Communion (Years & Years album)

Communion is the debut studio album by English synth-pop trio Years & Years. It was released on 10 July 2015 through Polydor Records for the United Kingdom and other countries and Interscope Records for the United States only.

Communion
Studio album by Years & Years
Released	10 July 2015
Recorded	2014–15
Length	48:26
Label	Polydor Interscope
Producer	Years & Years Andy Smith Mark Ralph Two Inch Punch TMS Mike Spencer
Years & Years chronology
Y & Y EP (2015) Communion (2015) Palo Santo (2018)
Singles from Communion
"Real" Released: 17 February 2014 "Take Shelter" Released: 18 August 2014 "Desire" Released: 23 November 2014 "King" Released: 27 February 2015 "Worship" Released: 18 March 2015 "Shine" Released: 5 July 2015 "Eyes Shut" Released: 13 November 2015

Background

In 2014, the group signed to Polydor Records. In January 2015, Years & Years won the prestigious BBC Sound of 2015.[1] The trio were also nominated for the Critics Choice Award for the 2015 Brit Awards.[2]

The album's title and release date was announced on 18 March 2015, when it was made available to pre-order on iTunes.[3]

Singles

"Real" was released as the album's first single on 17 February 2014. Alexander said that some of the lyrics in "Real" were inspired by experiences he had with a former boyfriend: "When I met him, I was really wasted and I fell off a bin and had to go A&E because I sprained my wrist, so I put in the line, 'Broke my bones playing games with you'. And then I got this rash... That's where the line, 'I itch all night, I itch for you' comes from."[4]

"Take Shelter" was released as the album's second single on 18 August 2014 and peaked at number 140 on the UK Singles Chart.

"Desire" was released on 23 November 2014 as the album's third single and peaked at number 22 on the UK Singles Chart.[5]

"King" was released as the album's fourth single on 27 February 2015. The song debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart,[5] with a combined sales-streaming figure of 101,000 copies, and reached number three on the Irish Singles Chart. Alexander has stated many times that the hit song has a much darker meaning [6] “I was going out with a guy that was kind of a douche bag, but I still really liked him,” explains Olly. “I know lots of people can related to this. It’s a song about how it feels good to be treated badly by someone.”

"Shine" was released as the album's fifth single on 5 July 2015 and debuted at number two on the UK Singles Chart.

"Eyes Shut" was released as the album's sixth single on 13 November 2015. A slower song Alexander has stated that he wrote the song when he was going through a period of depression Alexander has frequently spoken about his Mental Health, particularly that he struggles with depression, anxiety and when he was younger an eating disorder and self harm. He's confirmed he sees a private therapist and takes medication [7]

A new version of "Desire" featuring Tove Lo was released on 4 March 2016.

Critical reception

The album has received positive reviews. Communion received a score of 68 on Metacritic based on 18 professional reviews.[8] In an enthusiastic review, AllMusic rated the album 4 out of 5 stars, highlighting the group's ability to skillfully bridge the "ambient '80s style synth-pop of M83 with the funky dancefloor grooves of Justin Timberlake" and transform their influences into something new.[9] In another 4 out of 5 review, DIY praised singer Olly Alexander for managing to avoid cliché while tackling well-tread subjects such as heartbreak and loneliness, and remarks that the group adds a human touch to powerful pop anthems.[10] Pitchfork, which rated the album a 7.4 out of 10, addressed potential critiques by remarking that while much of the album may seem familiar, Years & Years distills rather than dilutes the formula of "reimagined '80s and '90s club pop".[11]

Multiple reviews, however, commented on the derivativeness of the songs with The Independent calling the album a "slick amalgamation of 2014's sounds".[12] Alex Petridis of The Guardian wrote that the group doesn't "seem to have an original idea in their collective heads", but still acknowledged that the album's "watertight" pop songwriting made it enjoyable.[13] Jon Caramanca of The New York Times made a similar critique of the album, to which he referred as "diet-club music", but again praised the songwriting as excellent and effective.[14] In an overall positive review, Billboard noted that the group has a "skill set, not a sound", particularly pointing out the album's strong melodies, emotional honesty and broad tastes.[15] In mixed reviews, NME rated the album 4 out of 10 lamenting that the album had little to say and took no risks,[16] while Drowned in Sound gave the album a 5 out of 10, writing that while many elements of the album were pleasant, overall it did not command listeners' attention.[17]

Commercial performance

Communion debuted at number one in the United Kingdom, outselling the rest of the top five combined in its first week of release.[18] In the United States, the album debuted at number 47 selling 8,841 copies in its first week.[19]

Communion sold over one million copies worldwide and became the fastest-selling debut in 2015 from a UK-signed band.[20]

In the release of their second album Palo Santo, Communion re-entered the UK chart at 64 with sales over 1,212.

Track listing

Communion – Standard edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Foundation"	Olly Alexander Emre Turkmen Michael Goldsworthy	Mark Ralph Years & Years	2:58
2.	"Real"	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy	Years & Years Andy Smith Ralph	4:10
3.	"Shine"	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy Greg Kurstin	Years & Years Ralph	4:14
4.	"Take Shelter"	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy Andrew Smith Thomas Hull	Years & Years Smith Ralph	4:07
5.	"Worship"	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy Hull Thomas Barnes Benjamin Kohn Peter Kelleher	Ralph Years & Years TMS	3:40
6.	"Eyes Shut"	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy	Ralph Years & Years Two Inch Punch Mike Spencer^[a]	3:18
7.	"Ties"	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy Mark Ralph	Ralph Years & Years	3:46
8.	"King"	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy Ralph Smith	Ralph Years & Years Smith^[a]	3:35
9.	"Desire"	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy Hull	Ralph Two Inch Punch Years & Years^[a]	3:25
10.	"Gold"	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy Ralph	Ralph Years & Years	3:59
11.	"Without"	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy Ralph	Ralph Years & Years	3:30
12.	"Border"	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy	Ralph Years & Years	4:22
13.	"Memo"	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy	Years & Years Ralph	3:22

Communion – Deluxe edition (bonus tracks)[21]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
14.	"1977"	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy	Ralph Years & Years	3:00
15.	"Ready for You" (Acoustic)	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy	Ralph Years & Years	3:17
16.	"I Want to Love"	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy	Ralph Years & Years	2:21
17.	"King" (Acoustic)	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy Ralph Smith		4:03

Communion – Super deluxe edition (bonus tracks)[22]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
18.	"Breathe"	Andrea Martin Ivan Matias Richard Bembery Melvin Bradford Stefan Harris Alvin Joiner Marshall Mathers Charles Aznavour	3:53
19.	"Desire" (BBC Live Lounge Version)	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy Hull

Communion – Super deluxe edition (7" vinyl)[22]

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Eyes Shut" (Live in London)	Alexander Turkmen Goldsworthy	Ralph Spencer
2.	"Don't Save Me" (BBC Live Lounge Version)	Este Haim Danielle Haim Alana Haim

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies an additional producer

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (2015) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[23] 5 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[24] 24 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[25] 2 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[26] 13 Canadian Albums (Billboard)[27] 8 Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[28] 56 Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[29] 7 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[30] 5 Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[31] 20 French Albums (SNEP)[32] 39 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[33] 16 Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[34] 40 Irish Albums (IRMA)[35] 1 Italian Albums (FIMI)[36] 50 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[37] 11 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[38] 10 Polish Albums (ZPAV)[39] 4 Scottish Albums (OCC)[40] 1 South Korean Albums (Gaon)[41] 66 South Korean International Albums (Gaon)[42] 11 Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[43] 33 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[44] 6 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[45] 5 UK Albums (OCC)[46] 1 UK Dance Albums (OCC)[47] 1 US Billboard 200[48] 47 US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[49] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2015) Position Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[50] 56 Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[51] 100 UK Albums (OCC)[52] 20 US Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[53] 24 Chart (2016) Position Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[54] 78 UK Albums (OCC)[55] 34 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales Austria (IFPI Austria)[56] Gold 7,500^* Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[57] Gold 10,000 Mexico (AMPROFON)[58] Platinum 60,000 Poland (ZPAV)[59] 2× Platinum 40,000 Sweden (GLF)[60] Gold 20,000 United Kingdom (BPI)[61] Platinum 300,000^* ^*sales figures based on certification alone sales+streaming figures based on certification alone

Release history

Country	Date	Edition	Format(s)	Label
Various[62]	10 July 2015	Standard deluxe super deluxe	CD digital download LP	Polydor Interscope

References

1. Youngs, Ian (2015-01-09). "BBC News - Years & Years top BBC Sound Of 2015 list". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
2. Singh, Anita (2015-01-15). "Brit Awards nominations list 2015: year of the male". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
3. "OK you can now pre-order our debut album Communion out 22-06-15". Twitter.
4. "Years & Years: How They Became The Most Important Pop Band Of Our Time - NME". NME. 2016-04-07. Retrieved 2018-09-09.
5. "Years & Years - Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company.
6. "Years & Years Reveal The Dark Meaning Behind Their Single 'Kings'". Much.com. Retrieved 2018-09-09.
7. Dazed (2016-05-16). "Olly Alexander on mental health and the music industry". Dazed. Retrieved 2018-09-09.
8. "Critic Reviews for Communion - Metacritic". Metacritic.
9. Matt Collar. "Communion". AllMusic.
10. "Years & Years - Communion". DIY.
11. "Years & Years". Pitchfork.
12. Kevin Harley (3 July 2015). "Years & Years, Communion - album review: a slick amalgam of 2014's sounds that does nothing to excite". The Independent.
13. Alexis Petridis. "Years & Years: Communion review – utterly of the moment, for good and bad". The Guardian.
14. "Review: On 'Communion,' Years & Years Turns the Familiar Into Something of Its Own". The New York Times. 9 July 2015.
15. "Years & Years' Debut 'Communion' Is Filled With Confessional Synth-Pop: Album Review". Billboard.
16. "NME Reviews - Years & Years - 'Communion'". NME.
17. Krystina Nellis. "Album Review: Years & Years - Communion". DrownedInSound.
18. "Years & Years' debut at Number 1: "This is the best day of our lives"". The Official UK Charts Company. 17 July 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
19. Cantor, Brian (21 July 2015). "Years & Years' "Communion" Debuted With ~9K First Week US Sales". Headline Planet. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
20. "Y14th Jan: Years & Years lead nominations for Brit Awards 2016s".
21. "iTunes - Music - Communion (Deluxe) by Years & Years". iTunes Store (United Kingdom). 18 March 2015.
22. "Years and Years UK Official Store". Universal Music Store. Archived from the original on 2015-12-31. Retrieved 2015-07-17.
23. "Australiancharts.com – Years & Years – Communion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
24. "Austriancharts.at – Years & Years – Communion" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
25. "Ultratop.be – Years & Years – Communion" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
26. "Ultratop.be – Years & Years – Communion" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
27. "Years Years Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard.
28. "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 201532 on the field besides the word "Zobrazit", and then click over the word to retrieve the correct chart data.
29. "Danishcharts.dk – Years & Years – Communion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
30. "Dutchcharts.nl – Years & Years – Communion" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
31. "Years & Years: Communion" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
32. "Lescharts.com – Years & Years – Communion". Hung Medien.
33. "Offiziellecharts.de – Years & Years – Communion" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
34. "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2015. 28. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
35. "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 29, 2015". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
36. "Italiancharts.com – Years & Years – Communion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
37. "Charts.nz – Years & Years – Communion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
38. "Norwegiancharts.com – Years & Years – Communion". Hung Medien.
39. "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
40. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
41. "Album Chart – 2015.07.05~2015.07.11" (in Korean). GAON. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
42. "International Album Chart – 2015.07.05~2015.07.11" (in Korean). GAON. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
43. "Spanishcharts.com – Years & Years – Communion". Hung Medien.
44. "Swedishcharts.com – Years & Years – Communion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
45. "Swisscharts.com – Years & Years – Communion". Hung Medien. Retrieved 22 July 2015.
46. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
47. "Official Dance Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
48. "Years Years Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
49. "Years Years Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
50. "ultratop.be – Jaaroverzichten 2015" (in Dutch). ultratop.be. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 10 March 2016. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
51. "ALBUM TOP-100 2015". Hitlisten (in Danish). Archived from the original on 2 January 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
52. Copsey, Rob (5 January 2016). "The Official Top 40 Biggest Artist Albums of 2015 revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
53. "Dance/Electronic Albums – Year-end 2015". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
54. "Album Top-100 2016" (in Danish). Hitlisten.NU. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
55. White, Jack (30 December 2016). "The Official Top 40 Biggest Albums of 2016". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
56. "Austrian album certifications – Years & Years – Communion" (in German). IFPI Austria.
57. "Danish album certifications – Years & Years – Communion". IFPI Denmark.
58. "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Type Years & Years in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Communion in the box under TÍTULO
59. "Polish album certifications – Years & Years – Communion" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 March 2018.
60. "Guld/Platina certifiering".
61. "British album certifications – Years & Years – Communion". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Communion in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
62. References for various releases of Communion:
    • United Kingdom (CD): "Communion Deluxe CD Album". Universal Music Group. Archived from the original on 12 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
    • United Kingdom (LP): "Communion 12" Double Vinyl LP". Universal Music Group. Archived from the original on 12 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
    • United Kingdom (Super deluxe): "Communion Super Deluxe Boxset". Universal Music Group. Archived from the original on 12 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
    • Australia: "Communion (Deluxe) by Years & Years". iTunes Store (AU). Apple Inc. Archived from the original on 10 April 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
    • Canada: "Communion (Deluxe) by Years & Years". iTunes Store (CA). Apple Inc. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
    • France: "Communion (Deluxe) by Years & Years". iTunes Store (FR). Apple Inc. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
    • Germany: "Communion (Deluxe) by Years & Years". iTunes Store (DE). Apple Inc. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
    • Ireland: "Communion (Deluxe) by Years & Years". iTunes Store (IE). Apple Inc. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
    • Italy: "Communion (Deluxe) by Years & Years". iTunes Store (IT). Apple Inc. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
    • Japan: "Years & Years「Communion (Deluxe)」". iTunes Store (JP). Apple Inc. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
    • Spain: "Communion (Deluxe) by Years & Years". iTunes Store (ES). Apple Inc. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
    • United States: "Communion (Deluxe) by Years & Years". iTunes Store (US). Apple Inc. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 12 May 2015.