Blue Banisters Explained

Blue Banisters
Type:studio
Artist:Lana Del Rey
Cover:Lana Del Rey - Blue Banisters cover.png
Border:yes
Alt:A picture of woman in a yellow dress sitting with two dogs by her sides on a wooden porch in front of the banisters. The picture is surrounded by a white outline with the text "Lana Del Rey" and "Blue Banisters" written in black.
Studio:
  • Conway (Los Angeles)
  • Dean's List House of Hits (Cypress, Texas)
  • Punto Rec (Turin)
  • TaP (London)
Genre:
Length:61:54
Label:
Producer:
Prev Title:Chemtrails over the Country Club
Prev Year:2021
Year:2021
Next Title:Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
Next Year:2023

Blue Banisters is the eighth studio album by American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey. It was released on October 22, 2021, by Interscope and Polydor Records, seven months after her previous record, Chemtrails over the Country Club. The album was produced by Del Rey, Zachary Dawes, Loren Humphrey, Mike Dean, Barrie-James O'Neill, Rick Nowels, and several others.

Two singles preceded the album, the title track, "Blue Banisters", and "Arcadia"; "Text Book" and "Wildflower Wildfire" were also released ahead of the album as promotional singles. Blue Banisters peaked at number eight on the US Billboard 200[1] and reached number one in Argentina and the Netherlands.[2] The album received positive reviews from music critics, most of whom complimented Del Rey's introspective lyrics.

Background

Del Rey released her seventh studio album Chemtrails over the Country Club on March 19, 2021.[3] The next day, she posted on Instagram announcing that an album titled Rock Candy Sweet would be released on June 1.[4] On April 11, Del Rey shared a selfie on Instagram of her looking up to the sky with the caption "Blue Banisters", leading to speculation that it could be a song title.[5] [6] On April 28, Del Rey announced the album would be titled Blue Banisters and would be released on July 4, which was later delayed to October 22.[7] [8] Later the same day, Del Rey posted a trailer for the title track and its accompanying music video to Instagram with the caption: "Sometimes life makes you change just in time for the next chapter"[9] and to Twitter with the caption: "I'm writing my own story. And no one can tell it but me".[10]

Composition

Musically, Blue Banisters has been described as a folk, pop,[11] jazz,[12] and Americana record.[13] It has been described by The A.V. Club lyrically as her "breakup record", while Spin regards it as an "observational project".[13]

In a March 2023 interview with Rolling Stone UK, Del Rey explained that Blue Banisters was created due to accusations of cultural appropriation and previous claims that she glamourized domestic abuse: "I was just like, 'Let me try and write an album that maybe could explain why, if that was true, let's say, I could potentially identify with certain modes of operating'. So, Blue Banisters was more of an explanatory album, more of a defensive album, which is why I didn't promote it, period, at all. I didn't want anyone to listen to it. I just wanted it to be there in case anyone was ever curious for any information."[14]

Release and promotion

The promotion for Blue Banisters was minimal compared to Del Rey's previous releases, mainly due to Del Rey deactivating her social media accounts in September 2021.[15]

Del Rey first revealed cover art for the album on April 28, 2021. The initial album art depicts a selfie that Del Rey had previously posted in August 2020 with a sepia-toned filter. The art was heavily criticized as being unprofessional looking by both fans and critics.[16] [17] New official album artwork was revealed via an Instagram post on July 4, 2021, with Del Rey captioning the post "Happy fourth, Album out later". The cover depicts Del Rey sitting on a porch between her dogs, Tex and Mex (who are mentioned in the album's title track).[18] The artwork references Tracy Nelson's album cover for Poor Man's Paradise (1973).[19]

Alternate covers for the album were released on September 8, 2021, alongside the album's track listing and digital and physical pre-orders. Retail chains Target,[20] HMV,[21] and Urban Outfitters[22] revealed their exclusive editions of the record featuring more alternate covers, all photographed by Neil Krug.

On September 3, 2021, Del Rey posted the cover for the single "Arcadia" on her Instagram account and revealed the song would be released the following Wednesday, September 8. A day before the release of the song, Del Rey shared an additional snippet, captioning it with a small written teaser of the album's general themes, mentioning she's never felt the need to explain her story "but if you’re interested this album does tell it- and does pretty much nothing more."[23] On September 8, 2021, the album's pre-order was released along with "Arcadia", revealing the album would be released October 22, 2021.

Blue Banisters was released on October 22, 2021, by Interscope and Polydor Records.[24] [25] The same day, in promotion of the album, Del Rey appeared on the American late-night talk show The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and performed "Arcadia".[26]

Singles

"Blue Banisters" was released as the album's lead single alongside the songs "Text Book" and "Wildflower Wildfire" on May 20, 2021.[27] A music video was released for the song.

"Arcadia" was released as the album's second single on September 8, 2021 alongside the album pre-order.[28] Two music videos were released.

Critical reception

Upon release, Blue Banisters received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 80, based on 21 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.4 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.

The A.V Clubs Tatiana Tenreyo stated "[Blue] Banisters is a reminder that when the singer-songwriter is in charge of her vision and fully taps into her emotions, she's still capable of crafting breathtaking beauty." Mike Wass of Variety wrote the album "offers a rare glimpse of an artist securing her legacy, one song at a time."[29] For The Independent, Ben Bryant wrote a positive review, calling it "one revelation colours the singer's entire body of work", noting "it is far more elliptical and mysterious than it first appears". Giving the album four out of five stars, Sarah Grant of Rolling Stone commented "Her second album of the year is dense and abstract, turning inward and finding solace in sisterhood." Sam Sodomsky for Pitchfork praised Del Rey's songwriting, noting the record "is a sweeping survey of her talent as a songwriter, stripped of the aesthetic borders she often places around her work."[11] Rhian Daly of NME called Blue Banisters "a defiant and delicate return." In their mixed reviews, The Guardian and The Observer critics stated the album struggled from "samey-ness", wavering quality, and familiar but confusing themes.[30]

Year-end lists

The album was placed in numerous year-end lists of 2021.

SlantThe 50 Best Albums of 2021
Exclaim!Exclaim!'s 50 Best Albums of 2021
NMEThe 50 Best Albums of 2021
The Sunday Times25 Best Albums of 2021
Indie Hoy (Latin America)The 50 best albums of 2021

Commercial performance

Blue Banisters debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 with 33,000 album-equivalent units, which consisted of 19,000 pure sales and 14,000 streaming units (calculated from 18.6 million on-demand streams of the album).[31] It was Del Rey's eighth consecutive record to reach the top 10 in the US, but her first to miss the top-three since her Paradise EP (2012); however, Blue Banisters debuted at number one on the Billboard Alternative Album chart. Blue Banisters become her sixth consecutive number one on the chart and her second of the year, after March's Chemtrails over the Country Club, setting a record, with Del Rey being the artist with the most number ones on the Alternative Album charts since its inception.[32]

In the United Kingdom, Blue Banisters debuted at number two on the UK Albums chart, and it stayed on the chart for four weeks.[33] [34] The album was certified Silver in the UK with 60,000 units sold.[35]

Track listing

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2021)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Argentine Albums (CAPIF)[36] 1
Croatian Albums (HDU)[37] 21
Greek Albums (IFPI)[38] 8
Icelandic Albums (Plötutíðindi)[39] 34
Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[40] 8
Slovak Albums (ČNS IFPI)[41] 30

Year-end charts

Chart (2021)! scope="col"
Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[42] 192
US Top Current Album Sales (Billboard)[43] 166

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateFormat(s)Label
VariousOctober 22, 2021[44] [45] [46]
October 29, 2021LP[47]
JapanCDUniversal Music Japan[48]
United StatesNovember 12, 2021LP (Target exclusive red)Interscope
BrazilDecember 10, 2021CDUniversal Music Brasil[49]

Notes and References

  1. Rutherford. Kevin. November 3, 2021. Lana Del Rey Rewrites Record for Most Alternative Albums No. 1s. December 15, 2021. Billboard. en-US.
  2. Web site: Hung . Steffen . Lana Del Rey - Blue Banisters . November 13, 2021 . hitparade.ch.
  3. Web site: Lana Del Rey Releases New Album Chemtrails Over the Country Club. Kiefer. Halle. Vulture. March 19, 2021. April 28, 2021.
  4. Web site: Lana Del Rey Announces New Album Rock Candy Sweet. Hussey. Allison. Pitchfork. March 20, 2021. April 28, 2021.
  5. Web site: Fans reckon Lana Del Rey is already teasing a new track called 'Blue Banisters'. Kenneally. Cerys. The Line of Best Fit. April 12, 2021. April 28, 2021.
  6. Lana Del Rey Shares 'Blue Banisters' Teaser. Lee. Cydney. Billboard. April 12, 2021. April 28, 2021.
  7. Web site: Lana Del Rey announces new album 'Blue Banisters'. Peters. Daniel. April 28, 2021. NME. April 28, 2021.
  8. Web site: Mamo . Heran . 2021-10-22 . Lana Del Rey Releases ‘Blue Banisters’ Album: Stream It Now . 2024-05-10 . Billboard . en-US.
  9. Web site: Lana Del Rey shares snippet of an upcoming 'Blue Bannisters' track. Skinner. Tom. April 28, 2021. NME. May 5, 2021.
  10. Web site: Lana Del Rey Announces Yet Another New Album Blue Bannisters Out July 4. DeVille. Chris. April 28, 2021. Stereogum. May 5, 2021.
  11. Web site: Lana Del Rey – Blue Banisters. Pitchfork. Sodomosky. Sam. October 22, 2021. October 22, 2021.
  12. Web site: Lana Del Rey's 'Blue Banisters' Delivers Elizabeth Grant, Unfettered. Exclaim!. Mughal. Alisha. October 21, 2021. November 13, 2021.
  13. Oliver. Bobby. Lana Del Rey delivers stark Americana with Blue Banisters. Spin. October 21, 2022. March 2, 2022.
  14. Web site: Lana Del Rey: she does it for the girls . . en-GB . Hannah . Ewens . 2023-03-08 . 2023-03-08.
  15. Kreps. Daniel. September 12, 2021. Lana Del Rey Claims She's Deactivating Her Social Media Accounts. December 23, 2021. Rolling Stone. en-US.
  16. Web site: Ahlgrim . Callie . Lana Del Rey's cover art for her new album is so bad that fans started a petition to ban her from PicsArt . 2024-05-10 . Business Insider . en-US.
  17. Web site: 2021-04-28 . Lana Del Rey's 'Blue Banisters' Album Cover Has Confounded The Internet . 2024-05-10 . Nylon . en.
  18. Web site: Triscari. Caleb. July 4, 2021. Lana Del Rey shares cover art for 'Blue Banisters', teases new song. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210824084134/https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/music/lana-del-rey-shares-cover-art-for-blue-banisters-teases-new-song-2984940. August 24, 2021. February 13, 2022. NME.
  19. Web site: u/trevd12. September 5, 2021. Lana's BB cover art gains inspiration from Tracy Nelson's album art. Tracy Nelson was in a band called "Mother Earth." Lana seemed to post Tracy with one of the band members, from Mother Earth, on her insta. Her new album seems to be drawing inspiration from Tracy Nelson's work.. December 23, 2021. Reddit.
  20. Web site: Lana Del Rey - Blue Banisters (Target Exclusive, Vinyl). September 30, 2021. Target. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20211025164350/https://www.target.com/p/lana-del-rey-blue-banisters-target-exclusive-vinyl/-/A-84398045. October 25, 2021. live.
  21. Web site: Blue Banisters - Limited Edition Transparent Red Vinyl Vinyl 12" Album Free shipping over £20. September 30, 2021. HMV Store. en-GB. https://web.archive.org/web/20210908170520/https://store.hmv.com/store/music/vinyl/blue-banisters-transparent-red-vinyl. September 8, 2021. live.
  22. Web site: Urban Outfitters Exclusive Artwork. dead. Urban Outfitters. September 30, 2021. September 10, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210910191340/https://www.urbanoutfitters.com/shop/lana-del-rey-blue-banisters-limited-2xlp?quantity=1.
  23. Web site: Lana Del Rey on Instagram: "I guess you could say this album is about what it was like, what happened, and what it's like now...". https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/CTiLYLZht0u . December 24, 2021 . limited. Instagram.com. September 7, 2021.
  24. Web site: Griffiths, George. September 8, 2021. Lana Del Rey announces new album Blue Banisters out October 22 and drops new single Arcadia. September 8, 2021. Official Charts.
  25. Web site: Minsker. Evan. April 28, 2021. Lana Del Rey Announces New Album Blue Banisters. April 28, 2021. Pitchfork.
  26. Web site: Hussey. Allison. October 23, 2021. Watch Lana Del Rey Perform "Arcadia" on Colbert. October 24, 2021. Pitchfork. en-US.
  27. Web site: Singles & EPs by Lana Del Rey on Apple Music . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210520225246/https://music.apple.com/us/artist/lana-del-rey/464296584/see-all?section=singles . May 20, 2021 . May 20, 2021 . . en-US.
  28. Web site: September 8, 2021. Lana Del Rey Details New Album Blue Banisters, Shares Video for New Song "Arcadia". September 9, 2021. Pitchfork. en-US.
  29. Web site: Lana Del Rey Reclaims Her Narrative on Gently Defiant 'Blue Banisters': Album Review. Variety. Wass. Mike. October 22, 2021. November 16, 2021.
  30. Web site: Blue Banisters by Lana Del Rey review – a singer looking to her legacy. The Observer. Mackay. Emily. October 24, 2021. November 1, 2021.
  31. Drake's 'Certified Lover Boy' Rebounds for Fifth Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart. November 1, 2021. Billboard. October 31, 2021. en.
  32. Web site: November 4, 2021. Lana Del Rey Sets New Record for Most No. 1 Alternative Albums. December 15, 2021. Pitchfork. en-US.
  33. Web site: Official Albums Chart Top 100 Official Charts Company . 2023-03-25 . www.officialcharts.com . en.
  34. Web site: Lana Del Rey full Official Chart History Official Charts Company . 2023-03-25 . www.officialcharts.com.
  35. Web site: Award . 2023-03-25 . BPI . en.
  36. Web site: Los discos más vendidos de la semana. Diario de Cultura. Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers. November 5, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211105130444/https://www.diariodecultura.com.ar/rankings/los-discos-mas-vendidos-de-la-semana-3/. November 5, 2021.
  37. Web site: Lista prodaje 48. tjedan 2021. (22.11.2021. – 28.11.2021.). HDU. December 6, 2021. hr. December 9, 2021.
  38. Web site: Top-75 Albums Sales Chart – Week 19/2022. IFPI Greece. May 25, 2022. https://archive.today/20211101124335/http://www.ifpi.gr/charts_en.html. November 1, 2021 .
  39. Web site: Tónlistinn – Plötur – Vika 43 – 2021. Plötutíóindi. is. The Music - Albums - Week 43 - 2021. November 1, 2021. November 1, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211101131709/https://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn/.
  40. Web site: 2021 43-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100). Lithuanian. AGATA. October 29, 2021. October 29, 2021.
  41. Web site: Slovak Albums – Top 100.. ČNS IFPI. November 1, 2021. Note: On the chart page, select SK - Albums - Top 100 under the left field and "202143" on the field besides the word "Zobrazit", and then click over the word to retrieve the correct chart data.
  42. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2021. Ultratop. January 5, 2022.
  43. Top Current Album Sales – Year-End 2021. Billboard. December 5, 2021.
  44. Web site: BLUE BANISTERS CASSETTE. Official Lana Del Rey Store. October 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211019191322/https://shoplanadelrey.com/products/blue-banisters-cassette. October 19, 2021. dead.
  45. Web site: BLUE BANISTERS CD. Official Lana Del Rey Store. October 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210908174826/https://shoplanadelrey.com/products/blue-banisters-cd. September 8, 2021. dead.
  46. Web site: Blue Banisters by Lana Del Rey on Apple Music. Apple Music. October 22, 2021. United States. October 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211022115251/https://music.apple.com/us/album/blue-banisters/1584675130. October 22, 2021. live.
  47. Web site: BLUE BANISTERS 2LP. Official Lana Del Rey Store. October 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210909033633/https://shoplanadelrey.com/products/blue-banisters-2lp. September 9, 2021. live.
  48. Web site: ブルー・バニスターズ[CD] - ラナ・デル・レイ - UNIVERSAL MUSIC JAPAN]. Universal Music Japan. October 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210916054110/https://www.universal-music.co.jp/lana-del-rey/products/uics-1383/. September 16, 2021. ja-JP. live.
  49. Web site: CD LANA DEL REY - BLUE BANISTERS (VERSÃO STANDARD). Universal Music Store. Brazil. October 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211006035440/https://www.umusicstore.com/cd-lana-del-rey-blue-banisters-versao-standard-cd-lana-del-rey-blue-banisters-versao-2220/p. October 6, 2021. pt-BR. live.

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