YUNGBLUD "Idols" Album Review: An Unexpected Reinvention of His Sound

Meet the eccentric UK artist who's taking Gen Z by storm–Yungblud (real name Dominic Harrison) has been causing chaos on both sides of the Atlantic with his explosive blend of punk rock attitude and pop melodies that's got millions of young fans absolutely obsessed. The 27-year-old British musician just released his highly anticipated fourth studio album Idols, on June 20th with a part 2 to be announced.

Following his 2022 self-titled album that reached #1 on the UK Charts and #45 on the Billboard 200, if you've heard Yungblud before, Idols will certainly not be what you expect. Dom Harrison explores a new sound stating, "Idols is a love letter to life; in all it’s fucking madness".

Harrison also shared this about the creation of the album:

“After my last album came out, I remember sitting in a hotel room in New York and feeling like I was starting to repeat myself. I felt like I was falling into my own cliché. To be honest, I felt like I was becoming comfortable. And that’s a really beautiful thing in some ways, because it meant I had a style and a standpoint. But I always told myself that if people know where I’m going next, then that’s my idea of failure. Rebirth and reinvention are my favourite things about being an artist. Building a world and an adventure that didn’t exist yesterday is the coolest thing in the world to me."

Yungblud quickly sets apart Idols musically from his previous album with the first track Hello Heaven, Hello which has a runtime of 9 minutes and takes the form of an experimental rock ballad that shows off a variety of musical styles that are featured throughout the rest of the album. While it runs (a little) long, Hello Heaven, Hello sets up the the music to come and builds a cinematic experience for the listener. Yungblud does an excellent job of capturing a powerful atmosphere, while also building into some of the catchiest vocal hooks of the whole LP.

Yungblud showcases a soft and vulnerable side of his music with Idols, where his previous music put punk-rock at the forefront, this album places soft rock in the lead, drawing parallels to iconic artists like David Bowie and Queen.

For the angsty, punk fan, don't worry–tracks like Lovesick Lullaby bring a more punk-geared sound brimming with energy and strong UK influences. The early single release Zombie has already racked up 10 million+ streams and builds a melancholy sound that focuses on emotional, anthemic choruses.

Other songs that stood out to us are Ghosts, which is a 6-minute anthem with a groovy series of solos that fade out the track, and War, which features a chorus that is simply very catchy.

Overall, Idols is an impressive album from Yungblud that shows off his ability to reinvent and innovate his sound as an artist. Mixing ballad, rock, punk, and pop influences into one cohesive sound, Idols feels nostalgic and familiar yet still has a distinctly modern polish.

You can stream the new album out everywhere today.

Yungblud - "Idols" Tracklist:

1. Hello Heaven, Hello
2. Idols Pt. I
3. Lovesick Lullaby
4. Zombie
5. The Greatest Parade
6. Change
7. Monday Murder
8. Ghosts
9. Fire
10. War
11. Idols Pt. II
12. Supermoon

Thanks for reading!

• Read more of the latest rock/metal news here
• Subscribe to our Metal News Email list for weekly updates!
• Join our free 5-day music marketing email course!
• Support The Metalverse and go ad-free.
• Follow us on Social Media | Instagram | Facebook