With the one year anniversary of lockdown and the Grammy’s falling on the same weekend, I have been thinking a lot about the music that has come out of the pandemic. While the past year has taken a lot away, it also created this environment that was perfect for releasing new music. Artists were unable to tour, songwriters were sitting at home in their feelings, and fans were begging for new tunes to get them through the boredom. And boy, oh boy, did some of my favorite artists deliver. These albums contain the sad bops, the summer bangers, and the confused pandemic sounds that have been keeping me company (and sane) for the past year.
- Women in Music Part III by HAIM
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The lovely Haim sisters came back into my life this year, and I could not be happier about it. With their third album, Women in Music Part III, they brought back their signature pop/rock sound, feeling crisper than ever. The extended storyline follows the complex relationships of life: from the opener “Los Angeles,” detailing the need to get away from a place you still call home, to the piercing shrieks of frustration in “All That Ever Mattered” that come out when a relationship doesn’t end how you intended. This album is one I turn to when I need to feel heard. HAIM clearly wrote this album by pulling out all their frustrations and acknowledging those feelings. And, honestly, it is empowering. These raw lyrics are exactly the kind of blunt honesty I need in a pandemic.
- SUPERBLOOM by MisterWives
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This album! I can’t get over it. If you haven’t discovered Misterwives music yet, I beg you to click out of this article and give SUPERBLOOM a listen right now. This album starts with the end. Quite literally, the first track is titled “the end,” and from there we go on a 19 track journey following the aftermath of the divorce between lead singer, Mandy Lee, and drummer, Etienne Bowler. Mandy sings openly about her grief, how she hit rock bottom, and how she pulled herself back out to find love again. I know that sounds depressing, but don’t worry. This album doesn’t pour its grief onto you. Instead, the tracks are incredibly upbeat and danceable. The final song and title track “SUPERBLOOM” is an optimistic anthem complete with grand trumpets, and the line “I deserve congratulations, because I came out the other side” is a sentiment we can all sing as we come out of this particularly difficult year.
- folklore by Taylor Swift
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Did you really think I was going to make this list without including the iconic “Album of the Year”? I feel like I am speaking for everyone when I say that folklore was the last thing I expected out of Taylor, but it quickly became one of my favorite albums of hers (second only to Lover in my opinion, feel free to fight me on this). The storytelling on this album is just unreal. When I listen to “the last great american dynasty,” I feel like I am being told a story more than I am listening to a song, and I love it. Taylor goes back to her country roots with “betty,” a track about the stupidity of teenage boys that makes you want to sing along. You can really hear the influence of being in lockdown in this album. Compared to her past pop albums, folklore has a sense of quiet and reflection that came out of being alone and taking a step back from the pre-pandemic chaos of everyday life. This album feels like it was written for people to listen to by themselves, but not to have them feel alone.
- cloudy/partly cloudy by joan
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Joan was a new find for me during the pandemic. Their second EP cloudy (quickly followed by the acoustic version partly cloudy) is full of songs that I want to sing on a drive. The album feels very grounded with all the songs being centered on the same person. While many of the songs are about falling in love and being all in for one special person, there are two break up songs. The standout track for me is the partly cloudy version of the song “brokenhearted.” The emotion in this song makes me want to cry every time. It is produced simply, with just his beautiful voice over a piano melody, making the pained lyrics feel all the more real. The chorus sings: “Three years of my life just gone and I can’t seem to find the moment you realized I’m not the one and walked right out the doorway.” If you need some good tears, queue this song up. If you want something more upbeat, the first four tracks of the EPs are all good choices. “Cover girl” and “magnetic” in particular are absolute rays of sunshine that give you all the warm and fuzzy feelings.
We all want music that feels relatable while simultaneously giving us an escape. Each of these four albums combines some serious lyrics with fun sounds and inventive beats. So next time you are not sure what you are in the mood to listen to, put on one of these and you might just find your new favorite song.