A quick disclaimer: I had never listened to Yungblud until a week ago.
Then after some research, I found an artist with a propensity for over-the-top costumes with snarling vocal delivery, and a sheer spread of interesting influences. At first I thought maybe I’m just too old (51, and according to social media the majority of fans you’ll find at his raucous live shows are teenagers – which is awesome!) but to his credit he is a great personality on stage and a true musician, no question.
Having listened intently to his back catalogue with an open mind, I was surprised at his trajectory. Firstly, his vocals have significantly improved over time, and I like the tattoos and the jet black hair – you can’t argue that boy knows how to dress. With his strong South Yorkshire accent peeking pleasingly through the high notes on tracks, there’s an endearing vulnerability to be found in Yungblud. But who the hell is he?
Yungblud, the rockstar persona of 27-year-old Dominic Harrison, is a standout in the industry. Since his breakout in pink socks with 2018’s 21st Century Liability, he has been the name on a lot of lips; both in cheers and jeers it would seem. Unapologetically and unavoidably loud, the world has watched and listened as both himself and his music have matured. With this album it seems that Harrison has finally found the sound he wants his legacy to live in. The candle has always burnt twice as bright with this Yorkshire-born artist, and it seems many feared that the flame would only last half as long. However, as he embarks on the next step of his career, the heat gets even hotter and the flames grow stronger. Enter what is clearly his most ambitious effort yet, his new album IDOLS.
Beginning with opening track ‘Hello Heaven, Hello’, Yungblud isn’t easing anyone into this new phase of his career. It seems familiar to his previous work, yet so far detached. The song is practically an experiment from a pop punk intro that suddenly turns into a Queen-style opera/Oasis Britpop track the longer it goes on (and it does go on for a while …). It’s not just the crazy structure and ambition of the song, but it also takes itself seriously lyrically and isn’t just a blotted overstatement. Yungblud’s vocal performance is one of his best and the song ends on peaceful acoustics combined with a beautiful atmosphere full of reverb and lovely electric guitars in the background. This song is an insane choice in 2025 as the lead single, but it was a risk that was worth it in my book. If nothing else, the length gives you time to think and contemplate the statement.
In this new era, Yungblud is trying to be all about reinvention, renovation, and improvement. A major tell of this in IDOLS is that he is no longer shying away from focusing on rhythm over rowdiness, like he’s done on previous albums. The next single released was ‘Lovesick Lullaby’, which is more of a foray back into the pop rock that he’s usually known for. Therefore, this single is less ambitious and is more of a radio-rock single no question, but this time it’s the production of the song that is the standout. It still keeps some of those beautiful guitars, reverb, strings and vibes of the previous lead single, but I could also understand someone preferring this one if they just want a quick but fun breather.
The trend of controlled chaos continues with the track. It contains shredding guitars, spoken-word verses, and soft harmonies scattered within to soften the blows. It’s a song reminiscent of retro rock hits, the tunes that come and never go, and opens the view of Harrison’s musical influences. Taking more indie rock and Britpop elements, ‘Lovesick Lullaby’ shows that this is no longer that kid who is learning how hard life is. This is a boy becoming a man who has lived it, seen it, and heard it.
Then we get to the third and last single from the album, ‘Zombie’, and this one is another absolutely excellent cut from Yungblud. This song has more of a ballad structure to it, that actually reminds me of early-era Coldplay of all things. The song is absolutely carried by Yungblud’s vocal performance, especially in that gorgeous chorus, and the content/lyrics are probably the most biting and emotional he’s ever given so far. This song is definitely earning second place behind ‘Hello Heaven, Hello’ on here. And now that the rest of the album is here, it was extremely satisfying to find out that the lead singles of the album were no fluke at all, because IDOLS is now Yungblud’s absolute best album and it’s not even close for me.
Seriously, I was shocked at how much this album absolutely blew his previous work out of the water. IDOLS is a jarring contrast in the most positive ways possible. Harrison’s emotional range has grown deeper and more meaningful within the record also, with examples from hopeful and brightly composed songs such as ‘Ghosts’, to the dim and dark-thought-filled tunes such as ‘War’. Even the two-part self-titled tracks that start and end the album show a more complicated map of emotions to navigate. No matter what age someone is, how they have lived, where they have been, or what they have experienced; it can be hard to put into words the leftover thoughts and impacts, and yet Yungblud achieves this on IDOLS. He has tried to work these indescribable thoughts into his lyrics and as much as it resonates with himself, it will I’m sure resonate with hundreds, if not hundreds of thousands, of others around the world.
The song ‘Change’ comes in midway through the record and while still containing a jaw-dropping guitar solo, it is an eye-opener. A catchy rhythmic rock tune, it shows that screeching, screaming and atonal chanting is not always a necessity when it comes to a Yungblud song. It is a piece of art that speaks for itself. It does not need an energetic interpretation to get the message across. It just needs to be, and Yungblud is learning the art of what not to say.
While his 2022 self-titled album was an admirable attempt at going pop punk, this album is basically Yungblud aiming as high as possible for the sky and in his own words, “Completely going for it”. He is influenced by alternative rock, Britpop, and at points opera, but despite this it sonically feels like it’s waiting for its counterpart. I hope IDOLS part II has more sonic grit and just rips it up the middle. While all three of his prior albums do have some of their high points, this is the first album from Yungblud that is consistent all the way through. The best message in life, art and music is that it sometimes just needs to speak for itself at its own volume and at its own pace. Maybe this album is a slow burner in intensity … only time will tell?
View this post on Instagram
IDOLS is the new record that Yungblud needed to make to move forward. As it seems he has grown up in the spotlight, his fans and most dedicated listeners must have grown up alongside him. Thriving in his strong-willed attitude and learning positive life lessons and social beliefs from his own publicised experiences, it must have been like having a playground pal in Harrison (my playground pals via a Walkman were Axl, Slash, Izzy, Duff & Steven). Now he’s a long-time companion for many fans; an acquaintance at the pub; that one neighbour that everyone talks to on the morning commutes. Dominic Harrison may have grown up, but thankfully it seems the spirit of Yungblud will never get old. While the music press has been busy grieving the death of rock ‘n’ roll, a 27-year-old from Doncaster is trying to become his generation’s breakout guitar-wielding star, and good on him. If you chuck Robbie Williams, the Prodigy’s late frontman Keith Flint and Dennis the Menace into a blender and gave them all a whizz, you’d have Yungblud!
IDOLS is set to be a double album, with the second half arriving in October.
