Robbie Williams Says Taylor Swift Forced ‘Britpop’ Release Delay in All-Time U.K. Chart Record Pursuit: ‘You Can’t Compete!’

Robbie Williams performed a amusement of 2 halves astatine London’s Dingwalls connected Thursday nighttime (Oct. 9), marking his smallest-ever ticketed gig, and revealed however Taylor Swift forced him to hold the merchandise of his 13th workplace LP, Britpop.

At the 600-capacity venue successful Camden, the vocalist performed his iconic debut Life Thru A Lens successful its entirety, earlier airing tracks from his upcoming medium Britpop (due Feb. 6). Those successful attendance were required to enactment their phones successful Yondr pouches, to debar caller songs being filmed and leaked online.

The amusement was initially slated to coincide with the merchandise of Britpop, though the grounds had precocious been pushed backmost owed to “scheduling issues.” Towards the extremity of the night, Williams confirmed that this was to debar the accomplishment of Taylor Swift’s The Life Of A Showgirl (Oct. 3) and its consequent illustration domination, which volition apt proceed implicit the coming month.

If Britpop reaches the acme adjacent year, Williams volition unafraid his 16th U.K. No.1 connected the Official U.K. Albums Chart, breaking a necktie with The Beatles successful the all-time rankings. “We’re each pretending [the scheduling change] is not astir Taylor Swift, but it f–king is, you can’t vie with that,” Williams said.

“I was disquieted astir making you [fans] each hold for the record. But past I was like, ‘F–k it’. I’m sorry, but I’m f–king being selfish. How galore times successful your beingness bash you get to person the astir No. 1 albums the U.K. has f–king ever had?”

Earlier connected successful the evening, accompanied by a afloat backing band, Williams reimagined the songs from Life Thru A Lens with a rockier edge. The 11-track effort, which formed the instauration for 1 of the astir palmy solo careers successful British popular history, features mega-hits “Angels” and “Let Me Entertain You.” Its artwork, meanwhile, sees its writer posing successful a swarm of paparazzi and was recreated for the poster of Williams’ caller biopic, Better Man.

Upon merchandise successful 1997, Life Thru A Lens initially saw humble sales, though it yet topped the Official U.K. Albums Chart and went 8 times Platinum successful the U.K. Its enduring popularity proved that a lad set subordinate could successfully modulation into a solo act, paving the mode for others including Justin Timberlake and Harry Styles successful aboriginal generations.

Taking to the signifier astatine 10:45 p.m., Williams played the medium successful order, kicking disconnected a 2 hour-long show with a rollicking rendition of “Lazy Days.” Like the bulk o...