Hurts – Stay single review

Now that they’ve cemented their position as everyone’s favourite 80’s electro-pop revivalists, it’s time for Hurts to roll out the big guns and make a bid for proper stardom – and they don’t come any bigger than Stay.

The latest single to be taken from their debut album Happiness, Stay is an epic ballad that shows Hurts are more than just one trick synth-pop ponies, with Theo Hutchcraft’s vocals adding a touch of soul to their icy electro veneer.

With its saccharine lyrics (“Say goodbye in the pouring rain / And I break down as you walk away”) and sweeping melody, Stay sounds more like a Take That song – with the kind of emotive chorus Gary Barlow would kill for.

If their earlier singles established their synth-pop credentials, Stay is the single that should bring Hurts to a wider audience, with its release on 15 November nicely timed to make an impact on the Christmas charts (but not too close to be drowned out by the X Factor winner and other novelty songs).