The soundtrack reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, where it held the position for 2 weeks, and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for 6 weeks. It also spawned the successful Dr. Dre single "Keep Their Heads Ringin'", which made it to No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart. The album was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America on June 4, 1996. Music videos were shot for "Friday" and "Keep Their Heads Ringin'".
The title track sparked a feud with the hip hop group Cypress Hill, who claimed that Ice Cube had asked for permission to use their track "Throw Your Set in the Air" and had made a very similar track after being denied permission.[1]
AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote: "the soundtrack to a lightweight comedy co-written by Ice Cube, the record conveys all the strengths of hit urban radio. Keeping all the good elements of the format -- including the G-funk of Dr. Dre, old-school soul, contemporary R&B, and gangsta rap -- the record sounds like a "Best of the '90s" collection".[2] James Bernard of Entertainment Weekly wrote: "No surprises here. Dr. Dre rumbles over his smooth, insistent groove ("Keep Their Heads Ringin'"), Ice Cube sounds angry ("Friday"), Cypress Hill is still obsessed with pot, and E-A-Ski, a Bay Area hip-hop artist, contributes the gun-happy "Blast If I Have To". Throw in Rick James and Isley Brothers classics and you've got a listening experience that's familiar and fun".[3]Rolling Stone reviewer wrote: "accompanying the new comedy penned by Ice Cube and partner D.J. Pooh, FRIDAY....[is a] righteous set".[4]
Accolades
Accolades for Friday (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Track 1 contains elements from "Last Tango in Paris" written and performed by Gato Barbieri and "The Bertha Butt Boogie Part 1" written by Jimmy Castor and John Pruitt and performed by the Jimmy Castor Bunch
In 2005, on the tenth anniversary of Friday, Priority Records released an eleven-track bonus disc entitled Old School Friday (More Music from the Original Motion Picture) alongside the original soundtrack. It was composed of nine songs, which appeared in the film, plus two songs — "The Chase" and "Hangin' in the Hood" — by Hidden Faces, which were not in the movie.
Old School Friday (More Music From The Original Motion Picture)
Two songs did appear in the film but were not released on any soundtrack: "Hittin' Corners" written by Darrel Johnson and Shaquil Taja-Allah and performed by K-Dee, and "Control" written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and performed by Janet Jackson.
