The Black Keys' eighteen-track Ohio Players (Trophy Edition)—the two-LP deluxe edition of the band’s twelfth studio album—features four previously unreleased tracks in a gatefold jacket, with an alternate cover and new album sequencing. Special guests include DannyLux, Alice Cooper, and Beck, in addition to the many collaborations on the original Ohio Players songs.
GRAMMY Award-winning rock duo The Black Keys will release the eighteen-track Ohio Players (Trophy Edition), featuring four previously unreleased tracks, out November 15, 2024, on Nonesuch/Warner Records. This deluxe edition of the band’s twelfth studio album is a two LP set, in a gatefold jacket, with an alternate cover and new album sequencing.
The Black Keys also released a new song from the set, “Mi Tormenta” featuring DannyLux, along with an official video directed by Corey Bost. Other special guests on the new Trophy Edition tracks, in addition to the many collaborations on the original Ohio Players songs, include Alice Cooper and Beck.
“Mi Tormenta” features the band’s singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and DannyLux both singing in Spanish—a first on a Black Keys record.
There also will be an exclusive Amazon edition of Ohio Players (Trophy Edition), pressed on purple vinyl and including the Amazon Music Original bonus track “Let Love Take Its Time.” This is the first time that Amazon Music has released an Amazon Music Original track digitally and on vinyl simultaneously.
Of the album’s Trophy Edition, The Black Keys shared: "We held back five of our favorite tracks planning for their release to coincide with our tour of North America. Even though our year got turned upside down, we still needed to deliver these new songs to our fans! These tunes continue the collaborative spirit that you hear throughout Ohio Players including ‘Mi Tormenta’ with our extremely talented brother Danny Lux, ‘I'm With The Band’ and ‘Sin City’ with Beck and, just in time for Halloween, "Stay in Your Grave," our collaboration with Greg Cartwright and absolute legend Alice Cooper!"
“Working with The Black Keys was an experience I’ll never forget. I’ve been a huge fan of their music and style for years and it was fun adding my touch to one of their songs. It’s been cool to see them evolve as a band over time and being a part of this project helped me grow as an artist,” added DannyLux.
The Black Keys secured the #1 Current Rock Album and #1 Current Alternative Album in US sales upon the April 2024 release of Ohio Players. The album also soared to the #5 debut of the week on both Billboard’s Top Rock Albums Chart and Top Alternative Albums Chart and secured the #4 spot on Overall Current Album Sales. Ohio Players earned The Black Keys their sixth consecutive top 20 album in the UK, and also made it into the top 20 in other international markets such as Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Switzerland, and more.
The album, which was inspired by band members Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney’s recent “record hang” parties, garnered praise from Rolling Stone, which stated, “Whether they set their retro-rock wayback machine to Memphis in the Sixties, the Midwest in the Seventies, or Manchester, England, and L.A. in the Nineties, it all flows together like a beautifully paced DJ set,” calling the album “arguably the sharpest collection of songs the Keys have come up with.” Ohio Players marked an exciting departure from The Black Keys’ prior releases, as the album brings in new and fresh influences while also still containing the widely loved sound that the duo is most known for. With an emphasis on collaboration, the album features contributions from friends and colleagues, including Beck, Noel Gallagher, Dan “The Automator” Nakamura, Greg Kurstin, Juicy J, Lil Noid, and others.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by The Black Keys, except tracks 2 and 3 produced by The Black Keys and Dan the Automator; tracks 5 and 10 produced by The Black Keys and Greg Kurstin
Engineered by M. Allen Parker, except tracks 4, 9, and 12 engineered by Liam Watson and M. Allen Parker; tracks 5 and 10 engineered by Greg Kurstin, Julian Burg, Matt Tuggle, and M. Allen Parker
Additional Engineering by Caleb Vanbuskirk, except tracks 4, 9, 12, 17-18 by Caleb Vanbuskirk and Trey Keller; track 13 by Caleb Vanbuskirk and Michael “Crazy Mike” Foster
Assistant Engineering by McKinley James, Jonny Ullman, except tracks 1, 5, 7-11, 17-18 by McKinley James, Jonny Ullman, Tyler Zwiep, Franky Fox, Travis Pavur, and Andy Petr
Recorded January 2022-April 2023 at Easy Eye Sound Studio, Nashville, TN; Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA; Toe Rag Studios, Hackney, London, England; No Expectations Studios, Hollywood, CA; Valentine Recording Studios, Burbank, CA; and Ratchet Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Mixed by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent, Assisted by Matt Wolach, at SLS Studios UK
Mastered by Howie Weinberg and Will Borza at Howie Weinberg Mastering, Los Angeles, CA
Atmos Mixing by David Emery
Sequenced by David Bither
Written by Dan Auerbach (1-7, 9-18), Patrick Carney (1-7, 9-18), Beck Hansen (1-3, 5, 10-11,13-14,17-18), Daniel Nakamura (2-3), Noel Gallagher (4, 9,12), Leon Michels (4, 9,12), Greg Kurstin (5,10), Angelo Petraglia (6), Derrick Harris (6), Greg Cartwright (7,15-16), William Bell (8), Booker T. Jones (8), Daniel Balderrama Espinoza (11), Jordan Houston (13). Track 2 contains excerpts from “The Devil’s Work” written by Gary Crockett, Dominic Glover, Jason Glover and published by Library Gold (ASCAP). Used by permission. All rights reserved. Track 3 contains excerpts from “Feeling That Vibe” written by Richard Mead and published by Library Gold (ASCAP). Used by permission. All rights reserved.
DannyLux appears courtesy of Warner Music Latina and VPS Music, LLC
Alice Cooper appears courtesy of earMUSIC/Edel
Beck appears courtesy of Iliad Recordings and Capitol Records
Art Direction by Perry Shall, Larry Niehues, and The Black Keys Photography by Larry Niehues Design by Perry Shall
MUSICIANS
Dan Auerbach, vocals (1-18), guitar (1-18), bass (1-4, 6-9, 11-15, 17-18), Moog synth (6, 13, 16), Mellotron (6), 808 (6, 13), claps (6, 13), shaker (6), Hammond organ (13), vocoder (13, 18), synth bass (18)
Patrick Carney, drums (1-18), 808 (1-18), claps (1-13, 15-18), guitar (1,5, 10, 12, 18), Moog synth (1, 6, 12-13, 17), tambourine (1, 7, 9, 11-12, 18), Mellotron (2,9), synth (7, 11), shaker (7, 9, 12), cowbell (9, 12), electric guitar (11)
Beck Hansen, backing vocals (1-3, 5, 11, 14, 17-18), celeste (3), synth (7), organ (7, 11), feature vocal (13), guitar (13), Acetone organ (13), acoustic guitar (17-18)
Tom Bukovac, guitar (1, 3-4, 6, 9-12, 14, 16, 18), electric guitar (2), acoustic guitar (2)
Ray Jacildo, piano (1-3, 9, 11, 14), Hammond organ (1-2, 14, 18), Acetone organ (2, 15), Wurlitzer (2-3), vibraphone (2), glockenspiel (2), string-arp (2), Moog synth (2, 15), harpsichord (6), organ (11)
Mike Rojas, piano (1,3-4, 8-9, 11-12, 14), Mellotron (1-2), Moog synth (1), strings (2), vibraphone (12), Wurlitzer (12), vocoder (18)
Andy Gabbard, backing vocals (1-4, 6-7, 9, 11, 13-18), guitar (17)
Sam Bacco, tambourine (1-2, 6, 8-9, 11-13, 15, 17, shaker (1-3, 8, 11-14, 17-18), cowbell (1-2, 13-14, 16-18), conga (1-3, 8-9, 11, 13-16), clap stack (1, 16), Wheezle (2), bongo (3, 11-12), bells (3, 11), chimes (6), wind chimes (8, 17), cymbals (8), block (9), maracas (11), skull (13), wind gong (17)
Ray Mason, trumpet (2), trombone (2-3, 15)
Jake Botts, tenor saxophone (2-3, 15), baritone saxophone (2-3)
Dan the Automator, sampling (3)
Chris St. Hilaire, claps(3, 11), backing vocals (7, 16)
Zach Gabbard, backing vocals (3, 7, 16)
Leisa Hans, backing vocals (3-5, 9, 11, 13-14, 17)
Ashley Wilcoxson, backing vocals (3-5, 9-11, 13-14, 17)
Noel Gallagher, background vocals (4, 9, 12), guitar (4)
Leon Michels, guitar (4, 9, 12), organ (4), baritone saxophone (7, 9, 11-12, 15), tenor saxophone (7, 9, 11-12), Acetone organ (7, 9, 11), glockenspiel (9), mellotron (9), marimba (12), Hammond organ (12), piano (12)
Greg Kurstin, guitars (5, 10), percussion (5, 10), bass (5), synthesizers (5, 10), keyboards (5, 10), piano (5), background vocals (10)
Lil Noid, feature vocal (6)
Angelo Petraglia, electric guitar (6)
Tommy Brenneck, baritone guitar (8), guitar (8)
Kelly Finnegan, Hammond organ (8), background vocals (8)
Matt Combs, strings (8)
Trey Keller, background vocals (9)
DannyLux, feature vocal (11)
Mireya Ramos, backing vocals (11), claps (11)
Shae Fiol, backing vocals (11), claps (11)
Juicy J, feature vocal (13)
Aaron Frazer, background vocals (13)
Alice Cooper, feature vocal (15)
