Now, Then & Forever

Now, Then & Forever is the 20th studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire, released on September 10, 2013, by Legacy Recordings/Sony Music.[5] It is its first studio release for Sony Music since Heritage from 1990. The album reached No. 11 on the Billboard 200 and No. 6 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[6][7]

Now, Then & Forever
Studio album by
Earth, Wind & Fire
ReleasedSeptember 10, 2013
Recorded2012-2013
GenreR&B, funk
Length43:21
LabelLegacy
ProducerPhilip J. Bailey (Executive), Verdine White (Executive), Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Myron Mc Kinley, Justin Paraniello, Neal H. Pogue[1]
Earth, Wind & Fire chronology
S.O.U.L.
(2013)		 Now, Then & Forever
(2013)		 Holiday
(2014)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Exclaim(8/10)[2]
Popmatters[3]
People(favourable)[4]

Overview

This is the only Earth, Wind & Fire album without musical input from founder Maurice White although he supplied liner notes. Larry Dunn, a former bandmember, featured as a keyboardist on the album.[8]

Within the album's liner notes, a note from Maurice White is included:

As we see today’s technology uniting the world wide web, sometimes it seems that the hearts of men are growing more distant from each other. It is my hope that this music will continue to tie past to future, reminding us of the love that united us to our ancestors, and to our descendants, and to each other. Peace,

— Maurice White

[5]

A deluxe edition of the LP came coupled with a compilation album.[9]

Singles

A track called Guiding Lights rose to Nos. 16 & 30 on the Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs and Adult R&B Songs charts.[10][11] Another single being My Promise reached Nos. 28 & 30 on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs and Adult Contemporary Songs charts respectively.[12][13]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Sign On" (featuring Daniel McClain)Philip D. Bailey, Sharlotte Gibson, Austin Jacobs, Daniel McClain, Neal H. Pogue, Darrin Simpson4:17
2."Love Is Law"Allen Bundy, Lee Hutson, Jr., Jairus Lemuel-Jada Mozee, Ric'key Pageot, Eric Rousseau, Meg Todd4:20
3."My Promise"Siedah Garrett, Austin Jacobs, Darrin Simpson3:22
4."Guiding Lights"Philip D. Bailey, Austin Jacobs, Daniel McClain, Darrin Simpson6:24
5."Got to Be Love"Philip D. Bailey, Philip J. Bailey, Ralph Johnson, Myron McKinley3:41
6."Belo Horizonte"Raymond Crossley, Frederick A. Johnson, Ralph Johnson, Morris O'Connor1:50
7."Dance Floor"Philip D. Bailey, Sondria Bailey, Justin Panariello4:59
8."Splashes"Philip D. Bailey, Justin Panariello5:21
9."Night of My Life"Philip D. Bailey, Jevon McGlory, Justin Panariello4:00
10."The Rush"Philip J. Bailey, Larry Dunn, Allee Willis5:07
Target edition bonus tracks[14]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Hero As He Rose"Philip D. Bailey, Jevon McGlory, Justin Panariello4:00
12."Whirlwind" 5:37
Best Buy bonus tracks[15]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Can't Hide Love (Masters at Work Remix)"Skip Scarborough 
12."Shining Star (DJ Jin Asakusa Samba Remix)"Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Maurice White 
French bonus track[16]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."My Promise" (featuring Omar Sy)Siedah Garrett, Austin Jacobs, Darrin Simpson3:25
Deluxe edition bonus tracks[9]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Boogie Wonderland" (featuring The Emotions)Jon Lind, Allee Willis 
12."Sing a Song"Al McKay, Maurice White 
13."September"Al McKay, Maurice White, Allee Willis 
14."Let's Groove"Wayne Vaughn, Maurice White 
15."Got To Get You Into My Life"John Lennon, Paul McCartney 
16."After The Love Has Gone"David Foster, Jay Graydon, Bill Champlin 
International edition Disc 2[17]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."Can't Let Go"Bill Meyers, Maurice White, Allee Willis 
14."Runnin’"Maurice, White, Larry Dunn, Eddie DelBarrio 
15."Shining Star"Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Maurice White 
16."Turn It Into Something Good"Valerie Carter, James Newton Howard, Maurice White 
17."Power"Maurice White, Earth, Wind & Fire 
18."You And I"Maurice White, Allee Willis, David Foster 
19."Fantasy"Maurice White, Verdine White, Eddie DelBarrio 
Japan Limited Edition Disc 2[18]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
13."Can't Let Go"Bill Meyers, Maurice White, Allee Willis 
14."Runnin’"Maurice, White, Larry Dunn, Eddie DelBarrio 
15."Shining Star"Philip Bailey, Larry Dunn, Maurice White 
16."Turn It Into Something Good"Valerie Carter, James Newton Howard, Maurice White 
17."Power"Maurice White, Earth, Wind & Fire 
18."You And I"Maurice White, Allee Willis, David Foster 
19."Fantasy"Maurice White, Verdine White, Eddie DelBarrio 
20."Can't Hide Love"Skip Scarborough 
21."September"Al McKay, Maurice White, Allee Willis 
22."September (DJ KOMORI Remix)"Al McKay, Maurice White, Allee Willis 
23."Let's Groove (TJO & YUSUKE from BLU-SWING Remix)"Maurice White, Wayne Vaughn 

Personnel

Adapted from the album's text.[5]

Charts
Chart Peak
position
scope="row"Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[19] 75
scope="row"Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[20] 171
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[21] 121
French Albums (SNEP)[22] 94
scope="row"German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[23] 55
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[24] 34
South Korean Albums (Gaon)[25] 26
Italian Albums (FIMI)[26] 14
scope="row"Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[27] 35
scope="row"Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[28] 85
scope="row"Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[29] 96
UK Albums (OCC)[30] 25
scope="row"US Billboard 200[31] 11
scope="row"US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[32] 6

Singles - Billboard (US)

Year Single Chart Position
2012 "Guiding Lights" Smooth Jazz Songs[11] 16
Adult R&B Songs[10] 30
2013 "My Promise" Adult R&B Songs[12] 28
Adult Contemporary[13] 30

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[33] Silver 60,000

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References
  1. Andy Kellman. "Now, Then & Forever - Earth, Wind & Fire - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic.
  2. "Earth, Wind, and Fire: Now, Then & Forever". Exclaim.ca.
  3. "Earth, Wind and Fire: Now, Then & Forever". Popmatters.com.
  4. "Picks and Pans Review: Quick Cuts". people.com.
  5. Earth, Wind & Fire: Now, Then & Forever. Sony Music. September 2013.
  6. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Now, Then & Forever (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  7. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Now, Then & Forever (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard.
  8. Music News Desk. "FIRST LISTEN: Earth, Wind & Fire's New Single 'Sign On'". broadwayworld.com.
  9. Earth, Wind & Fire: Now, Then & Forever (Deluxe Edition). Sony Music. September 2013.
  10. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Guiding Lights (Smooth Jazz Songs)". billboard.com.
  11. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Guiding Lights (Adult R&B Songs)". billboard.com.
  12. "Earth, Wind & Fire: My Promise (Adult R&B Songs)". billboard.com.
  13. "Earth, Wind & Fire: My Promise (Adult Contemporary Songs)". billboard.com.
  14. Earth Wind & Fire: Now, Then & Forever (Target Edition). Sony/Legacy. 2013.
  15. Earth Wind & Fire: Now, Then & Forever (Best Buy Edition). Sony/Legacy. 2013.
  16. "Deezer is coming soon!". Deezer.
  17. Earth Wind & Fire: Now, Then & Forever (International Edition Disc2). Sony/Legacy. 2013.
  18. Earth Wind & Fire: Now, Then & Forever (Japan Limited Edition). Sony/Legacy. 2013.
  19. "Austriancharts.at – Earth Wind And Fire – Now, Then & Forever" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 04, 2013.
  20. "Ultratop.be – Earth, Wind & Fire – Now, Then & Forever" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  21. "Ultratop.be – Earth, Wind & Fire – Now, Then & Forever" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  22. "Lescharts.com – Earth Wind And Fire – NOW, THEN & FOREVER (ALBUM)". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 05, 2013.
  23. "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved October 06, 2013.
  24. "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2013-09-23" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  25. "South Korea Gaon Album Chart". On the page, select "2013-09-14" to obtain the corresponding chart. Gaon Chart Retrieved October 19, 2013.
  26. "Italiancharts.com – Earth, Wind & Fire – Now, Then & Forever". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  27. "Dutchcharts.nl – Earth Wind And Fire – Now, Then & Forever" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
  28. "Swisscharts.com – Earth Wind And Fire – Now, Then & Forever". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 06, 2013.
  29. "Spanishcharts.com – Earth Wind And Fire – Now, Then & Forever". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 18, 2013.
  30. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 28, 2013.
  31. "Earth, Wind & Fire Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  32. "Earth, Wind & Fire Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  33. "British album certifications – Earth Wind & Fire – Now Then & Forever". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 21, 2020. Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type Now Then & Forever in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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