Jump to content

Watch the Throne

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Watch the Throne
An image of a highly embellished gold square. It is completely symmetrical with abstract carvings. Only the center of the image has no carving
Studio album by
Jay-Z and Kanye West
ReleasedAugust 8, 2011 (2011-08-08)
Recorded
  • July 2010[a]
  • November 2010 – July 2011
Genre
Length46:12
Label
Producer
Jay-Z chronology
The Hits Collection, Volume One
(2010) 		Watch the Throne
(2011) 		Live in Brooklyn
(2012)
Kanye West chronology
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
(2010) 		Watch the Throne
(2011) 		Cruel Summer
(2012)
Singles from Watch the Throne
  1. "H•A•M"
    Released: January 11, 2011
  2. "Otis"
    Released: July 20, 2011
  3. "Lift Off"
    Released: August 23, 2011
  4. "Niggas in Paris"
    Released: September 13, 2011
  5. "Why I Love You"
    Released: September 13, 2011
  6. "Gotta Have It"
    Released: December 6, 2011
  7. "No Church in the Wild"
    Released: March 20, 2012

Watch the Throne is a collaborative studio album by American rappers Jay-Z and Kanye West, collectively known as The Throne.[2] It was released on August 8, 2011, by Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings. Prior to its release, Jay-Z and West had collaborated on various singles, and with the latter as a producer on the former's work. They originally sought to record a five-song collaborative extended play, which evolved into a full-length album. The album features guest appearances from Frank Ocean, The-Dream, Beyoncé and Mr Hudson. It also features vocal contributions from Kid Cudi, Seal, Justin Vernon, Elly Jackson, Connie Mitchell, Charlie Wilson, and Pete Rock, among others; samples of vocals by soul musicians Otis Redding and Curtis Mayfield are both credited as guest features on the album.

Recording sessions took place at various locations and began in November 2010, with production led by West and a variety of high-profile producers, including Mike Dean, Swizz Beatz, Pete Rock, RZA, Jeff Bhasker, The Neptunes, and Q-Tip. Expanding on the dense production style of West's fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), Watch the Throne incorporates orchestral and progressive rock influences, unconventional samples, and dramatic melodies in its sound. The braggadocious lyrics exhibit themes of excellence, opulence, decadence, fame, materialism, power, and the burdens of success, as well as political and socioeconomic critique.[3] The album also expresses other topics, such as Jay-Z's thoughts on fatherhood, West's reflection on being deemed a social villain, and their success as performers. Many writers interpreted the subject matter to concern the plight of African Americans struggling with financial success in America.

Seven singles were released for Watch the Throne, including "H•A•M", "Otis", "Lift Off", "No Church in the Wild", and the Billboard Hot 100 top five hit "Niggas in Paris", with 3 of the singles receiving music videos. Jay-Z and West embarked on the Watch the Throne Tour for promotion that spanned from October 2011 to June 2012 and became the highest-grossing hip hop concert tour in history. The album received highly positive reviews from music critics, who mostly praised the rappers' performances and the production. However, some reviewers found the lyrical content uninspiring.

Many critics and publications named Watch the Throne to their year-end best-of lists, including Rolling Stone and The Washington Post. The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 436,000 copies in the first week, and broke the iTunes first week sales record at the time. It reached the top ten in 11 other countries, including Canada and the United Kingdom. It was also certified quintuple platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in November 2020.

Background

[edit]

Jay-Z and Kanye West first worked together on the song "This Can't Be Life", from Jay-Z's 2000 album The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, produced by West,[4] then on Jay-Z's 2001 album The Blueprint, which showcased West's distinctive style of hip hop production at the time.[5] West's early production work on Jay-Z's music helped raise his profile in the music industry.[4] While originally only viewed as a producer, West eventually was seen as both a viable rapper and producer thanks to the success of his debut album The College Dropout and its singles.[6] West continued to be one of Jay-Z's main producers on subsequent albums such as The Black Album and Kingdom Come.[7][5] Jay-Z also appeared on Kanye's first two albums, and the two frequently collaborated.[5][6] Further collaborative work by the two included singles such as "Swagga Like Us" from rapper T.I.'s Paper Trail, "Run This Town" from Jay-Z's The Blueprint 3, and both "Monster" and “So Appalled” from West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.[5][8][9]

During the promotional stages of West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, a remix of the song "Power" surfaced featuring Jay-Z.[10] Following this, Kanye West announced on Twitter his intention to drop a five-track EP with Jay-Z, titled Watch the Throne.[10] Also according to the rapper, the track "Monster" was intended for the EP, though that failed to surface.[10] It was later revealed by West that the project had been expanded into a full-length album in an October 2010 interview for MTV.[11] He said in the interview that they planned to record in the south of France.[11]

In an August 2011 radio interview with WEDR, Jay-Z shared the meaning behind the album's title;

"It's just protecting the music and the culture. It's people that's in the forefront of the music. Watch the Throne, like protect it. You just watch how popular music shift, and how hip-hop basically replaced rock & roll as the youth music. The same thing can happen to hip-hop. It can be replaced by other forms of music. So it's making sure that we put the effort into making the best product so we can contend with all this other music, with dance music that's dominating the charts right now and indie music that's dominating the festivals."[12]

Recording

[edit]
Jay-Z and West recorded at various locations, including Real World Studios in Wiltshire, England.

Recording sessions for the album took place at Avex Recording Studio in Honolulu, Hawaii; Barford Estate in Sydney, Australia; Electric Lady Studios; The Mercer Hotel; MSR Studios; and Tribeca Grand Hotel in New York City; Le Meurice in Paris, France; and Real World Studios in Wiltshire, England.[13] The songs "That's My Bitch" and "The Joy" were previously recorded for My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy as early as July 2010.[1] Production began in November 2010 in England and continued during available times in Jay-Z's and West's schedules at locations in Australia, Paris, Abu Dhabi,[14] New York City, and Los Angeles.[15] In an interview for Billboard, Jay-Z said that they often recorded in hotel rooms and that the album went through three iterations, as he and West had scaled back from their original musical direction.[16] He noted difficulties in the recording process, including arguments with West regarding their direction.[16] Following the release of lead single, "H•A•M" in January 2011, Jay-Z stated that the less-than-stellar reception caused a change in the production of the album.[16] Jay-Z announced that it was unlikely that the track would ultimately make the album.[16] The issues at the beginning of production had caused a delay in the release.[15] In an interview for Rolling Stone, Jay-Z discussed their insistence on recording in person and attributed it to the delay in releasing the album, stating "If we were gonna do it, we were gonna do it together. No mailing it in".[15]

The album's earlier sessions produced a little material that has made the final cut.[14] West had brought a majority of his usual production crew onto the project, the same crew that had assisted in the creation of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. One of the main exceptions was producer No I.D., who felt that the two artists weren't pushing forward enough with the music.[17] In an interview with Complex, No I.D. commented about the project that "you're going to sell, because you're already big. But you guys are important to push this forward. Push intelligence and decadence and all of the above forward in a creative manner."[17] While his advice was acknowledged to a degree, he ultimately had very little part in the finished project.[17] In January 2011, they regrouped and rented a block of rooms at the Mercer Hotel in New York City and invited a select group of producers and recording artists.[14] Chauncey "Hit-Boy" Hollis, who produced the track "Niggas in Paris", said of recording at the hotel, "There was music going on in every room. I had a room where I was cranking out beats, and then I'd go into the main room with Jay and [Kanye] and play beats for them. Kanye is really hands-on. I would come in with a beat and he'd be like, 'Take this out, slow it down.' It would make it sound 100 times better. Jay would then mumble different flows to the beat".[14]

Parts of the album were recorded in New York City's Tribeca Grand Hotel.[18] Recording artist and producer Ryan Leslie also confirmed his involvement in the recording of Watch the Throne.[19] Producer 88-Keys reportedly played 20 of his beats to West and Jay, who only eventually used one on the finished album.[20] The Wu-Tang Clan's RZA, who had worked on West's previous album,[21] is credited as a producer on the track "New Day".[22] Watch the Throne was mastered by producer and engineer Mike Dean at the Mercer Hotel.[13]

Singer Frank Ocean appears on "No Church in the Wild" and "Made in America". Ocean was brought onto the project per the reception of his prior musical ventures.

Jay-Z and West worked with several guest recording artists, including Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, and Mr Hudson.[23] "No Church in the Wild", the last song recorded for the album, was conceived by Jay-Z, West, and the song's producer 88-Keys throughout most of June.[20] Producer and recording artist The-Dream sings a verse on the track using AutoTune.[13] The song features R&B singer Frank Ocean, who released his debut mixtape nostalgia,ULTRA in early 2011 to critical acclaim.[24][25] The release of the mixtape interested Jay-Z and West. Jay-Z's wife Beyoncé recommended the involvement of the singer in particular, who appears on both "No Church in the Wild" and "Made in America."[23][26] Ocean admitted that Jay-Z has intentionally intimidated him during recording sessions but declared his enjoyment of working with the two.[27] Ocean mused about the project:

"I rarely do collabs, so that's just one of the ones you absolutely do. It's like a no-brainer. I didn't really think about any of it. The last thing on my mind was working with artists who I've held in high esteem for years. [...] I worked with Jay on his solo album before I did the Watch the Throne sessions. The second time I went it was Barry Weiss, Jay, Beyoncé, Kanye, couple other people, it was a pretty heavy room."[27]

"Lift Off" was recorded in Sydney, Australia.[28] In early May 2011, rumors arose that "Lift Off" was to feature Bruno Mars who had recorded vocals.[29] It was reported that the song would be released as the lead single from the album.[29] However, Mars never appeared on the song and Beyoncé sang several lines during the chorus instead.[30] Additional vocalists Elly Jackson, Connie Mitchell, and Justin Vernon provide the hook on "That's My Bitch". Vernon had previously appeared on West's album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, when West sampled Vernon's band Bon Iver's song "Woods". Vernon also provided additional vocals on songs such as "Dark Fantasy" and "Monster".[13][31] Swizz Beatz, who produced "Welcome to the Jungle", also provided background vocals to the track, and Kid Cudi contributed additional vocals to "The Joy" and "Illest Motherfucker Alive," bonus tracks on the album's deluxe edition.[13] One of the tracks that was recorded but didn't make the cut for the album was "Living So Italian."[15] It apparently sampled Andrea Bocelli's "Con te partirò" and was described as catchy but for unknown reasons, the song never made it onto the album.[15]

In 2013, Jay-Z released his twelfth studio album Magna Carta... Holy Grail. In an interview, he revealed that two songs on the album were initially recorded for Watch the Throne - the song "Oceans", which features Frank Ocean, and the song "Holy Grail", which went on to feature Justin Timberlake. (Timberlake's contribution to the track was not anticipated at the time, until the duo collaborated on Timberlake's 2013 comeback single "Suit & Tie" and "Murder" from The 20/20 Experience and The 20/20 Experience – 2 of 2 respectively.) West and Jay-Z argued for four days about having them included on the Watch the Throne, however West eventually relented and the duo recorded "No Church in the Wild" and "Made in America". In an interview with Zane Lowe, Jay-Z said: "[There were] no lyrics on 'Holy Grail' and I recorded 'Oceans' and I played those records for Kanye," Jay explained. "And he was like, 'No those have to go on Watch the Throne,' so we spent four days arguing about those records and I was explaining to him why it wasn't right for this project and I had a whole idea for making this album called Magna Carta... Holy Grail, the "Holy Grail" part of the name came after."[32]

Music and lyrics

[edit]
Stylistically the record features production handled by West largely considered unconventional. It is an aesthetic quality shared with his previous solo album.

Julian Benbow of The Boston Globe writes that the album's music is as "massive, dour, and relentlessly unconventional" as that of West's previous 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.[33] Music writer Robert Christgau describes West's production as "a funkier and less ornate variant of the prog-rap of 2010's acclaimed My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy".[34] Music journalist Jody Rosen characterizes the music as "vast, dark and booming," commenting that West "continues in the sonic vein he introduced in My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, lacing the songs with rock dynamics, layering his beats with eerie vocal chorales, piling on proggy flourishes."[35] Conversely, Matthew Cole of Slant Magazine finds West's "knack for dramatic, melodically sophisticated tracks [...] channeled away from the Olympian scale" of his previous album "and toward the more commercial vein of Jay-Z's recent work," which he attributes to West splitting production work with several other producers.[36] On the songs' structure, Cole states, "every track eschews the standard verse-hook-repeat format in favor of more dynamic material."[36]

Music journalist Alexis Petridis comments that the album incorporates "unlikely samples."[37] Jon Caramanica of The New York Times writes that its production "can be roughly segmented into three categories," noting "Southern-inflected tracks" such as "Niggas in Paris" and "H•A•M", "moody and harsh numbers" like "Who Gon Stop Me" and "Why I Love You", and "the nostalgia that creeps over much of this album, giving it a sonic through-line and mission statement."[22] Pitchfork's Tom Breihan perceives "pure orchestral excess" on some of its songs and describes the album's musical scope as "a tribute to [West's] distinctive taste and sense of style."[38]

The album features themes of opulence, fame,[39] materialism,[40] power, and the burdens of success.[41] Jay-Z's and West's lyrics include boasts of obscene wealth, grandiosity,[42] and social commentary.[36][38] Sputnikmusic's Tyler Fisher describes Watch the Throne as "an album centered around larger-than-life egos."[43] Robert Christgau notes "regal grandiosity" and "glory" as primary themes on the album.[44] Andy Kellman of Allmusic characterizes much of the album's lyrical content as "ruthless flaunting of material wealth and carte blanche industry resources."[45] Rob Harvilla of Spin views that their lyrics express elitism, narcissism, "relentless capitalism," and "smug yet undeniable greatness."[39]

The album's lyrics contain braggadocious themes pertaining to opulence, fame, power and the burdens of success in addition to socio-political commentary on the financial struggles of African-Americans in America.

Music critic Greg Kot views that the album is about "mutual admiration" and writes of the rappers' respective personas, "Jay-Z is about imperious flow, bridging his gritty past life on the streets with his current status as a cultural tastemaker and business mogul. [...] West is more desperate, transparent, awkward, vulnerable."[46] Music critic Nathan Rabin states that Jay-Z and West "are a study in contrasts: the businessman and the bohemian, the faithful husband and the drugged-up playboy, the walking press release and the loose cannon. Jay-Z is tidy. Kanye is nothing but rough edges."[47] Jon Caramanica writes similarly, "breaking [...] old barriers is a means to acceptance and stability" for Jay-Z, while "West sounds lonely" with his fame, adding that "For Mr. West every flash of Dionysian extreme is tempered by the realization of its hollowness."[22] In his article "Brag Like That" for Barnes & Noble, Robert Christgau comments that "Jay-Z is a grown man and Kanye is not" on the album and elaborates on their lyrics, stating:

Both co-kings flaunt their arrogance even by the standards of a genre where braggadocio is the main event, and neither is shy about pretending that the line of succession from Otis Redding and Martin Luther King is paved with their gold. [...] One could venture that maybe Watch the Throne divvies up the way it does for rhetorical purposes—that one king plays the hero and the other the hedonist, two equally royal hip-hop archetypes.[34]

Their lyrics also exhibit political and socioeconomic context,[42][48] which Jody Rosen denotes as "serious, sober, weighty."[35] Nitsuh Abebe of New York views that the album is "about the relationship of black American men to wealth, power, and success. [...] a portrait of two black men thinking through the idea of success in America."[41] He compares it to Yinka Shonibare's 1998 piece Diary of a Victorian Dandy, "in which the artist luxuriates in all the genteel pleasures of the time."[41] Randall Roberts of the Los Angeles Times notes "musings on the spoils of riches and the chaos that accompanies it," adding that "[the] tension between worshiping the spirit and celebrating the bounty drives Watch the Throne [...] The record questions faith while clinging to heritage and family, places this moment in an historical context, wonders on the mystery, power and confusion of the gilded life — while rolling around in amulets."[49] Writer Kitty Empire interprets it to be about "black power [...] conceived as a swaggering taunt of achievement, in line with both men's previous works, which routinely double as shopping guides. [...] [T]hey need to humanise all the conspicuous consumption."[50] Claire Suddath of Time views the rappers' "bacchanal celebration of the finer things in life" as secondary to the theme of "two men grappling with what it means to be successful and black in a nation that still thinks of them as second class."[51]

Songs

[edit]
"No Church in the Wild"
Opener "No Church in the Wild" features a forceful, cinematic and bass-heavy beat. Ocean provides one of the song's hooks.
"Otis"
Sample of "Otis" which features Jay-Z and West trading verses over the riff of the sample. The track is similar to the style of early West productions.
Problems playing these files? See media help.

The opening track "No Church in the Wild" features a cinematic production style.[48] Singers Frank Ocean and The-Dream lend their voices to the album's grim opener, which sets the mood with a gnarled guitar sample.[52] Over the rock-centric, rolling production, both rappers muse over familiar themes of loyalty, sexuality and maternal solidarity.[53] On the album, the song closes with a segment of Italian avant-prog band Orchestra Njervudarov's 1979 piece "Tristessa", which reappears at the end of several other songs.[54] The pop-oriented "Lift Off" features baroque strings and a chorus sung by Beyoncé Knowles, accompanied with synthesizers.[55] The song contains horns and martial drums as Knowles sings, "We gon' take it to the moon/ Take it to the stars."[56] "Niggas in Paris" incorporates staccato orchestration and fizzing industrial noise, topping it all off with a menacing beat and icy synthesizer notes.[52] The track features an unusual sampling of dialogue from the 2007 film Blades of Glory, notably the "we're gonna skate to one song and one song only" line.[37] West and Jay-Z's lyrics frame their rags to riches story on the song.[48]

"Otis" samples Otis Redding's 1966 song "Try a Little Tenderness", manipulating it into a rhythm track with Otis Redding's vocals and grunts.[37] The sample is used in a way that is reminiscent to past Kanye productions, like the tracks found on his album The College Dropout.[47] Redding's vocals are chopped up so thoroughly that his voice serves as a mere melodic riff on the track, with both rappers promptly rapping over it in a braggadocious fashion.[38][47] "Gotta Have It", produced by The Neptunes, incorporates chopped-up James Brown vocal samples and Eastern flute melodies.[38] The song contains haunting backing vocals and an accompanying tambourine with the two rappers trading verses with the vocal riff playing over them.[38] Much like "Otis", the track features sliced-up vocal snippets and an aggressive bass backing, with the two rappers trading lines and making references to the Yung Chris song "Racks" and other contemporary rap trends.[52][57]

On "New Day", they address future sons about fame.[47] It references the line "me and the RZA connect" from Raekwon's 1995 song "Incarcerated Scarfaces", which was also produced by RZA.[22] The track incorporates a sample of Nina Simone's 1965 song "Feeling Good" through an Auto-Tune voice processor.[38] Both rappers discuss their futures as fathers on the track, flowing smoothly over mellow, lightly psychedelic synthesizer tones.[52] Both Justin Vernon and La Roux appear on "That's My Bitch", spitting off hooks over a quick, melodic beat, with West at his most abrasive lyrically.[52] On "Welcome to the Jungle", Jay-Z laments personal losses and overcoming struggles.[40] Sharing the name with a Guns N' Roses track, Jay describes himself as the "black Axl Rose" over a jittery, treble-heavy Swizz Beatz production.[52]

"Who Gon Stop Me" features bombastic production and samples Flux Pavilion's 2011 song "I Can't Stop", reinforced with heavy synthesizer and tone shifts.[58] The song utilizes an often experimental, bass-driven and dub-step influenced style of composition, with West forcefully rapping lines like "this is something like the Holocaust".[52] "Murder to Excellence" addresses black-on-black crime and limited social mobility for African Americans.[38] Midway through the song the beat switches up, with Kanye musing over the horrors of black-on-black violence in the first half, and Jay-Z delivering equally meditated comments on black excellence on the more choir-heavy second half.[52] A sample from Indiggo's "LA LA LA" can be heard on the song.[59][60][61] At 5 minutes in length, "Murder to Excellence" is the longest track on the album.[13]

"Made in America" has themes of family life and the American Dream, with Jay-Z and West discussing their respective rises to fame, while acknowledging those who helped and inspired them.[40][49] The song has been described as an understated soft-pop track with influence from Michael Jackson and his 1985 charity single "We Are the World".[58] Ocean's hook pays tribute to Martin Luther King Jr., Coretta Scott King, Malcolm X, Betty Shabazz and Jesus on one of the album's more serene tracks.[52] Jay-Z muses on his drug-dealing past with lines like "our apple pie was supplied by Arm & Hammer", with West's verse describing his conflict with fame.[42] "Why I Love You" has Jay-Z lamenting betrayal and how his past protégés failed to maintain without him.[22][38] The track contains a "sledgehammer beat" which is built around French house duo Cassius' 2010 single "I <3 U So".[52] West's production continues in the sonic vein he introduced in My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, lacing the song with rock dynamics, layering the beat with eerie vocal chorales in the style of progressive rock songs.[35]

Release and promotion

[edit]
West (left) and Jay-Z (right) on the Watch the Throne Tour, 2011.

Watch the Throne was released by Roc-A-Fella Records, Roc Nation, and Def Jam Recordings,[62] Jay-Z's and West's respective record labels.[63] On July 4, 2011, it was made available to pre-order on Life + Times, Jay-Z's lifestyle webzine, which redirected to Island Def Jam's website that featured the deluxe version available for $16.99, standard CD for $13.99, a deluxe digital version for $14.99, and standard digital album for $11.99.[16] On July 22, its pre-order was made available on the iTunes Store.[64] Internationally the album was released digitally on August 8 exclusively through iTunes, while its physical release was made available on August 12.[65] Its deluxe CD edition was sold exclusively by Best Buy through August 23, when it became available at other retailers.[65] The sales strategy received criticism from other retailers, who accused the labels of giving preferential treatment to iTunes and Best Buy.[65] One of the most anticipated releases in 2011, Watch the Throne became one of the few major label albums in the Internet age to avoid a leak.[66][67]

On July 7, 2011, Jay-Z hosted a private listening session at the Mercer Hotel in New York City, previewing the album's songs from his MacBook Pro for a select group of reporters and music journalists.[15][68][69] It was also exclusive to two teenage fans who had won access to the session for being the first people to pre-order the album through Jay-Z's Life + Times website.[16] The album's cover and artwork, both designed by Italian designer Riccardo Tisci,[18] were also premiered at the session.[70] Benjamin Meadows-Ingrim of Billboard, who attended the session, said of the previewed material, "The songs were dramatic and boastful, with Jay-Z often taking the lead lyrically, and the collection showcased the differences between the two artists – Jay-Z, the technical marksman, and Kanye, the emotive chest beater."[16] On August 1, Jay-Z and West held a listening session for the album at the Rose Center for Earth and Space in New York City's American Museum of Natural History.[71] The session premiered the album in its entirety and featured attendance from journalists, models, industry types, and recording artists such as Busta Rhymes, 88-Keys, and Beyoncé Knowles.[71] On August 28, Jay-Z and West performed "Otis" at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards.[72]

Jay-Z and West promoted Watch the Throne with a 34-date, North American concert tour produced by Live Nation,[73] which began on October 28 and concluded on June 22, 2012.[74] By the end of 2011 the tour had grossed $48.3 million making it the then highest grossing hip-hop tour[75] (until being surpassed by Summer Sixteen Tour) and the eighth highest-grossing tour of 2011.[76]

Singles

[edit]
Singles from Watch the Throne were performed on the album's corresponding promotional tour.

Watch the Throne spawned seven official singles, with varying degrees of success. Following West's announcement via his Twitter account, "H•A•M" was officially released as a digital download in January 2011 as the lead single.[77][78] It charted at number 23 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[79] In July 2011, "Otis" became the second single when it was premiered on Funkmaster Flex's Hot 97 radio show and subsequently leaked to the Internet.[80] It was sent to rhythmic contemporary and urban contemporary radio on August 9.[81][82] Its cover art was created by Riccardo Tisci.[83] "Otis" reached number 12 on the Hot 100.[84] A music video for the song was filmed by director Spike Jonze in Los Angeles.[85] Third single "Lift Off" was sent to US urban radio on August 23 of the same year.[86] The track peaked on the US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles at position 6.[87]

The album's fourth and fifth singles were released simultaneously; in September 2011, "Why I Love You" was sent to US rhythmic radio, and "Niggas in Paris" was sent to both rhythmic and urban radio.[88][89] "Why I Love You" served as a European-centric single while "Niggas in Paris" was promoted as a domestic single. "Niggas in Paris" peaked at number five on the Hot 100.[90][91] "Niggas in Paris" was sent to Top 40/Mainstream radio on November 8.[92] By February 2012, it had reached digital sales of ten million in the United States.[93] The song was promoted with a music video directed by West himself, featuring concert footage.[94]

The sixth single was "Gotta Have It", which impacted Urban radio on December 6, 2011,[95] and Rhythmic radio on January 31, 2012.[96] Seventh and final single "No Church in the Wild" impacted Urban radio on March 20, 2012.[97] Romain Gavras directed a music video for "No Church" though it featured none of the featured performers.[98] "Gotta Have It" peaked at position 69 on the Hot 100, with "No Church in the Wild" peaking at 72.[99] Though not released as a single, "Who Gon Stop Me" peaked at 44 on the chart.[99]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.4/10[100]
Metacritic76/100[101]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[45]
The Daily Telegraph[102]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[103]
The Guardian[37]
The Independent[104]
MSN Music (Expert Witness)A−[44]
Pitchfork8.5/10[38]
Rolling Stone[35]
Spin6/10[39]
USA Today[105]

Watch the Throne received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 76, based on 42 reviews.[101] Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club wrote that "exhilarating messiness and go-for-broke spontaneity infect Jay-Z and push him outside his comfort zone and into a realm of intense emotional reflection."[47] Pitchfork's Tom Breihan felt that it "works best when Jay and Kanye are just talking about how great they are," adding that "Kanye is this album's obvious guiding force ... He displays levels of unequaled audacity."[38] Claire Suddath of Time called it "a beautifully decadent album by two of hip-hop's finest artists—men with a lot of things to say and a lot of money to spend."[51] Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph praised West's "attention to detail" and found their "wit and absurdity [...] entirely suited to the epic scale of productions."[102] Kitty Empire of The Observer stated, "Some find this sort of branded gloating distasteful, but at their best both rappers can still make you laugh."[50] Randall Roberts of the Los Angeles Times deemed it "a cocksure, fiery, smart, if problematic, collaboration that showcases the pair's distinct lyrical skills."[49] Julian Benbow of The Boston Globe observed "an undeniable synergy that they embraced for this project."[33] AllMusic editor Andy Kellman called it "an audacious spectacle of vacuous pomposity as well as one of tremendous lyrical depth."[45]

Slant Magazine's Matthew Cole was less impressed, believing West had contributed a "powerhouse production" but that the album "requires you to tolerate the artists' self-mythologizing and put up with their sometimes awkward attempts at experimentation."[36] Andy Gill of The Independent was more critical and found their rapping "pretty mediocre", partly because "too often here their complacent, back-slapping laxity leaves tracks floundering."[104] In the Chicago Tribune, Greg Kot found the record plagued by Jay-Z and West's "self-regard", writing that "they urge listeners to 'watch the throne,' and gaze in awe on their good fortune."[46] Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone felt that "on a record this ambitious, this sonically bold, it's a shame two of music's greatest storytellers don't extend their gaze beyond their own luxe lives."[35] Sasha Frere-Jones of The New Yorker stated, "Weed the album down to a healthy ten, and [it] doesn't become either classic or coherent, but it does work as an entertaining document of two wildly creative, not particularly wound-up friends."[106]

Accolades

[edit]

Critics' rankings

[edit]
In 2012, Kanye West and Jay-Z won Grammys for the single "Otis"; West became the rapper with the most Grammys in history following the win.

Watch the Throne was one of the top-ranked albums in year-end lists by music critics and publications.[107] Q ranked the album number six in its list of the Top 50 Albums of 2011.[108] Rolling Stone named it the second-best album in its year-end list, commenting that "What could have been a crash-and-burn anticlimax turned out to be as fun as any record in a dog's age. From the cinematic 'No Church in the Wild' to the Stax-soul update 'Otis,' Throne testifies to Kanye West's talent for beats both iconoclastic and pop-savvy."[48] Claire Suddath of Time ranked it number three on her top-10 albums list and called it "a beautifully decadent album".[109] Chris Richards of The Washington Post ranked it number two on his list and stated, "Instead of blushing over their embarrassment of riches, pop's most intriguing partnership delivered a self-congratulatory opus that was adventurous enough to remind us that they're rap visionaries first, 1 percent bazillionaires second.[110] The A.V. Club ranked it number nine on its year-end list, commenting that "Watch The Throne thrives on the bristling tension between Kanye's live-wire energy and rule-breaking abandon, and Jay-Z's innate cautiousness. It's an album of the moment—a point underlined by the presence of Frank Ocean on two tracks—yet it has the substance to endure."[111] Stereogum placed Watch the Throne at number 10 on its list of the "Top 50 albums of 2011"[112] while Pitchfork placed the album at number 21 on its list.[113]

In 2012, Complex named the album one of the classic albums of the last decade.[114] In January 2015, the album was placed at number 8 on Billboard's list of "The 20 Best Albums of the 2010s (So Far)".[115] In 2018, Revolt listed the album at number one on their list of the 10 rap collaboration albums.[116] In 2019, Billboard named Watch the Throne the biggest collaborative album of all time, asserting, "From the iconic album artwork to the brash, decadent lyrical themes, esteemed guest list, and recording around the globe, the Throne would set the standard for what a pristine rap album should embody at the highest of levels."[117]

Industry awards

[edit]

Watch the Throne received nominations for Best Rap Album and Best Recording Package at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards in 2012.[118] It lost the former to West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.[118] "Otis" was nominated for Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song, winning the former.[118] At the 55th Annual Grammy Awards in 2013, "Niggas in Paris" won Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song, and "No Church in the Wild" won Best Rap/Sung Collaboration.[119]

Year Organization Award Result
2011 American Music Awards Favorite Rap/Hip-Hop Album Nominated[120]
Best Art Vinyl Awards Best Vinyl Art Nominated[121]
Soul Train Music Awards Album of the Year Nominated[122]
Sucker Free Awards Best Album of the Year Won[123]
2012 Billboard Music Awards Top Rap Album Nominated[124]
BET Hip Hop Awards CD of the Year Won[125]
Danish Music Awards International Album of the Year Nominated[126]
Dieline Awards Dieline Package Design Award Won[127]
Grammy Awards Best Recording Package Nominated[128]
Best Rap Album Nominated[128]
NME Awards Best Album Artwork Nominated[129]
Swiss Music Awards Best Album Urban International Nominated[130]

Commercial performance

[edit]

Watch the Throne debuted at No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 436,000 copies in its first week.[131] This became Jay-Z's 12th number-one album and West's fifth number-one album in the US.[131] This also became the second highest debut week of 2011, while its first week digital sales of 321,000 downloads served as the second highest one-week sales tally at the time.[131] Watch the Throne broke the US iTunes Store's one-week sales record at the time when it sold nearly 290,000 downloads.[131] The album also reached number one on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and the US Top Rap Albums charts.[132] In its second week, the album remained at number one on the chart, selling an additional 177,000 copies.[133] In its third week, the album dropped to number two on the chart, selling 94,000 more copies.[134] In its fourth week, the album dropped to number four on the chart, selling 80,000 copies.[135] In 2011, Watch the Throne was the ninth best-selling album in the US, and the first collaborative album to make the year-end top ten in Nielsen SoundScan history.[136][137] It was also the fourth top selling album on iTunes in 2011.[138] As of July 2013, the album has sold 1,573,000 copies in the US, according to Nielsen SoundScan.[139] On November 23, 2020, the album was certified quintuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over five million units in the United States.[140]

Watch the Throne was also a success outside the US. In Canada, the album debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart, selling 25,000 copies in its first week.[141] In its second week, the album remained at number one on the chart, selling 15,900 more copies.[142] In Australia, the album peaked at number two on the Australian Albums Chart and number one on the Australian Urban Albums Chart.[143][144] In the United Kingdom, the album debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart and number one on the UK R&B Albums Chart.[145][146] The album topped the UK R&B Albums Chart for six non-consecutive weeks between 2011-12. In addition, Watch the Throne peaked at number one on the Norwegian Albums Chart and the Swiss Albums Chart.[147][148] The album peaked at number two on the German Albums Chart the Danish Albums Chart, and at number three on the Scottish Albums Chart.[149][150][151] It also debuted within the top ten on the Belgian Albums Chart, the Dutch Albums Chart, the French Albums Chart, the Irish Albums Chart, the Russian Albums Chart and the New Zealand Albums Chart.[152][153][154][155][156][157]

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."No Church in the Wild" (featuring Frank Ocean & The-Dream)
4:32
2."Lift Off" (featuring Beyoncé)
4:26
3."Niggas in Paris"
3:39
4."Otis" (featuring Otis Redding)
West2:58
5."Gotta Have It"
  • West
  • Carter
  • Williams
  • Brown
  • Roach
  • Fred Wesley
  • Tony Pinckney
2:20
6."New Day"
4:32
7."That's My Bitch"
  • West
  • Q-Tip
  • Bhasker[b]
3:22
8."Welcome to the Jungle"
Swizz Beatz2:54
9."Who Gon Stop Me"
  • Sak Pase
  • West
  • M. Dean[b]
4:16
10."Murder to Excellence"
  • Swizz Beatz
  • S1
5:00
11."Made in America" (featuring Frank Ocean)
  • West
  • Carter
  • Joseph
  • M. Dean
  • Breaux
4:52
12."Why I Love You" (featuring Mr Hudson)
  • West
  • M. Dean
3:21
Total length:46:12
Deluxe edition (bonus tracks)
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."Illest Motherfucker Alive"


5:23
14."H•A•M"
4:35
15."Primetime"
No I.D.3:19
16."The Joy" (featuring Curtis Mayfield)
5:17
Total length:64:37

Notes[13]

  • ^[a] signifies a co-producer
  • ^[b] signifies an additional producer
  • ^[c] signifies an additional vocal producer
  • "Lift Off" features additional vocals by Seal, Mr Hudson, Don Jazzy, Bankulli and Ricardo Lewis.
  • "Gotta Have It" features additional vocals by Kid Cudi.
  • "That's My Bitch" features additional vocals by La Roux, Connie Mitchell and Bon Iver.
  • "Welcome to the Jungle" features additional vocals by Swizz Beatz and Acapella Soul.
  • "Who Gon Stop Me" features additional vocals by Mr Hudson, Swizz Beatz, and Verse Simmonds.
  • "Murder to Excellence" features additional vocals by Kid Cudi.
  • "Illest Motherfucker Alive" features additional vocals by Kid Cudi, Bankulli, and Aude Cardona.
  • "H•A•M" features additional vocals by Aude Cardona and Jacob Lewis Smith.
  • "The Joy" features additional vocals by Pete Rock, Kid Cudi, and Charlie Wilson.

Sample credits[13]

  • "No Church in the Wild" contains samples from "K-Scope", written and performed by Phil Manzanera; samples of "Sunshine Help Me", written and performed by Spooky Tooth; and samples of "Don't Tell a Lie About Me (and I Won't Tell the Truth About You)", written and performed by James Brown.
  • "Lift Off" contains samples of dialogue from the Apollo 11 launch as spoken by Jack King[158][159]
  • "Niggas in Paris" contains samples of the Reverend W. A. Donaldson recording "Baptizing Scene"; and dialogue between Will Ferrell and Jon Heder from the 2007 comedy film Blades of Glory.
  • "Otis" contains samples of "Try a Little Tenderness", written by [Jimmy Campbell and Reg Connelly, Harry M. Woods] and performed by Otis Redding; samples of "Don't Tell a Lie About Me (and I Won't Tell the Truth About You)", written and performed by James Brown; and elements of "Top Billin'", written and performed by Audio Two.
  • "Gotta Have It" contains elements of "Don't Tell a Lie About Me (and I Won't Tell the Truth About You)"; samples of "People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul"; and elements of "My Thang", written and performed by James Brown.
  • "New Day" contains samples of "Feeling Good", written and performed by Nina Simone.
  • "That's My Bitch" contains samples of "Get Up, Get Into It, Get Involved", written and performed by James Brown; and samples of "Apache", written and performed by Incredible Bongo Band.
  • "Who Gon Stop Me" contains samples of "I Can't Stop", written and performed by Flux Pavilion.
  • "Murder to Excellence" contains samples of "LA LA LA", written and performed by The Indiggo Twins; and samples of "Celie Shaves Mr./Scarification" from the 1985 drama film The Color Purple, written and performed by Quincy Jones.
  • "Why I Love You" contains samples of "I Love You So", written and performed by Cassius.
  • "Primetime" contains samples of "Action", written and performed by Orange Krush.
  • "The Joy" contains samples of "The Makings of You (Live)", written and performed by Curtis Mayfield; and elements of "Different Strokes", written and performed by Syl Johnson.

Personnel

[edit]

Credits for Watch the Throne adapted from liner notes.[13]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[186] Platinum 70,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[187] Platinum 80,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[188] 2× Platinum 40,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[189] Gold 100,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[190] Gold 25,000‡
Sweden (GLF)[191] Gold 20,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[192] Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[193] 5× Platinum 5,000,000‡

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Format Label Ref.
United States August 8, 2011 Digital download
[65]
August 11, 2011 CD

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Though the recording sessions for Watch the Throne formally began in November 2010, the songs "That's My Bitch" and "The Joy" were recorded for West's previous album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy as early as July 2010.[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Barshad, Amos (July 9, 2010). "Is This the Track List for Kanye's New Album?". Vulture. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  2. ^ McIntyre, Hugh. "Kanye West Has Announced A New Supergroup -- Here's A Look At His Past Duos And Groups". Forbes. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  3. ^ Rollefson, J. Griffith (June 2021). Critical Excess: Watch the Throne and the New Gilded Age. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. ISBN 978-0472054879.
  4. ^ a b Pendergast (2006), p. 174.
  5. ^ a b c d Birchmeier, Jason (2010). "Kanye West". Allmusic. Biography. Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  6. ^ a b Pareles, Jon. "Review: Late Registration" Archived August 20, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. The New York Times. Retrieved on October 6, 2009.
  7. ^ Macia, Peter (November 20, 2006). "Kingdom Come – Jay-Z > Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on December 28, 2012. Retrieved December 25, 2012.
  8. ^ Reid, Shaheem (August 25, 2008). "T.I. Talks About 'Swagger Like Us,' Leaked Single Featuring Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Kanye West". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on August 23, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  9. ^ Montgomery, James (October 19, 2010). "Kanye West Reveals Which Good Friday Tracks Are On Fantasy". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  10. ^ a b c Jacobs, Allen (October 19, 2010). "Kanye West & Jay-Z Said To Release Five-Song EP, "Watch The Throne"". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on August 23, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  11. ^ a b Dombal, Ryan (October 25, 2010). "Kanye West and Jay-Z Planning Joint Album". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2010.
  12. ^ Erika Ramirez (August 15, 2011). "Jay-Z Talks 'Watch the Throne' & Calls Beyonce 'The Second Coming'". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 2, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i Jay-Z; Kanye West (2011). Watch the Throne (PDF digital booklet). Universal Music Group.
  14. ^ a b c d Golianopoulos, Thomas (February 6, 2012). "How Jay-Z and Kanye West finally made 'Watch the Throne'". New York Post. News Corporation. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  15. ^ a b c d e f Vozick-Levinson, Simon (July 8, 2011). "Jay-Z Previews 'Watch the Throne' in New York". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g Meadows-Ingram, Benjamin (July 8, 2011). "'Watch The Throne': Inside Jay-Z's Private Listening Session". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on May 29, 2013. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  17. ^ a b c Kim, Soo-Young (February 6, 2012). "Interview: No I.D. Talks Def Jam, Kanye West, & How He Affected "Watch The Throne" (Page 3)". Complex. Complex Media. Archived from the original on June 26, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  18. ^ a b Blanco, Alvin (July 14, 2011). "Jay-Z, Kanye Get To Work In Watch The Throne Studio Pics". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
  19. ^ "Ryan Leslie Explains Work On Jay-Z & Kanye West's "Watch The Throne"". Hiphopdx.com. May 12, 2011. Archived from the original on October 1, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2011.
  20. ^ a b Thompson, Erica (August 11, 2011). "88-Keys Talks the Making of 'Watch the Throne' Track, 'No Church in the Wild' – The Juice". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on April 19, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  21. ^ Dukes, Rahman; Reid, Shaheem (January 19, 2009). "The Clipse Hint At Kanye West Collabo: Mixtape Monday". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on January 22, 2009. Retrieved January 19, 2009.
  22. ^ a b c d e Caramanica, Jon (August 9, 2011). "Merging Empires – Jay-Z and Kanye West's 'Watch the Throne'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 1, 2017. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  23. ^ a b "Kanye & Jay-Z Confirm 'Watch The Throne' Release Date". MTV UK. Viacom. July 19, 2011. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2011.
  24. ^ Youngs, Ian (May 1, 2012). "Sound of 2012: Frank Ocean". BBC . BBC Online. Archived from the original on August 2, 2012. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  25. ^ Baker, Ernest (March 18, 2011). "In His Own Words: Who is Frank Ocean?". Complex Magazine. Complex Media. Archived from the original on March 22, 2011. Retrieved April 28, 2011.
  26. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (July 19, 2011). "Beyonce Shares Her Love For Frank Ocean, Kanye West". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on August 22, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  27. ^ a b "Frank Ocean talks Odd Future, Jay-Z & Watch the Throne Tour". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. March 17, 2012. Archived from the original on March 10, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  28. ^ Adams, Cameron (August 11, 2011). "Album review: Watch the Throne by Jay-Z & Kanye West". Herald Sun. The Herald and Weekly Times. News Corporation. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
  29. ^ a b Corner, Lewis (May 3, 2011). "Beyoncé, Bruno Mars record collaboration". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Archived from the original on August 26, 2011. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
  30. ^ Corner, Lewis (July 13, 2011). "Jay-Z, Kanye West reveal 'Watch The Throne' deluxe tracklisting". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
  31. ^ "Bon Iver's Justin Vernon on Recording Kanye's Dark Fantasy". November 24, 2010. Archived from the original on September 27, 2017. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
  32. ^ "Jay-Z Says Kanye West Wanted "Holy Grail" & "Oceans" On "Watch The Throne"". Hiphopdx.com. Archived from the original on October 25, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2014.
  33. ^ a b Benbow, Julian (August 9, 2011). "Kanye West and Jay-Z share the spotlight on 'Watch the Throne'". The Boston Globe. The New York Times Company. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
  34. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (August 19, 2011). "Brag Like That – The Barnes & Noble Review". Barnes & Noble. Archived from the original on September 24, 2011. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
  35. ^ a b c d e Rosen, Jody (August 11, 2011). "Watch the Throne". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on September 19, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  36. ^ a b c d Cole, Matthew (August 11, 2011). "Jay-Z and Kanye West: Watch the Throne". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on September 25, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  37. ^ a b c d Petridis, Alexis (August 11, 2011). "Jay-Z & Kanye West: Watch the Throne – review". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Archived from the original on March 1, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  38. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Breihan, Tom (August 11, 2011). "Jay-Z / Kanye West: Watch the Throne". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on August 16, 2011. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  39. ^ a b c Harvilla, Rob (August 10, 2011). "Jay-Z and Kanye West, 'Watch the Throne' (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam/Roc Nation)". Spin. Spin Media. Archived from the original on October 28, 2011. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  40. ^ a b c Jones, Steve (August 8, 2011). "Listen Up: Jay-Z and Kanye West raise the bar with 'Throne'". USA Today. Gannett Company. Archived from the original on August 9, 2011. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
  41. ^ a b c Abebe, Nitsuh (August 12, 2011). "Watch the Throne: Uneasy Heads Wear Gaudy Crowns -- Vulture". New York. New York Media. Archived from the original on August 22, 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  42. ^ a b c Rodriguez, Jayson (August 12, 2011). "The Throne (Jay-Z & Kanye West), Watch the Throne". XXL. Harris Publications. Archived from the original on September 30, 2011. Retrieved August 13, 2011.
  43. ^ Fisher, Tyler (August 10, 2011). "Jay-Z and Kanye West – Watch the Throne (staff review)". Sputnikmusic. Archived from the original on December 16, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  44. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (August 26, 2011). "Jay Z Kanye West/Classic Rock Gold". MSN Music. Microsoft. Archived from the original on September 29, 2011. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  45. ^ a b c Kellman, Andy. "Watch the Throne – Jay-Z / Kanye West". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  46. ^ a b Kot, Greg (August 8, 2011). "Watch the Throne review; Jay-Z and Kanye West album reviewed". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Company. Archived from the original on August 9, 2011. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
  47. ^ a b c d e Rabin, Nathan (August 9, 2011). "Kanye West and Jay-Z: Watch The Throne". The A.V. Club. Onion Inc. Archived from the original on September 10, 2011. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  48. ^ a b c d Staff (December 7, 2011). "50 Best Albums of 2011: Jay-Z and Kanye West, 'Watch the Throne'". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on January 7, 2012. Retrieved December 9, 2011.
  49. ^ a b c Roberts, Randall (August 8, 2011). "Album review: Jay-Z and Kanye West's 'Watch the Throne'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
  50. ^ a b Empire, Kitty (August 14, 2011). "Jay-Z & Kanye West: Watch the Throne – review". The Observer. Guardian News and Media Limited. Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
  51. ^ a b Suddath, Claire (August 9, 2011). "Watch the Throne Review: A Gold-Plated Luxury Vehicle, with a Message". Time. Time Inc. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
  52. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Perpetua, Matthew (August 9, 2011). "Kanye West and Jay-Z's 'Watch the Throne': A Track-by-Track Breakdown". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on December 24, 2011. Retrieved December 27, 2011.
  53. ^ Gill, Andy (August 12, 2011). "Album: Watch The Throne, Watch the Throne (Mercury) – Reviews, Music". The Independent. Independent Print Limited. Archived from the original on November 12, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  54. ^ Horner, Al (August 14, 2016). "A guide to the samples on Jay Z and Kanye West's Watch The Throne". Fact. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  55. ^ Anderson, Kyle (August 9, 2011). "Kanye West and Jay-Z's 'Watch the Throne': Read the EW review". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Archived from the original on November 14, 2011. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
  56. ^ "New Music: Jay-Z x Kanye West f/ Beyoncé – 'Lift Off'". Rap-Up. Devin Lazerine. August 8, 2011. Archived from the original on October 18, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  57. ^ Exton, Emily (November 14, 2011). "Gotta Have It by Kanye and Jay-Z Review". Popdust. Archived from the original on May 11, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  58. ^ a b Amidon, David (August 12, 2011). "Jay-Z & Kanye West: Watch the Throne". PopMatters. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  59. ^ Caramancia, Jon (August 9, 2011). "Two Titans Share the Seat of Power". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 10, 2014. Retrieved February 24, 2014.
  60. ^ Iandoli, Kathy (January 24, 2013). "18. Jay-Z & Kanye West "Murder to Excellence" (2011) — The 20 Best White Girl Vocal Samples in Rap History". Complex Music. Archived from the original on July 1, 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  61. ^ "Indiggo Twins din nou la The Bitter End din New York". Napoca News (in Romanian). November 7, 2013. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  62. ^ "Kanye West and Jay-Z Form New Group! They Are Now Called 'The Throne' and Confirm the Most Anticipated Album & Tour of the Year: Watch the Throne" (Press release). Live Nation Entertainment. July 25, 2011. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
  63. ^ Gyant (July 5, 2011). "Watch Out: Jay-Z and Kanye West Collabo Could Fall Short". BET. BET Interactive. Archived from the original on July 9, 2011. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  64. ^ "Kanye West and Jay-Z Offer 'Watch the Throne' Pre-Order". billboard.com. July 4, 2011. Archived from the original on November 10, 2016. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  65. ^ a b c d Christman, Ed (July 28, 2011). "Jay-Z and Kanye West's 'Watch the Throne' Exclusives Have Retailers Up in Arms". Billboard.biz. Archived from the original on September 6, 2012. Retrieved July 29, 2011.
  66. ^ Gissen, Jesse (August 8, 2011). "Jay-Z & Kanye West Miraculously Manage to Keep Watch the Throne Leak-Free". XXL. Harris Publications. Archived from the original on August 16, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  67. ^ Perpetua, Matthew (August 8, 2011). "Jay-Z and Kanye West Avoid 'Watch the Throne' Leak". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. Archived from the original on September 19, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  68. ^ Osorio, Kim. "Jay-Z Unveils "Watch The Throne" At Exclusive Listening Session". BET. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2011.
  69. ^ Horowitz, Steven (July 9, 2011). "Details Emerge On Jay-Z & Kanye West's "Watch the Throne"". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved July 9, 2011.
  70. ^ Vadala, Nick (July 16, 2011). "Jay Z Holds Watch the Throne Listening Party, Reveals Album Cover and Other Details". mxdwn. Velum Media. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved July 17, 2011.
  71. ^ a b Persse, Kim (August 1, 2011). "Jay-Z And Kanye West Unleash 'Watch The Throne' At The Museum Of Natural History". Idolator. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  72. ^ "Jay-Z and Kanye West Perform 'Otis' on 2011 MTV VMAs: Watch". billboard.com. August 29, 2011. Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved June 28, 2017.
  73. ^ Markman, Rob (July 25, 2011). "Jay-Z, Kanye West Announce Watch The Throne Release Date, Tour". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on September 24, 2011. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  74. ^ "Kanye West and Jay-Z Confirm New North American Watch the Throne Tour Schedule with an Overwhelming Response to Presale Tickets" (Press release). PR Newswire. August 3, 2011. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2011.
  75. ^ Fleming, Mike (July 19, 2012). "CAA Signs Kanye West". Deadline Hollywood. PMC. Archived from the original on July 26, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2012.
  76. ^ Lewis, Randy (December 28, 2011). "Pop & Hiss". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 28, 2012. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
  77. ^ Fitzmaurice, Larry (January 7, 2011). "Kanye Reveals First Jay-Z Watch the Throne Single". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on July 26, 2011. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  78. ^ "HAM: Kanye West: MP3 Downloads". Amazon. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  79. ^ Trust, Gary (January 19, 2011). "Britney Spears' 'Hold It Against Me' Debuts Atop Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Archived from the original on June 17, 2013. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
  80. ^ Markman, Rob (July 20, 2011). "Jay-Z And Kanye West Drop 'Otis'". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on June 24, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  81. ^ "Top 40 Rhythmic Future Releases | R&B Song and Hip-Hop Music Release Dates". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on August 30, 2011. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  82. ^ "Urban/UAC Future Release Dates". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on April 16, 2012. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  83. ^ Kim, Soo-Young (July 20, 2011). "Watch The Throne's "Otis" Cover Art Also Creative Directed By Riccardo Tisci". Complex. Complex Media. Archived from the original on February 29, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  84. ^ Trust, Gary (August 3, 2011). "Britney Spears Bounds Into Hot 100's Top 10, LMFAO Still No. 1". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on June 23, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
  85. ^ Young, Alex (August 1, 2011). "Spike Jonze to direct Kanye & Jay-Z's "Otis" video". Consequence of Sound. Complex Media Network. Archived from the original on September 26, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2011.
  86. ^ "Urban/UAC Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on April 16, 2012. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  87. ^ "Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles – Issue Date: August 27, 2011". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media Media. Archived from the original (requires registration) on May 26, 2024. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
  88. ^ "FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!". FMQB. September 6, 2011. Archived from the original on March 22, 2013. Retrieved September 6, 2011.
  89. ^ "Music Charts, Most Popular Music, Music by Genre & Top Music Charts". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. September 12, 2008. Retrieved September 8, 2011.
  90. ^ "Top 40 Rhythmic Future Releases | R&B Song and Hip-Hop Music Release Dates". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on August 30, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  91. ^ "Urban/UAC Future Releases | R&B, Hip Hop, Release Schedule and Street Dates". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on April 16, 2012. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  92. ^ "Top 40/M Future Releases | Mainstream Hit Songs Being Released and Their Release Dates ..." All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011.
  93. ^ Grein, Paul (February 14, 2012). "Week Ending Feb. 5, 2012. Songs: Madonna & MJ". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved February 18, 2012.
  94. ^ Montgomery, James (February 11, 2012). "Jay-Z And Kanye West Roll Out 'N----s In Paris' Video". MTV. Viacom. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  95. ^ "®R&R :: Going For Adds™ :: Urban". Radio & Records. Archived from the original on July 9, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  96. ^ "FMQB: Radio Industry News, Music Industry Updates, Arbitron Ratings, Music News and more!". FMQB. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  97. ^ "Urban-UAC Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on April 16, 2012. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
  98. ^ Markman, Rob (May 29, 2012). "Jay-Z, Kanye West's 'No Church' Video Sparks Revolution". MTV. Viacom. Archived from the original on June 1, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
  99. ^ a b "Kanye West Album & Song Chart History: Hot 100". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media| Retrieved August 15, 2010.
  100. ^ "Watch The Throne by Jay-Z & Kanye West reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Archived from the original on November 1, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  101. ^ a b "Reviews for Watch the Throne by Kanye West". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on July 7, 2013. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
  102. ^ a b McCormick, Neil (August 12, 2011). "Jay-Z and Kanye West: Watch the Throne, CD review". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on August 13, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  103. ^ Anderson, Kyle (August 9, 2011). "Kanye West and Jay-Z's 'Watch the Throne': Read the EW review". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved August 11, 2011.
  104. ^ a b Gill, Andy (August 12, 2011). "Album: Watch The Throne, Watch the Throne (Mercury)". The Independent. Independent Print Limited. Archived from the original on November 12, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  105. ^ Jones, Steve (August 8, 2011). "Listen Up: Jay-Z and Kanye West raise the bar with 'Throne'". USA Today. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  106. ^ Frere-Jones, Sasha (August 12, 2011). "News Desk: Disassembled "Throne"". The New Yorker. Condé Nast Digital. Archived from the original on August 21, 2011. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
  107. ^ Dietz, Jason (December 9, 2011). "Music Critic Top 10 Lists - Best Albums of 2011". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 7, 2012. Retrieved December 9, 2011.
  108. ^ Staff (January 21, 2012). "Top 50 Albums of 2011". Q (306). Bauer Media Group.
  109. ^ Suddath, Claire (December 7, 2011). "Kanye West and Jay-Z, Watch the Throne - The Top 10 Everything of 2011". Time. Time Inc. Archived from the original on December 8, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  110. ^ Richards, Chris (December 7, 2011). "Chris Richards's best pop albums of 2011". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 15, 2011. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  111. ^ Staff (December 6, 2011). "The best music of 2011". The A.V. Club. Onion Inc. Archived from the original on January 7, 2012. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  112. ^ "Stereogum's Top 50 Albums of 2011". Pitchfork. December 5, 2011. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  113. ^ "Staff Lists: The Top 50 Albums of 2011". Pitchfork. December 15, 2011. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
  114. ^ "Jay-Z and Kanye West, Watch The Throne (2011) — 25 Rap Albums From the Past Decade That Deserve Classic Status". Complex. Archived from the original on December 27, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  115. ^ "Billboard's Top 20 Best Albums of the 2010s (So Far)". Billboard. January 13, 2015. Archived from the original on January 24, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  116. ^ "The 10 rap collaboration albums that moved the culture forward". Revolt. October 11, 2018. Archived from the original on July 13, 2019. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
  117. ^ Michael Saponara (June 29, 2019). "Drake & Future, Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett and Beyond: Here Are the Biggest Collab Albums Across All Genres". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 13, 2019. Retrieved July 13, 2019.
  118. ^ a b c "Nominees and Winners". Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved December 1, 2011.
  119. ^ "The Official Site of Music's Biggest Night". GRAMMY.com. February 10, 2013. Archived from the original on April 18, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2013.
  120. ^ Jane Kellogg (November 20, 2011). "AMAs 2011: Winners and Nominees Complete List". Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 1, 2017. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
  121. ^ "Best Art Vinyl 2011". Art Vinyl. Archived from the original on July 15, 2015. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
  122. ^ Jocelyn Vena (October 21, 2011). "Chris Brown, Beyonce Lead Soul Train Award Nods". MTV. Archived from the original on August 18, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  123. ^ "2011 Sucker Free Awards Winners List". MTV. December 5, 2011. Archived from the original on May 18, 2017. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  124. ^ "2012 Billboard Music Awards Finalists: Complete List". Billboard. April 19, 2012. Archived from the original on June 3, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  125. ^ "2012 Hip Hop Awards Winners & Nominees". BET. April 15, 2016. Archived from the original on October 16, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
  126. ^ "Danish Music Awards 2012". IFPI. 2 October 2012. Archived from the original on 24 January 2016. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  127. ^ "The Dieline Awards 2012 Winners". The Dieline. June 25, 2012. Archived from the original on June 24, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  128. ^ a b "OTRC: Grammy Awards 2012: Check out the full list of nominations". ABC7. February 12, 2012. Archived from the original on November 30, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2019.
  129. ^ "Arctic Monkeys, Noel Gallagher, The Vaccines, Lana Del Rey nominated for NME Awards 2012". NME. January 30, 2012. Archived from the original on December 17, 2017. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
  130. ^ "Swiss Music Awards 2012". Schweizer-Illustrierte. March 2, 2012. Archived from the original on August 5, 2017. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  131. ^ a b c d Caulfield, Keith (August 17, 2011). "Jay-Z & Kanye West's 'Throne' Sells 436,000, Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on April 17, 2013. Retrieved August 17, 2011.
  132. ^ a b c "Watch the Throne – Jay-Z / Kanye West". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Retrieved August 18, 2011.
  133. ^ Caulfield, Keith (August 24, 2011). "Jay-Z and Kanye's 'Watch the Throne' Keeps Its Billboard 200 Crown". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on May 24, 2013. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
  134. ^ Caulfield, Keith (August 31, 2011). "Game's 'R.E.D.' Bows at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on May 29, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  135. ^ Allen Jacobs (September 7, 2011). "Hip Hop Album Sales: The Week Ending 9/4/2011". HipHopDX. Retrieved September 11, 2011.
  136. ^ "Chart Watch Extra: The Year's Top Albums". Yahoo. December 7, 2011. Archived from the original on March 31, 2019. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  137. ^ Keith Caulfield (January 4, 2012). "Adele Rules 2011 With Top Selling Album & Song". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 20, 2014. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  138. ^ Shirley Halperin (December 8, 2011). "Adele Is iTunes' Top Seller in 2011, Foo Fighters' 'Wasting Light' Named Album of the Year by Apple Staff". Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 30, 2017. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  139. ^ "Top Selling Albums of the Decade So Far". The Lava Lizard. Archived from the original on July 31, 2013. Retrieved July 29, 2013.
  140. ^ "RIAA – Recording Industry Association of America". Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Archived from the original on August 24, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  141. ^ a b Dowling, Marianne (August 18, 2011). "Kanye, Jay-Z Take Over the Throne". Jam!. CANOE, QMI Agency. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  142. ^ Williams, John (August 24, 2011). "Kanye, Jay-Z nearly toppled by Adele". Jam!. CANOE, QMI Agency. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  143. ^ a b "Top 40 Urban Albums & Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024.
  144. ^ a b "Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne". australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  145. ^ a b "Archive Chart". Official Charts Company. August 20, 2011. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
  146. ^ a b "Archive Chart". Official Charts Company. August 20, 2011. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
  147. ^ a b "Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne". norwegiancharts.com. August 20, 2011. Archived from the original on June 22, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2011.
  148. ^ a b "Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne". hitparade.ch. August 23, 2011. Archived from the original on November 12, 2012. Retrieved August 24, 2011.
  149. ^ a b "Jay-Z & Kanye West "Watch the Throne" (in Danish). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  150. ^ a b Staff (October 21, 2011). Rap Stars mix the charts Archived June 2, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. Media Control. Retrieved 2011-24-08.
  151. ^ a b "Archive Chart". Official Charts Company. August 20, 2011. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
  152. ^ a b "Jay-Z & Kanye West "Watch the Throne" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  153. ^ a b "Jay-Z / Kanye West – Watch the Throne". dutchcharts.nl. August 13, 2011. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  154. ^ a b "Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne". chartsinfrance.com. August 19, 2011. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  155. ^ a b "Top 100 Individual Artist Albums". Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on April 17, 2005. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  156. ^ a b "Jay-Z / Kanye West – Watch the Throne". charts.nz. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on May 17, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  157. ^ a b "Первый осенний". September 16, 2011. Archived from the original on September 24, 2011. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  158. ^ "The NASA Sample on the New Kanye/Jay Z Album? It's from Apollo 11". The Atlantic. August 15, 2011.
  159. ^ "Jay-Z and Kanye Sample the Apollo 11 Launch". August 16, 2011.
  160. ^ "Jay-Z & Kanye West "Watch the Throne" (in German). Austrian Album Charts. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  161. ^ "Jay-Z & Kanye West "Watch the Throne" (in French). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on November 2, 2012. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
  162. ^ "Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne". finnishcharts.com. August 13, 2011. Archived from the original on October 21, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2011.
  163. ^ "Jay-Z / Kanye West - Watch the Throne". Italian Charts. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  164. ^ 洋楽アルバム 月間ランキング - Oricon Style - ランキング Archived October 24, 2012, at the Wayback Machine. Oricon Inc. Retrieved on September 17, 2011.
  165. ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS – Official Retail Sales Chart". olis.onyx.pl. Archived from the original on September 12, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2011.
  166. ^ "Gaon Albums Chart: Week 36, 2011" (in Korean). Gaon Album Chart. Archived from the original on May 6, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
  167. ^ "Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne". spanishcharts.com. August 27, 2011. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2011.
  168. ^ "Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne". swedishcharts.com. August 27, 2011. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2011.
  169. ^ "Kanye West Chart History (Top Catalog Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  170. ^ "Adele's "21" crowned ARIA's highest selling album of 2011 LMFAO takes single honours with "Party Rock Anthem"" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 14, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2012.
  171. ^ "Best of 2011 - Top Canadian Albums". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 22, 2013. Retrieved December 29, 2011.
  172. ^ "Album-Top 100". Hitlisten. IFPI Danmark & Nielsen Music Control. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012.
  173. ^ "UK Albums Chart 2011" (PDF). ChartsPlus. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 2, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  174. ^ "Billboard 200 Year-End 2011". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on February 1, 2018. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  175. ^ "Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums Year-End 2011". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on February 1, 2018. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  176. ^ "Top 50 Urban Albums 2012". ARIA Charts. Archived from the original on April 1, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  177. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2012". Official Charts Company. January 8, 2013. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  178. ^ "Billboard 200 Year-End 2012". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on September 17, 2018. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  179. ^ "Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums Year-End 2012". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. Archived from the original on April 18, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  180. ^ "Top 50 Urban Albums 2013". ARIA Charts. Archived from the original on September 4, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  181. ^ "Top 100 Urban Albums 2015". ARIA Charts. Archived from the original on April 17, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  182. ^ "Top 100 Urban Albums 2015". ARIA Charts. Archived from the original on April 17, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  183. ^ "Top 100 Albums 2016". Hitlisten. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  184. ^ "Decade-End Charts: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  185. ^ "Decade-End Charts: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 15, 2019. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  186. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2016 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  187. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne". Music Canada. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  188. ^ "Danish album certifications – Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  189. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Jay-Z & Kanye West; 'Watch the Throne')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved September 22, 2024.
  190. ^ "Italian album certifications – Jay-Z/Kanye West – Watch the Throne" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
  191. ^ "Sverigetopplistan – Jay-Z & Kanye West" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
  192. ^ "British album certifications – Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  193. ^ "American album certifications – Jay-Z & Kanye West – Watch the Throne". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 23, 2020.

Bibliography

[edit]
[edit]
Retrieved from "http://en.wiki.x.io/w/index.php?title=Watch_the_Throne&oldid=1259180932"