This is Steve Lacy’s third album and is definitely his best. It was released on July 15, 2022, and it for sure fits the summer vibe. If you like the fun, melodic side of Tyler, the Creator, then this album is perfect for you. Lacy’s use of his versatile voice and falsettos with fun guitars and synths makes every song so different.

Why is it male performative? Several songs were popular on TikTok, which are usually used by females in the popular TikTok trends. Lacy is able to create such groovy and large sounds that you wouldn’t expect from this genre. If you want a short and sweet but also easily listenable album, this is perfect for you.

This song gives me so much nostalgia for my freshman year, as it was all I would sing all day. This is one of Lacy’s biggest songs, with over 1.5 billion streams on Spotify. This is one of the catchiest songs of 2022. It has this easily recognizable guitar groove and synths that sound great on the ears. He’s very good at making a song unique that it’s hard to hear a song similar to it. The addition of the total sound switch at the end with these light-hearted instruments makes this song perfect.

If you’re wondering what this song sounds like, just look at the title of it. This song is bright, and you could compare it to a ray of sunshine. I’ll have to say that the feature from Fousheé takes the show. Her lyrics and harmonies through the chorus make it really special. Lacy has a super fun verse and produced this song well. The small guitar solo at the end has his classic guitar sound, and this is one of my favorite songs of his.

Just imagine yourself being underwater like a submarine; that’s exactly how this album sounds. The mellow instrumentals sound spacious and high-quality. If you are able to listen to this album with Dolby Atmos’ spatial audio, it is literally such a good experience with their ability to create such nonchalant, large sounds.

Let’s not forget about the main singer, María Zardoya. She has one of the prettiest voices you’ll hear in current music. Her high-pitched singing fits perfectly with this underwater sound. This is one of 2024’s best albums, definitely check it out. 

You would think that a bass guitar as the main sound for the song would be annoying, but I have to say it carries the whole thing. With this large-sounding synth and electric guitar chorus, and then the funkiest bass you’ll hear for the verse, it’ll make you want to dance. This is probably my favorite song from them, and it always finds its way back into my rotation.

A fade into another aquatic-sounding instrumental immediately catches your attention. This is one of the most chill songs off the album, and it sounds beautiful with the magical guitars. Maria’s voice is always soothing, and you will never get tired of it. Not much else to say, it’s short and just perfect.

Blonde is number five on Apple Music’s “100 Best Albums,” and some consider it the greatest of all time. If you’re wondering why he hasn’t released another album since it’s 2016 release, you may think he’s following in Lauryn Hill’s steps. He may think that he is unable to create music that will surpass the greatness of Blonde. 

Now, even though I personally think this album is overhyped, it’s still some of the highest quality music you’ll hear. Frank Ocean is an amazing vocalist, and he matches perfectly with his production. I really hope he releases new music, even if we have to wait more and more years.

I always seem to love the songs where the whole song is just a vibe, and you can close your eyes to it. Frank Ocean immediately starts the album and song with these psychedelic synths and an electric drum beat, and it honestly is very relaxing. Even with his pitch-up vocals, he still sounds so good and doesn’t ruin the song. The song seems to get more and more beautiful throughout the whole thing and is one of the best intros to an album I’ve heard.

What a perfect song to be played at night! This is one of those roll the windows down and blast the volume songs. The back and forth of this weird, pitched-down bell sound and into this nice electric guitar sounds so good. Then a perfect transition into this synth section that completely opens the song. Next comes one of the greatest beat switches of all time.

The isolated electric guitars in each ear sound very unique, so it gets super chaotic in this completely different-sounding song. You wonder if the next song has started, but no, it has not. I won’t say much else, as you need to listen for yourself; it is very pleasant.

If you’ve listened to Clairo’s previous two albums, you may have heard the noticeable jump in quality in Charm. She has grown so much as an artist, and she is only getting better. I personally think this album is her best by far. Her growth in production and sound is so much more matured. The combination of her voice and the variety of instruments is perfect. Whether it’s piano, woodwinds, or subtle synths, she pulls it off so well.

I love the subtleness of this album as it is very chill and soft. Every song sounds so different and unique. If you want something to chill out to and get rid of some stress, then this album is perfect for you. 

I got the privilege of seeing Clairo at Hinterland 2025, which is a music festival. Her set was such a great experience, and I was so happy when she played this song. This song is such a production masterclass. You’ve got these tight and jazzy drums with a smooth, eclectic guitar sound. My favorite part of this song is the piano going absolutely crazy, which seems to only be in the right ear. I feel like in this song, you take a break from the lyrics and vocals and really focus on the wonderful composition of sounds that is going on in the background. This has to be my favorite song from her. 

This is one of the most upbeat songs off the album. Her use of piano and drums always sounds good. Just the little sounds she adds in the background add so much detail. The chorus in this song is so catchy, and eventually it leads into this epic switch in sound. The song slows down and shows off these woodwind instruments that make you float out of your seat. It transitions perfectly back into the chorus, and it’ll make you want to play it over and over again. 

I was never the biggest fan of pop music until I listened to this album. I’ve absolutely fallen in love with this album as it shows that not all pop music is basic and boring.

Chappell Roan has one of the best voices in music right now, with insane range and variety. Every song sounds different than the others. She sings about plenty of different topics that are relatable to anyone while also making her songs fun and thoughtful. This album showed me that with a good artist and voice, combined with fun production, “girly” music can actually be really good.

I’m not going to lie and say this may be one of my favorite songs of all time. Not just because of how good the actual song is, but it takes me back to the time when I would not stop listening to it. This song has my favorite chorus of all time, as I’ve never gotten tired of it. The mix of dirty synth and beautiful acoustic guitar is the perfect combo. Her fun verses and bridge will put a smile on your face. This song is my guilty pleasure, and I love it. 

It’s hard to find a song nowadays with this much energy and fun. I did not expect a song to sound like this off this album, but I did not mind because this song is a banger. The use of some old-fashioned and modern instruments along with her storytelling makes this song a real good time. I feel like this song should be the biggest one off the album. I really hope she makes more songs like this in the future.