Lily Allen's fifth album, "West End Girl," has ignited the internet like a wildfire, swiftly establishing itself as the de facto breakup album of the season. If the Spotify figures are any indication, it seems like it's here to stay. According to exclusive data shared by Spotify with The Hollywood Reporter, streams of "West End Girl" have doubled in the week since its release on October 24th, affirming the album's buzz, considering that new albums typically see their biggest numbers in the first couple of days of release. (Although Spotify didn't share the exact number of streams, "Pussy Palace" is currently the most-played track on her page, having earned approximately 9 million streams so far.)
"West End Girl" has introduced a broader audience to Allen's music, with Spotify reporting a 375% increase in first-time listens for Allen on the platform since release day. Since its debut, an average of 100,000 people have discovered Allen's music each day on Spotify.
The album came as a surprise, with Allen only announcing it a few days before its release through BMG on October 24th. It quickly caught fire, generating buzz as a tell-all screed about her separation from her ex-husband, David Harbour. Critics have hailed it as a late contender for one of the best albums of 2025, earning Allen some of the best reviews of her career so far.
While the Spotify numbers and numerous headlines in the press suggest intrigue and growth, "West End Girl" is still far from a chart-topper. It debuted at a lowly 118 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in the U.S., but fared much better in her native England, opening at no. 4. The question now is where the album will land on the charts next week.
In an interview with Mel Ottenberg of Interview Magazine last week, Allen spoke about "West End Girl," opening up about making the album and shooting down the notion that it's a revenge record. Allen married Stranger Things star Harbour in Las Vegas in 2020 and separated last year. "I wrote this record in 10 days in December and I feel very differently about the whole situation now," Allen said. "We all go through breakups, and it's always fucking brutal. But I don't think it's that often that you feel inclined to write about it while you're in it."
