Bigger Love

Bigger Love was written mostly in 2019.{{cite web |last1=Dinges |first1=Gary |title=EGOT winner John Legend says new album 'Bigger Love' is his 'best work' yet |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2020/06/17/john-legend-interview-bigger-love-album-chrissy-teigen-inspiration/3200595001/ |website=USA Today |date=June 17, 2020}} Recording for the album finished in February 2020.{{cite magazine |last1=Saponara |first1=Michael |title=Inside John Legend's 'Bigger Love' Album, Which He Hopes Can 'Lift People Up' |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/9398955/john-legend-bigger-love-2-preview |magazine=Billboard |date=June 17, 2020}} Legend stated he hoped the album would bring joy and be uplifting in light of the George Floyd protests that were taking place during the album's release. He released the cover art and track listing on June 12, a week before the release.{{cite web |last1=Grant |first1=Shawn |title=John Legend Reveals Cover and Tracklist for 'Bigger Love' Album |url=https://thesource.com/2020/06/12/john-legend-bigger-love-tracklist/ |website=The Source |date=June 12, 2020}}

The cover art was painted by artist Charly "Carlos" Palmer. The piece features a smiling portrait of the singer-songwriter covered in blooming flowers and a starry sky against a pop of turquoise backdrop.

Three singles were put out before the album was released. "Conversations in the Dark" was released on January 10, 2020.{{cite magazine |last1=Aniftos |first1=Rania |title=John Legend Unveils the Sweet 'Conversations in the Dark' Ahead of Upcoming 'This Is Us' Episode |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/television/8547818/john-legend-conversations-in-the-dark-this-is-us |magazine=Billboard |date=January 10, 2020}} "Actions" was released on March 20. Legend performed "Actions" on The Tonight Show.{{cite magazine |last1=Zemler |first1=Emily |title=Watch John Legend Perform 'Actions' on At-Home Edition of 'Fallon' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/john-legend-actions-tonight-show-972792/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=March 25, 2020}} The title track, "Bigger Love", was released on April 17, 2020. "Wild", a collaboration with American musician Gary Clark Jr., was released on August 13, 2020.Sources concerning the single release of "Wild":

• {{cite web|url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/08/13/john-legend-chrissy-teigen-pregnant-expecting-third-child-together-confirm-baby-news-wild-music-video-13126542/|title=John Legend and Chrissy Teigen expecting third child together as they confirm baby news in Wild music video|website=Metro|last=Dosani|first=Rishma|date=August 13, 2020|access-date=August 15, 2020}}
• {{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/08/john-legend-chrissy-teigen-pregnancy-music-video.html|title=John Legend and Chrissy Teigen Announce New Pregnancy Through Song|website=Vulture|last=Alter|first=Rebecca|date=August 13, 2020|access-date=August 15, 2020}}
• {{cite web|url=https://people.com/music/john-legend-chrissy-teigen-wild-music-video/|title=John Legend Debuts Romantic 'Wild' Music Video with Wife Chrissy Teigen|website=People|last=VanHoose|first=Benjamin|date=August 13, 2020|access-date=August 15, 2020}}

{{Album ratings

|MC=59/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/bigger-love/john-legend|title=Metacritic Review|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=July 13, 2020}}

|rev1=Clash

|rev1score=6/10{{cite web|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/john-legend-bigger-love|title=Clash Magazine Review|work=Clash|last=Murray|first=Robin|date=June 19, 2020|access-date=June 20, 2020}}

|rev2=The Guardian

|rev2score={{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/jun/19/john-legend-bigger-love-columbia|title=John Legend: Bigger Love – synths, snogging and schmaltz|work=The Guardian|last=Kheraj|first=Alim|date=June 19, 2020|access-date=June 20, 2020}}

|rev3=Rolling Stone

|rev3score={{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/john-legends-bigger-love-1016884/|title=John Legend's 'Bigger Love' is a Bear Hug We Need Right Now|magazine=Rolling Stone|last=Dolan|first=Jon|date=June 18, 2020|access-date=June 20, 2020}}

|rev4 = Pitchfork

|rev4Score = (6.4/10){{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/john-legend-bigger-love/|title=John Legend Bigger Love|author=Pearce, Sheldon|date=June 24, 2020|publisher=Pitchfork|website=pitchfork.com}}

|rev5 = The Independent

|rev5Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/neil-young-homegrown-review-stream-john-legend-bigger-love-tracklist-a9570926.html|title=Album reviews: Neil Young – Homegrown, and John Legend – BIGGER LOVE|author=O'Connor, Roisin|date=June 17, 2020|publisher=The Independent|website=independent.co.uk}}

}}

The album received generally mixed reviews from critics. Rolling Stone rated the album 3.5/5 stars, stating that the album's "self-aware" themes fit well with the current environment of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rated R&B recognized the album on its 30 Best R&B Albums of 2020 list, stating, "Bigger Love celebrates everlasting love as John Legend serenades with soothing falsettos, bold instrumentation, and groovy new sounds."{{Cite web|title=The 30 Best R&B Albums of 2020: Staff Picks|url=https://ratedrnb.com/2020/12/the-30-best-rnb-albums-of-2020-staff-picks/|access-date=2021-01-15|website=ratedrnb.com|date=December 18, 2020 }}

{{Track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 55:51

| title1 = Ooh Laa

| writer1 = {{hlist|John Stephens|Warren Felder|Alex Niceforo|Keith Sorrells|Trey Campbell|Al Dubin|Harry Warren}}

| extra1 = {{hlist|Oak|The Orphanage|Alex Nice{{ref|c|[c]}}|Ten4{{ref|c|[c]}}}}

| length1 = 2:59

| title2 = Actions

| writer2 = {{hlist|Stephens|Felder|Niceforo|Sorrells|Cautious Clay|Coleridge Tillman|David Axelrod}}

| extra2 = {{hlist|Oak|The Orphanage|Nice{{ref|c|[c]}}|Ten4{{ref|c|[c]}}|Cautious Clay{{ref|c|[c]}}}}

| length2 = 2:54

| title3 = I Do

| writer3 = {{hlist|Stephens|Charlie Puth}}

| extra3 = {{hlist|Puth|Raphael Saadiq{{ref|c|[c]}}}}

| length3 = 2:47

| title4 = One Life

| writer4 = {{hlist|Stephens|Anderson .Paak|Jeff "Gitty" Gitelman|Cautious Clay}}

| extra4 = {{hlist|Anderson .Paak|Gitelman}}

| length4 = 3:14

| title5 = Wild

| note5 = featuring Gary Clark Jr.

| writer5 = {{hlist|Stephens|Tom Barnes|Pete Kelleher|Ben Kohn|Jake Torrey|Sam Roman}}

| extra5 = TMS

| length5 = 3:16

| title6 = Bigger Love

| writer6 = {{hlist|Stephens|Ryan Tedder|Cautious Clay|Zach Skelton}}

| extra6 = {{hlist|Tedder|Skelton|Cautious Clay|Di Genius}}

| length6 = 2:50

| title7 = U Move, I Move

| note7 = featuring Jhené Aiko

| writer7 = {{hlist|Stephens|Campbell|Michael Gregory Bywaters|Jonas W. Karlsson}}

| extra7 = Karlsson

| length7 = 3:43

| title8 = Favorite Place

| writer8 = {{hlist|Stephens|Jamil Chammas|Julia Michaels}}

| extra8 = {{hlist|Digi|Oak{{ref|c|[c]}}|The Orphanage{{ref|c|[c]}}}}

| length8 = 2:48

| title9 = Slow Cooker

| writer9 = {{hlist|Stephens|Campbell|Elias Näslin|Toluwanimi Adeyemo}}

| extra9 = {{hlist|Lias|Saadiq{{ref|c|[c]}}}}

| length9 = 4:22

| title10 = Focused

| writer10 = {{hlist|Stephens|Eric Frederic|Nate Mercereau|Wayne Hector|Teddy Geiger}}

| extra10 = {{hlist|Ricky Reed|Mercereau|Steve Wyreman{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length10 = 3:02

| title11 = Conversations in the Dark

| writer11 = {{hlist|Stephens|Gregg Wattenberg|Jesse Fink|Kellen Pomeranz|Chance Peña}}

| extra11 = {{hlist|Wattenberg|Pom Pom}}

| length11 = 3:55

| title12 = Don't Walk Away

| note12 = featuring Koffee

| writer12 = {{hlist|Stephens|Kirby Lauryen|Stephen McGregor|Mikyala Simpson}}

| extra12 = Di Genius

| length12 = 3:40

| title13 = Remember Us

| note13 = featuring Rapsody

| writer13 = {{hlist|Stephens|Eric Hudson|Danny "Ezra" Murdock|Curtis Hudson|Marlanna Evans|Campbell|Al Green|Al Jackson, Jr.|Willie Mitchell}}

| extra13 = {{hlist|E. Hudson|Murdock{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length13 = 4:51

| title14 = I'm Ready

| note14 = featuring Camper

| writer14 = {{hlist|Stephens|Tayla Parx|Darhyl Camper, Jr.}}

| extra14 = Camper

| length14 = 3:51

| title15 = Always

| writer15 = {{hlist|Stephens|Ester Dean|Camper|Justus Alexander West}}

| extra15 = {{hlist|Camper|West{{ref|a|[a]}}|Branden Rowell{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length15 = 3:26

| title16 = Never Break

| writer16 = {{hlist|Stephens|Benjamin "Mr Hudson" McIldowie|Nasri Atweh|Greg Wells}}

| extra16 = {{hlist|Mr Hudson|Wells|Benjamin Rice{{ref|v|[v]}}}}

| length16 = 4:13

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Japan bonus tracks{{cite web|url= https://tower.jp/item/5067686/|title=Bigger Love / ビガー・ラヴ – Tower Records|publisher=Tower Records|access-date=24 August 2020}}

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 62:55

| title17 = Conversations in the Dark

| note17 = John Legend vs. David Guetta

| writer17 = {{hlist|Stephens|Wattenberg|Fink|Pomeranz|Peña|David Guetta|Giorgio Tuinfort}}

| extra17 = {{hlist|Wattenberg|Pom Pom|Guetta{{ref|r|[r]}}}}

| length17 = 3:30

| title18 = Bigger Love (Remix)

| note18 = featuring Mau y Ricky

| writer18 = {{hlist|Stephens|Tedder|Cautious Clay|Skelton|Juan Morelli|Mau Montaner|Ricky Montaner}}

| extra18 = {{hlist|Tedder|Skelton|Cautious Clay|Di Genius|Jon Leone{{ref|v|[v]}}}}

| length18 = 3:22

}}

• ^{{{note|a|[a]}}}signifies an additional producer
• ^{{{note|c|[c]}}}signifies a co-producer
• ^{{{note|v|[v]}}}signifies a vocal producer
• ^{{{note|r|[r]}}}signifies a remixer
• "Ooh Laa" contains a portion of "I Only Have Eyes for You", written by Al Dubin and Harry Warren.
• "Actions" contains a sample from "The Edge", written by David Axelrod and performed by David McCallum.
• "Remember Us" contains a portion of "I'm Still in Love with You" written by Al Green, Al Jackson, Jr., and Willie Mitchell.

{{div col}}

• John Legend – lead vocals (all tracks), background vocals (tracks 1–4, 8, 9, 11–15), piano (4, 15), additional keyboards (4)
• Oak – additional background vocals (track 1); background vocals, keyboards, drum programming (2)
• Alex Nice – additional background vocals (track 1); background vocals, keyboards (2)
• Keith "Ten4" Sorrells – additional background vocals (track 1); background vocals, keyboards, drum programming (2)
• Cautious Clay – background vocals (tracks 2, 6, 18), bass (2), saxophone (6, 18)
• Jamelle Adisa – horns (tracks 2, 9); horn arrangement, trumpet, fluegelhorn (13)
• Natalie Imani – background vocals (tracks 3, 4, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15), ad-lib vocals (6, 18)
• Ayana George – background vocals (tracks 3, 4, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15)
• Keri Lee – background vocals (tracks 3, 4, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15)
• Raphael Saadiq – guitar (tracks 3, 9), bass (4), additional bass (5)
• Garrison Brown – additional drums (tracks 3, 5), drums (9, 15)
• Matt Jones Orchestra – orchestra (tracks 3, 4, 7, 8, 13–15)
• Matt Jones – string arrangement
• Stephanie Matthews – violin
• Caitlin Edwards – violin
• Clayton Penrose-Whitmore – violin
• Scott Tixier – violin
• Drew Forde – viola
• Tahirah Whittington – cello
• Jeff "Gitty" Gitelman – additional bass, guitar, keyboards, synthesizers, string arrangement (track 4)
• Anderson .Paak – drums (track 4)
• Pete Kelleher – background vocals, keyboards, synthesizers (track 5)
• Ben Kohn – background vocals, bass (track 5)
• Sam Roman – background vocals (track 5)
• Jake Torrey – background vocals, guitar (track 5)
• Gary Clark Jr. – guitar solo (track 5)
• Tom Barnes – drums, programming (track 5)
• Di Genius – guitar, programming (tracks 6, 18)
• Trey Campbell – background vocals (tracks 7, 9)
• Jhené Aiko – lead vocals (track 7)
• Nate Mercereau – guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, French horn, string arrangement (track 10)
• Steve Wyreman – guitar, keyboards (track 10)
• Shaina Evoniuk – strings (track 10)
• Pom Pom – background vocals, bass, programming (tracks 11, 17)
• Gregg Wattenberg – background vocals, guitar, bass (tracks 11, 17)
• Jesse Fink – background vocals (tracks 11, 17)
• Chance Peña – background vocals (tracks 11, 17)
• Mia Wattenberg – background vocals (tracks 11, 17)
• Danae Greenfield – piano (tracks 11, 17)
• Benzi Ezelson – piano (tracks 11, 17)
• Koffee – lead vocals, background vocals (track 12)
• Rapsody – rap vocals (track 13)
• Scott Mayo – horn arrangement, flute, alto flute (track 13)
• Danny "Ezra" Murdock – live drums, drum programming (track 13)
• Eric Hudson – additional instrumentation (track 13)
• Peter Lee Johnson – additional strings (track 13)
• Curtis Hudson – guitar (track 13)
• Camper – background vocals (track 14)
• Tayla Parx – background vocals (track 14)
• Dmitry Gorodetsky – upright bass (track 14)
• Greg Wells – piano, Hammond organ (track 16)
• Mr Hudson – programming, string arrangement, percussion, guitar (track 16)
• Nasri Atweh – background vocals (track 16)
• Mau Montaner – lead vocals (track 18)
• Ricky Montaner – lead vocals (track 18)

{{div col end}}

{{div col}}

• Mike Bozzi – mastering
• Gerry "The Gov" Brown – mixing (tracks 1–9, 11–18)
• Bobby Campbell – mixing (tracks 3–9, 12–15, 18)
• Ricky Reed – mixing (track 10)
• Matt Becks – mixing (tracks 11, 17)
• Greg Wells – mixing (track 16)
• Oak Felder – engineering (tracks 1, 2, 8)
• Hotae Alexander Jang – engineering (tracks 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12–15, 18), John Legend vocal engineering (7), additional engineering (10), engineering assistance (16)
• Jhair "Jha" Lazo – engineering (tracks 4, 6, 18)
• TMS – engineering (track 5)
• Rich Rich – engineering (tracks 6, 18)
• Lias – engineering (track 9)
• Ethan Shumaker – engineering (track 10)
• Nate Mercereau – engineering (track 10)
• Anthony Kilhoffer – engineering (tracks 11–13, 18)
• Leo Bescotti – engineering (tracks 11, 17)
• Richard Biethan – engineering (track 16)
• Tim McClain – engineering (track 18)
• Gregg Rominiecki – Jhené Aiko vocal engineering (track 7)
• Danny Johnson – mixing assistance (tracks 1, 2)
• Theo Wayland – mixing assistance (tracks 1, 2, 5)
• Sean Massih – mixing assistance (track 2)
• Kyle Metcalfe – mixing assistance (tracks 3, 4, 7, 8, 12–15)
• Keith "Ten4" Sorrells – engineering assistance (tracks 1, 8)
• Natalie Ranalli – engineering assistance (tracks 3, 4, 9, 14)
• Charlie Marshall – engineering assistance (track 16)

{{div col end}}

• Rob English – creative direction
• Chris Feldmann – art direction, design
• Don Baker – art direction, design, hand painted signs
• Ricardo Bojorquez – design, layout
• Charly Palmer – cover and landscape painting
• Nurse Signs – hand painted signs
• Doug Inglish – photography

{{reflist}}

{{John Legend}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2020 albums

Category:John Legend albums

Category:Columbia Records albums

Category:Grammy Award for Best R&B Album

Category:Albums produced by Anderson .Paak

Category:Albums produced by Oak Felder

Category:Albums produced by Jeff Gitelman

Category:Albums produced by Eric Hudson

Category:Albums produced by Mr Hudson

Category:Albums produced by Ricky Reed

Category:Albums produced by Raphael Saadiq

Category:Albums produced by Ryan Tedder

Category:Albums produced by TMS (production team)

Category:Albums produced by Greg Wells

Category:Albums recorded at Record Plant (Los Angeles)

Category:Albums recorded at the Village (studio)