Student Special: Essential Rite-of-Passage Records To Listen To In College

1989 (2014)
Taylor Swift

It would be shocking to walk down the halls of a student building and not see at least one Taylor Swift poster. Despite debuting 17 years ago, Swift continues to define girlhood itself. 1989 was her venture into pop, and it stands as one of her most celebrated albums to date– with Taylor’s Version eagerly awaited.

Blonde (2016)
Frank Ocean

Frank Ocean is one of the most celebrated musical artists of our time. His debut Channel Orange was a massive success, but it’s his third record Blonde that is seen as one of the greatest R&B records of the modern age. In 17 tracks filled with nostalgia and introspection, Ocean depicts the coming-of-age experience like no other artist can.

Stick Season (2022)
Noah Kahan

Released just a year ago, Noah Kahan has had a meteoric rise to fame due to the brilliance of Stick Season. Perhaps New England’s answer to Hozier, he tackles the loneliness of young adulthood in a tiny town. Kahan clearly struck a nerve in students all around the world and cemented himself as an irreplaceable figure in the indie-folk scene.

CTRL (2017)
SZA

SZA’s debut record spoke directly to a generation of young, queer kids of colour who were trying to navigate their transition into adulthood. It’s a gorgeous, sprawling soundtrack of an album that earned massive commercial acclaim upon its release in 2017. It’s a refreshingly personal take on messy relationships and sexuality and still remains a must-listen amongst the uni generation.

Punisher (2020)
Pheobe Bridgers

The second album from the undisputed queen of melancholy, Punisher is one of the most iconic records amongst students wanting an album to cry alone in the dark to. It’s a generation-defining record, every lyric ingrained in the mind of any introspective queer teenager. Corpses, aliens, and abusive partners find the spotlight via Bridgers’ picture-perfect songwriting and disarmingly unique vocals.

AM (2013)
Arctic Monkeys

AM was released in 2013, yet is still one of the most defining albums of the younger generation there is. With many tracks identifiable from just their first five seconds (‘R U Mine?’, ‘Do I Wanna Know?’, ‘I Wanna Be Yours’), the album’s artwork is just as iconic and can be seen on t-shirts and walls in campuses everywhere.

IGOR (2019)
Tyler, the Creator

IGOR is undoubtedly one of the most profound, popular records of the last five years. Falling outside the lines of any one genre, it’s a breakup album that serves as the soundtrack to a doomed romance, a story unfortunately all too familiar within uni circles. Its otherworldly sonic landscapes and overwhelmingly relatable themes are inarguably a student hall staple.

The Black Parade (2006)
My Chemical Romance

It’s a record that defined countless teenage years in the 2000s – more than that, it’s a timeless fireball of an album without a single skip. An angry album as dramatic as it is cathartic, The Black Parade is influenced by rock gods of our time and stands out as a favourite of teens and beyond, from 2006 to this day.

Norman Fucking Rockwell (2019)
Lana Del Rey

At NFR!’s release, Lana was no newcomer to the music industry. People were familiar with her purring Americana, but her sixth album is regarded by many as her best. Immaculate songwriting paired with gorgeous production from pop darling Jack Antonoff (Taylor Swift and Lorde) makes for an album that still rises to the top four years later.

Hozier (2014)
Hozier

The eponymous debut record from Irish folk-rock icon Hozier is nearly ten years old, and it still has a hold over anyone with a beating heart. Its autumn-tinged fingerpicking and honey-dipped vocals are a favourite amongst students, and it’s absolutely a study playlist staple. ‘Take Me to Church’, ‘Cherry Wine’– all iconic, and the industry was never the same.

Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? (1993)
The Cranberries

It was the Cranberries’ debut album and the one that not only put them on the map but launched them into the stratosphere. Featuring timeless classics ‘Linger’ and ‘Dreams’, Dolores O’Riordan’s unique voice can still be heard all around Ireland, from the radio to self-made playlists, and in the intro for the beloved Derry Girls.

Dogrel (2019)
Fontaines D.C.

Nominated for both the Mercury Prize and the Choice Music Prize AOTY, Dogrel was the Dublin band’s debut record and it immediately turned heads. It’s a young generation’s manifesto, with its clanging guitar and relentless drums underneath genuine and political lyrics. It’s representative of many things: the young generation’s insatiable attitude, and Ireland’s infallible ability to produce great guitar bands.

Read the full Student Special Part 2 in the current issue of Hot Press, out now: