3 (The Purple Album)

3 (The Purple Album) is the third studio album by Danish band Lukas Graham. It was released on 26 October 2018 by Copenhagen Records, Then We Take the World and Warner Bros. Records. The album features songs about "growing up and moving on".^[1] The band toured in support of the album in 2019.^[1] The album debuted at number one in Denmark while on the singles chart, "Love Someone" stayed atop for an eighth week, "Not a Damn Thing Changed" rose back up to number two and the other eight album tracks also entered.^[2]

3 (The Purple Album)
Studio album by Lukas Graham
Released	26 October 2018 (2018-10-26)
Length	33:11
Label	Copenhagen Then We Take the World Warner Bros.
Producer	Hennedub Rissi Pilo Nova Wav
Lukas Graham chronology
Lukas Graham (Blue Album) (2015) 3 (The Purple Album) (2018) 4 (The Pink Album) (2023)
Singles from 3 (The Purple Album)
"Love Someone" Released: 7 September 2018 "Not a Damn Thing Changed" Released: 12 October 2018

Background

Events in the lives of the band post the Blue Album in 2015 such as funerals, suicide, birth, marriage and awards influenced the Purple Album.^[3][4] The album opens with "Not a Damn Thing Changed", which a dedication at the end of the song in memory of a lost friend.^[5] "Lullaby" was influenced by the birth of his daughter.^[4]

A conversation between Forchhammer and Dan Wilson in relation to political songs sparked the idea for a redemption song.^[6] Amy Wadge and Forchhammer were working on Lullaby when Wadge was inspired to come out with lyrics used in the redemption song.^[6] The opening of the song references Bob Marley and Lennon.^[7] Forchhammer has stated that Marley was one of the biggest inspirations for him; Marley's Redemption Song, a reminder of war and the direct impact it had on his childhood.^[8]

"Love Someone" and "Promise" is dedicated to Forchhammer's wife while "Unhappy" is about sorting out disagreements between the two.^[4]

Critical reception

Mark Kennedy of the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette called the album full of "regret and moodiness" and noted that it is "also largely shorn of the upbeat tempos and hip-hop elements that made his [Graham's] last album so successful. This is a truly melancholy Dane."^[9] Kennedy ultimately felt that the album leaves the listener feeling "bummed out".^[9]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Not a Damn Thing Changed"	Lukas Forchhammer Morten Ristorp Stefan Forrest Rasmus Hedegaard David LaBrel Henrik Bryld Wolsing	Hennedub Rissi Bart Schoudel^[v]	3:13
2.	"Lullaby"	Forchhammer Ristorp Morten Pilegaard Forrest Brandon Beal	Rissi Pilo Schoudel^[v]	3:11
3.	"You're Not the Only One (Redemption Song)"	Forchhammer Forrest Ristorp Pilegaard Amy Wadge Dan Wilson	Rissi Pilo William Robert Washington^[a] Schoudel^[v]	3:03
4.	"Love Someone"	Forchhammer Forrest Ristorp Pilegaard Jaramye Daniels LaBrel James Alan	Rissi Pilo David LaBrel^[c] Schoudel^[v]	3:25
5.	"Promise"	Forchhammer Ristorp Pilegaard Forrest Brittany Coney LaBrel Blu June	Rissi Pilo Nova Wav Washington^[a] Schoudel^[v]	3:14
6.	"Stick Around"	Forchhammer Ristorp Pilegaard Coney LaBrel June	Rissi Pilo Schoudel^[v]	3:12
7.	"Unhappy"	Forchhammer Ristorp Pilegaard Forrest Kennedi Lykken Daniels LaBrel	Rissi Pilo Don Stefano^[c] Schoudel^[v]	3:16
8.	"Everything That Isn't Me"	Forchhammer Ristorp Pilegaard George Taylor	Rissi Pilo Schoudel^[v]	3:17
9.	"Hold My Hand"	Forchhammer Ristorp Pilegaard Taylor	Rissi Pilo Washington^[a] Schoudel^[v]	3:47
10.	"Say Yes (Church Ballad)"	Forchhammer Ristorp Pilegaard	Rissi Pilo Washington^[a] Schoudel^[v]	3:33
Total length:				33:11

Notes

• ^{^[c]} signifies a co-producer
• ^{^[a]} signifies an additional producer
• ^{^[v]} signifies a vocal producer

Personnel

Lukas Graham

• Lukas Forchhammer – vocals
• Mark "Lovestick" Falgren – drums (track 10)
• Magnus Larsson – bass guitar (5, 7, 10)

Additional musicians

• Rissi – piano (all tracks), synthesizer (3), percussion (4), programming (4–6, 9), bass guitar (5); additional vocals, guitar, Wurlitzer (7); organ (9)
• Hennedub – drums (1), additional drums (3)
• Don Stefano – strings (1), additional vocals (7)
• Rasmus Hedegaard – synthesizer (1)
• Pilo – drums (2–4, 6, 8–10), programming (2–10), bass guitar (3), organ (4, 8, 9), percussion (5, 7)
• Armen Ksajikian – cello (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Cecilia Tsan – cello (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Charlie Tyler – cello (2, 4, 6, 8)
• David Low – cello (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Elizabeth Wright – cello (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Giovanna Clayton – cello (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Alyssa Park – concertmaster, violin (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Timothy Loo – conductor, orchestral arrangement (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Niall Ferguson – orchestral arrangement (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Caroline Buckman – viola (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Diana Wade – viola (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Erik Rynearson – viola (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Luke Maurer – viola (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Michelle Gasworth – viola (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Stefan Smith – viola (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Alwyn Wright – violin (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Charlie Bisharat – violin (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Christian Hebel – violin (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Kevin Kumar – violin (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Mark Robertson – violin (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Sarah Thornblade – violin (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Tami Hatwan – violin (2, 4, 6, 8)
• Viola Schwartz Forchhammer – samples (2)
• David LaBrel – guitar (4, 6, 8, 10)
• Wade Jones – guitar (4)
• Brittany "Chi" Coney – additional vocals, drums (5)
• Denisia "Blu June" Andrews – additional vocals (5–7)
• Morgan Price – baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone (5)
• Nicolaic Wendelboe – organ (5)
• Will Herrington – organ (5)
• Raymond Mason – trombone (5)
• William Aukstik – trumpet (5)
• Jacques Loui Bruun – percussion (9)
• Katie Pearlman – additional vocals (10)

Technical

• Randy Merrill – mastering
• Serban Ghenea – mixing (1)
• John Hanes – mixing (1)
• Delbert Bowers – mixing (2–4, 6–8, 10)
• Vivid – mixing (5)
• Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing (9)
• David LaBrel – audio engineering, recording
• Vince Chiarito – engineering (5)
• Nick Mac – engineering assistance (1–3, 5–10)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2018) Peak position Australian Digital Albums (ARIA)^[10] 31 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)^[11] 62 Canadian Albums (Billboard)^[12] 68 Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)^[13] 68 Danish Albums (Hitlisten)^[14] 1 Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)^[15] 29 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)^[16] 57 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)^[17] 2 South Korean Albums (Gaon)^[18] 93 Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)^[19] 62 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)^[20] 3 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)^[21] 85 US Billboard 200^[22] 89

Year-end charts Chart (2018) Position Danish Albums (Hitlisten)^[23] 6 Chart (2019) Position Danish Albums (Hitlisten)^[24] 9 Chart (2020) Position Danish Albums (Hitlisten)^[25] 39 Chart (2021) Position Danish Albums (Hitlisten)^[26] 68

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)^[27]	3× Platinum	60,000
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Lukarcanin, Emina (8 October 2018). "Lukas Graham Announce 2019 Tour: See the Dates". Billboard.
2. "Track Top-40 Uge 44, 2018". Hitlisten. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
3. Kennedy, Mark (24 October 2018). "Review: Lukas Graham plumbs melancholy and infinite sadness". AP News. The Associated Press. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
4. Dreyer, Michelle (19 December 2018). "On '3 (The Purple Album),' Lukas Graham's Grown Up". Study Breaks. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
5. Reed, Ryan (12 October 2018). "Watch Lukas Graham Grieve in 'Not a Damn Thing Changed' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
6. Atkinson, Katie (13 November 2018). "Lukas Graham on New Album '3,' Not Trying to 'Duplicate the Success' of '7 Years' & Why 'We Need' Political Songs". Billboard. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
7. "Lukas Graham's newest album brings soul to every song". The Daily Campus. 1 November 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
8. "Music: Lukas Graham – You're Not The Only One (Redemption Song)". Wiseloaded. 28 October 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
9. Kennedy, Mark (24 October 2018). "Review: Lukas Graham plumbs melancholy and infinite sadness". Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
10. "ARIA Top 50 Digital Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. 5 November 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
11. "Ultratop.be – Lukas Graham – Lukas Graham %5BPurple Album%5D" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
12. "Lukas Graham Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
13. "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 201844 on the field besides the word "Zobrazit", and then click over the word to retrieve the correct chart data. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
14. "Hitlisten.NU – Album Top-40 Uge 44, 2018". Hitlisten. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
15. "Lukas Graham: 3 (The Purple Album)" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
16. "Offiziellecharts.de – Lukas Graham – Lukas Graham [Purple Album"] (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
17. "VG-lista – Topp 40 Album uke 45, 2018". VG-lista. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
18. "Gaon Album Chart – Week 44, 2018". Gaon Chart (in Korean). Retrieved 8 November 2018.
19. "Top 100 Álbumes – Semana 44: del 26.10.2018 al 1.11.2018" (PDF) (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
20. "Sverigetopplistan – Sveriges Officiella Topplista". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 3 November 2018. Click on "Veckans albumlista".
21. "Swisscharts.com – Lukas Graham – Lukas Graham %5BPurple Album%5D". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
22. "Lukas Graham Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
23. "Album Top-100 2018" (in Danish). Hitlisten. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
24. "Album Top-100 2019" (in Danish). Hitlisten. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
25. "Album Top-100 2020". Hitlisten. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
26. "Album Top-100 2021". Hitlisten. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
27. "Danish album certifications – Lukas Graham – 3 (The Purple Album)". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved 16 September 2020.