As an undergraduate community, we spend a lot of time together. From August to May, we share in the stress of syllabus week heat, the first breath of fresh fall air and the drudgery of early December. We share in Asbury Circle awkward interactions – now intensified by the food truck barricades – and many other time-honored Emory University traditions.
But from late-May to early-August, the connection drops. We no longer experience the same weather, food or pollen allergies. The only exception – a mechanism that transcends time zones and fortifies human connections – is music. In an effort to make up for lost time, I present four albums from summer 2024 that we can revisit together.
5. ‘This is How Tomorrow Moves’ by Beabadoobee (2024)
In her fourth studio album, Beatrice Kristi Laus, commonly known as Beabadoobee, presents an eclectic and energetic exploration of early womanhood. Throughout her 14-track record, Beabadoobee reckons with her self-confidence, mental health and complicated interpersonal relationships.
“Take A Bite” opens the album with a seductive percussion sequence that is soon met with the singer's velvet voice. The one-two punch of Beabadoobee’s playful vocals and the powerful beat ready the audience for a lively listen.
Soon after, Beabadoobee does a 180, turning the album’s attitude on its head with a string of emotional ballads. For example, “Real Man,” which is slow and sassy, reflects the singer’s interest in a new lover but also the disillusionment looming from her past. “I told my mother what you did like a kid,” she sings, further emphasizing her giddiness and potential blindness while falling in love. She follows this track with “Tie My Shoes,” an equally potent exposé on her emotionally absent father. “Waiting for you / To tie my shoes,” she croons.
Throughout the album, Beabadoobee presents a candid portrait of life as a young woman, walking the line between adolescence and adulthood, insecurity and infallibility, monotony and mania. This record is diverse, yet cohesive and definitely worth the listen.
4. ‘Am I Okay?’ by Megan Moroney (2024)
Megan Moroney leaves no stone unturned in her sophomore album, “Am I Okay?” The country music star from Douglasville, Ga. was thrust into the spotlight in 2022 with her EP “Pistol Made of Roses” (2022) and her hit single “Tennessee Orange” (2023). Following her epic debut, Moroney released “Lucky” (2023), her first full-length studio album. Only one year later, Moroney returned with her sophomore album, a collection of candid and catchy tunes that will have you reaching for the cowboy boots.
From infatuation to indifference, “Am I Okay?” covers the vast spectrum of emotions experienced within romantic relationships. Throughout the album, Moroney narrates her highest highs and lowest lows, starting with the spirited title track. On the title track “Am I Okay?” Moroney discloses her self-aware and even self-deprecating inner monologue regarding a new partner and her uncharacteristic adoration for him. “I think I’m really happy, I think I wanna stay / Oh, my God, am I okay?” Moroney sings.
The album’s standout tracks include “No Caller ID,” “Man on the Moon” and “Hope You’re Happy.” Moroney oscillates between melancholy ballads and pop-country bangers, leaving the listener equally mournful and mirthful. On “No Caller ID,” a toxic ex-lover haunts Moroney despite her valiant efforts to move on. On “Man on the Moon,” the singer presents a Sabrina Carpenter-esque pun, asserting that if a man needs space, “Someone take this cowboy away.” Finally, the piano ballad “Hope You’re Happy” presents a not yet healed but nevertheless hopeful Moroney as she sends her best wishes to a past love. While an exploration of heartbreak might not be revolutionary, Moroney makes some exciting new assertions — I mean, is another galaxy even far enough?
3. ‘F-1 Trillion’ by Post Malone (2024)
For his sixth studio album, Post Malone took a page from superstar Taylor Swift’s playbook by making a bold and unapologetic genre shift. Post Malone entered the music scene in 2016 with his popular debut album “Stoney,” introducing his eclectic style and unique fusion of folk, R&B and pop. The singer continued to gain popularity with his sophomore album “beerbongs and bentleys” (2018). Throughout the years, Malone has continued to release rap, R&B and pop music. However, Malone traded in his Bentley for a long-bed truck, releasing his first full-length country album on Aug. 16.
For “F-1 Trillion,” Post Malone enlists the help of many country music stars including Tim McGraw, Morgan Wallen, Dolly Parton and Luke Combs. 15 of the 18 tracks are collaborations. For a few of the tracks, Post Malone’s commitment to country music is shallow, sticking to the genre’s many tired tropes such as religion, beer and girls. Yet, the album includes some truly stellar songs.
“Hide My Gun (Feat. HARDY)” is one highlight of the record. The Bonnie and Clyde-inspired ballad expands on the notion of “til death do us part.” “No sh*t, I'd kill a man for ya / And if I did, would you hide my gun?” the singer muses. Another highlight of the album is “Missin’ You Like This (Feat. Luke Combs).” Another ballad, this emotional and poignant track begins with a melancholic violin note followed by acoustic guitar and piano. In this track, Post Malone and Combs lament a lost lover who they chose to leave behind. “I knew for a night, girl, I'd be drinkin' 'bout you / But it's years gone by and I'm still dreamin' 'bout you” Malone sings. While this album may not be for everyone, if you love country music, Post Malone or just a simple heartbreak song, it is definitely for you.
2. ‘Kansas Anymore’ by Role Model (2024)
If you are noticing a theme of heartbreak throughout this list, you would be correct. I mean, what is summer without a little summertime sadness? The sun is strong, even oppressive; the nights are long, the days somehow longer; and for many scholars returning to their childhood bedrooms, home doesn’t really feel like home anymore. Tucker Pillsbury, known professionally as Role Model, addresses these feelings of dissatisfaction and isolation in his sophomore album “Kansas Anymore.”
Using the musical “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) for inspiration, Role Model compares his time in California chasing stardom to a fantasy land in which he did not belong. As Role Model’s discontent grows, his romantic relationship deteriorates. Notably, the singer professes his wrongdoings as a partner with candor and care. In “Scumbag,” Role Model sings, “I am not your savior / Nah / I’m hardly a man / Uh-huh.” Similarly, in “Superglue” he admits “The only thing that I’m doing is never doing enough.”
Nevertheless, “Kansas Anymore” is not a ploy for pity. Even as the singer admits his own misgivings, he acknowledges his lover’s faults and the external forces that led to their separation. “Kansas Anymore” is an exploration of heartache but not in the shallow and selfish sense we often see on lovelorn albums. Instead, this record is an attempt at understanding life after a world-altering love – including seeking physical distractions, crying on your mother’s shoulders and ultimately accepting your loneliness. As Role Model sings in “Frances,” “At the end of the day / I’m just happy I can say she was mine.” This album is not only thematically cohesive but sonically interesting as an indie-pop production. With its melancholic melodies and modest musings, “Kansas Anymore” persists as one of the best albums of this past summer.
1. ‘BRAT’ by Charli xcx (2024)
It is impossible to reflect on summer 2024 without discussing the cultural phenomena that was “Brat Summer.” From Tik Tok dances to matcha lattes and presidential campaigns, Charli xcx’s album took the world by storm.
Released on June 7, “BRAT” debuted at No. 3 on the United States Billboard 200 and continued to gain popularity throughout the summertime. The intensity with which this album took hold of the season led many to ponder, what exactly is “brat?” If you are searching for answers within the album, I think being “brat” is about being wild, fun and unapologetic. On the album’s energetic opener, “360,” Charli xcx proclaims “Shock you like defibrillators / No style? I can’t relate.” She carries this confidence throughout the electro pop album with tracks such as “Von dutch” and “365.”
Being “brat” is not a perfect state of being without difficulties or self-doubt. Instead, being “brat” is about embracing your insecurity and jealousy, then channeling this energy into bettering yourself and empathizing with others. On a slower track, “I might say something stupid,” Charli xcx divulges her anxieties to the listener, singing “I don’t feel like nothing special / I snag my tights out on the lawn chair.” She also speaks to a universal experience in womanhood in her track “Girl, so confusing.” The track explores how miscommunication and projection often lead to misplaced hatred and bitterness between two girls just trying to navigate early womanhood. “Sometimes I think you might hate me / Sometimes I think I might hate you,” she sings.
As I’m sure you know by now, “BRAT” was unequivocally the album of the summer. As we bid the season goodbye, at least we can declare the album a “Club classic(s).”
