Could You Learn to Love
| "Could You Learn to Love" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Tevin Campbell | ||||
| from the album Back to the World | ||||
| Released | February 18, 1997 | |||
| Recorded | 1996 | |||
| Genre | R&B | |||
| Length | 4:10 | |||
| Label | Qwest | |||
| Songwriter | Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds | |||
| Producer | The Boom Brothers | |||
| Tevin Campbell singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Could You Learn to Love" is a song by American R&B singer Tevin Campbell. It was written by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds for his third studio album Back to the World (1996). Production was helmed by Langston "Chuck Boom" Bryant and Anthony "A-Tone" Bryant under their production moniker The Boom Brothers. The song was issued as the album's third and final single in February 1997.[1]
It peaked at number 73 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and reached number 38 on the New Zealand Singles Chart.[2][3]
Background and release
Back to the World was released by Qwest Records in June 1996 and was Campbell's third studio album, following the platinum-selling T.E.V.I.N. (1991) and the double-platinum I'm Ready (1993).[4][5] The album reached number 46 on the Billboard 200 and number 11 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, Campbell's first album to miss the top ten of the latter.[6]
The Boom Brothers, the production duo of Langston Bryant and Anthony Bryant, were affiliated with Yab Yum Entertainment, the label and publishing company founded by Tracey Edmonds, and the track was produced for Yab Yum Entertainment and Area 10 Productions.[7][8]
"Could You Learn to Love" followed the title track, which reached number 16 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and "I Got It Bad", which reached number 41.[9] It was released on February 18, 1997 on CD and cassette single, having been serviced to radio on promotional CD and 12-inch vinyl the previous year.[1][8]
Campbell largely stepped away from recording after the album. In a 2022 interview with People, he linked a period of personal reflection to the years following Back to the World, which had not performed as he had hoped.[10]
Critical reception
Reviewing the parent album for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine described Back to the World as the record on which Campbell returned as an adult performer, calling it proof that the teen idol had matured.[4]
Music video
The official music video for "Could You Learn to Love" was directed by Vaughan Arnell, the British director whose music video work includes George Michael's "Fastlove" and the Spice Girls' "Say You'll Be There".[11]
Track listings
US CD and cassette single
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Could You Learn to Love" (Album Version) | The Boom Brothers | 4:10 |
| 2. | "Could You Learn to Love" (Marc Kinchen Remix) | Marc Kinchen[a] | 4:10 |
US promotional 12-inch vinyl
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Could You Learn to Love" (Marc Kinchen Remix) | 4:00 |
| 2. | "Could You Learn to Love" (Marc Kinchen Remix Instrumental) | 3:57 |
| 3. | "Could You Learn to Love" (Album Version) | 4:08 |
| 4. | "Could You Learn to Love" (Album Instrumental) | 4:07 |
| 5. | "Could You Learn to Love" (A Cappella) | 4:04 |
- ↑ denotes additional producer
Credits and personnel
Credits lifted from the liner notes of Back to the World.[12]
- Tevin Campbell – lead vocals
- Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds – songwriter
- Langston "Chuck Boom" Bryant – producer
- Anthony "A-Tone" Bryant – producer
- Marc Kinchen – remix, additional production
Charts
| Chart (1997) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) | 38 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) | 73 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 1996 | Promotional CD, 12-inch vinyl | Qwest | [8] |
| United States | February 18, 1997 | CD single, cassette single | Qwest | [1] |
References
- 1 2 3 Could You Learn to Love (CD single liner notes). Tevin Campbell. Qwest Records. 1997. 9 17576-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ↑ "Tevin Campbell: Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved August 22, 2026.
- ↑ "Tevin Campbell – Could You Learn to Love". charts.nz. Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved August 22, 2026.
- 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Back to the World – Tevin Campbell". AllMusic. Retrieved August 22, 2026.
- ↑ "American album certifications – Tevin Campbell". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 22, 2026.
- ↑ "Tevin Campbell: Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2026.
- ↑ "Yab Yum Entertainment". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 22, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Could You Learn to Love (12-inch promotional single liner notes). Tevin Campbell. Qwest Records. 1996. PRO-A-8345.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ↑ "Tevin Campbell: Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2026.
- ↑ Rubenstein, Janine (August 17, 2022). "Tevin Campbell". People. Retrieved August 22, 2026.
- ↑ "Tevin Campbell: Could You Learn to Love". mvdbase.com. Retrieved August 22, 2026.
- ↑ Back to the World (liner notes). Tevin Campbell. Qwest Records. 1996.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)