Dreams Worth More Than Money is the second studio album by American rapper Meek Mill. It was released on June 29, 2015, by Maybach Music Group and Atlantic Records.[2] It was initially scheduled for release on September 9, 2014,[3] however, it has been delayed few times due to Meek Mill's revoking of his probation on July 11, 2014, thus sentencing him to jail for 3 to 6 months.[4] The album made its entry at number one on the US Billboard 200; and sold 246,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, with 215,000 coming from traditional album sales, marking as Meek's first number-one album on the chart.[5] Due to the change in the tracking week by Nielsen Music SoundScan, its first week sales were counted towards its second week on the charts.[6] At the 2016's Billboard Music Awards, the album won an award for Top Rap Album.[7][8]
Dreams Worth More Than Money | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 29, 2015[1] | |||
Recorded | 2014–2015 | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 54:19 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
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Meek Mill chronology | ||||
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Singles from Dreams Worth More Than Money | ||||
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Background
editMeek Mill said that with this album, he is focusing more on rapping than on money. He said that rappers, especially in Philadelphia, have not received credit for helping their communities going on to state during his interview with XXL stating, that "If I’m in the position to help, I’m gonna help."[9] Meek Mill says that he has come to realize there is more to the music industry than wealth, a philosophy which resulted in the album's title, called Dreams Worth More Than Money.[9]
Promotion
editIn July 2014, Meek Mill released the trailer for the album.[10] On May 10, 2015, Meek Mill released the statement the album track list has been finalized.[11][12] Eleven new teasers were posted to his Instagram page. On Nicki Minaj's official website, she stated that they were filming a music video for his second single from the album, called "All Eyes on You". The track features guest vocals from Minaj herself, and American recording artist Chris Brown. The music video was directed by Benny Boom.[13] On July 22, 2015, Meek Mill publicly criticized rapper Drake on Twitter after being upset with Drake's alleged use of his ghostwriter appearing on the album.[14]
Both of the album's respective tracks, the beginner, "Lord Knows" (which features uncredited vocals by Canadian artist Tory Lanez), and the tenth entry, "Check", were later included on a soundtrack to the 2015 boxing drama film, Creed, which was released later in November of that year. The Creed soundtrack was also published by Atlantic Records, the current distribution label for Mill's label, Maybach Music Group.[15]
Critical reception
editAggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 74/100[16] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [17] |
Billboard | [18] |
Complex | [19] |
Consequence of Sound | B[20] |
HipHopDX | 3.5/5[21] |
Pitchfork | 7.4/10[22] |
Rolling Stone | [23] |
XXL | 4/5 (XL)[24] |
Dreams Worth More Than Money received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from critics, the album received an average score of 74, based on 13 reviews.[16] Marcus Dowling of HipHopDX said, "Dreams Worth More Than Money is a slight misfire for Meek Mill, but enough is there the we think he can eventually achieve in his music the high he’s achieved in his personal life."[21] David Jeffries of AllMusic described the album as divided "between weighty, radio-aimed numbers and loud, Gucci Mane-styled party tracks," while he also claimed that "the unfettered Dreams Worth More Than Money swaggers with the utmost confidence, ferociously declaring its reckless supremacy during the Rick Ross feature 'Been That'."[17] Jeffries concluded his review by writing that "the street-worthy effort seems more influenced by Maybach Music than Minaj, as it forsakes the paparazzi and gossip pages for the better and continues on the path first laid out on the man's mixtapes."[17]
Awards
editYear | Ceremony | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | Billboard Music Awards | Top Rap Album[25] | Won |
Commercial performance
editThe album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 246,000 equivalent album units (215,000 in pure album sales) in the United States, became the artist's first number-one album and the largest sales week since Dreams and Nightmares. It is also the fourth largest sales in the first week for an album of the year.[5] The album spent a second week atop the chart, which was adjusted to an eleven-day tracking period due to alterations in Billboard's tracking week schedule. This period included the previous weeks sales, as well as four days into the following week. Sales for this 'week' reflected the album's total sales since release, and are to 293,000 equivalent album units.[6] After spending 2 weeks at number one, the album fell to number 3 in the third week on chart, with 95,000 units earned in the week ending July 16.[26] By the end of 2015, Dreams Worth More Than Money had sold 350,000 copies domestically.[27]
Track listing
editNo. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Lord Knows" (featuring Tory Lanez) |
| Play Picasso | 5:18 |
2. | "Classic" (featuring Swizz Beatz) |
| Mr. Bangladesh | 2:47 |
3. | "Jump Out the Face" (featuring Future) |
| 2:41 | |
4. | "All Eyes on You" (featuring Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj) |
| 3:43 | |
5. | "The Trillest" |
| Stoopid On Da Beat | 4:35 |
6. | "R.I.C.O." (featuring Drake) |
| 3:17 | |
7. | "I Got the Juice" |
| 2:55 | |
8. | "Ambitionz" |
| 3:57 | |
9. | "Pullin' Up" (featuring The Weeknd) | 4:29 | ||
10. | "Check" |
|
| 3:14 |
11. | "Been That" (featuring Rick Ross) |
| 3:01 | |
12. | "Bad for You" (featuring Nicki Minaj) |
| Ben Billions | 3:23 |
13. | "Stand Up" |
| Danja | 4:04 |
14. | "Cold Hearted" (featuring Puff Daddy) |
| OZ | 6:55 |
Total length: | 54:29 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
15. | "My Niggas" (featuring August Alsina) |
|
| 3:39 |
16. | "Main" (featuring Jeremih) |
| Jahlil Beats | 3:06 |
Total length: | 61:15 |
Notes
- ^[a] signifies a co-producer
- ^[b] signifies an additional producer
- "Classic" features background vocals from Jeremih
- “Stand Up” features uncredited vocals from DJ Khaled
Sample credits
- "Lord Knows" contains samples from "Mozart's Requiem Lacrimosa" performed by Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir.
- "All Eyes on You" contains an interpolation from "Notorious Thugs" performed by The Notorious B.I.G.
- "The Trillest" contains a sample and excerpts from "Gone" performed by The Eden Project.
- "Ambitionz" contains an interpolation from "Ambitionz az a Ridah" performed by 2Pac.
- "Been That" contains samples from "The Upset" performed by Paul Kelly.
- "Bad for You" contains samples from "Heart Attack" performed by Flight Facilities featuring Owl Eyes.
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
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Certifications
editRegion | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
United States (RIAA)[46] | Platinum | 1,000,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "iTunes – Music – Dreams Worth More Than Money by Meek Mill". Itunes.apple.com. 1987-05-06. Retrieved 2015-07-01.
- ^ "iTunes - Music - Dreams Worth More Than Money by Meek Mill". Itunes.apple.com. 1987-05-06. Retrieved 2015-07-01.
- ^ "Meek Mill's Sophomore Album Dreams Worth More Than Money Has A Release Date". MTV News. Archived from the original on August 6, 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ "Meek Mill Sentenced For Parole Violation". XXL. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ a b Caulfield, Keith (8 July 2015). "Meek Mill Claims His First No. 1 Album on the Billboard 200 Chart". billboard.com. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
- ^ a b Caulfield, Keith (12 July 2015). "Meek Mill Reigns Again at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart". billboard.com. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
- ^ "Billboard Music Awards 2016: Complete Winners List". Billboard. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
- ^ "Meek Mill Wins Top Rap Album At Billboard Music Awards, Drake Is Top Rap Artist". HNHH. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
- ^ a b "Meek Mill Says He Now Focuses On Rapping More Than Money". HipHopDX. 30 July 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ "Meek Mill". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
- ^ "Instagram". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-24. Retrieved 2015-07-02.
- ^ "Instagram". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-24. Retrieved 2015-07-02.
- ^ "Nicki Minaj to feature on Meek Mill's sophomore album "Dreams Worth More Than Money". : Nicki Minaj". Mypinkfriday.com. 2015-04-22. Retrieved 2015-07-01.
- ^ "Stop Comparing drake to me too.... He don't write his own raps! That's why he ain't tweet my album because we found out!". July 22, 2015. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
- ^ "Atlantic Records Reveals "CREED: ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK" Available Today". Marketwired. OMERS. November 20, 2015. Archived from the original on December 3, 2015. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
- ^ a b "Reviews for Dreams Worth More Than Money by Meek Mill". Metacritic. Retrieved 2015-07-15.
- ^ a b c Jeffries, David. "Dreams Worth More Than Money – Meek Mill". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-07-15.
- ^ "Meek Mill Shows the Dark Side of the American Dream on 'Dreams Worth More Than Money': Album Review". Billboard. 2015-07-02. Retrieved 2015-07-15.
- ^ Drake, David (2015-06-29). "Review: Meek Mill's 'Dreams Worth More Than Money'". Complex. Retrieved 2015-07-15.
- ^ Madden, Michael (2015-07-03). "Meek Mill – Dreams Worth More Than Money | Album Reviews". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 2015-07-15.
- ^ a b Dowling, Marcus (2015-07-02). "Meek Mill - Dreams Worth More Than Money | Read Hip Hop Reviews, Rap Reviews & Hip Hop Album Review". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2015-07-15.
- ^ "Meek Mill: Dreams Worth More Than Money Album Review - Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
- ^ "Meek Mill Dreams Worth More Than Money Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
- ^ Rys, Dan (July 6, 2015). "Meek Mill Is In Top Form On Dreams Worth More More Than Money". XXL. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
- ^ Hernandez, Victoria (May 23, 2018). "Meek Mill Wins Top Rap Album At 2016 Billboard Music Awards". HipHopDX. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (19 July 2015). "Tyresse Scores His First No.1 Album on the Billboard 200 chart". billboard.com. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
- ^ "Top 50 Albums Chart". hitsdailydouble. HITS Digital Ventures. December 18, 2015. Archived from the original on December 19, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2015.
- ^ "Song Search :: SESAC". SESAC. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
- ^ "Best Buy exclusive edition information". Bestbuy.com. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
- ^ "ACE Repertory". ASCAP. Retrieved August 14, 2017.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Meek Mill – Dreams Worth More Than Money". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Meek Mill – Dreams Worth More Than Money" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Meek Mill – Dreams Worth More Than Money" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- ^ "Meek Mill Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Meek Mill – Dreams Worth More Than Money" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Meek Mill – Dreams Worth More Than Money". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Meek Mill – Dreams Worth More Than Money". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Meek Mill – Dreams Worth More Than Money". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
- ^ "Meek Mill | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
- ^ "Meek Mill Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
- ^ "Meek Mill Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
- ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums Year End 2015". Billboard. December 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
- ^ "Digital Albums Year End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
- ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
- ^ "Rap Albums Year End 2015". Billboard. December 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
- ^ "American album certifications – Meek Mill – Dreams Worth More Than Money". Recording Industry Association of America.