Cooleyhighharmony


Cooleyhighharmony is the debut studio album by American R&B group Boyz II Men, released on April 30, 1991, by Motown Records. The album was primarily written by Boyz II Men members Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris, and Shawn Stockman, and produced by Dallas Austin and the Characters. Its title pays tribute to the real-life Chicago high school, Cooley Vocational High School.
Upon its release, the album debuted at number 58 on the US Billboard 200 chart, eventually peaking at number three. Its original edition produced two US Billboard Hot 100 top-five singles: "Motownphilly" and "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday".
In 1992, Cooleyhighharmony was re-released internationally with remixes and the addition of two hit singles: the worldwide chart-topping "End of the Road", originally recorded for the Boomerang soundtrack, and "In the Still of the Nite (I'll Remember)", which had been recorded for the TV mini-series The Jacksons: An American Dream.
The album has been certified nine-times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, signifying shipments of over nine million units in the United States.
In 2009, a two-disc digitally remastered edition was released, featuring remixes and two previously unreleased tracks.

Critical reception

AllMusic editor Andy Kellman called the album "a brisk 40-minute set built for front-to-back listening, though the sequencing is more natural with the 'adagio' and 'allegro' halves switched up. For many of those responsible for its multi-platinum status, it is the album of the early '90s." In a mixed review, Amy Linden from Entertainment Weekly wrote: "Reversing the usual sequence, the album starts with slow jams and saves the faster jams for last, which only serves to highlight how routine the slow stuff is. Don't they know that you start the party kickin', then get down to the grinding?"

Track listing

2009 re-release

In 2009, a two-disc digitally remastered special edition of the album was released by Hip-O Select Records. It contains the 1993 reissue version of the album, plus additional remixes and two previously unreleased tracks.

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Cooleyhighharmony.
Technical
Additional personnel
  • Mastering: Chris Bellman
  • Mastering location: Bernie Grundman Mastering
  • Creative director: Michael Bivins
  • Art director: Stephen Meltzer
  • Design: Kaie Wellman
  • Assistant designer: Elizabeth Matbeny
  • Assistant: Darrale Jones
  • Administrative assistant: Dianne Johnson
  • Photography: Butch Belaire
  • Hair and make-up: Helene Andersson
  • Stylist: Agnes Baddoo
Mixing locations

Charts

Year-end charts

Chart Position
New Zealand Albums 15
US Billboard 20053
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 43