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Irish-born and raised Andrew John Hozier-Byrne self-taught himself playing the guitar while growing up, as well as singing in the school choir. As a teenager, he began to write songs before attending college in Dublin where he studied music, as well as performed with the school’s orchestra. When Hozier applied for a year’s deferral at the college after missing exams to record demos for a record label, he was denied.
Hozier Influence and Discography
Hozier’s love for music is mostly credited to his father, who performed gigs as a blues musician for a band when now working at the bank. The household also had a number of albums that featured music from the genres of blues, jazz, and soul. When young Hozier chose to embark on a music career of his own, it was his focus to writing music from a socially conscious mentality, which is partly credited to his Catholic upbringing and personal experiences.
On September 19, 2014, Hozier debuted his self-titled album. To date, it has been the most successful album he’s ever released as it has earned multiple platinum certifications from a variety of music industries belonging to different nations. With the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA), Hozier was certified platinum six times over. Music Canada (MC) and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) both certified the album platinum three times over. With the UK’s British Phonographic Industry (BPI), the album became double platinum. The Australian Recording Industry Association and the Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld – en geluidsdragers (NVPI) certified it platinum while it was gold certification from the Recorded Music New Zealand (RMNZ) and Italy’s Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana (FIMI).
On March 1, 2019, just shy of his 29th birthday, a second studio album was released by Hozier, Wasteland, Baby!, which also became a commercial success. So far, it has since become certified gold by the RIAA and silver by the BPI. In addition to these albums, Hozier also has four extended plays (EPs) to his credit, along with fifteen singles.
Top 10 Hozier Songs
#10 – Movement
Hozier’s second studio album, Wasteland, Baby! was released in 2019, after the single, “Movement,” was released in 2018. On the Irish Singles Chart, it climbed as high as number forty. On the US Billboard Digital Song Sales chart, it peaked even higher at number eleven. This intensely emotional song slowly builds from its twinkling start to a powerful R&B-style performance that sends an inspirational message that is, at the very least, moving.
#9 – Sedated
From Hozier’s debut studio album, “Sedated” was the third single that was released, which peaked at number three on the Irish Singles Chart. The uplifting mix of piano and a gospel choir added to the artist’s dark portrayal of societal issues that plague mankind in a manner that sucks the soul dry from the very essence that’s supposed to make them vibrant human beings. Unlike the commercial-heavy music today’s industry prefers to pump out, Hozier’s song continues to serve as a refreshing step away from the decaying world’s concept of what normal is.
#8 – Nina Cried Power (featuring Mavis Staples)
Gospel singer, Mavis Staples, pairs her powerful vocal talent with Hozier’s equally impressive soulful voice to perform “Nina Cried Power.” It was the first single released from Hozier’s second studio album, Wasteland, Baby! On the Irish Singles Chart, it peaked at number ten. Among the nations of Belgium, Netherlands, and New Zealand, the song charted within the top forty of their music charts. On the UK Singles Chart, it appeared at number eighty-seven. Hozier’s political views blare clean through this protest song from start to finish, making Nina Cried Power an upbeat introduction to an emotionally supercharged album that was designed as a political statement throughout.
#7 – From Eden
“From Eden” was the second single released from Hozier’s debut album, which was released in 2014. On the Irish Singles Chart, it peaked at number two, while on the UK Singles Chart at number sixty-nine. The US Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart peaked From Eden at number fifteen. The BPI of the UK certified the single at silver while Australia’s ARIA certified it at gold. The influence of Hozier’s Catholic upbringing shines through this song, along with his lyrical delivery from a vocal talent that is easily identifiable to the Irish star.
#6 – The Bones (Remix) (featuring Maren Morris)
On the US Billboard Hot 100, the remix of “The Bones” peaked at number twelve in 2020. The duet performance between Hozier and Maren Morris served as a heartfelt mix of soul and country as the vocal talent from both artists meshed with perfect harmony off each other. It was Hozier’s influence that made The Bones become a crossover hit. Already hugely successful when it was originally released by Morris only as one of the hits from her second studio album, Girl, The Bones peaked at the very top spot among a number of country billboard charts, including the US Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
#5 – Almost (Sweet Music)
Coming from Hozier’s second studio album, Wasteland, Baby!, “Almost (Sweet Music)” first made its appearance on the music charts in 2019. On the Irish Singles Chart, it peaked as high as number eight with its clapping, folk-style music. The gospel choir in the background adds to this wonderful tribute to the jazz musicians, plus the genre of music they’ve contributed to that has defined pop culture to become as we know it today. The song received gold certification from Music Canada, as well as silver certification from BPI. In the United States, the RIAA certified Almost at platinum.
#4 – Someone New
From Hozier’s debut album, “Someone New” first appeared on the music charts in 2015 as the fifth single release. On the Irish Singles Chart, it peaked as high as number thirteen. The cheeky performance illustrated by Hozier in this soulful pop-rock song serves as an uplifting piece, allowing the mind to get caught up in the easy listening waves of bass and guitar playing themselves out from start to finish. On the US Billboard Adult Top 40, Someone New peaked at number ten, while on its Adult Contemporary chart at number twenty-nine. On the UK Singles Chart, the song charted as high as number nineteen. The song also earned a platinum certification from the music industries of Australia and the UK. It was certified gold with Italy’s FIMI and New Zealand’s NMNZ.
#3 – Tell It to My Heart (featuring Meduza)
On October 29, 2021, Meduza’s (Tell It to My Heart) featured Hozier’s lyrical vocals that added a soulful touch to Meduza’s signature of electronica dance club-style instrumentals. For Hozier, it was the first time he stepped away from the softer style of blues-style performances he’s best known for. On the US Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart, Tell It to My Heart peaked at number ten. On the UK Dance charts, it reached number fourteen and in Hozier’s homeland of Ireland, the song charted as high as number thirteen.
#2 – Cherry Wine
The final single released from Hozier’s self-titled debut album was “Cherry Wine.” Although it only charted at number fifty-six on the Irish Singles Chart, the song became extremely popular among his fans. With over thirty-three million views from the official video posting alone, it certainly seems to suggest Hozier did something right with this song. Guitar-heavy and lyrical, the soulful performance from Hozier is among his best.
#1 – Take Me to Church
In 2013, Hozier’s “Take Me to Church” was his debut single that topped most of the billboard charts globally. Originally, it was recorded as part of an extended play but later served as the lead track for his debut album, Hozier, which was released in 2014. Hozier’s mix of blues influence and Catholic upbringing served as the key components that made this song so heavily worshipped at the timing of its release.
To this day, it remains a favorite among fans who still can’t get enough of Hozier’s highly soulful performance. On the music charts, Take Me to Church saw the nations of Austria, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the US Billboard Adult Top 40 and US Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs each peak the song at the very top.
On the UK Hot Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100, Take Me to Church reached number two, as it did among a number of other nations that couldn’t quite reach number one at that time. Just like the album, Take Me to Church received a multitude of platinum certifications from the nations of Australia, Belgium, the Dutch, Italy, New Zealand, the UK, and the US. In Canada, the single became certified diamond.
Top 10 Hozier Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
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