Anniversary (Bryson Tiller album)

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Anniversary
Studio album by
Bryson Tiller
ReleasedOctober 2, 2020 (2020-10-02)
Recorded2015, 2020
GenreR&B[1]
Length30:50
LabelRCA
Producer
Bryson Tiller chronology
True to Self
(2017) 		Anniversary
(2020) 		A Different Christmas
(2021)
Singles from Anniversary
  1. "Inhale"
    Released: September 3, 2020
  2. "Always Forever"
    Released: September 23, 2020
  3. "Outta Time"
    Released: October 20, 2020

Anniversary (stylized as A N N I V E R S A R Y)[2] is the third studio album by American singer Bryson Tiller. It was released by RCA Records on October 2, 2020, the fifth anniversary of Tiller's debut studio album, Trapsoul. The album includes a sole guest appearance from Drake in the standard edition and a guest appearance from Big Sean in the deluxe edition, released on February 26, 2021.[3][4]

The album debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 57,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.[5]

Background and conception[edit]

Tiller first teased a new album in the video for the album's lead single "Inhale", released on September 3, 2020. The visual ends with the message: "New album this fall".[6] On September 25, a "deluxe" edition of Trapsoul was released, in preparation for Anniversary, featuring two songs that were previously released on SoundCloud during the Trapsoul era, as well as The Weeknd's remix of Trapsoul cut "Rambo" (titled "Rambo: Last Blood").[7] He officially announced the album and its title on September 28, posting a short trailer on Twitter.[8] Two days before the album's release, he held a special Zoom listening session with fans, during which he played the entire project for the first time.[9] It was also revealed that the album would include a feature from Canadian rapper Drake.[10] During the session, Tiller said the album was created after "digging through the Trapsoul archives" during a 2020 trip to Los Angeles. He proceeded to work on ideas that he started five years before when making Trapsoul. Tiller called Anniversary the "first wave", stating that he has a lot of new music coming, hinting at his previously-announced album, Serenity.[9] That album was put on hold as he felt that his life at the time did not reflect the album's theme.[11] Tiller described Anniversary as having a "different" energy than True to Self, an album he said he did not want to make due to legal and personal matters.[12] Anniversary is dedicated to his late grandmother.[13]

Cover art[edit]

The album artwork was noted for resembling the Trapsoul cover; it shows Tiller facing left in front of a blue-lit space.[11]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
Exclaim!7/10[15]
The Young Folks7/10[16]

Anniversary received generally positive reviews from music critics. Writing for AllMusic, Andy Kellman noted that the album "does not appear to be designed as a work of distinct identity," however, Tiller "has spoken of his inclination to be a shadowy figure." Kellman stated that the album consists of "mostly downcast verses and boastful non-sequiturs over torpid booming rhythms."[14] Exclaim!'s Veracia Ankrah stated that "Tiller has returned to the '90s R&B sound that cultivated his dedicated fan base, with rap-esque crooning over heavy bass beats." She continued to note that his "voice is a recognizable return to his essence, sharing his honest but shallow versions of vulnerability," and that it "does not shy away from Tiller's notable flips of cassette tapes and voicemail recordings from an array of displeased women."[15]

Ryan Feyre for The Young Folks stated that the production was a key part of the album, writing that "the drums, while adhering to a commercial bend, can sometimes feel like they’re shifting the tectonic plates in the Earth" and that "considering the album’s bulky universality, the backdrop is admirably fitting." He writes that "the second half of the album illustrates a noticeable difference in warmth and dimensionality." Feyre wrote that despite lacking innovation, Tiller "seems more inclined to appreciate the little things" and that he makes up for the weak points with his "personal storytelling." Concluding his review, he stated that "Rather than fight time’s grass, Tiller nurtures it as if it were his child. Embraces it like a new lover."[16]

Commercial performance[edit]

Anniversary debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 57,000 album-equivalent units, (including 4,000 copies as pure album sales) in its first week.[5] This became Tiller's third US top-ten on the chart.[5] The album accumulated a total of 68.6 million in on-demand streams of the album’s songs that week.[5] The album also debuted at number four on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number one on the US Top R&B Albums charts respectively.[17][18]

Track listing[edit]

Anniversary track listing[2]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Years Go By"
  • StreetRunner
  • Azzouz
2:59
2."Always Forever"
2:50
3."I'm Ready for You"
  • Tiller
  • Philip Coleman Jr.
  • Bijan Amirkhani
  • Dylan Teixeira
  • Devon Roberts
  • Jacob Wilkinson-Smith
  • Chris LaRocca
  • NES
  • Bijan Amir
  • Nami
  • Rhys
  • My Best Friend Jacob
  • LaRocca
2:54
4."Things Change"
III3:34
5."Timeless Interlude"
  • Tiller
  • Michael McKinney
  • Lee Elliott
  • Joshua Scruggs
  • Sean Momberger
2:59
6."Sorrows"
Gravez3:13
7."Inhale"
Dpat2:51
8."Outta Time" (featuring Drake)
3:18
9."Keep Doing What You're Doing"
J-Louis2:58
10."Next to You"
Walton3:10
Total length:30:50
Deluxe edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
11."Still Yours" (featuring Big Sean)
3:06
12."Timeless Interlude Pt. II"
  • Tiller
  • Wright
  • Patino
  • Keirston Lewis
  • Dpat
  • Sango
1:58
13."Losing Focus"
J-Louis3:24
14."7:00"
  • Syk Sense
  • Johnnie Winters
3:08
15."Like Clockwork"
  • Tiller
  • Philipp Rodrian
  • Jeremias Volk
  • Carlos Martin
  • Coleman
  • Luca Starz
  • Rowan
  • NES
  • Luca
2:56
Total length:45:19

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[33] Silver 60,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Bryson Tiller Releases 'Anniversary' Deluxe Edition". 26 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b "A N N I V E R S A R Y by Bryson Tiller on Apple Music". Retrieved October 1, 2020 – via Apple Music.
  3. ^ "Bryson Tiller Delivers 'ANNIVERSARY (Deluxe)'". HYPEBEAST. 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
  4. ^ "Bryson Tiller Releases 'Anniversary' Deluxe Edition". Rated R&B. 2021-02-26. Retrieved 2021-03-02.
  5. ^ a b c d Keith Caulfield (October 11, 2020). "21 Savage & Metro Boomin's 'Savage Mode II' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  6. ^ Haylock, Zoe (September 3, 2020). "Bryson Tiller Reemerges With 'Inhale,' Announces New Album". Vulture. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  7. ^ "Bryson Tiller to Release 'Trapsoul' Deluxe". Rap-Up. September 23, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  8. ^ Ivey, Justin (September 28, 2020). "Bryson Tiller Announces 'Anniversary' Album Release Date". HipHopDX. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Bryson Tiller Reveals 'Anniversary' Tracklist". Rap-Up. October 1, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  10. ^ Marie, Erika (October 1, 2020). "Bryson Tiller Previews "Anniversary" Album, Drake Featured On "Outta Time"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  11. ^ a b Okon, Wongo (September 30, 2020). "Fans React After Bryson Tiller Played His Entire 'Anniversary' Album In A Zoom Meeting". Uproxx. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  12. ^ Carl, Lamarre (September 23, 2020). "Bryson Tiller Knows His Last Album Wasn't Good Enough. Now, He's Ready To Return With His A-Game". Billboard. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  13. ^ Santana, Driune (October 1, 2020). "Bryson Tiller Hosts A Virtual Album Release Party For "Anniversary"". Hip Hop Weekly. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  14. ^ a b "A N N I V E R S A R Y Review by Andy Kellman". AllMusic.
  15. ^ a b Ankrah, Veracia (October 5, 2020). "Bryson Tiller Celebrates the 'Anniversary' of His Breakthrough by Refining His R&B Sound". Exclaim!. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  16. ^ a b Ryan Feyre (November 14, 2020). "Album Review: "Anniversary" is Bryson Tiller's best project to date". The Young Folks. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  17. ^ "TRBHH - 2020-10-17". Billboard. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  18. ^ "TRA - 2020-10-17". Billboard. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
  19. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. October 12, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  20. ^ "Ultratop.be – Bryson Tiller – Anniversary" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  21. ^ "Ultratop.be – Bryson Tiller – Anniversary" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  22. ^ "Bryson Tiller Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  23. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Bryson Tiller – Anniversary" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  24. ^ "Top Albums (Week 41, 2020)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  25. ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  26. ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. October 12, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  27. ^ "VG-lista – Topp 40 Album uke 41, 2020". VG-lista. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  28. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Bryson Tiller – Anniversary". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 14, 2020.
  29. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  30. ^ "Bryson Tiller Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  31. ^ "Bryson Tiller Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
  32. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  33. ^ "British album certifications – Bryson Tiller – A N N I V E R S A R Y". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
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