Every Song From Sam Fender’s ‘People Watching’ Album Ranked: Critic’s Picks

In 2021, Sam Fender released his second album Seventeen Going Under. Arriving amid COVID lockdowns in the U.K., the record tapped into the nation’s reflective mood, and saw the high-flying rocker reflect on his teenage upbringing in the north east (“Seventeen Going Under”), his familial relationships (“Spit of Me”) and the ongoing mental health crisis among young men in his community (“Dying Light”). The LP garnered critical success, was a chart mainstay for years after, and took his live show to massive venues, a rarity in modern British indie rock.

His new album People Watching reflects on the view from the top. Co-produced with The War on Drugs’ Adam Granduciel, the eleven songs detail Fender’s newfound fame, his experiences in the music industry, and staying grounded and present with his community in North Shields, England. His Springsteen-indebted sound is now more fleshed out, influenced by roots rock and Americana, and provides a massive step up from Seventeen and his 2019 debut Hypersonic Missiles. This third LP is a grand, emotional record which has the potential to become an instant British classic.

In the coming weeks he’ll look for success at The BRIT Awards at the O2 Arena in London (Mar. 1), and then later this summer he’ll take People Watching on the road and headline a number of stadiums in the U.K. and Ireland – a headline slot at Glastonbury could even be on the cards. To celebrate its release (Feb. 21), Billboard U.K. takes a beady eye to each and every song on People Watching. See our ranking of its 11 tracks below.