World Music Radio

World Music Radio is the seventh studio album by American singer Jon Batiste. It was released on August 18, 2023, through Verve Records and Interscope Records. The album features guest appearances by JID, NewJeans, Camilo, Jon Bellion, Fireboy DML, Kenny G, Lil Wayne, Leigh-Anne and Lana Del Rey.

World Music Radio
Studio album by Jon Batiste
Released	August 18, 2023 (2023-08-18)
Genre	Experimental pop hip hop jazz
Length	64:51
Label	Verve Interscope
Producer	Jon Batiste Jon Bellion Rogét Chahayed Chassol [fr] Braxton Cook Zach Dawes DJ Khalil Ryan Lynn The Monsters & Strangerz Pete Nappi Nelson Ray Kaleb "KQuick" Rollins Enrique Sanchez Johnny Simpson Wesley Singerman Jahaan Sweet Taydex TenRoc Nick Waterhouse Dan Wilson
Jon Batiste chronology
We Are (2021) World Music Radio (2023)
Singles from World Music Radio
"Calling Your Name" Released: June 28, 2023 "Drink Water" Released: July 12, 2023

The record project received four nominations at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. The album was nominated for Album of the Year, while the tracks "Worship" and "Butterfly" were nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year respectively.^[1]

Background

On March 19, 2021, Batiste released his sixth studio album, We Are, a breakthrough record that earned him the Grammy Award for Album of the Year 2022 and entered the charts in multiple countries. On March 4, 2023, Verve Records president Jamie Krents revealed that Batiste was focused on his upcoming album and that it would be out later in 2023.^[2]

World Music Radio is a concept album that revolves around an interstellar entity named Billy Bob Bo who creates "potpourri of the far-flung musical languages of Earth and transmits it to the cosmos with chuckling".^[3] In a statement, Batiste explained that he created the record with a newfound feeling of "liberation" as well as a "renewed sense of exploration of my personhood, my craft and of the world around".^[4] He announced the album on June 27, 2023, and shared the lead single "Calling Your Name" along with a visualizer.^[5] The album was made available for preorder in a multitude of formats, including signed copies and limited edition vinyls.^[6] While revealing details of the record, Batiste wanted to shed light on the intentions behind the album, saying that it is designed to "open your heart and stretch your mind, expanding your vision of popular art". He went as far as wanting to "redefine terms like world music".^[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	69/100[8]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[9]
The Guardian	[10]
NME	[11]
Pitchfork	5.6/10[12]

World Music Radio received a score of 69 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on five critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception.^[8] Bhanuj Kappal of Pitchfork wrote that World Music Radio "collapses the wide-ranging possibilities of global music into something for everyone and no one" as "Batiste's idea of universal music is so averse to cultural specificity—except the Afro-American traditions he's rooted in—that listening to it can feel like a sterile game of spot-the-style".^[12] Alexis Petridis of The Guardian remarked that it is "worth noting that the songs are tightly written and hooky, but it is hard to see exactly what Batiste is bringing to the table: even the album's radio show concept, complete with between-song announcements by a DJ, is pretty well-worn".^[10]

Track listing

World Music Radio track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Hello, Billy Bob"	Jon Batiste Rahm Silverglade	Batiste Silverglade Rogét Chahayed Wesley Singerman Silverglade[a]	1:37
2.	"Raindance" (featuring Native Soul)	Batiste Andre Lindal Jason Cornet Jon Bellion Jordan K. Johnson Stefan Johnson Justin Bieber Michael Pollack Nasri Atweh Pete Nappi Rodney Jerkins Sean Anderson	Batiste Bellion Nappi Tenroc The Monsters & Strangerz	3:10
3.	"Be Who You Are" (featuring JID, NewJeans and Camilo)	Batiste Bellion Nappi Cornet Headley Bennett Huford Brown Anthony Ferguson Robert Lyn Jackie Mittoo Leroy Sibbles Fitzroy Simpson Gigi Ylva Dimberg Camilo Echeverry Destin Route	Batiste Bellion[p] Nappi[p] TenRoc	3:34
4.	"Worship"	Batiste Bellion Nappi Cornet	Batiste Bellion Nappi TenRoc	4:13
5.	"My Heart" (featuring Rita Payés)	Batiste Braxton Cook Enrique Sánchez Jahaan Sweet Ray Nelson II Payés	Batiste Cook Sweet Sánchez Nelson Ray	2:26
6.	"Drink Water" (featuring Jon Bellion and Fireboy DML)	Batiste Bellion Nappi Adedamola Oyinlola Adefolahan Johnny Simpson Elisha Noll	Batiste Bellion Nappi Simpson	2:49
7.	"Calling Your Name"	Batiste Bellion Nappi Cornet	Batiste Bellion Nappi TenRoc	1:56
8.	"Clair de Lune" (featuring Kenny G)	Batiste Kenneth Gorelick	Batiste	1:17
9.	"Butterfly"	Batiste Dan Wilson	Batiste Wilson	3:50
10.	"17th Ward Prelude"	Batiste	Batiste	0:13
11.	"Uneasy" (featuring Lil Wayne)	Batiste Bellion Nappi Cornet Dwayne Carter	Batiste Bellion Nappi TenRoc	5:21
12.	"Call Now (504-305-8269)" (featuring Michael Batiste)	Batiste Nija Charles Chahayed Singerman Taylor Dexter	Batiste Chahayed Singerman Taydex	3:19
13.	"Chassol" (Chassol [fr] featuring Jon Batiste)	Christophe Chassol [fr]	Chassol Ryan Lynn	1:09
14.	"Boom for Real"	Batiste	Batiste Kassa Overall[a]	2:47
15.	"Movement 18' (Heroes)"	Batiste	Batiste	4:35
16.	"Master Power"	Batiste Nick Waterhouse	Batiste Waterhouse	3:33
17.	"Running Away" (featuring Leigh-Anne)	Batiste Leigh-Anne Pinnock Harold Lilly Khalil Abdul-Rahman Nathaniel J. Warner Charles Nikki Grier Chahayed Singerman	Batiste Chahayed DJ Khalil Singerman Nathaniel Warner[v] Nick Cooper[v]	5:01
18.	"Goodbye, Billy Bob"	Batiste	Batiste	1:33
19.	"White Space"	Batiste	Batiste	2:48
20.	"Wherever You Are"	Batiste Cornet Nappi	Batiste Nappi TenRoc Kaleb "KQuick" Rollins	4:51
21.	"Life Lesson" (featuring Lana Del Rey)	Batiste Del Rey	Batiste Zach Dawes Cooper[v]	4:49
Total length:				64:51

Notes

• ^{^[p]} signifies a primary and vocal producer.
• ^{^[a]} signifies an additional producer.
• ^{^[v]} signifies a vocal producer.

Personnel

Musicians

• Jon Batiste – vocals (tracks 1–7, 9, 11–21), synthesizer (track 1), keyboards (3); harmonium, melodica (7); piano (9, 11, 14–19, 21); clarinet, programming (14); organ (17), sound effects (20)
• Shannon Powell – drums (1)
• Rahm Silverglade – keyboards (1)
• Jon Bellion – background vocals (2–4, 7, 11), programming (2–4, 6, 7, 11), vocals (6); bass, guitar, keyboards (7)
• Pete Nappi – background vocals, guitar, programming (2–4, 6, 7, 11); bass (7)
• TenRoc – background vocals, bass, guitar, keyboards, programming (2–4, 7, 11)
• Native Soul – vocals (2)
• Brennan Gautier – background vocals (3)
• Luca Stewart – background vocals (3)
• Camilo – vocals (3)
• JID – vocals (3)
• NewJeans – vocals (3)
• Braxton Cook – flute, trumpet (5)
• Rita Payés – trombone, vocals (5)
• Fireboy DML – vocals (6)
• Kenny G – saxophone (8)
• David Gauthier – voice (10)
• Lil Wayne – guitar, vocals (11)
• Michael Batiste – background vocals (12)
• Cassol [fr] – bass, piano, Rhodes, synth bass, vocals (13)
• Mathieu Edouard – drums (13)
• Kassa Overall – drum programming (14)
• Connor Gallaher – acoustic guitar, steel guitar (16)
• Brian Lang – double bass (16)
• Josh Adams – drums (16)
• Nick Waterhouse – electric guitar (16)
• Pedrum Siadatian – electric guitar (16)
• Matthew Correia – percussion (16)
• Nikki Grier – background vocals (17)
• Daniel Seeff – bass (17)
• Wesley Singerman – guitar, programming (17)
• Rogét Chahayed – keyboards, programming (17)
• DJ Khalil – programming (17)
• Leigh-Anne – vocals (17)
• Mehrnam Rastegari – strings (20)
• Pastor Drew – voice (20)
• Zach Dawes – bass (21)
• Gabe Noel – cello (21)
• Greg Koller – string arrangement (21)
• Gabe Witcher – violin (21)
• Lana Del Rey – vocals (21)

Technical

• Chris Gehringer – mastering (1, 2, 4–21)
• Randy Merrill – mastering (3)
• Josh Gudwin – mixing (1, 5, 6)
• Kaleb "KQuick" Rollins – mixing (1, 10–13, 15, 17), recording (11, 18, 19, 21), vocal engineering (12), vocal mixing (17)
• Serban Ghenea – mixing (2–4)
• Manny Marroquin – mixing (7)
• Laura Sisk – mixing (8, 9, 16, 21)
• Jon Batiste – mixing (14, 18–20), recording (1, 5, 10)
• Julian Vasquez – recording (1, 12, 17)
• Pete Nappi – recording (2–4, 6, 7, 11)
• Jahaan Sweet – recording (5)
• Rita Payés – recording (5)
• John Arbuckle – recording (7)
• Kenny G – recording (8)
• Chaz Sexton – recording (9)
• Marc Whitmore – recording (12, 14, 17, 20, 21)
• Wesley Singerman – recording (12, 17)
• Chassol – recording (13)
• Zac Brown – recording (15)
• Ian Doerr – recording (16)
• Jacob Ferguson – recording (21)
• Fabian Marasciullo – vocal mixing (11)
• Gabe Witcher – recording arrangement (21)
• Bryce Bordone – mixing assistance (2–4)
• Dave Ozinga – recording assistance (16)
• Bobby Mota – mastering assistance (17), recording assistance (18–20)
• Gregg White – mastering assistance (17), recording assistance (18–20)
• Will Worden – tape realization (16)

Charts

Chart performance for World Music Radio

Chart (2023)	Peak position
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[13]	82
US Billboard 200[14]	104

References

1. "Grammy Awards 2024: The Full List of Nominees". The New York Times. November 10, 2023. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
2. Baltin, Steve (March 4, 2023). "Saturday Conversation: Verve Records President Jamie Krents On Samara Joy, Jon Batiste, Grammy Success And Paul Westerberg". Forbes. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
3. Sisario, Ben (August 9, 2023). "Jon Batiste Has Got the Whole Wide Music World in His Hands". The New York Times. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
4. Minsker, Evan (June 28, 2023). "Jon Batiste Announces New Album World Music Radio, Shares New Song "Calling Your Name": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
5. Willman, Chris (June 28, 2023). "Grammy King Jon Batiste Sets Followup Album, 'World Music Radio,' With Guests Lana Del Rey and Lil Wayne". Variety. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
6. Kreps, Daniel (June 28, 2023). "Jon Batiste Announces New Album 'World Music Radio' Featuring Lana Del Rey, Lil Wayne, NewJeans and More". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
7. Geraghty, Hollie (July 9, 2023). "Lana Del Rey, Lil Wayne, NewJeans and more to feature on new Jon Batiste album 'World Music Radio'". NME. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
8. "World Music Radio by Jon Batiste Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
9. Collar, Matt (August 18, 2023). "Jon Batiste - World Music Radio". AllMusic. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
10. Petridis, Alexis (August 17, 2023). "Jon Batiste: World Music Radio review – safety-first global pop from a jazz superstar". The Guardian. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
11. Campbell, Erica (August 18, 2023). "Jon Batiste – 'World Music Radio' review: hitmaker's soul-jazz odyssey". NME. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
12. Kappal, Bhanuj (August 18, 2023). "Jon Batiste: World Music Radio Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
13. "Swisscharts.com – Jon Batiste – World Music Radio". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
14. "Jon Batiste Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2023.