"Back to Black" is the second and final studio album by English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse, released on 27 October 2006 by Island Records. The album is primarily based on her tumultuous relationship with then-ex-boyfriend and future husband Blake Fielder-Civil, whose temporary departure to pursue his previous ex-girlfriend inspired Winehouse to explore themes of guilt, grief, infidelity, heartbreak, and trauma.
Influenced by the pop and soul music of 1960s girl groups, Winehouse collaborated with producers Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson, along with Sharon Jones' band The Dap-Kings. They aimed to capture the sounds of that era while blending them with contemporary R&B and neo-soul. Recording took place between 2005 and 2006 in various studios, including Instrumental Zoo Studios in Miami and Chung King Studios and Daptone Records in New York, with mixing done at Metropolis Studios in London.
Back to Black received widespread acclaim for its songwriting and Winehouse's emotive singing style, as well as the production by Remi and Ronson. The album produced five singles: "Rehab," "You Know I'm No Good," "Back to Black," "Tears Dry on Their Own," and "Love Is a Losing Game." It has been cited as a key influence in the rise of British soul music in the late 2000s, paving the way for artists like Adele, Duffy, and Estelle.
At the 2008 Grammy Awards, Back to Black won Best Pop Vocal Album and was nominated for Album of the Year. Winehouse won four additional awards, making her one of the most awarded female artists at a single ceremony. The album was also nominated at the 2007 Brit Awards and short-listed for the 2007 Mercury Prize. It sold 3.58 million copies in the UK, becoming the country's second best-selling album of the 21st century, and over 20 million copies worldwide, ranking among the best-selling albums of all time.
A deluxe edition was released in November 2007, featuring a bonus disc of B-sides and live tracks. Winehouse's debut DVD, I Told You I Was Trouble: Live in London, released that same month, includes a live set and a documentary about her career. In 2020, Back to Black was ranked number 33 on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time."
After signing with Island Records in 2002, Winehouse released her debut album, Frank, on 20 October 2003, which she dedicated to her ex-boyfriend Chris Taylor. Produced mainly by Salaam Remi, the album incorporated jazz influences and received positive reviews, leading to multiple nominations and awards. However, Winehouse expressed dissatisfaction with the marketing and promotion of Frank.
In 2005, Winehouse began dating Blake Fielder-Civil and rediscovered her love for 1960s music. Their time together in a local Camden bar influenced her songwriting for Back to Black. During this period, Winehouse struggled with heavy drinking and drug use, and her family believes that the death of her grandmother in mid-2006 pushed her further into addiction. Fielder-Civil's departure during their relationship inspired her to write much of the album, exploring the themes of grief and heartache. She briefly dated musician Alex Clare in 2006 before reconciling with and marrying Fielder-Civil the following year.
Most of the songs on *Back to Black* were solely written by Amy Winehouse, as she shifted her focus toward the sound of 1950s and 1960s girl groups. To achieve this, she collaborated with Sharon Jones's band, the Dap-Kings, for studio and tour support. Her father, Mitch Winehouse, noted in his memoir how fascinating it was to witness her perfectionism in the studio, including her habit of playing her recorded songs in his taxi to gauge how others would perceive her music.
Mark Ronson was a key co-producer for the album. In 2005, Winehouse returned to Miami to record several songs at Salaam Remi's Instrumental Zoo Studios, including "Tears Dry on Their Own" and "Just Friends." The recording sessions were intimate, with Winehouse singing while playing guitar and Remi adding instruments. In March 2006, Winehouse and Ronson met in New York to collaborate on six tracks. Ronson appreciated Winehouse's directness about his work, while she initially mistook him for a sound engineer rather than a producer.
Ronson wrote "Back to Black" the night after meeting Winehouse, inspired by their conversations about music. He created a piano riff that became the song's verse chords. During the recording, Winehouse's strong lyrical choices often surprised Ronson, especially when she insisted on keeping lines that didn’t follow conventional rhyming schemes.
The majority of the songs produced by Ronson were finalized at Daptone Records, where he recorded the Dap-Kings to achieve a '60s sound. The recording process emphasized live performance with instruments captured in a single room, creating a raw feel. Additional production took place at various studios in New York City and London, where Ronson used vintage keyboards to enrich the album's soundscape.
Post-production involved Tom Elmhirst, who mixed the album at Metropolis Records. His approach to mixing varied, adapting to the retro feel Ronson aimed for while ensuring a contemporary sound. The album was mastered by Stuart Hawkes.
Musically, *Back to Black* is noted for its blend of contemporary R&B, neo-soul, reggae, and classic R&B, drawing comparisons to Phil Spector's Wall of Sound. Critics highlighted the contrast between the upbeat musicality and Winehouse's candid, often bittersweet lyrics, which reflect the complexities of her relationships.
The album's first single, "Rehab," is autobiographical and addresses her refusal to seek help for her drinking problems. "You Know I'm No Good" explores themes of infidelity, while "Me and Mr Jones" features references to personal relationships and missed opportunities. The title track, "Back to Black," conveys feelings of loss and strength following a breakup, with lyrics that starkly portray her emotional turmoil.
"Love Is a Losing Game" serves as a reflective ballad about the destructive nature of love. "Tears Dry on Their Own" samples the chord progression from Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," while "Wake Up Alone" captures the loneliness after a breakup. "Some Unholy War" draws inspiration from the concept of religious conflict, paralleling it with her personal struggles. "He Can Only Hold Her" presents a more objective perspective on her relationships.
The bonus track "Addicted" discusses Winehouse's experiences with substance use. Throughout the album, her songwriting reflects a deeply personal journey, melding emotional honesty with rich, vintage-inspired sounds.
