I wouldn’t consider myself a music snob by any means. I don’t think there’s one singular way to discover music. If anything, I think discovering music works best when you utilize several methods. But I must say — I truly believe discovering music through listening to an album front to back is one of the best ways to do it.
This is for several reasons, the first and foremost being that music albums are a form of art. Most, if not all, tell a story, with every song working in tandem with each other. Another reason is that albums are one of the best ways to demonstrate an artist’s growth, revealing a larger story as listeners move from album to album. Lastly, my first-listen-throughs when an album drops at midnight are some of my favorite memories. Every emotion of shock, excitement, and realization that some of these songs will become your favorites makes these midnight memories stand out.
In this article, I’d love to give some examples of my favorite albums and how each, in its own way, proves how beautiful music albums can be.
- When Facing the Things we Turn Away From — Luke Hemmings
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Luke Hemmings, lead singer of Australian pop band 5 Seconds of Summer, released his debut album When Facing The Things We Turn Away From in 2021, quickly becoming my favorite album of all time and being my go-to example to explain the art form that is a music album. Besides each song resonating with me, lyrically and sonically, the album’s overarching theme of needing to confront the things we run from is a beautiful and necessary lesson told through the album’s song order and lyrics.
- Melodrama — Lorde
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When I think of a perfect album, my mind immediately goes to Melodrama by Lorde. This album’s backstory is one of my absolute favorites. The album and its songs represent a singular house party and all its different stages and, on a bigger scale, the complexities of being alone. The house party concept is unbelievably creative, allowing multiple interpretations with each song.
- Evermore — Taylor Swift
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The first time I listened to Evermore was an emotional train ride I’ll never forget. I remember its surprise release announcement filled my entire day with anticipation for midnight, encompassing one of the other reasons I love albums so much: the first listening experience. With every song, I felt myself gasping at every single lyric, finding it difficult to choose a favorite. I used a shared listening session to listen to this album with one of my best friends, and I will forever be able to share this memory and experience with her.
- 5SOS5; Sounds Good Feels Good — 5SOS
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Not to double dip, but for my favorite artist, I had to showcase my two favorite albums by them. Sounds Good Feels Good, 5 Seconds of Summer’s second album, came out when I was in seventh grade. The second I woke up, I listened to it as I got ready for the bus. At that moment, I knew these songs would become my lifelong favorites — a fact I can attest to as the future version of myself. 5SOS5, their fifth album, evokes a similar feeling, except seven years later. Although I had no idea what this album would sound like, it was exactly what I needed as I started my sophomore year in college. I already feel these songs becoming my favorites, a feeling I share with the seventh-grade version of me.
- Nothing Happens — Wallows
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I want to end on Nothing Happens, one that I think encompasses a lot of the aforementioned reasons in a cohesive album. While I listened to this album several years after it came out, I can remember how it felt to slowly learn all the words to each song and wonder how I lived for so long without the album in my life. An album about the hardships of growing up and entering adulthood, it came into my life exactly when I needed it most. It will forever be known as Wallows’s incredible debut album that jump-started their career and added to the indie rock genre.
I hope this article shows why music albums are a beautiful musical experience and offer so much more than just a way to discover music. They’re a way to learn more about yourself and the world around you, and to find personal connections within music through your own interpretations of the album’s meaning.
I invite you to check out a few of these albums and find what albums you feel were made for you.
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