一无所有 (2022)

There's Nothing but Space, Man! is the debut studio album by English singer and songwriter Sam Ryder, released on 9 December 2022 through Parlophone Records. The album was written and recorded by Ryder before and after his participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, working with writers and producers including TMS, Tre Jean-Marie and Jamie Hartman. Primarily a pop and pop rock record, with elements of other genres including dance-pop and folk, it features guest appearances from David Guetta and Sigala.

There's Nothing but Space, Man! received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for Ryder's versatility and vocal performance. It was supported by four singles including "Space Man", which came second in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 and peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart. The album debuted atop the UK Albums Chart, becoming the first debut album by a British male solo artist in over three years to debut at number one. It has been certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

Background

In an interview for Variety, Ryder stated that he had begun writing for his album before competing in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, with alterations being made following the contest. Speaking to Rolling Stone UK, he described There's Nothing but Space, Man! as an album about "focusing on the idea of retaining hope and faith and that's been a massive part of my journey. The album is about the idea of once you've found that thing, never ceasing to grab onto it, never giving up and following that journey and path."

Following his Eurovision participation, he started to tease the release date for his debut album. In an interview for NME, he stated that in 2021 he had written over 100 songs for his album, with many of them not making the final cut. On 16 August 2022, he was announced as one of the artist ambassadors for National Album Day, which in 2022 would celebrate debut albums.

On 5 September 2022, he announced on his social media pages and in an open letter to his fans that his upcoming debut studio album There's Nothing but Space, Man! would be released on 18 November 2022. On the same day the track listing was revealed. In the letter, Ryder wrote:"This year for myself and the team has been one filled with so many blessings, opportunities and dreams come to fruition. To create a body of work throughout this time representing aspects of our journey feels like the highest honour and a beautiful way to redirect the flow of energy back to the people who are making this whirlwind possible – you. Biggest thank yous, and I hope you enjoy it!".

However, the release date was later delayed to 9 December 2022. The album was available to pre-order on Ryder's website in different bundles including vinyl, CD, and cassette.

Production and composition

There's Nothing but Space, Man! is 46 minutes and 45 seconds long and consists of fourteen tracks, all of which were co-written by Ryder. He worked with several established names, including writers Amy Wadge, Jimmy Napes, TMS, Wayne Hector and Jamie Hartman, and producers including Mark Ralph, David Guetta, and Sigala, the latter two appearing as collaborators on the song "Living Without You". The track listing also includes the previously released singles "Space Man" and "Somebody", as well as "Tiny Riot", "More" and "Whirlwind", which are from his extended play The Sun's Gonna Rise.

The lyrics of There's Nothing but Space, Man! are inspired by Ryder's hardships as a performer in the industry and as a performer while retaining hope and faith. The album explores other themes including isolation, anxiety, grief, vulnerability, strength, and heartbreak. Musically, it incorporates genres including pop, pop rock, dance pop, folk, rock, soul, electropop, gospel, and electro rock.

Promotion

To promote the album, on 26 September 2022 Ryder performed tracks live at Lafayette in London for National Album Day, and in partnership with the charity War Child. He later embarked on a promotional tour in 2022 and 2023 across Europe. He performed tracks from the album live on Sam Ryder Rocks New Year's Eve, the BBC's 2023 New Year's Eve special, which was well received.