2015 Year End Rap-Up: Top 5 Albums

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5) Purpose, Justin Bieber: After all of his mess ups in the public eye and many basic pop songs stamped on his repertoire, no one expected much from the new Bieber album. But if you were not a Belieber before, I promise you, you are now. Even if you don’t find yourself singing along to “What Do You Mean?” or “Sorry” in the car, you’ll probably love “Love Yourself.” It’s Bieber’s upbeat “screw you” song to a past fling. It makes you want to wave a certain finger in the air and Instagram a great photo just to rub it in your ex’s face. These songs, along with a few intense and reflective songs, create a well-rounded album. Bravo, Bieber. You’ve grown up before the public’s eyes – is it too late to say I’m sorry now (for doubting you)?

4) What Dreams Are Made Of, R. City: A wonderful progression from writers to rappers, R. City has produced a mix of reggae/R&B in combination with rap on their album. With big features such as Akon, R. City hit the ground running as artists as they take the microphone. Previous hits they have written include Rihanna’s “Pour It Up” and Miley Cyrus’s “We Can’t Stop.” Adam Levine featured in their hit song “Locked Away” that premieres on the album. Expect bigger and better as they settle into their shoes under the spotlight.

3) Badlands, Halsey: Badass feminine power is in – Halsey embodies this while adding her own flair in her new album. The next tour she does will hit stadiums in comparison to singing at small venues only a year or so ago. “New Americana” is the huge hit off the album, but other songs to note are “Castle” and “Hurricane.” Halsey has no filter and isn’t afraid to tell it like it is – with relationships, industry tycoons, and the public. She’s blowing up in the industry and will hopefully continue to climb the pop realm as a female monster.

2) 25, Adele: The long and quiet break Adele took from recording to focus on her personal life did nothing but boost expectations for her album that dropped at the end of the year. “Hello,” the hit single off the album, broke YouTube records for the amount of hits. The rest of the album holds the same raw talent that fans expect from Adele. However, instead of the drama and anguish felt in her last album, her new record includes more reflection over her youth and consideration over her future. It is a more mature Adele, and the mania that followed the release of her tour dates did nothing but reflect the overwhelming love for her talent. Welcome back, Adele!

1) To Pimp a Butterfly, Kendrick Lamar: Kendrick Lamar is by far the most influential rapper in the industry right now. His 2015 album demonstrated the immensity of his talent. In addition, his hometown Compton, CA, which is the home of the famous rap group, N.W.A. whose biographical movie Straight Outta Compton premiered this year, added to his background relevance. Lamar’s song “The Blacker the Berry” off his album was inspired by the death of Trayvon Martin. He raps, “You hate my people, your plan is to terminate my culture.” Lamar is speaking to the American white majority in reference to the racism that still persists in society today that appears in cases like Martin’s. Lamar successfully completes what very little rappers can do – he puts social issues into his music instead of the usual partying lyrics heard in hip-hop. His lyrics are explorative, inquisitive, and inspirational. There is a lot left in Lamar’s tank, and it would not be surprising if he continues to impress and make a permanent mark in rap evolution.  

Album Review: Halsey Evokes Raw Emotion, Lyrical Criticism, and Unique Sounds on Debut Album "Badlands"

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(Capitol Records)

“I am Halsey. I will never be anything but honest. I write songs about sex and being sad.” –iamhalsey.com

If that quote doesn’t encapsulate the essence of Halsey’s debut album Badlands in one sentence, there is a loss for words of what will. If you mix the quirky airiness of Lorde and Lana del Rey with a badass punch of bubblegum pop defiance, the Badlands album emerges. 

Halsey includes a few potential breakout hits in Badlands, more specifically “Hold Me Down” and “Castle.” These two hold the alien-sounding intensity of the rest of the album while maintaining catchy lyrics that will attract viewers on mainstream radio. Halsey draws out the phrases “Hold me down” and “Knock me out” throughout “Hold Me Down” with a purposeful nature that creates a stuck-in-your-head result. At a concert earlier this summer, she explained that the inspiration for the song stemmed from an interaction with a condescending, older man she met. It reminded her that even if people want to make her feel small, no one can hold her down. Halsey’s up-and-coming pop stardom is unique because of songs like “Hold Me Down.” Though the lesson might be typically uplifting, her technique and lyrical usage creates a black sheep effect in the pop realm.

“Castle” is another catchy hit on Badlands that can be directly compared to the success of Lorde’s “Team.” As Lorde sings, “I’m kind of over getting told to throw my hands up in the air, so there,” in a sarcastic criticism of popular youth culture, Halsey tackles a similar subject in “Castle.” She declares, “Sick of all these people talking, sick of all this noise, tired of all these cameras flashing, sick of being poised.” Similar to Lorde’s message, Halsey dissects the negatives of famous lifestyle; this is an objective not accomplished often enough as many artists’ lyrics indulge on the riches and ignore the issues of the spotlight. In addition, the chorus includes catchy lines such as “I’m headed straight for the castle. They want to make me their queen.” The message seems to lean towards maintaining independence as an artistic voice, even if that means being critical, when entering an industry as foreboding and directive as the music business. Many artists seem to lose their voice during a career, but Halsey seems to have faith that hers will remain strong.

One other notable song on the album is “Colors.” Though it might not maintain the level of success as “Castle” or “Hold Me Down,” it is important in a way that further asserts Halsey’s uniqueness as a female pop star. Halsey uses colors to describe her relationship with a man; however, she twists Taylor Swift’s “Red” version of color comparison by adding in a deeper, intense touch. She sings, “Everything was blue.  

His pills, his hands, his jeans. Everything was grey. His hair, his smoke, his dreams.” The references to drugs are usually reserved for the hip-hop realm and not mainstream pop; Halsey artfully incorporates it in an honest manner that simply adds flavor to the song. It is honest, as her bio states, and it seems that nothing else Halsey will produce in the future will lack that candidness. 

Listeners of Halsey’s Badlands can expect nothing short of raw, thought provoking music. Her lyrics are metaphors intertwined with life lessons that are unlike anything currently on the radio. Halsey is on the path to be a punchier version of Lorde in terms of success in the pop realm. Next time you’re flipping through radio channels during morning rush hour, don’t be surprised when you hear, “But it’s the devil that’s tryna hold me down, hold me down…”

Purchase Halsey's debut album Badlands on iTunes by clicking here.