Following his recent return with new tracks ‘Blindside’ & ‘A Year Ago’, James Arthur today announces his fifth, brand new studio album Bitter Sweet Love – out January 26th, 2024 on Columbia Records.
As well as featuring the two recently released singles, Bitter Sweet Love is James back to his very best, producing thirteen bites of world-class music. After being on stage, it struck him how his fifth album should sound. A sold-out crowd was singing along to his hits, immersed in the emotion that James could hear in his own voice.
Within days of the tour ending in the States, James began sessions with different producers to see who could click with his vision. His final stop was in L.A. with Steve Solomon, with whom he co-wrote his 2016 megahit ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’.
Back in Britain, James attempted to write with more producers, but none came close to his bond with Steve, who flew over to finish the album at Miloco Studios in South London last summer, and produce a mature body of work, full of depth and oozing the impeccable songwriting quality that has defined James’s esteemed career to date.
The Middlesbrough-born, recent Brit Billion-certified artist has scored 4 top 10 albums, with 2016’s Back From The Edge hitting the Number 1 spot and over his career has collaborated with the likes of Anne-Marie, Sigala, Rudimental, Marshmello & many more.
James is one of the world’s biggest streaming artists, with over 38 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone. ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’ became his breakthrough hit in the US. It was officially the UK’s most streamed song in 2016 and has gone on to be enjoyed via 4 billion streams while the song’s official video has achieved 1.5 billion views on YouTube. Earlier this year, the track became his first RIAA Diamond Single with 10 million certified units – making James one of just 100 recipients of an RIAA Diamond Single certification in the programme’s history.
Other huge hit singles include: ‘Impossible’, ‘Can I Be Him’, ‘Sun Comes Up’, ‘Naked’, ‘Empty Space’, ‘Rewrite The Stars’, ‘Falling Like the Stars’, ‘Train Wreck’ and ‘Lasting Lover’, which are all certified platinum records. The song Cars Outside is currently becoming another global hit for James.
Back from the Edge was released on October 28, 2016 and entered the UK Albums Chart at #1. James’ last album, 2021’s It’ll All Make Sense In The End, was a lockdown project recorded at home that leant heavily on programmed beats.
“The more albums you make and the more success you have, the more the pressure tends to be upon you. But I genuinely felt like a kid again, just making music I loved, not worried about trying to please everyone.”