Ego Death (album)

Ego Death is the third studio album by American R&B band the Internet. It was released on June 26, 2015, through Odd Future and distributed by Columbia Records. The album was supported by the singles "Special Affair" and "Girl". Ego Death was nominated at the 2016 Grammy Awards for Best Urban Contemporary Album.

Ego Death
Studio album by the Internet
Released	June 26, 2015 (2015-06-26)
Studio	1500 or Nothin' Banana Beat Studio Chateau Marie Trap 3.0
Genre	R&B neo soul[1]
Length	56:29
Label	Odd Future Columbia
Producer	Bambaata Brian Kennedy Christopher Smith Cisco Adler The Highlights The Internet Jameel Bruner Kaytranada Matt Martians Nick Green Patrick Paige Steve Lacy Syd Tyler, the Creator
The Internet chronology
Feel Good (2013) Ego Death (2015) Hive Mind (2018)
Singles from Ego Death
"Special Affair" Released: June 2, 2015 "Girl" Released: June 23, 2015

Promotion

The album's lead single, "Special Affair", was released on June 2, 2015.^[2] The album's second single, "Girl", was released on June 23, 2015. The song features a guest appearance from Haitian-Canadian DJ and record producer Kaytranada.^[3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.1/10[4]
Metacritic	81/100[5]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
Consequence	B[7]
Exclaim!	8/10[8]
The Guardian	[9]
HipHopDX	4.0/5[10]
Pitchfork	7.4/10[11]
PopMatters	8/10[12]
RapReviews	8/10[13]
Rolling Stone	[14]
Vice (Expert Witness)	A−[15]

Ego Death was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 81, based on 11 reviews.^[5] Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.1 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.^[4]

Andy Kellman of AllMusic said, "The majority of Ego Death is tighter. Bennett has refined her songwriting without reducing the candid approach that colors her past compositions. Additionally, the tangents are fewer and more substantive".^[6] Pat Levy of Consequence said, "In addition to their more fully formed sound, one of the more exciting things about The Internet is the music's point of view".^[7] Michael J. Warren of Exclaim! said, "Ego Death frees the Internet from Odd Future connotations and R&B norms; it's their best work yet".^[8] Tshepo Mokoena of The Guardian said, "There's wit and honestly behind her observations of courting and heartbreak, making her pinhole focus on love more about nuance than navel-gazing. It's just as well the band stayed together".^[9] Ronald Grant of HipHopDX said, "Ego Death is an album both suited specifically for the social media age of music listeners but simultaneously rich and permeated with the traditions of the soul and R&B music of the past".^[10]

Jon Caramanica of The New York Times said, "There's convincing thump at work here, but not so much as to overwhelm the lustrous keyboards, the nuzzling bass, the way several of the songs unfurl like blooming roses".^[1] Sean Fennell of PopMatters said, "Ego Death and The Internet require a little bit of patience, but if you are willing to give it a full go, it will reward you with one of the most interesting albums in recent memory".^[12] Patrick Taylor of RapReviews said, "Ego Death is the perfect summer record. Breezy, smooth, lazy, and meant for warm nights".^[13] Craig Jenkins of Pitchfork said, "The Internet's songs have always felt like scenes of salaciousness happening just out of earshot. Ego Death finally pulls us into the maelstrom".^[11] Suzy Exposito of Rolling Stone said, "The best tracks fade away into gravity-defying instrumental outros that make Syd's heartache feel sublimely serene".^[14]

Industry awards

Awards and nominations for Ego Death

Year	Ceremony	Category	Result	Ref.
2016	Grammy Awards	Best Urban Contemporary Album	Nominated	[16]

Track listing

Ego Death track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Get Away"	Sydney Bennett Nick Green Daniel "Bambaata" Marley	Steve Lacy Matthew Martin	2:28
2.	"Gabby" (featuring Janelle Monáe)	Martin Bennett Green Janelle Robinson	Lacy Martin	3:32
3.	"Under Control"	Bennett Green	The Internet	4:04
4.	"Go with It" (featuring Vic Mensa)	Bennett Green Vic Mensa	Bennett Martin Christopher Allan Smith Cisco Adler	4:27
5.	"Just Sayin" / "I Tried"	"Just Sayin'": Bennett Taylor Parks "I Tried": Bennett	"Just Sayin'": Lacy Smith "I Tried": Bambaata Smith	6:54
6.	"For the World" (featuring James Fauntleroy)	James Fauntleroy Bennett	Martin Jameel Bruner Patrick Paige Smith	3:23
7.	"Girl" (featuring Kaytranada)	Bennett Green	Kaytranada Bruner	6:56
8.	"Special Affair"	Bennett Parks	Lacy Martin	2:58
9.	"Somthing's Missing"	Bennett Green Martin	Martin Lacy	6:21
10.	"Partners in Crime Part Three"	Bennett	Brian Kennedy	3:22
11.	"Penthouse Cloud"	Bennett	The Highlights Lacy Martin	4:44
12.	"Palace" (featuring Tyler, the Creator) / "Curse" (featuring Steve Lacy)	"Palace": Tyler Okonma Bennett "Curse": Lacy Bennett Green	"Palace": Okonma "Curse": Lacy	7:20
Total length:				56:29

Vinyl edition (bonus tracks)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
13.	"Famous"	Bennett Green	Nicky Davey	3:07
14.	"Missing You"	Bennett	Martin	2:17
Total length:				1:01:53

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.^[17]

The Internet

• Syd – lead vocals, production (tracks 3, 4), keys (track 4), synths (track 4), background vocals (track 10), recording (tracks 1–12), executive production, mixing
• Matt Martians – production (tracks 1–4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 14), drums (tracks 1, 2, 8, 9, 11), synths (tracks 3, 4, 6), background vocals (track 2), recording (track 9), executive production, design
• Patrick Paige II – bass (tracks 3, 4, 6, 11, 13, 14), production (tracks 3, 6, 11), drums (track 11), guitar (track 11)
• Christopher Allan Smith – drums (tracks 3–6), production (tracks 3–6), percussion (track 13), recording (track 13), mixing
• Jameel Bruner – production (tracks 3, 6, 7), keys (tracks 3, 6, 13), additional synths (track 9), additional organ (track 9), background vocals (track 2)
• Steve Lacy – production (tracks 1–3, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12), bass (tracks 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 11), guitar (tracks 1–3, 5, 8, 11), featured artist (track 12), executive production

Additional personnel

• Cisco Adler – production (track 4), guitar (track 4), recording (track 4)
• Brandon Combs – drums (track 13)
• Jimmy Douglass – mixing
• James Fauntleroy – featured artist (track 6)
• Durand Ferebee Jr. – background vocals (tracks 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12)
• Christopher Goldsmith for The Highlights – production (track 11), drums (track 11)
• Nick Green – background vocals (track 13), vocal production
• Kaytranada – featured artist (track 7), production (track 7)
• Brian Kennedy – production (track 10)
• Dave Kutch – mastering
• Janelle Monáe – featured artist (track 2), additional vocals (track 2)
• Daniel "Bambaata" Marley – production (track 5), guitar (track 5)
• Vic Mensa – featured artist (track 4)
• Xavier McHugh – recording (tracks 2, 4, 7, 9, 10, 12), percussion (track 13)
• Nicky Davey – production (track 13)
• Dave Rosser – guitar (track 13)
• Tay Walker – background vocals (track 2)
• Tyler, the Creator – featured artist (track 12), production (track 12)

Charts

Chart performance for Ego Death

Chart (2015–2016)	Peak position
New Zealand Heatseekers Albums (RMNZ)[18]	8
US Billboard 200[19]	89
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[20]	9

Release history

Release dates and formats for Ego Death

Region	Date	Label(s)	Format	Ref.
Worldwide	June 26, 2015	Odd Future Columbia	Digital download	[21]
	June 29, 2015		CD	[22]
	October 30, 2015		Vinyl	[23]

References

1. Caramanica, Jon (June 29, 2015). "Review: Syd tha Kyd, Betwixt and Between on 'Ego Death'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 20, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
2. Lyons, Patrick (June 2, 2015). "The Internet – Special Affair". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on September 21, 2017. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
3. Tian, Aaron (June 23, 2015). "The Internet "Girl" ft. KAYTRANADA". Mass Appeal. Archived from the original on September 21, 2017. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
4. "Ego Death by The Internet reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Archived from the original on November 6, 2016. Retrieved November 6, 2016.
5. "Reviews for Ego Death by The Internet". Metacritic. Archived from the original on May 14, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
6. Kellman, Andy. "Ego Death – The Internet". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 3, 2019. Retrieved November 16, 2019.
7. Levy, Pat (July 6, 2015). "The Internet – Ego Death". Consequence. Archived from the original on May 20, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
8. Warren, Michael J. (June 30, 2015). "The Internet: Ego Death". Exclaim!. Archived from the original on May 5, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
9. Mokoena, Tshepo (December 17, 2015). "The Internet: Ego Death review – Odd Future offshoot muse on love and lust". The Guardian. Archived from the original on March 29, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
10. Grant, Ronald (July 5, 2015). "The Internet – Ego Death". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on May 10, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
11. Jenkins, Craig (July 9, 2015). "The Internet: Ego Death". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on March 23, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
12. Fennell, Sean (July 8, 2015). "The Internet: Ego Death". PopMatters. Archived from the original on May 12, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
13. Taylor, Patrick (August 11, 2015). "The Internet :: Ego Death :: Columbia Records". RapReviews. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
14. Exposito, Suzy (September 10, 2015). "Ego Death". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
15. Christgau, Robert (March 25, 2016). "Stoned Soul Quick Picks: Expert Witness with Robert Christgau". Vice. Archived from the original on March 28, 2016. Retrieved March 27, 2016.
16. "Grammy Nominations 2016: See the Full List of Nominees". Billboard. December 7, 2015. Archived from the original on December 10, 2015. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
17. Ego Death (Media notes). The Internet. Columbia Records. 2015.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
18. "NZ Heatseekers Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. August 8, 2016. Archived from the original on August 21, 2016. Retrieved August 5, 2016.
19. "The Internet Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 13, 2016.
20. "The Internet Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 13, 2016.
21. "Ego Death by The Internet on iTunes". iTunes Store. June 26, 2015. Archived from the original on June 18, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2016.
22. Ashley Monaé (June 29, 2015). "Listen To The Internet's 'Ego Death' Album". Vibe. Archived from the original on June 20, 2016. Retrieved July 2, 2016.
23. "The Internet – Ego Death – Amazon.com Music". Amazon. Retrieved February 25, 2018.