Blossoms released their fifth studio album Gary on September 20 and successfully secured the number one spot on the UK Official Album Chart on its release weekend.
The indie-rock band from Stockport were up against some tough opposition to gain the number one spot, including many former number 1s – Sabrina Carpenter’s Short N’ Sweet and Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. Despite this, Gary pulled it out of the bag gifting Blossoms with the top spot, with 86% of the final total coming from the sale of physical copies.
A word from the big gorilla himself @BlossomsBand pull off their fourth Number 1 album with Gary!
Full story: https://t.co/uC0NLzDOgg pic.twitter.com/prki6suRPc
— Official Charts (@officialcharts) September 27, 2024
Gary also soared to number one on both of this week’s Official Vinyl Albums Chart and the Official Record Store Chart.
The album, which sees Blossoms channel their own form of The Beatles’ Help! album cover on Gary’s artwork, proves their ability to be sonically playful whilst still remaining consistent in their discography.
Blossoms are riding the wave of their success, having five stand-out albums (four of which being number one albums) and a recent sold-out show at Wythenshawe Park, their biggest show to date with 30,000 attendees, under their belt. Gary, the album named after a true story of an 8-foot fibreglass Gorilla being stolen from Reynard Garden in Carluke, Scotland last year, sees Blossoms occupy a sonic space which allows them to authentically discuss themes of fame and friendship.
In discussion with NME, Blossoms frontman Tom Ogden insisted Gary took a fresh spin on some Blossoms’ classics, stating “the last thing we want to do is mimic what we’ve done before”. The ‘Charlemagne’ singer continued: “It does feel like we’ve really stepped it up again… That’s important because I don’t want to drift off into the abyss like so many other bands do. This album is helping us to stand out from the crowd a little bit”.
As a band determined to remain relevant and improve their artistry, Blossoms’ Gary sharply reflects five good friends having fun and making music. Gary continues to be playful, like much of Blossoms’ discography, as Ogden suggested the creation of Gary felt like an “amalgamation of everything we’ve done previously”.
The continued success of Gary raises anticipation for Blossoms forthcoming UK tour, which features many sold out shows and five residency shows in Manchester this autumn and winter.
Gary Tracklist:
Big Star
What Can I Say After I’m Sorry?
Gary
I Like Your Look
Nightclub
Perfect Me
Mothers
Cinnamon
Slow Down
Why do I Give You The Worst Of Me?
