In my opinion, 2017 was an absolute whirlwind, from beginning right to the last day. These albums kept me sane, shut the world out when all I wanted to do was be alone. These albums had me thinking about breakups from toxic relationships I've never had, the parties I've never thrown, a life I've never lived, but somehow survived. These are my top albums that got me through 2017.
Hopeless Fountain Kingdom // Halsey
This album stole my heart the second the first word was uttered by pop sensation Halsey. She takes a messy heartbreak, hyperbolizes it into a Baz Luhrmann-style Romeo and Juliet story, and absolutely kills it.
The concept album tells the story of Luna and Solis, in their respective houses, Aureum and Angelus. Halsey even recites The Prologue from the main muse, William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The album takes you through a linear timeline, two lovers recounting everything; the fun, the tears, and where it all went wrong.
My personal favorites include 100 Letters, Alone, Lie, Walls Could Talk (!!!!), and Angel On Fire. As you go through the album, listen to the attitudes in the songs.
It goes through a rollercoaster, sometimes it’s Luna, the cocky, conceited girl who knows what she wants, as described in Good Mourning, “They told me once don’t trust the moon, she’s always changing. The shores bend and break for her, and she begs to be loved.”
Sometimes it’s Solis, the shy, quiet, male counterpart. There has not been a week since its release on June 2nd that I haven’t blasted this whole album. Seriously.
The Beautiful & Damned // G-Eazy
Fresh. New. Cocky as I’ll get out. Just how I like it. Barely two weeks from the end of 2017 and this album is already a frequent in my queue.
G-Eazy has been my favorite rapper since I was a punk kid in 7th grade. I Mean It was MY JAM. Knew every word. Sang it with my fellow punk 7th graders.
This album conveys the difference Gerald and G-Eazy. His troubles and his late nights out partying. The Beautiful and Damned. The Plan & No Limit, his singles off of the new album are absolute bops. The beats are outstanding, giving you that cocky feeling in your chest that G-Eazy was born with. Legend, That’s A Lot, & Pray For Me are my favorites.
He reps the Bay Area, not afraid to tell the world he’s a self made young James Dean. If you’re feeling down in the dumps, listen to this album. Learn the words. Scream them at the top of your lungs. Sadness? Low self esteem? Not when Legend by G-Eazy is playing, no siree.
Harry Styles // Harry Styles
This is no surprise. I’ve loved Harry Styles since I was in the 5th grade. His first ever solo album shows a deeper side of the pop rockstar, he uncovers every single unturned stone, every hole in his personality we’ve come to know (or be presented with, your choice,) and love. His rock ballads and punkish style doesn’t compare to the pop boyband star we’ve previously been acquainted with.
Kiwi, Only Angel, Meet Me in the Hallway, and Ever Since New York are my favorites, but with only 10 songs, it’s hard to not just name them all. This album goes through hills and valleys of emotions, from falling in love with the rebellious, wild, and crazy girl in Kiwi and Only Angel, to falling out of love and reminiscing the old times in Two Ghosts and From the Dining Table.
This album switched everything for me. Harry showed his heart to the world, vulnerable and unapologetic, and I am here for it. I need to know more about what's going on beneath his famous curls.
We need more songs, Harry. Give the people what they want.
Reputation // Taylor Swift
Alright, I know. T-swift is the normal pop white girl everyone and their mother loves, we know about her already. Just hear me out.
Reputation takes a look inside what Taylor sees, telling the whole world that you don’t know a darn thing about her. She’s portrayed by the media as a serial dater, goody-two-shoes, simple, country girl that made it big. Every rude comment that’s ever been made about her has an honorable mention in this album.
She lets out her anger in Look What You Made Me Do and ...Ready For It? with heavy synth pop beats we never expected America’s Sweetheart to produce. She contradicts the media’s portrayal of her in Dress, I Did Something Bad, and basically every other song on this album.
My favorites are I Did Something Bad, Dress, and Dancing with Our Hands Tied.
Her quick switch from heartbroken pop sensation to cocky, I-know-what-I-want-and-you-better-give-it-to-me pop sensation gives me whiplash in the best way possible.
For these artists and so many more, 2017 was the year for honesty. Pure, raw, unapologetic honesty. I'm here for it. They reminded me that we may not know our favorite artists the way we may think we do. We only know what we are presented with. Snippets of their day. Pictures of their errands they run or small tweets that give only a millisecond of their days. We may only know them through their art. What they write, how they sound, even right down to the album art. If 2017 was the year of honesty, what will 2018 bring?
Happy New Year.
Love,
A
Hopeless Fountain Kingdom // Halsey
This album stole my heart the second the first word was uttered by pop sensation Halsey. She takes a messy heartbreak, hyperbolizes it into a Baz Luhrmann-style Romeo and Juliet story, and absolutely kills it.
The concept album tells the story of Luna and Solis, in their respective houses, Aureum and Angelus. Halsey even recites The Prologue from the main muse, William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The album takes you through a linear timeline, two lovers recounting everything; the fun, the tears, and where it all went wrong.
My personal favorites include 100 Letters, Alone, Lie, Walls Could Talk (!!!!), and Angel On Fire. As you go through the album, listen to the attitudes in the songs.
It goes through a rollercoaster, sometimes it’s Luna, the cocky, conceited girl who knows what she wants, as described in Good Mourning, “They told me once don’t trust the moon, she’s always changing. The shores bend and break for her, and she begs to be loved.”
Sometimes it’s Solis, the shy, quiet, male counterpart. There has not been a week since its release on June 2nd that I haven’t blasted this whole album. Seriously.
The Beautiful & Damned // G-Eazy
Fresh. New. Cocky as I’ll get out. Just how I like it. Barely two weeks from the end of 2017 and this album is already a frequent in my queue.
G-Eazy has been my favorite rapper since I was a punk kid in 7th grade. I Mean It was MY JAM. Knew every word. Sang it with my fellow punk 7th graders.
This album conveys the difference Gerald and G-Eazy. His troubles and his late nights out partying. The Beautiful and Damned. The Plan & No Limit, his singles off of the new album are absolute bops. The beats are outstanding, giving you that cocky feeling in your chest that G-Eazy was born with. Legend, That’s A Lot, & Pray For Me are my favorites.
He reps the Bay Area, not afraid to tell the world he’s a self made young James Dean. If you’re feeling down in the dumps, listen to this album. Learn the words. Scream them at the top of your lungs. Sadness? Low self esteem? Not when Legend by G-Eazy is playing, no siree.
Harry Styles // Harry Styles
This is no surprise. I’ve loved Harry Styles since I was in the 5th grade. His first ever solo album shows a deeper side of the pop rockstar, he uncovers every single unturned stone, every hole in his personality we’ve come to know (or be presented with, your choice,) and love. His rock ballads and punkish style doesn’t compare to the pop boyband star we’ve previously been acquainted with.
Kiwi, Only Angel, Meet Me in the Hallway, and Ever Since New York are my favorites, but with only 10 songs, it’s hard to not just name them all. This album goes through hills and valleys of emotions, from falling in love with the rebellious, wild, and crazy girl in Kiwi and Only Angel, to falling out of love and reminiscing the old times in Two Ghosts and From the Dining Table.
This album switched everything for me. Harry showed his heart to the world, vulnerable and unapologetic, and I am here for it. I need to know more about what's going on beneath his famous curls.
We need more songs, Harry. Give the people what they want.
Reputation // Taylor Swift
Alright, I know. T-swift is the normal pop white girl everyone and their mother loves, we know about her already. Just hear me out.
Reputation takes a look inside what Taylor sees, telling the whole world that you don’t know a darn thing about her. She’s portrayed by the media as a serial dater, goody-two-shoes, simple, country girl that made it big. Every rude comment that’s ever been made about her has an honorable mention in this album.
She lets out her anger in Look What You Made Me Do and ...Ready For It? with heavy synth pop beats we never expected America’s Sweetheart to produce. She contradicts the media’s portrayal of her in Dress, I Did Something Bad, and basically every other song on this album.
My favorites are I Did Something Bad, Dress, and Dancing with Our Hands Tied.
Her quick switch from heartbroken pop sensation to cocky, I-know-what-I-want-and-you-better-give-it-to-me pop sensation gives me whiplash in the best way possible.
For these artists and so many more, 2017 was the year for honesty. Pure, raw, unapologetic honesty. I'm here for it. They reminded me that we may not know our favorite artists the way we may think we do. We only know what we are presented with. Snippets of their day. Pictures of their errands they run or small tweets that give only a millisecond of their days. We may only know them through their art. What they write, how they sound, even right down to the album art. If 2017 was the year of honesty, what will 2018 bring?
Happy New Year.
Love,
A