There are two types of industry plants.

First, you’ve got the Sabrina Carpenter kind - all shiny marketing, horny singles, and zero real identity (and if you’ve seen my reviews, you know how I feel about that).

Then there’s The Last Dinner Party - the type that actually deserves the attention. From the Pyre proves they’re not just hype or aesthetic - they can actually back it up. This album takes everything that worked on Prelude to Ecstasy and turns it up. I loved ... read more

Ty Dolla $ign is easily a top 20 artist for me, but he’s slipping. TYCOON feels like the moment where Ty Dolla $ign is happy to coast. The spark is not gone, but it's flickering. After multiple release date changes, I had a feeling this one might be uneven, and yeah, it kind of is.

There are flashes of brilliance -those smooth hooks, that effortless charisma, the layered vocals that no one else does quite like him but they’re buried in an album that often feels like it’s ... read more

Just leaving this here after revisiting the slightly upgraded 10-year edition - because it reminded me how special this album already was. E•MO•TION was lightning in a bottle: shimmering synth-pop perfection that managed to be both nostalgic and forward-thinking.

Even without the bonus tracks, this remains one of the most heartfelt, precisely crafted pop records of the 2010s. Every hook feels deliberate, every chorus feels earned, and Carly’s sincerity cuts through all the ... read more

Someone said this re-release is like when they added the New Testament to the Bible - and honestly, that’s not even an exaggeration :').

I’ve always been in the (apparently controversial) camp that Dedicated is Carly’s best album. But revisiting E•MO•TION ten years on, with a fresh tracklist and expanded world, I finally get why this was the defining pop record of 2015 (and of the 2010s). There really is a reason so many year-end lists from outlets like TIME, ... read more

I get why die-hard fans are mad. They waited five years for the follow-up to The Slow Rush and got something completely different - but honestly, that’s not a bad thing. Kevin Parker’s new house-inspired direction is throwing people off, but a new sound doesn’t equal a bad sound. If anything, it’s refreshing.

As someone who never fully connected with Tame Impala before, Deadbeat feels like a bold reset. It’s electronic, hypnotic, and weirdly groovy - and yeah, I ... read more

I gave the original Fancy That an 85/100 - it’s still one of my most-played albums of the year and in or around my top 10 of alllll albums released this year that I’ve listened to. So when PinkPantheress announced she was remixing the entire thing (twice), I was curious to see if lightning could strike again.

Let me just say - the remix album and the title - such a brat move. Charli might’ve birthed the brat era, but PinkPantheress just gave it its most chaotic, self-aware ... read more

Khalid’s back and this is the happiest he’s ever sounded. He sounds brighter, looser, and way more confident. It’s still smooth and emotional, but there’s a new kind of warmth radiating through these songs like he’s finally stepped out of his bedroom and into the sun.. or a disco? Because it’s got dance party vibes.

The production glides between pop, R&B, and dance with ease, and his vocals have that same effortless clarity that’s always been his ... read more

File this one under “objectively good music that has absolutely no replay value.”

This is the new project from María Zardoya, better known as the vocalist of The Marías - and much like their 2024 album Submarine (which I reviewed last year and gave a very similar score I think) - it’s beautifully crafted, gorgeously produced, and… kind of impossible to get emotionally attached to. Everything sounds immaculate: silky vocals, shimmering synths, warm guitars ... read more

Well, this is awkward. After giving the original UY SCUTI a 54/100 and calling it one of Thug’s weakest drops ever, he went and added seven new songs that actually… kind of slap?

It’s rare I review deluxe versions unless I hadn’t listened to the original - but every so often I come across one that is worthy to review.

It’s just wild how much better these bonus tracks are. The energy’s sharper, the production feels more inspired, and Thug finally sounds ... read more

A solid album that walks the line between heartfelt folk and polished pop. It’s easy to connect with, even if it sometimes feels like it’s playing it a bit too safe, but the warmth and sincerity make it an enjoyable, well-rounded listen.

A cold, defensive, and overproduced attempt at reinvention that trades heart for spectacle. The hooks hit, but the humanity doesn’t. Probably my second-least favourite Taylor album, just ahead of her debut. A few fun moments, but overall it feels more performative than personal.

Taylor’s twelfth studio album is a glittery mess - a loud, overproduced spectacle that mistakes confidence for depth. The Life of a Showgirl is definitely fun in flashes, but it’s also home to her worst songwriting yet.

It’s bizarre watching someone as talented as Taylor regress lyrically. The metaphors are clunky, the punchlines land flat, and the self-awareness that made Midnights charming is gone. Instead, we get shallow one-liners, bizarre shade, and a weird attempt to ... read more

I’ll give credit where it’s due - Seth’s bars are still sharp. He’s always been one of the few Aussie MCs who can actually write, and technically, that hasn’t changed. But my god… this thing is boring.

The idea behind the Tree House series is cool - a kind of community-driven creative experiment where fans send in beats and he builds a song each week. But this one feels like all the life’s been sucked out of it. The flows are clean, the rhymes are ... read more

Earlier this year I reviewed The Light Side and gave it a 64 - and honestly, in hindsight, that might’ve even been a little generous. I actually ended up changing that rating slightly to a 61 - which may still be generous. This follow-up, The Dark Side, unfortunately doesn’t do much to change my mind about where Aussie hip hop is at right now.

I’ll give them credit: the samples are once again well-chosen and at times pretty fun (Home is a really clever flip), and I do ... read more

I don’t normally review retrospectively released albums that dropped prior to the week (or at least month) I’m covering (unless it’s by request) - I usually stick to reviewing Friday releases and post them after. But this one kept creeping back into my listening rotation. The singles kept popping up in my new music mix and I just kept liking them. I gave the full project one spin a couple months back, but only now sat down for a proper three listens and review.

I hadn't ... read more

Olivia Dean has quietly been building one of the most consistent runs in UK pop/soul, and The Art of Loving feels like her most complete statement yet. Her voice is as rich and warm as ever, carrying a kind of honesty that doesn’t need flashy production tricks to hit. What really shines here is the songwriting - the way she moves between heartbreak, self-love, and hope feels natural, never forced.

The production is classy: strings, horns, and a bit of vintage soul wrapped up in clean, ... read more

Young Thug is easily a top 20 artist for me, but this album? Boring, uninspired, and almost completely lacking replay value. I’m actually so disappointed, I was really looking forward to this .. and I hate dropping a score this low on him, but honestly… it’d probably be lower if I didn’t like him so much.

There are flashes here and there, but most of it feels like Thugger on autopilot. And then you’ve got the bizarre choices - r*t*rd slurs in 2025, really? And ... read more

I have a love-hate relationship with Doja Cat. Both as a person and as an artist. I really don’t wanna like this album because she’s annoyed the hell out of me in recent years, but this is good value - I love the random lyric call-outs to stuff like The White Lotus and GTA 6. It’s chaotic but kind of brilliant.

There’s a little filler here and there, but overall it’s a surprisingly cohesive and entertaining project (unfortunately). Doja’s charisma carries ... read more

It’s good to see the reception for this one landing better than AMMUNITION - which, funny enough, was one of the first albums I reviewed when I started doing reviews last year. I actually liked Ammunition more than most, but I could definitely see why it didn’t stick with everyone. Midnight Sun, though, feels like Zara’s strongest project yet (from what I’ve heard from her).

Is it generic at times? Yeah, absolutely. There’s nothing truly innovative here, but that ... read more

Not really an album for me per se, but one I can absolutely respect the hell out of. Also, this marks my 450th review on AlbumOfTheYear.com - and it feels fitting to hit that milestone with a record that’s not only been requested, but sits in Apple Music’s Top 100 Albums of All Time, ranks #47 on AOTY’s all-time user list, and shows up on countless “greatest albums” lists.

As a listen, it’s punishing, bleak, and abrasive - at times straight-up uncomfortable, ... read more