Which Lana Del Rey album reigns supreme?

There is not long to go until the release of Chemtrails over the Country Club, Lana Del Rey's seventh studio album which is due in March 2021. Del Rey has wowed with an impressive album discography that has her fans wowed in droves, but also drawing in a new league of fans through her impact in mainstream pop, most recently alongside Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande in the Charlie's Angels soundtrack. Lana Del Rey exudes a vulnerability in her songs with a theme around the sad cost of heartbreak, often masked by the promise of renewed vigour and a future unproblematic love. Her album records will be analysed and ranked below, with the exception of her debut album Lana Del Ray, her EP Paradise and her vocal album Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass. I also have to add that as a major fanatic of her work, it was extremely difficult for me to rank her albums, because they all form a part of her truly unique story.

5th Position: Born to Die

The album that everyone really got to know the Lana Del Rey persona in all her magic, with the glitz, glamour and overarching themes of patriotism and the new American dream. This would probably be her most mainstream pop album, with 'Summertime Sadness' (remix) dominating the airwaves, helping Del Rey be known on a more wider scale. The guitar on 'Blue Jeans' is incredible and it really takes you back to the days of that rock and roll vibe. Notable mentions include 'Born to Die' and 'Radio'. This album was a total vibe and quite on surface level, but not as intimate as her later works would be.

4th Position: Honeymoon

The lead single 'High By The Beach' encapsulated synth and hip hop beats which really distanced itself from her other records. The likes of 'Music to Watch Boys To', 'Freak' and 'Religion' are sultry, noir-like and carry a heart full of passion and devotion to a dark romance. This album was not heavily promoted, but nevertheless lived up to the hype with its haunting melodies and structural flow.

3rd Position: Ultraviolence

A truly cohesive body of work with a touch of melodramatic noir, Ultraviolence was the highly awaited follow up after the success of the Born To Die album. The themes are incredibly dark and persona, with a focus on ill fated romance, deep rooted addictions and intimacy. The heavy guitars and psychedelic rock of "Shades of Cool", "West Coast" and "Cruel World" journey you to a land of pleasant chaos. Aspects of her journey as a musician were brought to the forefront through "Old Money" and "Fucked My Way To The Top", showcasing the perils of the music industry through the lens of a woman.

2nd Position: Lust For Life

Returning to a hip-hop sound and mainstream pop sounds, Del Rey brought on several features including ASAP Rocky, the Weeknd and Stevie Nicks which boosted this record's flavoursome variety. Behind the swag of "Summer Bummer" and "Lust For Life" were her accompanying somber and sweet lullabies she is known for. The beauty of "13 Beaches", "Change" and "Get Free" were not only heartfelt, but also shows how much Del Rey has grown as a person and her self-awareness ballooning. Her vulnerabilities and her self belief that we can be the change in our lives stamps this album as her most impactful.

1st Position: Norman Fucking Rockwell! (NFR)

Referenced after the painter and Illustrator Norman Rockwell, and nominated for Grammy Album Of The Year. NFR reinforced Del Rey's strong songwriting capabilities and cemented her repertoire as a force to be reckoned with. The abundance of guitar sounds and psych-rock melodies in "Venice Bitch" and "The greatest" unearth a distant dystopian reality with somewhat of an indescribable calmness. She asserts herself with"Fuck it i love you" but brings herself to her vulnerable self as the submissive love struck character in 'Love song". Her dreams are a working progress through "California" in amongst the chaos of the world. A stunning and charismatic collection of deep new age tunes, in a post-war America where tales of complicated love consume our souls.