Fortune: Chris Brown Rockets To UK #1

The Prince Of Pop has struck again.

Yes, after spawning the smash hit single ‘Turn Up The Music‘ and wowing audiences worldwide with his 2012 BET Awards performance, today saw Chris Brown welcome more good news.

For today, his latest album ‘Fortune‘ rose to the top of the UK Albums Chart- marking his first ever #1 album in the country.

More below…

A mind blowing feat considering he hasn’t stepped foot in the country, the LP’s UK success arrives days before it is set to follow suit in the US, where it is also set to hit the top spot.

As if that wasn’t enough, today saw his latest single ‘Don’t Wake Me Up’ edge closer to the #1 spot on the UK singles chart, after it rose to #2 on this week’s tally, one spot up from the #3 spot it held last week.

Congratulations!!

Review Roundup: Chris Brown – ‘Fortune’

First he gave you F.A.M.E. and now Chris Brown is sharing his Fortune on his fifth album, in stores today. The R&B superstar follows up his Grammy-winning effort with a collection of electro-pop, dance, and R&B tracks featuring Nas, Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa, Kevin McCall, and Sevyn, plus the hit singles “Turn Up the Music” and “Till I Die.” Was Breezy able to win over his critics with his latest body of work? Find out below.

USA Today: Driving electronic grooves and hip-hop-fueled club jams will keep Brown on the radio all summer. Like him or not, he appeals to your urge to get up and move. 3.5/4

New York Daily News: While he originally conceived Fortune as an extension of F.A.M.E., the new album turns out to be a more exciting and varied work. The harder cuts have more force than anything in Brown’s past, the softer ones, more sweetness. 3/5

Los Angeles Times: In the search for great pop music that catches a glimpse of the future, Chris Brown’s new album, Fortune, is planted firmly in the here and now. A defiant, brash, glistening recording filled with state-of-the-art sounds and of-the-moment producers and songwriters, the album, while fresh in July 2012, feels stamped with a “use by” date. 2/4

Entertainment Weekly: Fortune‘s lyrics largely focus on his favored themes: clubbing, getting women to take off their clothes, and swagginess. Plenty of accomplished R&B lotharios tread that territory, but Brown lacks R. Kelly’s commitment to fantasy or Usher’s raw-nerve honesty. C-

The Washington Post: Fortune is no F.A.M.E.—it sounds like it, sure, but doesn’t move Brown to any new ground musically. The guy’s not afraid to take musical risks, but Fortune is a familiar mix of electro-pop, dance and R&B.

Chicago Tribune: Chris Brown’s fifth studio album, Fortune, is a pure-pop candy cane, meant to be enjoyed, consumed and forgotten. Thinking would ruin everything. At its best, it does its job very well—a mix of bangers and ballads as instant and insistent as anything on commercial radio. 2/4

The Boston Globe: Fortune is full of some of the most boilerplate R&B and urban pop to have been released this year. Strip away the million-dollar beats and the star cameos (including rappers Nas and Wiz Khalifa) and the album, his fifth in seven years, rings jarringly hollow.

Newsday: Fortune shows so much of the musical growth that his fans had long been expecting. Brown’s range has widened significantly, able to vocally tackle a straight-up R&B ballad like “Sweet Love” as well as the club anthems like “Turn Up the Music” that have been filling the charts. B

Rap-Up’s Favorite Tracks: “Bassline,” “Till I Die,” “Mirage,” “Don’t Wake Me Up”

Chris Brown Unlocks ‘Fortune’ Commercial

Chris Brown drums up anticipation for his fifth album Fortune with a suspenseful commercial. One of the younger members of Team Breezy walks through an abandoned warehouse, dodging shadowy figures before pulling a glowing cube from his knapsack. The mysterious object unlocks a secret code, which reveals Chris Brown himself. The singer quickly disappears into dust, leaving behind a copy of Fortune and an awestruck fan.

Chris Brown Reveals ‘Fortune’ Production Credits

With less than a month to go until his fifth album Fortune drops on July 3, Chris Brown reveals the guest list and production credits. Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa, Nas, Kevin McCall, Sabrina Antoinette, and Sevyn make the guest list, with production from today’s top hitmakers including Polow Da Don, The Runners, The Underdogs, Boi-1da, Tha Bizness, Danja, William Orbit, and Brown, who co-produced three records. Go under the hood of the 19 tracks.

Fortune Tracklisting

1. “Turn Up the Music” – Produced by The Underdogs & Fuego
2. “Bassline” – Produced by Pop Wansel, co-produced by Dayvi Jae
3. “Till I Die” feat. Big Sean & Wiz Khalifa – Produced by Danja
4. “Mirage” feat. Nas – Produced by Harmony, co-produced by Chris Brown
5. “Don’t Judge Me” – Produced by The Messengers
6. “2012” – Produced by Adonis, co-produced by Kevin “K-Mac” McCall
7. “Biggest Fan” – Produced by The Runners, co-produced by The Monarch
8. “Sweet Love” – Produced by Polow Da Don & Jason “JP” Perry
9. “Strip” feat. Kevin McCall – Produced by Tha Bizness
10. “Stuck on Stupid” – Produced by Brian “BK” Kennedy, co-produced by Dante Jones
11. “4 Years Old” – Produced by Polow Da Don & Tommy Hittz
12. “Party Hard/Cadillac (Interlude)” feat. Sevyn – Produced by Brian “BK” Kennedy & Boi-1da
13. “Don’t Wake Me Up” – Produced by Benny & Alle Benassi, Free School & William Orbit, co-produced by Brian “BK” Kennedy
14. “Trumpet Lights” feat. Sabrina Antoinette – Produced by Polow Da Don, co-produced by Jerome “J Roc” Harmon

Deluxe Edition

15. “Tell Somebody” – Produced by Polow Da Don, co-produced by Jerome “J Roc” Harmon
16. “Free Run” – Produced by The Underdogs
17. “Remember My Name” feat. Sevyn – Produced by Free School & Chris Brown, co-produced by Jonas Jeberg
18. “Wait for You” – Produced by Harmony aka H-Money, co-produced by Chris Brown
19. “Touch Me” feat. Sevyn – Produced by R.A.P. 1220

Tracklisting: Chris Brown – ‘Fortune’

Chris Brown is spreading the wealth on his fifth album Fortune. Due July 3 in standard and deluxe editions, the follow-up to 2011’s F.A.M.E. features the singles “Turn Up the Music,” “Sweet Love,” “Till I Die,” and “Don’t Wake Me Up,” with appearances from Nas, Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa, and his CBE signees Kevin McCall and Sevyn. See the tracklisting below.

Fortune Tracklisting

1. “Turn Up the Music”
2. “Bassline”
3. “Till I Die” feat. Big Sean & Wiz Khalifa
4. “Mirage” feat. Nas
5. “Don’t Judge Me”
6. “2012”
7. “Biggest Fan”
8. “Sweet Love”
9. “Strip” feat. Kevin McCall
10. “Stuck on Stupid”
11. “4 Years Old”
12. “Cadillac” feat. Sevyn
13. “Don’t Wake Me Up”
14. “Trumpet Lights” feat. Sabrina Antoinette

Deluxe Edition

15. “Tell Somebody”
16. “Free Run”
17. “Remember My Name” feat. Sevyn
18. “Wait for You”
19. “Touch Me” feat. Sevyn

Chris Brown Unveils ‘Fortune’ Deluxe Cover

It was all going so well…

Chris Brown unmasked the cover for the deluxe version of his ‘Fortune’ LP today. And yes, we gasped (then laughed) just like you did.

Having served up a solid array of pre-release singles (such as ‘Turn Up The Music’ and co), we’re uber rooting for Breezy. But if this isn’t a Photoshop fail, we’re not sure what is. We’ll stick with the original, thanks.

‘Fortune’ hits stores on July 3rd.

Chris Brown Pushes ‘Fortune’ to July

Fortune, will now arrive on July 3, he announced on Twitter. It was previously scheduled for a May 8 release.

“Team Breezy! The official album date for FORTUNE is July 3,2012!!!!!!!!!!!!” tweeted Chris.

The follow-up to last year’s F.A.M.E. has spawned the singles “Turn Up the Music,” Polow Da Don-produced “Sweet Love,” and “Till I Die” featuring Big Sean and Wiz Khalifa.

Chris is also working with Tyga on Fan of a Fan 2, the sequel to their 2010 collaborative mixtape.

Confirmed: Chris Brown’s ‘Fortune’ Delayed

As the age old adage goes, good ‘Fortune’ comes to those who wait. And ‘wait’ is what fans of Chris Brown will have to do. For, after weeks of speculation, the Pop star has confirmed that the release of his 5th studio album has been pushed back.

Details after the jump…

The news comes via the 22 year old’s Twitter page, where he announced today that the eagerly awaited LP (formerly due on May 8th) will now arrive on…
July 3rd 2012

*************

Granted the album is increasingly moving further and further from its initial March store date, we can’t say we’re averse to it. For, unlike the delays which plague many a flop project, the one’s here appear both necessary and well-thought out.

Yes, ‘Strip’ and ‘Turn Up The Music’ performed well, yet for an album which is shaping up to be the comeback Chris has been working so hard to achieve, a solid pre-release setup is a must. And with him currently touring Australia and no new videos conjured up since ‘Turn Up The Music’, an early May release would have been a T.K.O.

Hence, expect new singles, visuals and performances (hello BET Awards?) going into the LP’s new release window. Exciting times! Though, perhaps most titillating is the fact that Chris, Usher, and Justin Bieber will now all be releasing within the same June/Summer window. Who do you think will come out on top – beyond, of course, their respective record labels?
Your thoughts?

Single Cover: Chris Brown – ‘Sweet Love’

Chris Brown is surrounded by ladies on the grown and sexy cover of his new single “Sweet Love.” A sharply-dressed Breezy sits on the floor, staring up at the legs of three sexy women in the black-and-white photo. The steamy song will appear on his forthcoming album Fortune.

Chris Brown Flips UK ‘Fortune’; Set For 1st British #1

Following a three year crawl back to the top, Chris Brown is seeing the title of latest LP, ‘Fortune’, ring true months ahead of its release.

Indeed, the set’s preceding singles ‘Strip’ and ‘Turn Up The Music’ have soared on charts Stateside, with the latter now on course to achieve a career first for the 22 year old in the UK.

Full story after the jump…

According to the Official Charts Company, ‘Turn Up The Music’ is currently outselling current #1‘Part Of Me’ by Katy Perry, and is en route to becoming Brown’s first ever UK chart-topper.

The closest the dynamo performer has come to achieving the feat was with debut ‘Run It’ – which peaked at #2 seven years ago.

A staple on British airwaves, the release has been boosted by heavy rotation of its Rihanna-featured remix and epic music video.

**********

As one of the world’s most renown and respected markets, success on these shores really relays Chris’ “international” status. More power to him!

‘Fortune’ hits stores on May 7th.