Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent explained

Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent
Type:studio
Artist:Lewis Capaldi
Cover:Lewis Capaldi - Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent.png
Alt:Capaldi sitting with his arms around his legs in a room with red lighting before a red and black background
Recorded:2016–2019
Genre:
  • Alt-pop
Length:42:17 (original)
53:14 (extended version)
Label:
Producer:
Prev Title:Breach
Prev Year:2018
Next Title:Broken by Desire to Be Heavenly Sent
Next Year:2023

Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent is the debut studio album by Scottish singer-songwriter Lewis Capaldi. It was released on 17 May 2019 through Vertigo Records in Europe and Capitol Records in the United States, and distributed globally by Universal Music. It includes the top 10 single "Grace", the UK and US number one single "Someone You Loved"[2] and "Hold Me While You Wait", among several songs previously included on Capaldi's 2018 EPs Bloom and Breach. Tracks Mercy, Tough and Something Borrowed (Demo) did not make the final cut of the album. Capaldi went on tour in support of the record in May 2019, and finished the tour in October 2019.[3] It peaked at number one in the UK and Ireland, becoming the fastest-selling album of the year and also outselling all of the top 10 combined in both countries. It was certified gold in the UK a week after its release. The album was the best selling album in the UK in 2019 and 2020, with "Someone You Loved" being the best selling single of 2019 in the UK.

Background

In the album announcement, Capaldi said: "Everyone always tells you about how amazing recording their first album was and how they'll always look back on the 'process' with fond memories. I will look back on it as an extremely stressful time that somehow also managed to be extremely boring." He went on to describe that while he liked "building up the songs", he did not enjoy re-recording guitar parts and the long mixing process. Capaldi also joked that he did not think that when he got to release his debut album that he "would give it a name as stupid I have, but here we are".[4] MTV said Capaldi "might have just won Best Album Title of 2019".[5]

The album title comes from a lyric in an unreleased song called “Figure It Out”.[6]

Critical reception

Ben Beaumont-Thomas of The Guardian said that "few artists have quite such a disparity between their music and their public persona" as Capaldi, who, in song, is "a man utterly battered by a breakup". He called Capaldi's honesty "appealing" and felt that there is "some solid songwriting here, and a nobility to the sheer honesty of the lyrics", describing the music as "full-force, ugly crying pop". Roisin O'Connor of The Independent called Capaldi's voice "a gravelly powerhouse that manages to evoke the 22-year-old's natural charisma even on the weepiest of ballads" and said the album "alternates between piano and guitar-based tracks, with production that retains raw moments" that, while "not the most adventurous album [...] is more about unveiling the rough materials Capaldi has to work with". Hayley Milross from The Line of Best Fit called the album "an assured and settled debut", saying that while Capaldi may not have "deliver[ed] an album that leans towards the extraordinary", it is a "collection of poignant love songs that are honest and sincere".

Robin Murray of Clash questioned why Capaldi's music is "so boring" given his "hilarious" public persona. Murray judged that the album "isn't something anyone should hate. It's well produced, well played, and for the more part well written, if highly repetitive in its he said/she said subject matter", saying its "refusal to be disliked" is "perhaps its most dispiriting, irritating aspect". Writing for NME, Jordan Bassett characterised the album as "emotional piano ballads" that "sit at stark contrast with his public persona", concluding that it is "somewhat baffling that such a charismatic star could make a record so lacking in personality, though his fans won't mind one bit".

Commercial performance

The album became the second fastest-selling album of the year in Ireland after three days of availability.[7] The album started atop the Irish Albums Chart with 6,389 units (physical sales, downloads and streaming). It later became the fastest-selling album of the year, the decade and the fourth all-time in the country.[8]

The album has reached over 10 million sales worldwide.[9]

Personnel

Vocals and production

Technical

Artwork

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2019–2024)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[10] 76
Latvian Albums (LAIPA)[11] 7
Nigerian Albums (TurnTable)[12] 71
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[13] 44

Year-end charts

Chart (2019)! scope="col"
Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[14] 41
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[15] 71
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[16] 42
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[17] 34
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[18] 62
French Albums (SNEP)[19] 160
Icelandic Albums (Plötutíóindi)[20] 47
Irish Albums (IRMA)[21] 1
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[22] 34
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[23] 23
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[24] 52
UK Albums (OCC)[25] 1
US Billboard 200[26] 136
Chart (2020)Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[27] 18
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[28] 45
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[29] 16
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[30] 113
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[31] 6
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[32] 10
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[33] 12
French Albums (SNEP)[34] 110
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[35] 72
Irish Albums (IRMA)[36] 2
Italian Albums (FIMI)[37] 43
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[38] 3
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[39] 10
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[40] 33
UK Albums (OCC)[41] 1
US Billboard 200[42] 24
Chart (2021)Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[43] 31
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[44] 53
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[45] 33
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[46] 193
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[47] 20
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[48] 15
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[49] 23
Irish Albums (IRMA)[50] 12
Italian Albums (FIMI)[51] 87
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[52] 20
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[53] 8
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[54] 29
UK Albums (OCC)[55] 16
US Billboard 200[56] 65
Chart (2022)Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[57] 39
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[58] 39
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[59] 39
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[60] 30
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[61] 29
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[62] 66
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[63] 31
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[64] 56
UK Albums (OCC)[65] 19
US Billboard 200[66] 120
Chart (2023)Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[67] 41
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[68] 61
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[69] 30
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[70] 137
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[71] 44
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[72] 20
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[73] 19
Italian Albums (FIMI)[74] 94
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[75] 36
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[76] 27
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[77] 35
UK Albums (OCC)[78] 17
US Billboard 200[79] 161

Notes and References

  1. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/aug/17/lewis-capaldi-princes-street-gardens-edinburgh-live-review-dorian-lynskey “Lewis Capaldi review – an ecstatic sense of homecoming”
  2. Scotland's Lewis Capaldi Lands First U.K. No. 1 Single. Billboard. Sexton. Paul. 1 March 2019. 2 March 2019.
  3. Web site: 'I hope people don't think it's shit': Lewis Capaldi announces debut album and new UK tour dates. NME. Reilly. Nick. 18 February 2019. 2 March 2019.
  4. Web site: Lewis Capaldi Introduces His Debut Album. Clash. Murray. Robin. 18 February 2019. 2 March 2019.
  5. Web site: Lewis Capaldi Reveals Genius Debut Album Title & New UK Tour Dates. MTV. 18 February 2019. 2 March 2019.
  6. Web site: Mehta . Adi . Lewis Capaldi Expands on the Triumphs and Tragedies of 'Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent' . 6 October 2022 . Entertainment Voice. 30 May 2019 .
  7. Web site: Lewis Capaldi could claim Ireland's fastest-selling debut album of 2019. Official Charts Company. 7 July 2019.
  8. Web site: Lewis Capaldi claims Ireland's fastest-selling debut album of the decade by a male artist. Official Charts Company. 7 July 2019.
  9. Web site: LEWIS CAPALDI SOPHOMORE ALBUM COMING IN 2023 . Capitol Records . 11 November 2022 . 18 October 2022.
  10. Web site: Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent on Billboard Japan Hot Albums. Billboard Japan. September 9, 2020. ja.
  11. Web site: Mūzikas Patēriņa Tops/ 45. nedēļa. lv. LAIPA. 28 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191108140426/https://www.parmuziku.lv/muzikas-zinas/latvija/muzikas-paterina-tops-45-nedela-8218. 8 November 2019.
  12. Official Top 100 Albums: July 12th, 2024 - July 18th, 2024. TurnTable. July 26, 2024. July 26, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240726182614/https://www.turntablecharts.com/charts/2. dead.
  13. Web site: Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent - Lewis Capaldi - EPDM . El Portal de Música . . es.
  14. Web site: ARIA End of Year Albums Chart 2019. Australian Recording Industry Association. 10 January 2020.
  15. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2019. Ultratop. 20 December 2019.
  16. Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2019. Billboard. 6 December 2019.
  17. Web site: Album Top-100 2019. Hitlisten. da. 15 January 2020.
  18. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Album 2019. dutchcharts.nl. 5 January 2020.
  19. Web site: Top de l'année Top Albums 2019. SNEP. fr. 8 January 2020.
  20. Web site: Tónlistinn – Plötur – 2019. Plötutíóindi. is. 1 April 2022.
  21. Web site: Ireland's Official Top 50 biggest albums of 2019. Official Charts Company. White. Jack. 9 January 2020. 11 January 2020.
  22. Web site: Top Selling Albums of 2019. Recorded Music NZ. 21 December 2019.
  23. Web site: Årslista Album, 2019. Sverigetopplistan. 14 January 2020.
  24. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2019. hitparade.ch. 31 December 2019.
  25. Web site: The Official Top 40 biggest albums of 2019. Official Charts Company. Copsey. Rob. 1 January 2020. 1 January 2020.
  26. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2019. Billboard. 6 December 2019.
  27. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2020. Australian Recording Industry Association. 15 January 2021.
  28. Web site: Ö3 Austria Top40 Longplay 2020. 8 November 2019 . Ö3 Austria Top 40. 31 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201228092158/https://oe3.orf.at/charts/stories/3010524/. 28 December 2020.
  29. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2020. Ultratop. 18 December 2020.
  30. Web site: Rapports Annuels 2020. Ultratop. 18 December 2020.
  31. Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2020. Billboard. 5 December 2020.
  32. Web site: Album Top-100 2020. Hitlisten. 13 January 2021.
  33. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Album 2020. MegaCharts. nl. 6 January 2021.
  34. Web site: Top de l'année Top Albums 2020. SNEP. fr. 22 April 2021.
  35. Web site: Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts 2020. de . . 18 December 2020.
  36. Web site: Ireland's Official Top 50 biggest albums of 2020. Official Charts Company. White. Jack. 10 January 2021. 12 January 2021.
  37. Web site: Top Of The Music 2020: 'Persona' Di Marracash È L'album Piú Venduto. it. Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. 7 January 2021. 11 January 2021. Download the attachment and open the albums file.
  38. Web site: Top Selling Albums of 2020. Recorded Music NZ. 7 December 2020.
  39. Web site: Årslista Album, 2020. Sverigetopplistan. 20 January 2021.
  40. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2020. hitparade.ch. 28 December 2020.
  41. Web site: End of Year Album Chart Top 100. Official Charts Company. 5 January 2021.
  42. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2020. Billboard. 3 December 2020.
  43. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2021. Australian Recording Industry Association. 13 January 2022.
  44. Web site: Ö3-Austria Top40 Longplay-Jahrescharts 2021. 8 November 2019 . Ö3 Austria Top 40. 2 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220101195807/https://oe3.orf.at/charts/stories/3020714/. 1 January 2022.
  45. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2021. Ultratop. 5 January 2022.
  46. Web site: Rapports annuels 2021. Ultratop. 5 January 2022.
  47. Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2021. Billboard. 3 December 2021.
  48. Web site: Album Top-100 2021. Hitlisten. 6 January 2022.
  49. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Album 2021. dutchcharts.nl. nl. 4 January 2022.
  50. Web site: Ireland's official biggest albums of 2021. Official Charts Company. Griffiths. George. 9 January 2022. 9 January 2022.
  51. Web site: Classifica annuale 2021. Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. it. 8 January 2022.
  52. Web site: Top Selling Albums of 2021. Recorded Music NZ. 24 January 2022. 24 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220124051930/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/albums?chart=5267. live.
  53. Web site: Topplista – årsliste – Album 2021. 3 December 2019 . IFPI Norway. no. 31 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220131175008/https://ifpi.no/topplista/. 31 January 2022.
  54. Web site: Årslista Album, 2021. Sverigetopplistan. 14 January 2022.
  55. Web site: The Official Top 40 biggest albums of 2021. Official Charts Company. Griffiths. George. 4 January 2022. 4 January 2022.
  56. Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2021. Billboard. 3 December 2021.
  57. Web site: ARIA Top 100 Albums Chart for 2022. Australian Recording Industry Association. 4 January 2023.
  58. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2022. Ultratop. nl. 13 January 2023.
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  60. Web site: Album Top-100 2022. Hitlisten. 1 February 2023.
  61. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Album 2022. dutchcharts.nl. nl. 4 January 2023.
  62. Web site: 2022 metų klausomiausi (Top 100). AGATA. lt. 28 February 2023.
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  68. Web site: Ö3 Austria Top40 Jahrescharts 2023. Ö3 Austria Top 40. de. 28 December 2023. 28 December 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231228085855/https://oe3.orf.at/charts/stories/oe3austriatop40longplay/. live.
  69. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2023. Ultratop. nl. 7 January 2024.
  70. Web site: Rapports annuels 2023. Ultratop. fr. 7 January 2024.
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  72. Web site: Album Top-100 2023. Hitlisten. 13 January 2024.
  73. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Album 2023. dutchcharts.nl. nl. 3 January 2024.
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  75. Web site: Top Selling Albums of 2023. Recorded Music NZ. 22 December 2023. 21 December 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231221165646/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/albums?chart=5732.
  76. Web site: Årslista Album, 2023. Sverigetopplistan. 18 January 2024.
  77. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2023. hitparade.ch. 31 December 2023.
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  79. Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2023. Billboard. 22 November 2023.