PEOPLE’s Senior Music Editor breaks down the best and biggest albums of the year
Beyoncé, ‘Cowboy Carter’
Moving from ballroom to honky-tonk, Queen Bey makes a country album her way: an ambitious, genre-defying opus.
Charli xcx, ‘Brat’
The British pop star proves party girls cry too on this chaotic, zeitgeist-capturing collection of modern club classics.
Sabrina Carpenter, ‘Short n’ Sweet’
Six albums into her career, Carpenter has carved a singular path to pop stardom with sexy, sassy, sardonic ditties about dating.
Taylor Swift, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’
Poetic and prolific as ever, Swift bares her tortured soul singing of romances that turn into tragedies.
Kacey Musgraves, ‘Deeper Well’
Musgraves employs quick wit and Zen wisdom as she ponders existential questions and life’s simple pleasures alike.
Billie Eilish, ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’
The moody pop proprietor adds some upbeat bops on love (“Birds of a Feather”) and desire (“Lunch”) to her repertoire.
Tinashe, ‘Quantum Baby’
Tinashe packs her seventh album with vibe-y R&B confections, including her meme-inspiring TikTok hit “Nasty.”
Ariana Grande, ‘Eternal Sunshine’
Grande hits all the right (high) notes while sifting through the fallout of a public divorce—and the scrutiny that comes with it.
Kelsea Ballerini, ‘Patterns’
In her most vulnerable songwriting to date, Ballerini tackles toxic habits and opens her heart. A country-pop therapy session.
Anitta, ‘Funk Generation’
Anitta gets the party started, embracing her Rio de Janeiro club roots on this experimental Latin dance record.
Read the full article here
