Here we are, we’ve reached the culmination of the 2010’s. The last 10 years have given us some great musical work, and 2019 was no exception. Some artists strived to revitalize sounds from past decades, while others lay the groundwork for what the future will sound like. Many of the artists on this list have proven their position in the music industry over years, but there are some who are new and I believe they have what it takes to shape the next decade. This is a list of my favorite albums from 2019, in no particular order.
Tyler Okonma has been making unusual and artistic music since his days with hip-hop collective OFWGKTA (an acronym for Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All) since 2007. Tyler teased his album release by posting videos of him dancing erratically while wearing a long, blonde wig, multicolored suit, black sunglasses, and a grill. He has subsequently dressed this way for each of the album’s music videos as well as his social media. The album follows a love-triangle narrative where a guy he is seeing is still intertwined with his ex-girlfriend, who is trying to pull him back and away from Tyler. The character Igor is an archetype of the villain’s assistant, and he represents the darker side of Tyler that reveals itself after Tyler has poured his heart out on the first half of the album.
IGOR is synth-heavy and laced with neo-soul melodies. Tyler is a shapeshifter, each release is completely independent from the last, and he rebukes the current state of hip-hop music with this thought-provoking and complicated piece of work.
Notable Tracks:
“EARFQUAKE”, “NEW MAGIC WAND”, “A BOY IS A GUN”, “PUPPET”, “WHAT’S GOOD”, and “I DON’T LOVE YOU ANYMORE”
2. Magdalene by FKA twigs [Electronic, Art Pop]
“I never thought heartbreak could be all-encompassing”- a quote taken from the
Magdalene press release. I never believed that you had to experience something in order to write about it. That was until I listened to
Magdalene. FKA twigs uses her delicate, haunting voice to tell the story of a breakup that left her incapable of functioning. It’s a pain you truly must feel to believe it, and I believe her. Her voice is fragile, the production feels fractured, and lyrics are revealing. While this is her second full album, it feels like a rebirth for the English singer. Her desperation is that of tragedy but also truth. Sometimes our experiences paralyze us and the façade we build crumbles. The album artwork may look like a grotesque work of art, but it fits the album perfectly. If you’ve felt heartbreak in your lifetime, cuddle up with a fuzzy blanket and give this album an uninterrupted listen.
Notable Tracks:
“home with you”, “sad day”, “mary magdalene”, “fallen alien”, “daybed”, and “cellophane”
Bring Me the Horizon have come a long way from their deathcore roots, but it’s been a refreshing journey for these chameleons of rock. The sixth studio album
amo feels like a goodbye to the mosh pit days, and a warm welcome to their experimental era. Bring Me the Horizon know that most people listen to different genres, and with
amo they invite you to take a sonic journey with them. The word “amo” comes from the Portuguese phrase “I love”. The band’s front man Ollie Sykes stated that the album was about love, all aspects of love, including the good, the bad, and the ugly. Despite the electronic and pop influences, Bring Me the Horizon retain their darkness in Ollie’s lyricism. Some songs feel artificial and robotic, which isn’t an insult. I love the contrast between the upbeat sound and lingering sadness in each song.
Notable Tracks:
“MANTRA”, “nihilist blues (feat. Grimes)”, “medicine”, “why you gotta kick me when i’m down”, “mother tongue”, and “i don’t know what to say”
4. Father of the Bride by Vampire Weekend [Indie Rock, Pop]
Vampire Weekend utilizes a warm, pleasant sound with heavy and dark lyrics on their fourth studio album. Front man Ezra Koenig found inspiration in The Beatles record
The White Album, Bruce Springsteen’s
The River, and jam bands such as The Grateful Dead and Phish. Lyrically, the album deals with topics such as existentialism, political strife, complacency, environmentalism, and doom all packaged in a light-hearted “springtime” day-at-the-beach sound. Koenig stated that the album artwork derives “from the albums motif of ecology, and a nostalgia for the optimism of environmentalism in the 1990s.” I think we all yearn for a time when we believed we were making a difference on an individual level, but it can feel impossible today.
Father of the Bride wants to feel optimistic, but it knows that optimism can also lead to complacency in 2019.
Notable Tracks:
“Harmony Hall”, “This Life”, “Big Blue”, “Unbearably White”, “Sunflower (feat. Steve Lacy)”, and “2021”
Taylor Swift’s strongest skillset lies in her songwriting ability. The way she can paint a picture with her words is second to none. I first heard “Afterglow” while driving late at night in the rain and in that moment I fell in love. Many dismiss Taylor as simply a “pop star”, but with
Lover she proves she can be so much more. Taylor ventured into new territory on this album writing songs about her support for the LGBTQ community, her disillusion with the political climate, and misogyny in the music industry. The title track will likely be wedding song fuel for years to come, while “Soon You’ll Get Better” will have you holding those you love just a little bit closer. The album is a stark comparison to Taylor’s dark and jaded last album
Reputation. Yes, the transition from country to pop over the last decade has catapulted Taylor to new heights, but a bit of the “old Taylor” shows herself in songs like “Death By a Thousand Cuts”.
Lover is my personal favorite album of hers, and I think it could be yours too.
Notable Tracks:
“Cruel Summer”, “Lover”, “Death By a Thousand Cuts”, “False God” and “Afterglow”
DSVII is a sequel album to 2007’s
DSVI, which stands for Digital Shades, Volume I. Producer Anthony Gonzalez set out to make an album inspired by 1980’s video games, science fiction and fantasy films, and synthesizer music. Most of the tracks feature no lyrics, no discernable vocals, but instead is meant to be felt. The album is a journey from start to finish and feels ripped right from “The Neverending Story”.
DSVII makes for great driving music, or when feeling nostalgic about a simpler time. The album was recorded over the period of two years using only analog equipment. M83. are known for their alternative electronic sound with songs such as “Midnight City” or “Wait”, but
DSVII goes in an experimental direction that I believe was purely a passion project of Anthony while we wait for the next M83. record.
Notable Tracks:
“Hell Riders”, “A Bit of Sweetness”, “Goodbye Captain Lee”, “Colonies”, “Jeux D’Enfants”, and “Temple of Sorrow”
Billie first came on the scene when she released “Ocean Eyes” in 2015. At just fifteen she was turning the world of pop music on its head. Her songs featured her signature dark, hushed sound that was the opposite of what pop radio was playing. This year, Billie dropped her album
When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, a concept album about nightmares, lucid dreaming, and night terrors. Billie and her brother Finneas O’Connell wrote, produced, and edited the album at their family home in California. Billie expresses total vulnerability with fans of her music, which is more like the diary of a 17 year-old girl than an album topping the Billboard 200. Lyrically, the album deals with topics of depression, death, suicidal thoughts, and lost love. Her obsession with horror movies sets the tone for this album as well, as the album artwork is the stuff of nightmares. Deep down, Billie is a young girl who wants to share herself with the world, and the world is listening now. I’m excited to see where her career goes next.
Notable Tracks:
“bad guy”, “xanny”, “you should see me in a crown”, “wish you were gay”, “when the party’s over”, and “i love you”
Social Cues is the fifth studio album by American rock band Cage the Elephant. The bands sound has changed over the years, but what has remained the same is the high energy music. The album deals with the exhaustion that comes with success, mental health, and relationships. Social cues are indirect forms of communication to express your feelings, such as a smile or furrowed brow, your posture, and even your tone. Being a social human can be difficult when you don’t feel like dabbling in social cues. Matt Schulz details his struggle with his fame. Cage the Elephant is not the first band to write about the downfalls of notoriety, and they won’t be the last, but the lesson to be learned is to be careful what you wish for because sometimes it comes true.
Notable Tracks:
“Broken Boy”, “Social Cues”, “Ready to Let Go”, “House of Glass”, “Love’s the Only Way”, “Tokyo Smoke”, and “Goodbye”
Just six months after releasing her fourth studio album
Sweetener, Ariana released her fifth album
thank u, next. The album was critically and commercially more successful than the last, and has become a fan-favorite album just a little under a year later. Ariana has a strong R&B voice, which she displays more in this album. It also feels like a more personal album, being it features songs about dealing with the death of her ex-boyfriend Mac Miller, the highly publicized break-up with comedian Pete Davidson, difficulties with anxiety and depression, and feeling lonely while surrounded by people. Ariana has had a highly successful decade and, unlike many of her peers, she has only gotten more successful with each album. Even if you aren’t a fan of her music or her lyrics, there is no denying that Ariana is one of the best vocalists of this new generation of pop stars.
Notable Tracks:
“Needy”, “Fake Smile”, “Ghostin’”, “In My Head”, “7 Rings”, “Thank U, Next”, and “Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored”
Vocalist Nanna said that while working on this album, she got really tired of writing on an acoustic guitar so she started working on her laptop and learning how to make music from there. The more electronic sound of
Fever Dream threw many fans off as it seemed the band went from an authentic acoustic sound to an artificial electronic one. This album uses more synths than any of their previous work, but it works with the songs.
Fever Dream was an experiment for the band, and I think it was worth experimenting. Some of my favorite Of Monsters and Men songs come from this album
.
Notable Tracks:
“Alligator”, “Ahay”, “Wild Roses”, “Sleepwalker”, “Wars”, and “Under a Dome”
By Dylan Albertson, Lawrence Headquarters Branch
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