Japanese Breakfast Albums Ranked: Fan Favorites (2025)

Michelle Zauner's journey as Japanese Breakfast is a remarkable story told through music.

Her discography moves from raw, lo-fi explorations of grief to lush, vibrant celebrations of joy. This makes any attempt to rank the Japanese Breakfast albums a deeply personal and fascinating exercise.

Here, we're looking at the full collection, guided first by fan sentiment to find what many consider the best Japanese Breakfast album.

Then, we'll see how popularity data tells a different story. It’s a complete look at her studio work.

Ranking Japanese Breakfast's albums: The fan favorites

Here's how the albums stack up based on fan sentiment, community discussions, and overall buzz.

We're starting with the most beloved.

1. Jubilee (2021)

Released in 2021, Jubilee is the third studio album from Japanese Breakfast.

After years of writing about grief, frontwoman Michelle Zauner wanted this record to be about a different feeling: joy.

The album was met with widespread critical acclaim. It earned a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Album and became the band's most commercially successful release.

Key tracks:

• Be Sweet
• Kokomo, IN

It’s no surprise that Jubilee lands the top spot with fans. The album feels like a triumphant arrival, bursting with color, confidence, and intricate pop arrangements.

For many listeners, its ambitious and celebratory sound represents the project at its most fully realized and emotionally resonant.

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2. Psychopomp (2016)

Psychopomp is the debut studio album from Japanese Breakfast, released in 2016.

The project began as a way for Michelle Zauner to cope with her mother's cancer diagnosis, making the album a deeply personal and cathartic effort.

Despite its heavy themes, the record was crafted with a desire for a "sonically upbeat" feel, resulting in a unique blend of lo-fi indie pop and heartfelt emotion.

Key tracks:

• Everybody Wants to Love You
• The Woman That Loves You

As the album that started it all, Psychopomp holds a special place in the hearts of longtime fans.

Its raw vulnerability and dreamy, guitar-driven soundscapes created the foundation for everything that followed. This record is often treasured for its honesty and unfiltered feeling.

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3. Soft Sounds from Another Planet (2017)

Soft Sounds from Another Planet is the band's second studio album, released in 2017.

This record expands on the themes of loss found in its predecessor but filters them through a lens of science fiction and perseverance.

Critically acclaimed for its experimental production, the album blends shoegaze, indie rock, and electronic elements. It was the first Japanese Breakfast album to appear on the Billboard charts.

Key tracks:

• Boyish
• Road Head

This album is celebrated by fans for its artistic ambition and thematic depth.

While continuing the emotional narrative of Psychopomp, its sonic experimentation with synths and spacey textures proved Zauner's willingness to push creative boundaries. It's a fan favorite for those who love her more atmospheric work.

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4. For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) (2025)

For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women) is the fourth studio album from Japanese Breakfast.

A follow-up to the joyful Jubilee, this album is said to return to darker, "gothic-gloomy" themes inspired by poets on the edge of inspiration.

It marks the band's first time recording in a professional studio setting, working with acclaimed producer Blake Mills at Sound City Studios in Los Angeles.

Key tracks:

• Picture Window
• Orlando in Love

As the newest entry in the discography, this album is still finding its definitive place among the fanbase.

Its shift back toward melancholy after the brightness of Jubilee marks another significant turn. Time will tell how this thoughtful, atmospheric record settles into the overall fan ranking.

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Picked your top Japanese Breakfast classic? Check out Japanese Breakfast's discography on their Roll The Record Artist hub.

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Japanese Breakfast albums: A look at popularity data

While fan sentiment paints a rich picture, current popularity data can offer another interesting angle.

This looks at an artist's discography through a different lens.

Below is a ranking of Japanese Breakfast's albums based on their popularity scores from available data. This reflects which releases are currently seeing significant engagement.

Popularity Rank	Album Title	Release Year
1	Jubilee	2021
2	For Melancholy Brunettes (& sad women)	2025
3	Soft Sounds from Another Planet	2017
4	Psychopomp	2016

Quick FAQs about Japanese Breakfast's albums

Q: What was the main theme of the album Jubilee?

A: The central theme of Jubilee was joy. Michelle Zauner made a conscious decision to focus on happiness, a deliberate shift from her first two albums, which dealt heavily with themes of grief.

Q: Was Jubilee a successful album?

A: Yes, it was very successful. It received widespread praise from critics, a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Album, and was the first Japanese Breakfast album to chart on the Billboard 200.

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So there you have it, our deep dive into Japanese Breakfast albums ranked by both fans and data.

Each record offers a distinct emotional and sonic landscape, from the rawness of her debut to the polished celebration of her third album.

Ultimately, the best Japanese Breakfast album is the one that connects with you. It's the one that has become the soundtrack to a specific moment in your own life.