Back from the Edge

For other uses, see Back from the Edge (disambiguation).

Back from the Edge
Studio album by
James Arthur
Released28 October 2016
Genre
Length47:44
LabelColumbia
James Arthur chronology
James Arthur
(2013) 		Back from the Edge
(2016) 		You
(2019)
Singles from Back from the Edge
  1. "Say You Won't Let Go"
    Released: 9 September 2016
  2. "Safe Inside"
    Released: 10 February 2017
  3. "Can I Be Him"
    Released: 15 April 2017

Back from the Edge is the second studio album by British singer and songwriter James Arthur. It was released on 28 October 2016 by Columbia Records. The album reached number one on the UK Albums Chart and was certified platinum—denoting 300,000 sales—the following year, in September 2017. It includes the multi-platinum number-one single "Say You Won't Let Go".

Background

Following his self-titled debut studio album being released on 1 November 2013, peaking to number 2 on the UK Albums Chart, on 5 April 2014, several media outlets began to report that Arthur had been dropped from Syco, following a dispute regarding a song entitled, "Follow the Leader".[1] He took to Twitter to deny the claims,[2] however on 11 June 2014, Arthur announced via Twitter that he and Syco had parted ways by mutual agreement. During the summer of 2014, Arthur stated that he was working on his second album and was close to signing a new record deal. On 6 September 2015, he announced that he had signed with Columbia Records and that a new album was on the way.[3]

Singles

On 9 September 2016, he released "Say You Won't Let Go" as the official lead single from the album. The single peaked at the top of the UK Singles Chart, a position it maintained for three weeks. Outside the United Kingdom, the single has topped the charts in Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Singapore, Indonesia and the Republic of Ireland.[4] The music video was released in the same month and was directed by Felix Urbauer.[5]

On 10 February 2017, "Safe Inside" was released as the album's second single.[6] The music video was released slightly before on 25 December 2016 and was directed by Frank Hoffman.[7] Arthur performed the song at the 2017 National Television Awards.

Four years later, the album track "Train Wreck" entered the top 20 on the UK Singles Chart after becoming popular in videos on the video app TikTok.[8][9]

Promotional singles

On 8 January 2016, Arthur released a new song called "The Truth" on iTunes in the United States.[10] Following the song's release, he took to Twitter and clarified that the song would feature on Family Therapy with Dr. Jenn,[11] and that it was not the lead single, only a promotional single.[12] On 21 October, a duet version of "Let Me Love the Lonely" was released as a promotional single only in Poland, featuring Polish singer Marina.[13] The song was certified double Platinum in the country.[14]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[15]
Auspop[16]
Blasting News[17]
Digital Spy[18]
The Up Coming[19]

Digital Spy gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, labeling it "the anti-X Factor album" and further stating that "This is the winner we all wanted".[18]

Commercial performance

Back from the Edge debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart, selling 40,906 copies during its first week of release.[20] The album was certified platinum in September 2017 by the British Phonographic Industry, denoting sales of 300,000 in the UK.[21]

Track listing

Back from the Edge – Standard edition[22]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Back from the Edge"
3:53
2."Say You Won't Let Go"
  • Beitzke
  • Spence
3:31
3."Prisoner"
  • Arthur
  • Quarmby
  • Rohan
  • Beitzke
  • Spence
3:58
4."Can I Be Him"
  • Arthur
  • George Tizzard
  • Rick Parkhouse
  • Negin Djafari
Red Triangle4:06
5."I Am"
  • Arthur
  • Adam Argyle
  • Andrew Jackson
Argyle3:11
6."Train Wreck"
  • Arthur
  • Argyle
  • Jackson
Argyle3:28
7."Safe Inside"
  • Arthur
  • Quarmby
  • Rohan
  • Beitzke
  • Spence
3:42
8."Sober"
  • Arthur
  • Pete "Boxsta" Martin
  • Steve McEwan
Martin3:06
9."Phoenix"
  • Arthur
  • Tizzard
  • Parkhouse
Red Triangle4:06
10."Let Me Love the Lonely"
  • Arthur
  • Argyle
  • Jackson
Argyle2:52
11."Sermon" (featuring Shotty Horroh)
  • Jeeve
  • Beitzke
  • Spence
4:32
12."Remember Who I Was"Arthur
  • Beitzke
  • Spence
2:58
13."Finally"Arthur
  • Beitzke
  • Spence
  • Argyle
4:21
Back from the Edge – Deluxe edition (bonus tracks)
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
14."The Truth"
  • Arthur
  • Tizzard
  • Parkhouse
Red Triangle4:20
15."Skeletons"
  • Arthur
  • Tizzard
  • Parkhouse
Red Triangle3:57
16."If Only"
  • Arthur
  • Martin
  • McEwan
Martin4:03
17."Coming Home for Summer"
  • Arthur
  • Quarmby
  • Rohan
  • Beitzke
  • Spence
3:49
Back from the Edge – Polish bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
14."Let Me Love the Lonely" (featuring MaRina)
  • Arthur
  • Argyle
  • Jackson
Argyle2:49
Back from the Edge – 5th Anniversary Vinyl release
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
14."Train Wreck (Acoustic)"
  • Arthur
  • Argyle
  • Jackson
Argyle 

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[57] 2× Platinum 80,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[58] 2× Platinum 160,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[59] 2× Platinum 40,000‡
France (SNEP)[60] Gold 50,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[61] Gold 25,000‡
Mexico (AMPROFON)[62] Gold 30,000‡
Singapore (RIAS)[63] Platinum 10,000*
Sweden (GLF)[64] Gold 20,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Platinum 300,000[21]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Release date Format Label
Various 28 October 2016[65]
Columbia
Various 26 November 2021[66] Vinyl Columbia

References

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  3. ^ Myers, Justin (7 September 2015). "James Arthur signs record deal, announces new music on the way". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  4. ^ Lady Gaga's Perfect Illusion set to be this week's highest new entry on the Official UK Singles Chart. Official Charts Company. Officialcharts.com/
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  11. ^ "Dina and Michael Lohan Come to Blows Over Lindsay Lohan in 'Family Therapy' Trailer". YouTube, Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
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  62. ^ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved 25 April 2022. Type James Arthur in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Back from the Edge in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
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