One day in the 8th grade I was listening to Spotify and decided to take a chance on the lady who sang “Summertime Sadness,” the song that encompassed my whole summer of 2012. As I embarked on her discography I ended up becoming a major fan and went on to listen to her during all periods of my life. She also quickly became my top artist and takes the reign as my most played artist on this year’s rewind.
Lana Del Rey is a singer who I think has created her own “aesthetic” and sticks to it very well. I love her ability to write, her style is so mesmerizing and it makes listening to her albums worthwhile. Although it stays within her aesthetic, each album has its color and vibe, which is something I favor. Follow this article as I rank each of her studio albums from least to most favored by me.
9. Blue Banisters (2021)
This album came out at a time when I stopped becoming a fan of Lana Del Rey as a person. Some things were done and I was just over it. This affected the way I viewed the album and quite literally turned me off from it as a whole. I didn’t finish this album until this year. After giving it a full listen I would say it’s a classic Lana Del Rey album but nothing more to me. I like the vibe of this album. It very much gives Southern vibes. This means having iced tea on a front porch on a nice summer day (I am sorry if that is stereotypical, it is just what I get from this album). I loved the second part of the album, genuinely everything after Sealer sealed the deal for me. My honorable mentions are Beautiful, Thunder, Cherry Blossom, and Wildflower Wildflower.
8. Chemtrails Over the Country Club (2021)
I feel like we moved on from this album too quickly and I understand the reason why. During this time, Lana Del Rey’s true colors were shown to the public, causing nothing but bad press. This is also when I was having my break from said singer, I didn’t listen to this album until this year. Going back to watch the Chemtrails over the Country Club‘ music video and seeing the infamous glitter mesh mask killed me. I did not care much for the vibes of this album but I would say the songs are moving. White Dress is a song about Del Rey reminiscing on her days before fame. She hits high notes in the chorus which is lowkey sung in a whisper. This became an instant add to the library once I got to it. I also think it was a great way to start the album as she talks about trying to stay to her true self as her fame progresses. My honorable mentions are Chemtrails Over the Country Club, Dark But Just a Game, and Yosemite.
7. Lust For Life (2017)
This album is a combination of many, it gave me a mixture of dreamy, pop, alternative and hip-hop and it was just amazing. It gifted the world Cherry and for that, I am very grateful. I also loved how Lana Del Rey delved into other sounds such as hip-hop, I feel like this was something new for her and it worked so well. The features and producers on this album were a 10/10. I love it when rap is added to songs as features, but sometimes it can get risky. It could be jarring and can ruin a song completely. However, the rap features within the album flow perfectly within the song and help drive the aesthetic of it even more. My honorable mentions are Cherry, Coachella – Woodstock In My Mind, White Mustang, and Get Free.
6. Paradise (2012)
I love these songs with all of my heart. They exude the end of summer and it has genuinely one of the greatest songs to ever exist: Ride. A no-skip album, the Paradise album feels rich and classy compared to the Born to Die album. However, when paired with the Born to Die album it is just an experience. My honorable mentions are Ride, American and Body Electric.
5. Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
This Grammy-nominated album was just what I needed from Lana Del Rey at the moment. I loved the hint to her past songs like in Taco Truck x VB where she references Radio. I remember when listening to it for the first time I had to look down on my phone and see if it was on shuffle. It was so fun to look down and to see that it wasn’t. Her features on this album were everything. I loved how there was a range of features this time. I never thought that I would see Tommy Genesis and the Bleachers all in one album but here I am. This album gave the world the gift of Peppers, which I could talk about endlessly. The instrumental is enticing and the chorus is forever addicting. My honorable mentions are A&W, Peppers (feat. Tommy Genesis), Paris, Texas, and The Grants.
4. HoneyMoon (2015)
I would say this is my favorite era amongst all of the albums. It felt very vivid when listening to the songs. This album gave amazing songs, such as Terrence Loves You and Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood. I love it when artists make me feel like I am experiencing something I have never gone through before and this album made me feel just that. In other words, the album is cinematic and allows you to delve into its world, bringing you closer with each listen. My honorable mentions are Swan Song‘, Salvatore, High By the Beach, Freak, and The Blackest Day.
3. Ultraviolence (2014)
With this being her sophomore album, I liked how the album cover was in black and white. It was something very different from her first album, which had bright colors. I also liked the ambiance of the album, it felt dark. Which is fitting given the themes that are talked about within the album. I love the guitar on this album, it’s breathtaking, and I would very much like to hear it live one day. My honorable mentions are Brooklyn Baby, Pretty When You Cry, Old Money, Shades of Cool, Florida Kilos, and The Other Woman.
2. Norman F**king Rockwell! (2019)
A nomination that is well deserved, Norman F**king Rockwell! is Lana Del Rey’s first “Album of the Year ” Grammy-nominated album. In terms of writing, it is my favorite out of the rest. A very beautifully written album, I think it had the ability for its relatability in loneliness. This album holds one of my favorite love songs out there. Titled Love Song, it sounds like a hug. A lot of the songs on the album sound warm and longing. I would title this album a work of art. My honorable mentions are Love Song, How to Disappear, Cinnamon Girl, Bartender and hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have.
1. Born to Die (2011)
I remember being in 8th grade and listening to the album for the very first time. I was enthralled by what I was hearing. All I could think about was how she was hitting those notes in Off to the Races. I generally think the Born to Die album was one of the very first albums where I listened to every song off the album, not just the singles. I also remember thinking that the project was art itself. I don’t think the writing in this album is her best or the instrumental is something new, but everything worked so well together in this album. However, I would like to honor the samples on this album, more specifically in Born to Die. I think this album showed Lana Del Rey’s ability to be a musician and was a great introduction to her aesthetic that eventually showed up all over Tumblr that year. I would write it off to be a monumental album. My honorable mentions are Born to Die, National Anthem, Dark Paradise, Without You, and This is What Makes Us Girls.