Happiness Bastards

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Happiness Bastards | type = studio | artist = the Black Crowes | cover = The Black Crowes - Happiness Bastards.png | alt = The album title written across four lines in black text on top of a murky blue-grey background. | released = March 15, 2024 | recorded = | studio = | genre = Rock | length = 37:54 | label = Silver Arrow | producer = Jay Joyce | prev_title = 1972 | prev_year = 2022 | next_title = A Pound of Feathers | next_year = 2026 }} '''''Happiness Bastards''''' is the ninth studio album by American rock band the Black Crowes, released on March 15, 2024, through Silver Arrow Records.<ref>{{cite magazine|url= https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/black-crowes-happiness-bastards-first-album-15-years-1235580650/ |title= Black Crowes Prepping First New Album in 15 Years, ''Happiness Bastards'' |first=Gil |last=Kaufman |date=January 12, 2024 |access-date=January 30, 2024 |magazine=Billboard}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://theblackcrowes.com/news/the-black-crowes-announce-their-first-new-album-in-15-years-happiness-bastards/ |title=The Black Crowes Announce Their First New Album in 15 Years ''Happiness Bastards'' |website=The Black Crowes |date= January 11, 2024 |access-date=January 30, 2024}}</ref> The album was produced by Jay Joyce.<ref name="BBNS">{{cite web|url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/the-black-crowes-announce-new-album-happiness-bastards |title=The Black Crowes Announce New Album ''Happiness Bastards'' |website=Blabbermouth.net |date=January 11, 2024 |access-date=January 30, 2024}}</ref> It is the band's first album since their 2019 reformation, the first album of new material since 2009's ''Before the Frost...Until the Freeze'', and the first without longtime drummer Steve Gorman. The album was preceded by the single "Wanting and Waiting", released on January 12, 2024.<ref name="BBNS"/>

The album received a nomination for Best Rock Album at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Atkinson |first=Katie |date=8 November 2024 |title=Grammy Nominations 2025: See the Complete List |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/grammy-nominations-2025-full-list-1235823165/ |access-date=8 November 2024 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Critical reception== {{Music ratings | MC = 80/100<ref name="MC">{{cite web |title=''Happiness Bastards'' by The Black Crowes Reviews and Tracks |url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/happiness-bastards/the-black-crowes |website=Metacritic |access-date=2024-04-18 |language=en}}</ref>

| rev1 = ''Blues Rock Review'' | rev1score = 8/10<ref>{{cite news|url=https://bluesrockreview.com/2024/04/the-black-crowes-happiness-bastards-review.html|title=The Black Crowes Happiness Bastards|magazine=Blues Rock Review|first=Fidel|last=Beserra|date=April 9, 2024|access-date=April 18, 2024}}</ref>

| rev2 = ''Classic Rock'' | rev2score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/the-black-crowes-happiness-bastards|title="More soulful than a gospel convention, warmer than a mother's love and groovier than the Grand Canyon": The Black Crowes return in righteous form on Happiness Bastards|magazine=Classic Rock|first=Pat|last=Carty|date=March 19, 2024|access-date=April 18, 2024}}</ref>

| rev3 = ''AllMusic'' | rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/happiness-bastards-mw0004193535|title=Happinesss Bastards The Black Crowes|magazine=AllMusic|first=Stephen Thomas|last=Erlewine|date=March 15, 2024|access-date=April 18, 2024}}</ref>

| rev4 = ''Record Collector'' | rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/album/happiness-bastards|title=Happiness Bastards Black Crowes|magazine=Record Collector|first=Terry|last=Staunton|date=March 27, 2024|access-date=April 18, 2024}}</ref>

| rev5 = ''Paste'' | rev5score = 7.3/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/the-black-crowes/the-black-crowes-come-blazing-back-on-happiness-bastards|title=The Black Crowes Come Blazing Back on Happiness Bastards|work=Paste|first=Eric|last=Denton|date=March 14, 2024|access-date=April 18, 2024}}</ref>

| rev6 = ''Under The Radar Mag'' | rev6score = 7/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.undertheradarmag.com/reviews/happiness_bastards_the_black_crowes|title=The Black Crowes Happiness Bastards|work=Under The Radar Magazine|first=Frank|last=Valish|date=March 18, 2024|access-date=April 18, 2024}}</ref>

| rev7 = ''Pop Matters'' | rev7score = 7/10<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/black-crowes-happiness-bastards-review |title=The Wanting and Waiting is Over as The Black Crowes Return|work=Pop Matters|first=Michael|last=Elliott|date=March 11, 2024|access-date=April 18, 2024}}</ref>

}} ''Happiness Bastards'' received a score of 80 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on nine critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable". <ref name="MC"/> In ''Classic Rock Magazine'' Pat Carty described it as "A rock'n'roll record that's funkier than a tramp's kacks, more soulful than a gospel convention, warmer than a mother's love and groovier than the Grand Canyon."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Carty |first=Pat |date=March 19, 2024 |title="More soulful than a gospel convention, warmer than a mother's love and groovier than the Grand Canyon": The Black Crowes return in righteous form on Happiness Bastards |url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/the-black-crowes-happiness-bastards |access-date=April 19, 2024 |work=Classic Rock Magazine}}</ref>

===Year-end lists=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+ Select year-end rankings for ''Happiness Bastards'' ! scope="col"| Publication/critic ! scope="col"| Accolade ! scope="col"| Rank ! scope="col" class="unsortable"|{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |- ! scope="row" |''Loudwire'' | The 11 Best Rock Albums of 2024 | style="text-align: center;" |8 | style="text-align: center;" |<ref name="loud1124">{{Cite web |last=Childers |first=Chad |date=2024-12-12 |title=The 11 Best Rock Albums of 2024 Ranked |url=https://loudwire.com/best-rock-albums-2024-ranked/ |access-date=2025-06-11 |website=Loudwire |language=en}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" |''MOJO'' | The Best Albums Of 2024 | style="text-align: center;" |43 | style="text-align: center;" |<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.mojo4music.com/articles/the-mojo-list/the-best-albums-of-2024/|title=The Best Albums Of 2024|magazine=Mojo|date=December 23, 2024|access-date=December 28, 2025}}</ref> |}

==Track listing== All tracks are written by Chris Robinson and Rich Robinson. {{Track listing | total_length = 37:54

| title1 = Bedside Manners | length1 = 3:41

| title2 = Rats and Clowns | length2 = 3:33

| title3 = Cross Your Fingers | length3 = 3:49

| title4 = Wanting and Waiting | length4 = 4:15

| title5 = Wilted Rose | note5 = featuring Lainey Wilson | length5 = 5:06

| title6 = Dirty Cold Sun | length6 = 3:05

| title7 = Bleed it Dry | length7 = 2:56

| title8 = Flesh Wound | length8 = 3:34

| title9 = Follow the Moon | length9 = 3:26

| title10 = Kindred Friend | length10 = 4:29 }}

==Personnel== '''The Black Crowes''' * Chris Robinson – lead vocals, harp, artwork, design * Rich Robinson – guitar, vocals * Nico Bereciartúa – guitar * Erik Deutsch – keyboards * Sven Pipien – bass, vocals * Brian Griffin – drums

'''Additional contributors''' * Jay Joyce – production, mixing, guitar, keyboards * Pete Lyman – mastering * Jason Hall – mixing, engineering * Daniel Bacigalupi – mastering assistance * Alex Grimm – engineering assistance * Jimmy Mansfield – engineering assistance * Josh Groppel – engineering assistance * Camille Robinson – artwork, design

==Charts== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+Chart performance for ''Happiness Bastards'' ! scope="col"| Chart (2024) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row" | Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref name="ARIA Chart">{{cite web|url=https://imgur.com/a/oQv304J|title=The Black Crows ARIA Chart history - June 1988 to June 2025 |publisher=ARIA|via=Imgur.com|access-date= June 29, 2025}} N.B. The High Point number in the NAT column represents the release's peak on the national chart.</ref> | 107 |- {{album chart|Austria|44|artist=The Black Crowes|album=Happiness Bastards|rowheader=true|access-date=March 27, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Flanders|44|artist=The Black Crowes|album=Happiness Bastards|rowheader=true|access-date=March 24, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Wallonia|53|artist=The Black Crowes|album=Happiness Bastards|rowheader=true|access-date=March 24, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Netherlands|29|artist=The Black Crowes|album=Happiness Bastards|rowheader=true|access-date=March 23, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Germany|18|id=532782|artist=The Black Crowes|album=Happiness Bastards|rowheader=true|access-date=March 22, 2024}} |- ! scope="row"| Japanese Hot Albums (''Billboard Japan'')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot_albums&year=2024&month=03&day=25|title=Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of March 20, 2024|website=Billboard Japan|language=ja|access-date=March 20, 2024}}</ref> | 31 |- {{album chart|Scotland|5|date=20240322|rowheader=true|access-date=March 23, 2024}} |- ! scope="row" | Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)<ref name="PROMUSICAEA">{{Cite web |title=The Black Crowes – ''Happiness Bastards'' |url=https://www.elportaldemusica.es/album/the-black-crowes-happiness-bastards?list=top-100-albumss |access-date=March 31, 2024 |publisher=Productores de Música de España}}</ref> | 47 |- {{album chart|Switzerland|11|artist=The Black Crowes|album=Happiness Bastards|rowheader=true|access-date=March 24, 2024}} |- {{album chart|UK2|31|date=20240322|rowheader=true|access-date=March 22, 2024}} |- {{album chart|UKIndependent|2|date=20240322|rowheader=true|access-date=March 23, 2024}} |- {{album chart|Billboard200|97|artist=The Black Crowes|rowheader=true|access-date=March 26, 2024}} |- {{album chart|BillboardIndependent|18|artist=The Black Crowes|rowheader=true|access-date=March 26, 2024}} |- {{album chart|BillboardRock|15|artist=The Black Crowes|rowheader=true|access-date=March 26, 2024}} |}

== References == {{Reflist}}

Category:2024 albums Category:Albums produced by Jay Joyce Category:The Black Crowes albums