Simply Amazing

"Simply Amazing"
Single by Trey Songz
from the album Chapter V
Released August 3, 2012
Recorded 2011
Genre
Length 4:01
Label Atlantic Records
Writer(s)
  • Tremaine Neverson
  • Najja McDwell
  • Troy Taylor
  • Christopher Umana
Producer(s)
  • Troy Taylor
  • Christopher "C4" Umana
Trey Songz singles chronology
"2 Reasons"
(2012)		 "Simply Amazing"
(2012)		 "Bounce It"
(2013)

"Simply Amazing" is a song by American recording artist Trey Songz for his fifth studio album, Chapter V (2012). It was written by Songz, Najja McDwell with its producers Troy Taylor and Christopher "C4" Umana. It was released as the third single from the album in Europe on August 3, 2012. "Simply Amazing" is a pop and pop rock song built as an acoustic-driven, midtempo ballad, while also having R&B beats and Songz' smooth vocals.

Lyrically, "Simply Amazing" is a love song about someone who rekindled the protagonist's belief in love. It received generally positive reviews from music critics, who praised his seductive vocals as well as its pop chorus. Critics also found similarities with Usher songs and predicted it would be his crossover hit. It indeed charted very high in the United Kingdom, peaking at number eight and becoming his first UK top-ten hit.

Background and release

After releasing his fourth studio album, Passion, Pain & Pleasure (2010), Trey Songz released his first EP, Inevitable, in 2011. The EP features five songs that were recorded, but not included on his then upcoming album, Chapter V which was set to be released in 2012. According to him, the album was "a representation of his past, present and future musically."[1] Its lead-single, "Heart Attack", was released on March 26, 2012, followed by "2 Reasons", the album's second single, released on June 12, 2012. "Simply Amazing" was then released as "Chapter V"'s second single in Europe on August 3, 2012, and in the UK on August 12, 2012.[2]

Composition and lyrics

"Simply Amazing" was written by Trey Songz, Najja McDowell, Troy Taylor and Christopher 'C4' Umana, with the latter two also serving as the producers of the song. It is a pop[3] and pop rock[4] acoustic guitar-driven song,[5] with a finger-snapping R&B beat, soft guitars and a pulsing beat, underlined by Songz' smooth vocal.[2] Lyrically, "Simply Amazing" finds the singer soulfully rhapsodizing about a woman who rekindled his belief in love,[6] as he declares his undying love for his lady.[7] According to Songz, "Simply Amazing" is one of the most important songs of his career,[7] also noting that it defined his growth as an artist.[8]

Critical reception

"Simply Amazing" received mostly positive reviews from music critics. Taj Rani of Billboard claimed that "Simply Amazing" is a result of an experiment where Shania Twain and the Backstreet Boys birthed a mainstream ballad," also noting that "Trey's seductive vocals bring a warm welcome into the pop realm."[3] While calling it "a certified hit", Maz of MTV News noted that the song is "melodic and reminiscent of early Usher."[7] In similar vein, Jon Caramanica of The New York Times wrote that the song "has the pop pomp of recent Usher hits."[9] Ken Capobianco of The Boston Globe indicated that the song "might be the big crossover pop hit that exposes him to a whole new audience."[10] Nathan S. of DJ Booth agreed, claiming that it "goes for that crossover appeal with an acoustic guitar-driven cut that Songz does his damnedest to make the kind of song just as likely to get played on VH1 as BET."[11] While Richard, also of DJ Booth, praised its producers for "provid[ing] an appropriately sweeping backdrop for the artist’s heartfelt vocals."[6]

Alex Macpherson of The Guardian felt that the song has an "anthemic pop chorus",[12] while Glen Gamboa of Newsday described it as a "rockish anthem".[4] Elysa Gardner of USA Today picked the song as one of the tracks on the album to "download"[13] and website Rap-Up chose it as one of the publication's favorite tracks.[14] While reviewing Chapter V, Lewis Corner of Digital Spy wrote that the song is a " mid-tempo ballad that will seduce many a swooning teenager."[15] Robert Copsey, of the same publication, wrote a separate review of the song, analyzing that "it's not his strongest offering as he sings smitten about losing himself under the covers with his freshest catch over an all-too-familiar finger-snapping R&B beat," also noting that "it lacks the bite of recent cuts 'Bottoms Up' or 'Heart Attack'."[2]

Music video

The music video for "Simply Amazing" was filmed in early July 2012 and was directed by Justin Francis.[16][17] The video premiered on July 23, 2012.[18]

Track listing

Digital download[19]
No. Title Length
1. "Simply Amazing"   4:01
UK digital single[20]
No. Title Length
1. "Simply Amazing"   3:59
2. "Simply Amazing" (Andy Durrant and Steve Moore UK Remix) 6:30
3. "Simply Amazing" (Andy Durrant and Steve Moore UK Remix) (Radio Edit) 4:00

Charts

In the United Kingdom, "Simply Amazing" became Songz' first top ten hit, entering the UK Singles Chart at number 8.[21] It also became his first number 1 single on the UK R&B Chart.[22]

Chart (2012–13) Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA)[23] 60
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[24] 70
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[21] 8
UK R&B (Official Charts Company)[22] 1
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[25] 3
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[26] 34
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[27] 33
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[28] 15

Release history

Region Date Format Label
Germany[19] August 3, 2012 Digital download Atlantic Records
Austria[29]
Switzerland[30]
United Kingdom August 12, 2012[31]
United States January 8, 2013 Rhythmic radio

References

  1. ↑ "Trey Songz Talks "Chapter V," New Single, and the Creative Process with The Hot Morning Crew". Hot 937. March 27, 2012. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Copsey, Robert (August 13, 2012). "Trey Songz: 'Simply Amazing' - Single review". Digital Spy. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Rani, Taj (August 21, 2012). "Trey Songz, 'Chapter V': Track-By-Track Review". Billboard. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  4. 1 2 Gamboa, Glen (August 20, 2012). "Trey Songz, 'Chapter V' aims to please". Newsday. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  5. ↑ "Trey Songz - Chapter V | Album Review, Stream | DJBooth.net". DJBooth.net. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  6. 1 2 Richard. "Trey Songz - Simply Amazing | Listen". DJBooth.net. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 Maz (May 31, 2012). "Trey Songz revives R&B with new album 'Chapter V' | MTV UK". MTV UK. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  8. ↑ Hyman, Dan (August 28, 2012). "Trey Songz Keeps R&B Flame Alive on 'Chapter V'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  9. ↑ Caramanica, Jon (August 20, 2012). "CD's by Trey Songz, Bloc Party and Sic Organs of Admittance - NYTimes.com". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  10. ↑ Capobianco, Ken (August 20, 2012). "CD Review: Trey Songz, 'Chapter V' - Arts - The Boston Globe". Boston Globe. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  11. ↑ S., Nathan. "Trey Songz - Chapter V | Album Review, Stream | DJBooth.net". DJ Booth. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  12. ↑ Macpherson, Alex (August 16, 2012). "Trey Songz: Chapter V – review". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  13. ↑ Gardner, Elysa (August 21, 2012). "Listen Up: Trey Songz, more". USA Today. Gannett Co. Inc. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Review Roundup: Trey Songz – 'Chapter V'". Rap-Up. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  15. ↑ Corner, Lewis (August 21, 2012). "Trey Songz: 'Chapter V' - Album review". Digital Spy. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Video Static: Music Video News: In Production: Trey Songz - Justin Francis, dir.". Video Static. 2012-07-05.
  17. ↑ "Trey Songz - Simply Amazing - Music Video". SoulCulture. 2012-07-24.
  18. ↑ "Video: Trey Songz - 'Simply Amazing'". RapUp. 2012-07-23.
  19. 1 2 "Simply Amazing: Trey Songz: Amazon.de: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.de. 2012-08-03.
  20. ↑ "Simply Amazing: Trey Songz: Amazon.co.uk: MP3 Downloads". Amazon.co.uk. 2012-08-12.
  21. 1 2 "Archive Chart: 2012-08-25" UK Singles Chart.
  22. 1 2 "Archive Chart: 2012-08-25" UK R&B Chart.
  23. ↑ "Top 100 Singles - Week ending 30th August 2012". Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on 31 August 2012. Retrieved 31 August 2012.
  24. ↑ "Trey Songz – Chart history" Japan Hot 100 for Trey Songz. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  25. ↑ "Trey Songz – Chart history" Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 for Trey Songz. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
  26. ↑ "Trey Songz – Chart history" Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs for Trey Songz. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Trey Songz – Chart history" Billboard Pop Songs for Trey Songz. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  28. ↑ "Trey Songz – Chart history" Billboard Rhythmic Songs for Trey Songz. Retrieved January 24, 2015.
  29. ↑ "iTunes - Musik - Simply Amazing - Single von Trey Songz". iTunes Austria. 2012-08-03.
  30. ↑ "iTunes - Musik - Simply Amazing - Single von Trey Songz". iTunes Switzerland. 2012-08-03.
  31. ↑ "hmvdigitalUK - Simply Amazing by Trey Songz". HMV.com. 2012-08-12.
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