music.wikisort.org - Composition

Friends That Break Your Heart is the fifth studio album by English singer-songwriter and producer James Blake. It was released by Republic Records and Polydor Records on 8 October 2021, after initially being scheduled for release on 10 September 2021 before being postponed due to delays in physical production as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[1][2][3]

Friends That Break Your Heart
Studio album by James Blake
Released	8 October 2021 (2021-10-08)
Length	43:42
Label	Republic Polydor
Producer	James Blake Dominic Maker Jameela Jamil Take a Daytrip Joji Khushi Josh Stadlen Metro Boomin Frank Dukes Rick Nowels
James Blake chronology
Covers (2020) Friends That Break Your Heart (2021) Wind Down (2022)
Singles from Friends That Break Your Heart
"Say What You Will" Released: 22 July 2021 "Life Is Not the Same" Released: 20 August 2021 "Famous Last Words" Released: 13 September 2021 "Coming Back" Released: 8 October 2021

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.5/10[4]
Metacritic	79/100[5]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
Clash	8/10[7]
DIY	[8]
Exclaim!	7/10[9]
Financial Times	[10]
The Independent	[11]
NME	[12]
The Observer	[13]
Pitchfork	6.6/10[14]
Uncut	7/10[15]

Accolades

Critics' rankings for Friends That Break Your Heart

Publication	Accolade	Rank	Ref.
Complex	The Best Albums of 2021	33	[16]

Track listing

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies a co-producer
• ^{^[b]} signifies an additional producer
• "Life Is Not the Same" features background vocals by Joji
• "Coming Back" features additional vocals by Dominic Maker

Sample credits

• "Coming Back" contains samples of "Lake Shore Drive" by Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah.
• "Foot Forward" contains samples of "Frozen in the Night", written by Dan Hill and Barry Mann, as performed by Hill.

Personnel

Musicians

• Jameela Jamil – additional arrangement (tracks 1, 3), structure (tracks 5, 7)
• Joji – background vocals (track 2)
• Dominic Maker – additional vocals (tracks 3, 6, 7)
• Khushi – additional arrangement (tracks 3, 6), additional vocals (track 6)
• Hal Ritson – additional piano (track 3), guitar (track 3), bass (track 3)
• Richard Adlam – additional programming (track 3)
• Rob Bisel – engineering (SZA; track 3)
• Tom Elmhirst – programming (track 3)
• James Blake – vocals (track 6, 11), keyboard (track 6), programming (track 6), drum programming (track 6), Wurlitzer (track 11), synthesizer (track 11), synth bass (track 11)
• Rick Nowels – Rhodes (track 11), Mellotron (track 11), acoustic guitars (track 11)
• John Christopher Fee – keyboards (track 11)
• Nico Muhly – string arrangement (track 12)
• Nathan Schram – viola (track 12)

Technical

• James Blake – recording, mixing (tracks 1, 2, 4-7, 9, 10, 12)
• Take a Daytrip – mixing (track 2)
• Brad Bustamante – recording (track 3)
• Tom Elmhirst – mixing (tracks 3, 8); programming (track 8)
• Carl Bespolka – recording (track 6, 10)
• Khushi – recording (track 6)
• Tristan Hoogland – recording (track 7)
• Matt Scatchell – engineering for mix (track 8)
• John Christopher Fee – engineering (track 11)
• Dean Reid – mixing (track 11)
• Randy Merrill – mastering

Design

• Miles Johnston – artwork
• Bradley Pinkerton – graphic design
• Matt Burnette-Lemon – package production

Charts

Chart performance for Friends That Break Your Heart

Chart (2021)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[17]	61
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[18]	23
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[19]	11
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[20]	33
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[21]	66
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[22]	15
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[23]	29
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[24]	19
Irish Albums (IRMA)[25]	80
Japan Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[26]	90
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[27]	39
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[28]	32
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[29]	23
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[30]	10
Scottish Albums (OCC)[31]	4
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[32]	54
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[33]	14
UK Albums (OCC)[34]	4
US Billboard 200[35]	75
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[36]	7

Release history

Release history and formats for Friends That Break Your Heart

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label	Ref.
Various	8 October 2021	Digital download streaming CD cassette LP	Polydor	[37][38][39][40]

References

---