With the return of fall last year, dozens of artists have released new music to represent the season, including slow, melodic songs as well as upbeat pop hits. Whether you’re in the mood for fall themed songs or songs that work all-year-round, you are sure to enjoy the following artists.
Fall is the best time of year to listen to sad bops and chill tunes with a steaming cup of coffee, and the perfect album for this season is Autumn Variations by Ed Sheeran. Whether or not you were into his past, mathematically named works, this album takes a turn as it becomes the first record to be put on under his own label, Gingerbread Man Records. Since its September release, Autumn Variations has reached number one on the charts, and has already become one of the most listened to albums of the year. As Sheeran is ending his Mathematics Tour, he likely will not have many opportunities for live shows for this album, so he has begun doing something different. Over the course of a few weeks, the singer surprised fans with living room concerts, which he recorded and created a live album for, which is available now as well. The most played songs on Autumn Variations include “American Town” and “Plastic Bag,” which are definitely worth checking out.
In addition to the many albums that have come out this year, many artists have put out singles and EPs (extended plays) as well. “Golden Hour” and “This Is What Falling in Love Feels Like” singer JVKE followed his own trend by releasing many new singles, including “This Is What Autumn Feels Like.” As the title explains, the song captures the feelings this season brings. McKenna Grace’s EP, Autumn Leaves, brings even more seasonal emotions out into the sun, with five songs portraying how relationships, stress, and natural hardships can be altered by the falling leaves and cool weather. Em Beihold, best known for her hit “Numb Little Bug,” has recently released her new single, “Pedestal.” This song is ukulele-based and has a more raw sound than her other songs, but is no less pleasing to the ear than her previous music. All of these songs can easily be put into a playlist to jam, study, or relax.
If you enjoy rap music you will definitely enjoy Drake’s new album For All the Dogs. It has a slow instrumental part with a fun rap part over it. This album is so popular that fans have been constantly streaming this album since its debut on October 6, causing 22 out of the 23 songs in this album to be on the Billboard Hot 100. Junior Eva Shemon commented, “I really like it, it is not the type of music that I usually listen to but I really enjoyed listening to it.” Fans were excited for this album even before it was released, however there were some complications in getting this album released. Drake originally announced that the album would be released on September 22, but just one week before it was supposed to drop, he postponed it to October 6th because he was on tour. This caused many impatient fans to become upset; however, this album is still adored by the public. For 17 years, Drake has been in the music industry making music creating a successful career, and this album is a key example of his success.
Following the success of Sour, Olivia Rodrigo had to make her sophomore album an even bigger spectile, and it sure was. Critics and fans went wild upon listening to the critically acclaimed album, many claiming right away that it was better than her previous album. With songs ranging from slow and melodic, like “logical” and “the grudge,” to fast-tempoed upbeat hits, like “bad idea, right?” and “get him back!” Along with the 12 tracks of the album, Rodrigo secretly released four bonus tracks, which can only be found on vinyl. Guts is really hitting hard for many teens, like sophomore Ryleigh Buldo, who said “I really like it because of all the relatable, female rage.” This work of art has three music videos, with fan-favorite “vampire” being one of them.
Following the success of her first three re-records, Taylor Swift released 1989 (Taylor’s Version) at the end of October. 1989 was originally released in 2014, but a few years later, her music was sold, forcing her to give up the rights to her first six albums. The singer decided to take matters into her own hands and re-record all of the albums that she did not own. The original 1989 had 16 tracks, including deluxe songs. In her new version, listeners can hear her more mature and introspective vocals on her beloved tracks, like “Blank Space” and “Shake It Off.” Along with these, Taylor Swift gave fans five new songs, known as Vault Tracks. Her new songs received a lot of positive feedback from the public, with fan-favorite “Is It Over Now?” reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. This record received the most one-day streams of her career, however, some fans still prefer the original songs. The media has remarked that though these songs are admirable, the production would better fit the Midnights album, as they are more synthed then the previous songs. All in all, this album is a hit and a prime example of how one can regain control of their life and career.
Along with the hundreds of other musical content released in the last few months, these works of art are guaranteed to boost your mood. So if you’re in the mood to party, study, jam out, or just chill, give these artists a listen!
