Harry's House
A synth-pop, new wave, pop rock and pop-funk album inspired by 1970s Japanese city pop, named after Haruomi Hosono's 'Hosono's House'.
Harry's House is the third studio album by the English singer and songwriter Harry Styles, released on 20 May 2022 by Erskine and Columbia Records. The album was largely written and recorded during 2020 and 2021 and has been noted as Styles' most introspective work. Inspired by 1970s Japanese city pop, Harry's House is a synth-pop, new wave, pop rock and pop-funk album. It debuted with the best first-week sales in Styles' career, hitting number one on the UK Albums Chart with 113,000 album-equivalent units and number one on the US Billboard 200 with 521,500 album-equivalent units, including 330,000 album sales. It also debuted at number one in Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Harry Styles
- Released
- 20 May 2022
- Recorded
- 2020–2021
- Studio
- Real World (Box)
- Shangri-La (Malibu)
- Angelic (London)
- Henson (Hollywood)
- Genre
- Synth-pop
- new wave
- pop rock
- pop-funk
- Length
- 41:48
- Label
- Erskine; Columbia
- Producer
- Kid Harpoon
- Tyler Johnson
- Samuel Witte
Lore & Background
The album title came from Haruomi Hosono's 1970s album 'Hosono's House', which Styles heard during a chunk of time in Japan. The central concept of 'house' is a metaphor for the inside of his mind rather than a geographical location. Styles explained: 'It was much more of an internal thing… imagine, it's a day in my house, what do I go through? A day in my mind, what do I go through?' He was also inspired by a road trip through Italy in his deceased stepfather's car, listening to old jazz CDs. The first song written for the album sessions was 'Late Night Talking', written the day Styles, the band and producers arrived at Shangri-La studios in Malibu. 'Music For A Sushi Restaurant' was written early and originally considered as the album title, after Styles remarked in a sushi restaurant that one of his songs was 'strange music for a sushi restaurant'. 'Boyfriends' was initially written during the final week of Fine Line recording, with Ben Harper playing guitar on the track. 'Little Freak' was written in 2019 during Styles' trip to Tokyo, produced and mixed in a different version for Fine Line but didn't feel right. 'Matilda' is titled after the lead character from Roald Dahl's book, inspired by a relationship Styles had with someone going through difficulty. 'Daylight' was written as an all-nighter project. 'Cinema' was started while Styles was on a treadmill. John Mayer plays lead guitar on 'Cinema' and 'Daydreaming'. 'Love of My Life' is Styles' way of showing love to England and home, written at Sony Music Entertainment CEO Rob Stringer's house.
Reader's Guide
Harry's House was met with critical acclaim. At Metacritic, it received an average score of 83 based on 26 reviews, indicating 'universal acclaim'—Styles' highest rated album. Veteran critic Robert Christgau applauded the album's musical fluidity. The album won Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical at the 65th Grammy Awards. Rolling Stone included it in their 2023 revision of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Musically, the album takes influence from Japan's 1970s-80s city pop genre and primarily features synth-pop, new wave, pop rock and pop-funk styles, with elements of R&B. Key collaborators include producers Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson, with John Mayer on lead guitar for 'Cinema' and 'Daydreaming', and Ben Harper on guitar for 'Boyfriends'. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart with 113,000 album-equivalent units, becoming the fastest-selling and best-selling album of 2022 in the country. It also debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 521,500 album-equivalent units, including 330,000 album sales.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Music for a Sushi Restaurant | Harry Styles, Thomas Hull, Tyler Johnson, Mitch Rowland | 3:14 |
| 2 | Late Night Talking | Styles, Hull | 2:58 |
| 3 | Grapejuice | Styles, Hull, Johnson | 3:12 |
| 4 | As It Was | Styles, Hull, Johnson | 2:47 |
| 5 | Daylight | Styles, Hull, Johnson | 2:45 |
| 6 | Little Freak | Styles, Hull | 3:23 |
| 7 | Matilda | Styles, Hull, Johnson, Amy Allen | 4:05 |
| 8 | Cinema | Styles, Samuel Witte | 4:03 |
| 9 | Daydreaming | Styles, Hull, Johnson | 3:07 |
| 10 | Keep Driving | Styles, Hull, Johnson, Rowland | 2:19 |
| 11 | Satellite | Styles, Hull, Johnson | 3:37 |
| 12 | Boyfriends | Styles, Hull, Johnson, Tobias Jesso Jr. | 3:12 |
| 13 | Love of My Life | Styles, Hull, Johnson | 3:11 |
| Total length | 41:48 | ||
Did You Know?
- The album's closing track 'Love of My Life' was played backwards in the announcement trailer.
- Styles is the first British solo artist to have four songs concurrently in the top 10 of the US Billboard Hot 100.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Harry's House released?
This third solo studio album by British singer-songwriter Harry Styles arrived in May 2022. It marks a pivotal moment in his evolution from pop icon to introspective artist.
Which singles were highlighted from this record?
Key releases include As It Was, Music for a Sushi Restaurant, and Late Night Talking. These tracks showcase the matured songwriting voice that defines the album's sound.
Who produced the music on Harry's House?
Kid Harpoon, Tyler Johnson, and Sammy Witte collaborated to create the project under Columbia Records. Their work blends pop sensibilities with indie rock and soft R&B textures.
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