How Did We Get So Dark?

How Did We Get So Dark? is the second studio album by British hard rock duo Royal Blood. The album was released by Warner Bros. Records on 16 June 2017.^[3]

How Did We Get So Dark?
Studio album by Royal Blood
Released	16 June 2017 (2017-06-16)
Recorded	2016–2017
Studio	ICP (Brussels) RAK (London)
Genre	Hard rock
Length	34:25
Label	Warner Bros.
Producer	Royal Blood Jolyon Thomas Tom Dalgety
Royal Blood chronology
Royal Blood (2014) How Did We Get So Dark? (2017) Typhoons (2021)
Singles from How Did We Get So Dark?
"Lights Out" Released: 13 April 2017[1] "I Only Lie When I Love You" Released: 8 June 2017 "How Did We Get So Dark?" Released: 20 October 2017 "Hole in Your Heart" Released: 20 March 2018[2]

The album is considered by most critics to be stylistically similar^{[citation needed]} to the band's breakthrough debut album, with Kerr's bass serving as the music's focal point, but it incorporates more blues and psychedelic influences. It received generally positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success.^{[citation needed]}

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	6.4/10[4]
Metacritic	71/100[5]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
Classic Rock	[7]
Dork	[8]
Exclaim!	6/10[9]
Financial Times	[10]
MusicOMH	[11]
NME	[12]
The Spill Magazine	[13]

The album received generally positive reviews from music critics, attaining a Metacritic aggregate score of 71.

It was elected by Loudwire as the 7th best hard rock album of 2017.^[14]

Track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"How Did We Get So Dark?"			3:17
2.	"Lights Out"	Mike Kerr John Barrett	Royal Blood John Barrett	3:57
3.	"I Only Lie When I Love You"			2:49
4.	"She's Creeping"			3:23
5.	"Look Like You Know"			3:05
6.	"Where Are You Now?"			2:46
7.	"Don't Tell"	Mike Kerr John Barrett	Royal Blood John Barrett	3:38
8.	"Hook, Line & Sinker"			3:28
9.	"Hole in Your Heart"			3:46
10.	"Sleep"		Royal Blood Patrick Berger	4:16
Total length:				34:25

All lyrics are written by Mike Kerr; all music is composed by Royal Blood, except where noted.

Super deluxe vinyl bonus 7"^[15]

No.	Title	Length
11.	"Cheap Affection"	2:55
12.	"Half the Chance"	3:18
Total length:		40:38

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's booklet.^[16]

Royal Blood

• Mike Kerr – bass, keyboards, vocals, production
• Ben Thatcher – drums, percussion, piano, production

Production

• Tom Dalgety – production, engineering, mixing
• Jolyon Thomas – production, engineering
• Brian Lucey – mastering
• Justin Smith – engineering
• Drew Bang – engineering

Imagery

• Adrian Samson – photography
• Pascal Teixeira – art direction
• Richard Welland – design
• We Three Club – tiger design

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2017)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[17]	4
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[18]	13
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[19]	2
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[20]	2
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[21]	8
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[22]	43
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[23]	8
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[24]	28
French Albums (SNEP)[25]	37
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[26]	17
Greek Albums (IFPI)[27]	19
Irish Albums (IRMA)[28]	4
Italian Albums (FIMI)[29]	29
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[30]	6
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[31]	23
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[32]	8
Scottish Albums (OCC)[33]	1
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[34]	25
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[35]	4
UK Albums (OCC)[36]	1
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[37]	1
US Billboard 200[38]	25
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[39]	6

Year-end charts

Chart (2017)	Position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[40]	31
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[41]	112
UK Albums (OCC)[42]	39