Halcyon (2012) is Ellie Goulding’s second album following her debut album Lights (2010). Suffice to say she has been around for a while before she was ever on my radar. But that all changed with the reissue of her album Halcyon which feature 10 new songs. She retitled the album to Halcyon Days (2013). Halcyon Days have a total of 21 songs which amounts to an hour and 19-minute runtime. Long albums are usually hit or miss for me, but this one was a hit for me. It starts hot, ends just as well, and the middle features are some of my favorite songs. A good song on this album would be my favorite song on any other album, but because there’s just so much great on this album, the good gets outshined. I do love that whenever I relisten to the album I came out with a new favorite or new appreciation for another. It’s just that good.

My Favorites:

Anything Could Happen

• Anything Could Happen was the lead single of Halcyon (2012) It peaked at 47 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
• It also debuted at number five on the UK Singles Chart.
• I wish this song would have gotten more attention when it was released. This feels like it should have been a bigger hit than it was.

Explosions

• Explosions was the third single from Halcyon (2012). It entered Billboard’s Hot 100 at just 100.
• This is the most meaningful and powerful song of the album. Ellie’s vocals shine through and make Explosions a vital part song to come back to.

Dead In The Water

• Featured on the Divergent (2014) soundtrack.
• Featured on Grey’s Anatomy episode 9×15.
• Chills every time I hear it, it’s that special.

Lights (single version)

• Peaked number 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
• Spent over a year on the chart.
• In June 2013, it became the fifth best-selling digital song by a British female solo artist in the US.
• The first Ellie Goulding song I ever heard.

Burn

• Peaked at 13 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
• Was the best-selling single by a British female artist in 2013.
• 1.3 billion views on YouTube.
• It is one of the 90 most viewed YouTube videos of all time.

Hearts Without Chains

• “Have you lost the same things I have lost? Do you know the panic I know? And would I see the terror in your face? Do you know the fever I know?” – I just love all the lyrics in the this song, and this lyric is my favorite.

Goodness Gracious

• Third and final single of Halcyon Days.
• Goulding’s tenth UK top-20 song.
• One of my go to happy songs.

Ellie Goulding’s fourth album is expected later this year.