This summer alone has had some of my favorite album releases in a while, not including the album releases from Harry Styles and Raye. Starting with I Hope This Music Brings You Hope by Raye, it was sad-girl summer, with the release of The Great Divide by Noah Kahan, Daughter from Hell by Gracie Abrams, and You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love by Olivia Rodrigo. While most of their albums were criticized, each one brought me so much joy and emotion that I cannot categorize it. I still don’t know the words to “Season 2 Weight Loss” by Harry Styles, and I have listened to the album almost every week since it came out. But that doesn’t mean I don’t like the song. Daughter from Hell by Gracie Abram is one of those albums; it was criticized, but it is nothing like Good Riddance or The Secret of Us, and it’s one of my favorite albums of hers.
Here are a few of my favorite songs from each album:
Carla’s song “Occasionally Disco All the Time” is one I keep coming back to, as it creates the illusion of the joy of discovering new things, whether it’s a song, a favorite place, or somewhere you want to be. My favorite lyric is “it’s all waiting for you.” It reminds me not to lose hope in dark moments because everything I desire is waiting for me on the other side.
My top songs from Noah Kahan’s The Great Divide are “American Cars,” “Willing and Able,” “We Go Way Back,” and “A Few of Your Own.” I associate “American Cars” with my older sister because the song is about calling a sister to fix all the problems at home. For me, it’s about calling my sister to rant about my life and seek her guidance whenever I can. “We Go Way Back” is about my friends and me: it’s a bit romantic, but it feels so significant to relate to any love in your life.Â
My top three from Daughter from Hell by Gracie Abrams are “Sober,” “Affliction,” and “Look at My Life.” I like the flow of the songs on this album. “Look at My Life” was released at my lowest and highest points, which felt so relatable and strange because I’m obviously very happy with my life and the people in it. My favorite lyric from the whole album comes from “Affliction,” where she states, “it turns out I am better when you stick around.” It hit me very hard the first time I listened to the album.
Finally, my favorite album release of 2026 is You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love by Olivia Rodrigo. This album was my most anticipated and the hardest for me to listen to. I wanted to wait for all the songs to come out so I could listen in order, and it was hard with each single she released. I still don’t understand why people find “Honeybee” cringe. It is my favorite song from the album, followed by “Expectations” and “Maggots for Brain.” The first time I listened to “Expectations,” I danced around my bedroom. My main complaint about this album is that I cannot listen to ” Cigarette Smoke” without wanting to cry at the Honeybee line.
In conclusion, I would recommend that everyone listen to one of these albums and fall in love with music. They were my companions this summer through the highs and lows, and if I could go back, I would listen to them all over again.