Check out Robbie Williams’ exclusive ‘British Pop’ playlist for NME and new single ‘Spies’

Robbie Williams has shared a stacked playlist of ‘British Pop’ exclusively for NME, as well as dropping his anthemic single ‘Spies’ and the tracklist for new album ‘Britpop’.

‘Spies’ marks the second single to be lifted from the former Take That star turned solo sensation’s 13th album ‘Britpop’, having launched the record with ‘Rocket’ featuring Black Sabbath legend Tony Iommi back in May.

Having spoken of how the new record looks back to a “golden age for British music” in the min-90s, the ‘Angels’ star has now shared a playlist of his UK influences and favourite stars from across the last 40 years – featuring the likes of Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner’s Electronic, McAlmont And Butler, Richard Hawley both solo and with Longpigs, David Bowie, The 1975, and past collaborators Pet Shop Boys. He’s also included a track by Morrissey, who he has written a song about for the new album.

The tracklist for Robbie Williams’ ‘British Pop’ playlist for NME is:

Robbie Williams – ‘Spies’
Electronic – ‘Get The Message’
The Longpigs – ‘On And On’
McAlmont And Butler – ‘Yes’
Deacon Blue – ‘Dignity’
Black Grape – ‘Reverend Black Grape’
Prefab Sprout – ‘Cars And Girls’
Placebo – ‘Nancy Boy’
Aztec Camera – ‘Somewhere In My Heart’
The Beautiful South – Song For Whoever’
Richard Hawley – ‘Run For Me’
David Bowie – ‘Everyone Says Hi’
Morrissey – ‘Irish Blood, English Heart’
The 1975 – ‘Love It If We Made It’
Pet Shop Boys – ‘Jealousy’
David Essex – ‘We’re Gonna Make You A Star’

Listen to the playlist on Spotify below, and check it out on Apple Music here.

Today (Friday July 18) also sees the release of anthemic new single ‘Spies’ – an anthemic and uplifting guitar-driven song written by Robbie and long-time collaborators Karl Brazil and Owen Parker. In keeping with the album, ‘Spies’ has an air of nostalgia as Williams looks back on past hedonism: “We used to stay up all night/Thinking we were all spies/Praying that tomorrow won’t come.”

“I set out to create the album that I wanted to write and release after I left Take That in 1995,” he said of his upcoming record – which features a classic photo of Williams backstage at Glastonbury 1995 where he famously partied with Oasis.

“It was the peak of Britpop and a golden age for British Music. The new record is raw, there are more guitars and it’s even more upbeat and anthemic than usual. I’m immensely proud of this as a body of work and I’m excited for fans to hear this album.”

The tracklist for ‘Britpop’ is: 

1. ‘Rocket’
2. ‘Spies’ 
3. ‘Pretty Face’ 
4. ‘Bite Your Tongue’ 
5. ‘Cocky’ 
6. ‘All My Life’ 
7. ‘Human’ 
8. ‘Morrissey’ 
9. ‘You’ 
10. ‘It’s OK Until The Drugs Stop Working’ 
11. ‘Pocket Rocket’

Speaking to NME about his guitar-heavy new sound earlier this summer, Williams revealed: “I was playing it safe and I’ve not been driving my own car. I’ve not had my hands on the wheel through second-thinking myself and guessing what people like. I just wanted to do something that I like.”

Williams will release ‘Britpop’ on October 10. Pre-order it here. Fans who pre-order the album will receive early access to future UK 2025 live dates

Last month, Williams was confirmed as the Official FIFA Music Ambassador with the anthem ‘Desire‘. He invited Italian artist Laura Pausini to feature on the song, and they performed the track together in a pre-match performance at the final of the FIFA Club World Cup in New York earlier this week.

After recently completing his summer ‘Britpop’ UK stadium tour as it continues to roll through Europe, Williams will headline Come Together Festival in Newcastle on August 20. Visit here for tickets and more information.

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