Maps of Music
Man on the Moon: The End of Day (2009)
Where the lyrics of Man on the Moon: The End of Day take you, and where it was really made.
The album was first titled Man on the Moon: The Guardians, and its subtitle changed only later to The End of Day, which was partly inspired by performance artist Andy Kaufman.
View on the mapKey places
Main sessions in Honolulu (2009)
Recording site Avex Honolulu Studio — The album's main recording sessions took place at Avex Recording Studio in Honolulu, Hawaii. The point marks the studio on the map. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Additional recording in New York City (2009)
Recording site Chung King Studios — Additional recording for the album took place at Chung King in New York City. The point marks the studio on the map. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Additional recording in Hollywood (2009)
Recording site A&M Recording Studios — Additional recording for the album took place at the Jim Henson studios in Hollywood, California. The point marks the studio on the map. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Additional recording at The Record Plant (2009)
Recording site Record Plant Studios — Additional recording for the album took place at The Record Plant in Hollywood, California. The point marks the studio on the map. Google Maps · Apple Maps
How to get there: See the map for directions.
Album story
Overview
- Debut studio album by American rapper Kid Cudi
- Released September 15, 2009 through Dream On, GOOD Music, and Universal Motown Records
- Concept album narrated by Common, a GOOD Music labelmate and fellow rapper
- Follows the first full-length project A Kid Named Cudi (2008)
- First installment of the Man on the Moon trilogy
- Production by several high-profile producers, including Kanye West, Emile Haynie, Plain Pat, and Jeff Bhasker
Background
- Originally titled Man on the Moon: The Guardians; subtitle later changed to The End of Day
- Performance artist Andy Kaufman partly inspired the new title
- Cudi planned the next edition of the trilogy as The Ghost and the Machine
- Before this album, Cudi co-wrote four hits on Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak (2008)
- Cudi said that without those song successes the album would not have been picked up by any major labels
- Cudi hoped the album would show people that he had his own voice and set him apart
Recording
- Cudi recorded the album from 2007 to 2009
- Main sessions at Avex Recording Studio in Honolulu, Hawaii
- Additional recording at The Broski Room, Chung King in New York City, and the Jim Henson and Record Plant in Hollywood, California
- Emile Haynie heard Day 'n' Nite on Cudi's Myspace before the two worked together
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Artist
Formation
- Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, known as Kid Cudi, was born January 30, 1984 in Cleveland, Ohio.
- He began rapping in 2003 and moved to New York City in 2005 to pursue a music career.
- His song "Day 'n' Nite" gained online attention in 2007, leading Kanye West to sign him to GOOD Music in 2008.
- His debut mixtape A Kid Named Cudi was released in July 2008.
Career
- Debut album Man on the Moon: The End of Day (2009) reached commercial and critical success and received quadruple platinum certification.
- Second album Man on the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager (2010) received platinum certification.
- Formed the rock band WZRD, whose 2012 debut topped the Billboard Top Rock Albums chart.
- Album Indicud (2013) peaked at number two on the Billboard 200.
- Formed the duo Kids See Ghosts with Kanye West in 2018.
- Single "The Scotts" with Travis Scott (2020) became his first number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Released Man on the Moon III: The Chosen (2020) and Entergalactic (2022).
- Acted in HBO's How to Make It in America, Need for Speed, and Bill & Ted Face the Music, among other works.
- Won two Grammy Awards and has sold over 22 million units domestically.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Reception
At release
- Generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its composition and unique approach to the hip-hop genre
- Metacritic average of 71 out of 100, based on 15 reviews
- Entertainment Weekly named it Best Hip Hop Album of 2009
- Complex named it the Best Album of 2009
- AllMusic's David Jeffries said the album may require more patience than an everyday debut
- Pitchfork's Ian Cohen gave the album a negative review, finding it frustrating
- The New York Times' Jon Caramanica called it a colossal, mystifying missed opportunity
- Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone was impressed by its music but found Cudi's raps weak
Reappraisal
- Rolling Stone ranked it 459th on its 2020 list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
- MTV's James Montgomery ranked it 19th of 20 best albums of 2009
- In October 2013, Complex named it the fifth best hip hop album of the last five years
Records
- Debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 with 104,000 copies sold in its first week in the US
- Certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA
- As of April 22, 2016, sold 860,000 copies in the United States
- Two singles were nominated at the 2010 Grammy Awards: Best Rap Song and Best Rap Solo Performance for Day 'n' Nite, and Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for Make Her Say
- Outside the US, generally peaked outside the top 50 of album charts
- French and Swiss album charts peak at number 56
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Trivia
- Cudi wrote Day 'n' Nite after the death of his uncle, and other songs on the album expand on themes from that single
- Common and Cudi were filmed in New York City while West was filmed in Los Angeles for the Make Her Say video, which used a split screen to suggest one location
- In 2009, Cudi toured with Lady Gaga as an opening act during the first leg of her The Monster Ball Tour in North America
- Cudi recorded the album from 2007 to 2009 across several studios in Hawaii, New York and California
- Before this album, Cudi said he planned the record as the first in a trilogy, with the next edition titled The Ghost and the Machine
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
View on the map