Robbie Williams has surprisingly released his new album "Britpop" overnight. Originally scheduled for February 6, it was delayed due to concerns over Taylor Swift's album and now brought forward. This could see him break the Beatles' record for the most number-one albums in the UK.
Robbie Williams, the former Take That singer, launched his 13th solo album "Britpop" at midnight on January 6, 2025, without much prior announcement. The release was so sudden that search engines and Wikipedia pages initially knew nothing about it. It is his first full studio album since 2016, excluding soundtracks and Christmas albums like "The Christmas Present" from 2019.
The title "Britpop" refers to the influential guitar sound of 1990s Britain, shaped by bands like Blur, Oasis, Suede, and Pulp, with roots in the Beatles from 1962 onward. Williams, who started solo with "Life Through a Lens" in 1997, was then seen as an outsider to the genre. "I wanted to write and release the album I wanted to make after leaving Take That in 1995," he explained on social media.
The album starts powerfully: The opener "Rocket" features a guest appearance by Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi and rocks with heavy guitars. "Spies" recalls Oasis hits, "Pretty Face" mixes glam rock and disco, while "Bite Your Tongue" and "Cocky" are punky and driving. The ballad "All My Life" evokes classics like "Come Und Done" or Oasis' "Don’t Look Back in Anger".
Originally set for October 10, 2025, Williams postponed the album to February 6 to avoid the shadow of Taylor Swift's "The Life of A Showgirl" from October 3. It now arrives three weeks early. The second half, with tracks like "Morrissey," "Human," and "It’s Only Good Until The Drugs Stop Working," dips somewhat and feels mainstream-nostalgic. Williams shares the record of 15 number-one albums in the UK charts with the Beatles – "Britpop" could break it.
Released on Columbia Records, the album is hailed as a homage to the "golden era of British music," but falls short of Williams' early successes with producer Guy Chambers.
