John Legend marks a chart-topping milestone
LEGEND. A No. 1 single to call his own—finally.
After 10 years, John Legend finally has a No. 1 single to call his own. We weren’t really surprised when “All of Me,” his dexterously rendered and lyrically moving third single from his fourth solo album, “Love in the Future,” eventually reached the peak of Billboard’s Hot 100—even if it took its time to get there: It was in second place for six weeks before it finally seized the top spot away from Pharrell Williams’ overachieving “Happy.”
The tune is by no means the only song in the repertoire’s sturdy lineup that captures the heady exhilaration of falling in love. But, like his simple but soulful Grammy-winning love song, “Ordinary People” (from his debut album, “Get Lifted”), it has lyrics that are hum-worthy and easy on the ears: “My head’s under water, but I’m breathing fine/ All of me loves all of you/ Love your curves and all your edges/ All your perfect imperfections.”
Legend is gifted with an inherently soulful voice, but what sets his collection apart is his refusal to get stuck in schmaltz—even as he ceaselessly sings about romantic bliss: In “Made to Love,” notice the dramatic mood he sets (with Kimbra vocalizing in the background) as he shares his thoughts on serendipity. Then, he “trips the night fantastic” with the slinky hooks of the carrier track, “Who Do We Think We Are?,” his hip duet with Rick Ross.
As the 35-year-old performer explains in the song, love is a risk worth taking—just like songwriting: “It’s about not being afraid to take risks,” he told Billboard. “But, it’s also about enjoying and luxuriating in your pursuits!”
The singer’s musical innovations occasionally go off-kilter (like the strange “Asylum”)—but, for the most part, with the help of executive producers, Kanye West and Dave Tozer, he gets it right in self-penned romantic missives that are mostly dedicated to his wife, model Chrissy Teigen, for whom he wrote “All of Me.”
In “Wanna Be Loved” and “Dreams” (cowritten with Joe Jonas), John renders the sensual quality of their lyrics without the in-your-face salaciousness of his Social 50 chart-hooking collaborations with hip-hop and rap artists.
Legend’s trendy covers fascinate with the way he makes them his own: He gives Bobby Caldwell’s groovesome hit tune, “Open Your Eyes,” a raspier edge, then jazzes up Anita Baker’s “Angel” in a short but striking duet with the sassy Stacy Barthe.
PHILLIPS. Uniquely expressive voice and effusive energy.
Phillip Phillips
For his part, Phillip Phillips’ sophomore effort, “Behind The Light”—which debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 recently—may not have instant charmers like “Home” and “Gone, Gone, Gone,” but the hefty lineup has huge hooks (the radio-friendly “Raging Fire,” “Midnight Sun”), sexy riffs (“Face”) and robust arrangements (“Unpack Your Heart,” “Fly,” “Thicket”) that make the singer-songwriter’s self-penned tunes instantly appealing.
“The new tracks are darker and more mature—and I’m glad I got to spend more time to work on them. The album shows off more of my rock side—which is how I play my songs when I perform them live,” shares the 23-year-old singer.
His lyrics are sometimes too cryptic or awkwardly phrased to be truly memorable, but the former “American Idol” winner is such a compelling performer that he always manages to bring out his compositions’ exciting emotional and musical ebbs and flows.
So, even when his narrative strands don’t always add up, he can always rely on his uniquely expressive voice and effusive energy to see him through!
