Fall Music Guide: Five Albums That Should Be On Your Radar

As the weather is getting colder and the sun is setting earlier, it’s only right to shift over to that fall playlist that’s been sitting in your music app, untouched, for the last eight months. Whether it’s Taylor Swift’s “Folklore” or Radiohead’s “The Bends” that are on your daily fall music cycle, I have no doubt one of these five albums will spark your interest. Here are five albums that I think should be added to your fall playlist:

1. “Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?” – The Cranberries

The Irish alt-rock band, The Cranberries, released “Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?” in 1993. Not only was it their first full length album released, it was also the band’s first major label release. The album is full of strong guitar leads, persistent drums and the dreamy voice of lead singer Dolores O’ Riordan. The album broke barriers in the world of alt-rock, specifically due to the unique way O’Riordan would belt and let her voice explore vibrato throughout the 40-minute long album. Throughout the course of this album, The Cranberries take you on a journey of heartbreak, hurting and finding love with lyrics that are just a little too relatable. The album features both upbeat pop-like hits as well as slow emotional ballads. If you’re looking to dance and cry all in one sitting, this might be the album for you. A few of the hit songs on this project that you or your parents may recognize are “Linger,” “Dreams” and “Sunday.” 

2. “Bookends” – Simon & Garfunkel

To me, Simon & Garfunkel bleeds nostalgia and warmth in every album they release. “Bookends” is no exception to this. Released in 1968 by Columbia Records, folk rock legends Simon & Garfunkel gifted the world with their fourth studio album, “Bookends.” Every song on this album features beautiful strumming patterns, and comforting vocals sung by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. The album is full of songs that have been featured in films that most people can say they’ve seen. “America” is played in “Almost Famous,” “Mrs. Robinson” in “The Graduate” and Tarentino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and “Bookends” in “(500) Days of Summer.” This album transforms the listener to simpler times with its calm, underwhelming (in the best way) melodies and overwhelmingly provoking lyrics. “Bookends” is full of optimism and hope, allowing the listener to fall into the beauty of the songs for the 29 minutes and 27 seconds that make up the album’s duration.

3. “Punisher” – Phoebe Bridgers

Phoebe Bridgers has gained traction and intense popularity in the music world over the past four years. Along with being nominated for Best New Artist in the 2021 Grammys, she has gone on a solo tour for “Punisher,” toured as one of Taylor Swift’s openers in 2023, and is now currently touring with Boygenuis, the band she is a part of. “Punisher” was Bridger’s second studio album, being released at a particularly interesting time: June 2020. In the peak of the pandemic, the indie rock album gained extreme popularity. The album is incredibly diverse including fast paced pop songs like “Kyoto” and “ICU,” with hurtful slow songs like “Moon Song” and “Savior Complex.” Many of the songs in the album are heavily synth based giving Bridger’s sophomore album a more mature feel to it. Bridger’s angelic soft voice makes singing sound easy, but the final song on the album,“I Know The End,” reminds the listener of her expanding range. As the song picks up through drums and trumpets, Bridger’s voice does too. By the end of the song Bridgers includes vocals of her screaming, something incredibly unique that not many artists can pull off succesfully. “Punisher” is lyrically sound, exploring ideas of dissociation, breakups, absent fathers and more. The album covers just about everything leaving the listener with at least one lyric to find relation to. 

4. “Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness” – The Smashing Pumpkins

American alt-rock band, The Smashing Pumpkins released “Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness” in October of 1995 through Virgin Records. The album contains 28 songs, split between two discs and lasts just over two hours. Due to the album’s longevity, many concepts are explored, as well as the incredible songwriting skills of lead Billy Corgan. The album explores feelings and emotions through songs full of heavy drums, electric guitar and even piano ballads. The band uses stacked audio to create that beloved alternative rock sound, setting their music apart from other bands in the 90s. The album’s most popular songs I think you should give a listen to are “1979,” “Cupid De Locke,” “Muzzle” and “Tonight, Tonight.”

5. “All Inclusive Romantic Getaway” – Spendtime Palace

Last but certainly not least is “All Inclusive Romantic Getaway.” Spendtime Palace, a local band from SoCal, has been releasing music since 2017. My friends and I have been going to their shows since we were in high school, so they hold a special place in my heart. “All Inclusive Romantic Getaway” was released in January of 2019 containing 11 songs. The band is classified as alternative/indie rock, but sometimes they even give off a surf rock feel. One of my favorite songs on the album is “Blackout Control,” lyrically it is catchy and the instrumentals are perfectly sound. Lead singer, Dan Getz, has a voice that pulls the listener in, sounding both comforting and powerful at the same time. The album contains a variety of songs some being incredibly rock and upbeat whereas others are melancholic and soothing. The album is incredible from start to finish.