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Expectations (Bebe Rexha album)

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Expectations
Studio album by
Bebe Rexha
ReleasedJune 22, 2018 (2018-06-22)
RecordedJanuary 2016, April – September 2017
Genre
Length43:47
LabelWarner Bros.
Producer
Bebe Rexha chronology
All Your Fault: Pt. 2
(2017) 		Expectations
(2018) 		Better Mistakes
(2021)
Singles from Expectations
  1. "I'm a Mess"
    Released: June 15, 2018

Expectations is the debut studio album by American singer Bebe Rexha. It was released on June 22, 2018, by Warner Bros. Records. The album was announced following the success of her collaboration with country duo Florida Georgia Line, "Meant to Be". Expectations went out for pre-order on April 13, 2018, with the release of two promotional singles: "Ferrari" and "2 Souls on Fire".[4] The album includes the singles "I Got You" and "Meant to Be" from All Your Fault: Pt. 1 and All Your Fault: Pt. 2, respectively. It features appearances from rappers Quavo and Tory Lanez, and country duo Florida Georgia Line.

Expectations received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised its production and Rexha's vocal performance, while others criticized its lyricism. The album debuted at number thirteen on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 24,000 album-equivalent units (including 10,000 copies as pure album sales) in its first week.[5][6] As of January 2019, the album has sold 604,000 units (with 37,000 copies in pure album sales) in the US.[7] On October 23, 2020, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over a million units in the United States.[8]

Background

[edit]

Following the release of All Your Fault: Pt. 2 (2017), Rexha began teasing new songs for a third installment in the All Your Fault series, with her manager going on record about its release.[9] However, it appeared plans had changed, as Rexha revealed her next project would be called Expectations through a tweet in November 2017.[10] Rexha revealed the cover art on April 8, 2018, with the album being available for pre-order on April 13.[11][12]

Singles

[edit]

"I'm a Mess" was released as the lead single from the album on June 15, following an early radio release in the United States.[13] It has so far peaked at number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Rexha's first top 40 hit as a solo lead artist. "I Got You" and "Meant to Be" featuring Florida Georgia Line, from the first and second parts of All Your Fault respectively, were also included on the album.

Promotional singles

[edit]

"Ferrari" and "2 Souls on Fire", the latter of which features Quavo of Migos, were released as promotional singles on April 13, 2018, with the pre-order of the album. "Ferrari" has since received a vertical video.[14]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic65/100[15]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Guardian[16]
Idolator[17]
The Independent[18]
NME[2]
Rolling Stone[19]
The Quietus[20]

Expectations received mostly positive reviews. According to Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 65, based on six reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[15] AllMusic's Neil Z. Yeung viewed the album as "an improvement upon her trio of EP releases that succeeds in presenting mature, forward-thinking pop of the dark, introspective variety" and concluded, "While it could benefit from some tightening – the middle stretch stalls the momentum – Expectations affirms Rexha's songwriting prowess, ear for catchy hooks, and ability to pull emotion from otherwise serviceable radio pop".[1] Craig Jenkins from Vulture referred to the album as "a showcase for the versatility of her instrument, which is both high and hearty and also a little wan, capable of hitting incredible marks in its upper register at the cost of coming in a little shrill". He especially praised album's intriguing ideas, playful lyrics and memorable hooks, dubbing it "one of the week's easiest pleasures".[21]

Ilana Kaplan and Nick Hasted from The Independent highlighted album's ballads "Grace" and "Knees", describing Expectations as "album full of flawed, self-deprecating and boundary-pushing pop offerings".[18] Idolator's Mike Nied stated that the album "perfectly captures the superstar's ethos" and that Rexha's "very recognizable voice is absolutely riveting." Nevertheless, he opined that the inclusion of "Meant to Be" "feels out of place", despite being "her biggest hit to date".[17] Nick Levine from NME perceived Rexha more as an "emo singer",[2] while Refinery29's Courtney E. Smith described Rexha as an "anti-hero" and a "dangerous woman fiercely playing with themes of depression, a lack of self-control, and unpredictability". In addition, Smith expressed that the singer "did a masterful job of painting a nihilistic scene in which she's an observer, and sometimes an unreliable narrator", but emphasized a lack of "autobiographical impression".[22] Rolling Stone's Sarah Grant wrote that on Expectations, Rexha "paints herself as a heroine trapped in an ivory tower of her own making, but her cat-scratching upper register suggests sensitivity more than vengeance", calling it "an impressive debut album full of nostalgic heartache".[19] Tommy Monroe from The Quietus stated that "a few tracks do do lack energy", however he described Rexha as "no ordinary singer" and "a chameleon who can switch vocals, blend with any sound, and find rhythm with any tempo".[20]

In a less positive review, Laura Snapes of The Guardian criticized the overuse of Auto-Tune and Rexha's "desperate search of an identity" throughout the album, citing "Ferrari" as the "only remotely distinctive song".[16]

Commercial performance

[edit]

Expectations debuted at number 13 on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 24,000 album-equivalent units (including 10,000 copies as pure album sales) in its first week.[5][23] In Canada, the album debuted at number fourteen on the Billboard Canadian Albums .[24] As of January 2019, the album has sold 604,000 units (with 37,000 copies in pure album sales) in the US.[25] On October 23, 2020, the album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over a million units in the United States.[8]

Track listing

[edit]
Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Ferrari"
  • Evigan
  • Gian Stone[a]
3:32
2."I'm a Mess"
3:15
3."2 Souls on Fire" (featuring Quavo)
  • Jussifer
  • Zuckerman[b]
2:50
4."Shining Star"
  • Rexha
  • Christy
  • Jacqetta Singleton
  • Scott Carter
  • Alexander Prawl
  • Dre Pinckney
  • Ali P
  • Robot Scott
  • Pinckney
3:06
5."Knees"
Garcia3:26
6."I Got You"
Captain Cuts3:11
7."Self Control"
  • Rexha
  • Christy
  • Andrew Wells
2:54
8."Sad"
3:05
9."Mine"
  • Hit-Boy
  • Corey[a]
2:51
10."Steady" (featuring Tory Lanez)
Bell3:14
11."Don't Get Any Closer"
  • Jussifer
  • Corey[a]
2:48
12."Grace"
  • Rexha
  • Christy
  • Wells
3:16
13."Pillow"
3:36
14."Meant to Be" (featuring Florida Georgia Line)
2:43
Total length:43:47
Japanese CD bonus tracks[26]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
15."I Can't Stop Drinking About You" (Chainsmokers Remix)
  • Rexha
  • S. Johnson
  • J. Johnson
  • Lomax
4:23
16."I Got You" (Cheat Codes Remix)
  • Rexha
  • Berger
  • Christy
  • Hindlin
  • McMahon
  • Rabin
3:19
Total length:51:29

Sample credit

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies an additional vocal producer.
  • ^[b] signifies an additional producer.

Personnel

[edit]

Production

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for Expectations
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[51] Platinum 80,000‡
Netherlands (NVPI)[52] Gold 20,000‡
Norway (IFPI Norway)[53] Platinum 20,000*
Singapore (RIAS)[54] Gold 5,000*
United States (RIAA)[8] Platinum 1,000,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Expectations – Bebe Rexha". AllMusic. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  2. ^ a b c Levine, Nick (June 22, 2018). "Expectations – Bebe Rexha review". NME. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  3. ^ Mamo, Heran (June 25, 2018). "Bebe Rexha's 6 Most Intoxicating Lyrics From New 'Expectations' Album". Billboard. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  4. ^ "Expectations by Bebe Rexha". iTunes Store (US). Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  5. ^ a b Brian Cantor (June 30, 2018). "Bebe Rexha's "Expectations" Debuts With 10K US Sales, 24K US Units". Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  6. ^ "BB200 - 2018-07-07". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  7. ^ "HITS Daily Double : Rumor Mill - 2018 TOP 50 ALBUMS". HITS Daily Double. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  8. ^ a b c "American album certifications – Bebe Rexha – Expectations". Recording Industry Association of America.
  9. ^ Andy Gensler (September 12, 2017). "Bebe Rexha's Template For Artist Development In the Age of Streaming". Billboard. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  10. ^ Bebe Rexha. "Bebe Rexha on Twitter: "Current Updates: New project coming in New year #Expectations. New record with Machine Gun X Ambassadors called "Home" coming soon."". Retrieved April 14, 2018 – via Twitter.
  11. ^ "Bebe Rexha Reveals The Cover Of Debut LP, 'Expectations'". Idolator. April 9, 2018. Retrieved April 15, 2018.
  12. ^ Bebe Rexha. "Bebe Rexha on Twitter: "My Debut album "Expectations" our for pre-order this Friday April 13th."". Retrieved April 14, 2018 – via Twitter.
  13. ^ "Bebe Rexha on Twitter: "We sent all the radio stations a version so they can live with it & hopefully like it enough to play it. Some stations loved it & played it"". June 8, 2018. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  14. ^ Bebe Rexha (2018-04-27), Bebe Rexha - Ferrari [Vertical Video], retrieved 2018-09-16
  15. ^ a b "Critic Reviews for Expectations". Metacritic. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  16. ^ a b Snapes, Laura (June 22, 2018). "Bebe Rexha: Expectations review – fiercely trite pop". The Guardian. London. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  17. ^ a b Nied, Mike (June 22, 2018). "Album Review: Bebe Rexha's 'Expectations'". Idolator. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  18. ^ a b Kaplan, Ilana; Hasted, Nick (June 20, 2018). "Album reviews: 5SOS, Bebe Rexha, Nine Inch Nails and more". The Independent. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  19. ^ a b Grant, Sarah (June 27, 2018). "Bebe Rexha's 'Expectations' Revels In Nineties-Loving Loneliness". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  20. ^ a b Monroe, Tommy (July 2, 2018). "Bebe Rexha - Expectations Review". The Quietus. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  21. ^ Jenkins, Craig (June 22, 2018). "Bebe Rexha's Expectations Explores Weird, Bad Feelings". Vulture. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
  22. ^ E. Smith, Courtney (June 22, 2018). "Bebe Rexha Isn't Afraid To Be An Anti-Hero With Expectations". Refinery29. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
  23. ^ "BB200 - 2018-07-07". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  24. ^ "Bebe Rexha". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  25. ^ "HITS Daily Double : Rumor Mill - 2018 TOP 50 ALBUMS". HITS Daily Double. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  26. ^ "Bebe Rexha / ビービー・レクサ「Expectations/エクスペクテーションズ」 | Warner Music Japan". ワーナーミュージック・ジャパン | Warner Music Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved June 3, 2018.
  27. ^ Stutz, Colin (June 15, 2018). "Bebe Rexha's New Song 'I'm a Mess' Adding '90s Hit 'Bitch' Songwriters to Credits". Billboard. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
  28. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Bebe Rexha – Expectations". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  29. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Bebe Rexha – Expectations" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 5, 2018.
  30. ^ "Ultratop.be – Bebe Rexha – Expectations" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  31. ^ "Ultratop.be – Bebe Rexha – Expectations" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  32. ^ "Bebe Rexha Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  33. ^ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 26.Týden 2018 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
  34. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Bebe Rexha – Expectations" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  35. ^ "Lescharts.com – Bebe Rexha – Expectations". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
  36. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Bebe Rexha – Expectations" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  37. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Bebe Rexha". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  38. ^ "Expectations on Billboard Japan Hot Albums". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  39. ^ "Oricon Top 50 albums:2018-07-09". Oricon. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
  40. ^ "NZ Heatseeker Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. July 2, 2018. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  41. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Bebe Rexha – Expectations". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
  42. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  43. ^ "Slovak Albums – Top 100" (in Slovak). ČNS IFPI. Retrieved July 6, 2018. Note: On the chart page, select 201826 on the field besides the word "Zobrazit", and then click over the word to retrieve the correct chart data
  44. ^ "Gaon Album Chart – Week 27, 2018". Gaon Chart (in Korean). Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  45. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Bebe Rexha – Expectations". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
  46. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Bebe Rexha – Expectations". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 4, 2018.
  47. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 30, 2018.
  48. ^ "Bebe Rexha Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  49. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  50. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  51. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Bebe Rexha – Expectations". Music Canada. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  52. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Bebe Rexha – Expectations" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved July 26, 2019. Enter Expectations in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 2019 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  53. ^ "Norwegian album certifications – Bebe Rexha – Expectations" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  54. ^ "Singapore album certifications – Bebe Rexha – Expectations". Recording Industry Association Singapore. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
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