Wonderful (Ja Rule song)

"Wonderful"
Single by Ja Rule featuring R. Kelly and Ashanti
from the album R.U.L.E. and Concrete Rose
ReleasedSeptember 27, 2004 (2004-09-27)
Length4:26
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Jimi Kendrix
  • Irv Gotti
Ja Rule singles chronology
"Clap Back"
(2003)
"Wonderful"
(2004)
"New York"
(2004)
R. Kelly singles chronology
"Happy People"
(2004)
"Wonderful"
(2004)
"In the Kitchen"
(2005)
Ashanti singles chronology
"Southside"
(2004)
"Wonderful"
(2004)
"Only U"
(2004)

"Wonderful" is a song by American rapper Ja Rule. It was released on September 27, 2004, as the lead single from his sixth studio album, R.U.L.E. (2004), through The Inc. Records and Island Def Jam. The song features American pop-R&B singer-songwriters R. Kelly and Ashanti. "Wonderful" topped the UK Singles Chart, reached #5 on the US Billboard Hot 100, peaked at #6 in both Australia and New Zealand; the single became a Top-20 hit in Denmark, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.

A remix was made available on Ashanti's fourth studio album, Concrete Rose (2004), featuring an extended verse from the singer and omitting Kelly's.[1] A video, directed by Hype Williams, was filmed and released.[2]

Commercial performance

[edit]

In the United States, "Wonderful" peaked at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 2004, making it Ja Rule's fourth top-five hit on the chart.[3] In the United Kingdom, it topped the UK Singles Chart, also making it his first British #1-hit,[4] though it was reportedly the country's lowest-selling No. 1 hit ever, with sales of only 65,000.[citation needed] The song was certified gold in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[5] "Wonderful", ironically, is also notable for being the final Top-10 entry, to-date, on the Hot 100 for all three artists featured. The song ended 2005 at #94 on Billboard's year-end chart.[6]

Track listings

[edit]

UK CD single[7]

  1. "Wonderful" (featuring R. Kelly and Ashanti) – 4:32
  2. "Livin' It Up" (featuring Case) – 4:17
  3. "Always on Time" (featuring Ashanti) – 4:03

European CD single[8]

  1. "Wonderful" (featuring R. Kelly and Ashanti) – 4:32
  2. "Caught Up" (featuring Lloyd) – 4:29

Australian maxi-CD single[9]

  1. "Wonderful" (featuring R. Kelly and Ashanti) – 4:33
  2. "Caught Up" (featuring Lloyd) – 4:29
  3. "Wonderful" (instrumental) – 4:33
  4. "Always on Time" (featuring Ashanti) – 4:03

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[40] 2× Platinum 120,000
United Kingdom (BPI)[41] Silver 200,000
United States (RIAA)[5] Gold 500,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United States September 27, 2004 The Inc. [42]
October 25, 2004 Contemporary hit radio [43]
United Kingdom CD [44]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Wonderful Remix". Spotify. January 1, 2004. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  2. ^ "Ja Rule – Wonderful (2004)". IMVDb. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Ja Rule Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  5. ^ a b "American single certifications – Ja Rule – Wonderful". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Billboard Top 100 – 2005". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  7. ^ Wonderful (UK CD single liner notes). Ja Rule. Murder Inc Records. 2004. 9864605.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ^ Wonderful (European CD single liner notes). Ja Rule. Murder Inc Records. 2004. 9864606.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. ^ Wonderful (Australian maxi-CD single liner notes). Ja Rule. Murder Inc Records. 2004. 9864889.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  11. ^ "Issue 777" ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  12. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  13. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  14. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful" (in French). Ultratip.
  15. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful". Tracklisten.
  16. ^ "Hits of the World – Eurocharts" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 116, no. 46. November 13, 2004. p. 53. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
  17. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  18. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Wonderful". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  19. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 2, 2005" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  20. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  21. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful". Top 40 Singles.
  22. ^ "Arhiva romanian top 100 – Editia 50, saptamina 13.12 – 19.12, 2004" (in Romanian). Romanian Top 100. Archived from the original on February 22, 2005. Retrieved May 19, 2020.
  23. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  24. ^ "Ja Rule feat. R. Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful". Swiss Singles Chart.
  25. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  26. ^ "Ja Rule Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  27. ^ "Ja Rule Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  28. ^ "Ja Rule Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  29. ^ "Ja Rule Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  30. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
  31. ^ "The Official UK Singles Chart 2004" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  32. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 2004". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  33. ^ "2004 The Year in Charts: Most-Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 12, no. 51. December 17, 2004. p. 29.
  34. ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2005". ARIA. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  35. ^ "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Urban Singles 2005". ARIA. Archived from the original on April 15, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  36. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2005" (in German). Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  37. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 2005". Billboard. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  38. ^ "2005 The Year in Charts: Top Mainstream Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 13, no. 50. December 16, 2005. p. 26.
  39. ^ "2005 The Year in Charts: Top Rhythmic Top 40 Songs". Billboard Radio Monitor. Vol. 13, no. 50. December 16, 2005. p. 34.
  40. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Ja Rule – Wonderful" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  41. ^ "British single certifications – Ja Rule ft R Kelly & Ashanti – Wonderful". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
  42. ^ "Ja Rule: 'Wonderful'" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1573. September 17, 2004. p. 43. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  43. ^ "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1578. October 22, 2004. p. 19. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  44. ^ "Reviews: Singles". Music Week. October 16, 2004. p. 29.