| The Afterlove | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 24 March 2017 | |||
| Recorded | September 2016 – January 2017 | |||
| Genre | Pop, Dance | |||
| Length | 36:31 | |||
| Label | Atlantic UK | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| James Blunt chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from The Afterlove | ||||
| ||||
The Afterlove is the fifth studio album by English singer James Blunt, released on 24 March 2017 through Atlantic Records. [1] [2] To promote the album, Blunt embarked on The Afterlove World Tour in August 2017.
On 23 January 2017, Blunt posted a video clip on his Twitter to announce The Afterlove, with the caption "Check out my 12 inch..." In the clip, Blunt appeared naked from the waist up in his bathtub, promising to show fans "something huge", with the camera then panning down to him holding a 12-inch copy of the album. [3] Blunt recorded the album between 2015 and 2016 before it was finished in early 2017. [4]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 54/100 [5] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
| Financial Times | [7] |
| The Guardian | [8] |
| The Irish Times | [9] |
| London Evening Standard | [10] |
| The Times | [11] |
At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, The Afterlove received an average score of 54 based on 4 reviews. [5] Neil Z. Yeung from AllMusic gave the album a positive four-star review, writing: "The Afterlove is a brave bid for contemporary relevance in 2017, a wonderful step outside his [Blunt's] comfort zone that is more memorable and exciting than much of his output this decade." [6] Ludovic Hunter-Tilney from the Financial Times gave a positive three-star review and called the songs "carefully structured", with "appealing melodies, on-trend chart pop production and A-list collaborators (including Sheeran) [that] attest to Blunt's musical staying power." [7]
Richard Godwin of the London Evening Standard gave a mixed two-star review, summarising that "[t]he self-deprecating singer songwriter has not lost his way with sentiment" and that the album "finds the former soldier renovating his balladry by means of an R'n'B filter and a few tricks learned from his label-mate: judicious use of auto-tune, choppy guitar grooves and disarming honesty." Godwin also called "Bartender" "catchier than the common cold." [10] Rachel Aroesti of The Guardian gave a negative two-star review, calling the album "[s]lightly desperate and actively risible." Although labelling the lyrics "inoffensive", Aroesti went on to write: "with Blunt having adopted a watered-down version of Justin Bieber's asinine tropical house it smacks of a desire to edge on to Radio 1 playlists and into student nights incognito, but only serves to highlight how irritating the sound has become." [8]
The first single from the album, "Love Me Better", debuted at number 93 on the UK Singles Chart. [12] The second single, "Bartender", was released on 10 March 2017 along with an accompanying music video. [13]
"Time of Our Lives" was released on 14 February 2017 as a promotional single for Valentine's Day. [14] This was followed by the release of "Make Me Better" on 2 March 2017. [15]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Love Me Better" |
|
| 3:38 |
| 2. | "Bartender" | Blunt, Teddy Geiger, Steph Jones, Daniel Parker | Teddy Geiger, Daniel Parker | 3:13 |
| 3. | "Lose My Number" | Blunt, Tedder, Skelton | Tedder, Skelton | 3:28 |
| 4. | "Don't Give Me Those Eyes" | Blunt, Maureen McDonald, Stephan Moccio | Stephan Moccio | 3:44 |
| 5. | "Someone Singing Along" | Blunt, Steve Robson, Emily Warren | Steve Robson | 3:33 |
| 6. | "California" | Blunt, McDonald, Moccio | Moccio, Jay Paul Bicknell (additional prod.) | 3:20 |
| 7. | "Make Me Better" | Blunt, Johnny McDaid, Ed Sheeran | Sheeran | 3:52 |
| 8. | "Time of Our Lives" | Blunt, Sheeran, Tedder | Andrew DeRoberts, Tedder | 4:30 |
| 9. | "Heartbeat" | Blunt, Robson, Dewain Whitmore | Robson | 3:21 |
| 10. | "Paradise" | Blunt, Amy Wadge | Martin Terefe | 3:32 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11. | "Courtney's Song" | Blunt, McDaid | Terefe | 4:26 |
| 12. | "2005" | Blunt, Steve Mac, Wadge | Terefe | 4:05 |
| 13. | "Over" | Blunt, Parker, John Geiger II | Geiger, Parker | 4:14 |
| 14. | "Love Me Better" (music video) (iTunes version only) | 3:40 | ||
| 15. | "OK" (Robin Schulz featuring James Blunt) | Blunt, Robin Schulz, Mac, MoZella | Schulz | 3:09 |
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
|
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI) [38] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Back to Bedlam is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter James Blunt, released on 11 October 2004 by Custard and Atlantic Records. It is named after the famous psychiatric institution of Bethlem Royal Hospital in London, which is commonly known as "Bedlam".
The discography of James Blunt, a British pop rock singer, contains seven studio albums, two live albums, one compilation album, eleven extended plays and thirty-four singles.
All the Lost Souls is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter James Blunt, released on 17 September 2007. It is the follow-up to his 2004 debut album, Back to Bedlam. The first single released from the album was "1973", which started radio play on 23 July 2007.
Valleys of Neptune is a posthumous compilation album by the American rock musician Jimi Hendrix. Released in the United States on March 9, 2010, the album was promoted as having "12 previously unreleased studio recordings", including the title track, "one of the most sought after of all of Hendrix's commercially unavailable recordings".
+ ("Plus") is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was released on 9 September 2011 by Asylum Records and Atlantic Records. The album is considered Sheeran's commercial breakthrough. He previously released five EPs independently. Jake Gosling and Sheeran produced the majority of the album, with additional production by American hip hop producer No I.D.
Sun Structures is the debut studio album by English rock band Temples, released on 5 February 2014 by Heavenly Recordings. The building shown on the album cover is the Rushton Triangular Lodge near Rushton, Northamptonshire. The song "Keep in the Dark" is played over the closing credits to the 2015 thriller film The Gift.
Tremors is the debut studio album by English musician Sohn, released on 7 April 2014 by 4AD. In 2014 it was awarded a silver certification from the Independent Music Companies Association, which indicated sales of at least 20,000 copies throughout Europe.
Adore Life is the second studio album by the English post-punk band Savages, released on 22 January 2016. The album was also nominated for the 2016 Mercury Prize, the band's second consecutive nomination after Silence Yourself was nominated for the prize in 2013.
This Unruly Mess I've Made is the second and final studio album by American hip hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. It was released on February 26, 2016, by Macklemore LLC and Alternative Distribution Alliance. Following the success of the duo's hit album The Heist (2012), which earned them their first Grammy wins, the duo delved into lyrical themes that tackle political and social issues, including white privilege, fame and the scrutiny of the media and tabloids. The album was supported by two singles: "Downtown" and "Dance Off", along with "White Privilege II" featuring Jamila Woods, which was released as the album's promotional single.
I Still Do is the twentieth solo studio album by English musician Eric Clapton. It was released in 2016 through the independent Bushbranch Records/Surfdog Records label. The album is a combination of new material written by Clapton and classic songs, contemporary tunes, and influences interpreted in his own style.
÷ ("Divide") is the third studio album by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was released on 3 March 2017 through Asylum Records and Atlantic Records. "Castle on the Hill" and "Shape of You" were released as the album's lead singles on 6 January 2017. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. As of March 2024, the deluxe version of the album is the most streamed album of all time on Spotify.
Beauty and the Beast is the soundtrack album to the 2017 film Beauty and the Beast. The album, largely based on material from Disney's 1991 animated version, features songs and instrumental score composed by Alan Menken with lyrics by Howard Ashman and three new songs composed by Menken with lyrics by Tim Rice. The soundtrack album was released by Walt Disney Records on March 10, 2017.
So Good is the second studio album by Swedish singer Zara Larsson. It was released on 17 March 2017 by TEN Music Group and Epic Records. It was Larsson's first album in nearly three years, following her debut album 1 (2014), and her first album to be released internationally. Recording sessions with a handful of producers for the album began in 2015 and concluded in early 2017. The album includes guest appearances by the rapper Ty Dolla $ign and the singers MNEK and Wizkid.
For Crying Out Loud is the sixth studio album by English rock band Kasabian. It was released worldwide on 5 May 2017. It is their last album to feature lead vocalist Tom Meighan before his departure from the band in 2020.
Will Hicks is a British record producer, songwriter and musician most noted for his work with Jamie Lawson and Ed Sheeran.
Cause and Effect is the fifth studio album by English alternative rock band Keane, released on 20 September 2019 through Island Records. It is their first full-length album since Strangeland (2012) and hiatus from early 2014 to late 2018. Cause and Effect peaked at No.2 on the UK Albums Chart.
Heavy Is the Head is the second studio album by British rapper Stormzy. It was released on 13 December 2019 through #Merky Records and Atlantic Records UK. The album features collaborations with Aitch, Burna Boy, Ed Sheeran, Headie One, H.E.R., and Yebba.
Big Conspiracy is the second studio album by British rapper J Hus. It was released on 24 January 2020 by Black Butter Records/Sony Music UK for streaming and digital download. The album features production from frequent collaborator Jae5, alongside IO, TSB and Nana Rogues, plus guest appearances from Iceè TGM, Koffee, Burna Boy and Ella Mai. It follows the 2017 debut album, Common Sense, and the 2018 EP Big Spang.
Seventeen Going Under is the second studio album by English musician Sam Fender. The album was released on 8 October 2021 through Polydor Records. The album explores Fender's upbringing and how it has impacted who he is today, exploring both his outward nihilism as well as his internal self-examination. Three singles were released ahead of the album: the title track, "Get You Down" and "Spit of You".
Autumn Variations is the seventh studio album by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was released on 29 September 2023 through his record label, Gingerbread Man Records. All tracks on the album were solely produced by Aaron Dessner, except the track "Spring", which was produced by Dessner together with his twin brother Bryce. The album also serves as Sheeran's second project of 2023, following the May release of his previous album -, and is the first studio album for which he owns the copyright.
