By Jordan Devlin ‘25

The 2025 Grammy Awards (Grammys) brought much controversy and glamorous outfits as the winners of each category were announced throughout the night. Each category had many talented artists vying for the Grammy award and the Best Album nominees were no exception. The eight contenders all had beautifully composed albums in their own respects, each with unique twists.

I will be reviewing these eight albums by using five categories: Production quality, cohesiveness, melody composition, commercial success and cultural significance, and general musicality.

Production quality covers the sound quality and features of the album. How well does the artist's voice blend with the instruments, and how clear are the sounds? It also covers any special effects that are used to enhance the music.

Cohesiveness is how well the songs flow together and whether the album stays within a certain genre. Does it make sense for these songs to all be combined into one album and is there unity between the tracks?

Melody composition includes how creative and unique the melodies were, along with how catchy they turned out to be. Additionally, if the album is classified under a certain genre, this category will look at whether the melodies fit that genre.

Commercial success and cultural significance covers which album was the most popular with fans, had the most traction on streaming platforms, and had the most cultural significance. Did it change the music industry in some way? Did it rise to the top of the charts quickly?

General musicality covers topics such as the vocals and how pleasant each song is to listen to. This is the category that is most based on my own opinion of how much I enjoyed listening to each album.

For this article, I have ranked the albums based on my personal opinion, one through eight, starting with eight and working up to one.

#8: Djesse Vol. 4 by Jacob Collier

Jacob Collier’s album, Djesse Vol 4., was a solid display of unique melodies throughout the collection.

In terms of production quality, this album ranks highly with a variety of sounds and unique tones. Within a few of the songs, such as “100,000 Voices,” there is a panning effect that is pleasing and distinctive, an effect I haven’t heard in many songs. There are many sound effects and the instrumental music blends nicely with Collier’s voice.

The cohesiveness of this album is solid, with the songs all having a similar EDM (electronic dance music) sound, and effects such as the panning being used throughout in various ways.

The melodies of these songs are very unique, and they were the highlights of the piece. This is not a style of music that I listen to frequently and I found the techno-sounding melody lines intriguing.

Although many famous artists were featured on this one-hour and nine-minute-long album, the reception was highly divided among fans and listeners. Some fans didn’t appreciate the album, calling it a “watered down Journey song,” while others appreciated the chaotic harmonies and unique melodies, meaning the commercial success was limited.

In terms of general musicality, this album ranks last for me, simply because I did not enjoy the style of music or the tone of Collier’s vocals. While it is a style that could appeal to some, I personally did not find it enjoyable and I would not pick it if I had a choice of what to listen to.

This album ranked last because I did not enjoy Collier’s vocals as much as the other artists and it is not something I would choose to listen to. Though there was a high production value and unique special effects, I did not find the melodies to be gripping nor the vocals to be inspiring, leading to it being ranked eighth.

#7: Cowboy Carter by Beyoncé

Cowboy Carter, the newest album by pop sensation Beyoncé, won the Grammy Award for Best Album, but should it have? This knock-off country album is one hour and 18 minutes of phenomenal vocals and high production value, but it is severely lacking in melody composition and musicality.

The production value of this album is high, with insanely talented duos, sound clips, and clear vocals. Beyonce’s vocals stand out as a solid contrast to the background music, and the noise levels of each blend together nicely.

This album was cohesive overall, with Beyoncé’s vocals and the consistent theme tying the album together. The album focuses on African American voices throughout country music history, often featuring those artists in the songs that pay tribute to them.

Beyoncé’s melody composition is shown off nicely here, as she largely has fantastic melody lines. However, since this is classified as country, her melody composition is not as great as some of the other artists, because many of the songs didn’t seem to fit into a larger theme of country.

This album was incredibly culturally significant with songs such as “Blackbird” having a large history that Beyoncé reclaimed through her singing. This album pays tribute to many black artists throughout the history of country music, which was an incredibly important act on Beyonce’s part. This album highlights artists that America has tended to pass over throughout our history, bringing voices to the forefront of our culture that are often forgotten.

Additionally, songs such as “Texas Hold ‘Em” were very popular and the album had a lot of commercial success, especially throughout social media.

When looking at general musicality, this album ranks highly, in general, as Beyonce’s vocals are phenomenal and the songs bring a lot of emotion. This album raises important themes in an artistic way, with enriching storytelling and beautifully sung tributes. However, I personally did not find it as appealing as the other albums, so it ranks lower in my list of musicality.

I would rank this album as my seventh favorite, simply because I did not enjoy listening to it as much as the other albums on this list. While its cultural significance is certainly a strong attribute, it was not enjoyable enough to rank above seventh.

#6: BRAT by Charli xcx

BRAT by Charli xcx is an upbeat techno-pop album that was released in 2024, and quickly became popular, accelerating Charli xcx’s rise to fame.

This album was high in production value, with the blend of technology, Charli’s voice, and the background music working in harmony.

This 41-minute-long album is incredibly cohesive with the techno-pop genre being present throughout and a common theme amongst the songs.

The melodies in this album were solid, though they sounded a bit like many classic pop songs, with added techno elements. The songs were catchy and easy to get stuck in your head, which was a solid positive of this album, however many of them sounded similar to other pop songs that frequent the radio.

This album has a high amount of cultural significance and commercial success, as this techno-pop album had a huge effect on the music industry. Charli xcx was at the forefront of popularizing this style of music, as it became popular amongst teens and others. Throughout social media, there were many mentions of “brat summer,” which was a trend that circulated about the “vibe” of the summer, characterized by “cool girl vibes,” partying, and lime green.

The techno-pop style this album showcases brings a unique musicality that was showcased well in the album. Charli xcx’s vocals blended well with the techno background, however, since it is not a style of music that I frequently listen to, it ranked lower in my personal ratings of the general musicality.

This album ranked sixth for me because I am not a huge fan of techno-pop, meaning this style of music didn’t appeal to me, however, I can certainly see how this music would be enjoyable for many people.

#5: New Blue Sun by André 3000

New Blue Sun, a soundscape album by André 3000, has a variety of calming songs that set a great tone for the listener from the first moments.

The production quality of this album is fantastic, with a variety of effects and melody lines that blend together perfectly. While André 3000 didn’t sing during the one-hour and 28-minute album, he used a variety of instruments, such as the Mayan and bamboo flutes, which are clear and easy to distinguish.

This was a cohesive instrumental album, with each song flowing directly into the next one. Although each specific song was unique and used different effects, with some being more technology-focused and some using lighter instruments, the album flowed nicely and it was easy to listen to it while studying without being distracted by jarring song changes.

The melodies on this album are unique and intriguing to the listener, with each song averaging around 10 minutes. I loved the way he combined different instruments to make each song unique, even though there were no vocals to differentiate the songs.

This album was popular with fans, receiving over 3,000,000 streams during the first day. Although there was no direct cultural significance, it was well-received by fans and listeners alike, meaning it ranked highly in this category. Additionally, André 3000 had previously labeled himself as a rapper, meaning this album was a new style for his work, possibly bringing in new fans.

In terms of musicality, this album ranks highly, due to its unique soundscape quality. I loved the use of the flutes and the lighter instruments, along with the way each song had a different story to tell, even without the use of words. Some of the songs were much more airy and uplifting, while others had darker undertones, which showcased André 3000’s creativity.

This album ranked fifth for me, because it was super enjoyable to listen to while studying, and it is an album I would choose to listen to. Although it wasn’t my absolute favorite, it was very calming and I did highly enjoy it.

#4: Short n’ Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter’s popular and catchy album, Short n’ Sweet, caught many fans’ attention and became a hit throughout social media, as Carpenter’s vocals can now be found anywhere.

The production quality of this album was solid, as Carpenter’s voice harmonized with the instruments fantastically.

This album could be considered cohesive, as the pop undertones were present throughout all of the songs. There was a common upbeat theme that brought all of the songs together, along with Carpenter’s light and high vocals.

Carpenter’s melody composition is showcased well in this album, with catchy songs that will keep the listener humming them for days. I personally enjoyed the variety that she brought to the album, with each song sounding different than the others, and her airy vocals were unique and brought out the soprano tones in the melody lines.

This album had a large amount of commercial success, especially through social media. Songs like “Please, Please, Please” and “Espresso” went viral and could be heard everywhere. Additionally, many of her songs rose to the top of the charts in a quick manner.

In terms of general musicality, Carpenter has solid vocals and an upbeat tone that catches the listener's attention. The songs flow well and are pleasant to listen to, and Carpenter’s clever songwriting skills are showcased in this collection of songs.

This album is great to listen to while driving or having a night out with friends. It is upbeat and catchy, and the songs will be stuck in your head for hours after you listen to them. It is my fourth favorite album because I loved the moods of the songs, however, I thought the other albums were simply more enjoyable to listen to.

#3: The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess by Chappell Roan

Chappell Roan’s newest album, The Rise and Rall of a Midwest Princess, was incredibly influential, especially in the queer community, and helped establish Roan as a feminist and queer icon on social media.

In terms of production quality, this album ranks highly, as it has a nice mix of vocals and instruments.

The album is super cohesive, with a solid mix of slower and faster songs, meaning it is both a great collection and varied. Songs like “Femininomenom” or “Hot to Go” are upbeat and fun to dance to, whereas songs such as “Coffee” or “Picture You” are slower, with intricate melodies.

Roan stands out for her melody composition, with unique pop tunes that are catchy and hard to forget. Songs such as “Pink Pony Club” will immediately get stuck in your head after hearing them for the first time, proving how successful Roan is with her songwriting.

This album had a high amount of commercial success and cultural significance. It was very highly received by fans, and Roan soon became an icon in the queer community. She has recently spoken up in support of the LGBTQIA+ community, and her music has become an anthem for the community.

In terms of her musicality, this album ranks highly, as Roan’s vocals are pleasant to listen to and the songs are incredibly catchy. After listening, many of the songs were stuck in my head for hours, proving how well-written the piece is.

I highly enjoyed the mix of upbeat and slow songs in this album, and I would highly recommend it as a great getting-ready album. The musicality was phenomenal, and, although it wasn’t my favorite, I think it was a great piece of art that showcased Roan’s vocal abilities nicely.

#2: The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s poetic lyrics merge with slow and somber melodies to create her newest album, The Tortured Poets Department, which was announced at the Grammy Awards in 2024.

The production value of this album is incredibly high, with talented artists, such as Post Malone, having features and a great sound overall. The balance between Swift’s vocals and the backing instruments is solid and the sound is clear and easy to listen to.

This album is incredibly cohesive overall, with each song flowing into the next one. The main drawback of this collection is that many of the songs sound incredibly similar, with songs such as “Peter” and “Robin” being hard to differentiate from one another. The album was split into two parts, meaning there were 31 songs, causing it to be incredibly long.

In terms of melody composition, Swift created many different melodic varieties, both faster and slower, however, the slower songs blended together. Songs such as “Guilty as Sin” or “Down Bad” stand out as hard-hitting songs and they are easy to recognize.

This album had a high amount of commercial success and significance, especially around the time it was released. Swift added a new segment to her Eras Tour to incorporate the album, which was a large deal. Additionally, the album became the first album to have 300 million streams in a single day, demonstrating how anticipated and popular the album was.

The musicality of this album was phenomenal. With clever and poetic lyrics, it was impossible to not enjoy listening. Swift’s songwriting was showcased wonderfully in this two-hour-long collection, as she had a variety of different styles, especially throughout the first 14 songs.

In my opinion, this album is a great one to listen to while studying, but it is not the best out of this collection of artists. I would rank it as my second favorite because I highly enjoyed the lyrics and I listen to it much more than the other albums.

REVIEW: Grammy awards best album nominees 2025