LCD Soundsystem's This Is Happening remains a masterclass in danceable, introspective songwriting
In short: Released in 2010, LCD Soundsystem’s fourth studio album, This Is Happening, proved that dance music could be a vehicle for raw, midlife confession. Frontman James Murphy traded the transcendence of the club for the weight of personal crises, creating a record that critics hailed as both emotionally resonant and physically bone-shaking.
Recorded throughout 2009 and early 2010 at the Mansion studio in Los Angeles, This Is Happening was the follow-up to the band's acclaimed Sound of Silver. While reviewers noted it lacked the same sense of mapping out entirely new musical territories, they praised it for refining a template that worked incredibly well. James Murphy drew inspiration from synth-pop pioneers like Bronski Beat, Eurythmics, and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, dedicating the project to the late drummer Jerry Fuchs, who had been a frequent collaborator.
The album’s critical reception was overwhelmingly positive, earning a score of 84 on Metacritic and a 7.7/10 on AnyDecentMusic?. Critics like Jody Rosen highlighted Murphy’s shift toward a folk-like approach to songwriting, where dance floors serve as spaces for storytelling rather than escapism. Tracks like the opener, Dance Yrself Clean, became iconic for their contrast between naive vocal melodies and explosive, breakbeat-driven production. Meanwhile, the closing track, Home, was lauded for its rare vulnerability, showcasing a more wistful side to Murphy’s typically cerebral and angular style.
Commercially, the album made a significant impact upon its May 17, 2010, release. It debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200, selling roughly 31,000 copies in its first week. It also briefly unseated Lady Gaga’s The Fame from the top spot on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart. By January 2016, total U.S. sales reached approximately 211,000 copies, split between digital and physical formats. Beyond the charts, the record cemented its legacy by appearing on numerous year-end and decade-end lists, with The Village Voice’s Pazz & Jop poll ranking it the second-best album of 2010.
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