The Heist (album)

The Heist
Studio album by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Released	October 9, 2012
Recorded	2009–12
Genre	Alternative hip hop[1] indie hip hop[2]
Length	64:09
Label	Macklemore LLC ADA
Producer	Ryan Lewis
Macklemore chronology
The Vs. Redux (2010) The Heist (2012) This Unruly Mess I've Made (2016)
Singles from The Heist
"Wings" Released: January 21, 2011 "Can't Hold Us" Released: August 16, 2011 "Same Love" Released: July 18, 2012 "Thrift Shop" Released: August 27, 2012 "White Walls" Released: October 8, 2013

The Heist is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. It was released on October 9, 2012, by Macklemore LLC, distributed under the Alternative Distribution Alliance. The album was independently self-produced, self-recorded and self-released by the duo, with no mainstream promotion or support. After the album's release, the duo hired Warner Music Group's radio promotion department to help the push with their singles for a small percentage of the sales.^[3]

The album was recorded in Seattle, Washington between 2009 and 2012. Within each series of singles were released, before the album release from 2010 and onwards; the fourth single "Thrift Shop", which was the most commercially successful – peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, number one in 17 other countries, including number one positions in New Zealand and Australia, as well as a successful run on the charts in many other countries. The album's third single "Can't Hold Us" was also largely commercially successful, peaking at number one in the United States, Australia, and Sweden.

The album sold 78,000 copies in its first week, debuting at number 2 on the Billboard 200, and at number one on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, while entering the Canadian Albums Chart at number 4.^[4] The album received generally positive reviews from critics. On January 26, 2014, it won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, where it was also nominated for Album of the Year and earned Macklemore and Ryan Lewis the award for Best New Artist.^[5] As of early 2016, the album has sold 1,490,000 copies in the United States.^[6]

Background

In July 2012, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis announced that their full-length debut album will be titled The Heist, and it would be released on October 9, 2012, as well as a subsequent world tour to promote the release.^[7] On July 18, 2012, the duo released the Mary Lambert-assisted single "Same Love", in support of Washington state's Referendum 74 regarding gay marriage.^[8] It was announced that the song will be included on the album, as were previously released singles "Wings" and "Can't Hold Us". In an interview with The Sermon's Domain, Macklemore confirmed a collaboration with Schoolboy Q on a song about Cadillacs called "White Walls". The song titled "Jimmy Iovine" featuring Ab-Soul was also confirmed.^[9] On September 4, 2012, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis released a video promoting the deluxe edition of The Heist, showing it as a box made out of faux-gator skin.

Singles

The official debut single, "Wings" was released on January 21, 2011. It was produced by Ryan Lewis. The song reached at number 40 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and number 12 on the Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.

The album's second single, "Can't Hold Us" featuring Ray Dalton, was released on August 16, 2011. The track eventually caught the attention of Sean Lynch, a writer from The Source; who initiated an interview to land Macklemore in the magazine's "Unsigned Hype" column in 2012. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 97 for the week ending on February 16, 2013, and peaked at number one on the week of May 18, 2013, and remained there for 5 consecutive weeks, becoming the longest running consecutive number-one of 2013, tied with Harlem Shake by Baauer (although both were later bested by Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines", which remained atop the chart for 12 consecutive weeks). It also peaked at number one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It as well reached at number one in Australia and Belgium.

The album's third single, "Same Love" featuring Mary Lambert, was released on July 18, 2012, and gained significant coverage in the media due to its content supporting same-sex marriage and criticizing homophobia in hip hop culture. "Same Love" debuted at number 99 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week ending February 16, 2013, and peaked at number 11. The single reached at number one in Australia in the ARIA Charts and on New Zealand's RIANZ chart.

The album's fourth single, "Thrift Shop" featuring Wanz, was very successful commercially. It was released on August 27, 2012, and peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at number one for six non-consecutive weeks. "Thrift Shop" has sold over 6 million copies in the United States.^[10] "Thrift Shop" also reached the top of the Australian and New Zealand singles charts and was certified 6× Platinum in Australia and 2× Platinum in New Zealand. In Canada, it reached at number one on the Canadian Hot 100. The single has also become a veritable international hit, charting in many European singles charts; including Austria, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Norway, The Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

The album's fifth single, "White Walls" featuring guest vocals from fellow rapper Schoolboy Q and singer Hollis, which they was performed the song on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on August 27, 2013.^[11] It was officially released to mainstream radio on October 8, 2013.^[12] The song has since peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100

Promotional singles

"My Oh My" was released as the album's promotional single on December 21, 2010. The song was included as a bonus track on the album.^[13]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	74/100[14]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Austin Chronicle	[15]
DJBooth	4/5[16]
HipHopDX	4/5[17]
MSN Music	B+[18]
Q	[19]
RapReviews.com	8.5/10[20]
Rolling Stone	[2]
XXL	4/5[21]

The Heist received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 74, based on 8 reviews.^[14] David Jeffries of AllMusic said, "Macklemore's a mix of all of the above with some distinctive qualities, and with Lewis putting that kaleidoscope style underneath, The Heist winds up a rich combination of fresh and familiar."^[1] Nathan S. of DJBooth said, "Ultimately, these songs and all of the songs on the album are stories, and to call Macklemore a storytelling rapper would be an understatement. He only tells stories, most often his own, it just turns out he's the kind of gifted storyteller that can keep you listening."^[16]

Adam Fleischer of XXL praised its originality and production, stating "It's these sort of astute observations on the human condition and keen self-awareness that set this effort apart. That reality, coupled with Ryan Lewis' vast, daring and layered production, makes The Heist a truly beautiful album that challenges musical boundaries."^[21] Edwin Ortiz of HipHopDX saying the album was "An exemplary balance of serious and cheerful cuts alike, very seldom does The Heist reach beyond its means. And when it does, it's more so due to lack of creative placement than effort."^[17] Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone said, "The record has its charms (the single "Thrift Shop", a cheeky ode to second-hand duds) and its virtues (the marriage-equally anthem "Same Love"). Unfortunately, Macklemore's virtuousness overwhelms his far more modest charms."^[2]

In his Barnes & Noble list, Robert Christgau named The Heist as the seventy-second best album of 2012.^[22]

Commercial performance

The Heist debuted at number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, behind only Mumford & Sons's Babel and sold 78,000 copies in its first week, marking the best sales week yet for both Macklemore and Lewis. 83% of the first-week sales derived from digital download. On April 3, 2013, it was announced that the album has reached Gold status, with over 500,000 copies sold.^[23] As of February 2016, it has sold 1,490,000 copies domestically.^[6] It also debuted at number 4 on the Canadian Albums Chart.^[24]

Track listing

• All songs produced by Ryan Lewis.

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Ten Thousand Hours"	Ben Haggerty Ryan Lewis Chris Mansfield	4:09
2.	"Can't Hold Us" (featuring Ray Dalton)	Haggerty Lewis Dalton	4:18
3.	"Thrift Shop" (featuring Wanz)	Haggerty Lewis	3:57
4.	"Thin Line" (featuring Buffalo Madonna)	Haggerty Lewis Nate Quiroga	4:16
5.	"Same Love" (featuring Mary Lambert)	Haggerty Lewis Lambert	5:20
6.	"Make the Money"	Haggerty Lewis	3:44
7.	"Neon Cathedral" (featuring Allen Stone)	Haggerty Lewis Stone	4:34
8.	"BomBom" (featuring The Teaching)	Haggerty Lewis	4:55
9.	"White Walls" (featuring Schoolboy Q and Hollis)	Haggerty Lewis Quincy Hanley Hollis Wear	3:40
10.	"Jimmy Iovine" (featuring Ab-Soul)	Haggerty Lewis Herbert Stevens IV	3:53
11.	"Wings"	Haggerty Lewis Wear Andrew Joslyn	4:59
12.	"A Wake" (featuring Evan Roman)	Haggerty Lewis Roman	3:46
13.	"Gold" (featuring Eighty4 Fly)	Haggerty Lewis Devon Taylor	4:11
14.	"Starting Over" (featuring Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses)	Haggerty Lewis Bridwell	4:11
15.	"Cowboy Boots"	Haggerty Lewis	4:16
Total length:			64:09

Deluxe edition (bonus tracks)
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
16.	"Castle"	Haggerty Lewis	4:18
17.	"My Oh My"	Haggerty Lewis	4:17
18.	"Victory Lap"	Haggerty Lewis	3:34

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2012–13) Peak position scope="row" Australian Albums (ARIA)[25] 2 scope="row" Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[26] 14 scope="row" Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[27] 11 scope="row" Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[28] 17 scope="row" Canadian Albums (Billboard)[24] 4 scope="row" Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[29] 25 scope="row" Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[30] 18 scope="row" French Albums (SNEP)[31] 19 scope="row" German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[32] 6 Irish Albums (IRMA)[33] 52 scope="row" Italian Albums (FIMI)[34] 16 scope="row" New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[35] 1 scope="row" Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[36] 15 scope="row" Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[37] 46 scope="row" Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[38] 7 scope="row" Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[39] 10 scope="row" UK Albums (OCC)[40] 19 UK Indie Albums (OCC)[41] 3 UK R&B Albums (OCC)[42] 1 scope="row" US Billboard 200[43] 2 scope="row" US Independent Albums (Billboard)[44] 1 scope="row" US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[45] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2013) Position Australian Albums Chart[46] 13 Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders)[47] 36 Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia)[48] 61 Dutch Albums Chart[49] 68 Germany (Official German Charts)[50] 38 New Zealand Albums Chart[51] 10 Swiss Albums Chart[52] 25 US Billboard 200[53] 15 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[54] 5 US Top Rap Albums (Billboard)[55] 3

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[56]	2× Platinum	140,000^^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[57]	Gold	7,500^*
Canada (Music Canada)[58]	Platinum	80,000^^
France (SNEP)[59]	Platinum	100,000^*
Germany (BVMI)[60]	Platinum	200,000^^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[61]	Platinum	15,000^^
Norway (IFPI Norway)[62]	Gold	15,000^*
Sweden (GLF)[63]	Platinum	40,000^^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[64]	Gold	15,000^^
United Kingdom (BPI)[65]	Gold	197,578[66]
United States (RIAA)[67]	Platinum	1,490,000[6]
^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

See also

• List of Billboard 200 number-one independent albums
• List of Billboard number-one R&B albums of 2012
• List of number-one rap albums of 2012 (U.S.)
• List of number-one albums from the 2010s (New Zealand)
• List of Billboard number-one R&B/hip-hop albums of 2013
• List of Billboard number-one rap albums of 2013
• List of Billboard number-one R&B/hip-hop albums of 2014

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