Chaos and the Calm

Chaos and the Calm
Studio album by
James Bay
Released23 March 2015
Recorded2013–2014
StudiosBlackbird, The LBT (Nashville, Tennessee)[1][2]
Genres
Length48:11
LabelRepublic
Producer
James Bay chronology
Chaos and the Calm
(2015)		 Electric Light
(2018)
Singles from Chaos and the Calm
  1. "Let It Go"
    Released: 15 September 2014
  2. "Hold Back the River"
    Released: 17 November 2014
  3. "Scars"
    Released: 28 August 2015
  4. "If You Ever Want to Be in Love"
    Released: 29 October 2015
  5. "Best Fake Smile"
    Released: 2 March 2016
  6. "Running"
    Released: 11 March 2016

Chaos and the Calm is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter James Bay. It was first released on 23 March 2015 via Republic Records.

The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album, while the song "Hold Back the River" was nominated for Best Rock Song and Bay for Best New Artist.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic58/100[7]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarHalf star[8]
Clash7/10[9]
The GuardianStarStar[10]
PopMatters6/10[11]

Chaos and the Calm received mixed reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 58, which indicates "mixed or average reviews", based on 9 reviews.

Commercial performance

Chaos and the Calm debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart on 29 March 2015, having sold over 64,000 copies in the first week of release.[12]

Track listing

Chaos and the Calm standard edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Craving"
Jacquire King3:47
2."Hold Back the River"
  • Bay
  • Archer
King3:59
3."Let It Go"
King4:21
4."If You Ever Want to Be in Love"
King3:58
5."Best Fake Smile"
  • Bay
  • Archer
King3:26
6."When We Were on Fire"
  • Bay
  • Jon Green
King3:59
7."Move Together"
King4:37
8."Scars"BayKing4:32
9."Collide"
King3:24
10."Get Out While You Can"
King4:43
11."Need the Sun to Break"
King3:46
12."Incomplete"
King3:41
Total length:48:11
Chaos and the Calm deluxe version
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."Running"BayBay3:36
14."Clocks Go Forward"
Green4:10
15."Stealing Cars"
  • Bay
  • Green
Green3:43
16."Scars" (live at iTunes Festival 2014; digital bonus track only)  4:43
Total length:64:23
Chaos and the Calm deluxe edition – disc 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Move Together" (The Dark of the Morning Version)
  • Bay
  • Hartman
Green4:45
2."Need the Sun to Break" (The Dark of the Morning Version)
  • Bay
  • Pott
Green3:37
3."When We Were on Fire" (The Dark of the Morning Version)
  • Bay
  • Green
Green3:59
4."Stealing Cars"
  • Bay
  • Green
Green3:43
5."Clocks Go Forward"
  • Bay
  • Brammer
Green4:10
6."Sparks"
  • Bay
  • Barry
Bay3:07
7."Wait in Line"
  • Bay
  • Harpoon
Bay4:00
8."Running"BayBay3:36
9."Hear Your Heart"
Robson3:02
10."Heavy Handed"
  • Bay
  • Harcourt
Bay3:29
Total length:84:00

Personnel

Musicians

  • James Bay – lead vocals, background vocals, guitars, piano (4), bass (13), drums (13), keyboards (13)
  • Eli Beaird – bass (1–12)
  • Ian Fitchuk – keyboards (1–12), drums (1–12), percussion (2, 7, 8, 12)
  • Eric Darken – percussion (1, 3–6, 9–11)
  • Jonathan Yudkin – cello and viola (7)
  • Gerry Morgan – drums and percussion (13)
  • Jon Green – keyboards and vocals (14, 15)

Technical personnel

  • Lowell Reynolds – engineer (1–12)
  • Sean Badum – assistant engineer (1–12)
  • James Oleksyk – assistant engineer (1–12)
  • Michael H. Brauer – mixing (1–12)
  • Mark Bengtson – mixing assistant and ProTools engineer (1–12)
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering (1–12)
  • Mark Bishop – engineer and mixing (13)
  • Jon Green – engineer and mixing (14, 15)

Charts and certifications

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[62] Gold 35,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[63] Gold 7,500*
Canada (Music Canada)[64] 2× Platinum 160,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[65] 3× Platinum 60,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[66] Platinum 200,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[67] Gold 25,000‡
Mexico (AMPROFON)[68] Gold 30,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[69] 2× Platinum 30,000‡
Norway (IFPI Norway)[70] Gold 15,000‡
Singapore (RIAS)[71] Gold 5,000*
Sweden (GLF)[72] Gold 20,000‡
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[73] Gold 10,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[74] 3× Platinum 824,540[75]
United States (RIAA)[76] Platinum 1,000,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format Label
Ireland 20 March 2015
United Kingdom[77] 23 March 2015

References

  1. ↑ "James Bay confirms debut album details". NME. 23 March 2015.
  2. ↑ "James Bay - Chaos and the Calm on AllMusic". AllMusic.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "James Bay - Chaos And The Calm". Clash Magazine. 13 March 2015.
  4. 1 2 Helen Brown (21 March 2015). "Chaos and the Calm, James Bay, review: 'tiring'". Telegraph.co.uk.
  5. ↑ "James Bay: Chaos and the Calm - Album Review". The Irish Times. 20 March 2015.
  6. ↑ Tshepo Mokoena (19 March 2015). "James Bay: Chaos and the Calm review – festival-ready and forgettably pleasant". the Guardian.
  7. ↑ "Chaos and the Calm Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  8. ↑ "James Bay 'Chaos and the Calm' review". AllMusic. 23 May 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  9. ↑ "James Bay - Chaos And The Calm". Clash. 13 March 2015.
  10. ↑ Mokoena, Tshepo (19 March 2015). "James Bay: Chaos and the Calm review – festival-ready and forgettably pleasant". The Guardian.
  11. ↑ "James Bay: Chaos and the Calm". Pop Matters.
  12. ↑ Jones, Alan (30 March 2015). "Official Charts Analysis: James Bay debuts at No.1 on Albums Chart". Music Week. Intent Media. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  13. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  14. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  15. ↑ "Ultratop.be – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  16. ↑ "Ultratop.be – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  17. ↑ "James Bay Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  18. ↑ "Danishcharts.dk – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  19. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  20. ↑ "Lescharts.com – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  21. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 30 March 2015.
  22. ↑ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2015. 13. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  23. ↑ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 13, 2015". GfK Chart-Track. IRMA. Archived from the original. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  24. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  25. ↑ "Combined albums chart for the Week 48, 2017 – Ending November 30, 2017". Skaties.lv. 11 December 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2025.
  26. ↑ "Charts.nz – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm". Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  27. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  28. ↑ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  29. ↑ "Portuguesecharts.com – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm". Hung Medien. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  30. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  31. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm". Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
  32. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 April 2015.
  33. ↑ "Official Albums Chart on 4/4/2015 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
  34. ↑ "James Bay Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  35. ↑ "James Bay Chart History (Digital Albums)". Billboard. Archived from the original. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  36. ↑ "James Bay Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  37. ↑ "James Bay Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  38. ↑ "James Bay Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  39. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Top 100 Albums 2015". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 12 January 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  40. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2015". Ultratop. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  41. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2015". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  42. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts (2015)". Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
  43. ↑ "The Official NZ Music Charts - End of Year Charts 2015".
  44. ↑ "Årslista Album – 2015". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  45. ↑ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2015". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  46. ↑ Copsey, Rob (5 January 2016). "The Official Top 40 Biggest Artist Albums of 2015 revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  47. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  48. ↑ "Folk Albums : Dec 31, 2015 | Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. billboard.com. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  49. ↑ "Top Rock Albums : Dec 31, 2015 | Billboard Chart Archive". Billboard. Retrieved 3 January 2016.
  50. ↑ "Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  51. ↑ "Album Top-100 2016" (in Danish). Hitlisten.NU. Archived from the original on 30 December 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  52. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten - Album 2016". Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 December 2016.
  53. ↑ "Årslista Album – 2016". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  54. ↑ White, Jack (30 December 2016). "The Official Top 40 Biggest Albums of 2016". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  55. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
  56. ↑ "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  57. ↑ "Album Top-100 2017". Hitlisten. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  58. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 2017". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  59. ↑ "Årslista Album – År 2017" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  60. ↑ "Tónlistinn – Plötur – 2019" (in Icelandic). Plötutíóindi. Retrieved 1 April 2022.
  61. ↑ Copsey, Rob (11 December 2019). "The UK's Official Top 100 biggest albums of the decade". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  62. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2015 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  63. ↑ "Austrian album certifications – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  64. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm". Music Canada. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  65. ↑ "Danish album certifications – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
  66. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (James Bay; 'Chaos and the Calm')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
  67. ↑ "Italian album certifications – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  68. ↑ "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved 16 September 2019. Type James Bay in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Chaos and the Calm in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
  69. ↑ "New Zealand album certifications – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm". Radioscope. Retrieved 28 July 2025. Type Chaos and the Calm in the "Search:" field and press Enter.
  70. ↑ "Norwegian album certifications – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
  71. ↑ "Singapore album certifications – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm". Recording Industry Association Singapore. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  72. ↑ "Veckolista Album, vecka 40, 2016 | Sverigetopplistan" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 25 August 2022. Scroll to position 54 to view certification.
  73. ↑ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Chaos and the Calm')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  74. ↑ "British album certifications – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 July 2021. Select albums in the Formats field. Type Chaos and the Calm James Bay in the "Search:" field.
  75. ↑ Jones, Alan (25 May 2018). "Charts analysis: Greatest Showman bests Bay on albums chart". Music Week. Intent Media. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
  76. ↑ "American album certifications – James Bay – Chaos and the Calm". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  77. ↑ "iTunes - Music - Chaos and the Calm (Deluxe Edition) by James Bay". iTunes.
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