Description
Halsey – Hopeless Fountain Kingdom – Yellow Vinyl Record
Exclusive yellow vinyl includes exclusive vinyl art on side D
Halsey’s Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, released on June 2, 2017, is a bold, cinematic concept album that marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of her artistry. Following the success of her debut album Badlands (2015), which introduced her as an alt-pop provocateur with a dystopian flair, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom took her vision to new theatrical heights. Heavily inspired by William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, particularly Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 film adaptation, the album is both a fictional narrative and a deeply personal exploration of identity, love, heartbreak, and emotional autonomy. Halsey constructs a mythic, gender-flipped universe where she plays the role of Luna, a character trapped in a power struggle between two feuding houses—Aureum and Angelus. Through this framing device, she weaves together the themes of star-crossed love, personal liberation, and toxic romantic entanglements, crafting a deeply symbolic and emotionally charged record.
Hopeless Fountain Kingdom blends genres with cinematic finesse. While it retains the moody, synth-heavy textures of Badlands, this album leans more into mainstream pop, R&B, and even touches of hip-hop, without sacrificing the emotional rawness that defines Halsey’s work. The production—helmed by a team including Greg Kurstin, Ricky Reed, Lido, and Benny Blanco—is lush and layered, often evoking the feeling of a soundtrack to a dark, glamorous drama. Halsey’s voice is central to the experience, moving from vulnerable whispers to bold declarations, always drenched in emotional urgency. Tracks like “Now or Never”, the album’s lead single, reflect this shift toward a more radio-friendly sound while maintaining the lyrical intensity Halsey is known for. Its slow-burning, R&B-inflected vibe sets the tone for the record’s exploration of emotional standoff and desire. In contrast, “Bad at Love”, one of the album’s biggest hits, is a confessional pop anthem that details a string of failed relationships with both men and women, making it one of the most prominent bisexual narratives in mainstream pop at the time.
One of the most culturally significant tracks on the album is “Strangers”, a collaboration with Lauren Jauregui of Fifth Harmony. This song made headlines for featuring two openly bisexual women singing directly about a same-sex relationship—something rare in commercial pop at the time. Its inclusion was both a personal and political statement, as Halsey has always been vocal about LGBTQ+ representation and her own queerness. Other standout moments include the haunting ballad “Sorry”, where Halsey strips back the production to reveal aching vulnerability, and “Heaven in Hiding”, a cinematic, emotionally dense track that showcases her powerful vocal delivery. Meanwhile, shorter tracks like “Walls Could Talk” bring a theatrical flair, like interludes from a modern tragedy, with rapid-fire lyrics and sarcastic bite.
The album is structured like a play, opening with “The Prologue”, a direct nod to Romeo and Juliet that sets the narrative tone. From there, the album unfolds with a clear sense of story and mood, each song contributing to the overarching themes of love as both salvation and destruction. The world Halsey creates is richly visual, extending far beyond the music into the album’s promotional materials and music videos, which are heavily stylized and influenced by religious iconography, urban decay, and romantic tragedy. The visual aesthetic—often centered around duality, with recurring motifs of red and blue—underscores the album’s themes of opposition and emotional warfare.
Hopeless Fountain Kingdom was a major success, debuting at #1 on the Billboard 200, making Halsey the first female artist in 2017 to top the chart. It solidified her position as a significant figure in the modern pop landscape—not just as a singer, but as a storyteller and visionary. Critically, the album received mixed to positive reviews. Some praised its ambition and sonic evolution, while others felt the concept sometimes overshadowed lyrical depth. Nonetheless, the album resonated with fans, particularly young listeners navigating identity, love, and the chaos of emotional growth. It also further positioned Halsey as a boundary-breaking artist who merges pop accessibility with a deep, personal narrative voice and a willingness to challenge norms.
In the broader context of pop music, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom stands as an example of the 2010s trend toward concept-driven albums, especially among young female artists carving out unique identities within the genre. It can be placed alongside works like Lorde’s Melodrama, Marina’s Electra Heart, or even Janelle Monáe’s The ArchAndroid—albums that not only tell stories, but build immersive worlds. Halsey’s willingness to build a mythology around her heartbreak, and to confront her own flaws within that myth, gave the album an edge that still resonates today.
Brand new, never played and still in the factory plastic
Track Listing
The Prologue
100 Letters
Eyes Closed
Heaven In Hiding
Alone
Now Or Never
Sorry
Good Mourning
Lie
Walls Could Talk
Bad At Love
Don’t Play
Strangers
Angel Of Fire
Devil In Me
Hopeless
