Last month, women made history at the Grammys by taking home awards for several of the main categories. Female artists are constantly transforming the music industry. It’s important to reflect on their innovative achievements, especially during Women’s History Month. Whether it be with their outstanding vocal ability or the profound manner in which they express themselves through their songwriting, women have brought forth some of the best albums to date. Here are five of my favorites:
1) “When The Pawn…” by Fiona Apple (1999)
Through the trademark growl often present in her work, Fiona Apple has been branded by Internet dwellers as the poster child of “feminine rage.” However, this label feels like an oversimplification of Apple’s immense brilliance and talent. “When The Pawn…” is a tour de force in songwriting and storytelling. Through ten incredible songs, Apple laments her fragmented relationship. She magnifies the insurmountable differences between man and woman that hinder their connection. Apple also deconstructs her own image and the world’s perception of her. “When The Pawn…” is scathing and mordant to a point where it actively becomes uncomfortable for the listener. It’s like a car crash you can’t take your eyes from. In “The Way Things Are,” she banally states, “I wouldn’t know what to say to a gentle voice / It’ll roll right past me.” From its lyricism to its rhythm, “When The Pawn…” is an utter masterpiece.
2) “Ctrl” by SZA (2017)
“Ctrl” is the perfect coming-of-age album. SZA weaves themes of insecurity, growing pains, womanhood, desire and love to craft a phenomenal body of work. In “Drew Barrymore,” she asks a crucial question: “Why is it so hard to accept that the party is over?” Heartbreak and melancholy are palpable throughout “Ctrl,” yet the album also emanates warmth and hope. SZA knows exactly how to tug on your heartstrings and send you spiraling through her lyricism.
3) “folklore” by Taylor Swift (2020)
Swift’s eighth studio album, “folklore,” resembles a dusted toy-chest filled to the brim with bittersweet memories. She reflects themes relevant to her own career and life, including heartbreak, perception, disillusionment, fluttering romance, insecurity and nostalgia. The stories within “folklore” are riveting from beginning to end. One track in particular, “the last great american dynasty,” is a textbook example of Swift’s genius storytelling. Nothing quite compares to being hit with the lyric, “And then it was bought by me.” Swift keeps you glued to your seat from beginning to end with “folklore.” Her songwriting is as poignant and masterful as ever. “folklore” may very well be Swift’s magnum opus.
4) “Melodrama” by Lorde (2017)
“Melodrama” is an absolute triumph. While its narrative is primarily rooted in heartbreak, “Melodrama” masterfully documents the heightened mania and misery of young adulthood. In “Liability (Reprise),” she expresses the central theme of the album: “Maybe all this is the party / Maybe the tears and the highs we breathe, oh, no / Maybe all this is the party / Maybe we just do it violently / But you’re not what you thought you were.” As Lorde mourns a relationship beyond repair, she takes the listener on a journey, weaving through hedonistic delights, crippling self-doubt, the ache of reminiscence and disillusionment. Each song is an explosion of emotion and memory that leaves you utterly paralyzed. “Melodrama” ends as a beautiful reconciliation with the self. For Lorde, the idea of letting go is painful, but necessary: “I’ll start letting go of little things / ‘Til I’m so far away from you.”
5) “Norman Fucking Rockwell!” by Lana Del Rey (2019)
“Norman Fucking Rockwell!” is Lana Del Rey at her most honest and vulnerable. In “The greatest,” she sings, “Don’t leave I just need a wake-up call / I’m facing the greatest / The greatest loss of them all / The culture is lit and I had a ball / I guess that I’m burned out after all.” Lana Del Rey’s storytelling exudes a sense of faded Americana and the hopeless disillusionment that follows. “Norman Fucking Rockwell” is a staggering achievement in its lyricism and sound. In Lana Del Rey’s own words: “The poetry inside of me is warm like a gun.”
These artists capture elements of womanhood in an exceptionally profound manner. Women’s History Month is the perfect time to celebrate their work. I highly recommend checking out their other albums as well.