If you’re a music fanatic, then Christmas came early for you this year. November was filled with new albums from amazing artists that need to be fully appreciated. Here’s our official review guide to help you navigate through the wave of new music.
Bruno Mars, 24k Magic
Bruno’s new album is party central. He took the “Uptown Funk” sound that became so popular and ran with it to create a funk inspired, let-it-all loose album. This is your perfect feel-good album. Ten out of ten would recommend jamming to this album anytime you need a pick me up. Bruno also incorporates his infamous sex appeal in songs like “Versace on the Floor” and “24k Magic,” which gives people the outlet to release anxiety that is so needed at this time in our country.
Note to self: Do not listen to this album at the library unless you aren’t afraid to shamelessly bounce in place for hours.
Top Songs from the Album: “That’s What I Like,” and “Chunky.”
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton Mixtape
This album was so good it deserved its own article (written by Her Campus-Wisconsin here). Miranda changed Broadway with “Hamilton,” but by taking it a step further and remixing his songs with some of the most powerful and conscious artists of today’s time, Miranda has made history with this album. Each artist in this album is handpicked personally by a musical-genius, not because Miranda knew they would draw a larger crowd to an ultimately musical theater album, but because he truly believed they could tell his story how he envisioned it. “Hamilton” was about the revolution; “Hamilton Mixtape” is a revolution itself. The musical is about the past, but Miranda connected the past issues with present issues by collaborating with artists that not only believe in him, but who believe in uniting this country too.
Top Songs from the Album: “Satisfied” by Sia and “Dear Theodosia” by Chance the Rapper ft. Lin-Manuel Miranda.
John Legend, Darkness and Light
If you don’t think John Legend is the most beautiful human being, you’re lying. John Legend could sing absolutely any song and make me want to cry. This entire album showcases Legend’s voice beautifully with his usual emotional impact on every listener, and you can’t help notice a new sense of wisdom in Legend’s songs. In the first song of the album, Legend brings himself down to earth in “I Know Better,” passionately combining both humility and pride.
Top Songs from the Album: “I Know Better” and “Same Old Story.”
Childish Gambino, Awaken, My Love!
Donald Glover proves his intense artistic abilities in this album. iTunes lists this album as a “soul/riot,” which I thought perfectly summed up the tracks on this album. Glover switches from soulful songs to riot, Houston hip-hop inspired, horror story songs. Many of the songs’ truths are masked, such as “Boogieman,” describing Glover’s view of policemen for black men in the U.S. Then Glover transitions to love songs, as if trying to figure out how to combine Glover’s heart and Gambino’s mind into the same album. Listening to it all the way through is a journey nonetheless.
Top Songs from the Album: “Boogieman” and “Stand Tall.”
J. Cole, 4 Your Eyez Only
Speaking of a journey through an album, the first rule to listening to ‘4 Your Eyez Only,’ is you must listen to it from start to finish. J. Cole tells an entire story through the album involving fame, death, birth, love, crime, and guilt. The album continuously switches viewpoints in songs between him and his friend, James McMillian, who was killed at age 22. The entire story is about each of their lives, the similarities and differences, how they intertwine, and it can only be understood by listening to the whole album through. Although this is a small time commitment, it’s rewarding. “Neighbors,” tells a true story from J. Cole’s past where a SWAT team invaded his house because his neighbors believed he was making and selling drugs. What they found instead was a small, homemade recording studio.
Top Songs from the Album: “Neighbors,” and “She’s Mine, Pt. 2.”
The Weeknd, Starboy
I was sadly unimpressed by the Weeknd’s new album. Though I’m a Weeknd fan, I like that Abel Tesfaye displays himself as an artist and not a gangster, and I like how unique the Weeknd’s sound usually is, though it seems stagnant in Starboy. The songs are bland, and there isn’t one that sticks out to me as something spectacular. Tesfaye has been interesting in the past in that he is anti-publicity and likes to pave his own path in his music. But Starboy didn’t show off his abilities in the slightest. It wasn’t awful or terrible to listen to, but it’s not like I loved any of it either. If you need a new album to fall asleep to, this one could work well. Maybe next time Tesfaye.
Top Songs from the Album: “I Feel It Coming (ft. Daft Punk)” and “Secrets.”
Kid Cudi, Passion, Pain, & Demon Slayin
This album was delayed earlier this year, and Cudi checked himself into rehab soon after the delay. So as the first album released after his rehabilitation, it had a lot of anticipation and expectation riding on it. Cudi expressed his personal struggles with depression and drugs, and received a lot of support from his fans as well as the industry. Because Cudi has been overt about dealing with his own demons, this album is especially interesting to me because you know the songs about addiction and pain are real to him. I’ve always been a huge Cudi fan and his songs on this album didn’t disappoint. With Cudi’s most recent story of darkness, he will help others dealing with similar pain with this album; yes he is an artist, but he is also flawed and scarred like the rest of us.
Top Songs from the Album: “Rose Golden” and “Frequency.”
The new music is hours worth of stories, art, and enjoyment. Plus, unlike Gossip Girl, you can binge-listen to these albums without taking time away from studying or working hard. We hope this helps you understand and appreciate these artists a little better!