Jordan Knight is the debut album by New Kids on the Block frontman Jordan Knight, released on May 25, 1999, by Interscope Records. Knight co-produced eight of the eleven tracks on the album with help from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and a then unknown Robin Thicke. The album sold over 500,000 copies in the US alone and reached number 29 on the Billboard 200.
Release The album was released in 1999 at the height of MTV pop culture. The first single, "Give It to You" received heavy radio airplay and rotation on MTV, as well as BET and VH1. The album was certified Gold months after its release.
In Asia, Knight and boy-band 98 Degrees headlined a tour in support of their albums.
Critical reception
AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised Knight for updating his "smooth urban soul stylings" with various "contemporary sources to create a stylized, fresh sound." He concluded that: "Jordan Knight is not a perfect album -- there's a little bit of filler that weighs down the second half of the record -- but the best moments are surprisingly strong, innovative, and assured: the kind of mainstream music that would be impressive regardless of the source, but it's all the more remarkable considering Knight's teen pop heritage." Marc Weingarten of the Los Angeles Times praised Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis for adding "sonic sparkle into even the most workmanlike tracks" throughout the album. He concluded that: "Too many ballads spoil the momentum, but this kid has clearly grown into his own man." David Browne, writing for Entertainment Weekly, criticized the record for Knight's "well-bred but bland" vocal performance, the overreliance of samples and remakes throughout the track listing, and the "buttery production" removing any semblance of soul.
Track listing
Notes Credits adapted from liner notes and AllMusic.Jordan Knight – Jordan Knight. (CD liner notes). Interscope Records INTD-90322 "A Different Party" contains a sample of "Green-Eyed Lady", as performed by Sugarloaf "Don't Run" contains a sample of "Shook Ones (Part II)", as performed by Mobb Deep "Close My Eyes" contains a sample of "Dust in the Wind", as performed by Kansas
Personnel Credits adapted from the liner notes
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis – keyboards, synthesizers, drum programming Robin Thicke – keyboards, synthesizers, drum programming Pro-Jay – keyboards, synthesizers, drum programming Claudio Cueni – keyboards, synthesizers, drum programming Alex Richbourg – drum programming Stokley Williams – percussion Armand Sabalecco – bass Scott Kennedy – bass Big Jim Wright – piano Mike Scott – guitar Bobby B. Keyes – guitar Brion James – guitar Tyrone Chase – guitar Steve Hodge – engineer, mixing Bill Malina – engineer Miguel Pessoa – engineer Lior Goldenberg – engineer Claudio Cueni – engineer Will Pyon – engineer Mike Tucker – engineer Bray Merritt – engineer Evan Py – engineer Xavier Smith – mixing Claudio Cueni – mixing Joe Smith – mixing Jordan Knight – executive producer Miguel Melendez – executive producer Facet NY/LA – art direction
Charts + Chart performance for Jordan Knight Chart (1999) Peakposition
Certifications
References