Lighting Matches

Lighting Matches
Studio album by
Tom Grennan
Released6 July 2018 (2018-07-06)
Recorded2016–2018
Genres
Length41:43
LabelInsanity
Producers
Tom Grennan chronology
Found What I've Been Looking For
(2017)		 Lighting Matches
(2018)		 Evering Road
(2021)
Singles from Lighting Matches
  1. "Royal Highness"
    Released: September 2017
  2. "I Might"
    Released: December 2017
  3. "Sober"
    Released: February 2018
  4. "Barbed Wire"
    Released: June 2018
  5. "Run in the Rain"
    Released: November 2018

Lighting Matches is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter Tom Grennan, released on 6 July 2018 through Insanity Records. The album spawned five singles, and includes three singles, released on Grennan's previously three EPs.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic79/100
Review scores
SourceRating
Clash5/10
The IndependentStarStarStarStar
NMEStarStarStarStar

Lighting Matches was generally well received by critics. NME critic Andrew Trendell said that the album "makes Bedford sound like Hollywood" and that Grennan "knows what he's doing". However, Clash critic Nick Roseblade said that the album "isn't a bad album, but sadly it doesn't excel either" and that "it all feels a little too rehearsed and sanitised in its delivery."

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Found What I've Been Looking For"
3:11
2."Royal Highness"
  • Laconic
  • Joe Rubel
3:13
3."Barbed Wire"
  • Grennan
  • Danny Connors
Hugall3:05
4."Run in the Rain"
Jimmy Hogarth3:57
5."Aboard"
Eg White3:53
6."Lighting Matches"
  • Grennan
  • Lattimer
  • Jimmy Hogarth
Hogarth3:29
7."Lucky Ones"
Samuel Dixon3:33
8."Sober"
Fraser T Smith3:42
9."I Might"Diane WarrenPeter Stengaard2:53
10."Make 'Em Like You"
Pott3:39
11."Something in the Water"GrennanHugall3:27
12."Little by Little Love"
  • Grennan
  • Pott
Pott3:41
Total length:41:43
Deluxe edition CD
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."Praying"
Hugall3:06
14."Secret Lover"
  • Grennan
  • Pott
Pott3:58
15."Sweet Hallelujah"GrennanHugall3:48
16."All Goes Wrong" (with Chase & Status)
Chase & Status3:43

Chart performance

Chart (2018) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)191
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)60
Irish Albums (Official Charts)28
Scottish Albums (Official Charts)6
UK Albums (Official Charts)5

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) Gold 100,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ↑ "Reviews for Lighting Matches by Tom Grennan". Metacritic. 3 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  2. 1 2 "Lighting Matches – Tom Grennan". Clash. 16 July 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  3. ↑ "Lighting Matches – Tom Grennan". The Independent. 5 July 2018. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Lighting Matches – Tom Grennan". NME. 6 July 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  5. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Tom Grennan – Lightning Matches" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  6. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Tom Grennan – Lightning Matches" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  7. ↑ "Official Irish Albums Chart on 13/7/2018 – Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  8. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 13/7/2018 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  9. ↑ "Official Albums Chart on 13/7/2018 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  10. ↑ "British album certifications – Tom Grennan – Lighting Matches". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 27 November 2020. Select albums in the Formats field. Type Lighting Matches Tom Grennan in the "Search:" field.