Post Malone moved to Los Angeles when he was 18 years old in search of a place to record music. He was sent to Stevie B's studio by a friend, where he met FKi 1st.[4] Malone released his debut single "White Iverson" in February 2015,[5] which was help produced by FKi 1st.[6] It became his breakout song,[7] and afterward he began working with high-profile musicians such as Kanye West, Scott Storch, and Justin Bieber.[8][9] He then signed to Republic Records during 2015.[5]Allen Iverson, the namesake of "White Iverson", responded favorably to the song during March 2016. He said that Malone did "an awesome job" and that we would like to meet Malone.[10] During February and March 2015, he toured with Fetty Wap on the Welcome to the Zoo tour alongside Monty.[11] Malone also served as one of the opening acts for Bieber's Purpose World Tour throughout 2016.[12] During May 2016, Malone released his debut mixtape August 26th, which was titled after the original planned release date of Stoney.[13][14]
In June 2016, XXL editor-in chief Vanessa Satten, revealed that Malone was considered to be on XXL's "2016's Freshmen Class" magazine cover, however, she was "told by his camp that he wasn't paying attention to hip hop so much. He was going into more of a rock / pop / country direction."[15] Malone denied these claims, saying: "My love of music should never be questioned... I shouldn't be chastised for expressing myself in whichever way I see fit." He went on to explain that his mixtape, as well as his then-upcoming album are both hip-hop: "I have a hip-hop album coming out in August... I made a HIP HOP mixtape promoting my HIP HOP album."[16] He also worked with West and Ty Dolla Sign on the song "Fade", which officially released during September 2016.[17] From September to November 2016, Malone embarked on the Hollywood Dreams Tour with Jazz Cartier and Larry June, and FKi 1st.[18] The title of Stoney is in reference to Malone's old nickname, "Stoney Maloney".[19] He later told Nardwuar that he thinks "White Iverson" is still his only "good song" in an interview during December 2017.[20]
Development
"White Iverson" was recorded two days after it was written. While staying at Malone's house, he made the beat alongside FKi 1st of the production duo FKi, and later, Malone wrote the lyrics. They stayed up until 7 a.m., and Malone wanted to record it while the rest of the people staying at the house wanted to go to sleep. Raye Rich of FKi showed Malone how to use Pro Logic to get the main idea of the song down. After Rich heard what it sounded like, he knew he needed to record it. Malone called the process "a perfect culmination of everything".[4]Pharrell Williams contacted Malone and the two met at Bonnaroo, when the former said "Let's get into the studio". After the Bonnaroo festival was done, the two met in a recording studio in Los Angeles.[21] Halfway through recording Stoney, Malone wanted to hear every track that he was working, and picked out a track that the producer Frank Dukes had made. During January 2016, Bieber visited Malone while he was in the studio, and Bieber heard a the track that Dukes made and wanted to appear on the song. Bieber started to freestyle in the recording booth, and he would trade ideas with Malone. The track ended up being the song "Deja Vu".[22] There was also speculation about an appearance from West on the album,[23] but it didn't come into fruition.[24] He only wanted to work with people he liked on both a personal level and an artist level: "I just wanted to make a body of work that was not only dope to hear, but you could hear the vibes that we captured working together".[23]
On Stoney, Malone had the goal of creating music that separated himself from other people in hip-hop. He thought that it is "so hackneyed and so trite in today's hip-hop". He wanted to incorporate his guitar-playing and rock music into one sound that is "really fresh".[14] He was inspired by the music of Hank Williams, Dwight Yoakam, and Fleet Foxes on the deluxe edition tracks "Leave" and "Feeling Whitney". He did not want "White Iverson" to dictate his sound for the rest of his career, and simply described it as "[allowing] [his] music to be heard on a large scale". He also commented about how everything on Stoney "came together naturally".[24]
Composition
Overview
The standard edition of Stoney includes 14 tracks; the deluxe edition contains four additional tracks.[25] The album predominately has a hip hop[1][2][26] and R&B[2] sound. For HipHopDX, Eric Diep wrote that on the album, Malone shifts from pop, to country, to "made for radio" hip-hop.[1] Malone's natural vibrato is shown in the album,[27] alongside lyrics that delve into money and luxury,[1][27] drugs,[27][28] and women.[1][27] Malone generally sing-raps over the album's woozy production.[2] Anya Zoledziowski from Exclaim! highlighted the album's club music sound, due to the heavy bass and trap snares.[27]AllMusic's Neil Z. Yeung described the album's tracks as "bleed[ing] indistinguishably into one another", and that the album "provides an appropriate soundtrack for a certain type of recreational rest and relaxation".[2]
Songs
Stoney's opening track is "Broken Whiskey Glass", a country track[1] that contains "outlaw grit" according to Yeung.[2] Zoledziowski thought that it could "befit a country-western soundtrack", but commented how it doesn't fit the rest of the album.[27] "Big Lie" contains a "booming" Mustard beat that was compared to Rihanna's Anti and SremmLife 2 (both 2016) by Rae Sremmurd by Pitchfork's Matthew Ramirez. He also mentioned the song's hook as being one of the strongest on the album.[28] The laid-back[29] pop[1] and R&B[30] "Deja Vu" contains a feature from Bieber; his appearance was called "as buttery as ever" by Matthew Schnipper from Pitchfork.[31] It begins with a church organ as Malone's warbled voice sings atop the organ and a surf guitar.[31][32][33] As the two sing the hook, they are accompanied by an "echoed coo".[31] The track is about the beginning stages of Malone's relationship with his then-girlfriend.[34] It drew numerous comparisons Drake's song "Hotline Bling" from 2015.[31][32][30][35] "No Option" showcases Malone's vocals being pushed "to the limit" as described by Yeung.[2] Diep wrote that it has the potential to chart on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] Yeung wrote that, alongside the album's other guest appearances, River Tiber's background vocals on "Cold" "bolster Stoney with both atmosphere and credibility".[2] "White Iverson" contains "subtly hypnotizing" production and vocals that "wander through the song like a conversation" per Complex.[6] The vocals switch between singing and rapping, and is written about women, drugs, parties, and contains references to basketball.[36] Its title is a reference to Iverson.[37] Ramirez described it as "sleepy-eyed".[28]
"I Fall Apart", a breakup song that was compared to Staind by Ramirez, shares experience of heartbreak.[27][28] Over acoustic guitars, he sings about wanting to the numb the pain of the breakup using alcohol using his vibrato.[28][33] The following "Patient" highlights Malone expressing his frustrations about the music industry and the price of fame.[38] Referencing Stone Cold Steve Austin on "Go Flex",[33] he sings about the challenges that come with pursuing relationships and chasing money atop faint acoustic guitar strums.[39] With a "foot-stomp chorus" and the use of echoes that was compared to the Lumineers,[28] it also uses tambourines and drums that are reminiscent of classic rock.[40] "Feel" is a pop song that features vocals from Kehlani,[1][2] which Glenn Gamboa from Newsday called Kehlani's "star turn".[41] "Too Young", a trap song created with ASAP Yams in mind,[42][43] is about Malone wanting to live long enough to see his success and enjoying the results of his work using his raw sing-song vocals.[44][45] Featuring Quavo, "Congratulations" uses a trap beat to celebrate how being famous has changed Malone's life.[46][47] The penultimate track of the standard edition, "Up There", showcases Malone's soft singing flowing over a piano melody. It features a bass-and-snare beat that is gentler compared to the rest of the album.[27] The final track, "Yours Truly, Austin Post", begins with Malone announcing that he needs a "Bud Light break".[1] The track has a hazy atmosphere, and is about coming down from the "high of [his] life".[41]
From the deluxe edition of Stoney, "Leave" is a country-influenced pop ballad that is about moving on from a past relationship.[48][49] It incorporates guitar strings into its mix.[50] "Hit This Hard" is followed by "Money Made Me Do It" featuring 2 Chainz,[51] a trap song that pays homage to Bankroll Fresh.[33] "Feeling Whitney" is an acoustic country song that delves into Malone's drug abuse.[1][27]
Promotion and release
The release of Stoney was announced on July 20, 2016, with its release date planned for August 26 of that year,[19] until it was eventually delayed.[13] He has since apologized for the delay of the album past its planned release date.[13] When speaking on why the album was delayed, Malone said: "We're just figuring things out […] I think we're making a sound that's super fresh, hip, original, very fly" in an interview with Real 92.3.[52] During the same interview, he also revealed some of the album's guests, including Bieber, Quavo, Kehlani, and Williams.[21] On November 3, 2016, he announced the album's eventual release date of December 9, its track list, and the album cover.[51] The cover was photographed Nabil Elderkin, and depicts Malone in a pensive mood, resting his chin on his hands, against an orange background.[53] The album cover is a part of a set of photographs that were taken during a photoshoot. The other pictures were included in the album's packaging and press photos. Commenting on the concept behind the cover, Malone said, "the whole concept comes from me being myself and remaining calm despite everything around me changing super quick."[24]
Stoney was supported by several singles. The lead single, "White Iverson" peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Diamond in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[54][55] It was followed by "Too Young" on October 9, 2015.[45] It was certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA.[56] "Go Flex" is the album's third single, released on April 21, 2016.[40] It peaked at number 76 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified 6× Platinum by the RIAA.[54][57] Featuring Bieber, "Deja Vu" was leaked online one day before it was released on September 9, 2016.[29][58] It peaked at number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Platinum by the RIAA.[54][59] "Congratulations" featuring Quavo was released as a promotional single on November 3, 2016,[51] but was later sent to rhythmic radio on January 31, 2017.[60] It peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified Diamond and 14× Platinum by the RIAA.[54][61] The album's final single, "I Fall Apart", was released to radio on October 17, 2017.[62] It peaked at number 16 on the Hot 100 and was certified Diamond by the RIAA.[54][63]Stoney was also supported by two promotional singles. "Patient" was released as the first promotional single on November 18, 2016.[38] It was certified platinum by the RIAA.[64] The second promotional single was "Leave", from the album's deluxe edition, was released on December 2, 2016.[50] It was certified platinum by the RIAA.[65]
On June 9, 2016, Malone made his national television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, performing the song, "Go Flex".[66] During September 2016, he previewed "Congratulations" on the Hollywood Dreams Tour.[46]
Comparing the album to Malone's debut single, "White Iverson", Glenn Gamboa of Newsday wrote that he "follows through with that style on Stoney, but it generally pales in comparison to the inventiveness and the surprise of that track."[72] Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic commented that Stoney is "competent and listenable, but many others have tread this same path already. Post Malone has a way to go before standing out with his own unique voice, but there are signs on Stoney that it could happen."[67]
Stoney debuted at number six on the US Billboard 200 with 58,000 album-equivalent units, of which 19,000 were pure album sales.[75] In its second week, the album dropped to number 23 on the chart, selling an additional 30,000 units.[76] On June 6, 2018, the album was certified three-times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over three million units.[77] On the week of October 28, 2017, the album peaked at number four on the US Billboard 200.[78] By the end of 2017, Stoney had sold 1,564,000 album-equivalent units with 128,000 being pure sales.[79] By September 2018, Stoney had sold 1,044,000 album-equivalent units that year.[80]
