Maps of Music

Good to Know (2020)

Where the lyrics of Good to Know take you, and where it was really made.

The title came from a friend's offhand comment, and the album was recorded in studios from Los Angeles to Bali.

Key places

Westlake Studios, Los Angeles (2020)

Recording site Westlake Recording Studios — Tracks 2, 7 and 10 were recorded at Westlake Studios in Los Angeles, California, one of several studios used for the album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Encore Studios, Burbank (2020)

Recording site Encore Recording Studios — Track 9 was recorded at Encore Studios in Burbank, California, one of the Los Angeles area studios used for the album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Red Bull Studios, Santa Monica (2020)

Recording site Red Bull Studios — Track 11 was recorded at Red Bull Studios in Santa Monica, California, one of the studios listed in the album's recording credits. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Swara Padi Studios, Ubud (2020)

Recording site Swara Padi Studios — Track 1 was recorded at Swara Padi Studios in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, the only recording location outside the United States. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Goddess Sound, North Hollywood (2020)

Recording site Schnee Studio — Track 8 was recorded at Goddess Sound in North Hollywood, California, one of the Los Angeles area studios used for the album. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Good to Know (stylized in all lowercase): fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter JoJo
• Released May 1, 2020
• First studio album after leaving Atlantic Records; released through her own imprint Clover Music in partnership with Warner Records
• Pop and R&B record, mostly slow to mid tempo, with layered vocal harmonies and an atmospheric production style
• Three thematic sections moving from escapism and self-numbing toward self-reflection and self-acceptance
• Lead single Man, followed by three promotional singles: Lonely Hearts, Comeback, and Small Things

Background

• Years of contract disputes with Blackground Records led to a decade-long gap between her second and third studio albums
• After Mad Love (2016) on Atlantic, she later said she felt misunderstood and not fully heard
• Re-recorded her first two albums in 2018 after Blackground removed them from streaming services
• The title reflects learning from feedback and criticism and was inspired by her awareness of sharing intimate details in her songwriting
• Friend Thundercat's comment shaped the title's sense of accepting the present moment
• Although she abstained from sex while writing the album in 2019, the record primarily explores sex and sensuality
• Intended to encourage listeners to reflect on their own behavior and emotional patterns
• Influenced by the hip-hop styles of Canadian artists such as The Weeknd, Tory Lanez, and Drake
• Drew on her experiences visiting strip clubs while recording in Toronto and Atlanta
• JoJo said parts of the album resemble journal excerpts

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• Joanna Noëlle "JoJo" Levesque (born December 20, 1990) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress.
• She began singing as a child, competing in singing contests and local talent shows.
• In 2003 record producer Vincent Herbert signed her to Blackground Records after she appeared on America's Most Talented Kid.
• Her debut album JoJo (2004) peaked at number four on the U.S. Billboard 200 and sold over four million copies worldwide.
• Her debut single "Leave (Get Out)" topped the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 chart, making her, at 13, the youngest solo artist to top that chart.
• Her second album The High Road (2006) produced her first top-five Hot 100 hit "Too Little Too Late".
• Label disputes delayed her third album; she released the mixtapes Can't Take That Away from Me (2010) and Agápē (2012) independently.
• She signed with Atlantic Records in 2014 and released Mad Love (2016), her third top-ten album in the U.S.
• In 2018 she founded Clover Music and re-recorded her first two albums.
• Later albums include Good to Know (2020), December Baby (2020), and Trying Not to Think About It (2021).
• She has acted in films such as Aquamarine (2006) and R.V. (2006), and starred as Satine in Broadway's Moulin Rouge! The Musical from 2023.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Variety's A.D. Amorosi described the album as reflecting a more developed artistic identity and compared its sound to an updated take on Janet Jackson's 1986 album, Control
• Metro Weekly's Sean Maunier noted that JoJo leans more strongly into R&B than in her previous work, pointing to its mood-first approach
• RapReviews' Steve 'Flash' Juon argued that the album, despite hip-hop influences, remains rooted in R&B rather than hip hop
• MusicOMH's Nick Smith highlighted JoJo's vocal delivery across the record and called 'Don't Talk Me Down' a standout for its restrained arrangement
• The Guardian's Laura Snapes characterized the album as centered on self-knowledge and independence, with a reflective tone
• Critics overall praised its cohesive sound, vocal performances, and emphasis on mood and introspection

Records

• US Billboard 200: debuted at number 33 with 12,700 album-equivalent units in its first week, including 8,000 pure album copies
• US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart: number 19
• UK R&B Albums chart: number 4
• Scotland: number 78; Portugal: number 22
• The album stayed on the charts for one week in the United States, Scotland, and Portugal

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The Good to Know Tour was first postponed because of COVID-19 and then canceled in January 2021 as the pandemic remained unpredictable
• A verse by Tory Lanez on 'Comeback' was removed after his shooting of American rapper Megan Thee Stallion, and JoJo confirmed the decision on Twitter
• JoJo marked the first anniversary of the album with a live performance a year after its release
• The physical CD adds an intro and an outro to the nine-track digital edition
• Tracks were recorded in studios in Los Angeles, Burbank, Santa Monica, North Hollywood, and Ubud, Bali

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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