I came to the realization recently that I have a lot of favorite songs, but not many favorite albums — meaning I look at an album and find I only know a few songs. I, of course, have my favorite artists but would love to expand my knowledge of specific artists, as well as be able to experience more albums as cohesive bodies of work rather than just a few songs.
To do just that, I spent one week listening to an album in full every single day. I specifically chose albums where I knew at least one but no more than three songs and also made sure to listen to each album in one sitting. I came out with lots of new songs to add to my rotation, as well as an appreciation for these artists and the energy it takes to create an immersive experience like a full album.
Here’s the list of each album I listened to, my thoughts, and my new favorites off each one:
1. Grace – Jeff Buckley
Jeff Buckley was an alternative rock/folk rock musician who was active during the 1990s until his death in 1997. Born to singer-songwriter Tim Buckley who, ironically enough, also died tragically young, he is most known for his famous rendition of “Hallelujah,” but his original works should not be overlooked. Although Buckley’s life was cut short, he has been a tremendous influence on the music industry, with founding members of bands like Radiohead and Muse citing him as a major influence. I see now why David Bowie, Bob Dylan, and Morrissey all named Grace as one of their favorite albums of all time; it is emotional, heartfelt, and simply beautiful. His voice combined with thought-provoking lyrics and well-crafted instrumentals made this album an enjoyable listen the entire way through.
Runtime: 57 minutes, 3 seconds
Song(s) I Already Knew: “Grace,” “Lover,” “You Should Have Come Over”
New Favorites: “Eternal Life,” “Last Goodbye,” “Forget Her”
2. You Can’t Kill Me – 070 Shake
070 Shake has been on my radar since I saw her open for The 1975 back in 2016 (an unexpected but great combo). Yet I never dove into her discography fully. My favorite song from her is by far “Skin and Bones,” so I chose to listen to You Can’t Kill Me in its entirety. I knew I was going to like it but was surprised at how much so. It has a great blend of rap, R&B, pop, and a slight electronic feel to combine in a sound that is uniquely 070’s. This album was definitely a more casual listening experience compared to the rest, but I still see myself coming back to it time and time again.
Runtime: 48 minutes, 52 seconds
Song(s) I Already Knew: “History,” “Skin and Bones,” “Body”
New Favorites: “Blue Velvet,” “Stay”
3. Depression Cherry – Beach House
Beach House is a dream pop band from Baltimore, Maryland. Their music is hypnotic and well, dreamy. The songs are all very soft — I found myself listening to them while walking around campus and felt my mood elevate while I listened to the simplistic instrumentals and light drums. I am familiar with a few other Beach House albums and found this one was a bit less heavy than their previous works which I loved; it was one of my favorites that I listened to this week.
Runtime: 44 minutes, 49 seconds
Song(s) I Already Knew: “Space Song”
New Favorites: “Beyond Love,” “PPP”
4. Alligator Bites Never Heal – Doechii
Doechii has had a wildly successful year; she released her third mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal, in August 2024 and it was immediately met with acclaim. She even won Best Rap Album at the 2025 Grammy Awards. It was this award that really put her on the map for me, as I had only heard one song by her that I heard on TikTok a few months back, “DENIAL IS A RIVER.” I now see why she won the Grammy — this album is clever, fun, and intelligent. It’s both playful and insightful, with replayable lyrics and beats across every track. It was hard to pick just a few favorites, as I will likely be revisiting this entire album as a whole.
Runtime: 47 minutes, 3 seconds
Song(s) I Already Knew: “DENIAL IS A RIVER”
New Favorites: “BULLFROG,” “BLOOM,” “NISSAN ALTIMA,” “ALLIGATOR BITES NEVER HEAL”
5. Wasteland, Baby! – Hozier
I have always adored Hozier (his self-titled is probably one of my top five albums of all time), yet for some reason I never dove into his second album. While listening to it, I realized I actually knew a few more songs than I thought I did, but I still decided to limit it to the two I knew the titles of as I still learned a lot about the album by listening to it in a single session. As expected, it was a beautiful album. Hozier’s lyricism is unmatched, he is essentially singing poetry over instrumentals. I added practically every song on this album to some playlist of mine and will be returning to it to listen to it as a whole time and time again.
Runtime: 57 minutes, 27 seconds
Song(s) I Already Knew: “Nina Cried Power,” “Dinner & Diatribes”
New Favorites: “Movement,” “Be,” “Would That I”
6. Heaven or Las Vegas – Cocteau Twins
Another dream pop album, but instead one of the first of the genre. Cocteau Twins, an alternative rock band hailing from Scotland, are pioneers in the development of the genre back in the 1980s and 90s. Everyone knows at least the titular track of this album, but I never took the time to dive into the album as a whole. A standout on the album for me was “I Wear Your Ring,” which reminded me of a song that would accompany an opening sequence in a popular 80s film. The entire album has a unique, surrealist feel and I could instantly understand why it is considered the magnum opus of Cocteau Twins.
Runtime: 37 minutes, 24 seconds
Song(s) I Already Knew: “Cherry-colored Funk,” “Heaven or Las Vegas”
New Favorites: “I Wear Your Ring,” “Wolf in the Breast,” “Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires”
7. What a Devastating Turn of Events –Rachel Chinouriri
Like Doechii, I also discovered Rachel Chinouriri from TikTok, when I heard “All I Ever Asked” playing in a video and was immediately hooked. She has even just begun touring with Sabrina Carpenter for the European leg of her Short n’ Sweet Tour, which is as good a sign as any that she is going to be huge. I loved the variety in this album, from the rock-inspired beats on “The Hills” and “Cold Call” to the soft pop vibes of “Pocket.” With three million monthly listeners on Spotify, Chinouriri is not small by any means, but should definitely be added to your rotation if she’s not in there already.
Runtime: 49 minutes, 30 seconds
Song(s) I Already Knew: “All I Ever Asked”
New Favorites: “The Hills,” “Never Need Me,” “I Hate Myself”
What Did I Learn?
This experience confirmed for me what I already knew — albums are meant to be listened to as a cohesive whole, and it is the best way to fully understand the intent behind the music. Of course, I will continue to listen to my favorite individual songs, but I currently have a list of albums I plan on repeating this process with, so I am excited to continue this musical journey!