History of James Blake (musician) in Timeline
James Blake Litherland is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer distinguished by his soulful vocals, falsetto, and emotive delivery. He rose to prominence in 2010 with a series of EPs (The Bells Sketch, CMYK, and Klavierwerke). In 2011, he released his critically acclaimed self-titled debut album on A&M Records, achieving top-ten status on the UK Albums Chart, solidifying his position as a key figure in contemporary music.
1 hour ago : James Blake Announces 'Trying Times' 2026 UK/Europe Tour with O2 Academy Show
James Blake has announced the 'Trying Times' tour across the UK and Europe in 2026. The tour includes a headline show at the O2 Academy Brixton and a Glasgow date.
1970: Release of Band of Gypsys
In 1970 the Jimi Hendrix live album 'Band of Gypsys' was released, and became a source of inspiration for James Blake.
September 1988: James Blake's Birth
James Blake Litherland was born in September 1988. He is an English singer, songwriter, and record producer.
November 2010: Release of "Limit to Your Love"
On November 28, 2010, James Blake's cover version of "Limit to Your Love" was released in the United Kingdom, debuting on the UK Singles Chart at number 47.
December 2010: Album Announcement
In late December 2010, James Blake revealed that his upcoming album would be self-titled.
2010: Recognition Through Extended Plays
In 2010, James Blake gained recognition following the release of three extended plays: The Bells Sketch, CMYK, and Klavierwerke.
January 2011: Single of the Year Award
In January 2011, James Blake was awarded Single of the Year (2010) for "CMYK" at Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Awards.
January 2011: Trailing of "The Wilhelm Scream"
On January 9, 2011, "The Wilhelm Scream" was trailed as the second single from James Blake's self-titled album.
February 2011: Release of Self-Titled Album and Fader Cover Appearance
In February 2011, James Blake's self-titled album was released and he appeared on the cover of The Fader magazine.
July 2011: Mercury Music Prize Nomination in July 2011
On July 2011, James Blake received a nomination for the Mercury Music Prize 2011 for his self-titled debut album, though PJ Harvey ultimately won the award.
August 2011: Debut of "Fall Creek Boys Choir" Collaboration
In August 2011, James Blake debuted a collaboration with Bon Iver called "Fall Creek Boys Choir".
2011: Evolving Musical Style in 2011
By the time of his 2011 debut album, James Blake's vocals and piano became more prominent, reflecting gospel and soul influences.
2011: Release of Enough Thunder and Love What Happened Here EPs
In 2011, James Blake released both the Enough Thunder and Love What Happened Here EPs, which featured R&B-tinged work, contrasting with the experimental electronic style found on CMYK.
2011: Debut Album Release
In 2011, James Blake signed with A&M Records and released his self-titled debut album, James Blake. The album was met with critical praise and peaked within the top ten of the UK Albums Chart.
September 2012: Harmonimix Release
On 24 September 2012, James Blake announced a new collaborative non-single release under the moniker Harmonimix with British rapper Trim; the single "Confidence Boost/Saying" was released.
2012: Debut of New Songs
During the final weeks of 2012, James Blake performed three intimate shows where he debuted new songs.
December 2013: Overgrown named Album of the Year
In December 2013, James Blake's album 'Overgrown' was selected as Variance Magazine's Album of the Year.
2013: Release of Overgrown
In 2013, James Blake departed A&M in favour of sister label Republic Records and released his second album, Overgrown. It achieved both critical and commercial success, peaking within the top ten of the UK Albums Chart and entering the US Billboard 200.
2013: Mercury Music Prize Win in 2013
In 2013, James Blake was nominated for and subsequently won the Mercury Music Prize for his album 'Overgrown,' which the judges described as 'late-night music for the digital age' and 'an inventive, poignant and poetic record of great beauty.'
2013: Launch of 1-800 Dinosaur Label
In summer 2013, the 1-800 Dinosaur collective, which included James Blake, launched a label of the same name, on which Blake and other artists released material.
December 2014: Announcement of Radio Silence Album
In December 2014, James Blake announced that his third studio album would be titled Radio Silence and would be released in the first half of 2015.
2014: Grammy Awards Nomination in 2014
In 2014, James Blake was nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards, he won one out of five Grammy Awards nominations.
2015: Release of Radio Silence album
In 2015, James Blake intended to release his third studio album titled Radio Silence.
2015: Relationship with Jameela Jamil
Since 2015, James Blake has been in a relationship with British actress Jameela Jamil.
May 2016: Album Recording Details Revealed
In May 2016, James Blake revealed that he began work on the album in England and completed the recording at Shangri La Studios with producer Rick Rubin.
May 2016: Release of The Colour in Anything
James Blake's album The Colour in Anything was released on 6 May 2016, after social media posts hinted at the album title.
September 2016: Release of "Timeless" Remix
On 2 September 2016, James Blake released a remix of "Timeless" featuring Vince Staples, which had already been leaked on the internet earlier.
2016: Release of The Colour in Anything
In 2016, James Blake released his third album, The Colour in Anything.
2016: Inspiration from Jimi Hendrix's Live Album in 2016
In 2016, James Blake revealed that the Jimi Hendrix live album 'Band of Gypsys' (1970) was a primary inspiration for his live performances, expressing a desire to emulate its freedom.
December 2017: Release of "Vincent" Cover
In December 2017, James Blake released a cover of the song "Vincent" by Don McLean alongside a performance video shot in the studio.
January 2018: Release of "King's Dead"
On 11 January 2018, James Blake co-wrote and performed alongside Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, and Future on the single "King's Dead" from Rock's album Redemption and the soundtrack Black Panther: The Album.
June 2018: Release of Age Of
In June 2018, James Blake mixed and worked on additional production on the ninth album by American electronic musician Oneohtrix Point Never, titled Age Of.
December 2018: Announcement of North America Tour
In December 2018, James Blake announced that he would be embarking on a tour of North America in February/March 2019.
2018: Release of King's Dead
In 2018, James Blake released the single "King's Dead" with Jay Rock, Kendrick Lamar, and Future. It peaked at number 50 on the UK Singles Chart and number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.
January 2019: Leak and Confirmation of Assume Form Details
In early January 2019, details of James Blake's fourth album, Assume Form, including its track listing and features, were leaked by Amazon.fr, with the release date later confirmed to be on 18 January 2019.
March 2019: North America Tour
In February/March 2019, James Blake embarked on a tour of North America.
2019: Release of Assume Form
In 2019, James Blake released his fourth album, Assume Form, which became his highest-charting entry on both the UK Albums Chart and Billboard 200.
2019: Grammy Award for "King's Dead"
In 2019, the song "King's Dead", on which James Blake collaborated, received the Grammy Award For Best Rap Performance at the 2019 ceremony.
2020: Release of New Tracks and Before EP
Throughout 2020, James Blake released several new tracks, including "You're Too Precious", as well as the Before EP in October.
October 2021: Release of Friends That Break Your Heart
On 8 October 2021, James Blake released his fifth album, Friends That Break Your Heart, after a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021: Release of Friends That Break Your Heart in 2021
In 2021, James Blake released 'Friends That Break Your Heart,' described as a brightly colored, features-heavy singer-songwriter collection that careened through genres.
March 2022: Release of Wind Down
On 18 March 2022, James Blake released an ambient album titled Wind Down, created with German artificial intelligence media company Endel to help listeners fall asleep.
June 2023: Release of "Big Hammer"
On 28 June 2023, James Blake released the lead single, "Big Hammer", from his upcoming album Playing Robots Into Heaven.
September 2023: Release of Playing Robots Into Heaven
On 8 September 2023, James Blake released his sixth album, Playing Robots Into Heaven.
2023: Release of Playing Robots Into Heaven
In 2023, James Blake released his sixth album, Playing Robots Into Heaven.
May 2024: Release of "Thrown Around"
In May 2024, James Blake released "Thrown Around," his first single as an independent artist, after leaving Polydor Records and forming his own production house and record label, CMYK Group.
2024: Release of Playing Robots Into Heaven in 2024
In 2024, James Blake's album 'Playing Robots Into Heaven' marked a partial return to his electronic club roots.
January 2026: Release of "Death of Love"
On January 2026, James Blake released the song "Death of Love" as the first single from his seventh studio album Trying Times, through his own independent label, Good Boy Records.
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