Paul McCartney’s Egypt Station (Capitol Records) has entered the Billboard 200 at #1, making it the third Non-Beatles/Wings McCartney effort to top the U.S. chart and Paul’s first Stateside #1 since 1982’s Tug Of War. Earning 153,000 equivalent album units, Egypt Station is Paul’s first solo album to enter the chart at #1. Since beginning a new and profound direction on his creative journey with the 1970 release of his debut solo album, McCartney, Paul has sold over 100 million albums and singles worldwide.
The 18-time GRAMMY® winner launched Egypt Station with an intimate show at New York City’s Grand Central Station on September 7, which was live streamed as a YouTube Originals concert special–available for viewing HERE. The previous evening, McCartney visited “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and performed his Top 10 AAA hit “Come On To Me.”
Explaining the album’s concept, Paul says, “I liked the words ‘Egypt Station.’… I think of it as a dream location that the music emanates from.” The title is taken from the piece of art featured on the cover, which Paul painted in 1988.
Egypt Station has won praise from critics around the world. In a four-star lead review, Rolling Stone said, “Macca keeps adding new gems to his songbook, with nothing to prove except he’s the only genius who can do this… (And, oh yeah — in his spare time, he happens to still be the greatest live performer on Earth.)” London’s Sunday Times, Q Magazine and MOJO also awarded the album four stars.
The New York Times’ Jon Pareles observed, “McCartney contemplates mortality and pain while still trying to offer love and strength.” TIME declared Egypt Station “Essential… a document of McCartney’s spirit, which is still irrepressible more than five decades after the Beatles made their debut.” NPR said, “This is his best album in maybe 20 years.” People noted, “Egypt Station is a tour through the imagination of one of our greatest artists — what’s not to love? It’s a celebration of all the things that make McCartney great: hope, exuberance, open mindedness and sweet melody. These days, we need all of these more than ever.”
GQ reveals “The Untold Stories of Paul McCartney” in the magazine’s October cover story. Writer Chris Heath observed, “Paul McCartney is driven….If you imagine that by now McCartney might have reached the point where he would relax and look back with cozy satisfaction on his life’s achievements… well, then you’re already very wrong about both who Paul McCartney is and who he ever was.” In this accompanying video, McCartney breaks down his most iconic songs. Cover stories have also run in the London Sunday Times Culture section and MOJO.
Additionally, Spotify has announced the release of Paul McCartney & Spotify Singles: Under the Staircase. Recorded at Paul’s intimate Abbey Road Studio 2 gig earlier the summer, Under the Staircase features live versions of songs spanning Paul’s entire career—Beatles, Wings, solo catalogue numbers plus some of the first live performances of Egypt Station material—plus a feature length concert film.
Paul will headline the Austin City Limits Music Festival on Oct. 5 and 12. He will return to the U.S. in 2019 for the Freshen Up tour. See below for confirmed dates.
Paul McCartney – The Freshen Up Tour – 2019 U.S. Dates
May 23, 2019 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center
May 27, 2019 – Raleigh, NC – PNC Arena
June 1, 2019 – Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena
June 3, 2019 – Fort Wayne, IN – Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
June 6, 2019 – Madison, WI – Kohl Center
June 11, 2019 – Moline, IL – TaxSlayer Center
June 26, 2019 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Arena
Source: Press Release
