“the cure” by Olivia Rodrigo – 5/10

Off Olivia Rodrigo’s upcoming album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, “the cure” is reminiscent of Rodrigo’s early days of her breakout album, SOUR. In stark contrast to the upbeat love anthem “drop dead” (her first single from the album), “the cure” is melancholic and introspective, offering insights into the difficulties of relationships. The lyricism is powerful, yet the vocals and track leave something to be desired. Rodrigo sings in a breathy, quiet voice, almost talking out her verses. It feels like spoken-word poetry set to guitar instead of a strong, well-layered artistic piece. Traditional fans of Rodrigo will most likely love it, but to the average listener, the song lacks anything to set it apart from other generic music.

“SS26” by Charli xcx – 9/10

Charli xcx’s “SS26” provides a much needed commentary on society as it is today. Keeping with her usual upbeat pop genre, xcx composes the background track with electronic melodies punctuated with steady beats. But while the track itself sounds peppy, the lyrics are largely depressing and even existential to some degree. xcx delves into the issues currently facing society through lyrical subtleties such as “when the world is gonna end, no hope for any of it/yeah, we’re walking on a runway that goes straight to Hell.” She remarks “no one’s gonna save us—not music, fashion or film,” pointing out how society prioritizes the wrong things, like fame and material goods, over solving world issues. The whole song, apart from being relentlessly catchy, is a brilliant social criticism, and a must-listen.

‘End of an Era” by Niall Horan – 8/10

Given the context surrounding it, this song is incredibly emotional, and even tear-inducing. In his newest single, Niall Horan sings about the loss of his former One Direction bandmate, Liam Payne. The song is reflective of the grief that he feels, reminiscing about old times and regretting taking him for granted. Horan sings about the passage of time, and the difficulty in letting go. His tone is somber, his voice strong but almost hollow-sounding. The verses and chorus are beautifully written and set to the sounds of guitar and drums, complementing the message quite well. It isn’t a devastatingly mournful song, but it didn’t have to be so to still properly honor his late friend.

“hate that i made you love me” by Ariana Grande – 6/10

Ariana Grande’s newest single “hate that i made you love me” is a great addition to her discography. Her vocals are smooth and beautiful per usual, and the whole song is incredibly satisfying to listen to. Grande’s voice flows from lyric to lyric like honey, and the sound is just as sweet. The only possible complaint that one could have about this song is that it is too basic. It blends in perfectly with the rest of her albums because there is nothing to differentiate this song from all of her others. It lacks innovation and inspiration, but is simultaneously still a very good song. It is definitely worth a listen.