Album Review: Halcyon Days (Ellie Goulding)

 

   Halcyon Days, the re-issue to English singer Ellie Goulding's second album, Halcyon (2012), was released on 23 August 2013 by Polydor Records. An electropop record majorly with production handled quite a number including Ryan Tedder, Calvin Harris, Greg Kurstin, DJ Fresh, and Fraser T Smith, among others. 

   The first single off the album, "Burn" was released 5 July 2013, debuting atop the UK Official Singles chart, earning the singer her first number-one entry on the chart, retaining the spot for three weeks until it was replaced by Katy Perry's "Roar". In the US, the song peaked at No.13 on the Billboard Hot 100 while topping the Billboard's Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart. Elsewhere the track peaked at #6 in Australia, #2 in Ireland, #1 in Italy, #2 in Norway, #1 in Scotland, #4 in South Africa, #3 in Sweden and #5 in Switzerland, among other chart. It was ranked at N0.15 on the 2013 UK year-end singles list and No.39 on the 2014 year-end chart list in the US. 

   "How Long Will I Love You" (a cover song originally done by the folk band the Waterboys released in 1990) was released as the second single and the official song for the BBC's 2013 Children in Need appeal, out on 10 November 2013, a commercial success reaching the third position on the UK Singles Chart, N0.2 in Scotland and No.3 in Ireland. It was ranked at No.48 on the 2013 year-end chart in the UK and at #47 the year after that. 

   The final single "Goodness Gracious" was released 21 February 2014, peaking at No.16 in the UK, while reaching #10 in Ireland, and #13 in Scotland. 

   The original release eventually rose to No.1 on the UK Albums Chart  while having debuted at No.9 on the US Billboard 200 list. The album was a success as well on the Irish and Scottish charts, where it topped successfully. 

Credit: Wikipedia