pt. 2", a duet with singer Kelly Rowland serving as sequel to his 2013 collaboration with Fantasia. It became a top five hit on the Adult R&B Songs chart.[20] Joe's twelfth album, My Name Is Joe Thomas, an homage to his third effort My Name Is Joe (2000), was released on November 11, 2016. The album debuted at number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, with 17,000 copies sold the first week, and spawned the single "So I Can Have You Back", his fourth number-one hit on the Adult R&B Songs chart.[21] In support of the album, Joe co-headlined a European concert tour alongside Ashanti from February to March 2017.[22]
Discography
Studio albums
- Everything (1993)
- All That I Am (1997)
- My Name Is Joe (2000)
- Better Days (2001)
- And Then... (2003)
- Ain't Nothin' Like Me (2007)
- Joe Thomas, New Man (2008)
- Signature (2009)
- Home Is the Essence of Christmas (2010)
- The Good, the Bad, the Sexy (2011)
- Doubleback: Evolution of R&B (2013)
- Bridges (2014)
- My Name Is Joe Thomas (2016)
Awards and nominations
References
- ^ a b "Joe". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-03-14.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "My Name Is Joe – Joe > Review". Allmusic. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- ^ Vineyard, Jennifer (December 16, 2002). "For the Record: Quick News on Snoop Dogg, Nas, Nelly, Mariah Carey, Godsmack, Whitesnake & More". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 284. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ "R. Kelly Tried To Sabotage Joe's Career?". HipHopDx.com. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- ^ Yahoo! Music Videos Archived 2007-10-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Joe 's new cd "New Man" coming 23 Sept 8". Femalefirst.co.uk. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
- ^ soul, Mark Edward Nero Mark Edward Nero is an expert on the; gospel; rhythm; Artists, Blues Music Genres Who Interviewed Dozens of; Documentaries, Appeared in. "Music Career of R&B Artist Joe". ThoughtCo. Retrieved 21 April 2019.
- ^ "Music News: Joe Working on 2 New Albums". Randb.about.com. 2008-06-22. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
- ^ "Joe Thomas, New Man". Amazon.com. Retrieved 2008-09-20.
- ^ Kellman, Andy (2010-11-02). "Home Is the Essence of Christmas – Joe". AllMusic. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ^ "iTunes – Music – The Good, The Bad, The Sexy by Joe". Itunes.apple.com. 2012-11-06. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
- ^ "Interview: Joe Dishes on New Album, Inspiring Today's Generation, Starting New Chapter in his Life". YouKnowIGotSoul.com. May 2, 2013. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
- ^ Tom (2013-07-11). "Joe Lands #1 First Week on the Billboard R&B Charts with "Double Back: Evolution of R&B" – New R&B Music, R&B Videos, R&B Interviews, R&B Concert Coverage". YouKnowIGotSoul.com. Retrieved 2013-07-21.
- ^ Cuevas, Jaz T. (May 1, 2013). "Interview: Joe Talks Evolution, R&B's New Era And Why He Won't Do A Dance Record". Vibe. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
- ^ "Joe Enlists Fantasia For New Album / Eyes July Release". ThatGrapeJuice.net. May 3, 2013. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
- ^ Kellman, Andy (2014-06-24). "Bridges — Joe". AllMusic. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- ^ Mitchell, Gail. "Seven-Time Grammy Nominee Joe Signs New Manager, New Deal With BMG Chrysalis". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2014-04-13.
- ^ Tardio, Andres (2014-07-02). "Hip Hop Album Sales: Week Ending 06/29/2014". Hiphopdx.com. Retrieved 2014-07-02.
- ^ "Chart Highlights: One Direction, Katy Perry, U2 Score New No. 1s". Billboard.com. 2014-03-10. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- ^ Mendizabal, Amaya. "Joe Continues Impressive Streak on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- ^ "Joe & Ashanti Set for Joint 2017 European Tour". YouKnowIGotSoul.com. February 1, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
External links
- Joe at AllMusic
- Joe at IMDb
- Joe on YouKnowIGotSoul
- 1973 births
- Living people
- African-American record producers
- Record producers from Alabama
- Record producers from Georgia (U.S. state)
- Songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state)
- African-American singer-songwriters
- African-American male singers
- American male singers
- African-American guitarists
- American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters
- Singers from Georgia (U.S. state)
- African-American songwriters
- American hip hop singers
- People from Columbus, Georgia
- People from Opelika, Alabama
- Songwriters from Alabama
- American contemporary R&B singers
- Ballad musicians
- American male guitarists
- 21st-century American singers
- 21st-century American guitarists
- 21st-century male singers