Heart Theory Explained

Heart Theory
Artist:Lindsay Ell
Type:studio
Cover:Lindsay Ell - Heart Theory.png
Recorded:2019–2020
Label:Stoney Creek
Length:39:37
Producer:Dann Huff
Prev Title:The Continuum Project
Prev Year:2018

Heart Theory (stylized in all lowercase[1]) is the fifth studio album recorded by Canadian singer and songwriter Lindsay Ell. It was released August 14, 2020 through Stoney Creek Records. The album is Ell's first full-length body of original work since her label-supported debut The Project in 2017. Heart Theory is a loose concept album whose tracks explore the seven stages of grief.[2]

Content

The track listing for Heart Theory goes through the seven stages of grief in order, as follows: shock ("Hits Me"), denial ("How Good" and "I Don't Love You"), anger ("Want Me Back", "Get Over You", and "Wrong Girl"), bargaining ("Body Language of a Breakup"), depression ("Good on You"), testing ("The Other Side" and "Go To"), and acceptance ("Make You" and "Ready to Love").[2] The majority of the songs lyrically explore the impact of various forms of heartbreak on Ell's personal life.[3] "Make You" was the last song written for the album and references Ell's past experiences with sexual abuse; she established the "Make You Movement Fund" supporting at-risk youth, domestic abuse and sexual assault survivors in conjunction with the song's release on July 7, 2020.[4]

Singles

"I Don't Love You" was released for download and streaming on November 8, 2019. It was serviced to American country radio on December 9, 2019 as the album's lead single.[5] "I Don't Love You" became Ell's second career entry on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100, peaking at number 99, and became her fourth top-ten hit on the Canada Country airplay chart with a peak position of 6. Conversely, the song peaked at number 48 on the American Billboard Country Airplay chart, becoming her lowest-charting single in that country.

The album's second single, "Want Me Back", was released June 25, 2020 and impacted American country radio on July 13, 2020.[6] It was the most-added song at country radio in the United States during its official add week.[7] The song experienced high consumption among consumers during the release week for Heart Theory and resultantly debuted at number 35 on the Hot Country Songs chart.[8]

Critical reception

American Songwriter wrote that Heart Theory was a "career-altering, masterpiece of an album" that takes "rising artist" Ell "into legendary territory."[9] Mae Trumata of The Upcoming rated the album three stars out of five and wrote that the relatable nature of the songs was a "double-edged sword... that downplays Ell and her music's individuality."[10]

Commercial performance

In the United States, Heart Theory failed to enter the Billboard 200 but did debut at number 53 on the Top Album Sales component chart. The album also entered the Top Country Albums and Independent Albums charts at numbers 33 and 38, respectively.

Heart Theory was Ell's first release to chart in the United Kingdom. It did not enter the UK Albums Chart, but did enter the subsidiary UK Album Downloads Chart at number 39. Heart Theory also entered the UK Country Albums and UK Independent Albums charts at numbers 5 and 32, respectively.

Track listing

Notes

Personnel

Adapted from AllMusic.[12]

Charts

Chart performance for Heart Theory! Chart (2020)! Peak
position

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: heart theory - Album by Lindsay Ell . . 14 August 2020 . August 25, 2020.
  2. Freeman . Jon . Lindsay Ell Details New Album, 'Heart Theory' . August 25, 2020 . . June 25, 2020.
  3. News: Kruh . Nancy . Lindsay Ell Faces Down Her Fears in New Album: 'I Have Been the Most Vulnerable I've Ever Been' . August 25, 2020 . . August 14, 2020.
  4. News: Chiu . Melody . Lindsay Ell Reveals She Was Raped at 13 and 21 — Now She's Giving a 'Voice' to Fellow Survivors . August 25, 2020 . . July 7, 2020.
  5. Web site: Single Releases . . January 4, 2013 . August 25, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191228043959/https://musicrow.com/calendars-2/single-releases/ . December 28, 2019.
  6. Web site: Future Releases for Country Radio Stations . All Access . August 25, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200713161904/https://www.allaccess.com/country/future-releases . July 13, 2020.
  7. Web site: Lindsay Ell Is Most-Added With 'wAnt me back' . All Access . August 25, 2020 . July 14, 2020.
  8. Billboard Country Update . . August 25, 2020 . August 24, 2020 . July 6, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210706234403/https://bulletins.billboard.com/country/country_update_0824.pdf . dead .
  9. News: Lindsay Ell Lets Truth Lead the Way on Career-Altering Album 'heart theory' . August 25, 2020 . . August 3, 2020.
  10. News: Trumata . Mae . Lindsay Ell - Heart Theory Album review . August 25, 2020 . The Upcoming . August 12, 2020.
  11. Web site: Heart Theory - Lindsay Ell . . August 25, 2020.
  12. Web site: Credits. AllMusic. October 13, 2020.