Cole World: The Sideline Story

Cole World: The Sideline Story
Studio album by
J. Cole
ReleasedSeptember 27, 2011
Recorded
  • 2007
  • 2009–2011
GenreHip hop
Length57:43
Label
Producer
J. Cole chronology
Friday Night Lights
(2010) 		Cole World: The Sideline Story
(2011) 		Truly Yours
(2013)
Singles from Cole World: The Sideline Story
  1. "Work Out"
    Released: June 15, 2011
  2. "Can't Get Enough"
    Released: September 1, 2011
  3. "Mr. Nice Watch"
    Released: October 4, 2011
  4. "Nobody's Perfect"
    Released: February 7, 2012

Cole World: The Sideline Story (commonly shortened to Cole World or The Sideline Story; stylized as Cole World - The Sideline Story)[1] is the debut studio album by American rapper and record producer J. Cole. It was released on September 27, 2011, by Roc Nation and Columbia Records, with distribution from Sony Music.[2] The album is his first studio release, following three successful mixtapes. In 2007, the album was first recorded and ended, and then began to take place from 2009 to early 2011, featuring the production that was handled mainly by Cole himself, with some production from high-profile producer No I.D. It includes four guest appearances from Trey Songz, Drake, Jay-Z and Missy Elliott.

The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, with 218,000 copies sold in the first week following its release.[3] The album has since been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). As of December 2016, it sold 855,000 copies in the United States.[4] The album was supported by three official singles: Work Out, Can't Get Enough and Nobody's Perfect.

The album was one of the most anticipated releases of 2011 due to the sharp rise in Cole's popularity and mainstream fan base. Cole's lyrics perhaps most strikingly deal with issues such as abortion and the consequences of growing up in a fatherless household. However, these themes are incorporated alongside more introspective issues such as relationships, family problems, fame and attempting to be successful – an area which very much links in with the subtitle of the album 'The Sideline Story'. Upon its release, the album was generally well received by critics, who praised the wholesomeness of the album.

  1. ^ "Cole World - The Sideline Story by J. Cole". iTunes. 27 September 2011. Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  2. ^ "J. Cole Announces Album Title, Release Date". Rap-Up.com. 2011-06-21. Archived from the original on 2013-07-31. Retrieved 2011-06-21.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference BB200 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference US_Sales was invoked but never defined (see the help page).