Ascend (Illenium album)

Ascend (stylised as ASCEND) is the third studio album by American DJ and music producer Illenium, released on August 16, 2019, through Astralwerks, making it his major-label debut and his only album on the label.^[4] The album features six singles.

Ascend
Studio album by Illenium
Released	August 16, 2019 (2019-08-16)
Recorded	2018–2019
Genre	Future bass rock[1] dance-pop[1] pop[2] dubstep[2][3]
Length	1:00:16
Label	Astralwerks
Producer	Illenium Rock Mafia Jason Evigan FRND Foy Vance Jonny Coffer Devrim Karaoglu John Silos The Chainsmokers Freedo Erin McCarley Jordan Stilwell Said the Sky Matias Mora The Monsters and the Strangerz Sandy Vee
Illenium chronology
Awake (2017) Ascend (2019) Fallen Embers (2021)
Singles from Ascend
"Take You Down" Released: August 3, 2018 "Crashing" Released: January 25, 2019 "Pray" Released: March 22, 2019 "Good Things Fall Apart" Released: May 13, 2019 "Takeaway" Released: July 24, 2019 "Blood" Released: August 2, 2019

Background

Consisting of 17 songs, the album includes six previously released singles, "Take You Down", "Crashing", "Pray", "Good Things Fall Apart", "Takeaway", and "Blood".^[5] On his social media accounts, he announced the release date of the album and the following tour on June 12.^[6]

Promotion

• The first single "Take You Down" was released on August 3, 2018. The song brought forth the drug abuse problem Illenium previously had.^[7]
• The second single "Crashing", featuring Bahari, was released on January 25, 2019.^[8]
• The third single "Pray", featuring Kameron Alexander, was released on March 22, 2019.^[9]
• The fourth single "Good Things Fall Apart", with Jon Bellion, was released on May 13, 2019.^[10]
• The fifth single "Takeaway", with The Chainsmokers and featuring Lennon Stella, was released on July 24, 2019.^[11]
• The sixth and last single before the album release "Blood", with Foy Vance, was released on August 2, 2019.^[12]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
PopMatters	6/10[2]

Accolades

Year-end Lists

Publication	List	Rank	Ref.
Dance Music Northwest	Best Electronic Music Albums of 2019	1	[13]
The Nocturnal Times	Top Electronic/Dance Albums of 2019	9	[14]
Your EDM	Top 10 Albums of 2019	5	[15]

Awards

Year	Ceremony	Category	Result	Ref.
2020	Billboard Music Awards	Top Dance/Electronic Album	Nominated	[16]
	International Dance Music Awards	Best Album	Nominated	[17] [18]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"I Care (Intro)"	Nicholas Miller	Illenium	0:33
2.	"Hold On" (with Georgia Ku)	Miller Georgia Overton Andrew Goldstein	Illenium FRND	3:55
3.	"Good Things Fall Apart" (with Jon Bellion)	Miller James Abrahart Sarah Hudson Jason Evigan Jonathan Bellion	Illenium Evigan	3:36
4.	"That's Why" (with Joshua Golden)	Miller Tim James Price Antonina Armato Simon Rosen	Illenium Rock Mafia	4:12
5.	"Blood" (with Foy Vance)	Miller Jonathan Coffer Foy Vance Johnny McDaid Amy Wadge Eamon Murray Niamh Dunne Liam Bradley Damian McKee Sean Graham	Illenium Vance[c] Jonny Coffer[c]	4:08
6.	"Take You Down"	Miller Price A. Armato	Illenium Rock Mafia	3:41
7.	"All Together" (with Oekiin)	Miller Devrim Karaoglu Price A. Armato Jeff D'Agostino	Illenium Rock Mafia Karagolu	3:58
8.	"Crashing" (featuring Bahari)	Miller Julia Michaels Justin Tranter Price A. Armato Elio Armato	Illenium Rock Mafia	3:50
9.	"Broken Ones" (with Anna Clendening)	Miller Annika Wells	Illenium	3:18
10.	"Every Piece of Me" (with Echos)	Miller John Silos Alexandra Norton Tal Richards Charlie Snyder	Illenium Silos[b]	3:43
11.	"Takeaway" (with The Chainsmokers featuring Lennon Stella)	Miller Andrew Taggart Alexander Pall Fridolin Walcher Sorana Păcurar Samuel John Gray Jonas Becker Timofei Crudu Christoph "Shuko" Bauss	The Chainsmokers Illenium Freedo[a] Erin McCarley[c] Jordan Stilwell[c]	3:29
12.	"Sad Songs" (with Said the Sky featuring Annika Wells)	Miller Trevor Christensen Wells	Illenium Said the Sky	3:30
13.	"Pray" (featuring Kameron Alexander)	Miller Fransisca Hall Matias Mora Kameron Alexander	Illenium Mora[c]	4:55
14.	"In Your Arms" (with X Ambassadors)	Miller Samuel Martin Evigan Stefan Johnson Jordan Johnson Alexander Izquerdio Samuel Nelson Harris	Illenium Evigan The Monsters and the Strangerz	3:40
15.	"Gorgeous" (with Blanke featuring Bipolar Sunshine)	Miller Sandy Wilhelm Price A. Armato Adio Marchant John-Paul Orchison	Illenium Blanke Rock Mafia Sandy Vee	4:37
16.	"Angel (Lonely Prelude)"	Miller	Illenium	0:41
17.	"Lonely" (featuring Chandler Leighton)	Miller Jaymes McFarland Chandler Leighton	Illenium	4:30
Total length:				60:16

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies a co-producer
• ^{^[b]} signifies an additional producer
• ^{^[c]} signifies a vocal producer

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2019) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[19] 54 Canadian Albums (Billboard)[20] 12 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 76 US Billboard 200[22] 14 US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[23] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2019) Position US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[24] 18 Chart (2020) Position US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[25] 8

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[26]	Gold	500,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for Ascend

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
Various	August 16, 2019	CD LP digital download streaming	Astralwerks	[27][28]

References

1. Sweeney, Farrell (August 21, 2019). "Illenium alchemizes inner darkness into light through stunning third studio album, 'ASCEND' [Review/Interview]". Dancing Astronaut. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
2. Bergstrom, John (August 15, 2019). "Illenium: Ascend (album review) - 'Ascend' Is Illenium's Most Emo Album Yet". PopMatters. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
3. Scilippa, Phil (August 16, 2019). "Illenium's Third Album, ASCEND, Brings All The Feels". EDM.com. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
4. "ASCEND by Illenium on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 2019-06-18.
5. Bein, Kat (2019-06-13). "Illenium Announces 'Ascend Album & North American Tour". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-06-18.
6. "Illenium announced new album + Phase 1 of Ascend Tour". illenium.com. 2019-06-13. Retrieved 2019-06-18.
7. "Illenium Opens Up About Addiction On 'Take You Down': Listen". Billboard. August 3, 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
8. "Illenium & Bahari Are Drunk on Love in 'Crashing': Watch". Billboard. January 25, 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
9. Stone, Katie (March 22, 2019). "Illenium is Back with a New Single, "Pray" ft. Kameron Alexander". EDM.com. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
10. "Illenium & Jon Bellion Find Love Burns Out Bright On 'Good Things Fall Apart': Watch". Billboard. May 13, 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
11. "The Chainsmokers, Illenium and Lennon Stella Unite For 'Takeaway': Watch". Billboard. July 24, 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
12. Cameron, Jonh (August 2, 2019). "Illenium Goes Heavier in "Blood" ft. Foy Vance". EDM.com. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
13. Welch, Maddie (December 31, 2019). "DMNW team ranks their favorite albums of 2019". Dance Music Northwest. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
14. "The Nocturnal Times Top Electronic/Dance Albums 2019". The Nocturnal Times. December 27, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
15. Meadow, Matthew (December 23, 2019). "Your EDM's Top 10 Albums Of 2019". Your EDM. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
16. Atkinson, Katie (October 14, 2020). "2020 Billboard Music Awards Winners: Complete List". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
17. Landis, Ian (February 19, 2020). "34th Annual IDMA Awards Nominations". EDMTunes. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
18. Gonzalez, Juan Carlos (April 6, 2020). "International Dance Music Awards Announces Winners". EDMTunes. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
19. "ARIA Chart Watch #539". auspOp. August 24, 2019. Archived from the original on August 24, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
20. "Illenium Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
21. "Swisscharts.com – Illenium – Ascend". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
22. "Illenium Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
23. "Illenium Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
24. "Top Dance/Electronic Albums – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
25. "Top Dance/Electronic Albums – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
26. "American album certifications – Illenium – Ascend". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
27. "ASCEND - CD + DIGITAL ALBUM". Astralwerks Label Store. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
28. "ASCEND - 2LP + DIGITAL ALBUM". Astralwerks Label Store. Retrieved June 24, 2020.