Melissa Kacar

"stupid song" by Olivia Rodrigo  Trying to put the strong, all‑encompassing emotion of what it feels like to love so deeply into words is the pursuit of so many of the greatest artists' lives - especially one as emotive and diaristic as Olivia - but acknowledging that you could never fully articulate the extent of your love becomes, in itself, the truest expression of it. That's exactly what "stupid song" represents for me and is one of the many highlights off of her new album you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love , so it was very difficult to choose just one to share here. This song is so addicting and moving, as she showcases her strength for songwriting and capturing a feeling that is complicated, yet so universal.  This is very well going to end up being my album of the year for 2026. I truly cannot foresee another record topping girl so in love -  and if something does manage to in the latter half of the year, then I can't even imagine how inc...

Released as the lead single from Noah Cyrus' 2020 EP THE END OF EVERYTHING , "July" is a beautiful and deeply reflective ballad that blends folk and country influences into something intimate and timeless. It's nostalgic tone radiates a warmth that so perfectly captures the feeling of summer.  Written at a songwriting camp in Bali in July 2019 alongside collaborators PJ Harding and Michael Sonier, the song's inspiration stemmed from a significant breakup she had gone through exactly one year prior. In an interview with  Rolling Stone , Noah said, "I was thinking about a relationship I was in for a few years that ended on the Fourth of July. That's kind of what had been on my mind the past couple of days and once we started the words just flowed."  In "July", Noah looks back on the cyclical nature of that relationship a year in hindsight, now being able to see all that she was able to overcome. "You know I, I'm afraid of change, gue...

2022 was yet another great year for music! This list is made up of a mix of artists that are long-time favorites as well as many new discoveries across a range of genres. This is always my favorite post to write every year, I love looking back at all of the great art that was released in the past year and sharing some of the highlights with you. Several of these albums I also wrote dedicated long-form reviews for, which are linked throughout if you are interested in reading more! Harry's House // Harry Styles Harry Styles delivered yet another incredible release that easily is my favorite album of the year. "Imagine it’s a day in my house or a day in my mind. What do I go through? I’m playing fun music. I’m playing sad music. I’m playing this, I’m playing that. I have doubts. I’m feeling stuff. And it’s all mine," Harry said in an interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music earlier this year. Harry's House was the perfect next step for Harry and is a great evolution t...

Happy New Year! For my first post of 2021, I want to reflect back on some of my favorite albums of the previous year. 2020 was without a doubt a pretty bad year for everyone, but at least the music wasn't! During such isolating times, music connected us all more than ever before. Listed below is the music that became the soundtrack of 2020 for me!  folklore // Taylor Swift Without a doubt, my favorite album of 2020 is Taylor Swift's Folklore . This album was surprise released in the summer and was made in just a few months at the beginning of the pandemic. In so many ways, it reinvented not only Taylor as an artist, but also the way music is created and released in the time of a worldwide pandemic. She provided a sense of escapism in the music she released this year through her storytelling approach to the writing.  Folklore  is the defining sound of very strange times we are all living through right now.  This album has meant so much to so many in the past year, my...