Grammy-nominated Def Jam recording artist and chart topping songwriter Ne-Yo has scored his second #1 career debut on the Billboard 200 albums chart with his second album, BECAUSE OF YOU, which arrived in stores on May 1^st.  The album sold over 200,000 copies in its first week of release and has debuted at the #3 spot on the digital chart.

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BECAUSE OF YOU is the follow-up to Ne-Yo’s RIAA platinum-selling debut album In My Own Words, which hit #1 on the Billboard 200 and R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, and was nominated for a Grammy as Best Contemporary R&B Album.  Ne-Yo capped 2006 when he was named Male R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the Year at the Billboard Music Awards. 

BECAUSE OF YOU was propelled to #1 position by the hit single “Because Of You,” which is Top 10 on both the R&R (Radio & Records) BDS Urban and M.Base/Urban charts.  The second single pick from the album, “Do You,” will hit radio later this month. 

            After making TV appearances on ABC’s Live with Regis & Kelly, NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, PBS’s The Tavis Smiley Show, and CBS’s The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Ne-Yo is now preparing for an 18-city nationwide tour in support of his #1 album.  Dates begin on May 31^st at The Norva in Norfolk, Virginia, extended through July 5^th at Six Flags in San Antonio, Texas.  Opening for Ne-Yo will be R&B crooner, Trey Songz.

            Most recently, Ne-Yo was credited as co-writer of Beyoncé’s hit single, “Irreplaceable.”  As noted in the January 20^th issue of Billboard, “Irreplaceable” had just made its best audience week, which was the #2 highest total audience impressions in Nielsen- BDS history (i.e. since 1992).  The song with the #3 all-time highest audience total was also co-written by Ne-Yo – namely Mario’s “Let Me Love You.”

Ne-Yo has founded The Compound Foundation which is committed to service at risk and disadvantaged youth.  In addition to building two new group homes in the Atlanta area, The Compound Foundation will sponsor performances, motivational speakers and mentorship opportunities with leaders and business people within the community. 

Critical raves for BECAUSE OF YOU:

“The first single and title track is a jaunty ode to addictive love, that could easily be an Off The Wall-era leftover. Then on the breezy tune, ‘Crazy,’ label boss Jay-Z states plainly: ‘Ne-Yo’s like young Michael/ I’m Quincy Hov.’  Ne-Yo’s Prince moments – the rousing ‘Addicted’ and the piano-driven ‘Sex With My Ex’ – both sizzle with loads of bedroom boasting but without seeming crass.”  (Associated Press)

“Ne-Yo’s sunny, fluid tenor and the wistfully romantic, infectious tunes he co-writes will bring fans of a certain age back to a time in pop music and pop culture that seems, in retrospect, endearingly guileless.” ( USA TODAY)

NE-YO U.S. TOUR DATES

Date                  City                                 Venue      

May   31            Norfolk, VA                     The Norva

June   1              Washington, DC               Love Nightclub

          2              Mansfield, MA                 Tweeter Center

          5              Atlanta, GA                      Center Stage

          7              Dallas, TX                        Nokia Theatre at

          Grand Prairie

          8              Kansas City, MO             Voodoo Lounge

          9              Sacramento, CA               Raley Field

          11            Phoenix, AZ                     Marquee Theatre

          12            Los Angeles, CA              House of Blues

          13            San Diego, CA                 House of Blues

          14            Anaheim, CA                   House of Blues

          15            San Francisco, CA           Fillmore

          17            Seattle, WA                     Show Box

          21            St. Louis, MO                  Six Flags

          22            Detroit, MI                       Chene Park

          24            Bridgeview, IL                  Toyota Park

          28            Agawam, MA                  Six Flags

          29            Atlantic City, NJ               House of Blues

          30            New York, NY                Copacabana

July    2              Milwaukee, WI                Summerfest

          5              San Antonio, TX              Six Flags

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 9th, 2007 at 8:12 pm and is filed under News.