Tim McGraw
American country singer and actor (born 1967)
Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, five for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those albums have reached number one on the Top Country Albums charts, with his 1994 breakthrough album "Not a Moment Too Soon" being the top country album of 1994. In total, McGraw's albums have produced 65 singles, 25 of which have reached number one on the Hot Country Songs or Country Airplay charts.
Three of these singles – "It's Your Love", "Just to See You Smile", and "Live Like You Were Dying" – were respectively the top country songs of 1997, 1998, and 2004 according to "Billboard" Year-End. He has also won three Grammy Awards, 14 Academy of Country Music awards, 11 Country Music Association (CMA) awards, 10 American Music Awards, and three People's Choice Awards. His Soul2Soul II Tour, which was done in partnership with his wife, Faith Hill, is one of the highest-grossing tours in country music history, and one of the top five among all genres of music. He has sold more than 80 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time.
McGraw has ventured into acting, with supporting roles in "The Blind Side", "Friday Night Lights", "The Kingdom", "Tomorrowland", "Four Christmases", flashback scenes in 2 episodes of "Yellowstone", and "The Shack" as well as lead roles in "Flicka" (2006), "Country Strong" (2010), and "1883" (2021). He was a minority owner of the Arena Football League's Nashville Kats. McGraw has been married to singer Faith Hill since 1996 and is the eldest son of former MLB pitcher Tug McGraw.
Early life and education.
Samuel Timothy McGraw was born in Delhi, Louisiana, the only child of Elizabeth "Betty" Ann D'Agostino, a waitress from Jacksonville, Florida, and Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw Jr., a pitcher for the minor league Jacksonville Suns and future star pitcher for the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies. In 1966, D'Agostino was a student at Terry Parker High School. She lived in the same apartment building as Tug McGraw, who was playing baseball for Jacksonville. When she became pregnant with McGraw as a teen, D'Agostino's parents sent her to Louisiana to live with relatives. Through his father, McGraw has two half-brothers, Mark and Matthew, and a half-sister named Cari. He also has two younger half-sisters, Tracey and Sandra, through his mother's marriage to Horace Smith.
McGraw grew up believing Smith was his father, and used this stepfather's surname until meeting Tug. At age 11, McGraw discovered his birth certificate while searching in his mother's closet to look for a picture for a school project. Following the discovery, he learned from her who his biological father was and she took him to meet the elder McGraw for the first time. Tug McGraw denied the parentage for seven years until Tim was 18 years old. After that time, the two formed a relationship and remained close until the former baseball star died in 2004.
As a child, McGraw played competitive sports, including baseball, even before the knowledge of who his father was and his professional baseball career. McGraw was also a member of the FFA in high school. Following high school graduation, he attended Northeast Louisiana University on a baseball scholarship, where he was a pre-law major and pledged as a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. A knee injury sustained while playing baseball for the college prevented him from pursuing a professional career in sports.
While in college, McGraw learned to play guitar and would frequently perform and sing for money. He has claimed his roommates often hid the guitar because he was so bad. McGraw followed his mother when she returned to Jacksonville, Florida, in 1987. After the move, he attended Florida Community College at Jacksonville for one term, and occasionally sat in with local bands. In 1989, on the day his hero Keith Whitley died, McGraw dropped out of college to head to Nashville and pursue a musical career.
Music career.
1990s.
"Tim McGraw".
McGraw came to the attention of Curb Records in 1990. After cutting a demo single, McGraw gave a copy to his father. A man who was friends with Curb Records executives heard the demo while driving with Tug one day and recommended that Curb contact the young singer. Several weeks later, he was able to play his tape for Curb executives, after which they signed him to a recording contract. McGraw made his debut with the single "What Room Was the Holiday In", which was released on March 29, 1991, and did not enter the "Billboard" Hot Country Songs chart upon its release. In a 2001 retrospective on McGraw's career in "Billboard", a former program director for Nashville station WSM-FM said that he added the song to the station's playlist because it showed "undeniable promise", while another former program director at WXTU in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, recalled that McGraw's debut single was "terrible" but that he booked the singer to make an appearance at the station due to his father's fame.
Two years later in April 1993, McGraw released his debut album "Tim McGraw", which was commercially unsuccessful and did not sell well. This is his only studio album not to achieve a music recording sales certification or to enter the Top Country Albums charts. Three more singles were released from "Tim McGraw": "Welcome to the Club", "Memory Lane", and "Two Steppin' Mind". None made country Top 40 and the album itself did not chart. Both "Memory Lane" and "Tears in the Rain", another cut from the album, were co-written by Joe Diffie. "Memory Lane" had originally appeared on Keith Palmer's self-titled 1991 debut album.
"Not a Moment Too Soon".
McGraw's second album, entitled "Not a Moment Too Soon", was much more successful than his self-titled debut, and it was the best-selling country album of 1994. Its first single, "Indian Outlaw", sparked controversy, as critics argued that it presented Native Americans in a patronizing way. Some radio stations even chose not to play it. However, the controversy helped spur sales, and the song became McGraw's first Top 10 entry on the U.S. country charts after getting as high as number 8. The song also peaked at number 15 on the "Billboard" Hot 100.
The album's second single, "Don't Take the Girl", became McGraw's first number one on the U.S. country charts, in addition to peaking at number 17 on the "Billboard" Hot 100. The song also "helped cement his image as a ruggedly good-looking guy with a sensitive side." By year's end, the third single from the album, "Down on the Farm" peaked at number 2; after that, the album's fourth single, also its title track, became the singer's second number one song in early 1995. The fifth and final single "Refried Dreams" reached number 5. The album sold over 6 million copies, topping the "Billboard" 200 and Top Country Album charts. On the strength of this success, McGraw won Academy of Country Music awards for Album of the Year and Top New Male Vocalist in 1994. "Billboard" named "Not a Moment Too Soon" as the top country album of 1994 on Billboard Year-End.
"All I Want".
McGraw's third studio album, "All I Want", was released in 1995. Just like its predecessor, this album debuted at No. 1 on the country charts. The album even sold over 2 million copies in the United States and reached the Top 5 on the "Billboard" 200. The album's first single, "I Like It, I Love It", became McGraw's third number one on the American country charts and it also peaked at number 25 on the "Billboard" Hot 100. This song also eventually became the goal song for the Nashville Predators once they began their inaugural season and since then has been left unchanged. The album's next two singles, "Can't Be Really Gone" and "All I Want Is a Life" (its partial title track) both made the top 5 at numbers 2 and 5, respectively. The fourth single, "She Never Lets It Go to Her Heart", gave McGraw his fourth number one on the U.S. country charts in 1996. Finishing off the singles was "Maybe We Should Just Sleep on It", which peaked at number 4.
In 1996, McGraw headlined the most successful country tour of the year, The Spontaneous Combustion Tour, with Faith Hill as his supporting act. Hill broke off her engagement to her former producer Scott Hendricks so that she and McGraw could start dating each other; they then married on October 6, 1996.
"Everywhere".
The singer's fourth album, "Everywhere" was released in 1997. It topped the country charts as well and reached No. 2 on the "Billboard" 200, selling 4 million copies. The album spawned six singles. Four of those singles - "It's Your Love" (a duet with Faith Hill), the title track, "Where the Green Grass Grows", and "Just to See You Smile" - reached number one on the country charts. The Country Music Association awarded "Everywhere" its Album of the Year award for 1997. At the 40th Grammy Awards, "It's Your Love" received two Grammy Award nominations for Best Country Collaboration With Vocals and Best Country Song. Both "It's Your Love" and "Just to See You Smile" were the number one country songs of 1997 and 1998 according to "Billboard" Year-End charts; "Just to See You Smile" also set a record for the longest run on the country charts at the time, at 42 weeks. The album's other two singles, "One of These Days" and "For a Little While" both peaked at number 2.
"A Place in the Sun".
McGraw's fifth album, "A Place in the Sun", continued his streak in 1999, debuting atop both the US country and pop album charts and selling 3 million copies. Over 251,000 of those copies were sold during its first week, making this the singer's first number 1 opener on the "Billboard" 200. It produced another four number one hits on the U.S. country charts with "Please Remember Me", "Something Like That", "My Best Friend", and "My Next Thirty Years". "Some Things Never Change" peaked at number 7 on the charts. McGraw also contributed a song for the Grammy-winning tribute album to Bob Wills entitled "Ride With Bob". A cover of "Milk Cow Blues", this song was recorded as a duet with Asleep at the Wheel, whom he had met while performing together at the George Strait Country Music Festival.
McGraw recorded two more duets with his wife in the late-1990s, both of which appeared on her albums. "Just to Hear You Say That You Love Me", from her multi-platinum-certified 1998 album "Faith", reached the Top 5 of the US country charts. Her follow-up album, 1999's "Breathe", featured "Let's Make Love", which won a Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Collaboration in 2000.
2000s.
"Greatest Hits".
In 2000, McGraw released his first "Greatest Hits" album, which topped the country albums charts for nine weeks and sold nearly 6 million copies, making this one of the biggest-selling albums in the modern country market. In the latter half of the year, he and Hill went out on the Soul2Soul Tour, playing to sellout crowds in 64 venues, including Madison Square Garden. The tour was one of the top tours of any genre in the U.S. It was also the leading country tour of 2000. While in Buffalo, New York, McGraw and Kenny Chesney became involved in a scuffle with police officers after Chesney attempted to ride a police horse. McGraw came to Chesney's aid after police officers nearby believed the horse was being stolen and tried to arrest him. The two were arrested and charged with assault but were later cleared. During a concert with the George Strait Country Music Festival several weeks later, Hill, dressed as a police officer, made an unscheduled appearance at the end of McGraw's set and led him off the stage.
"Set This Circus Down".
McGraw's sixth studio album, "Set This Circus Down", was released in April 2001. It even spawned four number one hits on the country charts as well, this time with "Grown Men Don't Cry", "Angry All the Time" (with Faith Hill), "The Cowboy in Me", and "Unbroken". The singer provided harmony vocals for Jo Dee Messina's song "Bring On the Rain", which he also produced. That song topped the country charts. Hungry for more of his music, fans downloaded a version of his performance of the song "Things Change" from his appearance at the Country Music Association Awards Show. The song was played extensively on radio, becoming the first country song to appear on the charts from a fully downloaded version.
"Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors".
In 2002, McGraw bucked country music traditions by recording his seventh studio album "Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors" with his tour band The Dancehall Doctors. Unlike rock music—where it is commonplace for touring bands to provide the music on albums recorded by the artist they support, country albums are typically recorded with session musicians. McGraw chose to use his own touring band, in order to recognize their part in
his success, and to capture some of the feel of a real band.
All of the Dancehall Doctors have worked with McGraw since at least 1996. Their lineup includes:
The album debuted at No. 2 on the country albums charts, Its fourth and fifth singles "Real Good Man" and "Watch the Wind Blow By" both climbed to number one on the U.S. "Billboard" Hot Country Songs chart. "She's My Kind of Rain" peaked at No. 2 in 2003, and "Red Rag Top" reached number 5. The album also features a cover of Elton John's early-1970s classic "Tiny Dancer," as well as duets with Kim Carnes on "Comfort Me" (a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks) and Don Henley and Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles on "Illegal." "She's My Kind of Rain" also received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance-Male at the 46th Grammy Awards.
"Live Like You Were Dying".
His eighth album, 2004's "Live Like You Were Dying", continued the singer's record of commercial success. The album's first single and its title track was dedicated to his father Tug McGraw, who died of a brain tumor earlier in the year, was an ode to living life fully and in the moment. The second single "Back When" was a paean to an easy nostalgia. In December 2019, McGraw spoke on stage at the annual End Well Symposium about why he wrote "Live Like You Were Dying" and his struggles with caregiving for his dying father. "Live Like You Were Dying" spent seven non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on "Billboard" and went on to become the top country song of 2004 on the "Billboard" Year-End charts. It also became one of the most awarded records by winning ACM Single and Song of the Year, CMA Single and Song of the Year, and a Grammy. "Back When" went to number one on the country charts as well. The album produced three more singles with "Drugs or Jesus", "Do You Want Fries with That", and "My Old Friend". "Drugs or Jesus" became McGraw's first single since 1993 to not ever reach within the Top 10 on the U.S. country charts, while "Do You Want Fries with That" and "My Old Friend" peaked at numbers 5 and 6, respectively.
In late 2004, his unlikely duet with hip hop artist Nelly on "Over and Over" became a crossover hit, spending 10 weeks atop the top 40 chart. "Over and Over" brought McGraw a success he had never previously experienced on contemporary hit radio or R&B radio, and brought both artists success neither had previously experienced in the hot adult contemporary market. The song also spent a week at the top of the charts in the United Kingdom, becoming McGraw's first hit single in Britain and Nelly's third number one hit in the country after "Dilemma" and "My Place". "Over and Over" also reached the top of the charts in Australia, New Zealand, and the Republic of Ireland, and the top 10 in Austria, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Romania, and Switzerland.
Throughout the 2005 NFL season, McGraw sang an alternate version of "I Like It, I Love It" every week during the season. The alternate lyrics, which changed each week, would make reference to plays during Sunday's games, and the song would be played alongside video highlights during halftime on "Monday Night Football". Later in the year, McGraw became a minority owner of the Arena Football League's Nashville Kats when majority owner Bud Adams (owner of the NFL's Tennessee Titans) was awarded the expansion franchise.
"Let It Go".
In April 2006, McGraw and Hill began their 73-concert 55-city Soul2Soul II Tour, again to strong commercial acceptance. The tour grossed roughly $89 million and sold approximately 1.1 million tickets, making it the top-grossing tour in the history of country music. It was also named "Major Tour of the Year" by "Pollstar", beating out such heavyweights as Madonna and the Rolling Stones. In a special gesture, the couple donated all of the profits from their performance in New Orleans to Hurricane Katrina relief. McGraw, along with Kenny Chesney, contributed to a version of Tracy Lawrence's song "Find Out Who Your Friends Are", which can be found on Lawrence's album "For the Love". Although the official single version features only Lawrence's vocals, many stations have opted to play the version with McGraw and Chesney instead.
McGraw released his eleventh studio album, "Let It Go", on March 27, 2007. The album's first single, "Last Dollar (Fly Away)", peaked at number one on the Hot Country Songs chart. This marked McGraw's first No. 1 single since "Back When" in late 2004. The album debuted at No. 1 on both the "Billboard" 200 and Top Country Album charts, marking his fourth No. 1 album on the 200 charts and his ninth overall. His daughters can be heard singing the chorus during the last few seconds of the song on the video. During the Academy of Country Music awards show on May 15, 2007, McGraw performed a song titled "If You're Reading This", which he co-wrote with The Warren Brothers. Several radio stations began to play the live recording of the song; as a result, it entered the U.S. "Billboard" Hot Country Songs chart at No. 35. McGraw also produced the debut album of country music duo Halfway to Hazard. The duo's first single, "Daisy", peaked at No. 39 on the country charts in the summer of 2007. In the summer of 2007, McGraw and Hill toured together once again in the Soul2Soul 2007 tour.
In the edition of January 18, 2008 of the "USA Today" newspaper, McGraw was stated to be featured on the Def Leppard album "Songs from the Sparkle Lounge", having also co-written the first single, "Nine Lives", with Def Leppard band members Joe Elliott, Phil Collen, and Rick Savage. The unusual pairing goes back to 2006 when McGraw joined Def Leppard onstage for the song "Pour Some Sugar On Me", and then collaborated on the song "Nine Lives" afterward. The album was released on April 25, 2008. At the 2007 50th Annual Grammy Awards, McGraw received 5 nominations including Best Country Album (for "Let It Go"), Best Country Song (both for "If You're Reading This" and "I Need You"), Best Country Collaboration with Vocals (with "I Need You"), and Best Male Country Vocal Performance (with "If You're Reading This"). In May 2008, he hit the road with the Live Your Voice tour. The mainly-outdoor arena concert tour was his first solo outing in nearly three years. Also in May 2008, he debuted a new song in his follow-up to "Let It Go" at the Stagecoach Music Festival in Indio, California. In July 2008, the album's sixth single and its title track, "Let It Go", was released to country radio. Following that, a seventh single, "Nothin' to Die For", entered the Country charts at No. 57 in late December. McGraw released his third greatest-hits package, "Greatest Hits 3" on October 7, 2008. The album features 12 tracks. McGraw was set to debut a new song at the 2009 ACM Awards, but then canceled his performance; he was replaced by Blake Shelton, who sang "She Wouldn't Be Gone".
"Southern Voice".
McGraw's twelfth studio album, "Southern Voice", was released October 20, 2009, and led by the single "It's A Business Doing Pleasure With You", which was shipped to radio outlets in late June 2009.
"Southern Voice" was argued to be McGraw's last album for Curb Records, following the dispute over releasing his third Greatest Hits collection back in October 2008 without his permission. McGraw did not approve of the release. On November 30, 2010, Curb Records released his fourth greatest hits compilation, "Number One Hits".
2010s.
"Emotional Traffic" and Curb Records lawsuit.
On January 2, 2011, McGraw announced plans for his Emotional Traffic Tour featuring opening acts Luke Bryan and The Band Perry.
Sirius XM announced on March 30, 2011, that they would be launching Tim McGraw radio, a commercial-free music channel devoted to McGraw's music, and featuring an in-depth interview with McGraw as well. As of fall 2010, McGraw had finished work on the album "Emotional Traffic", his last album with Curb Records. On May 13, 2011, Curb Records filed a breach-of-contract suit against McGraw. The label alleged that McGraw recorded tracks for his "Emotional Traffic" album too early prior to its delivery to the label. Several days later, McGraw filed a counter suit against the label seeking advance payment and recording-fund reimbursement, unspecified damages, and a jury trial. A trial was scheduled to begin in July 2012. In November 2011, a judge granted McGraw permission to record music for another label, ending his relationship with Curb Records that began in 1990. A few hours after the ruling, Curb released "Better Than I Used to Be", the first single from "Emotional Traffic". The album was released on January 24, 2012.
"Two Lanes of Freedom".
In December 2011, McGraw released his first Christmas single, "Christmas All Over the World", on his own label StyleSonic Records. On May 21, 2012, however, he signed with Big Machine Records.
McGraw's debut album for Big Machine, entitled "Two Lanes of Freedom", was released on February 5, 2013. It debuted at number 2 on the charts by selling 108,000 copies. The album includes the singles "Truck Yeah", "One of Those Nights", "Highway Don't Care" (a duet with Taylor Swift which also features Keith Urban on lead guitar), and "Southern Girl". McGraw performed at the festival in London on March 16, 2013.
"Love Story" and "Sundown Heaven Town".
McGraw released a single titled "Lookin' for That Girl" in January 2014 as the lead-off single to his second album for Big Machine. It was followed immediately by the announcement of the Sundown Heaven Town Tour. The album, titled "Sundown Heaven Town", was released on September 16, 2014. Four months into its run, "Lookin' for That Girl" was withdrawn as a single and replaced with "Meanwhile, Back at Mama's", which features backing vocals from Hill. "Shotgun Rider" became the album's third single and a number 1 Country Airplay hit by the end of 2014. Following it was "Diamond Rings and Old Barstools", a duet with Catherine Dunn. McGraw's eighth greatest hits album, "Love Story", is a compilation of his twelve biggest love songs and two previously unreleased recordings. It was released exclusively through Walmart on February 4, 2014, by Curb Records.
"Damn Country Music".
On August 10, 2015, McGraw released a new single to digital retailers, titled "Top of the World", which was later released to radio on August 17, 2015, as the lead single to his third studio album for Big Machine Records. On September 17, McGraw announced that the album was titled "Damn Country Music", with a release date scheduled for November 6. The album's second single, "Humble and Kind", released to country radio on February 1, 2016, and went on to reach number 1 on the Billboard Hot Country charts. McGraw was selected as one of 30 artists to perform on "Forever Country", a mash-up track of Take Me Home, Country Roads, On the Road Again and I Will Always Love You which celebrates 50 years of the CMA Awards. The album's third single, "How I'll Always Be" released to country radio on July 11, 2016. It reached number 3 on the Country Airplay in January 2017.
"The Rest of Our Life".
On October 4, 2016, during a show at the Ryman Auditorium, McGraw and Hill announced that they would be going back on the road together again on the . The tour began on April 7, 2017, in New Orleans and will continue into 2018, incorporating the festival held in the UK and Ireland throughout March 2018.
Before the commencement of the tour, it was reported that McGraw, alongside Hill, had signed a new deal with Sony Music Nashville. The signing also indicated the release of a duet album between the couple, and that multiple solo recordings would be produced. The new record label signing also preceded the release of "Speak to a Girl", the lead single from the duet album, "The Rest of Our Life", which was released on November 17, 2017. The release of the album coincided with the opening of an exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum titled "Mississippi Woman, Louisiana Man", which celebrates the careers of both McGraw and Hill.
McGraw released two major best-selling books in 2019, with the first co-written with "Pulitzer Prize" winner Jon Meacham which reached No. 2 on the New York Times Bestsellers list. Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation. New York: Random House. 2019. . His second book, "Grit and Grace", also reached No. 2 on the New York Times Bestsellers list.
2020s.
"Here on Earth".
In February 2020, McGraw rejoined Big Machine Records, which he was previously signed to from 2011 to 2017. He released a new album, "Here on Earth", on August 21, 2020. The "Here on Earth Tour" was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2021, McGraw released the single "Undivided" with Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line, which was included on a deluxe edition of "Here on Earth" released later that year. On October 9, 2021, McGraw confronted a heckler at a performance at the Nugget Events Center in Sparks, Nevada, after he forgot the words to his song "Just to See You Smile." After removing the heckler, he explained that he had been filming a movie and had a lot on his mind, and asked for the audience's help in remembering the words.
"Standing Room Only" and "Poet's Resumé".
On August 25, 2023, McGraw released his sixteenth studio album, "Standing Room Only". The title track was released as the album's lead single on March 10, 2023. It reached number 2 on the U.S. Country Airplay chart. Three months after releasing "Standing Room Only", McGraw surprise-released a six-track EP, "Poet's Resumé" on November 21, 2023.
Production career.
McGraw has occasionally served as a record producer in collaboration with Byron Gallimore, who has co-produced all of his albums. The two co-produced Jo Dee Messina's self-titled debut, as well as her next two albums, "I'm Alright" and "Burn". McGraw and Gallimore also produced the only album released by The Clark Family Experience in 2000, and Halfway to Hazard's 2007 self-titled debut album.
Acting career.
McGraw's first acting appearance came in a 1997 episode of "The Jeff Foxworthy Show", where he played Foxworthy's rival. In 2004, McGraw played a sheriff in Rick Schroder's independent release "Black Cloud". Later in the same year, McGraw received critical acclaim as the overbearing father of running back "Donald Billingsley" in the major studio Texas high school football drama "Friday Night Lights". The "Dallas Observer" said the role was "played with unexpected ferocity by country singer Tim McGraw". The movie went on to gross over $60 million worldwide at the box office, and sold millions in the DVD market. Most recently, it was named one of the Top 50 High School Movies of All Time (No. 37) by "Entertainment Weekly".
McGraw's first lead role was in the 2006 film "Flicka", which was released in theaters October 20, 2006. In the remake of the classic book "My Friend Flicka", McGraw played the father, Rob, costarring with Alison Lohman and Maria Bello. The family-friendly movie debuted in the top 10 list and has grossed over $25 million at the box office. McGraw again achieved critical acclaim for his acting. Shortly before "Flicka" opened, McGraw received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star is located at 6901 Hollywood Boulevard near stars honoring Julie Andrews, William Shatner, and the late Greta Garbo. One of his "Flicka" co-stars, Alison Lohman, attended the ceremony that included comments from Billy Bob Thornton, McGraw's co-star in the film "Friday Night Lights". In addition to acting in "Flicka", McGraw served as executive producer of the soundtrack album, which was released by his record label, StyleSonic Records, in association with Curb Records and Fox 2000 films. It featured the closing credit song "My Little Girl", one of the first two songs that McGraw recorded that he also co-wrote (the other being "I've Got Friends That Do", both of which were included on "Greatest Hits Vol. 2"). The song was nominated by the Broadcast Film Critics for "Best Song" in a film, and the movie was nominated in the category "Best Family Film (Live Action)". The movie proved to be another success in the DVD market, and has sold over a million copies, debuting at No. 3 on the DVD sales chart.
McGraw also had a small part in the Michael Mann–produced 2007 film "The Kingdom", reuniting him with "Friday Night Lights" director Peter Berg. McGraw played a bitter, angered widower whose wife was killed in the terrorist attack that is the centerpiece of the movie. On November 22, 2008, McGraw made his first appearance on "Saturday Night Live". He also played "Dallas McVie" in "Four Christmases". McGraw appeared in the 2009 film "The Blind Side" as Sean Tuohy, husband of Sandra Bullock's character, Leigh Anne Tuohy. "The Blind Side" is based on the true story of Michael Oher, a homeless African-American youngster from a broken home, taken in and adopted by the Tuohys, a well-to-do white family who help him fulfill his potential. He is among the stars of "Dirty Girl", a film that premiered on September 12, 2010, at the Toronto Film Festival, along with Juno Temple, Milla Jovovich, William H. Macy and Dwight Yoakam. Also in 2010, McGraw starred in "Country Strong" as James Canter, the husband and manager of the fictional country singer Kelly Canter (portrayed by Gwyneth Paltrow). In addition to his appearance in the film, McGraw's song "Me and Tennessee", a duet with Paltrow, was played during the closing credits and appears on the film's soundtrack. In 2015, McGraw appeared in Brad Bird's "Tomorrowland" as Eddie Newton, a NASA engineer, and Casey Newton's (played by Britt Robertson) father.
"1883", a spinoff prequel to Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone television series was released in late 2021 and stars McGraw, Faith Hill, and Sam Elliott.
Charitable efforts.
In 1994, when McGraw first reached fame, he established the annual Swampstock event. It began as a charity softball game to raise money for hometown little league programs; the event now includes a celebrity softball game and a multi-artist concert that attracts over 11,000 fans per year. The combined events have funded new Little League parks and equipment, and have established college scholarship funds for students in the northeast Louisiana area.
From 1996 to 1999, McGraw hosted an annual New Year's Eve concert in Nashville with special guests including Jeff Foxworthy, the Dixie Chicks, and Martina McBride. The 1997 show raised over $100,000 for the Country Music Foundation Hall of Fame and Museum. Beginning in 1999, McGraw would pick select cities on each tour, and the night before he was scheduled to perform, would choose a local club and host a quickly-organized show. This tour-within-a-tour became known as "The Bread and Water Tour", and all proceeds from the show would go to a charity from that community.
McGraw designed a charity T-shirt sold through Angelwear to benefit MusiCares. MusiCares supports musicians in times of need. His charity focuses particularly on health issues. The Tim McGraw Foundation raises funds to enhance the quality of life of children and adults with brain tumors. He supports the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center, the David Foster Foundation, which helps families of children in need of organ transplants, and Musicians on Call, which brings music to hospital patients' bedsides. He also performs during dinners and auctions to benefit children with disabilities. Hill and McGraw gave the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society $375,000 (the entire gate receipts from one of their concerts) to assist the families of 17 sailors following the terrorist attack on , the guided-missile destroyer that suffered significant damage in the Gulf of Aden, Yemen on October 12, 2000.
In the days immediately following Hurricane Katrina, McGraw who was raised in Mississippi, joined groups taking supplies to Gulfport, Mississippi. The two also hosted several charity concerts to benefit those who were displaced by the storm. Later in the year, the couple established the Neighbor's Keeper Foundation, which provides funding for community charities to assist with basic humanitarian services, in the event of a natural disaster, or for desperate personal circumstances.
McGraw is also a member of the American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet, to which various celebrities donate their time, skills, and fame, to help the Red Cross highlight important initiatives and response efforts.
McGraw has helped out with charity events held by Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre. The Brett Favre Fourward Foundation has featured McGraw performing concerts during dinners and auctions that benefit children with disabilities in Wisconsin and Mississippi. One instance is recorded on Favre's official website.
On July 12, 2007, it was made public that McGraw while in Grand Rapids, Michigan for a performance, donated $5,000 to Kailey Kozminski, the 3-year-old daughter of Officer Robert Kozminski, a Grand Rapids police officer who was killed on July 8, 2007, while responding to a domestic disturbance.
In April 2023, McGraw surprised rising country star Brandon Davis, whom he previously brought on tour with him in 2022, with a new guitar after all of his gear was stolen earlier in the month.
Personal politics.
In a 2006 interview with "Esquire" magazine, McGraw stated he would like to run for public office as a Democratic Party candidate, possibly for United States Senate or Governor of Tennessee—his home state. In the same interview, he praised Bill Clinton.
In a 2008 interview with "People" magazine, McGraw referred to himself as a "Blue Dog Democrat" and stated that he and his family support Barack Obama.
In January 2021, McGraw performed on the "Celebrating America" inaugural special, a primetime virtual concert celebrating the inauguration of Joe Biden.
Personal life.
McGraw married fellow country singer Faith Hill in 1996, and they have three daughters. He and Hill own Goat Cay, which they unofficially named L'île d'Anges, a private island in the Bahamas.
In 2000, Kenny Chesney and McGraw became involved in a scuffle with police officers in Buffalo, New York, after Chesney was riding a State Police horse and refused to get off the horse. McGraw came to Chesney's aid after police officers nearby believed the horse was being stolen. The two were arrested and charged, Chesney for disorderly conduct and McGraw for assault, but were acquitted in 2001.
McGraw holds a private pilot license and owns a single-engine Cirrus SR22.
In 2015, "Forbes" estimated McGraw's annual income at $38 million.
McGraw is the godfather to the son of Garrett Hedlund and Emma Roberts. He and Hedlund became friends after co-starring in "Friday Night Lights" and "Country Strong".
In acknowledgment of his grandfather's Italian heritage, McGraw was honored by the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) in 2004, receiving the NIAF Special Achievement Award in Music during the Foundation's 29th Anniversary Gala.
McGraw's Bracco Italiano named Lepshi won Best of Breed at the 2023 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The McGraw-Hill family also has two other Bracco Italianos, Caesar and Stromboli.
Tours.
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References.
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It's a Business Doing Pleasure with You
"It's a Business Doing Pleasure with You" is a song written by Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger and country musician Brett James, and recorded by American country music artist Tim McGraw. The song is the first single to his tenth studio album, "Southern Voice". It is also McGraw's fifty-second chart entry on the "Billboard" country charts. The song was released to radio on June 29, 2009.
Content.
The song's narrator is frustrated with buying items for his lover, telling her that "it's a business doing pleasure with [her]". The song's title is an inversion of the phrase "It's a pleasure doing business with you."
Chart performance.
"It's a Business Doing Pleasure with You" debuted at number 35 on the U.S. "Billboard" Hot Country Songs chart in July 2009, and reached a peak of number 13 on the chart in September 2009.
References.
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The Dudes Doin' Business
The Dudes Doin' Business is an album by organist Jimmy McGriff and vocalist Junior Parker featuring performances recorded in 1970 and originally released on the Capitol label. The album was reissued as "Good Things Don't Happen Every Day" on the Groove Merchant label in 1972.
Reception.
Robert Christgau said: "A waste. Vocalist Parker, an underrated blues pro, and organist McGriff, who has a name as a soloist but is better off accompanying, should produce a more than passable record almost automatically. But not when they're burdened with strings, insipid soprano choruses, and hopelessly inappropriate material".
References.
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Business Is Business (PMD album)
Business Is Business (stylized as Bu$ine$$ I$ Bu$ine$$) is the second solo studio album by the American rapper PMD. It was released on October 22, 1996, through Relativity Records. The production was handled by Agallah, Charlie Marotta, DJ Scratch, Solid Scheme and Fabian Hamilton with PMD serving as executive producer. It features guest appearances from Das EFX, M.O.P. and Nocturnal.
The album debuted at number 180 on the "Billboard" 200 and number 29 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.
Two singles were released from the album, "Rugged-n-Raw" featuring Das EFX, and "It's the Pee" featuring Mobb Deep. Both were minor hits on the R&B and Rap charts.
References.
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It's a Business Doing Pleasure
It's A Business Doing Pleasure was the eighth Helix studio album and tenth album altogether. It was their only release on Aquarius Records. "It's A Business Doing Pleasure" followed the death of lead guitarist Paul Hackman and the departure of temporary guitarist Denny Balicki. In their stead, guitarist Brent "The Doctor" Doerner returned to Helix after a 4-year absence, and Greg Fraser (ex-Brighton Rock) joined on guitar as well.
History.
When writing for the album commenced, Brian Vollmer was also working on a solo album. His plan was that Paul Hackman would write songs for the next Helix record while his songs would be used towards his solo album. Paul's death derailed those plans, and he had no material finished for the Helix album. By this time, Vollmer had almost finished recording his solo album, and decided to release the recordings as the next Helix album. As such, no Helix members actually appeared on the album. Brian Vollmer would later call the album, "a huge mistake on my part, and I take full credit for the blunder. The really sad thing about it all was that I was really proud of all those songs on the album and they were wasted because they did not fit under the Helix name."
Brent Doerner left Helix during the tour for "It's A Business Doing Pleasure", and Greg Fraser shortly after him. After their departures, Helix used three different guitarists live: Mark Chichkan, Gary Borden and Rick Mead. Drummer Greg Hinz would leave before the next Helix album as well, and he would be replaced by Glen "Archie" Gamble.
The first official Brian Vollmer solo album would come with 1999's "When Pigs Fly", credited under the band name Vollmer.
Credits.
Produced by Marc Ribler & Tom Treumuth<br>
Recorded at Hypnotic Studios, Toronto, November 1992
Credits Controversy.
Greg Fraser stated that no then-members aside from Brian Vollmer actually play on the CD even though they are pictured in the packaging and listed as members of Helix. Co-writer and co-producer Marc Ribler played all the guitar parts. Former Helix and current Saga drummer Brian Doerner played on the entire album and Greg Hinz is listed only as "percussion". This is because "It's A Business Doing Pleasure" was originally recorded as a Brian Vollmer solo album.
Reception.
"It's a Business Doing Pleasure" received mixed reviews. Author Martin Popoff called the album "richly produced" and said it "can't be faulted for its gravity and courage to remake the band." He then criticized the album for its "traditional light hard rock; guitar, bass and drums wrapped around simple general and generic rock structures."
Singles.
"That Day Is Gonna Come" is a tribute to Paul Hackman, and the video for the song featured unique Super 8 and video footage shot by Brian Vollmer on the road over the years.
References.
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Monkey Business (Black Eyed Peas album)
Monkey Business is the fourth studio album by American group the Black Eyed Peas. It was released on June 7, 2005, by A&M Records, Interscope Records and will.i.am Music Group.
Following the global success of their third studio album, "Elephunk" (2003), the group embarked on the Elephunk Tour. While touring, they began recording "Monkey Business" in June 2004, continuing for the following six months at various locations worldwide. Executive producers Ron Fair and will.i.am enlisted producers Printz Board, Noize Trip, Timbaland and Danja for the album. Their final product was a hip hop and pop record incorporating an array of genres, such as crunk, funk, reggae, Raï, calypso, soul, jazz and Latin rock. Similarly to "Elephunk", it explores lyrical themes such as relationship complexities, sexual attraction, partying, fame and, to a lesser extent, social issues. Controversy arose over the lyrics of the track "My Humps", which center on a woman using her physical attributes to accomplish her goals.
"Monkey Business" received mixed reviews from music critics, who complimented its production but criticized its lyrical content and the Black Eyed Peas' inclining to commercialization with the album. It debuted at number two on the US "Billboard" 200 with first-week sales of 291,000 units, becoming the group's first top-ten album on the chart. The album was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling over four million copies in the United States. Internationally, it reached number one in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand and Switzerland, and has sold over nine million copies worldwide. Despite its critical response, the album won two Grammy Awards for its singles "Don't Phunk with My Heart" and "My Humps", receiving three additional nominations.
"Monkey Business" produced four singles. "Don't Phunk with My Heart" became the group's highest-peaking single on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 at the time, peaking at number three, and reached number one in Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland and New Zealand. "Don't Lie" peaked at number 14 on the "Billboard" Hot 100, being overshadowed by its successor "My Humps", which began receiving heavy unsolicited airplay. After its official release as a single, "My Humps" peaked at number three on the "Billboard" Hot 100, reaching number one in Australia, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand. The final single "Pump It" became the album's lowest-peaking single on the "Billboard" Hot 100, reaching number 18. The album was further promoted with two global concert tours–The Monkey Business Tour (2005–2006) and the Black Blue & You Tour (2007).
Background and development.
In June 2003, the Black Eyed Peas released their third studio album "Elephunk". During its production, Fergie joined the group as its female vocalist. Led by a global hit single and the group's first top-ten hit on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 "Where Is the Love?", the album was a sleeper hit and became their breakthrough record. It peaked at number 14 on the US "Billboard" 200, was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and garnered six Grammy Award nominations, including the group's first win for "Let's Get It Started". The commercial success of "Elephunk" made a substantial impact on the group's prominence, and its members will.i.am and Fergie planned on recording solo studio albums in 2004. However, the plans were postponed as they "felt it was important to install the next Black Eyed Peas record this year with the momentum that we've had, which will only allow our solo adventures to be successful and continue to keep our franchise going". Fergie stated: "For us, Black Eyed Peas are feeling really good right now, and for me to come out with a solo record, it just doesn't feel right. This is a family, and we're on a certain kind of wave and I wanna keep riding on that wave together. It's my boys." She would later release her debut solo studio album "The Dutchess" in September 2006, and will.i.am released his third studio album "Songs About Girls" in September 2007.
Recording and production.
"Monkey Business" was recorded in "two and three-month spurts" throughout 2004 while the Black Eyed Peas were on their Elephunk Tour, in support of their third studio album "Elephunk" (2003). The executive producer will.i.am co-wrote all the tracks, and produced or co-produced all tracks except "My Style" and "Disco Club". Among other producers were apl.de.ap, Timbaland, Danja, Printz Board, Noize Trip, and the executive producer Ron Fair. apl.de.ap co-wrote nine tracks, Fergie co-wrote eight, and Taboo co-wrote two. The production commenced in June, while the group was touring the United Kingdom. They recorded six tracks at the Metropolis Studios in London. The recording sessions continued in July during the tour's stop in Japan, where "Pump It" was partly recorded in a bullet train. Upon the group's return to the United States, they recorded most of the tracks at the Stewchia in Los Feliz, Los Angeles.
On August 11, a fire caused by unattended candles broke out at the Glenwood Studios in Burbank, California while the group was recording, destroying approximately $50,000 worth of gear and instruments. Other recording locations for "Monkey Business" included Amerycan Studios, Henson Recording Studios and the Record Plant in Los Angeles; Morning View Studios in Malibu, California; Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin; Daddy's House and Sony Music Studios in New York City; The Brothel in Philadelphia; Osi and Calvin Studios in Washington, D.C.; the Hit Factory Criteria in Miami, and the Peas Tour Bus. In December, it was revealed the group had recorded "They Don't Want Music" with James Brown, and that "Monkey Business" was being mixed and neared completion. The album was mastered by Brian Gardner at the Bernie Grundman Mastering in Los Angeles.
Music and lyrics.
"Monkey Business" is a hip hop and pop album incorporating an array of genres, such as crunk, funk, reggae, Raï, calypso, soul, jazz and Latin rock. It opens with "Pump It", a hip hop-funk track heavily sampling Dick Dale's 1962 surf rock version of "Misirlou". The Bollywood-inspired "Don't Phunk with My Heart" was described as a lyrical sequel to the group's single "Shut Up" (2003), with will.i.am explaining: "When you're on bad terms with a significant other, you don't want to break up. You tell her things and at the time you really mean them. But she's saying, stop fucking with me." "My Style"–the group's second collaboration with Justin Timberlake–features "an ingenious mix of creative beats, subtle full-band backing, and multi-layered vocals". "Don't Lie" is a "breezy, grooving romantic apology". will.i.am claimed the song was written from an experience in which he deceptively bended the truth to an ex-girlfriend: "It's a song about owning up and apologizing and realizing your faults. It's about being a man or a woman – an adult – and confronting situations honestly." "My Humps" is a hip hop and dance track backed by an electro-influenced drum beat, and ends with a piano-driven hidden track "So Real". The song sparked controversy because of its title and lyrics, which center on a woman who uses her breasts and buttocks to accomplish her goals.
"Underground hip hop" track "Like That", featuring Q-Tip, Talib Kweli, CeeLo Green and John Legend, begins with a sample from Astrud Gilberto's 1965 version of "Who Can I Turn To?". The seventh track "Dum Diddly" was described by Neil Drumming from "Entertainment Weekly" as a "glossy, faux-reggae" track. "Feel It" lyrically encourages its listeners to dance. Country-influenced "Gone Going" addresses the emptiness of materialism. It's built around a hip hop beat and a live string-horn arrangement. "They Don't Want Music", featuring James Brown, is a horn-driven jazz, lounge and funk track. "Disco Club" is about men "cruising clubs for casual hookups". The "funky" dance track "Bebot", whose title means "hot chick", is rapped entirely in Tagalog, much like "The Apl Song" from "Elephunk" (2003). "Ba Bump" features its male protagonist getting a woman drunk and having sex with her afterwards. "Audio Delite at Low Fidelity" lyrically details the group's history up until the release of "Monkey Business", referencing their rise to prominence; it ends with the hidden track "Change". The album's closing track "Union" heavily samples "Englishman in New York" by Sting, who makes a guest appearance. A jazz-influenced track, it lyrically demands social equality.
Title and artwork.
The Black Eyed Peas gave numerous explanations to the title of "Monkey Business". In the "BEP Q&A" portion of the album's booklet, two definitions of the title were written.
"DEFINITION 1: With success, people treat you differently. They can go from viewing you like a person to viewing you like a product. And that's one definition of Monkey Business."
"DEFINITION 2: Elephants have nothing to do with PHUNK and Monkeys have nothing to do with BUSINESS ...or do they? Our business is PHUNKIN' MUSIC." ["sic"]
In an interview with "The Record", the members described an experience in Paris during their Elephunk Tour (2004) which inspired the title. According to will.i.am, they were inside of a van when a large group of fans came and started banging on its windows and looking inside, to which Taboo said he felt as if they were caged monkeys in a zoo.
The album cover for "Monkey Business" was photographed by Albert Watson. It depicts Fergie, Taboo and apl.de.ap surrounding will.i.am as he's shouting into a megaphone, against a red background. Shepard Fairey and Florencio Zavala designed the artwork and its logo, as directed by Mike Jurkovac.
Release and promotion.
In May 2004, the Black Eyed Peas announced "Monkey Business" would be released by November. Its release was then postponed to early 2005, before ultimately being set for June 7 in the United States. The promotion of the album had already commenced in January, when the Best Buy commercial featuring the group performing "Pump It" was released. They performed "Don't Phunk with My Heart" for the first time during the 2005/2006 MTV Networks UpFront at the Madison Square Garden on May 3, 2005. The group promoted the album in the United Kingdom by performing "Don't Phunk with My Heart" on the May 6 episode of "Top of the Pops" and the May 13 episode of "Later... with Jools Holland". There, they commenced their promotional tour at the Brixton Academy in London on May 6, and performed at various venues and festivals across Europe and North America, including Wango Tango, until June 2. On June 3, the Black Eyed Peas embarked on The Monkey Business Tour at The Joint in Las Vegas; the tour was originally set to commence on June 11, but three earlier dates were later added. "Don't Phunk with My Heart" was subsequently performed at the 2005 MuchMusic Video Awards on June 19, on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" on June 24, at the Live 8 concert in Philadelphia on July 2, and at the 2005 Teen Choice Awards on August 16.
The Black Eyed Peas promoted "My Humps" on "Total Request Live" on November 1, and performed it at the 2005 MTV Europe Music Awards on November 3. At the NRJ Music Awards on January 21, 2006, the group performed a medley of "Don't Phunk with My Heart", "Don't Lie" and "Pump It". On March 21, an extended play (EP) titled "" was released, including alternative versions of seven non-single tracks from "Monkey Business". Simultaneously with The Monkey Business Tour, the group embarked on the 2006 Honda Civic Tour in the US from March 23 until May 21. "Live from Sydney to Vegas", a video album documenting The Monkey Business Tour's June 3, 2005 show in Las Vegas and the October 3, 2005 show at the Sydney SuperDome, was released on December 5, 2006. After visiting North America, Asia, Oceania, South America and Europe, The Monkey Business Tour ended on December 29 at the Mandalay Bay in Paradise, Nevada. On September 11, 2007, the Black Eyed Peas embarked on the third concert tour in support of "Monkey Business", the PepsiCo-sponsored Black Blue & You Tour, visiting select countries across Africa, North America, Europe, South America, Asia and Oceania until October 30.
Singles.
In December 2004, MTV News reported "They Don't Want Music", featuring James Brown, would be released as the lead single from "Monkey Business" in February 2005. However, those plans were scrapped in favor of "Don't Phunk with My Heart", which was released on April 5. It became the Black Eyed Peas' highest-peaking single on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 at the time, peaking at number three. The song peaked atop the charts in Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland and New Zealand. The digital single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on June 6, for sales of 500,000 units in the United States. Critically acclaimed, the song won Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards (2006), while receiving a nomination for Best Rap Song. Directed by The Malloys, its accompanying music video is a parody of game shows such as "The Price Is Right", "The Dating Game" and "Love Connection". It was nominated for Best Group Video at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards.
"Don't Lie" was released as the second single from "Monkey Business" on June 29, 2005. It failed to duplicate the success of "Don't Phunk with My Heart", partly due to the rising success of "My Humps", which had not been released as a single yet. The song peaked at number 14 on the US "Billboard" Hot 100, reaching the top ten in Australia, Austria, Canada, CIS, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom, and on the European Hot 100 Singles. Despite a mixed critical reception, the song was nominated for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards. Its accompanying music video was directed by The Saline Project and shows the members in Rio de Janeiro.
"My Humps" became an unsolicited hit on contemporary hit radio across the US, which caused it to be released as the third single "Monkey Business" on September 20, 2005. It peaked at number three on the US "Billboard" Hot 100 and atop the charts in Australia, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand. Its mastertone was certified double platinum by the RIAA on June 14, 2006, for sales of two million units in the US. The song received mixed to negative reviews from music critics, who criticized its lyrical content; some even regarded it one of the worst songs ever written. Despite the negative critical reception, it won Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards (2007), while being nominated for numerous other awards, including the MTV Video Music Award for Ringtone of the Year. Its accompanying music video was directed by Fatima Robinson and Malik Sayeed, and shows Fergie dancing with backup dancers as images of expensive items such as Louis Vuitton purses and jewelry, which are supposed to have been bought for her by men, appear on the screen. At the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards, it won Best Hip-Hop Video.
"Pump It" was released as the fourth and final single from "Monkey Business" on January 16, 2006. It became the lowest-peaking single from the album, peaking at number 18 on the US "Billboard" Hot 100. Internationally, it reached the top ten in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, and on the European Hot 100 Singles. Its accompanying music video was directed by Francis Lawrence and features the group competing and fighting with a gang inside a parking garage.
In July 2005, it was announced that "Like That" would be released simultaneously with "Don't Lie" as the dual second single from "Monkey Business"; however, only "Don't Lie" was released. "Like That" ended up being released as a promotional single on 12-inch vinyl in late 2005. Its accompanying music video was directed by Syndrome and Nabil Elderkin, and was released on December 13. While it was never released as an official single, it was included on the Black Eyed Peas' extended play (EP) "" (2006), with its music video being an iTunes Store bonus track. "Dum Diddly", whose Noizetrip Remix was a B-side to "Pump It", was released as a promotional single in France in 2006. Grammy Award-nominated "Gone Going" began receiving contemporary hit radio airplay in March 2006, which allowed it to peak at number 37 on the US Mainstream Top 40 despite not being released as a single. In 2006, Patricio Ginelsa directed music videos for two other non-single tracks–"Union" and "Bebot". The latter was filmed in the Philippines in July and was independently funded by the group members. Showcasing the Filipino culture, it features prominent Filipino-American artists and performers, including "American Idol"'s third season third-place finalist Jasmine Trias.
Critical reception.
"Monkey Business" received mixed reviews from music critics upon its release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 48, indicating "mixed or average reviews", based on 20 reviews. Robert Christgau gave the album a three-star honorable mention, saying: "What all pop might be—so much brighter and kinder than it is". John Bush from AllMusic labeled most of the tracks "the same type of party rap singalong that Black Eyed Peas made their name with on "Elephunk", adding: "Monkey Business" could easily sell just as well, or better, than "Elephunk", but what the group made sound effortless in the past sounds strained and canned here." He selected "Feel It" and "Disco Club" as the album's highlights. Nathan Rabin from "The A.V. Club" gave the album an unfavorable review, criticizing the album's lyrical content for managing to "devolve even further" than that of "Elephunk", as well as what he perceived as lack of originality due to excessive sampling. Nicholas Taylor from PopMatters shared Rabin's sentiments but nevertheless praised the album for being a "great party record". Neil Drumming from "Entertainment Weekly" declared it "such a bland meringue: a succession of cotton candy raps about chicks, partying, and partying with chicks, broken up by choruses destined to evaporate outside a shindig's perimeter".
Betty Clarke from "The Guardian" commended the Black Eyed Peas' use of the "good-guy rap plus pop-profundity multiplied by numerous special guests" formula but dismissed the lyrical themes. She singled out James Brown's appearance on "They Don't Want Music" as the album's highlight. Courtney Ryan Fitzgerald from "Paste" praised the album's production, calling its songs "danceable" and "catchy". "Rolling Stone" editor Christian Hoard was positive towards "Monkey Business", calling it "just as bright if not quite as fun as Elephunk". Sal Cinquemani from "Slant Magazine" condemned the album for being "virtually unlistenable", but classified "Gone Going" as its highlight. Azeem Ahmad from musicOMH felt similarly, saying the album was "impossible to listen to in one sitting because it's too much of a strain on the brain to absorb." Talia Kraines from BBC wrote: "With its witty rhymes and clean lyrics, ["Monkey Business"] is hip hop for families", but noted the group's downgrade in lyrical themes since their debut studio album, "Behind the Front" (1998). Jason King from "The Village Voice" described the album as "zany, antiseptic kitsch, like the soundtrack to the ultimate Old Navy commercial".
Accolades.
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Commercial performance.
In the United States, "Monkey Business" debuted and peaked at number two on the "Billboard" 200 chart dated June 25, 2005, behind Coldplay's "X&Y", with first-week sales of 291,000 units. The Black Eyed Peas' first top-ten album on the chart, it spent its first 23 weeks within the top ten, later spending additional five non-consecutive weeks there. The album debuted atop both the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top Rap Albums, becoming their first number-one album on both charts. It placed within the top 20 on the year-end "Billboard" 200 in both 2005 and 2006, and has spent a total of 73 weeks on the "Billboard" 200 as of 2023. The album was certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of three million units on December 21, 2005. By 2011, it had sold over four million copies in the US.
"Monkey Business" debuted at number two on the Canadian Albums Chart dated June 25, 2005. It peaked atop the chart in its fourth week, spending seven weeks at the summit and a total of 34 weeks charting. The album was certified sextuple platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA) on March 24, 2006. In Mexico, the album peaked atop the Top 100 Mexico chart, being certified platinum+gold by the Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas (AMPROFON). It was a commercial success across Oceania as well, debuting at number one in both Australia and New Zealand. The album has been certified sextuple platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and quadruple platinum by the Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ). In Japan, it peaked at number three on the Oricon Albums Chart, where it has spent a total of 72 weeks, and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ).
"Monkey Business" fared similarly in Europe, where it debuted atop the European Top 100 Albums. It also debuted at number one in France, Germany and Switzerland, while reaching the top ten in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) certified the album double platinum for sales of two million copies across Europe. In the United Kingdom, it debuted at number four on the UK Albums Chart, atop the UK R&B Albums Chart, and at number five on the Scottish Albums Chart, with first-week sales of 49,260 copies. The album has also been certified triple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), selling over a million copies in the country by June 2009, according to "Music Week". "Monkey Business" was the world's fourth best-selling album of 2005, and has sold over nine million copies worldwide.
Controversy.
Following the release of "Elephunk" (2003), the Black Eyed Peas were criticized and alleged by critics and media outlets to have sold out. The group had previously criticized other artists for selling out, and the group was further scrutinzed throughout the promotional campaign for "Monkey Business". Some critics claimed their endorsements of various companies caused them to suffer from overexposure; Nathan Rabin from "The A.V. Club" stated: "With "Elephunk", The Black Eyed Peas made the rare leap from underrated and overlooked to obnoxiously (and undeservedly) overexposed." Sal Cinquemani from "Slant Magazine" was especially critical of the group's newfound popularity and commercial success, labeling them "disposable pop". will.i.am responded to the backlash by stating:
"We don't do anything that doesn't fit with the music. We kinda lend ourselves to benefits so we did the Democratic National Convention to get people out there to vote. And then we'll do a Best Buy commercial 'cause they sell music. Then we did the first iTunes commercial. We did the NBA 'cause it's like, who's not gonna do the NBA? We did the Super Bowl, 'cause who ain't gonna do the Super Bowl? And if they asked you to do two years at the Grammys, you ain't gonna do it? And then we did the Emmys 'cause they said, 'Ain't nobody ever did the Emmys.'"
Further controversy arose over the lyrical content of "My Humps", the third single from "Monkey Business". The song centers on a female protagonist using her breasts and buttocks in order to accomplish her goals, namely expensive material