Faith in the Future (Louis Tomlinson album)
Faith in the Future is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Louis Tomlinson. It was released on 11 November 2022 independently through BMG.[1][2] Tomlinson announced the album's release date, track listing and album artwork on 31 August 2022.[3] The album was supported by three singles: "Bigger Than Me", "Out of My System" and "Silver Tongues". The album debuted at No. 1 in the UK making it his first in the country as a solo artist.[4]
| Faith in the Future | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 11 November 2022 | |||
| Recorded | 2020–2022 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 45:14 | |||
| Label | BMG | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Louis Tomlinson chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Faith in the Future | ||||
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To support Faith in the Future, Tomlinson embarked on the Faith in the Future World Tour, which commenced in May 2023.
Background
editFollowing the release of his debut album Walls, Tomlinson confirmed in July 2020 that he would be working on his second album.[5] Tomlinson confirmed that he had finished the album in August 2022.[6] Upon the album announcement, he wrote;
I'm so excited to finally tell you that my new album Faith In the Future is out 11th November. After living with this album for a while I can't wait for you all to hear it. Thank you for allowing me to make the music I want to make.[3]
Tomlinson also stated that he had enjoyed the recording process a lot more than working on Walls because, as he declared in his documentary All of Those Voices, he had the experience of playing two live shows from the tour Louis Tomlinson World Tour before the tour was delayed due to the COVID pandemic and that gave him the inspiration to found his new sound "something which honors the live show" [7] highlighting that "the thing I wanted to get out of this record, mostly, was to create a great live experience on the next tour" [8]
A deluxe CD zine edition of Faith in the Future includes two more songs, "Headline" and "Holding On to Heartache".[9]
Conception
editOn 29 September 2022, Tomlinson appeared on American DJ Zach Sang's YouTube podcast Zach Sang Show, where he talked about how Faith in the Future became the title of the album;
In lockdown, for whatever reason, that phrase found its way onto my lap and it spoke to me in a certain way. I wanted this album to feel more hopeful than my last record, and I think it does that from the off of that statement. About 9 months ago I put out on my social media that phrase with no context and I just felt there was this kind of magic around that phrase, so I kinda built the album around it.[10]
Inspired by making the album in the most autentic way Tomlinson decided to work with artists like Theo Hutchcraft, David Sneddon and Joe Cross from The Courteeners. They lock themselves in the countryside for the winter, as Tomlinson said "a writing camp",[11] and wrote "Silver Tongues", "Saturdays" and "She Is Beauty We Are World Class". Tomlinson believes that:
"Some professional songwriters - their intentions are quite obvious - it's their livelihood, so they're looking for singles, and unfortunately, when you look for singles - and there's that intention - in my opinion, it can affect the song and the reason that you're making the song."[12]
Singles
editTomlinson announced "Bigger Than Me" as the first single, which was released on 1 September 2022.[13][14] The second single, "Out of My System", was released 14 October 2022.[15] On 8 November 2022, Tomlinson announced via his social media that "Silver Tongues" will be released as the third single on the following day.[16]
Critical reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 68/100[17] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [18] |
| Clash | 5/10[19] |
| Dork | [20] |
| EUPHORIA |  [21] |
| NME | [22] |
| The Guardian | [23] |
At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from professional critics, the album has an average score of 68 out of 100, based on four reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[17]
In a mixed review, Clash writer Robin Murray stated that "Faith in the Future" can at times become stuck in formula, failing to rock the boat in the process," and added that "It's all perfectly pleasant, but you end up yearning to an injection of… well, anything, really."[19] Writing for Dork Jessica Goodman described the album as "eclectic, electric, and always energetic" while also stating that it's "a collection of songs purpose-made for pints-in-the-air, arms-around-shoulders, voices-to-the-rafters sing-alongs."[20] Rhian Daly of NME notes that the record "feels much more assured" and "is a solid step forward as the musician continues what he's acknowledged will be 'an ever-evolving process'."[22] The Guardian's Alim Kheraj lamented that "Tomlinson himself, is lost in a sea of influences", but pointed out that "apocalyptic rave synths and woozy reverb-heavy guitars at least gesture towards experimentation."[23]
Accolades
editAt the end of 2022, Faith in the Future appeared on critics' lists ranking the year's top albums.
| Publication | List | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Alternative Press | The 55 Best Albums of 2022[24] | 28
|
| The Georgetown Voice | Best Albums of 2022[25] | 6
|
Commercial performance
editFaith in the Future debuted atop in the UK with 35,239 units sold in its first week making Tomlinson the fourth member of One Direction to achieve a number one solo album. [26] Tomlinson spoke about earning his first number one in the UK calling it "an absolute honour."[4] In addition, the album also peaked at number one in Argentina, Belgium, and Spain.
In the US, the album debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 selling 43,000 album-equivalent units, including 37,500 in pure album sales. This marks Tomlinson's highest-charting effort and his best selling week to date.[27]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Greatest" |
| 3:01 | |
| 2. | "Written All Over Your Face" |
| Red Triangle | 2:40 |
| 3. | "Bigger Than Me" |
| Mike Crossey | 3:41 |
| 4. | "Lucky Again" |
| Crossey | 3:27 |
| 5. | "Face the Music" |
| Red Triangle | 2:48 |
| 6. | "Chicago" |
| Red Triangle | 3:52 |
| 7. | "Common People" |
|
| 2:58 |
| 8. | "Out of My System" |
| Rebscher | 2:17 |
| 9. | "Angels Fly" |
| Red Triangle | 3:37 |
| 10. | "Saturdays" |
| Cross | 4:24 |
| 11. | "Silver Tongues" |
| Cross | 3:25 |
| 12. | "She Is Beauty We Are World Class" |
| Cross | 3:39 |
| 13. | "All This Time" |
|
| 2:55 |
| 14. | "That's the Way Love Goes" |
| Red Triangle | 2:30 |
| Total length: | 45:14 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7. | "All This Time" |
|
| 2:55 |
| 8. | "Out of My System" |
| Rebscher | 2:17 |
| 9. | "Headline" |
| Red Triangle | 2:53 |
| 10. | "Saturdays" |
| Cross | 4:24 |
| 11. | "Silver Tongues" |
| Cross | 3:25 |
| 12. | "She Is Beauty We Are World Class" |
| Cross | 3:39 |
| 13. | "Common People" |
|
| 2:58 |
| 14. | "Angels Fly" |
| Red Triangle | 3:37 |
| 15. | "Holding On to Heartache" |
| 3:30 | |
| 16. | "That's the Way Love Goes" |
| Red Triangle | 2:30 |
| Total length: | 51:37 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15. | "Paradise" |
| 3:31 | |
| 16. | "Holding On to Heartache" |
| 3:30 | |
| 17. | "Copy of a Copy of a Copy" (live from Lima) | 4:15 | ||
| 18. | "That's the Way Love Goes" |
| Red Triangle | 2:30 |
| Total length: | 59:23 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17. | "Change" |
| Red Triangle | 4:43 |
| 18. | "High in California" |
|
| 3:04 |
| 19. | "Face the Music" (Acoustic demo) |
| Red Triangle | 2:38 |
| Total length: | 62:02 | |||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19. | "Back to You" (studio version) |
| Steve Durham | 2:45 |
| Total length: | 62:24 | |||
Notes
edit- ^[a] signifies an additional producer
Charts
edit
Weekly chartsedit
|
Year-end chartsedit
|
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Italy (FIMI)[67] | Gold | 25,000‡ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE)[68] | Gold | 20,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[69] | Silver | 60,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
Release history
edit| Region | Date | Version | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | 11 November 2022 |
|
BMG | [70][71][72][73] | |
| [28] | |||||
| 14 November 2022 | Digital deluxe | Digital download | [74] |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Carl Smith (31 August 2022). "Louis Tomlinson announces second album Faith in the Future: Tracklist, artwork, release date and more". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
- ^ "Louis Tomlinson on his solo career, album collaborators, One Direction and fair prices for fans". Music Week. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
- ^ a b Hannah Dailey (31 August 2022). "Louis Tomlinson Announces New Album 'Faith In the Future,' Reveals He's Been Living With It 'For a While'". Billboard. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
- ^ a b Carl Smith (18 November 2022). "Louis Tomlinson achieves first solo Number 1 album with Faith In The Future beating Bruce Springsteen". Official Charts. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- ^ Mitchell Peters (11 July 2022). "Louis Tomlinson and Syco Music Part Ways: 'I'm Really Excited for the Future'". Billboard. Retrieved 6 November 2022.
- ^ "Louis Tomlinson has finished his second album". 13 August 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
- ^ Dailey, Hannah (1 September 2022). "Louis Tomlinson Embraces Change on New Single 'Bigger Than Me'". Billboard.
- ^ Kaplan, Ilana (6 September 2022). "How Louis Tomlinson had to find his purpose again to make Faith In The Future". Alternative Press.
- ^ Althea Legaspi (31 August 2022). "Louis Tomlinson Details New Album 'Faith in the Future'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
- ^ Louis Tomlinson Talks Faith in the Future, Zayn Malik, His Son Freddie & He Calls Out Zach. Zach Sang Show. 29 September 2022 – via YouTube.
- ^ Smith, Carl (9 November 2022). "Louis Tomlinson's Silver Tongues: Exclusive first listen to latest Faith In The Future single". Official Charts.
- ^ "How Louis Tomlinson had to find his purpose again to make Faith In The Future". Alternative Press. 6 September 2022.
- ^ @Louis_Tomlinson (31 August 2022). "Bigger Than Me. Tomorrow. 2PM BST. This one is for all of you!" (Tweet). Retrieved 31 August 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ Rania Aniftos (31 August 2022). "Louis Tomlinson's New Single 'Bigger Than Me' Is Coming Very, Very Soon". Billboard. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ^ Starr Bowenbank (11 October 2022). "Louis Tomlinson Shares First Taste of New Single "Out of My Head"". Billboard. Retrieved 11 October 2022.
- ^ Holden, Finlay (8 November 2022). "Louis Tomlinson has announced that a new single, "Silver Tongues", will arrive tomorrow". Dork.
- ^ a b "Faith in the Future by Louis Tomlinson Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
- ^ Yeung, Neil Z. (12 December 2022). "Faith in the Future Review by Neil Z. Yeung". AllMusic.
- ^ a b Murray, Robin (10 November 2022). "Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future". Clash.
- ^ a b Goodman, Jessica (10 November 2022). "Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future". Dork.
- ^ Postema, Saskia (18 November 2022). "Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future". EUPHORIA.
- ^ a b Daly, Rhian (10 November 2022). "Louis Tomlinson – 'Faith in the Future' review: an assured step forward". NME.
- ^ a b Kheraj, Alim (11 November 2022). "Louis Tomlinson: Faith in the Future review – ex-One Direction star gets lost in a sea of influences". The Guardian.
- ^ "The 55 best albums of 2022". Alternative Press. 12 December 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
- ^ "Best (and worst) of 2022: Albums". The Georgetown Voice. 9 December 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
- ^ "Louis Tomlinson talks success as Faith In The Future hits No.1". Music Week. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (20 November 2022). "Taylor Swift's 'Midnights' Returns to No. 1 on Billboard 200 for Third Week". Billboard. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ^ a b Louis Tomlinson (8 November 2022). "Faith in the Future (Deluxe)". Apple Music (NZ). Archived from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
- ^ Louis Tomlinson (13 November 2022). "Faith in the Future (Target Exclusive, CD)". Target.
- ^ "【CD】フェイス・イン・ザ・フューチャー Album". Tower Records Japan. Japan. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
- ^ "Faith in the Future (Digital Deluxe Bonus Edition)". Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ "ALL OF THOSE VOICES DVD/CD".
- ^ "Los discos más vendidos". Diario de Cultura. Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers. Archived from the original on 28 November 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
- ^ "Louis Tomlinson Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
- ^ "Danishcharts.dk – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- ^ "Louis Tomlinson: Faith in the Future" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
- ^ "Lescharts.com – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
- ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2023. 1. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
- ^ "Official Irish Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
- ^ "Italiancharts.com – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "2022 46-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
- ^ "Charts.nz – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
- ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future". Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future". Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 November 2022.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
- ^ "Rankings (Noviembre 2022)" (in Spanish). Cámara Uruguaya del Disco. Archived from the original on 6 December 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ "Louis Tomlinson Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Louis Tomlinson – All of Those Voices" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Louis Tomlinson – All of Those Voices" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Louis Tomlinson – All of Those Voices" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "Album – Classifica settimanale WK 50 (dal 08.12.2023 al 14.12.2023)" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "Louis Tomlinson Chart History (Top Current Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2022" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ^ "Top 100 Albums Annual 2022". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
- ^ "Italian album certifications – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in The Future" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
- ^ "Spanish album certifications – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ "British album certifications – Louis Tomlinson – Faith in the Future". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
- ^ "Faith in the Future CD". LOUIS TOMLINSON.
- ^ "FAITH IN THE FUTURE DELUXE CD ZINE". LOUIS TOMLINSON.
- ^ "FAITH IN THE FUTURE DELUXE 2LP VINYL (SILVER, CLEAR AND WHITE MARBLE) (LIMITED EDITION)". LOUIS TOMLINSON.
- ^ "FAITH IN THE FUTURE NO. 3 CASSETTE (LIMITED EDITION)". LOUIS TOMLINSON.
- ^ "Faith In The Future (Digital Deluxe Bonus Edition)". LOUIS TOMLINSON.