watch throne watch throne collaborative studio album american rappers jay-z kanye_west released august album jay-z west collaborated respective singles west producer jay-z work longtime friends originally sought record song project eventually evolved length album recording sessions took place locations began november album produced west keys expanding dense production style west album beautiful dark twisted fantasy watch throne incorporates orchestral progressive rock influences unconventional samples dramatic melodies sound jay-z west lyrics exhibit themes fame power success political context album expresses topics jay-z thoughts west reflection deemed social villain legacy performers music writers interpreted subject matter concern rappers plight african americans struggling financial success america album produced seven singles including lift church wild billboard hot paris received music videos jay-z west promoted album spanned october june highest grossing hip hop concert tour history watch throne debuted number billboard chart selling copies week critics found album lyrical content production rappers performances highly praised critics publications placed album year end best lists earned jay-z west seven nominations album certified platinum background jay-z kanye_west worked song life jay-z album dynasty produced west jay-z album blueprint showcased west distinctive style hip hop production time west early production work jay-z music helped raise profile music industry originally viewed producer west eventually seen viable rapper producer thanks success debut album college singles west continued jay-z main producers subsequent albums black album kingdom come jay-z appeared albums frequently collaborated collaborative work included singles like rapper paper trail run town jay-z blueprint monster west promotional stages west remix song power surfaced featuring west announced twitter intention drop track jay-z titled watch throne according rapper track monster intended failed surface later revealed west project expanded length album october interview mtv said interview planned record south france recording recording sessions album took place honolulu hawaii sydney australia new_york new_york paris france wiltshire england production began november england continued available times jay-z west schedules locations australia paris new_york_city los_angeles interview billboard jay-z said recorded hotel rooms album went west scaled original musical direction noted difficulties recording process including arguments west direction following release lead single january jay-z stated stellar reception caused change production album jay-z announced unlikely track ultimately album issues beginning production caused delay release interview rolling_stone jay-z discussed insistence recording person attributed delay releasing album stating gon gon album earlier sessions produced little material final cut west brought majority usual production crew project crew assisted creation main exceptions producer felt artists weren pushing forward music interview complex commented project going sell big guys important push forward push intelligence forward creative manner advice acknowledged degree ultimately little finished project january rented block rooms new_york_city invited select group producers recording artists hit boy produced track paris said recording hotel music going room room beats main room jay play beats hands come beat like slow sound times better jay different flows beat parts album recorded new_york_city recording artist producer confirmed involvement recording watch throne producer keys reportedly played beats west jay eventually finished album worked west previous album credited producer track new day watch throne mastered producer engineer jay-z west worked guest recording artists including beyoncé hudson church wild song recorded album conceived jay-z west song producer keys june producer recording artist sings verse track song features singer released debut nostalgia ultra early critical acclaim release interested jay-z west jay-z wife beyoncé recommended involvement singer particular appears church wild america ocean admitted jay-z intentionally intimidated recording sessions declared enjoyment working ocean project rarely ones absolutely like didn think thing mind working artists held high esteem years worked jay solo album watch throne sessions second time went jay beyoncé couple people pretty heavy room lift recorded sydney australia early rumors arose lift feature recorded vocals reported song released lead single album mars appeared song sang lines chorus instead additional vocalists uncle provide hook bitch produced welcome jungle provided background vocals track contributed additional vocals joy alive bonus tracks album deluxe edition tracks recorded didn cut album living italian apparently sampled con described catchy unknown reasons song album jay-z released twelfth studio album interview revealed songs album initially recorded watch throne song oceans features song holy went feature justin_timberlake contribution track anticipated time duo collaborated comeback single murder experience experience respectively west jay-z argued days having included west eventually relented duo recorded church wild america interview jay-z said lyrics holy recorded oceans played records jay explained like watch throne spent days arguing records explaining wasn right project idea making album called holy came music boston_globe writes album music massive unconventional west previous album music writer robert_christgau describes west production ornate variant rap acclaimed music journalist characterizes music vast dark commenting west continues sonic vein introduced songs rock dynamics beats eerie vocal conversely slant_magazine finds west dramatic sophisticated tracks away scale previous album commercial vein jay-z recent work attributes west splitting production work producers songs structure cole states track standard verse hook repeat format favor dynamic material music journalist alexis_petridis comments album incorporates unlikely samples jon new_york_times writes production roughly categories noting southern tracks paris moody harsh numbers like gon stop love nostalgia album giving sonic line mission statement pitchfork_media pure orchestral excess songs describes album musical scope tribute west distinctive taste sense style interlude appears church wild new day welcome jungle alive deluxe edition samples song italian jazz rock fusion band lyrics album features themes fame power success jay-z west lyrics include boasts wealth social commentary sputnikmusic tyler fisher describes watch throne album centered larger life robert_christgau notes glory primary themes album andy_kellman allmusic characterizes album lyrical content ruthless material wealth industry resources describes luxury rap noting jay-z west spin views lyrics express relentless capitalism greatness music critic greg_kot views album mutual admiration writes rappers respective jay flow gritty past life streets current status cultural business west desperate transparent awkward vulnerable music critic states jay-z west study contrasts businessman bohemian faithful husband playboy walking press release loose cannon jay-z rough edges jon writes similarly breaking old barriers means acceptance stability jay-z west sounds lonely fame adding west flash extreme tempered realization article like barnes noble robert_christgau comments jay grown man kanye_west album lyrics stating kings arrogance standards genre main event shy pretending line succession paved gold venture maybe watch throne way purposes king plays hero equally royal hip hop lyrics exhibit political context denotes sober new_york views album relationship black american men wealth power success portrait black men thinking idea success america compares piece diary victorian artist pleasures time los_angeles_times notes chaos accompanies adding tension spirit celebrating bounty drives watch throne record questions faith heritage family places moment historical context wonders mystery power confusion life rolling writer interprets black power conceived achievement line men previous works routinely double shopping guides hey need conspicuous consumption time views rappers celebration finer things life secondary theme men means successful black nation thinks second class songs opening track church wild features cinematic production style singers lend voices album grim opener sets mood guitar sample rock centric rolling production rappers muse familiar themes loyalty sexuality maternal solidarity pop oriented lift features baroque strings chorus sung accompanied synthesizers song contains horns martial drums sings gon moon stars paris incorporates orchestration industrial noise topping menacing beat synthesizer notes track features unusual sampling dialogue film blades glory notably gon song song line west jay-z lyrics frame story song samples song try little manipulating rhythm track vocals sample way reminiscent past productions like tracks found album college vocals thoroughly voice serves mere melodic riff track rappers promptly rapping fashion got produced incorporates vocal samples eastern flute melodies song contains haunting backing vocals accompanying rappers trading verses vocal riff playing like track features vocal aggressive bass backing trading lines making references chris song racks contemporary rap trends new day address future sons fame references line connect song incarcerated produced track incorporates sample song feeling good auto tune voice rappers discuss fathers track flowing smoothly mellow lightly psychedelic synthesizer tones appear bitch hooks quick melodic beat west lyrically welcome jungle jay-z personal losses overcoming struggles sharing roses track jay describes black rose heavy production gon stop features production samples song stop reinforced heavy synthesizer tone shifts song utilizes experimental bass driven dub step influenced style composition west rapping lines like like holocaust murder excellence addresses black black crime limited social mobility african americans midway song beat switches black black violence half jay-z delivering equally comments black excellence choir heavy second half sample heard song minutes length complete murder excellence longest track album america themes family life jay-z west discussing respective rises fame acknowledging helped inspired song described understated soft pop track influence michael_jackson charity single world ocean hook pays tribute jesus album tracks jay-z drug dealing past lines like apple pie supplied west verse describing conflict fame love jay-z betrayal past failed maintain track contains beat built french house duo single west production continues sonic vein introduced song rock dynamics beat eerie vocal style progressive rock songs release promotion watch throne released jay-z west respective record labels july available pre order jay-z lifestyle website featured deluxe version available standard deluxe digital version standard digital album july pre order available itunes store internationally album released digitally august exclusively itunes physical release available august deluxe edition sold exclusively best buy august available retailers sales strategy received criticism retailers accused labels giving treatment itunes anticipated releases watch throne major label albums internet age avoid leak july jay-z hosted private listening session new_york_city album songs pro select group reporters music journalists exclusive teenage fans won access session people pre order album website album cover artwork designed italian designer premiered session attended session said previewed material songs dramatic jay-z taking lead lyrically collection showcased differences artists technical chest august jay-z west held listening session album rose center earth space new_york_city session premiered album entirety featured attendance journalists models industry types recording artists keys beyoncé jay-z west promoted watch throne date north american concert tour produced began october concluded december end tour grossed million making highest grossing hip hop tour eighth highest grossing tour conclusion tour highest grossing concert tour hip hop act singles watch throne spawned seven official singles varying degrees success following west announcement twitter account officially released digital download january lead single charted number billboard hot july second single premiered hot radio subsequently leaked internet sent rhythmic contemporary urban contemporary radio august cover art created reached number hot music video song filmed director los_angeles single lift sent urban radio august year track peaked bubbling hot singles position album fourth fifth singles released simultaneously september love sent rhythmic radio paris sent rhythmic urban radio love served european centric single paris promoted domestic single paris peaked number hot paris sent mainstream radio november february reached digital sales million song promoted music video directed west featuring concert footage sixth single got impacted urban radio december rhythmic radio january seventh final single church wild impacted urban radio march directed music video church featured featured performers got peaked position hot church wild peaking released single gon stop peaked chart critical reception watch throne received generally positive reviews music critics metacritic assigns weighted mean rating reviews mainstream critics album received average score based reviews wrote broke jay-z push outside comfort zone realm intense emotional reflection pitchfork_media felt works best jay talking great adding album obvious guiding force displays levels time called beautifully album hip hop finest artists men lot things lot money spend daily_telegraph praised west attention detail found wit entirely suited epic scale productions observer stated find sort branded best rappers laugh los_angeles_times found production despite relative lack structural variety songs called album fiery smart problematic collaboration showcases pair distinct lyrical skills boston_globe observed embraced project slant_magazine praised west powerhouse production called album requires tolerate artists self awkward attempts experimentation despite noting lack thematic consistency popmatters commended entire album framework added succeeds giving sides artists social consciousness nearly equal measure allmusic editor andy_kellman called spectacle tremendous lyrical depth mixed review independent found rapping pretty mediocre stated leaves tracks chicago_tribune writer greg_kot criticized jay-z west self regard writing urge listeners watch throne gaze awe good fortune rolling_stone felt record ambitious bold shame music greatest don extend gaze lives spin commented fame wealth greatness called album glorious exquisite jon new york times wrote totally ideas album phenomenal moments doesn add phenomenal album new_yorker stated album healthy doesn classic coherent work entertaining document wildly creative particularly wound friends accolades watch throne ranked albums year end lists music critics publications ranked album number list albums rolling_stone named second best album year end list commenting crash burn turned fun record dog age cinematic church wild soul update throne kanye_west talent beats pop time ranked number albums list called beautifully album washington_post ranked number list stated instead embarrassment pop intriguing partnership delivered self adventurous remind rap percent second ranked number year end list commenting watch throne tension live wire energy rule breaking abandon jay-z innate album moment point presence tracks substance endure placed watch throne number list albums pitchfork_media placed album number list complex named album classic albums decade january album placed number billboard list best albums 2010s far watch throne nominated grammy awards best rap album presented 54th grammy awards lost award west took home awards nominated song nominated best rap performance winning lost award west twisted fantasy single lights 55th grammy awards album received additional nominations song paris winning awards best rap performance church wild winning commercial performance album debuted number billboard chart week sales copies united_states serves jay-z 12th number album west fifth number album debut week serves second highest debut week week digital sales downloads serve second highest week sales tally digital history watch throne biggest week digital tally rap album broke united states itunes store week sales record sold nearly downloads week retailer reached number charts album remained number billboard sold copies second week sold copies week fourth week album sold copies september watch throne certified platinum recording_industry_association_of_america riaa shipments million copies july sold copies according nielsen_soundscan canada debuted number canadian albums_chart selling copies week second week remained number chart sold copies addition watch throne peaked number australian urban albums_chart norwegian albums_chart swiss albums chart albums_chart september album shipped copies australia album peaked number australian albums_chart german albums_chart danish albums chart number scottish albums chart albums_chart debuted belgian albums chart dutch albums_chart french albums_chart new zealand albums chart track listing signifies producer signifies additional producer signifies additional vocal producer sample credits church wild contains samples scope performed sunshine help performed don tell lie won tell truth performed paris contains samples recording scene dialogue film blades glory contains samples try little performed don tell lie won tell truth performed performed audio got contains samples don tell lie won tell truth people drive funky soul performed new day contains samples feeling good performed bitch contains samples involved performed performed gon stop contains samples stop performed murder excellence contains samples performed performed love contains samples love performed primetime contains samples action performed joy contains samples live performed different strokes performed interlude track found church wild new day welcome jungle alive contains samples performed additional notes lift features additional vocals seal hudson got features additional vocals bitch features additional vocals welcome jungle features additional vocals gon stop features additional vocals hudson murder excellence features additional vocals alive features additional vocals features additional vocals joy features additional vocals personnel credits watch throne adapted liner notes charts certifications release history
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