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Differences (song)

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This article is about the song by Ginuwine. For other songs, see Difference (disambiguation) § Music.
"Differences"
Single by Ginuwine
from the album The Life
ReleasedAugust 8, 2001
Recorded2001
GenreR&B[1]
Length4:25 (album version)
4:08 (radio edit)
LabelEpic
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Troy Oliver
Ginuwine singles chronology
"There It Is"
(2001) 		"Differences"
(2001) 		"Take Away"
(2001)
Music video
"Differences" on YouTube

"Differences" is an R&B song by American singer Ginuwine. It was written by the artist alongside producer Troy Oliver and recorded for his third studio album, The Life (2001). Released as the album's second single, the ballad spent four weeks at number-one on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. It was ranked at number 50 and number 68 in the 2001 and 2002 on Billboard Year-End lists, respectively, and was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). American rapper Pop Smoke sampled the song on his hit track released in 2020, "What You Know Bout Love".[2]

Background

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"Differences" was written by Ginuwine along with Troy Oliver, while production was helmed by the latter.[3] In an interview with Blogcritics, Ginuwine commented on the background to the track: "That song was really during a time when I was going through a depressed state because of my dad and my mom had passed. We're writing a whole bunch of songs [...] I said, 'I'm going to write a song about [my wife]', and it happened to be a song that a lot of people wanted to sing to their wives when they were getting married. It's just one of those songs that will always be here. I'm just happy I'm the one that did it."[4]

Chart performance

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Released as the second single from The Life, "Differences" peaked at number one on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in the week ending October 6, 2001, becoming his second single to do so.[5] A precedent on the chart, it became the first track on the chart to reach the summit without a physical single being available at retail in a configuration.[5]

Music video

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A music video for "Differences" was directed by Hype Williams.[6] A special effects-heavy clip,[6] Ginuwine elaborated on the video shooting in an interview with MTV News: "Actually, the game plan going into [the shoot] was [to] talk to God. Williams was like, 'Look man this gotta be heartfelt. People gotta know you mean this.' He was saying, 'The only way they're gonna know you're meaning it is if you close your eyes and you just talk to God.' I was very skeptical about it 'cause I was just [in front of] a green screen all day. I just had to imagine – he was just telling me what is gonna be where."[6]

Track listing

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CD single[7][8]
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Differences" (Album Version)Troy Oliver4:26
2."Differences" (Kenny Diaz Mix)
  • Oliver
  • Kenny Diaz[a]
3:59
3."Differences" (Mike Rizzo Radio Mix)
3:29
4."Differences" (Video)  

Notes

  • ^a denotes additional producer

Charts

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Certifications

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[20] Silver 200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[21] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ Chris Richards (2019-02-13). "'Pony' is forever — but Ginuwine hopes you remember him for another song". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. ISSN 0190-8286. OCLC 1330888409.
  2. ^ Schwartz, Danny (July 6, 2020). "Pop Smoke's Endless Summer Continues on 'Shoot for the Stars Aim for the Moon'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  3. ^ The Life (booklet). Ginuwine. Epic Records. 2001.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ^ "Differences". songfacts.com. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Single Minded". Billboard. October 6, 2001. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c Reid, Shaheem (June 11, 2001). "Ginuwine's Career Peaking Just When He Needed It Most". MTV News. Archived from the original on November 15, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  7. ^ Differences - Ginuwine Music - Yahoo! Shopping yahoo.com. Retrieved October 25, 2008
  8. ^ allmusic (Differences > Overview) allmusic.com. Retrieved October 25, 2008
  9. ^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 6, 2002". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  10. ^ "Ginuwine – Differences" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  11. ^ "Ginuwine – Just Because / Differences". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  12. ^ "Ginuwine Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  13. ^ "Ginuwine Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  14. ^ "Ginuwine Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  15. ^ "Ginuwine Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  16. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 2001". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  17. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2001". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  18. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 2002". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  19. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2002". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  20. ^ "British single certifications – Ginuwine – Differences". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  21. ^ "American single certifications – Ginuwine – Differences". Recording Industry Association of America.
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