The release of Robbie Williams' 13th studio album, 'Britpop', has been anything but straightforward. Announced in May 2025 for an October launch to coincide with 90s nostalgia fuelled by the Oasis reunion, its arrival was delayed until mid-February 2026, only to suddenly appear in mid-January. Williams candidly admitted he wanted to avoid clashing with Taylor Swift, but the early drop likely aims to secure his record-breaking 14th UK Number One album, tying him with The Beatles.
A Peculiar Homage to a Turbulent Era
Framed as the album Williams wished to make after leaving Take That, 'Britpop' celebrates a "golden age for British music." This is curious, given the mid-90s were a period of personal struggle, addiction, and public ridicule for the singer. The album seems an act of revisiting, if not closure, for a sound he first awkwardly pursued on his 1997 solo debut 'Life Thru a Lens'—an album initially panned before the era-defining success of 'Angels'.
At a launch gig at Camden's Dingwalls, Williams performed the new album alongside 'Life Thru a Lens' in full, a bold move highlighting this circular journey. The new record opens with 'Rocket', featuring Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi, signalling Williams' confident return to the genre with the experience of 75 million record sales behind him.
Swagger, Sparkle and Surprising Swerves
When 'Britpop' sticks to its core concept, it succeeds brilliantly. Tracks like 'All My Life' and 'Spies' are infused with the swaggering, guitar-driven DNA of the era. 'Spies', in particular, casts a rueful eye over mid-90s hedonism with lyrics about staying up "thinking we were all spies." The melodies possess a sparkle that elevates them beyond mere pastiche.
However, the album quickly unravels into delightful unpredictability. 'Morrissey', co-written with Gary Barlow, is a jokey, faintly homoerotic synth-pop paean to the former Smiths frontman. 'It’s OK Until the Drugs Stop Working' channels late-60s British bubblegum pop. Most surprising is 'Human', a beautiful electronic ballad about AI featuring Mexican duo Jesse & Joy and Coldplay's Chris Martin. While potentially the album's best song, its connection to Britpop is tenuous at best.
A Winning, If Conceptually Unsound, Experiment
Ultimately, 'Britpop' is consistently engaging, even when its concept frays at the edges. It lacks a definitive, era-defining single like 'Angels' or 'Let Me Entertain You', which places it in an odd position. It may well be the album Robbie Williams wanted to make in 1996, but its eclectic charm is undoubtedly the product of the assured, hit-making superstar he became. As the review concludes, he must be incredibly glad he didn't make it back then.
The album's release caps a promotional campaign that included fake blue plaques around London and a press conference at the Groucho Club. While its chart fate remains to be seen, 'Britpop' stands as a wayward, winning, and wonderfully peculiar time-machine trip.
