Complete List Of Ne-Yo Songs From A to Z

Feature Photo: Andre Luiz Moreira / Shutterstock.com

Ne-Yo was born on October 18, 1979. Born Shaffer Chimere Smith to two musician parents, he was raised by his mother after she separated from his father, and the family later relocated to Nevada. While attending the Las Vegas Academy, he performed under the name GoGo and joined the R&B group Envy, which appeared on amateur night at Showtime at the Apollo and on the MTV series The Cut. After Envy broke up in 2000, he stayed in the business as a songwriter, building the foundation for a career that would soon move far beyond the stage-school circuit. His professional name, Ne-Yo, came from producer Big D Evans, who said Smith saw music the way Neo saw the world in The Matrix.

Songwriting opened the first major door. Columbia Records signed him after Envy ended, but dropped him before his first album could be released. That setback turned into a career pivot when Marques Houston re-recorded Ne-Yo’s song “That Girl” for the 2003 album MH. A much bigger breakthrough followed with Mario’s 2004 single “Let Me Love You,” the first major writing credit that brought Ne-Yo widespread attention.

The success of that song led to a meeting with Jay-Z, then president of Def Jam, and that meeting resulted in the contract that launched Ne-Yo as a solo star. His debut single, “Stay,” featuring Peedi Peedi, made only a modest impression, but “So Sick” changed everything by reaching Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. That song, along with “When You’re Mad” and “Sexy Love,” drove In My Own Words to Number 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2006.

The albums that followed confirmed that the first success was no fluke. Because of You reached Number 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2007, and Year of the Gentleman climbed to Number 2 in 2008. Those records produced some of his biggest singles, including “Because of You,” “Closer,” and “Miss Independent.” “Miss Independent” became especially important, winning Grammy Awards for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song, while Because of You won Best Contemporary R&B Album. Year of the Gentleman also became one of his biggest commercial albums, earning double-platinum certification in the United States and triple-platinum certification in the United Kingdom. By 2009, Billboard ranked him the 57th Artist of the 2000s, a sign of how thoroughly he had embedded himself in late-2000s R&B and pop.

Later releases expanded the catalog even as the commercial returns became less consistent. Ne-Yo has released nine studio albums: In My Own Words, Because of You, Year of the Gentleman, Libra Scale, R.E.D., Non-Fiction, Good Man, Another Kind of Christmas, and Self-Explanatory. Libra Scale reached Number 9 on the Billboard 200, R.E.D. peaked at Number 4, and Non-Fiction reached Number 5.

Among the biggest later singles were “Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself),” which reached Number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the UK Singles Chart, “Time of Our Lives” with Pitbull, which reached the American top 10, and “She Knows,” which became another top 40 hit. Outside his own albums, his chart presence remained strong through major collaborations, and he accumulated five Number 1 singles on the UK Singles Chart along with 315 weeks inside that chart’s top 75. In the United States, he has sold 29 million certified albums and singles.

Awards and recognition tell the story of a performer who succeeded as both a singer and a writer. Ne-Yo has won three Grammy Awards, one for Because of You, and two connected to “Miss Independent.” In My Own Words earned two Grammy nominations, while Year of the Gentleman was nominated both for Best Contemporary R&B Album and for Album of the Year. He also built a reputation beyond his own voice by writing songs for artists including Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Carrie Underwood, Anastacia, Ciara, Corbin Bleu, Enrique Iglesias, and Dima Bilan. That combination of solo success and behind-the-scenes craftsmanship explains a large part of why he remains so respected. He did not just make hit records for himself, he helped shape the sound of other artists across pop and R&B as well.

His work outside music has been specific and substantial. He opened a recording studio called Carrington House in Atlanta and launched the production company Compound Entertainment in 2007, later turning it into a functioning label associated with artists including RaVaughn, Paula Campbell, Sixx John, Adrienne Bailon, and Shanell. In television, he helped create the animated project I Heart Tuesday, appeared on CSI: NY and The Fresh Beat Band, starred as the Tin Man in NBC’s The Wiz, and earned a Critics’ Choice Award nomination for that performance.

He later served as a judge on World of Dance from 2017 through 2020, finished second on The Masked Singer UK in 2021, and won the tenth season of The Masked Singer in 2023. In philanthropy, he supported Little Kids Rock by filming a public service announcement for the organization, and he completed the Celebrity Ninja Warrior course in 2018, resulting in a 30,000 dollar donation for Red Nose Day. In November 2024 he also entered sports management, signing boxer Paul Bamba as his first fighter.

Ne-Yo is loved because the catalog runs from smooth radio ballads to club records, the songwriting is consistently sharp, and the career has never been limited to one lane. He has remained visible as a singer, songwriter, producer, actor, television personality, and entrepreneur for more than two decades.

Complete List Of Ne-Yo Songs From A to Z

1 More Shot – Good Man – 2018
Addicted – Because of You – 2007
After Party – Self Explanatory – 2022
Ain’t Thinking About You – Because of You – 2007
Alone with You (Maddies Song) – R.E.D. – 2012
Angel – Because of You – 2007
Apology – Good Man – 2018
Back Chapters – Good Man – 2018
Back Like That (featuring Ghostface Killah) – In My Own Words – 2006
Back to What You Know – Year of the Gentleman – 2008
Be the One – R.E.D. – 2012
Beautiful Monster – Libra Scale – 2010
Beautiful Monster (Tony Moran edit) – Libra Scale – 2010
Because of You – Because of You – 2007
Breathe – Good Man – 2018
Call Me Up – Self Explanatory – 2022
Can We Chill – Because of You – 2007
Carry On (Her Letter to Him) – R.E.D. – 2012
Caterpillars 1st (Intro) – Good Man – 2018
Cause I Said So – Libra Scale – 2010
Champagne Life – Libra Scale – 2010
Closer – Year of the Gentleman – 2008
Coming with You – Non-Fiction – 2015
Congratulations – Non-Fiction – 2015
Cracks in Mr. Perfect – R.E.D. – 2012
Crazy (featuring Jay-Z) – Because of You – 2007
Crazy Love (featuring Fabolous) – Libra Scale – 2010
Do You – Because of You – 2007
Don’t Love Me – Self Explanatory – 2022
Don’t Make Em Like You (featuring Wiz Khalifa) – R.E.D. – 2012
Fade into the Background – Year of the Gentleman – 2008
Forever Now – R.E.D. – 2012
Genuine Only – Libra Scale – 2010
Get Down Like That – In My Own Words – 2006
Get Down Like That (Remix) (featuring Ghostface Killah) – In My Own Words – 2006
Girlfriend – In My Own Words – 2006
Go On Girl – Because of You – 2007
Good Man – Good Man – 2018
Good Morning – Non-Fiction – 2015
Handle Me Gently – Self Explanatory – 2022
Hotbox (featuring Eric Bellinger) – Good Man – 2018
I Ain’t Gotta Tell You – In My Own Words – 2006
Integrity (featuring Charisse Mills) – Non-Fiction – 2015
It Just Ain’t Right – In My Own Words – 2006
Jealous – R.E.D. – 2012
Know Your Name – Libra Scale – 2010
LA Nights – Good Man – 2018
Lazy Love – R.E.D. – 2012
Layin’ Low (featuring Zae France) – Self Explanatory – 2022
Leaving Tonight (featuring Jennifer Hudson) – Because of You – 2007
Let Go – In My Own Words – 2006
Let Me Get This Right – In My Own Words – 2006
Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself) – R.E.D. – 2012
Let’s Go (featuring Calvin Harris) – R.E.D. – 2012
Lie to Me – Year of the Gentleman – 2008
Lonely – In My Own Words – 2006
Mad – Year of the Gentleman – 2008
Make It Easy – Non-Fiction – 2015
Make It Work – Because of You – 2007
Makin’ a Movie – Libra Scale – 2010
Mirror – In My Own Words – 2006
Miss Independent – Year of the Gentleman – 2008
Miss Right – R.E.D. – 2012
Money Can’t Buy (featuring Jeezy) – Non-Fiction – 2015
My Other Gun – R.E.D. – 2012
Nights Like These (featuring Romeo Santos) – Good Man – 2018
No Loot – Self Explanatory – 2022
Nobody – Year of the Gentleman – 2008
Ocean Sure (featuring Candice Boyd and Sam Hook) – Good Man – 2018
On Ur Mind (featuring PartyNextDoor) – Good Man – 2018
One in a Million – Libra Scale – 2010
One More (featuring T.I.) – Non-Fiction – 2015
Over U – Good Man – 2018
Part of the List – Year of the Gentleman – 2008
Proud of You – Self Explanatory – 2022
Push Back (with Bebe Rexha and Stefflon Don) – Good Man – 2018
Push Up (featuring Trippie Redd) – Self Explanatory – 2022
Religious – Non-Fiction – 2015
Run (featuring Schoolboy Q) – Non-Fiction – 2015
Say It – Because of You – 2007
Sex With My Ex – Because of You – 2007
Sexy Love – In My Own Words – 2006
She Got Her Own (featuring Jamie Foxx and Fabolous) – Year of the Gentleman – 2008
She Is (featuring Tim McGraw) – R.E.D. – 2012
She Knows (featuring Juicy J) – Non-Fiction – 2015
She Said I’m Hood Tho (featuring Candice) – Non-Fiction – 2015
Should Be You (featuring Fabolous and Diddy) – R.E.D. – 2012
Shut Me Down – R.E.D. – 2012
Sign Me Up – In My Own Words – 2006
Single – Year of the Gentleman – 2008
So Sick – In My Own Words – 2006
So Sick (Remix) (featuring LL Cool J) – In My Own Words – 2006
So You Can Cry – Year of the Gentleman – 2008
Spotlight – Because of You – 2007
Stay (featuring Peedi Peedi) – In My Own Words – 2006
Stay (featuring Rick Ross) – In My Own Words – 2006
Stay Down (featuring Yung Bleu) – Self Explanatory – 2022
Stop This World – Year of the Gentleman – 2008
Story Time – Non-Fiction – 2015
Stress Reliever – R.E.D. – 2012
Summertime – Good Man – 2018
Telekinesis – Libra Scale – 2010
That’s What It Does – Because of You – 2007
The Struggle… (Interlude) – Good Man – 2018
Time – In My Own Words – 2006
Time of Our Lives (with Pitbull) – Non-Fiction – 2015
U 2 Luv (featuring Jeremih) – Self Explanatory – 2022
U Deserve – Good Man – 2018
Unconditional – R.E.D. – 2012
Want It All or Nothing – Self Explanatory – 2022
What Have I Done? – Libra Scale – 2010
What If – Self Explanatory – 2022
When You’re Mad – In My Own Words – 2006
Who’s Taking You Home – Non-Fiction – 2015
Why Does She Stay – Year of the Gentleman – 2008
Without U – Good Man – 2018
You Got the Body – Self Explanatory – 2022

Albums

In My Own Words (2006): 18 songs

Because of You (2007): 14 songs

Year of the Gentleman (2008): 13 songs

Libra Scale (2010): 11 songs

R.E.D. (2012): 17 songs

Non-Fiction (2015): 14 songs

Good Man (2018): 17 songs

Self Explanatory (2022): 13 songs

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