By Julia Lankisch, Staff Writer
With 2021 halfway eclipsed, here are some alternatives to the most popular albums released this year.
If you liked Sour by Olivia Rodrigo, you might like Collapsed in Sunbeams by Arlo Parks.
Sour took the world by storm in May, and Olivia Rodrigo was praised for her take on the inner workings of a heartbroken teenage girl. Arlo Parks writes from the same perspective and elevates her emotions into a record in which anyone can find a piece of themselves.
If you liked if i could make it go quiet by girl in red, you might like Harmony House by Dayglow.
Electronic beats and exciting melodies are specialties of both girl in red and Dayglow. Each album is honest and vulnerable despite often-upbeat tones, and the artists contrast sounds to bring listeners through the rollercoaster of heartbreak.
If you liked Planet Her by Doja Cat, you might like a liquid breakfast by AUDREY NUNA.
Fans of Doja Cat’s confidence and unwillingness to be placed in a box by people who don’t like her will love AUDREY NUNA’s audacity to make a scene. She knows what she’s worth and she claims her space with this soul-filled debut LP.
If you liked Jubilee by Japanese Breakfast, you might like Doomin’ Sun by Bachelor.
The avant-garde alternative/indie fusion present in each of these albums has stunned music critics and landed both high on lists for 2021’s best so far. Each features stunningly honest lyricism and dreamy soundscapes that will grab your attention.
If you liked Chemtrails Over the Country Club by Lana del Rey, you might like Flowers for Vases / Descansos by Hayley Williams.
Lana’s stunning vocals on her seventh studio album are matched by those of Hayley Williams, lead singer of Paramore, on her second solo album. Both women live up to their reputations with these beautiful mellow records.
If you liked Justice by Justin Bieber, you might like Nurture by Porter Robinson.
If you enjoy the radio-pop sound of current day Justin Bieber, Porter Robinson’s second album has all of the catchy choruses, simple rhymes and energetic beats you’re looking for.
If you liked Fearless (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift, you might like a touch of the beat gets you up on your feet gets you out and then into the sun by Aly & AJ.
There’s something comforting about the songs and voices you’ve known for years, and the release of Taylor’s version of Fearless gave fans a reason to get excited about some of their old favorites again. Aly & AJ of “Potential Breakup Song” fame join the list of 2000s pop groups reuniting to remind us that they’re still ready to make great music.
