摇滚界线 (2019)

Fine Line is the second studio album by the English singer and songwriter Harry Styles, released on 13 December 2019 by Erskine and Columbia Records. The album's themes revolve around breakups, happiness, sex, and sadness. The record has been described as pop rock, with elements of progressive-pop, psychedelic pop, folk, soul, funk and indie pop. It was primarily written by and produced by frequent collaborator Tyler Johnson and Kid Harpoon.

Supported by seven singles—"Lights Up", "Adore You", "Falling", "Watermelon Sugar", "Golden", "Treat People with Kindness", and the title track—the album debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart, peaked at number two, and has since been certified triple platinum. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, making it Styles' second consecutive number-one album in the US. The album had the third-largest sales week of 2019 in the US and broke the record as the biggest debut from a British male artist since Nielsen SoundScan began, earning 478,000 album-equivalent units. It has been certified triple platinum in the US for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over three million units in the country.

Fine Line received generally positive reviews from music critics, particularly towards its production and stylistic influences. It was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2020 Brit Awards, and for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2021 Grammy Awards. The album received a Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance and a Brit Award for British Single of the Year for "Watermelon Sugar". In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked it at the time, number 491, on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Background

In an interview with Rolling Stone released on 26 August 2019, it was reported that the singer was putting the "final touches" on his album which Styles explained was "all about having sex and feeling sad." The album was also described to contain his "toughest, most soulful songs he's written yet." On the direction of his second album, Styles revealed he wanted to be more fun and adventurous compared to his self-titled debut album.

Much of the album was inspired by Styles' relationship with model Camille Rowe. Following the couple's split, producer and writer Kid Harpoon encouraged Styles to deal with his emotions by writing about them. During the recording Styles was inspired by David Bowie, Van Morrison, Paul McCartney and Joni Mitchell. The latter's album Blue (1971) and its use of the dulcimer, particularly influenced the album's musical style. Styles tracked down the woman who built the dulcimer used in Mitchell's album, Joellen Lapidus, and had a musical exchange; she would go on to sell him the Crying Seahorse dulcimer which was used during the album's recording. Styles used "mushrooms" during the recording process.

Composition

Music and production

Fine Line is primarily a pop rock record that incorporates elements of progressive pop, psychedelic pop, folk, soul, funk and indie pop.