Good to Know

Good to Know
Standard cover
Studio album by JoJo
Released	May 1, 2020 (2020-05-01)
Studio	Blackwood (Los Angeles) Mirrorball (North Hollywood) Becker Mastering (Pasadena)
Genre	Pop R&B
Length	29:33 (digital edition) 35:17 (physical edition)
Label	Clover Warner
Producer	30 Roc A Pluss Beatgodz DatBoiSqueeze Lido Fade Majah Doc McKinney Noise Club Dylan Wiggins
JoJo chronology
The High Road (2018) (2018) Good to Know (2020) December Baby (2020)
Singles from Good to Know
"Man" Released: March 13, 2020

Good to Know is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter JoJo. Released on May 1, 2020, it marks her first release since leaving Atlantic Records and launching her own record label imprint Clover Music through a joint venture with Warner Records. The album's first single, "Man", was released on March 13, 2020, along with the accompanying music video.

An acoustic version of the album was released on July 10, 2020, assisted by the release of the acoustic version of "Think About You". Later, JoJo released a deluxe edition of the album on August 28; it was preceded by the release of a single "What U Need".

Due to a dispute with her record label Blackground Records, JoJo had not been able to release any studio albums in ten years.^[1] In 2009, she accused her label for putting her in musical limbo,^[2] reaching a deal with Interscope Records in October.^[3] In October 2016, JoJo released her third studio album, Mad Love, through Atlantic Records.^[4] It reached number 6 on the US Billboard 200.^[5] After losing a distribution deal with Blackground in late 2012,^[6] JoJo re-recorded her two previous albums, JoJo and The High Road, in 2018.^[1]

JoJo stated that Good to Know was conceived as an album that encourages listeners to reflect on their own behavior and emotional patterns. She described parts of the album as resembling "journal excerpt-y" material;^[8] its title was inspired by her awareness of sharing intimate details in her songwriting.^[9] When writing the album, she stated that she was abstaining from sex,^[10] although the album mainly covers with themes of sex and sensuality.^[11] JoJo also noted that it reflects her experiences at the time of its creation, confirming that it is "for people who like to get a little emo, who like sensuality, who like hard-ass beats". It incorporates influences from studio sessions in Toronto and Atlanta, including visits to strip clubs, which informed some of its rhythmic and thematic direction.^[8]

In an interview with NPR, JoJo described Good to Know as reflecting a period of personal transition, during which she sought to become more comfortable with solitude and self-understanding. She stated that the album draws from her "inspirations, [her] patterns, [her] fantasies and what makes [her] feel good", and referenced challenges related to her earlier career, including experiences within the music industry that left her feeling "powerless"; JoJo noted that the writing process helped her "find [her] voice" and regain a sense of control.^[12] She further stated that it involved "feeling those things and writing through it", acknowledging feelings of "shame and guilt" related to a past relationship—she noted that the album reflects an effort to understand herself and become more comfortable with her identity.^[13] She additionally said to Bustle that some parts of the album felt like "an overshare", particularly in its depiction of her emotions and sexuality, and characterized it as an effort toward self-acceptance, centered on confronting her feelings and learning to accept and understand herself.^[14]

Good to Know is a pop and R&B album,^[11] described as "R&B-infused, emotionally honest body of work" by variety media outlets.^{[15][note 1]} The digital edition are composed of nine tracks,^[18] while the physical edition includes "Bad Habits" and "Proud" as an intro and outro, respectively.^[19] JoJo explained that the album is structured in three parts; she described the opening section as depicting attempts to "numb" oneself, followed by a middle portion focused on recognizing the need for independence and breaking unhelpful patterns. The final section centers on self-love and coming to terms with past experiences.^[20][21] Addressing a period in her personal life marked by a relationship breakdown, which she has linked to an instance of infidelity while intoxicated,^[22] Good to Know explores themes of independence and self-reflection; its songs are generally slow- to mid-tempo and feature densely packed, breathy vocal phrasing, layered harmonies, and a polished, atmospheric, bass-driven production style.^[23][24] Early tracks, such as "Pedialyte" and "Bad Habits", reference coping mechanisms including substance use and nightlife, which portray attempts to avoid confronting the aftermath of a failed relationship.^[25]

As noted by Variety's A.D. Amorosi, "So Bad" is a "silken, spacy track", containing "aquatic keyboards" and "thud-knocking beats"; it introduces the album's themes of control and command.^[23] The lyrics of the song center on a late-night relationship with a partner portrayed as unreliable.^[26] The second track, "Pedialyte", lyrically references late-night partying and its aftermath.^[26] Incorporating unconventional percussion and a coordinated melody,^[23] "Gold" is a mid-tempo R&B and pop song,^{[note 2]} with lyrics that convey feelings of insecurity and dissatisfaction.^[26] Described as a "single-lady anthem" by Aimme Cliff of The Guardian,^[24] "Man" adopts Latin-influenced guitar elements.^[23] "Small Things" is an acoustic ballad dealing with the aftermath of a breakup, while "Lonely Hearts" is a subdued song about a one-sided relationship.^[26] In "Think About You", JoJo discusses an ex-partner she struggles to move on from.^[24] A piano-driven track with a light and breezy tone,^[26] it contains prominent bass and sampled elements alongside its arrangement.^[30] Featuring voclas from Tory Lanez and 30 Roc, "Comeback" incorporates rap verses,^[26] described by Amorosi as "positively X-rated".^[23] The album's close track, "Don't Talk Me Down", contains "tender vocals" and a "string-laden" arrangement, according to Nick Smith of MusicOMH.^[26] Amorosi highlighted its stripped-back production, featuring piano, strings, and minimal processing.^[23]

On February 21, 2020, JoJo revealed that the album, titled Good to Know, was scheduled for a second quarter release in spring that year.^[9][31] She released the lead single, "Man", on March 13; it was produced by BeatGodz and Fade Majah.^[32] Same day, Marc Klasfeld-directed music video was released, which features her various female friends like Tinashe, Ari Lennox, Francia Raisa, JoJo Gomez, and a guitarist from DNCE, JinJoo Lee.^[33][34] JoJo released three additional music videos; "Lonely Hearts" on April 28, directed by Zelda Williams,^[35] "Comeback" on May 8,^[36][37] and "Small Things" on June 23, both directed by Santiago Salviche.^[38]

American singers Demi Lovato (left) and Tinashe (right) are featured on the album's deluxe edition.

On July 10, JoJo released an acoustic version of Good to Know and a music video of "Think About You", directed by Williams.^[39] She unveiled a remix version of "Lonely Hearts", which features American singer Demi Lovato, on August 5.^[40][41] A deluxe edition was released on August 28, which includes "In Your Room", "X (1 Thing Wrong)", and "Kiss", alongside vocals from American singer Tinashe on "Love Raggae".^[42] However, a verse from Canadian rapper Tory Lanez on "Comeback" was omitted, who shot American rapper Megan Thee Stallion. Before the release of the edition, JoJo replied to a fan tweet on August 1 which asked Lanez would not be featured on the album. She replied with a tweet, "Def took [Lanez] TF off".^[43] About the incident, JoJo further stated: "It felt like the right and necessary thing to do, out of respect and love for Meg."^[42][44]

On February 21, 2020, JoJo announced her plan to embark on a worldwide headlining and third major world tour in support of the album, titled Good to Know Tour.^[9] It was planned to travel throughout North America and Europe with the first leg of the tour, beginning on April 21 at the Showbox in Seattle. The tour was scheduled to continue traveling across the UK in the following months beginning in Dublin, Ireland on August 31, before concluding on Sep 25 in Stockholm, Sweden.^[45] However, she stated that it had been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[46] In January 2021, she announced that the tour was canceled due to the unpredictable nature of the pandemic.^[47]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Metro Weekly	[20]
MusicOMH	[26]
The Guardian	[24]
The Irish News	8/10[30]

Good to Know received critical acclaim from music critics.^[48] Writing for Variety, A.D. Amorosi described the album as reflecting a more developed artistic identity, highlighted its blend of subdued vocals, synthesized textures, and rhythmic elements, and compared its sound to an updated take on Control (1986) by Janet Jackson.^[23] In a review for Metro Weekly, Sean Maunier noted that she leans more strongly into R&B than in her previous work, pointing to its polished production and emphasis on mood over conventional pop structures.^[20]

Reviewers also addressed Good to Know's vocal performances and songwriting. Nick Smith of MusicOMH highlighted JoJo's vocal delivery across the record, describing "Don't Talk Me Down" as a standout for its restrained arrangement and dynamic performance. He also noted stylistic variety in tracks such as "Man" and "Small Things", while suggesting that some of the record's more explicit lyrical moments could detract from the material.^[26] Similarly, Maunier emphasized her vocal confidence, particularly on songs like "Gold" and "Small Things", where her "strong" vocals are featured.^[20]

The themes of Good to Know and tone were another focus of commentary. In The Guardian, Laura Snapes characterized it as centered on self-knowledge and independence, with a reflective tone shaped by reassessing past experiences.^[24] Edd Dracott of The Irish News also noted a balance between introspective material and more accessible tracks, highlighting its combination of reflective themes with R&B and dance production elements.^[30] Some critics commented on Good to Know's cohesion and overall approach; Maunier considered its "tighter" production an improvement over Mad Love, though he observed that the songs place less emphasis on immediate memorability.^[20] Smith similarly noted that the album prioritizes atmosphere and tone, particularly in its latter half, and results in a consistent but occasionally understated listening experience.^[26]

Good to Know debuted at number 33 on the US Billboard 200 with 12,700 album-equivalent units on its first week, which consisted 8,000 pure album copies and 3,400 streaming units.^[49] The album also charted at number 19 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart.^[50] In the United Kingdom, it reached number 4 on the UK R&B Albums chart,^[51] peaking at numbers 78 and 22 in Scotland and Portugal, respectively.^[52][53] The album lasted a week on the chart in United States,^[5] Scotland,^[54] and Portugal.^[53]

• ^{^[a]} signifies a co-producer.
• ^{^[b]} signifies an additional producer.
• ^{^[c]} signifies a vocal producer.
• ^{^[d]} "Pedialyte" contains elements from "Feasing" written by Silvano Chimenti and Enrico Pieranunzi, and "Surf Club 76BPM" written by Tobias Brewer. The outro contains a hidden track titled "Take Me" commencing at approximately three minute and fourteen seconds (3:14) into the track.^[56]
• On digital standard versions of the album, "Comeback" features Tory Lanez and 30 Roc, while physical standard versions and digital deluxe versions of the album feature a solo version.

Credits were adapted from the liner notes.^{[note 3]}