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Saturday, May 20, marks the one-year anniversary of the release of Harry’s House, Harry Styles‘ third solo album. And while Harry was already a Grammy-winning star, Harry’s House pushed him over the edge into the kind of global pop domination that only a few — like his pal Ed Sheeran and his alleged ex-girlfriend Taylor Swift — get to experience.
The album, written and recorded during lockdown, was announced in March, with a title Harry claimed was inspired by a 1973 Japanese album called Hosono House.
The lead single, “As It Was,” became Harry’s second U.S. #1 hit and topped the charts for a whopping 15 nonconsecutive weeks, becoming the longest-running #1 ever by a U.K. act. Harry’s House debuted at #1 with a massive 521,500 units sold in its first week.
Upon the album’s release, “As It Was” returned to #1, and three other songs from the album entered the top 10: “Late Night Talking,” “Music for a Sushi Restaurant” and “Matilda.” That made Harry the first British solo artist ever to have four songs in the top 10 at the same time.
Harry promoted the album by taking over arenas in major cities and playing multiple dates: 15 nights in New York City, six nights in Austin, six nights in Chicago and 12 nights in Inglewood, California. A Latin American tour followed.
Concurrently, Harry starred in two movies — Don’t Worry Darling and My Policeman — and enjoyed a high-profile relationship with Olivia Wilde, who fans believed inspired many of the album’s songs. The two split in November.
Harry’s House was then named Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at the Grammy Awards in February 2023, and Album of the Year at the Brit Awards a week later.
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