Songbook was released in October 2009 as a compilation album marking a decade of Robbie Williams’ solo career. Issued through EMI, the album was distributed exclusively with the Mail on Sunday newspaper in the United Kingdom.
The collection draws on material from across Williams’ EMI catalogue, spanning Life Thru a Lens through to Reality Killed the Video Star. Rather than presenting new recordings, the compilation curates established singles and selected album tracks.
Released as a newspaper covermount, Songbook formed part of a wider promotional strategy during a transitional period in Williams’ recording career. Its format distinguished it from traditional retail compilations.
The album serves as a concise overview of his first decade as a solo artist, preceding the more comprehensive retrospective In and Out of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990–2010 released the following year.