No Scrubs

"No Scrubs"
Single by TLC
from the album FanMail
B-side "Silly Ho"
Released February 2, 1999 (1999-02-02)
Format
Recorded December 1998 (1998-12)
Studio
Genre R&B
Length
  • 3:34 (album version)
  • 4:00 (main mix with Left Eye)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) She'kspere
TLC singles chronology
"Waterfalls"
(1995)		 "No Scrubs"
(1999)		 "Unpretty"
(1999)
Music video
"No Scrubs" on YouTube

"No Scrubs" is a song recorded by American girl group TLC for their third studio album FanMail (1999). LaFace Records and Arista Records released it as the album's lead single on February 2, 1999. The song was written by Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs alongside former Xscape members, Kandi Burruss and Tameka "Tiny" Cottle. The single version containing self-written rap by Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes was not included on the album FanMail, and later appeared in a slightly shorter edit on Now and Forever: The Hits and 20. "No Scrubs" was the first time for Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas taking the sole lead vocals on any TLC single.

"No Scrubs" was met with international success. It became TLC's third number-one single and eighth top 10 single on the Billboard Hot 100. It also earned them their second Grammy Award nomination for Record of the Year. "No Scrubs" is one of TLC's signature songs and was the second-biggest Hot 100 single of 1999 in the U.S., only behind Cher's "Believe", according to Billboard's year-end charts. On the decade end chart for 1990–99, "No Scrubs" was ranked at number 33. The single was certified 2× Platinum in the UK and Platinum in New Zealand.

Critical reception

In 1999, "No Scrubs" was listed on The Village Voice's annual poll Pazz & Jop at number one.[2] The song also came in at number two in the NME Top Tracks of 1999 and number 45 in the NME 100 Best Songs of the 1990s.[3][4] Rolling Stone ranked the song at number 10 in their list of the 50 Best Songs of the Nineties.[5] Additionally, VH1 listed the song at number 22 in their list of the 40 Greatest R&B Songs of the 90s, ranking behind TLC's 1995 international smash "Waterfalls" which placed at number 6.[6] Billboard named the song #42 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.[7]

Chart performance

"No Scrubs" climbed into the U.S. top ten as an airplay only song and jumped to number one upon the single release.[8] The single stayed at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks from April 10, 1999, to May 7, 1999.[9] The single stayed in the top-10 of the Billboard Hot 100 for 17 consecutive weeks. "No Scrubs" airplay was at the time astonishing; it was the first song to peak with over 140 million audience impressions and was crowned the Top Airplay Song of 1999.[10][11][12] It holds the record for most weeks at number 1 on the Rhythmic Top 40 with 15 weeks.

In Australia, "No Scrubs" was a huge success, spending seven consecutive weeks at the summit of the Australian Singles Chart from May 2, 1999 to June 20, 1999.

In the United Kingdom, "No Scrubs" peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart, becoming TLC's highest-charting single in Britain.[13] The song was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry.[14]

Music video

The futuristic music video, directed by Hype Williams, was shot on March 18, 1999, and also received massive airplay on MTV and BET, and won the group the 1999 MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video, beating out favorites NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys. Each member had a set in the video. The video also has a dance sequence where the women dance in front of the "TLC" logo. The Main Mix is used in the video instead of the album version.

The video features the women in three different outfits: white, black, silver and Left Eye in blue. When there are shots of the women together they have two different outfits: black and silver. T-Boz's hair is fuchsia in the video. It also features a scene of Chilli on a swing singing. It also features T-Boz dancing as well as Left Eye. As Left Eye's rap begins, she is in a garage-like place with white clothes on while rapping. It also shows her practicing fighting moves in a futuristic blue outfit. One of the final scenes shows TLC fighting each other, while also dancing and having fun. The video is stylistically similar to Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson's music video "Scream".

Legacy and pop culture fame

After TLC released "No Scrubs" in 1999, Sporty Thievz made an answer song called "No Pigeons" that same year.[15][16]

In 2013, DJ and producer Le Youth sampled the song in his single "Dance with Me", reaching number 11 in the UK Singles Chart.[17]

"No Scrubs" was played on "The Prom" episode of Moesha.

Gemmy Industries made one of their Frogz line of toys that sings this song. It was sold at Walmart, Hot Topic, and Spencer Gifts from 2005-2008.

This song was played (and sung along to by Meadow Soprano and her friend in her kitchen) during Season 2 Episode 3 Toodle-Fucking-Oo.

Covers

Track listing

  • US CD single
  1. "No Scrubs" (album version) (dirty) – 3:39
  2. "No Scrubs" (instrumental) – 3:37
  • EU CD single
  1. "No Scrubs" (album version) (clean) – 3:37
  2. "No Scrubs" (main mix w/ Left Eye) (clean) – 4:00
  3. "No Scrubs" (instrumental) – 3:37
  4. "Silly Ho" (album version) (dirty) – 4:16
  • UK CD 1
  1. "No Scrubs" (album version) (clean) – 3:37
  2. "No Scrubs" (main mix w/ Left Eye) (clean) – 4:00
  3. "Silly Ho" (album version) (dirty) – 4:16
  • UK CD 2
  1. "No Scrubs" (album version) (clean) – 3:39
  2. "Waterfalls" (radio version) – 4:19
  3. "Creep" (radio version) – 4:26
  • French CD single
  1. "No Scrubs" (album version) (clean) – 3:39
  2. "Waterfalls" – 4:36
  • US vinyl single
  1. "No Scrubs" (main mix w/ Left Eye) (clean) – 4:00
  2. "No Scrubs" (main mix w/ Left Eye) (dirty) – 4:00

Charts and certifications

References

  1. ↑ "Images for TLC - No Scrubs". Discogs.com. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  2. ↑ "1999". The Village Voice. October 18, 2005. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  3. ↑ "1999". NME. October 10, 2016. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  4. ↑ "100 Best Songs of the 1990s". NME. May 8, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  5. ↑ Sheffield, Rob (August 8, 2016). "50 Best Songs of the Nineties". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  6. ↑ "40 Greatest R&B Songs of the '90s (Complete List)". VH1. June 28, 2012. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  7. ↑ "100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time: Critics' Picks". Billboard. July 10, 2017. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  8. ↑ Faison, Datu (April 3, 1999). "Datu Faison's rhythm section". Billboard. 111 (14): 40. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  9. ↑ Bronson, Fred (July 17, 1999). "Distaff Destiny: Leaders of the Pack". Billboard. 111 (29): 118. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  10. ↑ Pietroluongo, Silvio; Patel, Minal; Jessen, Wade (January 19, 2002). "Singles Minded". Billboard. 114 (3): 77. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved January 30, 2018. The record now reverts to Arista, which was the first label to surpass the 140 million audience mark in May 1999 with TLC's 'No Scrubs.'
  11. ↑ Pietroluongo, Silvio; Patel, Minal; Jessen, Wade (January 12, 2002). "Singles Minded". Billboard. 114 (2): 83. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved January 30, 2018. In two prior years, only TLC's 'No Scrubs' in 1999 topped the 140-million listener mark, but three had such weeks in 2001's chart year, including 'Independent Women.'
  12. ↑ Bronson, Fred (December 25, 1999). "The year in charts". Billboard. 111 (52): YE-12. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  13. ↑ Myers, Justin (March 28, 2014). "Official Charts Flashback 1999: TLC – No Scrubs". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  14. ↑ "BRIT Certified" (enter "No Scrubs" into the "Keywords" box, then select "Search"). British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 16, 2018.
  15. ↑ Century, Douglas (May 9, 1999). "A Hip-Hop Battle of the Sexes". The New York Times. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  16. ↑ Partridge, Kenneth (April 10, 2014). "TLC's Rozonda 'Chilli' Thomas Reflects on the 15th Anniversary of 'No Scrubs'". Billboard. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  17. ↑ Corner, Lewis (January 13, 2014). "Le Youth premieres 'Dance With Me' music video - watch". Digital Spy. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Saturdays Live Lounge". BBC. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Music « Avi Wisnia". Aviwisnia.com. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  20. ↑ Grites, Rebecca (March 25, 2010). "Band of the Week: Avi Wisnia". The Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  21. ↑ "Karmin Covers TLC's 'No Scrubs' [Video]". Rap-Up. October 10, 2011. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  22. ↑ Rubenstein, Jenna Hally (August 27, 2012). "Kelly Clarkson Covers TLC's 'No Scrubs,'; The Game Is Forever Changed (VIDEO)". MTV News. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  23. ↑ Slezak, Michael (January 25, 2013). "Glee Recap: Hawkins-Like Vision [Updated]". TVLine. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  24. ↑ "Download: Bastille - Other People's Heartbreak, Pt. 2". Faded Glamour. December 11, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
  25. ↑ Stieb, Matt (February 25, 2016). "XXYYXX Isn't Just Good for His Age — He's Just Good". Miami New Times. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  26. ↑ Fennessy, Kathy (May 7, 2013). "Scout Niblett: No Wigs, No Scrubs". The Stranger. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  27. ↑ Copsey, Robert (January 30, 2014). "Le Youth ft. Dominique Unique Young: 'Dance With Me' - Single review". Digital Spy. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  28. ↑ Keller, Jordan (January 29, 2018). "Kacey Musgraves' 2015 Cover Of "No Scrubs" May Be The Best Cover Of All Time". One Country. Retrieved July 2, 2018.
  29. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – TLC – No Scrubs". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  30. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – TLC – No Scrubs" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  31. ↑ "Ultratop.be – TLC – No Scrubs" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  32. ↑ "Ultratop.be – TLC – No Scrubs" (in French). Ultratop 50.
  33. ↑ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.8125.pdf
  34. ↑ Canada, Library and Archives (July 17, 2013). "Image : RPM Weekly". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  35. ↑ "Hits Of The World". Billboard. July 3, 1999. p. 61. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  36. ↑ "Euro Chart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. June 19, 1999. p. 13. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  37. ↑ "Lescharts.com – TLC – No Scrubs" (in French). Les classement single.
  38. ↑ GmbH, musicline.de / PhonoNet. "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche - musicline.de". musicline.de.
  39. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (NR. 319 Vikuna 16.4. - 23.4. 1999)" (PDF) (in Icelandic). Dagblaðið Vísir. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
  40. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – No Scrubs". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  41. ↑ "Hit Parade Italia - Top Annuali Single: 1999". www.hitparadeitalia.it.
  42. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 21, 1999" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  43. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – TLC – No Scrubs" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  44. ↑ "Charts.nz – TLC – No Scrubs". Top 40 Singles.
  45. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – TLC – No Scrubs". VG-lista.
  46. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  47. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – TLC – No Scrubs" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  48. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – TLC – No Scrubs". Swiss Singles Chart.
  49. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – TLC – No Scrubs". Singles Top 100.
  50. ↑ "TLC: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  51. ↑ "Official R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
  52. ↑ "TLC Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  53. ↑ "TLC Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  54. ↑ "TLC Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  55. ↑ "TLC Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
  56. ↑ "TLC Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard.
  57. ↑ "ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Singles 1999". Aria.com.au. Archived from the original on March 12, 2012. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  58. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". www.collectionscanada.gc.ca.
  59. ↑ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved April 21, 2018.
  60. ↑ "End of Year Charts 1999". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
  61. ↑ "Romanian Top 100: Top of the Year 1999" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on January 22, 2005.
  62. ↑ "Swiss year-end chart". swisscharts.com. 1999. Archived from the original on March 1, 2012. Retrieved November 22, 2017.
  63. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 1999". Archived from the original on July 9, 2009. Retrieved August 28, 2010.
  64. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1999 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  65. ↑ "Ultratop 50 Albums Wallonie 1999". Ultratop. Retrieved January 5, 2014.
  66. ↑ "French single certifications – TLC – No Scrubs" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
  67. ↑ "InfoDisc : Les Certifications (Singles) du SNEP (les Disques d'Or)". Infodisc.fr. Archived from the original on June 27, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  68. ↑ "New Zealand Top 50 Singles > 29 August 1999". Recording Industry Association of New Zealand. Archived from the original on November 27, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
  69. ↑ International Federation of the Phonographic Industry – Sweden (1999). "Swedish Certification" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 15, 2012. Retrieved July 14, 2009.
  70. ↑ "British single certifications – TLC – No Scrubs". British Phonographic Industry. Select singles in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type No Scrubs in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  71. ↑ Copsey, Rob (May 9, 2017). "TLC's Top 10 biggest selling singles revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
  72. ↑ "American single certifications – TLC – No Scrubs". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH. 
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