"2024 was a big year for music, with many big artists dropping albums and going on tour. We’re going to, (in order of release,) dive into the best pop albums released this year, and the artists behind them." -- Amara Deanes & Cece Burger, 7th Grade
2024 was a big year for music, with many big artists dropping albums and going on tour. There were many big hits this year, with catchy songs like “Espresso,” “BIRDS OF A FEATHER,” and “Good Luck, Babe!”
We’re going to, (in order of release,) dive into the best pop albums released this year, and the artists behind them.
The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess: Chappell Roan
We’re going to, (in order of release,) dive into the best pop albums released this year, and the artists behind them.
The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess: Chappell Roan
Roan’s music is uniquely energetic and messy. She’s a strong vocalist, as well as a good songwriter. Her music goes beyond mainstream pop hits like “HOT TO GO!” and “Good Luck, Babe.” She also has more down to earth ballads about heartbreak, love, and 21st century situationships.
“Roan’s songs most often exude a tongue-in-cheek, cheerleader wholesomeness. One of her biggest hits, Hot to Go!, Is at once super-queer and adorable, everyone spelling out the title with arm movements, (She has mischievously described it like “YMCA, but gayer”). Naturally, TikTok loved it,” wrote The Guardian.
Roan is also rooted in the Queer community, taking inspiration from drag queens. Chappell Roan isn’t even her real name; it’s closer to a drag persona. “Inspired by drag queens, Roan’s aesthetic is breathtakingly campy and sparkly — much like her striking debut album. Championing female and queer freedom, The Rise And Fall gushes with yearning in a way that’s both carefree and confessional,” wrote Grammy.com.
The album features pop hits, in addition to some slower songs that highlight the darker parts of Roan. One song in particular, “California,” highlights how she felt that her career was failing, and she wanted to return home to her small town in Missouri.
Overall, her debut album shows just how multi-talented Roan is, and how much potential she has.
GUTS (spilled): Olivia Rodrigo
“Roan’s songs most often exude a tongue-in-cheek, cheerleader wholesomeness. One of her biggest hits, Hot to Go!, Is at once super-queer and adorable, everyone spelling out the title with arm movements, (She has mischievously described it like “YMCA, but gayer”). Naturally, TikTok loved it,” wrote The Guardian.
Roan is also rooted in the Queer community, taking inspiration from drag queens. Chappell Roan isn’t even her real name; it’s closer to a drag persona. “Inspired by drag queens, Roan’s aesthetic is breathtakingly campy and sparkly — much like her striking debut album. Championing female and queer freedom, The Rise And Fall gushes with yearning in a way that’s both carefree and confessional,” wrote Grammy.com.
The album features pop hits, in addition to some slower songs that highlight the darker parts of Roan. One song in particular, “California,” highlights how she felt that her career was failing, and she wanted to return home to her small town in Missouri.
Overall, her debut album shows just how multi-talented Roan is, and how much potential she has.
GUTS (spilled): Olivia Rodrigo
GUTS (spilled), has five new tracks that demonstrate Rodrigo’s skill. One track (‘so american”) being her first love song that she’s released, which hints at the possibility of a future love album. Some of the other songs lend themselves to the newer rock vibe of her recent tour.
GUTS had already made an impact before the release of the deluxe version. The first two singles, “vampire” and “bad idea right?” were both hits. They matched the success of her earlier songs. The album has more rock influence, which is a contrast to Rodrigo’s debut album, which had more of a kiddy pop influence.
The five deluxe songs: “obsessed,” “girl I’ve always been,” “scared of my guitar,” “stranger,” and “so american” show “…Rodrigo’s duality with her romanticism in her music.” The Sunflower explains. It’s clear that since she’s now in her 20’s she’s experimenting outside of the kinds of songs she’s used to.
GUTS (spilled) is worth a listen if you want to see what other music Rodrigo has to offer. Similar to Sabrina Carpenter, she’s growing out of her “Disney Girl” persona.
COWBOY CARTER: Beyonce
GUTS had already made an impact before the release of the deluxe version. The first two singles, “vampire” and “bad idea right?” were both hits. They matched the success of her earlier songs. The album has more rock influence, which is a contrast to Rodrigo’s debut album, which had more of a kiddy pop influence.
The five deluxe songs: “obsessed,” “girl I’ve always been,” “scared of my guitar,” “stranger,” and “so american” show “…Rodrigo’s duality with her romanticism in her music.” The Sunflower explains. It’s clear that since she’s now in her 20’s she’s experimenting outside of the kinds of songs she’s used to.
GUTS (spilled) is worth a listen if you want to see what other music Rodrigo has to offer. Similar to Sabrina Carpenter, she’s growing out of her “Disney Girl” persona.
COWBOY CARTER: Beyonce
Beyonce’s first country album explores the African American roots of the genre. Most famously, Beyonce was rejected from the CMA awards for being a “pop artist,” but many speculate that it was because she was a black woman
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The album explores the roots of country music in a unique way. It criticizes the way the genre has excluded black country artists. “Thrilling opener, American Requiem – a slow-burn, country-rock opera – references that CMA controversy directly (“Used to say I spoke too country / And the rejection came, said I wasn’t country ’nough”), before making broader statements on who gets to call themselves a “true American” (“A pretty house that we never settled in”),” writes The Guardian.
One of the biggest hits off COWBOY CARTER was “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM.” It is a square dance song, and the lyrics describe country life. The lyrics “There's a tornado (there's a tornado) in my city (in my city)/Hit the basement,” show the average southern experience of sheltering in a basement during a tornado.
The album is also a way to “open the door” for more black artists to enter the country space. Grammy.com says “Boasting 27 tracks and five years in the making, the Texas-born legend’s album includes features from Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Linda Martell, Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, Shaboozey, Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, and Brittney Spencer, embracing country legends as well as making space for up-and-coming Black artists on the scene.”
The album is not inherently a “country” album. It, rather, uses country to explore other genres. As Beyonce said herself, “This ain’t a country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album.”
Found Heaven: Conan Gray
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The album explores the roots of country music in a unique way. It criticizes the way the genre has excluded black country artists. “Thrilling opener, American Requiem – a slow-burn, country-rock opera – references that CMA controversy directly (“Used to say I spoke too country / And the rejection came, said I wasn’t country ’nough”), before making broader statements on who gets to call themselves a “true American” (“A pretty house that we never settled in”),” writes The Guardian.
One of the biggest hits off COWBOY CARTER was “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM.” It is a square dance song, and the lyrics describe country life. The lyrics “There's a tornado (there's a tornado) in my city (in my city)/Hit the basement,” show the average southern experience of sheltering in a basement during a tornado.
The album is also a way to “open the door” for more black artists to enter the country space. Grammy.com says “Boasting 27 tracks and five years in the making, the Texas-born legend’s album includes features from Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Linda Martell, Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, Shaboozey, Tanner Adell, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, and Brittney Spencer, embracing country legends as well as making space for up-and-coming Black artists on the scene.”
The album is not inherently a “country” album. It, rather, uses country to explore other genres. As Beyonce said herself, “This ain’t a country album. This is a ‘Beyoncé’ album.”
Found Heaven: Conan Gray
As the self-proclaimed number 1# Conan Gray fan in the country, the excitement this album gave me is indescribable. The album name, Found Heaven, refers to the abusive household Gray was raised in and how it was heavily conservative, with a constant threat of religion. This kept Gray’s confidence and self-expression down. The album expresses how now, years later, he can finally feel free to be himself and how he’s “found heaven” through himself and not through religion.
“Don't be scared little child/You're no demon/There's a God in the sky/Don't believe him,” is the pre-chorus of “Found Heaven,” the title song on the album. This line was meant to challenge the common beliefs amongst some traditionally conservative Christians that homosexuality is the work of the devil. While it can get messy with biblical quotes and history, there is evidence that lines of the bible have been re-written before.
A common misconception about Leviticus 18-22 is that it's referring to homosexuality. “Man shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” It reads, but it wasn’t originally that, it was originally, “Man shalt not lie with child as with womankind: it is abomination” referring to pedophilia. In 1983 The company, Biblica paid for a re-written version of the bible, this is where the two were switched.
The belief of homosexuality being a horrible sin is very hurtful to a lot of young, impressionable children growing up in these communities. There is a large threat of being forever in hell after you die.
Gray has spoken in interviews multiple times about how this fear still affects him, but how he's learning to be proud of his identity. He sings in another song named “Boys and Girls:” “I don't know much about love/Come find me in the/ crowd, love /All the (boys and girls).”
Gray had chosen not to label his sexuality in prior years, he has come out and said that this was him telling his fans her was bisexual. The song “Boys and Girls” also happens to be a perfectly placed transition to the ‘70’s elements of Found Heaven.
Another line from “Boys and Girls,” “Ch-cherry hair, so super Bowie,” referring to David Bowie’s iconic cherry-red hair, just one of Conan’s inspirations for the album. It’s very fast and exciting, retro upbeat dance music, if you will. Someone who lived through the seventies, Scott Burger, describes the music as “buoyant.”
Gray was recently on tour from April to November. I attended his concert in San Francisco and it was really awesome. Burger was also at this concert and agrees that, “He is quite the performer, very entertaining.”
THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: Taylor Swift
“Don't be scared little child/You're no demon/There's a God in the sky/Don't believe him,” is the pre-chorus of “Found Heaven,” the title song on the album. This line was meant to challenge the common beliefs amongst some traditionally conservative Christians that homosexuality is the work of the devil. While it can get messy with biblical quotes and history, there is evidence that lines of the bible have been re-written before.
A common misconception about Leviticus 18-22 is that it's referring to homosexuality. “Man shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.” It reads, but it wasn’t originally that, it was originally, “Man shalt not lie with child as with womankind: it is abomination” referring to pedophilia. In 1983 The company, Biblica paid for a re-written version of the bible, this is where the two were switched.
The belief of homosexuality being a horrible sin is very hurtful to a lot of young, impressionable children growing up in these communities. There is a large threat of being forever in hell after you die.
Gray has spoken in interviews multiple times about how this fear still affects him, but how he's learning to be proud of his identity. He sings in another song named “Boys and Girls:” “I don't know much about love/Come find me in the/ crowd, love /All the (boys and girls).”
Gray had chosen not to label his sexuality in prior years, he has come out and said that this was him telling his fans her was bisexual. The song “Boys and Girls” also happens to be a perfectly placed transition to the ‘70’s elements of Found Heaven.
Another line from “Boys and Girls,” “Ch-cherry hair, so super Bowie,” referring to David Bowie’s iconic cherry-red hair, just one of Conan’s inspirations for the album. It’s very fast and exciting, retro upbeat dance music, if you will. Someone who lived through the seventies, Scott Burger, describes the music as “buoyant.”
Gray was recently on tour from April to November. I attended his concert in San Francisco and it was really awesome. Burger was also at this concert and agrees that, “He is quite the performer, very entertaining.”
THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT: Taylor Swift
This album is a lyrical masterpiece, but it's not for everyone. According to Lucy Curtis of the Oberlin Review, “...this is an album that is not designed to be introductory to Swift’s discography. Rather, it is meant for established, dedicated fans who understand the parallels she makes to prior songs, the references to certain life events, etc. It is rife with imagery that takes on a new life when given the correct context.”
The goal of the album seems not to be to create pop hits, but rather to be a creative outlet for Swift to deal with the strife and pain of being famous. She demonstrates this on songs like “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart,” where she explains the feeling of being on tour while simultaneously heartbroken. In the first verse she sings, “I can read your mind/"She's having the time of her life"/There in her glittering prime/The lights refract sequined stars off her silhouette every night/I can show you lies.” This shows the feeling of how her fans assumed that she was happy during the first part of her tour. The line, “I can show you lies,” explains how the assumptions weren't the truth.
This explains how even though she looks happy, it isn’t the same on the inside. Grammy.com calls it “...a creative "lifeline" for Swift during the Eras Tour, working on The Tortured Poets Department reminded the star of how integral songwriting is to her wellbeing…Swift's meandering lyrics stand out as particularly candid, dramatic, and whimsical.”
There are also some songs that seem to be a nod to her current boyfriend, Travis Kelce. Songs like “So High School,” and “The Alchemy,” make references to Kelce’s football career, with lyrics such as, “I feel like laughing in the middle of practice,” and “There was no chance, trying to be/The greatest in the league/Where's the trophy?/He just comes running over to me.”
THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT in its eternity tackles heartbreak, love, and being in the eyes of the media. The lyrics are poetic and complicated. The album has so many things to dive into.
HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: Billie Eilish
The goal of the album seems not to be to create pop hits, but rather to be a creative outlet for Swift to deal with the strife and pain of being famous. She demonstrates this on songs like “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart,” where she explains the feeling of being on tour while simultaneously heartbroken. In the first verse she sings, “I can read your mind/"She's having the time of her life"/There in her glittering prime/The lights refract sequined stars off her silhouette every night/I can show you lies.” This shows the feeling of how her fans assumed that she was happy during the first part of her tour. The line, “I can show you lies,” explains how the assumptions weren't the truth.
This explains how even though she looks happy, it isn’t the same on the inside. Grammy.com calls it “...a creative "lifeline" for Swift during the Eras Tour, working on The Tortured Poets Department reminded the star of how integral songwriting is to her wellbeing…Swift's meandering lyrics stand out as particularly candid, dramatic, and whimsical.”
There are also some songs that seem to be a nod to her current boyfriend, Travis Kelce. Songs like “So High School,” and “The Alchemy,” make references to Kelce’s football career, with lyrics such as, “I feel like laughing in the middle of practice,” and “There was no chance, trying to be/The greatest in the league/Where's the trophy?/He just comes running over to me.”
THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT in its eternity tackles heartbreak, love, and being in the eyes of the media. The lyrics are poetic and complicated. The album has so many things to dive into.
HIT ME HARD AND SOFT: Billie Eilish
“[Billie Eilish] told a story about her life in the music industry and the girl she used to be,” Jeni Nance writes on The Review. The phrase, “Hit me hard and soft” is portrayed by the melodic slow songs her album is filled with. The album is about her love and, at times, hate for life as well as the hardships and challenges it sometimes has. There is also a larger theme of forgiveness that is present in the album.
Fans believe that one of the more popular songs on Billie’s album, “WILDFLOWER,” explains the complicated relationship between Eilish and Jesse Rutherford, the lead singer of former rock band, “The Neighborhood,”. More specifically, the relationship between Jesse’s ex-girlfriend, Devon Lee, owner of “Wildflower Cases,” which could have been Billie’s inspirations for the song name. Billie and Devon had been friends before Jesse and Devon even dated.
“She was your girl, you showed her the world/You fell out of love and you both let go,” are the opening lyrics of “WILDFLOWER,” where it’s speculated that Billie is referring to Devon and Jesse’s relationship. The entire song can be picked apart and analyzed, to tell the exact story. There is so much regret throughout the entire song it’s really touching.
On a happier note, Billie also released a collaboration with Charli XCX, “Guess,” a very good mix of Charli’s energetic, loud beats, and Billie’s stable singing. Another big song on her new album, “LUNCH,” has the same theme of what “Guess” had.
Both songs were incredibly well received by fans who were just as surprised as the rest of us at Billie’s “accidental coming out” to her large following through her music. Though Sayuri Espinoza, a longtime Billie Eilish fan, says “I thought she was always gay, she just gave off “I’m gay,” you know? I could sniff the gay through the screen.” Couldn’t have said it better.
brat: Charli xcx
Fans believe that one of the more popular songs on Billie’s album, “WILDFLOWER,” explains the complicated relationship between Eilish and Jesse Rutherford, the lead singer of former rock band, “The Neighborhood,”. More specifically, the relationship between Jesse’s ex-girlfriend, Devon Lee, owner of “Wildflower Cases,” which could have been Billie’s inspirations for the song name. Billie and Devon had been friends before Jesse and Devon even dated.
“She was your girl, you showed her the world/You fell out of love and you both let go,” are the opening lyrics of “WILDFLOWER,” where it’s speculated that Billie is referring to Devon and Jesse’s relationship. The entire song can be picked apart and analyzed, to tell the exact story. There is so much regret throughout the entire song it’s really touching.
On a happier note, Billie also released a collaboration with Charli XCX, “Guess,” a very good mix of Charli’s energetic, loud beats, and Billie’s stable singing. Another big song on her new album, “LUNCH,” has the same theme of what “Guess” had.
Both songs were incredibly well received by fans who were just as surprised as the rest of us at Billie’s “accidental coming out” to her large following through her music. Though Sayuri Espinoza, a longtime Billie Eilish fan, says “I thought she was always gay, she just gave off “I’m gay,” you know? I could sniff the gay through the screen.” Couldn’t have said it better.
brat: Charli xcx
If you're a real Telegraph fan, you know I wrote about this in September, and it still sounds amazing. “I think what we’re seeing is that women want to be able to be cute when they like and disgusting,” says The Guardian and while they don't always have the best opinion on people under the age of, let's say, 35, they are right to an extent.
The way that the “brat” aesthetic is welcoming to everyone and has no limits on what it is and what it’s not is a large factor in why it was so popular. It’s a great way of telling people you just don’t care, with no particular style or look; just the feeling of being free.
Charli is known for being a semi-rebellious figure, but never like this for sure. It feels illegal to play any song on the “brat” album if it’s not on full blast. One of her biggest songs on the album, “360” is a perfect party track: it’s fast, loud, and cleverly written. But by far the most popular song on the album is “Apple.” While it’s just as likely to give you a headache, the song has a deeper meaning.
“I guess the apple don't fall far from the tree/'Cause I've been looking at you so long/Now I only see me,” are the opening lines of “Apple.” The term, “the apple doesn't fall far from the tree,” is usually referring to the passing of traits from a parent to their kid. In an interview about brat Charli explains that the song represents her resentment toward her parents, and how she doesn’t want to be like them.
“I think the apple's rotten right to the core/From all the things passed down/From all the apples coming before,” Charli sings in the chorus of “Apple.” It explains how even though she tries to distance herself from her parents she can still see them in herself.
She was recently on the “SWEAT” World Tour with Australian singer Troye Sivan, as well as Billie Eilish to perform “Guess.”
The Secret of Us: Gracie Abrams
The way that the “brat” aesthetic is welcoming to everyone and has no limits on what it is and what it’s not is a large factor in why it was so popular. It’s a great way of telling people you just don’t care, with no particular style or look; just the feeling of being free.
Charli is known for being a semi-rebellious figure, but never like this for sure. It feels illegal to play any song on the “brat” album if it’s not on full blast. One of her biggest songs on the album, “360” is a perfect party track: it’s fast, loud, and cleverly written. But by far the most popular song on the album is “Apple.” While it’s just as likely to give you a headache, the song has a deeper meaning.
“I guess the apple don't fall far from the tree/'Cause I've been looking at you so long/Now I only see me,” are the opening lines of “Apple.” The term, “the apple doesn't fall far from the tree,” is usually referring to the passing of traits from a parent to their kid. In an interview about brat Charli explains that the song represents her resentment toward her parents, and how she doesn’t want to be like them.
“I think the apple's rotten right to the core/From all the things passed down/From all the apples coming before,” Charli sings in the chorus of “Apple.” It explains how even though she tries to distance herself from her parents she can still see them in herself.
She was recently on the “SWEAT” World Tour with Australian singer Troye Sivan, as well as Billie Eilish to perform “Guess.”
The Secret of Us: Gracie Abrams
Gracie Abrams has skyrocketed to fame this summer. With songs like, “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” and “Risk” being popular TikTok audios, her music goes deeper than fast ballads playing in the background of lip syncing TikTok videos. She also has softer, slower songs that are more reminiscent of her older music that some newer fans may not know.
The Secret of Us is Abrams’ third album. It dives into similar themes that are popular in teen pop music, like love and heartbreak. “The folky-pop LP is a proper showcase of Abrams’ songwriting, sharpening up some of the clichés and adolescent metaphors from her debut. The songs are a complex picture of a relationship gone sour, full of heartbreak songs that capture the messiness of dating in your early twenties,” writes Rolling Stone.
Abrams is very popular among teens, mostly because of her relatable lyrics. The most popular songs off the album, “Risk,” “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” and “That’s So True,” all feature very well-written bridges, which are the highlights of each song.
This year, Abrams has definitely escaped the alternative space and moved into more mainstream pop. She was even featured on SNL. We can expect her to grow even more next year while on tour.
This is How Tomorrow Moves: beabadoobee
The Secret of Us is Abrams’ third album. It dives into similar themes that are popular in teen pop music, like love and heartbreak. “The folky-pop LP is a proper showcase of Abrams’ songwriting, sharpening up some of the clichés and adolescent metaphors from her debut. The songs are a complex picture of a relationship gone sour, full of heartbreak songs that capture the messiness of dating in your early twenties,” writes Rolling Stone.
Abrams is very popular among teens, mostly because of her relatable lyrics. The most popular songs off the album, “Risk,” “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” and “That’s So True,” all feature very well-written bridges, which are the highlights of each song.
This year, Abrams has definitely escaped the alternative space and moved into more mainstream pop. She was even featured on SNL. We can expect her to grow even more next year while on tour.
This is How Tomorrow Moves: beabadoobee
Even though beabadoobee isn’t exactly a mainstream artist, she has a unique sound that isn’t anywhere else in pop. It’s whimsical, bright, and very different from the mainstream electronic sounds that you hear on the radio. Rather, it has the vibe of dreamy, bedroom pop.
Three Songs and Out says, “There is grunge, there is country twinge, there is whimsy, there is a folksy feel, there is a bossa nova feel, there is pop, basically if you want something, this album can give it to you.”
Rather than using her vocals to her advantage, beabadoobee often uses the production of the song, which not many artists do. Many of her songs have long interludes, which highlight this production skill. One of the best examples of this is “Ever Seen,” which uses a plucky guitar in the background, making the song catchy and interesting. Usually songs with acoustics are on the sadder, slower side. Even though she is not a very strong singer, she is very strong when it comes to building a song.
Short n’ Sweet: Sabrina Carpenter
Three Songs and Out says, “There is grunge, there is country twinge, there is whimsy, there is a folksy feel, there is a bossa nova feel, there is pop, basically if you want something, this album can give it to you.”
Rather than using her vocals to her advantage, beabadoobee often uses the production of the song, which not many artists do. Many of her songs have long interludes, which highlight this production skill. One of the best examples of this is “Ever Seen,” which uses a plucky guitar in the background, making the song catchy and interesting. Usually songs with acoustics are on the sadder, slower side. Even though she is not a very strong singer, she is very strong when it comes to building a song.
Short n’ Sweet: Sabrina Carpenter
Carpenter’s album is sly and witty. It conquers usually ballad-worthy topics with wit and confidence. The whole vibe of the album and tour is a girls-only sleepover where you get all the gossip.
“‘Short n’ Sweet arrives powered by two ubiquitous summer hits. One is “Espresso,” a retro disco-pop groove carrying the boast of a confident hottie: “He looks so good wrapped around my finger,” she coos. The other, “Please Please Please,” begs an unstable boyfriend not to embarrass her in public,” explains the New York Times in regards to her two catchy hits of the summer.
This year has been a big year for Carpenter: with her album, tour, and hit songs, she has truly been struck with stardom. She’s even up for a few Grammys. “Undoubtedly, it’s Carpenter’s bright confidence that makes space for her playful pen game on Short n’ Sweet. With her signature plucky yet composed soprano, she balances her soulful ardor with her deadpan humor expertly, allowing her to explore the nuances of romance in new and clever ways — all while maintaining her infectious charisma that earned her her first GRAMMY nominations this year,” Grammy.com commented.
The album has been called a more concise The Tortured Poets Department, but I disagree. While some of the songs involve heartbreak, I feel like it captures it in its own way. Rather than being melancholy and self-loathing, it’s more sarcastic and rude. Carpenter deprecates her past partners, rather than blaming herself.
Carpenter also experimented with genres other than pop, such as country, folk-pop, R&B, and disco. Not everyone liked that though. “I thought [Short n’ Sweet] was a little too country for my taste,” commented 7th grade Visual Art student, Anissa Deanes.
Even though her sleepover-esque Short n’ Sweet tour is over, we have a lot to look forward to with Carpenter, especially with this new era she’s entering.
Overall, Short n’ Sweet ushers in a new era for Carpenter, pulling away from the “Disney Girl” persona and moving onto a more authentic and “adult” version of herself.
CHROMOKOPIA: Tyler The Creator
“‘Short n’ Sweet arrives powered by two ubiquitous summer hits. One is “Espresso,” a retro disco-pop groove carrying the boast of a confident hottie: “He looks so good wrapped around my finger,” she coos. The other, “Please Please Please,” begs an unstable boyfriend not to embarrass her in public,” explains the New York Times in regards to her two catchy hits of the summer.
This year has been a big year for Carpenter: with her album, tour, and hit songs, she has truly been struck with stardom. She’s even up for a few Grammys. “Undoubtedly, it’s Carpenter’s bright confidence that makes space for her playful pen game on Short n’ Sweet. With her signature plucky yet composed soprano, she balances her soulful ardor with her deadpan humor expertly, allowing her to explore the nuances of romance in new and clever ways — all while maintaining her infectious charisma that earned her her first GRAMMY nominations this year,” Grammy.com commented.
The album has been called a more concise The Tortured Poets Department, but I disagree. While some of the songs involve heartbreak, I feel like it captures it in its own way. Rather than being melancholy and self-loathing, it’s more sarcastic and rude. Carpenter deprecates her past partners, rather than blaming herself.
Carpenter also experimented with genres other than pop, such as country, folk-pop, R&B, and disco. Not everyone liked that though. “I thought [Short n’ Sweet] was a little too country for my taste,” commented 7th grade Visual Art student, Anissa Deanes.
Even though her sleepover-esque Short n’ Sweet tour is over, we have a lot to look forward to with Carpenter, especially with this new era she’s entering.
Overall, Short n’ Sweet ushers in a new era for Carpenter, pulling away from the “Disney Girl” persona and moving onto a more authentic and “adult” version of herself.
CHROMOKOPIA: Tyler The Creator
What does Chromopokia even mean? “In music, ‘chroma’ represents an eighth note, and in visual art, it refers to saturation or vividness of color,” Lampoon explains. In short, it represents the colorfulness of music (or something like that), which Tyler is no stranger to. In his past albums and even in Chromokopia with songs like, “Sticky,” and “Balloon,” the power he has to compose his own beats is truly amazing.
But the gray of his album cover represents the “fading” of the young, playful Tyler fans are used to. The meaning of the name reflects onto the album’s tracks perfectly. For example, one of the album’s most popular songs, “Like Him,” represents Tyler’s distanced relationship with his father and the way it messes with his own identity.
The chorus of “Like Him” is an example of this saying, “Mama, I'm chasing a ghost/I don't know who he is/Mama, I'm chasing a ghost/I don't know where he is/Mama, I'm chasing a ghost/Do I look like him?”
Tyler explains that the relationship with his father was non-existent, describing how he had heard lots about his father, but had never gotten to know him. This was due to his mother putting a barrier between them to spite Tyler's father. The song starts with slow piano and eventually leads to a burst of other instruments and a beat, possibly representing the build of emotions Tyler had towards his father growing up finally being let out.
There has been a few small controversies about the album. A large one revolves around some lyrics on “Rah Tah Tah”, where Tyler says a slur that upset a lot of people. He has said it before, but it still angers people.
Tyler is currently on the Chrompokopia World Tour that is lasting till 2025. Not all cities have been announced yet, but he is set for 88 concerts across 18 different countries and is coming to SF and Oakland.
Conclusion
There were so many good albums this year, it’s hard to put them all on one list. But one thing for sure, we can expect another year of amazing music in 2025!
But the gray of his album cover represents the “fading” of the young, playful Tyler fans are used to. The meaning of the name reflects onto the album’s tracks perfectly. For example, one of the album’s most popular songs, “Like Him,” represents Tyler’s distanced relationship with his father and the way it messes with his own identity.
The chorus of “Like Him” is an example of this saying, “Mama, I'm chasing a ghost/I don't know who he is/Mama, I'm chasing a ghost/I don't know where he is/Mama, I'm chasing a ghost/Do I look like him?”
Tyler explains that the relationship with his father was non-existent, describing how he had heard lots about his father, but had never gotten to know him. This was due to his mother putting a barrier between them to spite Tyler's father. The song starts with slow piano and eventually leads to a burst of other instruments and a beat, possibly representing the build of emotions Tyler had towards his father growing up finally being let out.
There has been a few small controversies about the album. A large one revolves around some lyrics on “Rah Tah Tah”, where Tyler says a slur that upset a lot of people. He has said it before, but it still angers people.
Tyler is currently on the Chrompokopia World Tour that is lasting till 2025. Not all cities have been announced yet, but he is set for 88 concerts across 18 different countries and is coming to SF and Oakland.
Conclusion
There were so many good albums this year, it’s hard to put them all on one list. But one thing for sure, we can expect another year of amazing music in 2025!
