Music
Plus One
The 11 best London Grammar songs
Why have a top 10 when you can have one more? We rank the 11 greatest London Grammar tunes
The late noughties saw the emergence of ethereal bedroom pop. It was disillusionment dressed in a dreamy soundscape, and nobody did it better than London Grammar.
Vocalist Hannah Reid, guitarist Dan Rothman and multi-instrumentalist Dominic ‘Dot’ Major met at Nottingham University, coming together as a band in 2009. Wielding elements of indie-pop, trip-hop, and electronic music that elevated Reid’s spine-tingling voice, London Grammar were scouted almost straight away.
Initially, the three-piece was compared to The xx for their stirring, stripped-back compositions, or Florence & The Machine due to the raw, otherworldly power of Reid’s contralto vocals. But with songs that spoke to our collective listlessness, delivered through a voice that was both delicate and commanding, London Grammar quickly proved they stood in a class of their own.
Their debut album If You Wait arrived in 2013 with a string of hit singles and an enormous rush of success. Overwhelming success. In fact, it wasn’t so long ago that the band themselves weren’t sure if there’d be another London Grammar gig – Making ‘The Greatest Love Arena Tour’ all the more special.
And now having just performed one of the biggest shows of their career to date with a headline slot at Glastonbury’s Park Stage, and the impending release of their fourth album The Greatest Love, London Grammar are back.
From melancholic melodies to crowd favourites, dive into our 10 11 favourite London Grammar tunes. And yes, I cried more than once putting this listicle together. It comes with the territory.
11. ‘America’
(Californian Soil, 2021)
Like many young, successful artists, the industry was quick to strip London Grammar of their agency and take advantage of their enthusiasm and youth. After two album cycles, and five years of life on the pop-music conveyor belt, the band had experienced sexism, coercion, misogyny, health issues, and a severe lack of control. Recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia, Reid was ready to throw in the towel. She believed she was penning her swan song, when she wrote ‘America’.
A track about letting go, ‘America’ compares the false promises of The American Dream to that of the music industry: “All of our time chasing a dream/A dream that meant nothing to me”. It was only once Rothman laid down the grungy, strung out guitar, and Major added his producer’s special sauce, that the band found the beginning of their third album, ‘Californian Soil’, shining through.
10. ‘Big Picture’
(Truth Is A Beautiful Thing, 2017)
‘Big Picture’ is the second single from London Grammar’s second album. Reflecting on a past relationship, Reid sings from a place where she’s gained perspective, found grounding, and is seeing all the scars and faults. She accepts they were not her person and is on her healing journey, moving towards a better life without them in it. The minimalist arrangement reflects the healing, hopeful nature of the record, with soft percussion, and ethereal layers of sound, it induces the sensation of waking up from a dream.
9. ‘Help Me Lose My Mind’
(Settle, 2013)
‘Help Me Lose My Mind’ introduced London Grammar to a whole new audience: the ravers. This was London Grammar’s first big foray into the wonderful world of dance, it opened up endless possibilities and changed the band’s trajectory. The track featured on UK electronic duo Disclosure’s break out album ‘Settle’. While it didn’t have huge charting success on release, the 11-years-old single has grown in popularity over the years and in the hearts of millennials, is now a verified club classic. It’s a track that captures the indie-electronic crossover of the 2010s. A movement which saw indie kids discover CDJs, basslines and 4/4 beats. Quite literally, ‘Help Me Lose My Mind’ helped me lose my mind, (in the best possible way).
8. ‘Hey Now’
(If You Wait, 2013)
The first track they released together, ‘Hey Now’ captured the world’s attention. Complimented with a paired back guitar and an understated keyboard, Reid’s contemplative vocals echo throughout the record and evoke a sense of yearning and loneliness.
Foregoing a traditional song structure, the band described the record as “more of a vibe than a song”. And much like the subdued musing that reaches a resounding eruption on the track, ‘Hey Now’ exploded online.
7. ‘Hell To The Liars’
(Truth Is A Beautiful Thing, 2017)
‘Hell To The Liars’ addresses the darker side of human nature. Disappointed with power imbalances and selfishness, I love how London Grammar express their rage with so much control and composure. Think of that person who goes quiet when they’re angry, and how nervous that makes you feel. Their emanating energy is always more powerful than the one who loses their temper. Harrowing keys, paired with a slow, deliberate build, ‘Hell To The Liars’ is a raw and reflective record that will make you feel something real.
6. ‘Nightcall’
(If You Wait, 2013)
London Grammar’s cover of Kavinsky’s ‘Nightcall’ sees the three-piece join ranks with the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Buckley in releasing a rendition that’s even more emotive than the original. This famous Drive theme song drips in haunting melancholy and fits perfectly into the cinematic world of London Grammar. Released on their original album back in 2013, it remains a fan-favourite and a mainstay in their live sets.
5. ‘Let You Know’
(The Remixes, 2023)
*Originally released as a stand alone single in 2019
A track about reclaiming your power and moving on from someone who disrespected you, ‘Let You Know’ is like the indie-electronic version of Superman and Wonder Woman joining forces. London Grammar and Flume had discussed the possibility of working together years prior to ‘Let You Know’ coming to fruition. It always had to happen.
The track demonstrates how Reid’s voice truly soars in the niche genre of crying-on-the-dancefloor bangers. Sonically, it’s certainly not a London Grammar classic. With its glitchy, future-infused sound, ‘Let You Know’ is signature Flume. But electronic remixes and collaborations are an integral part of London Grammar’s DNA, and ‘Let You Know’ has cemented itself, as one of – if not the – best.
4. ‘Strong’
(If You Wait, 2013)
‘Strong’s that song that comes on, and suddenly your friend who swears they don’t know London Grammar is belting every word. Stirring vocals are laid over subdued percussion and piano, putting Reid’s vocals front and centre and heightening the emotion of the track. The song’s meaning – contrary to the title – is really about vulnerability. Wearing a mask of confidence, the narrator battles with self-doubt and questions how they’re seen vs. how they really feel. The relatable track is their highest charting UK single, and won them the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically in 2014. A crowd favourite, ‘Strong’ is always a climatic moment in London Grammar’s live sets.
3. ‘How Does It Feel’
(Californian Soil, 2021)
‘How Does It Feel’ has a fierce edge. London Grammar are not here to play. They’re well and truly done. Washing their hands of their antagonist, the subdued despondency we’ve come to expect from the band shifts into empowerment. You’d honestly want to crawl under a rock and stay there if someone wrote such a raw and honest song about you. Confrontational, cathartic, and somehow upbeat? ‘How Does It Feel’ sees an evolution in both London Grammar’s music and lyrics, with the band experimenting more openly in dance and pop, while still managing to maintain their cinematic style.
2. ‘Wasting My Young Years’
(If You Wait, 2013)
Taken from London Grammar’s debut album this song hits the fragile ego hard. The titular sentiment is something that haunts almost all of us at some point in our lives. Dejected lyrics contrast against an ethereal, almost uplifting build. And while the words reflect on the time we’ve lost and the fear of not living up to our potential or making the most of life’s opportunities, the music leaves listeners feeling like there’s room for hope, providing a subtle nudge to look ahead.
1. ‘Lord It’s A Feeling’
(Californian Soil, 2021)
Pure heart-wrenching emotion is at the core of every fan’s love for London Grammar’s music. And this record is the masterclass. I don’t know what this says about me, but there’s something about women channelling their rawest rage into their music that I just can’t resist. It’s a form of therapy.
Demanding accountability, and standing in female solidarity, Reid confronts the callous, cheating partner of her friend. ‘Lord It’s A Feeling’s lyrics cut deeper than a blade, and bring more drama than a Euphoria episode. It’s a masterpiece. It’s a showdown. Three years since its release, I still can’t get enough of this track.
