Mirror Staff Albums of the Year

By Bradan Donahue

Released: January 27, 2023

Favorite Song: drive ME crazy!

Let’s Start Here was possibly last year’s most surprising release, as it sees rapper Lil Yachty challenge himself and take his music career in a new direction. A challenge that proved successful, as it resulted in one of the best modern alternative/psychedelic rock albums. Yachty took a great deal of inspiration from albums such as Pink Floyd’s 1973 classic, “The Dark Side of the Moon,” but was able to make it very much his own and unlike anything other artists are currently putting out. As stated in the title, “Let’s Start Here,” this is a much needed new beginning for Yachty after a dramatic decline in his popularity and success over the past few years. Despite the rebranding, he didn’t completely abandon his roots as there are moments throughout the album that he does use some similar lyrics and rap-like flows, and releasing a number of rap tracks since the release of this record. Throughout the album’s 14-song tracklist there are only five featured artists; Teezo Touchdown, Daniel Caesar, Diana Gordon, Fousheé, and Justine Skye who are all able to hold their own and supply the album with vibrant vocals. Another standout aspect is the experimental, spacy instrumentation that is given time to not only breathe, but shine such as in the record’s first track “the BLACK seminole.” Yachty had a clear creative direction that he wanted to take this album in and it is clear that he put a lot of time and effort into this project, and his passion produced one of the best albums of last year.

By: Mary Stronach

Released: January 20, 2023

Favorite Song: Deli

This album attracts Gen Z with its consistent, catchy, and relatable lyrics. Ice spice first gained popularity on her song “Munch” through Tiktok. Her career catapulted from there and her songs are constantly used as “viral sounds” on the app. TikTok definitely helped Ice Spice gain followers for this album, but that's not the only reason she has been noticed. She commands the audience with her fast-paced and intriguing lyrics. My favorite line from the album has to be from her song “Deli.” Ice Spice commands her audience when singing, “If you ain’t cookin' then get off the pot. My name is Ice Spice but I always stay hot”. This is one of many examples where Ice Spice expresses herself, attracting her audience to her direct and confident style. Through many of the 11 songs she is able to present a unique rhythm and different meanings behind her lyrics, not to mention her thrilling and extremely original names, such as “In Ha Mood”, “Bikini Bottom”, or previously mentioned “Deli”. These different names make the songs even more intriguing. I'm excited to see what Ice Spice’s growing career will bring to 2024! 

By Emily Gallagher

Released: March 3, 2023

Favorite Song: Moonlight

Kali Uchis’ third studio album, Red Moon in Venus, includes arguably her most repertoire to date. The definition of a no-skip album, Red Moon is an exploration of the many forms of love within 15 tracks. Not only does Uchis’ gorgeous voice contribute to the thoughtfulness of the music, her lyrics themselves read like poetry. In one song, “Blue”, Uchis sings, “What’s the point of all the pretty things in the world/if I can’t have you.”  Uchis has an easily recognizable voice, and her uniqueness as a vocalist truly shines throughout this project. She seamlessly blends singing in Spanish and English to create a rich and smooth sound, and demonstrates her skilled range: not only vocally, but also stylistically. With many artists’ albums, certain tracks feel out of place, or forced, especially when considering features from other artists. However, Red Moon in Venus is a carefully crafted production- each song contributes perfectly to the overall feeling of the album, and transitions fluidly. “Moonlight”, the most popular track on the album, is also the strongest- an elegant melody mixed with loud instrumentals create an incredibly catchy song. “Fantasy”, featuring Don Toliver, is another highlight of the album- Toliver’s and Uchis’ voices contrast well in their individual parts of the song, and the background instruments create an afrobeat- like sound, adding a high energy feel. Overall, this album was an impressive addition to Kali Uchis’ career. A work of vocal art, Red Moon in Venus showcases Uchis’ immense talent, and only gets better with each listen.

By Fiona McCafferty

Released: June 9. 2023

Favorite song: Homesick

On June 9, 2023 Noah Kahan added six new songs to his album, Stick Season, that came out in 2022 titled Stick Season (We'll All Be Here Forever). One of the most memorable songs was “Dialed Drunk”, which made the billboard 100 coming in at number 43. This song featured popular singer, Post Malone and incorporated components of folk and pop. This was not the only song with features. as Kahan also collabed with Gracie Abrams and Hozier which added character and new sounds to his songs. The additions on the album made it well rounded and even more enjoyable to listen to as it brought elements from his hometown and staples of living in New England. Some highlights of the album are “Northern Attitude” with its fascinating instrumental beginning and Homesick which has very catchy lyrics and an unbelievable build up that makes you continue to turn the volume up. Lastly, he extended the song “The view between villages” spotlighting his voice showcasing a range of emotion.

By Chris Chen

Released: July 28, 2023

Favorite song: THANK GOD

Travis Scott's UTOPIA had been highly anticipated since the release of his previous triple-platinum album, Astroworld. Fans have waited for the UTOPIA's release for five years. Now that the wait is over, opinions are polarized. The album features top-tier artists, including Drake, Beyonce, 21 Savage, Future, SZA, Playboi Carti, Kid Cudi, and Bad Bunny. Much of the criticism towards UTOPIA is due to high expectations, especially after the overwhelming success of Astroworld. However, the album, according to this critic, is very solid with little to no skips. The “Circus Maximus Tour” has been unanimously considered very popular, fulfilling Scott’s reputation for holding rowdy and high-energy concerts. A common theme among the tracks on the project involves a 2-minute intro, giving a rather relaxing tempo, deriving from indie and rock. In true Travis Scott fashion, the song abruptly switches its mood, transitioning from soft somewhat lo-fi beat to the harsher drums, providing a true course for Scott to rap. “K-POP” (ft. Bad Bunny) is the most streamed song on the release (no surprise), followed by “MELTDOWN” (ft. Drake) and then “FE!N” (ft. Playboi Carti). I consider “DELRESTO” (ft. Beyonce) to be the worst and “THANK GOD” (ft. Teezo Touchdown) to be the best on the album. 

By Alaina Martin

Released: August 25, 2023

Favorite Songs:  Fear and Fridays, Hey Driver 

Zach Bryan's eponymous album is never short on emotion. The 16 songs (and one poem) on the record are more than just heartbreak songs, they are songs with deep meanings. He sings about God, friends, love, work, and childhood. None are disappointing. The album has a more of a laid-back vibe compared to his previous releases, which may come as a bit of a surprise, initially. However, nearly every song is catchy and enjoyable. Bryan successfully takes issues with his own life and creates a masterpiece about his past experiences. Some of the songs even reached top billboard charts by the end of 2023, including “I Remember Everything” (No.1) followed by “Hey Driver” (No.14). 

By Sophie Piro

Released: October 27, 2023

Favorite Song: Is It Over Now

1989 (Taylor's Version) is a re-recording of Taylor’s original album, 1989. Taylor puts a new spin on the songs from her previous album and adds five fresh tracks. Released almost 10 years after the original, 1989 (Taylor's Version) is a mix of upbeat, catchy songs, and heartbreaking, sad songs. A standout aspect of the album were the lyrics. After all, Taylor is known for her astonishing songwriting skills. When you really listen to what Taylor has written, you realize how meaningful her writing is. For example, my first impression of “Is It Over Now”, my personal favorite track on the album, was a catchy and fun song. However, when listening closer I realized the song was about heartbreak and a messy break up. This album has a more melancholy feel, which makes it different from her original album. The five songs she released from “the vault” are sad love songs that seem very personal to Taylor. The vault tracks are songs that Taylor wrote and produced in 2014, but wasn’t able to publish when 1989 was originally released. The sound of the songs is more organic instead of professionally produced, which makes them sound better and more authentic. If you love synth-pop music that is fun to sing along to and will cheer you up when you're having a bad day, this is the album for you!