Sad Girl Fall albums to stream on a rainy day
This past summer, “Hot Girl Summer” was all the rage and there was no limit to the amount of sunny, confident songs to bop along to.
Whether it was making a TikTok with your best friends or laying poolside, there’s no doubt the likes of Megan Thee Stallion, Flo Milli and Doja Cat filled your headphones. Yet, with the upcoming release of Taylor Swift’s re-recording of “Red (Taylor’s Version)” and Adele’s highly anticipated album “30,” there appears to be a shift in the music industry from pop anthems to solemn ballads; otherwise known as the transition from “Hot Girl Summer” to “Sad Girl Autumn.”
To get in the spirit of this gloomy shift in tunes, here are some albums that will prepare you for all the lovely autumn ditties to come.
Phoebe Bridgers “Punisher”
Praised widely by Bridgers’ fanbase, also known as “Pharbs,” “Punisher” was released June 2020 and swept the indie rock scene. Notable for her ethereal synths and sounds, “Punisher” fosters a comfortable anxiety and elicits a strong force of intimacy.
Bridgers explores heavy subject matters such as the fickle nature of human relationships, dissociation and identity crisis. Often featuring a folk rock vibe, “Punisher” also contains eccentric lyrics, various pop culture references and, of course, a hearty chorus of screams. If you’re looking for an upbeat sad bop, stream the track “Kyoto” and for those of you who can swallow an introspective epic, give “I Know the End” a try.
Taylor Swift “folklore”
Straying drastically from her previous albums, Swift departs from her typical autobiographical albums outlining ex-relationships in an upbeat fashion to “folklore’s” mellow strings and lyrics that echo indie folk music. Swift recorded the album in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, with on-the-rise producer Jack Antonoff’s support.
In a nutshell, this album embodies the “cottagecore” aesthetic, as it features copious amounts of romanticism and melancholia. These themes are primarily explored through fictional narratives and novel characters, such as Betty, James and Inez. “folklore,” true to its time of conception, is reflective of a profound sense of introspection present within the younger generation. Your everyday hopeless romantic will thoroughly enjoy the songs “invisible string” and “the 1.”
Clairo “Sling”
“Sling” is the sophomore album for bedroom-pop-turned-folk-rock star Clairo. The album, released in July 2021, first previewed with her lead single “Blouse.” Once known for her artful descriptions of adolescent milestones and young love and electronic songs, “Sling” soulfully and bittersweetly explores the death of such topics while embodying 1970s rock (á la Joni Mitchell and Carole King).
Given this, the album seems to be a reaction to the social pressures Generation Z faces, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, dating, school, work, etc., and chooses to regress to a simpler time as a solution. “Sling” features fun tunes, such as “Amoeba” and more heart-wrenching sounds like “Harbor.” If you’re looking for an album featuring soft vocals and sighs, mellifluous instruments, this is the one for you.
Mitski “Be the Cowboy”
There are high chances that you have had minimal exposure to indie rock artist Mitski’s fifth studio album, as one of her most popular songs, “Nobody,” is a single from the album that once dominated TikTok.
“Be the Cowboy,” which was released in August 2018, features Mitski’s unique ability to flawlessly examine loneliness and its impact on the human condition. Challenging Clairo’s “Sling” for queen of introspection, Mitski is painfully honest in this album on the basis of how she perceives herself through the lens of fame and anxiety. Featuring her signature doubled vocals, Mitski delves into an, at times, uncomfortable level of vulnerability through soulful ballads and upbeat tunes.
Lana Del Rey “Norman Fucking Rockwell!”
Released in August 2019, Del Rey’s sixth studio album “Norman Fucking Rockwell!” finds itself more in the vein of the psychedelic pop rock genre. Similar to the aforementioned albums, this album is inherently introspective, specifically in the realm of existence itself, freedom and even a lost sense of patriotism.
Notorious as one of the most problematic indie musicians who constantly keeps her fans shaking their heads at her latest controversies (who could forget her infamous mesh mask that she donned to attend a Los Angeles book signing in October 2020?), Del Rey nonetheless brilliantly achieves an album that features equal parts trap-pop and piano ballads, as demonstrated through the songs “Cinnamon Girl” and “Doin’ Time” making it a musical experience ready to please any type of music listener.
Snail Mail “Lush”
Stunning indie rock fans with her debut album released in June 2018, Snail Mail (formerly known as Lindsey Jordan) leans into her sad sentimental nature and even creates rock songs that celebrate it. Despite sad subject matters such as unrequited love and just plain confusion, “Lush” highlights melancholia with drums and bass choruses. Her emotional honesty ties beautifully with her dulcet tone and features signature adolescent ingenuine dismissiveness (which is actually telling of someone who cares and feels very deeply). On this record, check out songs “Pristine” and “Heat Wave.”