III (Banks album): Difference between revisions

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| {{hlist|[[CD]]|[[Music download|digital download]]|[[LP record|LP]]|[[streaming]]}}

| {{hlist|[[CD]]|[[Music download|digital download]]|[[LP record|LP]]|[[streaming]]}}

| [[Harvest Records|Harvest]]

| [[Harvest Records|Harvest]]

| align=”center”| <ref>{{cite AV media notes |others=[[Banks (singer)|Banks]] |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/13857845–Banks-III |type=[[Compact disc]] |title=III |publisher=[[Harvest Records]] |via=[[Discogs]] |location=United States |id=2577842412 |date=July 12, 2019 |access-date=January 27, 2026 |archive-date=February 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203161537/https://www.discogs.com/release/13857845-Banks-III |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/iii/1467547466 |title=””III” by Banks on Apple Music |publisher=[[Apple Music]] |date=July 12, 2019 |access-date=June 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251229185433/https://music.apple.com/us/album/iii/1467547466 |archive-date=December 29, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes |others=[[Banks (singer)|Banks]] |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/13857845-Banks-III |type=[[LP record|LP]] |title=III |publisher=[[Harvest Records]] |via=[[Discogs]] |location=United States |id=2577567940 |date=July 12, 2019 |access-date=January 27, 2026 |archive-date=February 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203161537/https://www.discogs.com/release/13857845-Banks-III |url-status=live }}</ref>

| align=”center”| <ref>{{cite |url=https://..com//- |title=III |publisher= |location=United States |access-date=January , 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/iii/1467547466 |title=””III” by Banks on Apple Music |publisher=[[Apple Music]] |date=July 12, 2019 |access-date=June 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251229185433/https://music.apple.com/us/album/iii/1467547466 |archive-date=December 29, 2025 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media notes |others=[[Banks (singer)|Banks]] |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/13857845-Banks-III |type=[[LP record|LP]] |title=III |publisher=[[Harvest Records]] |via=[[Discogs]] |location=United States |id=2577567940 |date=July 12, 2019 |access-date=January 27, 2026 |archive-date=February 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240203161537/https://www.discogs.com/release/13857845-Banks-III |url-status=live }}</ref>

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2019 studio album by Banks

III is the third studio album by American singer and songwriter Banks, released on July 12, 2019, by Harvest Records. It was preceded by the release of three singles, “Gimme“, “Look What You’re Doing to Me“, and “Contaminated“. The album peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200.

Background and theme

[edit]

In 2016, Banks released her second studio album, The Altar, which reached top 20 in the Billboard 200 chart. She gained 513 million on-demand streams in the United States, also appearing on several TV shows including Girls and Power.[2] In 2017, she collaborated with American singer and songwriter 6lack in the song “In Between”.[3] After her second headlining tour, the Altar Tour, Banks kept writing songs for III in Los Angeles’ Westlake Recording Studios, although she was taking a break from the music.[2]

In discussing the creation of III, Banks stated that the process differed from her previous albums. She explained that she was in “a very different place” than she had been even two years earlier, noting that she felt she had “grown more in the last year and a half” than over several preceding years. Banks attributed this change to having the “space and time to actually confront certain things”, likening the work on the album to “changing mental scripts that are in your head”.[4] In a press release, Banks also shared the album’s theme, saying that it’s “really about this transition between a girl and a wise woman”.[5] She further added, “But in between you go through pain and you learn people can lie and you learn those hard lessons that are quite painful”.[6] Banks also explained that the album is for “especially someone who is quite introverted in a lot of ways”, saying that it was “definitely a big adjustment”.[7]

In “Gimme”, featuring “twisted metal sounds”,[8] Banks describes herself as “dripping for your love” and urgues her lover to “lick it from the ground”.[9]

The sound of III has been described as “emo goth-pop“[9] and “trap-pop“.[10] It is filled with “walloping bass“, “spacious drum fills”, and “an endless array of pitched vocal samples”,[11] while it features “fresh, expansive atmospherics” that “toy with her usual alt-R&B stylings”.[12] The Observer‘s Damien Morris characterized the album as moving between “trap-pop and R&B“, and that its sound aligns with contemporary musical trends while retaining a distinct identity.[13] Writing for The Independent, Roisin O’Connor found that the structure of III guides listeners through “complicated yet nuanced emotions” and that the album traces a narrative in which Banks “embraces her pain”, being able to “let it go” through that process.[14] The album reflects Banks’ renewed focus on exploring the meaning of “love, life and everything else” following a period of reflection, and it continues to place emphasis on style.[15] Will Hermes, an editor of Rolling Stone, noted the record emphasizes a “darker, weirder places”, featuring elements such as “menacing sub-bass distortion, suspended silences, grimey organ tones and digitally-abraded vocals”.[9] Pitchfork‘s Noah Yoo also noted that Banks “seems eager to reestablish her footing and take greater creative risks”.[8]

Music critics noted Banks’ vocal featured in the album; Sophie Ordaz of Slant Magazine noted that Banks employed her “most heavy-duty arsenal of sounds to date”, with the assistance of producers such as Buddy Ross and Hudson Mohawke.[11] NME editor Nick Levine observed that her “darkly seductive” sound differs from Lana Del Rey‘s “glacial alterna-pop“.[16] AllMusic‘s Neil Z. Young found that the record continues Banks’ “upward trajectory“, including noticeable improvements in both her vocals and production value.[12] Some critics compared Banks’ sounds to her fellow artists; Aimee Cliff from The Guardian noted that III incorporates “streaming-friendly electronic soul ballads” alongside “post-Kanye West maximalist pop”.[10] Morris said the album features “layered, subtle sound” like Bon Iver and Billie Eilish, while Banks also brings “a rare, steely delicacy all her own”.[13] They also noted the album’s Auto-Tune sounds; Morris highlighted III‘s frequent use of a “ghostly Auto-Tune choir“, describing it as “sighing and whispering encouragement” behind Banks’ “increasingly empowered words”.[13] Cliff observed that while Banks is often associated with “Auto-Tune-heavy ballads”, the album includes tracks where her vocals are presented more openly, which allows her “unaffected vocal” to run free.[10]

Lyrically, III features “intricate production details” alongside “semi-cryptic lyrics” that become more apparent with repeated listens.[16] As noted by Young, it presents “a wiser version” of her, with lyrics that focus on “longing, love, and loss”.[12] According to Clash, its lyrics are “as direct as ever”, since Banks “isn’t afraid to share her feelings with listeners”.[17]

Banks in 2019

Banks revealed the album’s name along with its release month, in an interview with Billboard published on May 24, 2019.[2] It was almost titled as Eros, which means “being the ancient Greek God of love and sex”,[18] but she chose the name as III to convey the “beginning, middle, and end” of a part of her life.[2] Its cover artwork and track list were revealed on May 30[19] and June 11, alongside the release of “Look What You’re Doing to Me”.[20][21]

III‘s first single was “Gimme“, released on April 29, 2019. Banks debuted the song on Zane Lowe‘s Beats 1 radio show.[22] Written by Banks and Josiah Sherman, it was produced by BJ Burton, Hudson Mohawke and Kito.[23][24] The next single, “Look What You’re Doing to Me“, was released on June 11 along with a lyric video,[25] featuring American pop project Francis and the Lights.[20] Harvest Records unveiled the third and last single “Contaminated” on July 10,[26][27] releasing a sample of the track as well as its release date on July 9.[28] The lyric video was released through her YouTube channel on August 22.[29]

In support of the album, Banks launched her third headlining tour, the III Tour;[30] it began from Toronto, Canada on September 3, 2019 to Miami on October 19.[30][31][32] The second leg started from Manchester, England on November 1, to Paris, France on November 21.[21][33] The set list was composed of 20 songs, including the starter “Till Now” and closer “Beggin for Thread“.[34]

III received positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 76, based on 11 reviews.[36]

Narzra Ahmed of Clash stated “III is definitely a progression for her as an artist. The more upbeat tracks are interspersed among softer, more delicate, heartfelt ones that represent the duality of her personality and also increase its replay value”.[17] Rhys Harding of The Line of Best Fit commented, “Overall, Banks has taken a step forward in her development as an artist, and you can hear this increase in maturity across each album. At times, her evolution is not as convincing as other artists on her level, though the quality of the songwriting here generally makes up for that”.[38]

From NME, Nick Levine concluded that “III is probably a couple of tracks too long, but Banks has created another supremely intriguing musical world filled with ear-snagging lyrics and quirky production flourishes: the lone dog-bark sound effect before the final chorus of ‘Gimme’ is a classic Banks touch. It’s difficult to avoid the conclusion: ‘that bitch’ is a pretty apt description for her after all”.[16] Will Hermes of Rolling Stone wrote, “Banks clearly encouraged them [her collaborators] to swing for the fences: The distressed sonics get as extreme as Low got on last year’s Double Negative, albeit in much different context. It’s thrilling, gutting stuff”.[9] Roisin O’Connor from The Independent viewed III as “Banks’s most cohesive album to date because she’s no longer restricting herself to exploring one feeling at a time”.[14]

  • ^[a] signifies a main and vocal producer.
  • ^[b] signifies an additional producer.
  • ^[c] signifies a co-producer.
  • ^[d] signifies a vocal producer.

Credits were adapted from the liner notes.[39]

Recording locations

[edit]

  • Banks – vocals
  • BJ Burton – synthesizers (1–4, 7, 10, 12); drums (1, 3, 4, 7, 11, 12); programming (1, 3, 4, 7, 12); drum programming (2, 5, 10); arrangement (2, 11); guitar (3, 4, 10, 12); piano (3); bass (4)
  • Sohn – synthesizers (1, 5, 7); bass (1); drums (5)
  • Hudson Mohawke – synthesizers, drum programming (2); 808 bass; programming (11)
  • Mark McGee – programming (3)
  • Jake Hanson – guitar (3)
  • Ben Lester – pedal steel guitar (3, 4, 12)
  • Trevor Hagen – trumpet (3)
  • Nick Sanborn – synthesizers, bass (4)
  • Lazerbeak – programming (4)
  • Buddy Ross – keyboards (6, 9, 13); bass (6, 9, 10, 13); drums (6, 8–10, 12); piano (8, 13); Wurlitzer, strings (8); synthesizers (8, 10, 12); string arrangement (13)
  • Jake Luppen – electric guitar (6)
  • Chais Kinder – electric guitar (6); drums, synthesizer (10)
  • Aliyah Hernandez – vocals (6)
  • Jami Hernandez – vocals (6)
  • Francis Farewell Starlite – vocals, piano, table drums (7)
  • Paul Epworth – keyboards, bass (8)
  • Aron Forbes – acoustic guitar (11)
  • Rob Moose – string arrangements (11, 12); strings (12)
  • Simon Edward Christensen p/k/a Psymun – drum programming (claps), vocal chop/background (11)
  • JT Bates – drums (12)
  • Georgie Banks Feil – vocals (13)
  • Owen Pallett – string arrangement, violin, viola (13)
  • Amy Laing – cello (13)
  • BJ Burton – production (1, 3–5, 7, 10–12); vocal production (1, 3, 4, 12); engineering (1–5, 7, 11, 12); additional production (2, 8); executive production
  • Sohn – additional production (1); production (5)
  • Hudson Mohawke – production, engineering (2); co-production (11)
  • Kito – co-production (2)
  • Ross Birchard – engineering (2)
  • Buddy Ross – engineering (2, 6, 8–10, 13); production (6, 8–10, 13); additional production (12)
  • Aron Forbes – engineering (3, 11, 12); vocal production (3, 4, 9, 10, 12, 13); additional production (11)
  • Sam Tusa – engineering assistance (3, 4, 6, 12, 13)
  • Tim Anderson – vocal production (4)
  • Jesse Ward – production (5)
  • Tom Kahre – engineering (5, 9)
  • Nathaniel Alford – engineering (5, 10); vocal production (10)
  • John DeBold – engineering assistance (6, 13)
  • Francis Farewell Starlite – production (7)
  • Paul Epworth – co-production (8)
  • Luke Pickering – engineering assistance (8)
  • Psymun – co-production (11)
  • Jillian Banks – executive production
  • Tom Elmhirst – mixing
  • Brandon Bost – engineering for mix
  • Huntley Miller – mastering (1–12)
  • Randy Merrill – mastering (13)
  • J & Associates – artwork
  • Steph Wilson – photography
  1. ^ A limited edition of III features diffrent photo of Banks.[1]
  1. ^ III (Limited Edition) (LP). Banks. United States: Harvest Records. July 12, 2019. 2577794476. Archived from the original on January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2026 – via Discogs.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  2. ^ a b c d Ginsberg, Gab (May 24, 2019). “Banks Was Rising to the Top When She Disappeared. Here’s Why”. Billboard. Archived from the original on March 5, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  3. ^ Penrose, Nerisha (November 14, 2017). “6lack Drops Three New Bonus Tracks in Celebration of ‘Free 6lack’ One-Year Anniversary”. Billboard. Archived from the original on October 5, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  4. ^ Gutowitz, Jil (August 2, 2019). “Therapy and Ceramics With Banks in 3 Acts”. Vulture. Archived from the original on January 27, 2026. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  5. ^ Mackelden, Amy (July 12, 2019). “Banks Wants Women to Believe in Themselves When Nobody Else Does”. Harper’s Bazaar. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  6. ^ “Banks Gets Wise on Her Upcoming Album III“. Tidal. May 30, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  7. ^ Kayplan, Ilana (July 12, 2019). “Banks Is Ready for an “Unapologetic Reintroduction”“. Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on April 1, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  8. ^ a b c Yoo, Noah (July 17, 2019). “Banks: III”. Pitchfork. Archived from the original on July 17, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  9. ^ a b c d e Hermes, Will (July 11, 2019). “Review: Banks Doubles Down On Her Emo Goth-Pop with “III”“. Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  10. ^ a b c d Cliff, Aimee (July 12, 2019). “Banks: III review – a break from dark R&B doesn’t quite pay off”. The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 12, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  11. ^ a b Ordaz, Sophia (July 14, 2019). “Review: Banks’s III Comes on Strong but Falls Short of Pushing the Limits”. Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on January 22, 2025. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  12. ^ a b c d Yeung, Neil Z. “III – Banks”. AllMusic. Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  13. ^ a b c d Morris, Damien (July 14, 2019). “Banks: III review – her best album yet”. The Observer. Archived from the original on July 14, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  14. ^ a b c O’Connor, Roisin (July 11, 2019). “Album reviews: Banks – III and Ida Mae – Chasing Lights”. The Independent. Archived from the original on July 12, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  15. ^ a b Taylor, Chris (July 12, 2019). “Album Review: Banks – III”. DIY. Archived from the original on July 15, 2019. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  16. ^ a b c d Levine, Nick (July 9, 2019). “Banks – ‘iii’ review”. NME. Archived from the original on November 28, 2019. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  17. ^ a b c Ahmed, Narzra (July 8, 2019). “Banks – III”. Clash. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  18. ^ Williams, Pip (June 25, 2019). “Empress of Empathy”. The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on June 29, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  19. ^ Banks [@hernameisBANKS] (May 30, 2019). “BANKS on Twitter: ‘… ‘“ (Tweet). Retrieved June 2, 2019 – via Twitter.
  20. ^ a b Shaffer, Claire (June 11, 2019). “Banks Unveils New Song ‘Look What You’re Doing to Me’ with Francis and the Lights”. Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 11, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  21. ^ a b Kaye, Ben (June 11, 2019). “Banks announces new album, III, shares “Look What You’re Doing to Me”: Stream With a release date that’s just one month away”. Consequence. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  22. ^ Kaufman, Gil (April 29, 2019). “Banks Returns With Dark Banger ‘Gimme’: Listen”. Billboard. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  23. ^ “Gimme / Banks”. Tidal. Archived from the original on May 29, 2019. Retrieved May 29, 2019.
  24. ^ Ilana, Kaplan (April 29, 2019). “Hear Banks’ Electrifying New Song ‘Gimme’ The Altar singer shares first new music since 2017”. Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 29, 2019. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  25. ^ Montes, Patrick (June 12, 2019). “Banks Enlists Francis & The Lights for “Look What You’re Doing To Me” Video”. Hypebeast. Archived from the original on June 17, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  26. ^ Kreps, Daniel (July 10, 2019). “Banks Sings About Tainted Love in New Song ‘Contaminated’“. Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 10, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  27. ^ Aniftos, Rania (July 10, 2019). “Banks Drops Emotional New Track ‘Contaminated’: Listen”. Billboard. Archived from the original on March 5, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  28. ^ Banks [@hernameisBANKS] (July 9, 2019). “Contaminated. Tomorrow” (Tweet). Retrieved July 9, 2019 – via Twitter.
  29. ^ Grech, Aaron (August 21, 2019). “Banks Contorts Herself in Colors in New Video for “Contaminated”“. MXDWN. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  30. ^ a b Schatz, Lake (June 3, 2019). “Banks Announces “The III Tour” across North America”. Consequence. Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved June 28, 2019.
  31. ^ Thiessen, Brock (June 3, 2019). “Banks Hits Canada on “The III Tour”“. Exclaim!. Archived from the original on June 9, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  32. ^ Blistein, Jon (June 3, 2019). “Banks Plots North American Tour”. Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 27, 2026. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  33. ^ “Banks Is Going on Tour in November!”. DIY. June 7, 2019. Archived from the original on February 1, 2023. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  34. ^ Bialas, Michael (October 10, 2019). “Banks and Zara Larsson Are Two Pop Performers You Must See to Believe”. PopMatters. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  35. ^ “III by Banks reviews”. AnyDecentMusic?. Archived from the original on January 22, 2025. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
  36. ^ a b “III by Banks Reviews and Tracks”. Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 29, 2025. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  37. ^ Aroesti, Rachel (August 2019). “Banks: III”. Q. No. 401. p. 108. ISSN 0955-4955.
  38. ^ Harding, Rhys (July 9, 2019). “The new album from Banks is the sound of an artist on the cusp of superstardom”. The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  39. ^ III (liner notes). Banks. Harvest Records. 2019. 2577842412.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  40. ^ “Australiancharts.com – Banks – III“. Hung Medien. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  41. ^ “Ultratop.be – Banks – III” (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  42. ^ “Ultratop.be – Banks – III” (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  43. ^ “Banks Chart History (Canadian Albums)“. Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  44. ^ “Lescharts.com – Banks – III“. Hung Medien. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  45. ^ “Offiziellecharts.de – Banks – III” (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  46. ^ “Savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)” (in Lithuanian). AGATA. July 22, 2019. Archived from the original on August 25, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  47. ^ “Official Scottish Albums Chart on 19/7/2019 – Top 100“. Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  48. ^ “Swisscharts.com – Banks – III“. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  49. ^ “Official Albums Chart on 19/7/2019 – Top 100“. Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  50. ^ “Banks Chart History (Billboard 200)“. Billboard. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  51. ^ “Banks Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)“. Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  52. ^ “III – CD”. United States: Official Banks Store. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
  53. ^ “III by Banks on Apple Music”. Apple Music. July 12, 2019. Archived from the original on December 29, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  54. ^ III (LP). Banks. United States: Harvest Records. July 12, 2019. 2577567940. Archived from the original on February 3, 2024. Retrieved January 27, 2026 – via Discogs.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

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