Maps of Music

Utopia (2023)

Where the lyrics of Utopia take you, and where it was really made.

Scott was seen leaving Abbey Road Studios in June 2023 while recreating the cover art of the Beatles' Abbey Road, weeks before this album came out.

Key places

Recording location: Shangri-La, Malibu (2023)

Recording site Shangri-La — Listed as a recording location for Utopia. The point marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording location: Miraval Studios, Correns (2023)

Recording site Studio Miraval — Listed as a recording location for Utopia. The point marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording location: Island Sound, Honolulu (2023)

Recording site Island Sound Studio — Listed as a recording location for Utopia. The point marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta (2023)

Recording site Mercedes-Benz Stadium — Listed as a recording location for Utopia. The point marks the stadium building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Recording location: Abbey Road Studios, London (2023)

Recording site Abbey Road Studios — Listed as a recording location for Utopia. The point marks the studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: Jubilee line to St John's Wood station, then about a 5-minute walk.

Album story

Overview

• Utopia: fourth studio album by American rapper Travis Scott
• Released 28 July 2023 through Cactus Jack and Epic Records
• Guest appearances include Drake, Beyoncé, Playboi Carti, the Weeknd, Bad Bunny, SZA, Future and James Blake
• Physical editions add guest appearances from Lil Uzi Vert and Sheck Wes
• Concept record accompanied by the film Circus Maximus, released the day before the album
• Follow-up to Astroworld (2018), Scott's third studio album, and JackBoys (2019), a compilation made with Cactus Jack

Background

• Title first revealed in an Instagram picture on 8 July 2020
• Scott teased the title again on 3 August 2020, the second anniversary of Astroworld
• In October 2020 Scott kept teasing the album in a series of tweets
• In February 2021 Scott told i-D he was working with new artists while trying to expand his sound
• In May 2021 Mike Dean said the music being recorded was alike to Owl Pharaoh (2013)
• In February 2023 Scott said at NBA All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City that Utopia would follow releases by Don Toliver, Sheck Wes and SoFaygo, artists signed to Cactus Jack Records
• Residency at Zouk Nightclub in Las Vegas, Road to Utopia, 17–24 September 2022

Recording

• Recording began in 2019, with Scott posting updates from sessions on social media
• Production credited to many producers, including Scott, James Blake, WondaGurl, Kanye West (credited as Ye), Metro Boomin and Boi-1da
• Several studios are recorded as recording locations for the album

Cover

• Four alternative cover arts with different versions were posted to Scott's Instagram in the days before release

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Disc 1

Disc 2

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Born Jacques Bermon Webster II on April 30, 1991 in Houston, Texas.
• Formed the duo The Graduates with Chris Holloway; released an EP on Myspace in 2008.
• Formed The Classmates with OG Chess in 2009 and released two projects before the group disbanded in late 2012.
• Left college and signed with T.I.'s Grand Hustle Records in 2013 after T.I. heard his production.

Career

• Released the mixtape Owl Pharaoh (2013) and Days Before Rodeo (2014); the latter's single "Don't Play" was its lead single.
• Debut studio album Rodeo (2015) debuted at number three on the Billboard 200; single "Antidote" peaked at number 16 on the Hot 100.
• Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight (2016) became his first number-one album on the Billboard 200.
• Astroworld (2018) debuted at number one; "Sicko Mode" (with Drake) became his first Hot 100 number-one single.
• Formed Cactus Jack Records in 2017; the label has signed Don Toliver, SoFaygo and Sheck Wes.
• Utopia (2023) debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
• "4x4" (2025) debuted at number one on the Hot 100.

Recognition

• Has five Hot 100 number-one hits and ten Grammy nominations.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Utopia divided reviewers: some praised its appeal and production, others criticized its lack of cohesion and its heavy resemblance to Kanye West's work
• Clash: Robin Murray gave it 9 out of 10, praising its daring and continual rule-breaking
• American Songwriter: Thomas Galindo called it a terrific thing and a much-needed thing for hip-hop
• MusicOMH: Ben Devlin said the album shows Scott doing what he does best
• RapReviews: Michael G. Barilleaux said the instrumental completeness and energy are hard to forget
• AllMusic praised the experiments with ambience, risky beat switches and orchestration
• Slant Magazine: Paul Attard said it works as a series of show-stopping set pieces rather than a cohesive body of work
• Rolling Stone said there is not enough substance
• Pitchfork: Alphonse Pierre called it a shiny, empty spectacle
• NME: Nathan Evans wrote that Kanye West's influence looms over the album
• The Guardian: Shaad D'Souza praised its sharp ear for combining ingredients but said it could have used more of that sure hand
• HipHopDX: Vivian Medithi said it is more boring than Travis Scott

Reappraisal

• Metacritic: weighted average score of 67 based on 13 reviews
• AnyDecentMusic?: 6.2 out of 10

Records

• US Billboard 200: debuted at number one with 496,000 album-equivalent units, 252,000 of them pure album sales
• All 19 songs debuted on the Billboard Hot 100, making Scott the 15th artist to log over 100 career entries
• UK: first number one album for Scott on the UK Albums Chart
• Australia: second Scott studio album to debut at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart
• Also topped the charts in Canada, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden
• Singles: K-pop, Delresto (Echoes), Meltdown, I Know ?, Fein

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Scott was seen leaving Abbey Road Studios on 15 June 2023 with his bodyguards, recreating the cover art of the Beatles' Abbey Road (1969).
• Scott said at Rolling Loud in Miami on 22 July that it would be the last time he performed the Astroworld-era setlist.
• Utopia totems were found in Utopia, Texas, on the day of the release, playing a siren-like sound.
• The launch event planned for the Pyramids of Giza was canceled due to problems with construction in the desert.
• Scott announced a replacement concert, Circus Maximus, at the Circus Maximus in Rome for 7 August 2023.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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