Jump to content

Million Dollar Baby (Tommy Richman song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the song by American singer Ava Max, see Million Dollar Baby (Ava Max song).

"Million Dollar Baby"
Low-res scanline frame, night-vision style but black-and-white, of Richman in a cap and jacket, hand extended toward camera with only middle finger and thumb protruding.
Single by Tommy Richman
ReleasedApril 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)
Genre
Length
  • 2:35 (single version)
  • 2:03 (radio edit)
Label
Songwriter(s)Tommy Richman
Producer(s)
  • Max Vossberg
  • Jonah Roy
  • Mannyvelli
  • Sparkheem
  • Kavi
Tommy Richman singles chronology
"Selfish"
(2024) 		"Million Dollar Baby"
(2024) 		"Devil Is a Lie"
(2024)
Music video
"Million Dollar Baby" on YouTube

"Million Dollar Baby" is a song by American singer Tommy Richman. It was released on April 26, 2024, through ISO Supremacy and Pulse Records, and later redistributed through Concord and Universal Music Group. It was written by Richman with production credits from Max Vossberg, Jonah Roy, Mannyvelli, Sparkheem and Kavi. The song became the longest running number-one song on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart, staying at the top spot for ten consecutive weeks starting in May 2024.

With minimal established commercial history prior, Richman revealed snippets of the song on TikTok. Building on the teasers' popularity, "Million Dollar Baby" garnered immediate commercial success upon its April release, becoming Richman's breakthrough hit. "Million Dollar Baby" debuted and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Outside of the United States, "Million Dollar Baby" topped the charts in Australia, Latvia, and New Zealand, and peaked within the top ten of the charts in many other countries, including Austria, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Critics acclaimed the song for its unique, catchy sound and Richman's vocals; some deemed it an imminent contender for song of the summer.

Background

[edit]

After having moved from his hometown of Woodbridge, Virginia to Los Angeles in 2022, Richman quickly garnered attention for his "signature production style" without being confined to "genre labels". In 2023, he was recognized by American musician Brent Faiyaz with whom he embarked on his F*ck the World tour that also exposed him to a larger audience.[1] Richman was then signed to Faiyaz's label Iso Supremacy through a joint venture with Pulse Records as the first signee.[2]

Following a string of single releases under the label, Richman started teasing "Million Dollar Baby" on his social media on April 22, 2024, and posted footage of recording sessions using a "VHS-style recording".[3] The snippet amassed over 9.5 million views on TikTok in less than a week,[4] and helped give it an "explosive debut".[5] Richman described the sound as "palatable and listenable" and referred to it as something he likes and is "interested in". His goal was to "make cool shit for people" and for him.[6] Post-release, the song received continued popularity on the platform: Forbes reported that it had become the soundtrack to several trends, including a dance challenge, "prom transition videos" and "the 'Black wife/girlfriend effect'... videos of Black women showing off how their partners’ styles have evolved since the start of their relationships".[7] "Million Dollar Baby" was featured in the soundtrack for EA Sports' Madden NFL 25[8] and was added as an emote in Fortnite.

Composition

[edit]

"Million Dollar Baby" is a "funk-infused"[9] R&B[4][10] song with hi-hats from Southern trap, synths and a psychedelic sound.[11][12] It features staccato synth lines, a "ridiculously bouncy" bassline and trap percussion; Richman's multi-tracked vocals range from a "pitched-down chant" to a "soaring falsetto".[9] The song consists of "one verse and two choruses", and is in the key of F-sharp minor with a tempo of 137 BPM.[9] The artist also released a "VHS" mix of the song, emulating the mix of the snippet posted to TikTok, which features a more "blown-out bass".[9]

Reception

[edit]

Commercial

[edit]

"Million Dollar Baby" became Tommy Richman's breakthrough hit, becoming immensely popular on streaming platforms: Billboard reported that the song had gained 4.6 million "on-demand US streams" on its release day (April 26, 2024).[13] On the chart dated May 11, 2024, the song debuted at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, with "38 million streams, 302,000 in radio airplay audience and 4,000 sold", behind Taylor Swift and Post Malone's "Fortnight".[14] This became Richman's first entry, setting a record as the highest debut from an artist with no prior history on the chart since "Rich Men North of Richmond" by Oliver Anthony Music the previous year.[15]

"Million Dollar Baby" was also very successful globally, reaching the top five in multiple countries. The song reached number one in New Zealand, Australia and Latvia;[16][17][18] number three in the United Kingdom and Canada; number four in Lithuania; and number five in Ireland.[19][20] Billboard also reported that, following the song's success, the rest of Richman's catalog had received a "gain of 106%" in US streams (in the April 26–29 tracking period).[13] The song is the longest running consecutive number-one song on the TikTok Billboard Top 50, having stayed at the top spot for ten weeks from May to July 2024.[21][22]

Critical

[edit]

The song received critical acclaim by critics. Jordan Rose of Complex called "Million Dollar Baby" a contender for "Song of the Summer" as Richman delivers his "most electric song so far".[23] Eric Skelton of the same publication praised its concise fullness, likening it to "dessert for dinner"; he also singled out the variety and production of Richman's vocals, commenting that "the Virginia singer layers his own voice on top of itself... in an endearingly self-indulgent way".[9] Likewise, Carl Lamarre at Billboard also thought the track was a "song of the summer" contender with its "funky sound" and "seamless vocal riffs". Lamarre went on to praise the track for its "sticky hook" and "an undeniable bass".[4] Robin Murray of Clash highly praised it for "a ridiculously catchy hook, an effervescent beat, and some of Tommy’s catchiest bars".[24]

Writing for HotNewHipHop, Gabriel Bras Nevares pointed out the "creative blend of classic Southern trap" and "poppy" vocal passages with "melodic leads". Bras Nevares thought the song was the "boiling point" of the "steady build-up" Richman has had experienced up until that point, as he found out a way to "capitalize" on the best aspects of his "unique style". The writer furthermore described it as an "odd mix" between sounding "pretty hard" and "quite sophisticated".[25] Katherine St. Asaph of Stereogum acclaimed "Richman’s falsetto, the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis cowbell, and [the song's] slick funk with massive summer jam potential".[12]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for "Million Dollar Baby"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[84] 3× Platinum 210,000‡
Austria (IFPI Austria)[85] Gold 15,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[86] Platinum 80,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[87] Gold 45,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[88] 3× Platinum 90,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[89] Gold 25,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[90] Gold 5,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[91] Platinum 600,000‡
United States (RIAA)[92] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡
Streaming
Greece (IFPI Greece)[93] Platinum 2,000,000†

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Val, Caroline (August 8, 2023). "Tommy Richman Hasn't Forgotten His DMV Roots". The Miami Times. Archived from the original on April 28, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  2. ^ Lamarre, Carl (August 21, 2023). "PULSE Records Partners With Brent Faiyaz's Iso Supremacy, Signs Tommy Richman". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 29, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  3. ^ "I'm a million dollar baby". Retrieved April 28, 2024 – via Instagram.
  4. ^ a b c Lamarre, Carl (April 29, 2024). "Here Are Six Things to Know About "Million Dollar Baby" Singer Tommy Richman". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 1, 2024. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  5. ^ Williams, Aaron (April 29, 2024). "Who Is Tommy Richman? Meet The "Million Dollar Baby" Singer". Uproxx. Archived from the original on May 1, 2024. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  6. ^ McMahon, Jason (April 26, 2024). "Tommy Richman Releases New Single "Million Dollar Baby"". Substream Magazine. Archived from the original on April 28, 2024. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  7. ^ Johnson, Arianna. "Why 'Million Dollar Baby' Debuted High On Music Charts—Despite Rap Beefs And Taylor Swift's Success". Forbes. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  8. ^ Studley, Chris (August 9, 2024). "Madden 25 Soundtrack: All songs in Madden 25". Dexerto. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c d e Skelton, Eric. "Tommy Richman's "Million Dollar Baby" Is an Instant Smash". Complex. Archived from the original on May 4, 2024. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  10. ^ "The Rise of Tommy Richmans Viral Hit Million Dollar Baby - Neon Music - Digital Music Discovery & Showcase Platform". neonmusic.co.uk. May 2, 2024. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  11. ^ "Tommy Richman Hits The Mainstream with "Million Dollar Baby"". sheeshmedia.com. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  12. ^ a b "The Dua Lipa Album Is... Fine?". Stereogum. May 7, 2024. Archived from the original on May 19, 2024. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  13. ^ a b Unterberger, Kyle Denis,Jason Lipshutz,Andrew; Denis, Kyle; Lipshutz, Jason; Unterberger, Andrew (May 1, 2024). "Tommy Richman Scores a 'Million Dollar' Breakout Hit (And Sees a Catalog Boost) With Viral Single". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 6, 2024. Retrieved May 6, 2024.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "Billboard Canadian Hot 100: Week of May 18, 2024". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 14, 2024. Retrieved May 14, 2024.
  15. ^ Garcia, Thania (May 6, 2024). "Tommy Richman's 'Million Dollar Baby' Breaks Through at No. 2; Sabrina Carpenter's 'Espresso' Keeps Heating Up the Hot 100". Variety. Archived from the original on May 16, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  16. ^ "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. May 13, 2024. Archived from the original on May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  17. ^ a b "Tommy Richman – Million Dollar Baby". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Straumēšanas TOP 2024 – 21. nedēļa" [Streaming TOP 2024 – Week 21] (in Latvian). LAIPA. June 12, 2024. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  19. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart on 3/5/2024". Official Charts. May 3, 2024. Archived from the original on January 7, 2017. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  20. ^ Trust, Gary (May 6, 2024). "Taylor Swift & Post Malone's 'Fortnight' Spends a Second Week at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 6, 2024. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  21. ^ Rutherford, Kevin (July 18, 2024). "Tommy Richman's 'Million Dollar Baby' Rules TikTok Billboard Top 50 for 10th Week". Billboard. Retrieved July 19, 2024.
  22. ^ Rutherford, Kevin (July 11, 2024). "Jared McCain's 'Jus' Know' Dance Drives BlackMayo to No. 2 on TikTok Billboard Top 50". Billboard. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  23. ^ Rose, Jordan (April 28, 2024). "Everything You Need to Know About Tommy Richman". Complex. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  24. ^ Murray, Robin (May 1, 2024). "Tommy Richman Shares Smash Hit 'Million Dollar Baby' | News". Clash Magazine Music News, Reviews & Interviews. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  25. ^ Bras Nevares, Gabriel (April 28, 2024). "Tommy Richman Becomes A "Million Dollar Baby" On New Single: Stream". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on May 1, 2024. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  26. ^ "ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. May 13, 2024. Archived from the original on May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  27. ^ "Tommy Richman – Million Dollar Baby" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  28. ^ "Top Radio Hits Belarus Weekly Chart: Aug 22, 2024". TopHit. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  29. ^ "Tommy Richman – Million Dollar Baby" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  30. ^ "Tommy Richman Chart History (Brasil Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  31. ^ "Tommy Richman Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  32. ^ "Tommy Richman Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  33. ^ a b Tommy Richman — Million Dollar Baby. TopHit. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  34. ^ "Top Radio Hits Global Weekly Chart: Jul 18, 2024". TopHit. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  35. ^ "Croatia Songs: Week of May 25, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  36. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 20. týden 2024 in the date selector. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  37. ^ "Track Top-40 Uge 20, 2024". Hitlisten. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  38. ^ "Top Radio Hits Estonia Weekly Chart: Aug 8, 2024". TopHit. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  39. ^ "Tommy Richman: Million Dollar Baby" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  40. ^ "Top Singles (Week 20, 2024)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
  41. ^ "Tommy Richman – Million Dollar Baby" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  42. ^ "Tommy Richman Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  43. ^ "Official IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) (Week: 20/2024)". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  44. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  45. ^ "Streymi, spilun og sala viku 21" (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on May 24, 2024. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  46. ^ "IMI International Top 20 Singles for week ending 27th May 2024 | Week 21 of 52". IMIcharts. Archived from the original on May 28, 2024.
  47. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  48. ^ "Top Singoli – Classifica settimanale WK 20" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Archived from the original on March 18, 2020. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  49. ^ "Top Radio Hits Kazakhstan Weekly Chart: Jul 11, 2024". TopHit. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  50. ^ "Latvijas spēlētāko dziesmu Radio Top 2024. gads – 24. nedēļa" [Latvia's most played songs Radio Top 2024 – Week 24] (in Latvian). LAIPA. June 21, 2024. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  51. ^ "2024 19-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. May 10, 2024. Archived from the original on May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
  52. ^ "Top Radio Hits Lithuania Weekly Chart: Jun 27, 2024". TopHit. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  53. ^ "Luxembourg Songs: Week of May 25, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  54. ^ "Malaysia Songs: Week of June 1, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  55. ^ "TOP 20 Most Streamed International Singles In Malaysia Week 26 (21/06/2024-27/06/2024)". RIM. July 6, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024 – via Facebook.
  56. ^ "Tommy Richman – Million Dollar Baby" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  57. ^ "Tommy Richman – Million Dollar Baby". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
  58. ^ "TurnTable Nigeria Top 100: July 5th, 2024 – July 11th, 2024". TurnTable. Archived from the original on July 20, 2024. Retrieved July 20, 2024.
  59. ^ "Singel 2024 uke 20". VG-lista. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  60. ^ "Philippines Songs: Week of May 25, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  61. ^ "OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży – single w streamie" (Select week 10.05.2024–16.05.2024.) (in Polish). OLiS. Archived from the original on February 2, 2023. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  62. ^ "Tommy Richman – Million Dollar Baby". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  63. ^ "Romania Songs: Week of May 25, 2024". Billboard. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  64. ^ "RIAS Top Charts Week 20 (10 - 16 May 2024)". RIAS. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  65. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 20. týden 2024 in the date selector. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  66. ^ "Local & International Streaming Chart Top 10 Week 20-2024". The Official South African Charts. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  67. ^ "Digital Chart – Week 28 of 2024". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  68. ^ "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 21". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  69. ^ "Tommy Richman – Million Dollar Baby". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  70. ^ "UAE: 2024 - W21 - 05/17 to 05/23". The Official MENA Chart. International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  71. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  72. ^ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
  73. ^ "Tommy Richman Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  74. ^ "Tommy Richman Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  75. ^ "Tommy Richman Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  76. ^ "Tommy Richman Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  77. ^ "Tommy Richman Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  78. ^ "Top Radio Hits Global Monthly Chart: July 2024". TopHit. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  79. ^ "Top Radio Hits Global Monthly Chart: June 2024". TopHit. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  80. ^ "Top Radio Hits Estonia Monthly Chart: July 2024". TopHit. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  81. ^ "Top Radio Hits Kazakhstan Monthly Chart: June 2024". TopHit. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  82. ^ "Top Radio Hits Lithuania Monthly Chart: June 2024". TopHit. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  83. ^ "Digital Chart – July 2024". Circle Chart (in Korean). Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  84. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Singles for week of 14 October 2024". Australian Recording Industry Association. October 14, 2024. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  85. ^ "Austrian single certifications – Tommy Richman – Million Dollar Baby" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
  86. ^ "Canadian single certifications – Tommy Richman – Million Dollar Baby". Music Canada. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  87. ^ "Danish single certifications – Tommy Richman – Million Dollar Baby". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
  88. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Tommy Richman – Million Dollar Baby". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
  89. ^ "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 28, 2024. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter Million Dollar Baby in the search box.
  90. ^ "Portuguese single certifications – Tommy Richman – Million Dollar Baby" (PDF) (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  91. ^ "British single certifications – Tommy Richman – Million Dollar Baby". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  92. ^ "American single certifications – Tommy Richman – Million Dollar Baby". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  93. ^ "IFPI Charts – Digital Singles Chart (International) – Εβδομάδα: 35/2024" (in Greek). IFPI Greece. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Million_Dollar_Baby_(Tommy_Richman_song)&oldid=1258656536"