Robbie Williams’ new album has been pushed back to next year as fans speculate he doesn’t want a chart battle with Taylor Swift
Singer Robbie Williams’ new album is being pushed back to next February – which fans believe is to avoid a chart battle with Taylor Swift. The original release date of the former Take That star’s first studio album of original songs in almost a decade – called BRITPOP – was on October 10.
However a new update yesterday confirmed that this has been pushed back until February 6 next year due to “scheduling issues.” Swift’s latest album is out on October 3.
The move to February would give him a clearer run to try and get to Number One, as well as smash the Beatles’ chart record. He is currently equal with the band for having the most albums to hit the top spot, with 15. Fans who pre-ordered the album were notified in a new email from the singer’s team, with a message that read: “Due to scheduling changes ‘BRITPOP’ will now be released on February 6 2026. Your order will be dispatched in line with the new release date. Apologies for any inconvenience caused, we promise it will be worth the wait.”
One fan said after the news: Robbie Williams’ BRITPOP has been delayed from October 9th to February 6th 2026. Likely to avoid clashing with Taylor Swift & to secure his 16th #1 UK Album, which would allow him to overtake The Beatles as the biggest UK Artist in history.” The Mirror told last month how Robbie has reunited with Take That bandmate Gary Barlow to record a song about Smiths frontman Morrissey for the album.
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The 51-year-old star said of the track about outspoken singer Morrissey, who co-wrote Smith hit Hand in Glove with Johnny Marr: “I’m writing it from the point of view of a stalker. “So it’s somebody that’s stalking Morrissey and is completely obsessed and in love with him.”
Gary and Robbie fell out after the latter quit Take That for solo success. But they later reconciled and the former lead singer reunited with the band for their Progress tour in 2011.The pair also performed together the previous year at a Help for Heroes gig at Twickenham stadium in London. The album cover for BRITPOP is the famed picture of Robbie at Glastonbury in 1995 wearing a red Adidas top.
He said: “I’ve worn a lot of clothes and you would think there would be several iconic moments, and it turns out there’s only one. It was a red Adidas top, bleached blond hair and I blacked one of my teeth out. For some reason that has stayed in the hearts and minds of quite a few people.”
Robbie also collaborates with Black Sabbath#’s Tony Iommi, Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Supergrass frontman Gaz Coombes. Speaking in the Groucho Club in Soho, Central London last month – which he used to frequent in his boozy heyday – the rocker revealed he does not remember much of that time. He said: “I like to say I could never forget a face but I’ve forgotten an awful lot about the 90s.The 90s were good years.”
But he insisted he has swapped alcohol for art. Robbie added: “Back in the day, when I used to frequent this place, my modus operandi was nihilism and hedonism, and hedonism just made me fat, and I had to do something about that. “My whole sobriety was based in vanity. And, you know, because there was also going to be death too, but it was like vanity, first, death second.
“So I have to train my brain to do other things, like an errant pet. So I create every day, all day.” Robbie’s latest single is about the dangers of AI, called Human. He said: “We are being told we’re all about to be replaced? whether it is a prophecy, we shall see.” Robbie also announced last month an intimate gig at Dingwalls in Camden, North London on October 9 to 500 fans. That will be the smallest show of his career.