The Blue & Gold Shortlist: Our Top Albums of 2024
Blue & Gold Media writers weigh in on three 2025 Grammy nominees.
The nominations are in for the 2025 Grammy Awards, and the Internet is already abuzz with reactions and reviews. Just in time for the kickoff to awards season, Blue & Gold writers are weighing in with their own favorites from the lineup of shortlisted albums.
Short ‘n’ Sweet
by Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter made a long-awaited breakthrough with her sixth and latest album: Short n’ Sweet. The album has received six nominations for the 2025 Grammy Awards, tying her for the third most nominations this year alongside Taylor Swift and Chappell Roan.
The title, Short n’ Sweet, gives ode to the singer's height of five feet and to the short length of the album itself, coming in at 36 minutes and 15 seconds. This album is the shortest of the eight albums nominated for album of the year. Carpenter and her fellow songwriters’ witty lyrics show the power of conciseness.
Though Carpenter has been in the music industry for almost a decade, the artist has experienced a rebrand and renaissance. A peek into her album history reveals a slow evolution. From starring on Disney Channel to opening for Taylor Swift, Carpenter has created a unique image for herself. Gone are the days of innocence and young love.
This album explores the realization of the disappointment and heartache of relationships. The lyrics earn several jaw dropping moments for listeners. Carpenter makes listeners ask themselves, Can she really say that? Yet, audiences love her cheeky slights towards her ex-relationships – slights that many have thought, but never dared to expose for all to hear, as Carpenter has done.
While the album has many stand out songs, such as “Espresso” and “Please, Please, Please,” one song stands out among the rest. In “Slim Pickens,” Carpenter dips into her country side. The song produces a different sound compared to the mostly pop-style album while still maintaining the integrity of the overall message and theme.
Carpenter has made a comeback for herself, though this album falls short in one major way. The history between Carpenter and singer/actress Olivia Rodrigo remains fresh on the minds of many young adults. The two both did stints with Disney and have a common ex-boyfriend. In 2023, Rodrigo released her GUTS album, which explores very similar topics to Short n’ Sweet. With that close of a history, one would think Carpenter would want to set herself more apart. However, Carpenter has much time to continue building her image.
Overall, the renaissance of the pop singer has astonished many. Carpenter launched the Short n’ Sweet tour at the end of September. Her music, performance, and production has captivated audiences. The tour will continue to showcase the singer’s talent as she waits for the results of the 67th Grammy Awards.
— by Chloe Newton
The Tortured Poets Department
by Taylor Swift
Since the launch of The Eras Tour in early 2023, Taylor Swift has consistently gained global recognition and gathered increasing fame. Amidst this tour, she released her most recent and record-breaking album, The Tortured Poets Department. With her mounting fame, The Tortured Poets Department arguably brought her more pressure than any of her previous albums, and many questioned whether the album would live up to its astronomical expectations.
Upon its release, The Tortured Poets Department broke Spotify’s record for most single-day streams for an article catalog with 380 million streams, and it sold 2.4 million copies, placing it only second to Adele’s 25.
The album opened with “Fortnight,” moody and perturbed, sung with Post Malone. “Fortnight” sets the tone for the rest of the album, making a declaration that the album will not be soft or sugar-coated. Instead, it cultivates an aggressive and empowered atmosphere.
The name, The Tortured Poets Department, leads listeners to anticipate something reminiscent of Dead Poets Society, or perhaps dark academia; however, Swift brings a rebellious set of songs. The release of The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology provided the listeners with more songs that aligned with their original expectations.
“So Long, London” shifts to a darker tone while incorporating a slightly ethereal element. The lyrics are no longer simply agitated but start to carry bitterness. “Fresh Out the Slammer,” however, is twinged with hope as she sings about breaking free and returning to someone that she loves.
Another artist, Florence Welch, joined Swift for “Florida,” an emotional song about refuge.
Notably, “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me” became a TikTok sensation. Boasting its now iconic line, “You wouldn’t last an hour in the asylum where they raised me,” the song is vengeful and threatening – a clear highlight on the album.
Another interesting twist in the album is “loml.” The name leads listeners to assume the phrase “love of my life,” and she sings about someone who claimed her to be the love of his life, but the end of the song reveals that she considers him to be the “loss of [her] life.” The song is melancholy and almost wistful as she reflects on the relationship. Interestingly, though, “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” brought an abrupt shift to the album by bringing an unusually galactic tone.
Swift concludes the album with her song titled “Clara Bow,” sending many listeners on a search to discover who Clara Bow is and why she is important to Swift. Clara Bow was an iconic actress from the 1920’s who Swift has claimed to relate with throughout her time in the industry. The song is smooth, yet has choppy elements, and concludes the album with references to multiple female icons.
The Tortured Poets Department made Swift the first artist to have released seven different albums that sold over 1 million copies in one week. As her success and fame is ever-expanding, listeners may wonder what her future holds. However, it seems to be certain that her success will only continue to grow.
— by Carrie Campbell
Charm
by Clairo
A lot can change in 7 years. Fans of Clairo, or Claire Cottrill, would know.
Clairo has become a household name in the alternative & indie music scene. At age 19, she catapulted into the public eye with boppy bedroom-pop tunes with tongue-in-cheek names, like “Flaming Hot Cheetos.” Two years later, in 2019, she followed her breakout tracks with her debut album, Immunity. The album was praised for its maturity, from its intimate, incisive writing to its clean, restrained production. Hits like “Bags” and “Sofia” get radio play to this day. The difference, critics wrote in droves, may as well have been night and day.
The following year, Clairo followed other artists and industry giants to the woods during the pandemic – also similarly to other artists and industry giants, alongside producer Jack Antonoff. The result was 2021’s Sling. On her sophomore album, Clairo upped the singer-songwriter ante. The songs had more decisively poetic lyrics with more mature themes. Even sonically, it was a second reinvention of sorts: Sling marked a full pivot into more folksy sounds.
With her third album Charm, Clairo doesn’t seem to be seeking anymore to reinvent her artistry. Now, she’s refining it.
In Charm, Clairo follows the framework of the indie pop tunes that laid the foundation for her career. Her songwriting is earnest and detail-driven. On “Add Up My Love,” she processes a breakup in vignettes: “Do you miss my laugh? Hear it from the back of the room / It's just somethin' I miss too.” Throughout the album, she explores the complexities of romance with dewy youthfulness and endearing honesty.
Clairo’s delicate voice remains a hallmark of her music, often translating as hushed conversation or whispered confessions. Her sound is still uncomplicated, and her melodies are still endlessly hummable.
Here, though, her soft-spoken vocals are surrounded by lush 70s grooves and layered jazz & folk instrumentation. The end result is reminiscent of Carole King, an iteration of Clairo that feels more grown-up – but just as catchy as ever.
The viral “Juna” encapsulates the album’s feel. The refrain “You know me, you know me” captures the intimacy of Charm, both in Clairo’s vocals and in the quiet romance that plays out across her lyrics. The production, meanwhile, gleams with Wurlitzer and jazzy drum fills – and, endearingly, occasional mouth trumpet. It’s a particular gem on a star-studded record where Clairo’s craft truly shines.
Clairo is unassuming, from her kitschy stage name to her delicate voice to her unfussy style. But, she’s developed a formula for producing captivating records. Whatever it is, it’s working. With Charm, Clairo hearkens back to the classics while cementing her place in the new millennium’s indie-alt canon.
If it ever starts to feel like fall here in Clinton, Mississippi, I’ll have the perfect soundtrack for taking a stroll on a cool day – not that listening to Charm on loop hasn’t already become “Second Nature.”
“Charm” is nominated for the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album.
— by Emma Ellard
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