In March of 2019, Dear Evan Hansen actor Ben Platt graced the world with his first solo album, Sing to Me Instead. With twelve emotional and lyric-driven songs, this album quickly became one of my all-time favorites. I was no stranger to Platt’s signature vibrato, but what truly captivated me from this album is the intimacy he portrayed through each of his songs. From someone who was used to playing other characters in projects such as Pitch Perfect and Dear Evan Hansen, it was compelling to listen to Platt’s artistry on a more personal level. Even though it’s been over a year since the original release of this album, I will never get tired of it. It is a perfect dose of musical theatre quality vocals mixed with soulful lyrics and soft instrumentals, appealing to both my inner theatre kid and hopeless romantic. While there are no subpar songs in this album I definitely have my personal favorites. Here is my ranking of every song in Sing to Me Instead.
12. New
This is one of the most uptempo songs in the album, making it an almost classic pop song you’d jam out to on the radio. He writes about how ending a relationship made him a new person. With its self-love message and upbeat tempo, “New” is the perfect song to listen to after getting over a break up. Really the only reason I ranked this as my least favorite is because I generally enjoy slower songs with a ballad base and emotion-filled lyrics more than uptempo dance songs. Nonetheless, “New” is one of go-to workout songs to this day, and it is worth listening to.
11. Hurt Me Once
In my opinion this is the most heart wrenching song in the album. Platt writes about the end of a relationship, wanting to prolong it as long as possible even if it causes more hurt than anything else. The soulful lyrics and melancholic vocals make it the perfect song to let out a good cry. On the other hand, it is probably not the song to listen to on a bright and cheery day which is the main reason I ranked it second to last. It’s a beautiful song, if you’re in the right mood.
10. Bad Habit
This is the first song Platt released before coming out with the whole album. For me, this was the song that got me excited to hear the rest. The song is a retrospective look back at past relationships. Platt writes about the unhealthy habit of going back to a person simply because it feels familiar. He explores the idea that there is some level of addiction when it comes to love, which is not necessarily a healthy thing. The song has a haunting vibe to it, making it almost addictive itself.
9. Better
Platt got the inspiration for this song from “Still Hurting” from the musical The Last Five Years. This song captures a similar concept as its inspiration, which is the idea of unresolved feelings at the end of a relationship. Platt asks himself if his past lover knows him “better than I know myself,” ultimately leaving the question unanswered for the listener.
8. Ease My Mind
As one of the most heartfelt songs of the album, Platt tells the story of one of his most special relationships. The soulful lyrics and tranquil vocals are meant to take the listener to a place free of anxiety. Much like the title, this song is perfect for any time you want to reflect on life with an “eased mind.”
7. Temporary Love
In this song, Platt does not hold back his musical theatre vocals. He is able to sing an octave higher with the control that only comes from immense talent and an already prominent Broadway career. Platt has said that this song was inspired by his siblings’ relationships and how they each found the person that they wanted to spend the rest of their life with. If the last few songs didn’t capture you already, this is where it gets really good.
6. Honest Man
This song is about a rite of passage that almost every LGBTQ+ person has gone through at least once in their lives: being “out” but in a relationship with someone who is still closeted. This song contains my favorite lines of the entire album “there’s something about you in the moonlight/but your eyes go so well with the day/you won’t let go of your layers/but your power can strip me away.” They get me every time.
5. Share Your Address
Even though I generally prefer slower songs, “Share Your Address” is a certified bop and one of my favorites of the entire album. The song is meant to show what it feels like to move too fast in a relationship, almost to the point of stalking your loved one. Its humorous tone mixed with the song’s upbeat tempo plays perfectly into the idea of becoming infatuated with your loved one. This is also the best song to dance to on the entire album.
4. Older
In this song, Platt reminiscences about his past and how he wishes he had been more reckless in his youth. Both the lyrics and the musicality serve to make the lister ponder about the good times of their youth. Platt seeks to teach the listener to be present in the moment because “when you are younger you wish you’re older/then when you’re older you wish for time to turn around.”
3. Run Away
This last song on the album is a tribute to Platt’s parents. He shares their beautifully classic love story through a ballad-like melody. The simple piano part compliments the raw simplicity of the story in a wonderful way. Platt wanted to make this the last song of his album so that he could end in a nice, peaceful tone, and he did just that. This song leaves the listener hopeful that they will one day find a love story just like the one described.
2. In Case You Don’t Live Forever
I ranked this song second mainly because I am a sucker for a good piano accompaniment. The piano mixed with Platt’s sincere vocals make this song an absolute tear-jerker. Even more so after learning that Platt took inspiration for this song from the passing of his queer-great uncle. Platt writes about the idea of waiting to say things until the right moment, and how sometimes that moment will never come. He urges the listener to say what’s on their mind before it’s too late.
1. Grow As We Go
My favorite song on this album! “Grow As We Go” is the last song Platt released before introducing the whole album. After listening to it, I could not wait to hear the rest. I am even more or a sucker for an acoustic guitar than for a piano part, so this song’s light guitar strumming immediately captivated me. Platt writes about self-growth and how we don’t always have to go through the journey alone. This is one of the most hopeful songs in the album and to this day, it is my go-to song anytime I need to smile. I can never get enough of it.
After ranking all of these songs, I want to note that I love every single song in this album! While each one has its own individual charm, my favorite thing to do is to listen to the album as a whole and just sit back as Ben Platt takes me on his journey. You can also check out Ben Platt’s concert version of the album on Netflix!