Robbie Williams has become the British artist with the most UK Number One albums, usurping The Beatles previous record of 15 across their career as a band. New release ‘BRITPOP’, his first solo studio album since 2019, stormed into the charts in first place, further securing his place in British music history.

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Williams first rose to prominence with boy band Take That, formed in 1990. He joined the band at the age of just 16, going on to have a string of number one hits and number one albums, before he struck an iceberg. He had developed serious substance abuse problems, and was struggling with the hierarchy neglecting his input in the songwriting process. In 1995, he was pressured into leaving the band due to his behaviour, and after a run of partying and trying to break free from the record label contracts binding his future, he began releasing solo music in 1996.

Debut solo album ‘Life Thru A Lens’, was a serious statement of intent, only managing 11th in the chart on its first week, but going on to spend 2 weeks at number one, and 147 weeks in the chart since its 1997 launch. Other singles ‘Old Before I Die’ and ‘Let Me Entertain You’ were big hits in their own right, but the fourth single ‘Angels’, became the biggest song of Williams’ career to date by both sales and streamed plays.

From there, Robbie became the biggest pop sensation of the 90s, through to much of the early 2000’s. His charismatic “bad boy” image and diverse assortment of songs made him a superstar both at home and abroad. The only albums in his catalogue not to reach UK Number Album were 2009’s ‘Reality Killed The Video Star’ and 2003 live album ‘Live At Knebworth’, both of which peaked in second place.

‘BRITPOP’ released on the 16th of January, with a selection of guests and collaborators. Single ‘Rocket’ featured Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi, and Gaz Coombes of Supergrass lent his talents to several songs. Most interesting is the participation of Take That main man Gary Barlow, whose feud with Williams was responsible for his 1995 exit. They have since mended their relationship, with Robbie rejoining the band for number one album ‘Progress’ in 2010.

Now with his 13th studio album, Robbie Williams is feeling on top of the world again. In a video he shared with the Official Charts Company, he reflected on a career of highs and lows, and how much his dedicated fans have meant to him over his lifetime. He said “You have given me a life and saved my life at the same time”. Elsewhere in the feature, he expressed gratitude for the album, saying “’BRITPOP’ is the album I always wanted to make, and seeing it become my 16th number one album means everything to me”. As well as this, in an interview with the BBC, he celebrated his sobriety, joking that he and wife Ayda Field would celebrate the chart success with “a Coke Zero and a salad”.

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Including his live and compilation albums, this gives Robbie Williams the record for most number one albums, above The Beatles, the biggest band of all time by most metrics. Interestingly, when you put his Take That numbers in the mix, he has 21 total number one albums, second only to former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, who has 23 across all of his endeavours. Robbie Williams heartening story comes at an exciting time for the UK’s Official Album Chart, which celebrates its 70th anniversary this July.

Last month, fans who pre-ordered the album were sent an email from Robbie Williams’ team, saying, “due to scheduling changes ‘BRITPOP’ will now be released on February 6 2026. Your order will be dispatched in line with the new release date. Apologies for any inconvenience caused, we promise it will be worth the wait.”

At the time, no reason as to why the album got rescheduled was shared, however some fans online had noticed the original release date happened to be close to the release of ‘The Life Of A Showgirl.’

Robbie Williams recently played his smallest ever ticketed show in London where he sang his entire debut album ‘Life Thru A Lens’, as well as performing his upcoming record ‘BRITPOP’

During the show, Robbie Williams admitted to the audience that the album was mainly delayed due to the release of Taylor Swift’s album ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’.

“We’re all pretending it’s not about Taylor Swift, but it fucking is. You can’t compete with that” Williams told the crowd. “Here’s the truth: I want 16 Number One albums. Taylor then decided to put her album out the same weekend as me.”

“I was like, ‘For fuck’s sake! I’ll put it out the next week’, and they were like, ‘She does these other deluxe versions’. I was like, ‘Fucking hell! Can I put it out the week after that then?’ They were like, ‘Oasis might be around then’… ‘For fuck’s sake! Let’s do it in fucking February when no one’s got an album out’.”

He continued: “I was worried about making you all fucking wait, and then I was like, ‘Fuck it! I want a 16th Number One album!’ I’m sorry, but I’m fucking being selfish. How many times in your life do you get to have the most Number One albums the UK’s ever fucking had?”

Fans can pre-order the new album here.

As for Taylor Swift’s album, there have been mixed reviews from fans and the general public.

For the first time, ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ sees Swift not catalysed into artistic growth by love, but merely comfortably secured by it.”

The album has been met by criticism from fans, with some fans calling it her worst album yet, and others condemning the “cringey” songwriting on songs such as ‘Wood’.

Taylor has said she is unbothered by the criticism, “I have such an eye on legacy when I’m making my music — I know what I made, I know I adore it. I know that on the theme of what the Showgirl is, all of this is part of it.”

The former Take That singer was due to perform at Atakoy Marina in Istanbul this Tuesday, 7 October, but has confirmed on his Instagram story that the concert has been pulled and that he was “extremely sorry”.

He wrote: “City authorities have cancelled the show, in the interests of public safety. The last thing I would ever want to do is to jeopardise the safety of my fans – their safety and security come first.”

“We were very excited to be playing Istanbul for the first time, and purposely chose the city as the final show of the Britpop tour.”

“To end this epic run of dates in front of my Turkish fans was my dream, given the close connections my family have with this wonderful country.”

Robbie Williams is married to Ayda Field Williams, who is Turkish born.

He added: “To everyone in Istanbul who wanted to join the 1.2 million people who have shared this phenomenal tour this year with us, I am deeply sorry. We were so looking forward to this show, but the decision to cancel it was beyond our control.”

He is still expected to play at Dingwalls in Camden on Thursday 9 October where he will play his upcoming album ‘BRITPOP‘ in full for the first time ever, as well as his debut solo album ‘Life Thru A Lens’.

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‘BRITPOP‘ was scheduled to be released 10 October, but was rescheduled to 6 February 2026, due to “scheduling issues”.

Fans who pre-ordered the album were sent an email from Robbie Williams’ team, saying, “ue to scheduling changes ‘BRITPOP’ will now be released on February 6 2026. Your order will be dispatched in line with the new release date. Apologies for any inconvenience caused, we promise it will be worth the wait.”

No reason as to why the album got rescheduled has been shared, however some fans online have noticed how the original date of the released happened to be close to the release of another huge album – Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’.

A few months ago, Robbie Williams hosted an exclusive listening of his upcoming solo album at Groucho Club in Central London where he was interviewed by comedian Joe Lycett.

Robbie revealed that as well as Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi being a collboration on the album, the new album features “a couple of other songs” with Supergrass frontman Gaz Coombes and one with Coldplay’s Chris Martin.

He also said that former Take That bandmate Gary Barlow co-wrote the new song ‘Morrissey’, which has been confirmed to be on the new album.

Fans can pre-order the new album here.

The plaque reads: “Robbie Williams entered this area without accreditation, authorisation, or alignment with prevailing taste. His presence was uninvited, unofficial and ultimately inevitable.” Williams captioned the post simply, “30 years later…” followed by a second image showing a “Welcome to Glastonbury” sign. The posts have prompted fans to speculate that he may be planning a secret set during the festival weekend.

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Williams last headlined Glastonbury in 1998, but his 1995 visit remains one of the most iconic moments of his early solo career. He has often described that night of partying with Oasis as the beginning of his new life post–Take That.

Adding to the speculation is the artwork for Williams’ upcoming album ‘Britpop’, due for release in autumn 2025. The cover features a photo of the singer in his now-iconic red tracksuit, taken at Glastonbury in 1995. Williams has shared the image on Instagram and also made it his profile picture, further fuelling rumours of a return. Our earlier coverage on the announcement of the new album can be read here.

Fans have been quick to point out a 30-minute gap on the Pyramid Stage schedule this afternoon at 4:55pm – currently unaccounted for – which many believe could be reserved for a surprise performance.

However, Williams’ touring commitments may complicate the theory. He is currently in the middle of a European tour promoting ‘Britpop’, with performances scheduled for Saturday 28 June in Belgium and another in Germany the following Wednesday. These dates suggest that a Glastonbury appearance may be unlikely, though not impossible, especially for a short surprise set. Whether the posts are a clever nod to the past or a genuine hint at an unannounced appearance remains to be seen.

Stay tuned on MXDWN throughout the weekend for updates and full coverage of Glastonbury 2025, including any surprise sets that may emerge. Our earlier coverage on the public bets for the festival’s infamous secret sets can be read here.

As part of his new role, the former Take That singer has written and recorded a new track for the upcoming FIFA Men’s Club World Cup, named ‘Desire’. The track will be played ahead of all tournament matches as the teams walk out onto the pitch. The song was written with the help of Karl Brazil, Erik Jan Grob and Owen Parker, with Grammy Award-winning Italian singer Laura Pausini featuring on the vocals. It marks the first official anthem commissioned by FIFA, and will be featured in all FIFA tournaments, including the 2026 World Cup.

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup kicks off at 1am UK time tomorrow, 15 June, with the song debuting alongside a music video, displayed on the jumbotron screens of Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.

Speaking about his new ambassador role, Robbie Williams states in a press release: “Music and football bring people together like nothing else — each with their own universal language of connection, emotion, spirit and community. When those worlds come together, there’s nothing like it — and I’m beyond honoured to be the FIFA Music Ambassador. Football and music have both been part of my life for as long as I can remember, so this means a lot to me on a personal level.

“Football and music have always meant the world to me, and bringing them together on this kind of stage gives me goosebumps. I know I’ll get to perform this song at some of my favourite tournaments in the coming years, which fills me with excitement. It’s a real honour that Laura Pausini accepted my invitation to feature on the song – she’s an incredible artist with the perfect voice.

“I’ve grown up watching the walk-outs, the anthems, the drama – so writing and recording the official FIFA anthem is a real privilege. I wanted to create something that captures all of it — the passion, the nerves, the pride and the majesty of that feeling just before kick-off.”

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In a video shared to social media, FIFA President Gianni Infantino discusses the new track, describing it as: “Absolutely fantastic. Incredible, beautiful, it’s exactly what we were looking for.” He goes on to say that ‘Desire’ is “Our song. The world’s song. The football song,” adding that it will perfectly set the mood for the Club World Cup.

In the same video, Laura Pausini comments: “The track’s energy really captures the spirit of football, and I can’t wait for the world to hear the song during the opening match.”

Williams has worked with FIFA previously, though not without controversy. In 2018’s Men’s World Cup in Moscow, Russia, Robbie Williams stuck up his middle finger to the camera during his performance at the opening ceremony, causing U.S. broadcaster Fox to issue an apology. Currently, Robbie Williams is in the midst of his ‘Britpop’ tour, wrapping up the UK leg this evening in Bath’s Royal Crescent. ‘Britpop’ is due to release later this year.

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The FIFA Men’s Club World Cup will be available to watch on Channel 5 from midnight, and will open with Egypt’s Al Ahly facing local team Inter Miami.

Click here for more MXDWN coverage on Robbie Williams and his ‘Britpop’ tour.

The Better Man star shared the details of his first album in almost a decade, harking back to the iconic sound of 90s British rock.

Although there is no specific release date yet, the record will hit the shelves in Autumn 2025 and will include more rock-influenced tracks, as well as the pop sound fans have been accustomed to hearing from Williams.

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Speaking in a press release, the former Take That star stated how he wanted to create the album he initially set out to write after leaving the pop group in 1995.

He said: “It was the peak of Britpop and a golden age for British music. I’ve worked with some of my heroes on this album; it’s raw, there are more guitars and it’s an album that’s even more upbeat and anthemic than usual. 

“There’s some ‘Brit’ in there and there’s certainly some ‘pop’ too – I’m immensely proud of this as a body of work and I’m excited for fans to hear this album.”

Before the new album, Williams will head on tour throughout the summer, where he said he can’t wait to “perform a song or two from it [the album] on my upcoming ‘BRITPOP’ tour”.

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Opening up at the Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh on May 31, Williams will then head to London, Manchester, Bath and Newcastle as he performs his old and new material to adoring fans. Any remaining tickets can be found here.

Those eager to hear this new guitar-based sound have been given a glimpse into it with the release of the single ‘Rocket’. Featuring legendary Black Sabbath guitarist, Tony Iommi, the blistering single will be sure to leave fans purring for more.

Teasing the song late last year, Williams told NME: “The track is massive guitars, as you can imagine. It’s adrenaline-filled and balls-to-the-wall.” The music video is set to be released this Friday (May 23).

The album’s cover artwork is a notable nod to an iconic look of Robbie’s from the 90s. A red tracksuit worn by Williams at Glastonbury Festival in 1995 where he famously partied with the Gallagher brothers.

The 90s British icons will now tour at the same time 30 years later, as Williams heads around the country at the same time as Oasis.

Speaking on the Oasis reunion, Williams had this to say: “The soap opera alone will either be exciting and or ghoulish to watch. As for the shows? They’re gonna be incredible, off-the-scale special.”

The 51-year old has had a storied history with the Mancunian brothers, but it seems as though they may all be mellowing out with age… if only ever so slightly.

Head here to pre-order Williams’ upcoming album, where you could get the chance to win a meet-and-greet with the former Take That man if you order before midnight on Tuesday 27th May.

Posting on Instagram, Williams sent out a long post explaining his anxieties whilst also making sure to detail his “gratitude” to all his fans.

The 51 year old singer revealed that he had to turn down multiple requests for photos on a recent flight, stating: “This isn’t a complaint, it’s context.”

Speaking of one interaction, the Better Man star said: “One of them handed me a lovely note – kind words about my documentary – and then asked for a photo.

“I wrote a note back. I explained I’d been up since 4:30am, had two hours sleep, and wrangled four kids through the airport. I’ve got bags under my eyes and I’m dealing with anxiety.”

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The ‘Rock DJ’ singer shared in the post that this is not only a problem for himself, but perhaps a problem with society as a whole. Speaking of the life and pressures of being a celebrity, Williams said: “There’s a kind of unspoken law: as a celebrity, you should be accessible 24/7.

“Greet all strangers like you’re the mayor of the best town anyone’s ever visited. Make sure their wishes are met, whatever they are. Otherwise – you’re a c*nt. There’s no inbetween.”

He also mentioned that he was sure that half the people he met “couldn’t name one of my albums, let alone say they’ve bought a ticket to my show.

“They’re no more fans than me than they are of the Leaning Tower of Pisa or Big Ben. They’re fans of fame.”

Despite his grievances the ‘Angles’ singer did clarify how much his actual fans mean to him, saying: “If we cross paths in the wild you are a fan of me, I want you to tell me. That means a lot. I’ll make time. I’ve got gratitude for that. It warms my heart when I feel I’ve warmed yours.”

Williams has had well-documented problems with drink and drugs in the past and has been an inspiration to many in the way he’s turned his life around. Although he may come across as a sociable, bubbly creature (a monkey?), he claimed that “Every interaction fills me with discomfort.

“I mask it well. But social interaction still frightens me. So much so, I didn’t go out for years. I had to relearn how to interact. And I had to do it without drugs or drink.”

The former Take That man has seemingly been everywhere in past months, after the release of his biopic ‘Better Man’. He has also had lots to say about the upcoming Oasis reunion, where he was quick to support the Gallagher brothers in the feud about their ticket pricing last year.

More recently, The Lottery Winners revealed that they are working on a new single with Robbie Williams, saying: “We’re working on ideas with him.”

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Lead singer Thom shared in an interview with Contactmusic.com: “We’re working on ideas with him. We’ve been sending over little ideas to each other and putting them together. And he’s a great writer. He’s so good, he’s so witty, and his lyrics are great and his melodies are great. So I just keep sending bits of music, he keeps sending bits back, and before we know it, we’re going to have a summer hit with Robbie Williams. I’ll just literally tell him my every thought, and he kind of tells me his, and we just try and make each other laugh. He’s become almost my therapist, which is so weird, like, ‘Robbie Williams is my therapist.’ ”

The Greater Manchester band is set to release their new album this Friday March 21, an album on which they have collaborated with artists such as Reverend and the Makers, Shed Seven, and Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger.

The lead singer shared some more about his experience working with the Nickelback frontman: “It was weird because I had to find our middle ground, I had to find the Venn diagram of Nickelback and Lottery Winners and then write a song that fit directly in the middle there. And luckily, I am a genius, so I managed to do it very easily [laughs]. But then when Chad came into the room and and put and put his parts on it, man, it just came alive!”

The band formed in Leigh back in 2008 and were discovered by music mogul Seymour Stein in 2019. Their third studio album ‘Anxiety Replacement Therapy’  saw them collaborating with Frank Turner, Shaun Ryder and Boy George and was placed number 1 in the Official UK album chart.

Robbie Williams‘s latest release is the soundtrack for the artist’s critically acclaimed biopic titled ‘Better Man‘. The film tells the story of Robbie Williams’s rise to fame, starting from his days on Take That and leading up to the world-famous 2003 concert at Knebworth. The figure of the artist is portrayed as a monkey, as Williams himself has referred to himself as a ‘Performing Monkey‘ many times, especially at the beginning of his career. While the album was released at the end of 2024, it has been made available on physical formats this week: this has pushed the album to gain more chart units, which are likely to push the album to number one in next week’s album charts.

‘Better Man’ would make Williams’s fifteenth album at number one. The artist has previously achieved the position with ‘Life Thru A Lens‘ (1997), ‘I’ve Been Expecting You‘ (1998), ‘Sing When You’re Winning‘ (2000), ‘Swing When You’re Winning‘ (2001), ‘Escapology‘ (2002), ‘Greatest Hits’ (2004), ‘Intensive Care‘ (2005), ‘Rudebox‘ (2006), ‘In and Out of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990-2010‘ (2010), ‘Take The Crown‘ (2012), ‘Swings Both Ways‘ (2013), ‘The Heavy Entertainment Show‘ (2016), ‘The Christmas Present‘ (2019) and ‘XXV‘ (2022).

On the other hand, Gracie Abrams‘s second full length release, titled ‘The Secret of Us’, is not new to UK charts. It has, in fact, already spent 30 weeks on charts and has debuted and peaked at number one. With the ever-growing popularity of Abrams’s songs, specially ‘That’s So True’ which has topped charts for eight weeks now, the album has re-entered the top five and gained enough chart units in a week to challenge Williams.

Abrams’s first full length release, titled ‘Good Riddance‘ had peaked at number three in the UK and only spent one week on charts. So far, her only charting singles are from her second release, with the exception of viral song ‘I miss you, I’m sorry’, which marked Abrams’s debut on UK charts peaking at number 81.

Official Charts will reveal who has successfully claimed the number one spot this Friday.

The upcoming album, Williams’ first since 2019, will join his extensive discography of 12 solo albums. Before achieving solo success, the pop star was a member of 1990s boy band Take That, a group that sold over 45 million records with hits like ‘Pray’, ‘Relight My Fire’, and ‘Back for Good’. Reflecting on his new project on Virgin Radio, the singer admitted he had written “loads of songs” and noted how pop hits have often emerged unintentionally during the creative process.

Since September 2024, rumours of a collaboration between Williams and Iommi have surfaced after Williams’ drummer, Karol Brazil, mentioned the track ‘Rocket’ on the Percussion Discussion podcast. Brazil said “He’s got an album that we’ve been working on. He’s working with various people but I’ve been fortunate enough to do some songs with him. We’ve done a track called ‘Rocket’ with Tony, which is very random.” Brazil described the song as  “a rocker and really cool.” 

In Williams’ interview with NME, he confirmed the rumours and shared additional details including that Glenn Hughes also plays on the track. The singer said: “I wanted to create the album I would have made if I left Take That now, knowing what I know. This particular song [Rocket] encapsulates that vision perfectly,” he said.

Williams explained “That one in particular is my favourite song off my new album – that I’ve just announced is happening!” due to its “massive guitars” and “adrenaline-filled” energy.

When asked about a release date, Williams playfully responded: “Let’s see how well the film does first…”

BETTER MAN – the movie – now showing worldwide from today.

Global Release Dates > https://t.co/8Sb5xZRtMQ
UK listings and book tickets > https://t.co/8wT7A9cNRZ
US listings and book tickets > https://t.co/f3VPaI57cf#BetterManMovie pic.twitter.com/md09voqQFY

— Robbie Williams (@robbiewilliams) December 26, 2024

Better Man, which premiered in cinemas on December 26, follows the pop icon’s journey from his childhood to stardom, including his time with Take That and his solo career.

A bold creative decision by director Michael Gracey depicts Williams as a CGI monkey, a concept inspired by Gracey’s desire to portray the singer’s “spirit animal” and make it stand out amid the recent surge in biopic productions.

Williams elaborated on this creative choice during an appearance on The Graham Norton Show, emphasising his unique approach to representing his story. 

To coincide with his album and biopic, Williams will embark on a major tour across UK, Ireland, and Europe, kicking off in Edinburgh on May 31. Commenting on the tour, Williams promised songs from Better Man and new tracks alongside fan favourites such as ‘Angels’ and ‘Let Me Entertain You’. 

“This tour is going to be my boldest yet,” Williams said in a statement. “I can’t wait to see you next year. There will be songs from the movie and some new music…but more on that soon.”

Tickets for the tour are available here.

Tickets for Robbie Williams Live 2025 in the UK, Ireland and Europe are on sale now >> https://t.co/DQNWQxwrAz pic.twitter.com/tfgMB50Vni

— Robbie Williams (@robbiewilliams) November 15, 2024

Robbie Williams’ upcoming album, biopic Better Man, and extensive tour mark an exciting new chapter in the pop icon’s career. With collaborations from rock icons Glenn Hughes and Tony Iommi, the album promises to blend Williams’ signature pop appeal with the intensity of rock particularly in tracks like ‘Rocket’. Fans can look forward to an exciting year of fresh music that celebrates Williams’ past and evolving artistry.