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Think Later

Think Later
McRae standing against a black background wearing hockey leg pads with the album title on them.
Studio album by
ReleasedDecember 8, 2023 (2023-12-08)
RecordedLate 2022 – November 1, 2023[1]
Genre
Length38:16
LabelRCA
Producer
Tate McRae chronology
I Used to Think I Could Fly
(2022)
Think Later
(2023)
So Close to What
(2025)
Singles from Think Later
  1. "Greedy"
    Released: September 15, 2023
  2. "Exes"
    Released: November 17, 2023

Think Later is the second studio album by Canadian singer Tate McRae, released on December 8, 2023, through RCA Records.[3] It was co-executive produced by Ryan Tedder and promoted by the release of two singles and one promotional single. The lead single "Greedy" was released on September 15, 2023, followed by "Exes" on November 17, 2023, and promotional single "Run for the Hills" on December 8, 2023.[4][5] McRae has embarked on a tour of Europe, North America, and Oceania throughout 2024 in support of the album.[6] The album peaked within the top ten in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Norway, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, and the US Billboard 200.

Background

[edit]

McRae called the experience of writing the album "one of the most stressful, exciting, nerve racking, and fun things [she has] ever gone through", saying that she has lived the past year "a little less with [her] head and a little more with [her] intuition" and hoped that listeners can "feel that through the music".[7] A press release expressed that it explores "the all-too-relatable feelings of falling in love and embracing the raw emotions that you experience as a result of leading with your intuition and heart".[7]

Promotion

[edit]

The first single "Greedy" was issued on September 15, 2023, later becoming McRae's first top-ten song on the Billboard Hot 100. With the announcement of the album on November 6, 2023, McRae detailed the 53-date Think Later World Tour in support of the album, which will visit Europe, North America and Oceania from April to November 2024.[8] On October 26, McRae performed "Greedy" for the first time on television on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.[9] The second single "Exes" was released on November 17.[10] On November 18, she performed "Greedy" and the track "Grave" on Saturday Night Live.[11] On November 19, she performed "Greedy" at the Billboard Music Awards.[12] She performed "Greedy" and "Exes" on December 9 at the O2 Arena for Jingle Bell Ball.[13] On December 8, McRae released "Run For The Hills" as a promotional single, alongside an official music video. On December 12, McRae performed "Greedy" and "Exes" on Today[14] and performed "Exes" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.[15]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic70/100[16]
Review scores
SourceRating
Clash7/10[17]
DIY[18]
Financial Times[19]
The Guardian[20]
Irish Examiner[21]
NME[22]
The Observer[23]
Pitchfork5.9/10[2]
The Telegraph[24]

Think Later received a score of 70 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on 10 critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception.[16] The Telegraph's Neil McCormick found that its "mix of trap grooves and synth balladry is perfectly of the moment, lacking the boldness of a truly original talent. Yet there is something appealing in the sweet melodies and sour attitude of a singer who sounds like she might actually be starting to enjoy herself".[24] NME's Sophie Williams opined that the album is "somewhat remarkable for its evolutions in McRae's delivery and attitude" as it "continues to position [her] as a much more versatile prospect".[22]

Michael Cragg of The Observer wrote that the album "feels like the perfect vehicle for mainstream ubiquity" as "songs such as 'Exes' and the rib-rattling title track continue down 'Greedy''s pop-R&B route, a melodic pocket that suits McRae's rapid-fire delivery".[23] Otis Robinson of DIY felt that the album "doesn't come close to reinventing the wheel (or pop), but it does drench itself within a pop maximalism full of fuel, energy and modernity".[18] Robin Murray of Clash judged that it is as if "by utilising collaboration she's learned to discover her own voice, through listening to other people's. A succinct 14-track demonstration of her palpable skills, Think Later presents Tate McRae in full 360".[17]

Alexis Petridis of The Guardian wrote that the "lyrics stick with the [...] bad boyfriends, bedroom-door-slamming angst and friendship group drama" and highlighted "Greedy", "Stay Done" and "Hurt My Feelings", but commented that they are "surrounded by a surfeit of songs that, while well made, feature melodies that always head where you'd expect – or try too hard". Petridis concluded that McRae is "fitting a lot of currently popular boxes without escaping them".[20] Ed Power of the Irish Examiner called Think Later "a solid album. Yet it's easy to imagine edgier production bringing out the darkness roiling under tracks such as 'Cut My Hair' and 'Greedy'".[21] Arwa Haider of the Financial Times felt that "at points, it does seem like she's trying on different parts for size (temptress; wounded lover; frenemy), but there's no doubting McRae's versatility, and she is always an engaging performer".[19]

Reviewing the album for Pitchfork, Jaeden Pinder described it as "full of homogeneous trap-pop ballads devoted to one-dimensional introspection" and remarked that it "feels anonymous: stuck romanticizing the negative in an attempt to prove her seriousness as a singer. Her music is strongest when she tosses the ballads in the bin."[2]

Commercial performance

[edit]

Think Later debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200, earning 66,000 album-equivalent units in its first week, of which 8,000 were pure album sales. This marked Tate's first top-ten album in the United States.[25] In McRae's home country Canada, the album debuted at number three, making it McRae's second top-three album in the country.[26]

The album also reached the top five in various countries such as Belgium, New Zealand, Norway, and the United Kingdom, where it debuted at number five on the UK Albums Chart.[27] Think Later also reached the top ten in the Netherlands, Ireland and Switzerland. The album reached its highest peak in Australia, where it peaked at number two.[28]

Track listing

[edit]
Think Later track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Cut My Hair"
  • Tedder
  • Harris
  • Grant Boutin[c]
2:55
2."Greedy"
  • McRae
  • Tedder
  • Allen
  • Harris
  • Tedder
  • Harris
  • Boutin
2:12
3."Run for the Hills"
  • McRae
  • Tedder
  • Allen
  • Harris
  • Boutin
  • Tedder
  • Harris
  • Boutin[c]
2:23
4."Hurt My Feelings"
  • McRae
  • Tedder
  • Allen
  • Harris
  • Boutin
  • Tedder
  • Harris
  • Boutin
2:02
5."Grave"
3:14
6."Stay Done"
  • McRae
  • Tedder
  • Allen
  • Tedder
  • Andrew DeRoberts
2:51
7."Exes"
  • McRae
  • Tedder
  • Tyler Spry
2:39
8."We're Not Alike"
Bisel3:00
9."Calgary"
  • McRae
  • Zmishlany
  • Thomas LaRosa
  • Zmishlany
2:20
10."Messier"LaRosa3:57
11."Think Later"
  • McRae
  • Tedder
  • Allen
  • Harris
  • Tedder
  • Harris
  • Boutin
  • Spry[a]
2:13
12."Guilty Conscience"
2:32
13."Want That Too"
  • McRae
  • Tedder
  • Allen
  • Harris
  • Spry
  • Tedder
  • Harris
  • Harry Charles[a]
  • Spry[v]
3:10
14."Plastic Palm Trees"
2:52
Total length:38:16

Notes

Personnel

[edit]

Musicians

Technical

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for Think Later
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Belgium (BEA)[54] Gold 10,000
Canada (Music Canada)[55] Platinum 80,000
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[56] Gold 10,000
Hungary (MAHASZ)[57] Gold 2,000
Netherlands (NVPI)[58] Gold 18,600
New Zealand (RMNZ)[59] Platinum 15,000
Norway (IFPI Norway)[60] Platinum 20,000*
Poland (ZPAV)[61] Platinum 20,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[62] Silver 60,000
United States (RIAA)[63] Gold 500,000

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Release dates and formats for Think Later
Region Date Format(s) Label Ref.
Various December 8, 2023 RCA [3]
February 16, 2024


References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Tate McRae Explores ASMR". December 11, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Pinder, Jaeden (December 15, 2023). "Tate McRae: Think Later Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Jones, Damian (November 6, 2023). "Tate McRae announces second album Think Later and confirms 2024 tour". NME. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  4. ^ Aniftos, Rania (November 6, 2023). "Tate McRae Announces Sophomore Album Think Later & 2024 World Tour Dates". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  5. ^ "Tate McRae - Run for the Hills".
  6. ^ Fu, Eddie (November 6, 2023). "How to Get Tickets to Tate McRae's 'Think Later Tour'". Consequence. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  7. ^ a b Paul, Larisha (November 6, 2023). "Tate McRae Announces New Album Think Later and 2024 World Tour: 'I Can't Believe This is Happening'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  8. ^ Carter, Daisy (November 6, 2023). "Tate McRae announces second album Think Later | News". DIY. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  9. ^ Cantor, Brian (October 20, 2023). "Brothers Osborne, Olivia Rodrigo, Tate McRae Scheduled To Perform On Jimmy Kimmel Live". Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  10. ^ "Tate McRae. New single "Exes". Coming soon 17/11/2023. #shorts". Retrieved November 13, 2023 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ "Tate McRae: grave (Live) – SNL". Retrieved November 19, 2023 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ Atkinson, Katie (November 20, 2023). "Tate McRae Leaves Fans 'Greedy' for More With Fiery 2023 Billboard Music Awards Performance". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  13. ^ Reynolds, Abbie (December 9, 2023). "Tate McRae's Capital Jingle Bell Ball debut". Capital. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  14. ^ "Tate McRae Lights Up the Today Show with Performances of 'Exes' and 'Greedy' | Interviews". Popfiltr. December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  15. ^ Martin, Annie (December 13, 2023). "Watch: Tate McRae performs 'Exes' on Tonight Show". Yahoo! Entertainment. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  16. ^ a b "Think Later by Tate McRae Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
  17. ^ a b Murray, Robin (December 8, 2023). "Tate McRae – Think Later | Reviews". Clash. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  18. ^ a b Robinson, Otis (December 8, 2023). "Tate McRae – Think Later review". DIY. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  19. ^ a b Haider, Arwa (December 8, 2023). "Tate McRae's pop drama keeps you hooked in Think Later — album review". Financial Times. Archived from the original on November 17, 2024. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
  20. ^ a b Petridis, Alexis (December 8, 2023). "Tate McRae: Think Later review – pop's newest superstar blandly ticks the boxes". The Guardian. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
  21. ^ a b Power, Ed (December 8, 2023). "Album review: Tate McRae emerges as a solid pop force with Think Later". Irish Examiner. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  22. ^ a b Williams, Sophie (December 8, 2023). "Tate McRae – Think Later review: an artist whose moment has arrived". NME. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  23. ^ a b Cragg, Michael (December 10, 2023). "Tate McRae: Think Later review – the TikTok star eyes the mainstream". The Observer. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  24. ^ a b McCormick, Neil (December 8, 2023). "Tate McRae, Think Later: sweet melodies and a sour attitude". The Telegraph. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  25. ^ Caulfield, Keith (December 17, 2023). "Nicki Minaj Scores Third No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 With Pink Friday 2". Billboard. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  26. ^ a b "Tate McRae Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  27. ^ a b "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  28. ^ a b "Australiancharts.com – Tate McRae – Think Later". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  29. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Tate McRae – Think Later" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  30. ^ "Ultratop.be – Tate McRae – Think Later" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  31. ^ "Ultratop.be – Tate McRae – Think Later" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  32. ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Tate McRae – Think Later". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  33. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Tate McRae – Think Later" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  34. ^ "Tate McRae: Think Later" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  35. ^ "Lescharts.com – Tate McRae – Think Later". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  36. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Tate McRae – Think Later" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  37. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2023. 50. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  38. ^ "Tónlistinn – Plötur – Vika 50 – 2023" [The Music – Albums – Week 50 – 2023] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on December 16, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  39. ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  40. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Tate McRae – Think Later". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
  41. ^ "2023 50-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  42. ^ "Charts.nz – Tate McRae – Think Later". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
  43. ^ "Album 2024 uke 6". VG-lista. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  44. ^ "OLiS - oficjalna lista sprzedaży - albumy" (in Polish). OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Note: Change the date to 05.01.2024–11.01.2024 under "zmień zakres od–do:". Retrieved January 18, 2024.
  45. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Tate McRae – Think Later". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
  46. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
  47. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Tate McRae – Think Later". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  48. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Tate McRae – Think Later". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
  49. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Tate McRae – Think Later". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  50. ^ "Tate McRae Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  51. ^ "Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2024". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  52. ^ "End of Year Top 50 Albums". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on December 20, 2024. Retrieved December 20, 2024.
  53. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2024". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  54. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2024". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
  55. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Tate McRae – Think Later". Music Canada. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
  56. ^ "Danish album certifications – Tate McRae – Think Later". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
  57. ^ "Adatbázis – Arany- és platinalemezek – 2024" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
  58. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Tate McRae – Think Later" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved June 5, 2024. Enter Think Later in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 2024 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  59. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Tate McRae – Think Later". Radioscope. Retrieved December 20, 2024. Type Think Later in the "Search:" field.
  60. ^ "Norwegian album certifications – Tate McRae – Think Later" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
  61. ^ "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 3, 2024. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter Think Later in the search box.
  62. ^ "British album certifications – Tate McRae – Think Later". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 5, 2024.
  63. ^ "American album certifications – Tate McRae – Think Later". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 29, 2024.