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Timeless (Meghan Trainor album)

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Timeless
A woman with waist-length bleached hair in tight-fitting blue and black crossing her legs and hands above her head, with a white circle cut out of the blue behind her
Studio album by
Meghan Trainor
ReleasedJune 7, 2024
Genre
Length44:20
LabelEpic
Producer
Meghan Trainor chronology
Takin' It Back
(2022) 		Timeless
(2024)
Singles from Timeless
  1. "Been Like This"
    Released: March 14, 2024
  2. "To the Moon"
    Released: May 3, 2024

Timeless is the sixth major-label studio album by American singer-songwriter Meghan Trainor. Epic Records released the album on June 7, 2024. Trainor worked with producers including Federico Vindver, Gian Stone, Grant Boutin, and Jason Evigan. Featured artists include T-Pain, Lawrence, and Niecy Nash. It is a doo-wop and bubblegum pop album with club beats and influences of R&B. Timeless has a message of self-empowerment and positive self-talk, inspired by Trainor's family, motherhood, and experiences in the music industry.

Trainor has promoted Timeless with public appearances and televised performances on programs such as Today and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. After the album's release, she will embark on her first concert tour in over seven years, The Timeless Tour (2024). The album has been supported by two singles, "Been Like This", a collaboration with T-Pain, and "To the Moon". Riff's Mike DeWald believed it offered a new perspective and refreshing sound while combining different genres.

Background

Meghan Trainor's popularity declined in the lead-up to the release of her third major-label studio album, Treat Myself (2020), which received limited live promotion due to the COVID-19 lockdowns.[1] After her 2014 song "Title" attained viral popularity on video-sharing service TikTok in 2021, she announced her intention to return to its parent album's doo-wop sound on her fifth major-label studio album.[2] TikTok was highly influential on Trainor's creative process, and she began writing material that would resonate with audiences on it.[3] She gained popularity on it while regularly sharing clips and other content with influencer Chris Olsen.[4][5] Takin' It Back (2022) included the single "Made You Look", which went viral on TikTok.[6][7] It became Trainor's first song since 2016 to enter the top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100[8] and reached the top 10 in several other countries.[9][10][11]

Recording and production

T-Pain in an orange coat, wearing a gold chain and aviators
T-Pain (pictured in 2019) appears on two songs on Timeless.

Trainor hosted producer Gian Stone in an episode of her podcast Workin' on It in March 2023, during which she announced that she had one more album left in her contract with Epic Records. She was considering recording country songs for it at the time.[12] Producers of Timeless include Federico Vindver, Stone, Grant Boutin, Trainor's brother Justin, and Jason Evigan.[13] Both Vindver and Stone had served as producers on Takin' It Back, and the former produced three tracks for Trainor's Christmas album A Very Trainor Christmas (2020).[14][15]

Trainor had been a fan of T-Pain for years,[16] having previously cited him as an inspiration in a 2014 interview.[17] Reciprocating this, he began seeking out the help of her husband, Daryl Sabara, and her manager, to bring about a meeting in 2023.[16] T-Pain surprised Trainor at her 30th birthday celebration, where they ate pizza and played each other unreleased music.[18] Subsequently, he appeared on two songs on Timeless.[13] After Trainor had written many self-confidence songs for the album, she ran out of inspiration. Her manager sent her a speech by Niecy Nash, which inspired one of the final tracks conceived for it, and she appeared as a feature on it.[19]

Trainor chose Timeless as the album title due to her wanting to live forever for her children: "Instead of living in this fear [of death] that I have every morning and day and night, I want to live. Like, 'Wow. We're so lucky, we're here. We have all this time together.'"[19] She believed the album was her "best stuff yet", consisting of "a lot of self-help pop bangers" and "some really soulful songs".[20] In a statement, Trainor said of it: "I cannot believe it has been 10 years since this all started. I have never been more grateful for this life that my incredible Megatronz have gifted me with. This new album and tour are all for them and my beautiful family."[21]

Composition

Overview

The standard edition of Timeless contains 16 tracks;[22] on physical editions, the track "Bite Me" is exclusive to the Target version.[23] The album's sound is "firmly rooted in pop" according to Riff's Mike DeWald, but "nods to doo-wop and classic vocal standards" are found throughout it.[24] John Meagher of Irish Independent believed that it combines various genres, including doo-wop and bubblegum pop, and the Official Charts Company's George Griffiths thought it mixes a doo-wop aesthetic with "energetic" club beats and R&B.[25][20] Lyrically, Timeless has a message of self-empowerment and positive self-talk found in Trainor's earlier music, inspired by her family, motherhood, and experiences in the music industry.[24][19]

Songs

"Whoops"
Timeless combines various different genres, including doo-wop and bubblegum pop. "Whoops" is a pop-doo-wop song with influences of R&B.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

The opening track, "To the Moon", incorporates brass instrumentation, a compact groove, and club beats with space-themed lyrics inspired by Trainor's son's love of space and rocket ships.[24][20][19] "Been Like This", a collaboration with T-Pain, begins with a jazz-influenced intro and transitions into a trumpet melody,[21] combining doo-wop with contemporary influences and Charleston.[26][27] According to DeWald, "Crowded Room" has the same "brassy sway" as Trainor's 2014 single "All About That Bass", but its harmonized vocals are distinct and "more quiet and intimate".[24] The fourth track, "Whoops", is a pop-doo-wop break-up song with influences of R&B, on which Trainor quaintly addresses an ex-partner and derides the woman who he cheated on her with.[24][20][28]

"Crushin'" is a pop song with a covert rhythm and many vocals, which features American band Lawrence and lyrically details how the narrator has a crush on themself.[24][13] "I Wanna Thank Me" samples Nash's acceptance speech at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, where she thanked herself, incorporating background vocals from her wife and daughter.[19] The seventh track, "Love On Hold", features Auto-Tuned vocals from T-Pain over a more modern production than "Been Like This".[24] Trainor wrote "Forget How to Love" with her brothers a week after having a caesarean section, addressing the increase in online hate.[20] The ninth track, "Rollin'", has Brill Building production which incorporates strings, bass, and brass instrumentation; in its feminist lyrics influenced by her experiences in the music industry, Trainor declares: "This one is for the girls out there with opinions."[24][19]

"I Don't Do Maybe" has a rhythm influenced by Cuban music and sees her confront a love interest who refuses to commit and demand full commitment from him. Trainor declares that she understands how overwhelmed the subject feels upon falling in love with her and asks him to not be "afraid of gettin' deeper" on "I Get It". On the 12th track, "Sleepin' on Me", she addresses people who have been ignoring her and asks them to not insult her. "Hate It Here" is about having a bad time somewhere and wanting to leave and have a sexual encounter instead. "Bestie" has a simplistic production and is about friendships. "Doin' It All for You" is a 1980s synth-pop song about doing things to satisfy a lover.[24][13] Timeless closes with the title track, a rhythmic ballad about Trainor's death anxiety.[24][19] The Target edition includes the additional track "Bite Me".[23]

Release and promotion

See also: The Timeless Tour

Trainor and T-Pain released "Been Like This" as the lead single from Timeless on March 14, 2024.[29] The same day, she announced the album, titled Timeless, would be released on June 14, 2024, and shared its official artwork on social media.[21] "Been Like This" was sent for radio airplay in Italy on March 22 and charted at number 40 in the UK and number 51 in Ireland.[30][31][32] The second single, "To the Moon" was released on May 3, 2024,[33] accompanied by a music video which featured appearances by Sabara, their son, Nash, and influencers Olsen and Brookie and Jessie. Trainor performed the songs during the 22nd season of American Idol on May 5.[34][35]

Epic Records released the album on June 7, 2024.[22] The same day, Trainor performed "Whoops" and a medley of "Been Like This" and "To the Moon" on Today.[36] In an episode of Workin' on It, she stated that her team would not be promoting any further singles to radio stations unless they attained viral popularity on TikTok first.[37] A music video for "Whoops" was released on June 10.[28] The following day, Trainor reprised the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[38] Timeless will be supported by her first headlining concert tour in over seven years, The Timeless Tour, which will begin in Cincinnati in September 2024 and conclude in Inglewood, California, in October 2024. Natasha Bedingfield, Olsen, Paul Russell, and Trainor's brother Ryan will serve as special guests.[39][16]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Riff7/10[24]

DeWald gave Timeless a score of seven out of ten. He believed that though Trainor has always combined different genres in her music, Timeless offers her "fresh perspective" after becoming a mother and "the synthesis feels like it's deeper this time around". DeWald added: "Timeless always feels fresh. While Trainor's style is well-defined, these songs never get stale. Each one brings something unique to the table".[24]

Track listing

Timeless – Standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."To the Moon"
  • Vindver
  • M. Trainor[v]
2:29
2."Been Like This" (with T-Pain)
2:25
3."Crowded Room"
2:24
4."Whoops"
  • Boutin
  • M. Trainor[v]
2:28
5."Crushin'" (featuring Lawrence)
2:03
6."I Wanna Thank Me" (featuring Niecy Nash)
2:23
7."Love On Hold" (featuring T-Pain)
  • M. Trainor
  • Najm
  • Boutin
  • R. Trainor
  • Justin Trainor
2:57
8."Forget How to Love"
3:18
9."Rollin'"
  • M. Trainor
  • Vindver
  • Hindlin
2:46
10."I Don't Do Maybe"
  • J. Evigan
  • Stone
  • M. Trainor[a][v]
2:30
11."I Get It"
  • M. Trainor
  • Hindlin
  • Vindver
3:05
12."Sleepin' on Me"
3:02
13."Hate It Here"
  • M. Trainor
  • J. Trainor
  • Stone
  • Steph Jones
  • J. Trainor
  • Stone
  • M. Trainor[a][v]
2:46
14."Bestie"
  • M. Trainor
  • Stone
  • Boutin
  • Douglas
3:11
15."Doin' It All for You"
  • J. Trainor
  • Boutin
  • M. Trainor[a][v]
3:20
16."Timeless"
  • M. Trainor
  • Vindver
  • Stone
  • Douglas
3:13
Total length:44:20
Timeless – Target edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
17."Bite Me"
  • M. Trainor
  • Vindver
  • Douglas
  • Vindver
  • J. Trainor[a]
  • M. Trainor[v]
2:51
Total length:47:11

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies an additional producer
  • ^[v] signifies a vocal producer

Personnel

Musicians

  • Meghan Trainor – lead vocals, background vocals (all tracks); percussion (track 7)
  • Federico Vindver – programming (tracks 1, 3, 6, 9, 11, 16, 17), keyboards (1, 3, 6, 9, 11), electric guitar (3, 11), guitar (17), Mellotron (3), piano (6, 11, 16), drums (6, 17)
  • Gian Stone – programming (tracks 2, 4, 10, 13, 16), background vocals (2, 4, 10, 13), keyboards (10, 12), electric guitar (10, 14), percussion (10)
  • Grant Boutin – programming (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 12, 14, 15), background vocals (2, 4, 7, 12, 15), keyboards (4, 12, 14); electric guitar, percussion (7)
  • T-Pain – lead vocals, background vocals (tracks 2, 7)
  • Kurt Thum – programming (track 2)
  • Jesse McGinty – trumpet (tracks 3, 6, 9–11, 16, 17), tuba (3, 6, 9, 11), trombone (3, 9–11, 16, 17), tenor saxophone (6, 9, 11, 16, 17), baritone saxophone (6, 11, 16, 17), euphonium (6), flugelhorn (9), saxophone (10, 16)
  • Sean Douglas – background vocals (track 4), keyboards (5)
  • Clyde Lawrence – background vocals, bass, organ, piano (track 5)
  • Gracie Lawrence – lead vocals, background vocals (track 5)
  • Jonny Koh – guitar (track 5)
  • Jordan Cohen – saxophone, trumpet (track 5)
  • Dia La Ren Nash – background vocals (track 6)
  • Jessica Betts – background vocals (6)
  • Niecy Nash – lead vocals, background vocals (track 6)
  • Justin Trainor – background vocals (tracks 7, 8, 12, 13, 15), programming (13, 15, 17)
  • Daryl Sabara – background vocals (tracks 7, 8, 13, 15)
  • Ryan Trainor – background vocals (tracks 7, 8, 15)
  • Scott Hoying – background vocals (tracks 8, 16)
  • Jason Evigan – background vocals (track 10)
  • Parris Fleming – trumpet (track 10)
  • Guillermo Vadalá – bass (tracks 11, 16)
  • Davide Rossi – cello, viola, violin (tracks 11, 17)
  • Scott Harris – electric guitar (track 12)
  • Steph Jones – background vocals (track 13)
  • Chris Gelbuda – background vocals, electric guitar (track 15)
  • Karl Feher – drums (track 16)

Technical

  • Randy Merrill – mastering
  • Tom Norris – mixing (tracks 1–9, 11–16)
  • Jeremie Inhaber – mixing (track 10)
  • Justin Trainor – engineering (tracks 1–3, 5–16)
  • Federico Vindver – engineering (tracks 1, 3, 6, 9, 11), arrangement (1)
  • T-Pain – engineering (tracks 2, 7)
  • Brian Starley – engineering (tracks 3, 6, 9, 11)
  • Gian Stone – engineering (track 4)
  • Grant Boutin – engineering (track 4)
  • Meghan Trainor – vocal arrangement (track 8)
  • Scott Hoying – vocal arrangement (track 8)

Release history

Release dates and format(s) for Timeless
Region Date Format(s) Label Edition Ref.
Various June 7, 2024
Epic Original [22][40]
CD Target [23]

References

  1. ^ Maheshwari, Sapna (June 24, 2023). "TikTok Is Our DJ Now. It's Playing a Lot of Meghan Trainor". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 24, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
  2. ^ Jones, Brian (May 12, 2022). "Meghan Trainor Reveals How She's Taking It Back for Upcoming Album". PopCulture.com. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  3. ^ Lee, Tionah (November 20, 2022). "Meghan Trainor Shares Advice for New Moms and Talks 'Made You Look' Success". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original on November 21, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  4. ^ Spanos, Brittany (December 20, 2022). "How Chris Olsen Became the Music World's Favorite TikTok Personality". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 20, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  5. ^ Mier, Tomás (October 23, 2022). "How Meghan Trainor Mastered TikTok and Returned to Her Roots on Her New Album". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 23, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  6. ^ Lipshutz, Jason (November 2, 2022). "Trending Up: Rihanna and Meghan Trainor Make Two Very Different Pop Comebacks". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 12, 2022. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  7. ^ Wert, Nicole (November 10, 2022). "Meghan Trainor 'Forces' Her Brother to Do TikTok Trend to Her Song". Parade. Archived from the original on November 26, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2022.
  8. ^ "Meghan Trainor Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  9. ^ Griffiths, George (November 6, 2022). "Taylor Swift on Track for Third Week at Number 1 with 'Anti-Hero'". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on November 22, 2022. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  10. ^ "Meghan Trainor – Made You Look". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  11. ^ "Meghan Trainor – Made You Look". Top 40 Singles. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  12. ^ Trainor, Meghan (March 29, 2023). Workin' on It Ft. Gian Stone. Event occurs at 3:19. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2023 – via YouTube.
  13. ^ a b c d Epic Records (2024). Timeless (Media notes). Meghan Trainor.
  14. ^ Epic Records (2022). Takin' It Back (Media notes). Meghan Trainor.
  15. ^ Epic Records (2020). A Very Trainor Christmas (Media notes). Meghan Trainor.
  16. ^ a b c Irvin, Jack (March 14, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Announces New Album Timeless and Tour with Natasha Bedingfield, Chris Olsen and More". People. Archived from the original on March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  17. ^ Lambe, Stacy (September 10, 2014). "Meghan Trainor Is 'All About that Bass,' T-Pain & Drunk Texting". Out. Archived from the original on December 16, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  18. ^ Florsheim, Lane (June 10, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Swears by 'His and Hers' Toilets". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on June 11, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g Sherman, Maria (June 5, 2024). "A Decade After 'All About That Bass,' Meghan Trainor Aims to Make Her Feel-good Songs Timeless". ABC News. Archived from the original on June 9, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  20. ^ a b c d e Griffiths, George (June 7, 2024). "The Official Chat with Meghan Trainor: "I'm Happy to Be the 'All About That Bass' Girl at 70"". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on June 8, 2024. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  21. ^ a b c Dailey, Hannah (March 14, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Announces New Album Timeless & North American Tour". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  22. ^ a b c "Timeless — Album by Meghan Trainor". Apple Music (US). Archived from the original on March 17, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  23. ^ a b c "Meghan Trainor — Timeless (Target Exclusive, CD)". Target Corporation. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l DeWald, Mike (June 6, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Turns Back the Clock on Timeless". Riff. Archived from the original on June 7, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  25. ^ Meagher, John (June 6, 2024). "Meghan Trainor: 'I Compare Myself to Other People Online All the Time… I Want to Protect My Kids From All That'". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on June 6, 2024. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  26. ^ Rossignol, Derrick (March 14, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Launches Her Upcoming Album Timeless with the T-Pain Collab 'Been Like This'". Uproxx. Archived from the original on March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  27. ^ Potton, Ed (June 3, 2024). "Meghan Trainor: 'Is Everyone Getting Meaner or Just Louder?'". The Times. Archived from the original on June 7, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  28. ^ a b Mier, Tomás (June 10, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Drags a Dummy Who Fumbled the Bag in 'Whoops' Video". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  29. ^ "Meghan Trainor on Instagram". Instagram. Archived from the original on April 25, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
  30. ^ Micaletto, Ylenia. "Meghan Trainor 'Been Like This'" (Press release) (in Italian). Radio Airplay SRL. Archived from the original on April 13, 2024. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  31. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 11, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  32. ^ "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  33. ^ "Meghan Trainor on Instagram". Instagram. Archived from the original on April 26, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  34. ^ Whidden, Samantha (May 5, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Takes the American Idol Stage to Perform 'Been Like This' & 'To the Moon'". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on June 6, 2024. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  35. ^ Zemler, Emily (May 8, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Blasts Off in 'To the Moon' Music Video". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  36. ^ Martin, Annie (June 7, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Releases Timeless Album, Performs on Today". United Press International. Archived from the original on June 8, 2024. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  37. ^ Trainor, Meghan (May 30, 2024). Workin' on Los Angeles Friends. Event occurs at 15:01. Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved June 11, 2024 – via YouTube.
  38. ^ Zemler, Emily (June 12, 2024). "Watch Meghan Trainor Showcase Pop Single 'Whoops' on Fallon". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 12, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
  39. ^ Mier, Tomás (March 14, 2024). "Meghan Trainor Announces Timeless Album and First Tour in 7 Years". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  40. ^ "Timeless — Meghan Trainor". Meghan Trainor. Archived from the original on March 13, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
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