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Megan (album)

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"Find Out" redirects here. For the rock music song, see Messer (band).

Megan
Standard cover
Studio album by
Megan Thee Stallion
ReleasedJune 28, 2024
GenreHip hop
Length52:00
Language
  • English
  • Japanese
Label
Producer
Megan Thee Stallion chronology
Traumazine
(2022) 		Megan
(2024) 		Megan: Act II
(2024)
Singles from Megan
  1. "Cobra"
    Released: November 3, 2023
  2. "Hiss"
    Released: January 26, 2024
  3. "Boa"
    Released: May 10, 2024
  4. "Mamushi"
    Released: July 30, 2024

Megan is the third studio album by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion. It was released through Hot Girl Productions and Warner Music Group on June 28, 2024. It is Megan's first album to be released under her independent label Hot Girl Productions after her departure from former labels 300 Entertainment and 1501 Certified.

Megan received generally favorable reviews from music critics, with praise towards the newfound creative freedom on display, although some found it to be uneven. The album was supported by four singles: "Cobra", "Hiss", "Boa", and "Mamushi". "Hiss" became Megan's first solo number-one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the Billboard Global 200, while all singles peaked within the top 40 in the United States.

Commercially, Megan debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 with 64,000 album-equivalent units earned, and became the rapper's fifth top-ten album on the chart. To promote the album, Megan embarked on the Hot Girl Summer Tour, her first headlining concert tour. The album's deluxe edition, titled Megan: Act II, was released on October 25, 2024.

Background

[edit]

On October 19, 2023, 1501 Certified revealed that the company and Megan Thee Stallion have mutually parted ways with each other.[1][2] Shortly after, Megan clarified on an Instagram livestream, stating that her album would be self-funded and "the budget is coming from me".[3] Conceptually, the album follows a snake-based theme and motif through the titles of the singles and the promotional material. For the song "Otaku Hot Girl" which pays homage to several anime series she enjoys, she managed to clear some legal paperwork with MAPPA regarding permission pertaining to use of Jujutsu Kaisen characters among those referenced days before the album release.[4]

On October 23, Megan posted on her social media a teaser of her upcoming album stating "Just as a snake sheds it skin, we must shed our past, over and over again" under her independent music and entertainment company Hot Girl Productions.[5][unreliable source] On February 2, 2024, Megan signed a distribution deal with Warner Music Group which would allow her the creative control of an independent artist, but with access to the company's resources.[6]

Release and promotion

[edit]

On January 30, 2024, Megan Thee Stallion did an interview with Good Morning America, revealing that she planned to tour for that upcoming summer season.[7] On March 20, Megan formally announced the Hot Girl Summer Tour which began May 14 in Minneapolis and is set to conclude August 1 in Chicago.[8] Megan announced the album and its release at the first of two shows at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.[9][10]

Singles

[edit]

The album's lead single, titled "Cobra" was released on November 3, 2023, alongside a music video directed by Douglas Bernardt.[11] Just five days later, Megan released a rock remix of "Cobra", with the Canadian-American alternative metal band Spiritbox.[12] The single debuted at number 32 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[13]

The album's second single, titled "Hiss", was released on January 26, 2024, alongside a music video, also directed by Douglas Bernardt.[14] "Hiss" debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Megan's first solo chart-topping single and third overall.[15] It also debuted at number one on the Billboard Global 200, making Megan the first female rapper in a lead role to debut atop the chart in history.[16]

The album's third single, titled "Boa", was released on May 10, 2024.[17] The track debuted at number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the third top-40 single from the album.[18]

The album's fourth single, "Mamushi", featuring Japanese rapper Yuki Chiba, was released to urban radio on July 30, 2024.[19] The track peaked at number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the fourth top-40 single from the album.[18]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?6.4/10[24]
Metacritic67/100[25]
Review scores
SourceRating
The Guardian[20]
NME[21]
Pitchfork6.6/10[22]
Rolling Stone[23]

Megan received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album has an average score of 67 based on 6 reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reviews. Karen Gwee of NME wrote that the record project "flows with a palpably higher level of creative boldness", finding it more cohesive than previous albums. Gwee wrote that "Megan was often lashing out; here, she stings with venomous precision" and she "sprawls out, mining different aspects of her identity and personality at her leisure".[21] Maria Sherman of the Associated Press also found that the rapper "sounds as strong as ever, atop chugging riffs and fluttering synths", because "on this album, Megan is most interested in exorcising the demons given to her by haters".[26]

Rachel Aroesti of The Guardian praised the rapper's "satisfyingly brisk and crisp" flow, in which she explained that "Megan's world is one of false friends, mutually adulterous relationships and incessant betrayal, spurred by jealousy", which however "feels merely like the depressing apex of this oppressively navel-gazing rap phenomenon's isolation".[20] Alphonse Pierre of Pitchfork defined Megan as "an uneven album so preoccupied with giving every single type of fan exactly what they want", even though he understood the "pressures, especially in rap, where hit-making women have historically been discarded quickly".[22]

Commercial performance

[edit]

Megan debuted at number three on the US Billboard 200 chart, (earning 64,000 album-equivalent units including 16,000 pure sales).[27] The album also accumulated a total of 62.67 million on-demand streams of the album's songs.[27] The album marks the biggest debut, by units, for a rap album released by a woman in 2024, alongside the first top 10-charting album by a female rapper in 2024.[27]

Track listing

[edit]
Megan track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Hiss"
3:12
2."Rattle"
LilJuMadeDaBeat3:25
3."Figueroa"
  • Pete
  • Mason
  • Kelton Scott II
  • LilJuMadeDaBeat
  • FranchiseDidIt
2:23
4."Where Them Girls At"
  • Pete
  • Mason
  • Joe Fountain
  • Kordero Williams
LilJuMadeDaBeat3:11
5."Broke His Heart"
Tay Keith2:39
6."B.A.S." (featuring Kyle Richh)
3:26
7."Otaku Hot Girl"
  • Pete
  • J. Banks
  • T. Banks
Bankroll Got It2:38
8."Find Out"
2:35
9."Boa"
LilJuMadeDaBeat2:34
10."Mamushi" (featuring Yuki Chiba)
Koshy2:36
11."Accent" (featuring GloRilla)
  • Bankroll Got It
  • Ben10k
  • Jarrett
3:19
12."Paper Together" (featuring UGK)
3:35
13."Spin" (featuring Victoria Monét)
3:07
14."Down Stairs DJ"
Da Honorable C.N.O.T.E.2:44
15."Miami Blue" (featuring Big K.R.I.T. and Buddah Bless)
  • Buddah Bless
  • Jacob Waddy
2:37
16."Worthy"
  • Pete
  • Rob Gueringer
Freaky Rob2:19
17."Moody Girl"
  • Pete
  • Houston
  • Anthony Holmes
  • Marc Gay
  • Carl Martin
  • Juicy J
  • Hitkidd
2:47
18."Cobra"
  • Bankroll Got It
  • Derrick Milano
  • Jarett
2:48
Total length:52:00
Megan – Amazon Music edition bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
19."It's Prime Day"
  • Pete
2:04
Total length:54:04

Notes

Personnel

[edit]

Musicians

Technical

  • Colin Leonard – mastering
  • Leslie Brathwaite – mixing (tracks 1–12, 14–18)
  • Patrizio "Teezio" Pigliapoco – mixing (track 13)
  • Shawn "Source" Jarrett – engineering
  • Todd Robinson – engineering (track 13)
  • Dominique "Cookisdope" Cook – engineering assistance
  • Maysin Sexton – engineering assistance (tracks 1, 3, 5–7, 9–14, 16–18)
  • Dani Stephenson – engineering assistance (tracks 1, 18)
  • Derek Spence – engineering assistance (tracks 2, 7, 15)
  • Jean Paul Quintero – engineering assistance (tracks 4, 8)
  • Chris Weaver – engineering assistance (tracks 6, 11, 12)
  • Federico Giordano – engineering assistance (track 13)
  • Ignancio Portales – engineering assistance (track 13)

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Megan
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[29] 94
Australian Hip Hop/R&B Albums (ARIA)[30] 23
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[31] 53
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[32] 33
Nigerian Albums (TurnTable)[33] 72
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[34] 134
UK Albums (OCC)[35] 97
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[36] 40
US Billboard 200[37] 3
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[38] 1

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Formats(s) Label Ref.
Various June 28, 2024
[39][40]
November 22, 2024 LP

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Bloom, Madison; Minsker, Evan (October 18, 2019). "Megan Thee Stallion Settles Legal Dispute With Former Label 1501 Certified Entertainment". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on June 27, 2024. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  2. ^ Donahue, Bill (August 22, 2022). "Megan Thee Stallion Demands $1M in 1501 Lawsuit, Implies Label Helped Leak 'Traumazine'". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  3. ^ Kaplan, Ilana (October 13, 2023). "Megan Thee Stallion Says She's Currently Funding Her Own Music Career: 'Budget Is Coming from Me'". People. Archived from the original on November 3, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Williams, Kyann-Sian (June 28, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion "jumped through eight million hoops" to sample from anime series 'Jujutsu Kaisen' on new single 'Otaku Hot Girl'". NME. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  5. ^ Mercuri, Monica (November 3, 2023). "Megan Thee Stallion Releases New Single 'Cobra' Under Her Own Label". Forbes. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  6. ^ Garcia, Thania (February 2, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion Signs Distribution Deal With Warner Music Group, Will Remain Independent". Variety. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  7. ^ America, Good Morning. "Megan Thee Stallion talks life, music and new passion projects". Good Morning America. Archived from the original on May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  8. ^ Grimes, Navier (March 20, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion Announces Long-Awaited "Hot Girl Summer" Global Tour with GloRilla as Special Guest". Live Nation Entertainment. Archived from the original on May 3, 2024. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  9. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion surprises Atlanta concertgoers with announcement of new album 'MEGAN'". 11Alive.com. June 3, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  10. ^ Mier, Tomás (May 31, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion Postpones Atlanta Show Due to Water Main Break: 'Extremely Disappointed'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 9, 2024. Singer had originally teased a "special announcement" during Friday's show
  11. ^ Paul, Larisha (November 3, 2023). "Megan Thee Stallion Brings Her Venomous Bite to Scorching New Single 'Cobra'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 3, 2023. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  12. ^ Kaufman, Gil (November 9, 2023). "Megan Thee Stallion Cranks 'Cobra' Up to 11 With Rocking Spiritbox-Assisted Remix". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 18, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  13. ^ Anderson, Trevor (November 16, 2023). "Megan Thee Stallion's 'Cobra' Strikes in Top 10 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 28, 2024. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  14. ^ Zhan, Jennifer (January 26, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion Isn't Afraid to Diss on 'Hiss'". Vulture. Archived from the original on January 26, 2024. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  15. ^ Trust, Gary (February 5, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion's 'Hiss' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  16. ^ Trust, Gary (February 5, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion's 'Hiss' Slithers Onto Billboard Global 200 at No. 1". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  17. ^ Paul, Larisha (May 7, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion Will Keep Hip-Hop Python Era Going With New Single 'Boa'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 7, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Megan Thee Stallion Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 3, 2024. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
  19. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion & Yuki Chiba's 'Mamushi' Becomes the #1 Most Added Song on Urban Radio". TheGrapeJuice. July 30, 2024. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  20. ^ a b Aroesti, Rachel (June 28, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion: Megan review – rap skill showcase is a sour sermon on superiority". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  21. ^ a b Gwee, Karen (July 1, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion – 'Megan' review: the rapper shines in all her multifaceted glory". NME. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  22. ^ a b Pierre, Alphonse (July 2, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion: MEGAN". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  23. ^ Conteh, Mankaprr (July 1, 2024). "'Megan' Blissfully Soundtracks the Summer Thee Stallion Deserves". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  24. ^ "Megan by Megan Thee Stallion". AnyDecentMusic. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  25. ^ "Megan by Megan Thee Stallion". Metacritic. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  26. ^ Sherman, Maria (June 28, 2024). "Music Review: Megan Thee Stallion's fierce 'Megan' trades hot girl summers for a different freedom". Associated Press. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  27. ^ a b c Caulfield, Keith (July 7, 2024). "Taylor Swift Ties Career-Best With 11th Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200 With 'The Tortured Poets Department'". Billboard. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
  28. ^ Boisvert, Lauren (May 10, 2024). "Megan Thee Stallion Employs Nostalgic Imagery for New Single "BOA," Samples Gwen Stefani". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  29. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 8 July 2024". The ARIA Report. No. 1792. Australian Recording Industry Association. July 8, 2024. p. 6.
  30. ^ "ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. July 8, 2024. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  31. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  32. ^ "Charts.nz – Megan Thee Stallion – Megan". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  33. ^ "Official Top 100 Albums: July 12th, 2024 - July 18th, 2024". TurnTable. Archived from the original on July 26, 2024. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  34. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Megan Thee Stallion – Megan". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  35. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  36. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 1, 2024.
  37. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  38. ^ "Megan Thee Stallion Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  39. ^
  40. ^ MEGAN by Megan Thee Stallion on Apple Music, June 28, 2024, retrieved September 8, 2024
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