London Grammar

The English group London Grammar crafts minimal electronic pop reminiscent of the xx, anchored by Hannah Reid’s powerful and emotive singing that calls to mind Annie Lennox along with artists such as Florence Welch and Natasha Khan of Bat for Lashes. Their breakthrough debut, the 2013 album If You Wait, reached number two on the U.K. chart, while the 2017 follow-up Truth Is a Beautiful Thing became their first release to top that ranking. Californian Soil, their third full-length effort, appeared in 2021, with The Greatest Love arriving three years later.

Reid and guitarist Dan Rothman first connected while living in the dorms at Nottingham University, beginning to compose songs together in 2009 before multi-instrumentalist Dot Major joined to round out the trio. Over the next several years they honed a style built around atmospheric electronics and restrained percussion, frequently performing in spaces that held no more than ten listeners. Momentum built after they uploaded the 2012 track “Hey Now,” which quickly cultivated an online following that extended beyond the U.K. to Australia, where their self-released 2013 EP Metal & Dust climbed to the summit of the digital charts. That same year the group signed with Ministry of Sound and issued the single “Wasting My Young Years” as their first release on the label, while also selling out a show at Islington Assembly Hall and appearing at Brighton’s Great Escape Festival. London Grammar’s debut album If You Wait reached stores in September 2013, landing at number two on the U.K. album chart and entering the Top 20 in Australia, New Zealand, France, and Ireland. Buoyed by strong reviews, the trio toured extensively in 2014, closing the run with two sold-out nights at London’s Brixton Academy. They also collected two Ivor Novello awards for the single “Strong” and two AIM awards recognizing Breakthrough of the Year and Most Played Independent Act.

Following the intensity of 2014, the members stepped back into everyday routines, reconnecting with friends while continuing to write. Early in 2017 they unveiled the first results with the single “Rooting for You,” then released sophomore album Truth Is a Beautiful Thing that June. Working alongside Paul Epworth, Youth, and Jon Hopkins, the band expanded their sparse electronic pop into broader cinematic terrain, securing their initial U.K. number-one position.

The group joined Flume on the 2019 track “Let You Know” and resurfaced the next year with “Baby It’s You,” the lead single from their third album. Californian Soil arrived in 2021, showcasing Reid’s songwriting leadership and deliberate focus on empowering feminist themes. Co-produced by George FitzGerald, Steve Mac, and Charlie Andrew, the richly textured record also featured the singles “America” and “Lose Your Head.” In 2024 the trio returned to the studio to complete their fourth album. Issued that September on Ministry of Sound, The Greatest Love included the moody, breakbeat-driven single “House.”