Last summer “Hot Girl Summer” was all the rage and there was no limit to the number of sunny and confident songs to get started on.

Whether it’s doing a TikTok with your best friends or lounging by the pool, there’s no doubt that Megan Thee Stallion, Flo Milli, and Doja Cat have 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 you in the spirit of this somber change of air, here are a few albums that will get you ready for all the beautiful fall songs to come.

Phoebe Bridgers “Punisher”

Widely praised by the Bridgers fan base, also known as “Pharbs,” “Punisher” was released in June 2020 and swept the indie rock scene. Notable for its synths and ethereal sounds, “Punisher” promotes comfortable anxiety and arouses a strong force of intimacy.

Bridgers explores heavy topics such as the fickle nature of human relationships, dissociation, and the identity crisis. Often featuring a folk rock vibe, “Punisher” also features quirky lyrics, various pop culture references and, of course, a hearty chorus of screams. If you’re looking for a sad, upbeat bop, air the track “Kyoto” and for those of you who can swallow an introspective epic, try “I Know the End”.

Taylor Swift “folklore”

Departing radically from her previous albums, Swift deviates from her typical autobiographical albums describing old relationships in an upbeat way to soft strings of “folklore” and lyrics that echo indie folk music. Swift recorded the album amid the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, with backing from up-and-coming producer Jack Antonoff.

In a nutshell, this album embodies the ‘cottagecore’ aesthetic, as it contains copious amounts of romanticism and melancholy. These themes are mainly explored through fictional stories and novel characters, such as Betty, James and Inez. “Folklore”, true to its time of conception, reflects a deep sense of introspection present within the younger generation. Your everyday hopeless romantic will thoroughly enjoy the songs “invisible chain” and “the 1”.

Clairo “Sling”

“Sling” is the second album by Clairo, the pop-pop-turned-folk-rock star. The album, released in July 2021, was premiered with her single “Blouse”. Once known for her artful descriptions of the milestones of adolescence and young love and electronic songs, “Sling” emotionally and bitterly explores the death of such subjects while embodying 1970s rock (à la Joni Mitchell and Carole King).

Given this, the album appears to be a reaction to the social pressures Gen Z is facing, in light of the coronavirus pandemic, dating, school, work, etc., and chooses to regress towards a simpler time as a solution. “Sling” features fun tunes like “Amoeba” and more heartbreaking sounds like “Harbor”. If you are looking for an album with soft voices and sighs, melodious instruments, this one is for you.

Mitski “Be the cowboy”

Chances are you’ve had minimal exposure to indie rock artist Mitski’s fifth studio album, as one of his most popular songs, “Nobody”, is a single from the album that has. once dominated TikTok.

“Be the Cowboy,” released in August 2018, showcases Mitski’s unique ability to thoroughly examine loneliness and its impact on the human condition. Defying Clairo’s “Sling” for queen of introspection, Mitski is painfully honest in this album based on how she sees herself through the prism of fame and anxiety. Showcasing his dubbed vocal signature, Mitski delves into a sometimes uncomfortable level of vulnerability through moving ballads and upbeat tunes.

Lana Del Rey “Norman Fucking Rockwell!”

Released in August 2019, Del Rey’s sixth studio album “Norman Fucking Rockwell!” more in the vein of the psychedelic pop rock genre. Similar to the aforementioned albums, this album is inherently introspective, especially in the realm of existence itself, freedom, and even a lost sense of patriotism.

Known as one of the most problematic independent musicians who constantly gets her fans nodding their heads during her latest controversies (who could forget her infamous mesh mask she donned to attend a signing session in Los Angeles in October 2020?), Del Rey nevertheless brilliantly succeeds in an album which presents equally trap-pop and piano ballads, as evidenced by the songs “Cinnamon Girl” and “Doin ‘Time”, which makes it a musical experience ready to be appeal to any type of music listener.

Courier snail “Lush”

Breathtaking indie rock fans with her debut album released in June 2018, Snail Mail (formerly known as Lindsey Jordan) delves into her sad sentimental nature and even creates rock songs that celebrate her. Despite sad topics such as unrequited love and plain confusion, “Lush” brings out the melancholy with drums and bass choruses. Her emotional honesty pairs beautifully with her mellow tone and is characterized by a genuinely adolescent disdain (which actually speaks of someone who cares and feels very deeply). On this disc, discover the songs “Pristine” and “Heat Wave”.