Joe

Biography

Joseph Lewis Thomas (born July 5, 1973), known mononymously as Joe, is an American contemporary R&B singer. He signed to Polygram Records in 1992, and rose to prominence after releasing his debut album Everything×Everything1 January 1993 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1The One for Me4:402I’m in Luv3:483All or Nothing5:104It’s Alright5:275If Loving You Is Wrong4:226What’s on Your Mind3:337Finally Back4:008Get a Little Closer5:289I Can Do It Right5:1610Everything5:2711Baby Don’t Stop5:1312Do Me4:47 the following year. He followed it with a series of successful albums under Jive Records, including All That I Am×All That I Am12 July 1997 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1All the Things (Your Man Won't Do)6:222The Love Scene5:013Don't Wanna Be a Player5:074Good Girls4:575How Soon4:546Sanctified Girl (Can't Fight This Feeling)5:017All That I Am4:148No One Else Comes Close3:539Come Around4:3210U Shoulda Told Me (U Had a Man)3:4511Love Don't Make No Sense4:2412No One Else Comes Close (unplugged)3:50 (1997), the international bestseller My Name Is Joe (2000) as well as the multi-certified albums Better Days×Better Days11 December 2001 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Let’s Stay Home Tonight3:262Better Days4:323What If a Woman4:154Alone4:355Isn’t This the World3:546Ghetto Child4:137I Like Sexy Girls4:008Here She Comes2:559Lover’s Prayer4:0210Changed Man4:1611I Understand3:4712She Used 2 Luv Me3:2413World of Girls3:1214Let’s Stay Home Tonight (remix)3:53 (2001) and And Then... (2003). Several songs from these albums became hit singles on the pop and R&B record charts, including the number-one hit "Stutter×Stutter2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Stutter (Double take remix)3:362Stutter3:593Stutter (Slang dance remix)3:34", the top-ten entries "All the Things (Your Man Won't Do)", "Don't Wanna Be a Player×Don't Wanna Be a Player24 March 1997 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Don't Wanna Be a Player (radio version)4:212Don't Wanna Be a Player (Joe/Big Baby remix) (feat. Mic Vandalz)5:143Don't Wanna Be a Player (Joe/Big Baby remix without rap)5:144Don't Wanna Be a Player (LP version)5:06", and "I Wanna Know×I Wanna Know2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1I Wanna Know5:132I Wanna Know (Instrumental)5:13" as well as his collaborations "Faded Pictures×Faded Pictures1998 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Faded Pictures (radio edit)" and "Thank God I Found You", the latter of which he performed alongside Mariah Carey, also a number-one hit, and "Still Not a Player".
Since his departure from Jive, Joe has released most of his projects independently through ventures with Kedar Massenburg and Plaid Takeover Entertainment. In 2016, his twelfth album My Name Is Joe×My Name Is Joe16 April 2000 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1My Name Is Joe (intro)0:472Somebody Gotta Be on Top4:123Stutter3:524Table for Two5:295I Wanna Know4:576Treat Her Like a Lady4:187Get Crunk Tonight4:1785 6 3 (Joe)4:069Peep Show4:2710One Life Stand4:4011Black Hawk4:1312I Believe in You4:5713So Beautiful4:2714Thank God I Found You (Make It Last remix edit)4:1215Soon as I Get Paid3:1316No One Else Comes Close3:51 Thomas became his eleventh album to score a top five-placing on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, while lead single "So I Can Have You Back" became his fourth number-one hit on the Adult R&B Songs chart over the span of three consecutive decades (1990s, 2000s, and 2010s). In 2010, Billboard listed Joe at 48th on its list of the Top 50 R&B and Hip Hop Artists of the past 25 years. An ASCAP Award recipient for his song "I Wanna Know", Joe is a seven-time Grammy Award nominee and has been nominated for numerous other awards and accolades, including a BET Award, an NAACP Image Award, and four Soul Train Music Awards.

Early life

Joe was born July 5, 1973, in Columbus, Georgia, and was the child of evangelist preachers. He moved to Opelika, Alabama during his formative years and graduated from Opelika High School in 1991.

1992–1999: Early career

After his graduation from Opelika High School, Joe continued to sing and write music while working at occasional temporary jobs. In New Jersey, while working at a gospel record store and continuing his music education through a local church, he met producer Vincent Herbert and recorded a three-song demo tape. In 1992, he signed to PolyGram Records and released his debut album Everything×Everything1 January 1993 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1The One for Me4:402I’m in Luv3:483All or Nothing5:104It’s Alright5:275If Loving You Is Wrong4:226What’s on Your Mind3:337Finally Back4:008Get a Little Closer5:289I Can Do It Right5:1610Everything5:2711Baby Don’t Stop5:1312Do Me4:47 the next year. Produced by Joe along with Keith Mille, J. Dibbs, and Dave "Jam" Hall, it peaked at number 105 on the US Billboard 200 and number 16 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Everything spawned three singles, including I'm in Luv" and "The One for Me" the former of which became a top ten hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and peaked at number 22 on the UK Singles Chart. The following year, Joe appeared in the group Black Men United, along with then-label mate Brian McKnight, Gerald Levert, Aaron Hall, Tevin Campbell and other male singers for the single "U Will Know" for the soundtrack to the romantic drama film, Jason's Lyric.
In 1996, Joe contributed the song "All the Things (Your Man Won't Do)" to the soundtrack to the crime comedy parody film Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996). Released as a single, it reached number 11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was later included as the opening track on his second studio album All That I Am×All That I Am12 July 1997 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1All the Things (Your Man Won't Do)6:222The Love Scene5:013Don't Wanna Be a Player5:074Good Girls4:575How Soon4:546Sanctified Girl (Can't Fight This Feeling)5:017All That I Am4:148No One Else Comes Close3:539Come Around4:3210U Shoulda Told Me (U Had a Man)3:4511Love Don't Make No Sense4:2412No One Else Comes Close (unplugged)3:50 (1997) after signing with Jive Records. Marking his commercial breakthrough, the album reached number 13 on the US Billboard 200 and number 4 on Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Another hit single from the album "Don't Wanna Be a Player×Don't Wanna Be a Player24 March 1997 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Don't Wanna Be a Player (radio version)4:212Don't Wanna Be a Player (Joe/Big Baby remix) (feat. Mic Vandalz)5:143Don't Wanna Be a Player (Joe/Big Baby remix without rap)5:144Don't Wanna Be a Player (LP version)5:06", was also featured on the Booty Call soundtrack. All That I Am eventually went platinum in the US.
A songwriter and producer, Joe became a frequent collaborator on other artist's projects in the mid-1990s. He remixed a duet by Barry White and Tina Turner called "In Your Wildest Dreams" as well as a remix of Turner's single "Something Beautiful Remains" from Turner's album Wildest Dreams (1996) and wrote and produced on albums by R&B groups Ideal, Xscape and Hi-Five. In addition, Joe sang on the remix of Big Punisher's "Still Not a Player", produced by Knobody, which interpolated his own song "Don't Wanna Be a Player" and appeared as a backing vocalist on Brandy's track "Angel in Disguise" from her second album, Never Say Never (1998). In 1999, singer Mariah Carey asked him to sing on her track "Thank God I Found You" which appeared on her album Rainbow (1999). Released as the album's second single, it became Joe's first number-one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was later certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Aside from its peak of number two in Canada, the song achieved moderate international charting, reaching the top ten in the United Kingdom and peaking within the top thirty in Australia, Belgium (Wallonia), France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.

2000–2007: Rise to success

In April 2000, Joe released his third album, My Name Is Joe×My Name Is Joe16 April 2000 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1My Name Is Joe (intro)0:472Somebody Gotta Be on Top4:123Stutter3:524Table for Two5:295I Wanna Know4:576Treat Her Like a Lady4:187Get Crunk Tonight4:1785 6 3 (Joe)4:069Peep Show4:2710One Life Stand4:4011Black Hawk4:1312I Believe in You4:5713So Beautiful4:2714Thank God I Found You (Make It Last remix edit)4:1215Soon as I Get Paid3:1316No One Else Comes Close3:51. Produced by Joe and several other record producers such as Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, Teddy Riley and Tim & Bob, it received favorable reviews from critics and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, while topping the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It charted internationally as well, peaking within the top 10 in Netherlands and Canada. My Name Is Joe produced three singles, including "I Wanna Know×I Wanna Know2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1I Wanna Know5:132I Wanna Know (Instrumental)5:13", "Treat Her Like a Lady×Treat Her Like a Lady2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Treat Her Like a Lady4:192I'm Missing You4:283Soon as I Get Paid3:164No One Else Comes Close3:51", and "Stutter×Stutter2000 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Stutter (Double take remix)3:362Stutter3:593Stutter (Slang dance remix)3:34", the first and last of which reached the top five of the US Billboard Hot 100. The biggest seller of his discography, My Name Is Joe was certified triple-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and earned platinum and silver certifications from Music Canada, Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique (SNEP), and the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). In 2001, the album and "I Wanna Know" received Grammy Award nominations in the Best R&B Album and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance categories.
The following year, Better Days, Joe's fourth album, was released. Significantly less successful, it reached number 32 on the Billboard 200 but peaked at number four on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, reaching gold status in the US. The album spawned two singles, "Let's Stay Home Tonight×Let's Stay Home Tonight2001 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Let's Stay Home Tonight (album version)3:312Let's Stay Home Tonight (Allstar remix)3:563Let's Stay Home Tonight (Allstar remix instrumental)3:55", which reached number 18 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and the Adult R&B Songs chart-topper "What If a Woman". A critical success, Better Days became his second album to receive a Grammy nomination in the Best R&B Album category, while "Let's Stay Home Tonight" was nominated for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. In 2002, Joe did another collaboration with Mariah Carey on the remix version of "Through the Rain", the first single from her album Charmbracelet (2002).
Joe recruited a diverse roster of high-profile musicians to work with him on his fifth studio album, including Carvin & Ivan, Dre & Vidal, R. Kelly, and The Underdogs. Released in late 2003, And Then... reached number 26 on the US Billboard 200. While Kelly-penned lead single "More & More" became a top 20 R&B in the US, it was released on double A-side with "Ride Wit U", a collaboration with rap group G-Unit, elsewhere. A moderate success, the single entered Australia's top 40 in July 2004, and peaked at number 12 on the UK Singles Chart, becoming one if his biggest hits there. A steady seller, And Then... was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Joe's sixth album Ain't Nothin' Like Me, released in April 2007, was produced by Stargate, Tank, Cool & Dre, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Sean Garrett and featured guest appearances by rappers Nas, Fabolous, Papoose, Young Buck and Tony Yayo. It received generally positive reviews from music critics and debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 and on top of the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart, selling about 98,000 copies in its first week, while marking his highest-charting album since My Name Is Joe. While lead single "Where You At" charted in the United Kingdom only, follow-up "If I Was Your Man×If I Was Your Man2006 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1If I Was Your Man (main version)3:552If I Was Your Man (instrumental)3:53" reached number three on Billboard's Adult R&B Songs. Ain't Nothin' Like Me marked Joe's final album with Jive Records following a fallout with label surrounding rumors of his dissatisfaction with the promotion of his material. Also in 2007, Joe performed a cover version of "Before He Cheats", a Carrie Underwood hit, as a Pepsi Smash exclusive on Yahoo! Music.

2008–present: Independent releases

Following his departure from Jive Records, Joe released his seventh album Joe Thomas, New Man×Joe Thomas, New Man23 September 2008 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1E.R. (Emergency Room)3:502By Any Means3:523Why Just Be Friends4:244We Need to Roll4:055Man in Your Life3:176I Won't Let Him Hurt You4:127New Man3:478Start Over Again4:399Sorry3:3610Heart Behind My Eyes3:4311Chameleon3:5012Friends Don't Let Friends...1:2813Special Friends1:2614Magic1:2615Sex Girl1:1416Wanna Be Your Lover1:24 independently on record label executive Kedar Massenburg's Kedar Entertainment company in September 2008. Production on the album was helmed by Bryan-Michael Cox, Stereotypes, and D'Mile among others. Upon release, it debuted at number eight on the US Billboard 200, selling 56,733 copies in its first week. Lead single "E.R. (Emergency Room)" became the only single to reach the top forty on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Only ten months later, Signature, his second album with Kedar, was released. An album composed of ballads written, produced, and arranged by Joe, it debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The same year, Joe released the holidays EP Make Sure You're Home for Christmas×Make Sure You're Home for Christmas13 October 2009 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen4:032Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas5:303The Christmas Song4:424Grown-Up Christmas List4:555It Ain't Christmas4:256Make Sure You're Home4:32, which was released exclusively through Target and features two original songs and four cover versions of Christmas standards and carols. A top twenty success on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, the standalone EP was worked into a full-length album, entitled Home Is the Essence of Christmas×Home Is the Essence of Christmas3 November 2009 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen4:042The Christmas Song4:413Christmas in New York3:204Christmas Time Is Here3:405Grown Up Christmas List4:556Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas5:297I'll Be Home for Christmas2:538It Ain't Christmas4:239Make Sure You're Home4:3210Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (instrumental)3:41, released the following year.
In 2010, Joe collaborated with label mate Keith Sweat on the song "Test Drive", written for Sweat's album Ridin' Solo. Also in 2010, he released his ninth studio The Good, the Bad, the Sexy. The singer worked with Brandon "B.A.M." Alexander, Gragston, The Ambassadorz, and Gerald Issac on most of the record which debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 and number two on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop albums chart. Following a short hiatus, Joe's next effort, his tenth studio album Doubleback: Evolution of R&B×DoubleBack: Evolution of R&B2 July 2013 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Something for You3:442Easy3:583Baby4:184Compromise3:485Magic City3:476I'd Rather Have a Love3:457Love & Sex4:438Sexy4:199More3:4710Mary Jane3:56111 to 1 Ratio4:2612DoubleBack4:24, was released in July 2013, marking his first release on Massenburg's newly formed company Massenburg Media after the dissolution of his Kedar Entertainment.In 2014 he also collaborated with 50 cent on the song „Big rich town“ the intro song for 50 cents hit series Power. It debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 and number one on the R&B/Hip Hop chart, selling 31,500 copies in its first week. The singer worked with a small group of musicians on the album, including San Francisco-based producer D.O.A., who contributed "I'd Rather Have a Love" and the duet "Love & Sex", featuring singer Fantasia. Rapper Too Short also appears on the album.
In March 2014, Joe signed a distribution deal with BMG Rights Management. His eleventh album, Bridges×Bridges23 June 2014 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Future Teller3:382Dilemma4:023Do a Little Dance3:194If You Lose Her4:135Sex Ain't a Weapon3:506Love & Sex, Part 23:457Blame Her Broken Heart on Me3:308First Lady3:579Take It to the House3:4510Till the Rope Gives Way4:4911The Rest Will Follow3:5812Mary Jane (remix)3:4113Bridges3:2714Love Sex Hollywood4:0815For Love3:3516Love Undefeated4:38, marked his first album under Plaid Takeover Entertainment, a venture of regular co-executive producer Gerald Isaac, after severing business ties with Massenburg. After a decade of consecutive top ten entries on the Billboard 200, it debuted and peaked at number 17, with first-week sales of 15,126 copies in the United States. The first single released from the album was "Love & Sex, Pt. 2", a duet with singer Kelly Rowland serving as sequel to his 2013 collaboration with Fantasia. It became a top five hit on the Adult R&B Songs chart. In November 2015, Joe recorded and released a cover to the critically acclaimed song Hello by artist Adele, which received mostly positive reviews. Joe's twelfth album, My Name Is Joe×My Name Is Joe16 April 2000 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1My Name Is Joe (intro)0:472Somebody Gotta Be on Top4:123Stutter3:524Table for Two5:295I Wanna Know4:576Treat Her Like a Lady4:187Get Crunk Tonight4:1785 6 3 (Joe)4:069Peep Show4:2710One Life Stand4:4011Black Hawk4:1312I Believe in You4:5713So Beautiful4:2714Thank God I Found You (Make It Last remix edit)4:1215Soon as I Get Paid3:1316No One Else Comes Close3:51 Thomas, an homage to his third effort My Name Is Joe (2000), was released on November 11, 2016. The album debuted at number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, with 17,000 copies sold the first week, and spawned the single "So I Can Have You Back", his fourth number-one hit on the Adult R&B Songs chart. In support of the album, Joe co-headlined a European concert tour alongside Ashanti from February to March 2017.