What does it take to make a classic album that stands the test of time?

WordPlay T. Jay is working on a series to explore this question as he is also beginning to craft his ninth studio album.

In Part I of the series, T. Jay is looking at some of his favorite classic albums and trying to see what links them together and what sets them apart by looking at data like how many tracks there are, the run time, the production style, the producers, the mood and more.

“I started pre-production on my ninth album a few weeks ago, and it’s going to be about my life story and how I got to where I am — all the elements that made me me,” T. Jay said. “I got together with friends and added to some tracks and am building out the sound. That got me thinking about these classic albums and what makes them.”

T. Jay looked at a number of albums by artists like Jay-Z, Nas, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West and Notorious BIG, then started tracking the previously mentioned data points.

Most albums have about 14 tracks and run about an hour. Many of the albums have producers that cross over, but not as much as the seasoned listener might think.

Mood-wise, they are dark, confident, motivated, reflective, jubilant and more. They all have explicit lyrics that push the boundaries of society’s acceptance and what listeners are comfortable with.

All have different stories, like being autobiographical, overcoming odds, introductory, invincibility or vulnerability.

“What I want to do is use this data in a loose way to see what these albums have in common and how that can inform my process,” T. Jay said. “Then, I want to step away and not really use this to make my album, because I don’t think any of these artists sat down with the intent of making a classic album. They all just worked with their emotion and drive to create the best album they could.”

T. Jay aims to continue to share what he learns throughout this process. For more about Part I of what makes a classic album, check out the video below!