It’s Pharrell Williams’s fiftieth birthday on April 5, and we couldn’t let that milestone cross with out celebrating!
He’s given us loads of hits through the years — some beneath his personal title, others as a producer, many the fruit of his collaboration with Chad Hugo as The Neptunes — so we’re able to dive into his again catalog and get the social gathering began.
Pharrell’s behind-the-scenes work within the business has led to a lot of critically big songs, so let’s shine a lightweight on a few of them in honor of the massive day. Since everyone knows he was behind “Glad,” we received’t be protecting that hit, however we’re certain these songs will nonetheless have you ever feeling like a room and not using a roof!
Britney Spears — “I’m a Slave 4 U” (2001)
Proper off the bat, we should always all say “thanks” to Pharrell — with out him, we wouldn’t have gotten one in all Britney’s most iconic songs. This was the primary worldwide hit that The Neptunes labored on, catapulting them onto the radar of much more of the world’s greatest artists. As songwriters and producers, Pharrell and Chad Hugo actually knocked it out of the park on this one. With a slinky dance-pop beat and Britney’s breathy vocals, this track was assured to succeed.
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Nelly — “Scorching in Herre” (2002)
Good gracious, we’re throwing all of it the best way again to 2002 for this hit! Nelly’s “Scorching in Herre” by no means did not get everybody up on the dance ground, and Pharrell positively had an element to play in that. Nelly and The Neptunes flaunted their nice style by closely referencing the 1979 Chuck Brown track “Bustin’ Unfastened” for this monitor, making it additional danceable and catchy. Collect your heathens and switch up the quantity for this one!
Head over to SiriusXM FLY (Ch. 47) for extra throwback hip-hop.
Justin Timberlake — “Señorita” (2003)
Perhaps this one shouldn’t come as an excessive amount of of a shock — it’s Pharrell who introduces us to a good friend of his at first of the monitor — however it’s nonetheless so much to course of! Regardless of peaking at No. 27 on Billboard’s Scorching 100, “Señorita” is one in all Justin Timberlake’s catchiest and most enjoyable hits. Whereas he’s solely seen behind the drums within the music video, Pharrell contributed to each the manufacturing and songwriting of “Señorita,” so he actually deserves reward for serving to deliver this track to us!
Need extra of Justin? Rock your physique to the Pop Prime 500 (Ch. 550)!
Gwen Stefani — “Hollaback Lady” (2005)
As bananas as it’s, Pharrell labored on “Hollaback Lady” too! This earworm of a success got here to us by means of Gwen Stefani and Pharrell’s prior work collectively, with Pharrell having written for No Doubt’s 2002 monitor, “Hella Good.” The 2 clearly get pleasure from partnering up professionally, as they continued to collaborate even after “Hollaback Lady,” teaming up on Pharrell’s “Can I Have It Like That” in addition to one other of Gwen’s solo songs — 2006’s quirky “Wind It Up.”
For pop music you may transfer to, all the best way from the 2000s to now, head to Venus 303 (Ch. 303).
Paloma Religion — “Can’t Depend on You” (2014)
Paloma Religion won’t have the ability to depend on you, however not less than we are able to depend on Pharrell to place collectively an unimaginable track! The modern soul-funk beat behind that is basically Pharrell’s trademark, and it pairs so nicely with Religion’s highly effective vocals. The story goes that Pharrell approached Religion for the primary time by singing her 2009 hit “New York” to her whereas they had been each within the metropolis, earlier than telling her he was “able to work.” So far as dialog starters go, that’s a reasonably wild one — however it was clearly a success with Religion for the reason that pair went on to create this slinky, highly effective quantity collectively.
For extra like Paloma Religion, absorb the vibes over at The Espresso Home (Ch. 6).
Ariana Grande ft. Pharrell — “blazed” (2018)
Not solely did Pharrell produce and compose seven out of the fifteen tracks on sweetener, however he additionally has songwriting credit on three of them, and he supplied further vocals on two of the songs (“R.E.M” and “sweetener”). In different phrases, his fingerprints are throughout this album, and it’s higher for it. In that includes on “blazed,” one of many tracks he produced, Pharrell helps deliver all of it collectively to permit Ariana Grande to shine. This candy toe-tapper of a monitor all the time places us in a very good temper — sit back, chill, and blast this within the background.
Arianators, we’ve bought you coated. Head to Hits 1 (Ch. 2) to listen to extra Ariana!
Rosalía – “Motomami” (2022)
“Motomami” positively has that trademark Pharrell beat to it, however this one nonetheless stunned us! The place does he discover the time to work on all of those big hits? Do we’ve got the identical twenty-four hours in a day as him? Contemplate us impressed. With credit on “Hentai” and “La Combi Versace” in addition to the track that Motomami was named after, Pharrell has confirmed he can flip his hand to only about any track for any artist.
Hear extra of the most popular Latin pop round by heading over to Viva (Ch. 763) and Caliente (Ch. 151).
The celebrations don’t should cease right here! Head to The Pulse (Ch. 5) for extra well-produced pop bops, or try our YouTube channel for unique interviews and performances from a few of the hottest acts round — loads of which Pharrell has helped result in stardom. Glad birthday, Pharrell!