"You Ain't the Only One" Released: October 18, 2024
Gratitude is the fifteenth studio album by American singer Mary J. Blige. It was released on November 15, 2024, through 300 Entertainment and her Mary Jane Productions imprint.[1][2]
In April 2023, Blige indicated that her next studio album would likely be the last of her career.[7] In September 2024, the singer announced that the project – her second album under 300 Entertainment and her Mary Jane Productions imprint – would be titled Gratitude and supported by the United States concert tour The For My Fans Tour along with R&B singers Ne-Yo and Mario.[8] Elborating on the theme of the album, she told People magazine: "The overall theme is enjoying life and understanding that, again, life is what inspires me, whether I take the good with the bad. I look at every lesson as a blessing and I understand that I'm not the only one on the earth going through things. I celebrate my triumph, and I work through my hard times. So, the album is going to be fun in that perspective."[9]
Promotion
The first single to be lifted from Gratitude was "Breathing," which contains a sample of "I Put a Spell on You" (1956) by Screamin' Jay Hawkins. Released on August 15, 2024,[10] the song earned largely positive reviews from music critics.[11][12] The song's album version featuring rapper Fabolous became Blige's ninth number-one hit as well her third consecutive year with a numer-one song on Billboard's US Adult R&B Songs chart.[13][14]Gratitude was also preceded by second single "You Ain't the Only One," released on October 18, 2024.[15] It has since reached the top ten on the Adult R&B Songs chart.[16]
Renowned for Sound editor Gabriel Barnett found that most songs on Gratitude "resonate with her legacy of promoting self-love through vibrant R&B, yet they still feel fresh and emotionally sincere," but noted that it "stumbles slightly in the middle, venturing into unfashionable territory." He concluded: "Gratitude reminds us that Mary J. Blige still holds her place among the greats. While the slower tracks don't always land, the album is creatively constructed, vocally impressive, and true to her essence. Fans have plenty to celebrate here, and this release is a promising sign of even more to come from the Queen."[18] Al Shipley from Spin remarked: "Blige sings in a lower register now, sounding hoarse at times, but there's still a lot of expressive detail in how she sings a piano ballad like "Here I Am." If Gratitude does turn out to be Blige's swan song, it's fittingly more of a love letter to New York hip-hop than any album she's made in a long time."[19]
Riff magazine's Talia M. Wilson felt that Gratitude "continues Blige’s evolution of maturity and independence that Good Morning Gorgeous began. It's not as solid as its predecessor, for its less commercial sound and weaker features. But vocally, Blige has never been stronger, and her creativity has evolved to new levels."[20] Edward Bowser, writing for Soul in Stereo, rated the album three out of five stars. He noted "an unshakable weariness" in Blige's vocals and wrote: "Even more recent projects like Strength of a Woman were a far stronger showcase of a woman who molded an entire genre in her image. True to its name, Gratitude will make you thankful for the little things [...] but it for sure leaves you wanting more."[17] Reid Sperisen from The Daily Bruin wrote: "Despite lagging in the middle and ending on an awkward thematic note, Gratitude mostly succeeds because of its consistently melodic production and Blige's presence as a stupendous vocal storyteller."[21]
Chart performance
In the United Kingdom, Gratitude debuted at number ten on the UK R&B Albums chart and number 36 on the UK Album Downloads chart in the week of November 22, 2024.[22][23]
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