Mel & Mus
{{Short description|American-Dutch producer and songwriter duo}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Mel & Mus
| alias =
| origin = {{hlist|Washington, D.C.|Holland}}
| genre = {{hlist|R&B|pop|hip-hop}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Songwriters|producers}}
| label =
| current_members = * Melvin Hough II
- Rivelino Raoul Wouter
| years_active = 2009–present
}}
Mel & Mus are a Grammy-nominated Dutch songwriting and production duo best known for writing and producing the R&B/hip-hop hits "Don't Think They Know", "Barbie Dreams" and "Good Good".{{Cite web|url=https://grammy.com/artists/mel-mus/7922|title=Mel & Mus |publisher=The Grammys |access-date=March 8, 2024|archive-date=March 8, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240308042315/https://www.grammy.com/artists/mel-mus/7922|url-status=live}}
Career
In 2010, their song "Hit It Like This" received special recognition from the music magazine Rap-Up as a "must-hear song" on the Jamie Foxx album, Best Night of My Life, for its "club-primed" sound.{{Cite web |url=https://www.rap-up.com/2010/12/08/5-must-hear-songs-on-jamie-foxxs-best-night-of-my-life/ |title=5 Must-Hear Songs on Jamie Foxx's 'Best Night of My Life' |website=Rap-Up |access-date=March 8, 2024 |archive-date=August 19, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220819212317/https://www.rap-up.com/2010/12/08/5-must-hear-songs-on-jamie-foxxs-best-night-of-my-life/ |url-status=live}} The Rihanna and Nicki Minaj collaboration, "Raining Men" from the 2010 album Loud, was their breakthrough, appearing on various charts in both the United States and United Kingdom.{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=rihanna|chart=R&B/Hip-Hop Songs}}|title=Rihanna Chart History - R&B/Hip Hop Songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=April 26, 2012}}{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/r-and-b-singles-chart/20101121/114/|title=2010 Top 40 R&B Singles Archive - 27th November 2010|publisher=Official Charts Company|date=November 27, 2010|access-date=February 6, 2012}}{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RsAnJ7Zx_qgC&pg=PA40&dq=mel+%26+mus+rihanna&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiZpcG7l72MAxUL4skDHXqRJF4Q6AF6BAgJEAM#v=onepage&q=mel%20%26%20mus%20rihanna&f=false|title=54th Grammy Awards: And The Nominees Are...|website=Billboard}}
Mel & Mus next contributed two songs to the Chris Brown album X: "Songs On a 12 Play" and "Don't Think They Know" in 2013, which posthumously paired the noted R&B artist Aaliyah with Brown.{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/chris-brown-shares-sneak-peek-of-new-album-first-single-fine-1554482/ |title=Chris Brown Shares Sneak Peek Of New Album: First Single 'Fine China' Bows April 1 |first=Gail |last=Mitchell |date=March 26, 2013 |magazine=Billboard |access-date=March 8, 2024 |archive-date=December 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231230143323/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/chris-brown-shares-sneak-peek-of-new-album-first-single-fine-1554482/ |url-status=live}}
In 2023, they reached #1 on US Urban Radio with "Good Good", the lead single from Usher's ninth studio album, Coming Home.{{Cite web |url=https://ratedrnb.com/2023/09/usher-good-good-no-1-urban-radio/ |title=Usher's 'Good Good' Reaches No. 1 at Urban Radio |first=Antwane |last=Folk |date=September 30, 2023 |website=Rated RnB |access-date=March 8, 2024 |archive-date=December 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227004008/https://ratedrnb.com/2023/09/usher-good-good-no-1-urban-radio/ |url-status=live}}
- {{Cite web |url=https://thisisrnb.com/2023/08/thisisrnb-fresh-finds-fridays-some-of-the-hottest-new-rb-music-releases-of-the-week-5/ |title=Fresh Finds Fridays: Some Of The Hottest New R&B Music Releases Of The Week |first=Flisadam |last=Pointer |date=August 5, 2023 |website=This Is R&B |access-date=March 8, 2024 |archive-date=September 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230926200922/https://thisisrnb.com/2023/08/thisisrnb-fresh-finds-fridays-some-of-the-hottest-new-rb-music-releases-of-the-week-5/ |url-status=live}} The single was Usher's first top 40 Billboard Hot 100 hit since 2016, and stayed on top of the Billboard Adult R&B Airplay chart for five weeks.{{Cite web |url=https://ratedrnb.com/2023/12/usher-good-good-adult-r-and-b-airplay-chart-number-one-fifth-week/ |title=Usher's 'Good Good' Holds No. 1 for Fifth Week on Billboard's Adult R&B Airplay Chart |first=Antwane |last=Folk |date=December 19, 2023 |website=Rated RnB |access-date=March 8, 2024 |archive-date=March 8, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240308042317/https://ratedrnb.com/2023/12/usher-good-good-adult-r-and-b-airplay-chart-number-one-fifth-week/ |url-status=live}} The song was included on the Vibe "20 Best R&B Songs of 2023" list, praised for its "sexy, empathetic, and smooth southern bounce [coupled] with modern trap-tinged R&B".{{Cite news |url=https://www.vibe.com/lists/best-rnb-songs-2023/ |title=The 20 Best R&B Songs Of 2023 |date=December 29, 2023 |work=Vibe |access-date=March 8, 2024 |archive-date=January 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240117174038/https://www.vibe.com/lists/best-rnb-songs-2023/ |url-status=live}} In 2025, Mel & Mus produced and co-wrote "Bae", the comeback single from Keri Hilson.{{Cite web|url=https://ratedrnb.com/2025/03/keri-hilson-new-song-bae-we-need-to-talk-tracklist/|title=Keri Hilson Shares New Song 'Bae,' Unveils 'We Need To Talk' Album Tracklist|first=Keithan|last=Samuels|date=March 28, 2025|website=Rated R&B}}
Selected songwriting and production credits
Credits are from Discogs, Tidal, Spotify and AllMusic.
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col" style="width:36em;"| Title ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Artist ! scope="col"| Album |
| scope="row"| "Somebody"
|2009 |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Raining Men" (featuring Nicki Minaj)
| rowspan="3"|2010 |Loud |
| scope="row"| "Hit It Like This" |
| scope="row"| "Runaway Love"
| rowspan="2"|Justin Bieber |
| scope="row"| "Runaway Love (Kanye West Remix)" (featuring Kanye West & Raekwon)
|2011 |
| scope="row"| "I'm Legit" (featuring Ciara)
| rowspan="2"|2012 |
| scope="row"| "Get It Right" |
| scope="row"| "Don't Think They Know" (featuring Aaliyah)
| rowspan="3"|2013 |
| scope="row"| "Beat of My Drum" |
| scope="row"| "Made Of"
|Made Of EP |
| scope="row"| "Can't Hold Back"
| rowspan="3"|2014 |1 |
| scope="row"| "Gone"
|Shelved Second Album |
| scope="row"| "Songs on 12 Play" (featuring Trey Songz)
|X |
| scope="row"| "Not Long" (featuring Usher)
| rowspan="4"|2015 |
| scope="row"| "Angels & Demons" |
| scope="row"| "Live By The Gun" (featuring Akon) |
| scope="row"| "It's Yo Shit" (featuring Wale)
|Chris Brown & Tyga |
| scope="row"| "First Take" (featuring Bryson Tiller)
| rowspan="4"|2016 |
| scope="row"| "Gimme Love"
|{{non-album single}} |
| scope="row"| "Remember Me"
| rowspan="2"|Jacob Latimore | rowspan="2"|Connection |
| scope="row"| "Love Drug" |
| scope="row"| "Nowhere"
| rowspan="2"|2017 |
| scope="row"| "On & On" (featuring Tory Lanez & Belly) |
| scope="row"| "Barbie Dreams"
| rowspan="2"|2018 |
| scope="row"| "Soho" |
| scope="row"| "Pass Me By"
| rowspan="2"|2019 |
| scope="row"| "Melanin" (Featuring La La, City Girls, Ester Dean & Lupita Nyong'o)
|{{non-album single}} |
| scope="row"| "That Old Man"
| rowspan="2"|2020 |
| scope="row"| "California" (Featuring Tyga)
|{{non-album single}} |
| scope="row"| "Riot"
|2022 |
| scope="row"| "Good Good" (with Summer Walker & 21 Savage)
|2023 |
| scope="row"| "Bae"
|2025 |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable" |
| style="background:#ccc; text-align:center;"
! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Ceremony ! scope="col"| Award ! scope="col"| Result ! scope="col"| Ref |
| 2012
| {{nom}} |