"Lemon"
The letters, N, E, R, D, and the underscore (_) symbol are left out with the rest of the letters blacked out in electrical tape on a yellow background. On the bottom right, the text reads "Lemon".
Single by N.E.R.D. featuring Rihanna
from the album No One Ever Really Dies
ReleasedNovember 1, 2017 (2017-11-01)
Recorded2017
GenreHyphy[1]
Length3:39 (single version)
3:07 (radio edit)[2]
2:27 (w/out first verse)[3]
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
N.E.R.D. singles chronology
"Hypnotize U"
(2010) 		"Lemon"
(2017) 		"1000"
(2017)
Rihanna singles chronology
"Loyalty"
(2017) 		"Lemon"
(2017) 		"Believe It"
(2020)
Music video
"Lemon" on YouTube

"Lemon" is a song by American band N.E.R.D. from their fifth studio album, No One Ever Really Dies (2017).[4] The song features vocals from Barbadian singer Rihanna, and was released as the album's lead single on November 1, 2017.[5]

Former Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Arlen Specter is sampled in the song as the man saying "wait a minute."[6]

Several alternate versions of the songs were produced, including a version without the Rihanna feature (which sees Pharrell rapping a similar verse), a radio edit, and an edited version submitted to streaming services that omits Pharrell's first verse. The remix featuring Drake was released on March 17, 2018.[7][8][9]

Music video

The music video for "Lemon" was uploaded to N.E.R.D.'s Vevo page on YouTube on November 1, 2017. The video was directed by Todd Tourso and Scott Cudmore, and produced by Stacey Thiel and stars dancer Mette Towley.

Track listing

Digital download[5]
No.TitleLength
1."Lemon"3:39
Digital download[10]
No.TitleLength
1."Lemon" (edit)2:26
7" vinyl[citation needed]
No.TitleLength
1."Lemon (N.E.R.D. and Rihanna)" 
2."Lemon (N.E.R.D.)" 

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[35] Platinum 70,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[36] 2× Platinum 160,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[37] Gold 10,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[38] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[39] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format Version Label Ref.
United States November 1, 2017
Original Columbia [5]
Italy November 2, 2017 Contemporary hit radio Sony [40]
United States November 7, 2017 Rhythmic contemporary Radio Edit
  • Sony
  • Columbia
 [41]
November 19, 2017 Contemporary hit radio [42]
United Kingdom December 1, 2017 Original
[43]
Digital download Radio Edit Columbia [10]

Drake remix

"Lemon (Drake Remix)"
Single by N.E.R.D. and Drake featuring Rihanna
ReleasedMarch 17, 2018 (2018-03-17)
Length3:46
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Pharrell Williams
  • Kuk Harrell
N.E.R.D. singles chronology
"Don't Don't Do It"
(2018) 		"Lemon (Drake Remix)"
(2018)
Drake singles chronology
"Look Alive"
(2018) 		"Lemon (Remix)"
(2018) 		"Walk It Talk It"
(2018)

The official remix, titled the "Drake Remix", featuring Canadian rapper Drake was premiered on Episode 58 of OVO Sound Radio and made available for purchase on March 17, 2018.[7][8][9][44][45][46]

Chart performance

The remix charted on RMNZ's New Zealand chart, peaking at number 37.[47]

Track listing

Digital download – Drake remix[7]
No.TitleLength
1."Lemon" (Drake remix) (featuring Drake)3:46

Charts

Chart (2018) Peak
position
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[47] 37

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[48] Gold 15,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format Label Ref.
United States March 17, 2018
  • Digital download
 Columbia [7]
Australia March 23, 2018 Contemporary hit radio Universal Music Australia [49]

References

  1. ^ "Singles Club: N.E.R.D and Rihanna bring plenty of zest to 'Lemon'". Fact. November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  2. ^ "N.E.R.D Ft. Rihanna – Lemon (Clean)". BeatSnoop. Archived from the original on November 15, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  3. ^ "Lemon - Edit". Spotify. December 6, 2017.
  4. ^ Ortiz, Edwin (November 5, 2017). "N*E*R*D Debut New Album at ComplexCon With Electrifying Show". Complex. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  5. ^ a b c "Lemon – Single by N.E.R.D". iTunes Store (US). November 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
  6. ^ Rolen, Emily (August 20, 2018). "Song on Ariana Grande's new album samples clip of man shouting at 2009 Pa. town hall meeting". Philadelphia Voice. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d e "Lemon (feat. Drake) [Drake Remix] – Single by N.E.R.D & Rihanna on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Drake Joins N.E.R.D. & Rihanna on New 'Lemon' Remix". Billboard. March 17, 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
  9. ^ a b Morgan Britton, Luke (March 18, 2018). "Drake remixes N.E.R.D and Rihanna's 'Lemon'". NME. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  10. ^ a b "iTunes – Music – Lemon (Edit) – Single by N.E.R.D & Rihanna". iTunes Store. December 6, 2017.
  11. ^ "N.E.R.D. & Rihanna – Lemon". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
  12. ^ "N.E.R.D. & Rihanna – Lemon" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
  13. ^ "NERD Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  14. ^ "Top 100 Colombia" (in Spanish). National-Report. Archived from the original on March 5, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  15. ^ "N.E.R.D. & Rihanna – Lemon" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  16. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography N.E.R.D.". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  17. ^ "N.E.R.D feat. Rihanna - Lemon Media Forest". Mediaforest.biz. Archived from the original on March 16, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  18. ^ "NERD Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
  19. ^ "N.E.R.D. & Rihanna – Lemon" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  20. ^ "N.E.R.D. & Rihanna – Lemon". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  21. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  22. ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select SINGLES DIGITAL - TOP 100 and insert 201815 into search. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  23. ^ "N.E.R.D. & Rihanna – Lemon". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  24. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  25. ^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  26. ^ "NERD Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  27. ^ "NERD Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  28. ^ "NERD Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
  29. ^ "NERD Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 20, 2018.
  30. ^ "NERD Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
  31. ^ "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  32. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs - Year-End". Billboard.
  33. ^ "Rhythmic Songs - Year-End". Billboard.
  34. ^ "Hot Rap Songs - Year-End". Billboard.
  35. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2018 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  36. ^ "Canadian single certifications – N*E*R*D – Lemon". Music Canada. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  37. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Złote płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2020 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 6, 2020.
  38. ^ "British single certifications – Nerd & Rihanna – Lemon". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
  39. ^ "American single certifications – N.E.R.D – Lemon". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  40. ^ "N.E.R.D & RIHANNA "Lemon" – (Radio Date: 02/11/2017)". radiodate.it. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
  41. ^ "Top 40/R Future Releases". All Access Media Group. Archived from the original on November 4, 2017. Retrieved October 17, 2017.
  42. ^ "Radio1 - New USA Singles". December 23, 2017. Archived from the original on December 23, 2017. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  43. ^ "BBC – Radio 1 – Playlist". BBC Radio 1. Archived from the original on December 2, 2017. Retrieved December 1, 2017.
  44. ^ "New Music: N.E.R.D & Rihanna Feat. Drake – 'Lemon (Remix)'". Rap-Up. Retrieved March 17, 2018.
  45. ^ "Drake's 'Lemon' Remix Sours Some Fans". ET Canada. March 17, 2018. Archived from the original on March 18, 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
  46. ^ "Hear Drake on New Remix of N.E.R.D & Rihanna's 'Lemon'".
  47. ^ a b "NZ Top 40 Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. April 2, 2018. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  48. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – N.E.R.D and Rihanna – Lemon (Drake Remix)". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  49. ^ "Singles To Radio - The Music Network". themusicnetwork.com.
Categories