Killing Me Softly (Roberta Flack album)
Updated: 12/20/2025, 2:17:23 PM Wikipedia source
Killing Me Softly is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Roberta Flack, released on August 1, 1973, by Atlantic Records. She recorded the album with producer Joel Dorn for 18 months. The album was dedicated to Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Killing Me Softly reached number three on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape and number two on the Soul LPs chart. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the album gold on August 27, 1973, and double platinum on January 30, 2006, denoting shipments of two million copies in the United States. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for Album of the Year, which it lost to Stevie Wonder's 1973 album Innervisions. The album's title track was released as a single and topped the Billboard Hot 100. It won the 1974 Grammy Award for Record of the Year.
Infobox
Released
August 1, 1973
Studio
Regent Sound, New York City Atlantic, New York City
Genre
Soul blues R&B
Length
40:57
Label
Atlantic
Producer
Joel Dorn
Tables
Professional ratings · Critical reception
Source
Source
Review scores
Source
Review scores
Rating
AllMusic
AllMusic
Review scores
AllMusic
Review scores
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
Weekly chart performance for Killing Me Softly · Charts
UK Albums (OCC)
UK Albums (OCC)
Chart (1973)
UK Albums (OCC)
Peakposition
40
US Billboard 200
US Billboard 200
Chart (1973)
US Billboard 200
Peakposition
3
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)
Chart (1973)
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)
Peakposition
2
| Chart (1973) | Peakposition |
| UK Albums (OCC) | 40 |
| US Billboard 200 | 3 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) | 2 |
Certifications for "Killing Me Softly" · Certifications
Canada (Music Canada)
Canada (Music Canada)
Region
Canada (Music Canada)
Certification
Gold
Certified units/sales
50,000^
United States (RIAA)
United States (RIAA)
Region
United States (RIAA)
Certification
2× Platinum
Certified units/sales
2,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Region
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| Canada (Music Canada) | Gold | 50,000^ |
| United States (RIAA) | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
| ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- Billboardhttps://books.google.com/books?id=KAkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA52
- AllMusichttps://www.allmusic.com/album/killing-me-softly-mw0000425133
- If necessary, clickhttps://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=&artist=Roberta%20Flack&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2012&sort=Artist&perPage=25#
- The New York Timeshttps://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60F15F73B59137A93C0AB1783D85F478785F9
- Discogshttps://www.discogs.com/release/393582-Roberta-Flack-Killing-Me-Softly
- "Killing Me Softly - Roberta Flack : Awards"http://www.allmusic.com/album/killing-me-softly-mw0000650146/awards
- Record Worldhttps://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/70s/73/RW-1973-09-15.pdf
- Billboardhttps://www.billboard.com/artist/roberta-flack/chart-history/hsi/
- AllMusichttp://www.allmusic.com/album/killing-me-softly-mw0000650146
- Chicago Tribunehttps://archive.today/20130630050535/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/605677622.html?dids=605677622:605677622&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Sep+16,+1973&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Sound&pqatl=google
- Creemhttp://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/crm7312.php
- The Rolling Stone Album Guide
- "Killing Me Softly - Roberta Flack : Credits"http://www.allmusic.com/album/killing-me-softly-mw0000650146/credits
- "Roberta Flack | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved December 3, 2024.https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/Roberta%20Flack/
- "Roberta Flack Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2024.https://www.billboard.com/artist/Roberta-Flack/chart-history/TLP
- "Roberta Flack Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2024.https://www.billboard.com/artist/Roberta-Flack/chart-history/BLP
- "Canadian album certifications – Roberta Flack – Killing Me Softly"https://musiccanada.com/gold-platinum/?_gp_search=Killing+Me+Softly%20Roberta+Flack
- "American album certifications – Roberta Flack – Killing Me Softly"https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Roberta+Flack&ti=Killing+Me+Softly&format=Album&type=#search_section