Summer 2025 stood out for two defining moments: Lorde’s long-awaited return and Addison Rae’s rise to fame as a cultural powerhouse. Lorde’s Coachella appearance with Charli XCX and her surprise Washington Square Park performance marked one of the season’s biggest comebacks. 

Simultaneously, Addison Rae made the leap to pop icon with a debut that received comparisons to Britney Spears for her angelic and addictive sounds. While they defined the past few months, many other albums dropped that are worth a listen. Here’s how the most anticipated releases stacked up. 

Lorde’s Virgin is her boldest, most vulnerable, and self-reflective record yet. Echoing the intense emotion and electrified sound of Melodrama, it digs deeper into questions about identity and reinvention. “Some days I’m a woman / Some days I’m a man,” she sings on the intense, synth-driven opening track, “Hammer,” setting the tone for an album of honesty and contradiction. The seventh track, “Clearblue,” stands out for its stripped-down, a cappella sounds that confront the fear and fragility of a potential unexpected pregnancy. “Why do we run to the ones we do / I don’t belong to anyone, ooh,” Lorde sings on the closing track, “David,” a song that never actually mentions David by name but captures the exhaustion of giving everything for another person until you’re stripped of yourself. It’s emotionally draining and leaves the lingering question of whether she will ever find someone who truly loves her. Though the album is a quick 35-minute listen, Lorde’s focus and haunting, layered sounds produce a powerful exploration of identity. This was the perfect, most iconic comeback album to mark her return from hiatus. 

Addison Rae’s striking debut ditches her wholesome TikTok image for a confident and cohesive record that balances glossy hooks with impressive emotional weight. The retro sparkle of “Diet Pepsi,” released months prior to the full album, features a playful, coquettish allure and layered vocals reminiscent of Lana del Rey. Meanwhile, the sixth track, “High Fashion,” delivers a moody sound fit for the dance floor. “Wish my mom and dad could’ve been in love,” Rae sings on the trip-hop track “Headphones On,” an unexpectedly raw moment to end the album. Throughout, Rae’s voice carries an ethereal, angelic, almost whispery quality that elevates its simple melodies. While some tracks feel a little predictably pop, Rae’s reinvention and artistic vision are consistent and intentional, making her debut as a pop artist a major success. 

Just three days before its release date in late July, Tyler the Creator announced DON’T TAP THE GLASS. Along with the album’s release, the artist took to X, where he instructed listeners to dance and move their bodies, for only then will they discover the true spirit of the album. The first several tracks are upbeat, catchy, and creative: perfect for dancing. It’s in the second half of the album, however, that Tyler really begins to shine. Intriguing, complex production is met with emotionally raw lyrics while still maintaining that danceable sound. “Don’t You Worry Baby” is the real standout of the album. Madison McFerrin’s contributions are nothing short of perfect, balancing the heavier production with melodic vocals. His ninth studio album is everything one should look for in a summertime listen.

BITE ME, the much-anticipated sophomore album of Reneé Rapp, is characterized by Rapp’s signature mischievous tone and strong vocals. The singer’s history as a Broadway actress is apparent throughout the album, her vast range providing a breath of fresh air from the all-too-popular whisper-singing of today. Rapp spends the 12 tracks alternating between defiantly telling off her exes and crooning about heartbreak, which, while initially entertaining, quickly becomes stale. On “At Least I’m Hot,” Rapp mischievously sings “I might be down bad / but I’m still bad,” the most continuous theme throughout the record. The album’s major flaw, however, lies not in its repetition but in its lack of depth. With a 32-minute runtime, the album has sparse opportunities to introduce complexity and display depth, all of which it entirely squashes.

Justin Bieber’s SWAG is a step away from his pop past toward a mix of R&B and gospel-inspired tone, featuring more reflective lyrics. His opening track, “ALL I CAN TAKE,” pairs a catchy beat with lyrics about being misunderstood, revealing Bieber’s sensitivity, shyness, and longing for intimacy. Tracks like “DAISIES” also capture Bieber’s new and refreshing stripped-down softness. “But if you need time, just take your time / Honey, I get it, I get it, I get it,” he sings. Bieber frequently mentions his wife, Hailey Bieber, throughout the record, bringing her presence into both playful and intimate moments. “That’s my baby, she’s iconic / iPhone case, lip gloss on it,” he sings on “GO BABY,” a sweet devotion to their relationship despite recent media criticism. The record’s primary flaw is its uneven flow—lyrics and guest features often feel distracting, pulling attention away from Bieber’s own voice and making it feel like multiple albums stitched into one. Some lyrics lean a little unsophisticated, undercutting the maturity he is going for. Still, SWAG highlights Bieber’s strong, expressive voice that has kept fans engaged for years. 

Los Angeles-based HAIM released their fourth studio album, I quit, this June. The album, coined a “summer breakup album” on social media, catalogues the aftermath of an explosive breakup, from heartbreak to letting go. Powered by dreamy, laidback production, the band continues to create genre-defying music, incorporating soft rock, folk, and pop sounds into the album. Aside from standouts “Relationships” and “Now It’s Time,” however, the album is simply boring. Any meaningful lyricism or interesting sonics are overshadowed by utterly underwhelming instrumentals and often generic lyrics. Amid a summer of culture-defining moments and experimental production, the 15-track album is entirely forgettable.