When Olivia Rodrigo released her first single, “drivers license,” in January of 2021, she took the world by storm. No one — not even Olivia — expected her first-ever song to gain traction the way it did. Then, with the release of her first debut album, SOUR, in May 2021, Olivia broke insane records and received many awards — not to mention she was nominated for seven Grammys. With the first anniversary of the SOUR release coming, I have conjured up a list of my least favorite songs on the album to my most favorite.
- “1 step forward, 3 steps back”
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This song is just too sad for me. Outlining the toxicities of a relationship and how progress seems to be made, but then they just revert to an even worse position hurts me to the core. I also don’t find myself listening to this one as much because it hurts.
- “Brutal”
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“I want it to be like messy.” “brutal” is her first song on the album and a great opener that outlines the angst and troubles of a teenage girl in today’s society. It’s really a good song, but I just have other favorites. It’s a perfect song to strut on the treadmill or dance around with your friends.
- “hope ur ok”
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Although this song is so lyrically beautiful and had one of the best performances in her SOUR film, I find myself playing this one the least. It’s more of a story about people in her life she has disconnected from and their struggles but still wishes them the best. It’s very heartwarming, but I never gravitate toward it.
- “Deja vu”
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“deja vu” was released in April as the second single of her debut album. When this song came out, I went absolutely crazy over it. Olivia nailed the concept of how relationships are always recycled: going on the same dates, trading clothes with each other, watching the same movies. She really hammers the idea that no relationship is unique, and moving on so quickly to another girl could only give a man deja vu.
- “enough for you”
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Grab the tissues because this song still makes me shed tears to this day. There’s nothing worse than feeling like you’re not good enough for someone — whether it’s a friend, family member or romantic partner. Olivia talks about what she changed about herself to grab this person’s attention, but it was never good enough. The song ends on a bittersweet note: although she wasn’t enough for this person, one day she will be for the right person. I would have put this song higher, but I really don’t find myself playing it that often.
- “Jealousy, jealousy”
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I’ll be totally transparent: I hated this song when it came out. It hurts me to say that it was the lowest song on my original ranking. For some reason, I just couldn’t vibe with it and just hated the mentality of comparing yourself to others on social media. But now, I find myself jamming to it all the time, and this song has one of my favorite bridges ever. This song definitely went higher up on my ranking after seeing her perform it for the first time — it is so upbeat, and her stage presence during this song is unreal.
- “good 4 u”
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“good 4 u” was released as the third single before her album came out. It’s one of my favorite songs of all time, highlighting the bitterness of seeing someone doing better off without you. “good 4 u” utilizes a sarcastic tone to emphasize the jealousy of how she wishes she could be just as happy as this person is without her. Not to mention, it also has one of the best lyrics in history: “Like a damn sociopath,” and the fire burning behind her in the music video is insane.
- “happier”
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This song tears me to shreds. Olivia nailed the concept of letting someone go and wanting them to be happy, but having a part of you hope it doesn’t compare to your life with them. It’s so gut-wrenching. This was one of my top songs when it first came out, and it still is one of my favorites now.
- “favorite crime”
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“One heart broke, four hands bloody,” are you kidding? This lyric speaks for this song on its own. The words are unbelievable, and I scream the bridge every time. “favorite crime” is easily in my top three favorite songs.
- “traitor”
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This song spoke to many people who cannot really say that they’ve been cheated on but have experienced the hurt of seeing the person you love move on so quickly with “the girl they were told not to worry about.” Olivia talks about how her ex betrayed her by moving on that fast, and there had to be something going on emotionally for a person to forget everything they’ve had and be with someone else. The beginning of the song is a big reason this is my second favorite — it sounds like angels are coming from heaven, I swear. “traitor” really resonates with me, and I play it daily.
- “drivers license”
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It was the first single and is hands down the best song on the album. I would do anything to hear the bridge to this song for the first time again. I remember dropping everything just to take in the beauty and emotion of it all. It captivated the world, and this song was the beginning of her success story. You can hear the hurt in the lyrics, and she really nailed the emotions of a first heartbreak in it.
Olivia Rodrigo is truly the it girl, and she’s just getting started. With her first-ever world tour kicking off on April 5, she’s on her way to being one of the greatest artists in history. At just 19 years old, she has accomplished more than many artists have. She’s captured the world with her relatable songwriting and unforgettable stage presence. And who knows, maybe my ranking will change again after I see her in Atlanta in May. Stay tuned!