Lana Del Rey builds her music from her vintage aesthetic; her gilded yet bold life inspires her to do more. The influential artist romanticizes toxicity, abandonment, and old Hollywood.
She transformed these concepts into a heavenly discography with head voices and falsettos. Del Rey’s popularity dates back to 2011 when her single ‘Video Games’ became a viral hit that eventually made her sign into record labels.
Here are her top 5 studio albums, ranked based on their popularity, tone, songwriting, and modern recreation of the 90s.
Lana Del Rey’s Best Albums Ranked
5) Paradise (2012)
Fifth in rank but rich in taste and nostalgia, the Paradise album captures its listeners’ longing for their lost lives.
They say listening to this album doesn’t require much thinking, but rather a feeling for every rhythm and lyric.
It debuted at No. 10 on the US Billboard 200, and the town favorite, “Ride” is the best song in the album, as it embodies a take-a-risk-and-don’t-look-back lifestyle.
A really violent cinematic discography.
4) Lust for Life (2017)
The fourth album dances into pop culture with its dense yet vivid storytelling.
Del Rey beautifully integrated hip-hop into her sultry baroque vintage pop, and for a while, LDR finally stepped into the futuristic contemporary vision for her music.
Not her best, but definitely one of her strongest.
You’ll definitely feel the feminine, youthful vibe. She features several artists such as The Weeknd, A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti, Stevie Nicks, and Sean Ono Lennon.
Ultraviolence (2014)
Ultraviolence takes the 3rd spot as LDR’s album where she embraces her darkest desires as she makes them tragically beautiful.
The black-and-white Ultraviolence album is created to hyper-romanticize the sense of desperation, anguish, misery, isolation, sadness, and solace.
She even romanticized becoming a mistress in her song “The Other Woman.” Her vocals are on top, with a head voice and a cry for help.
The powerful yet hauntingly beautiful album will definitely keep you up all night.
The title takes its name from the classic dystopian novel A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess and its Kubrick film adaptation. It shows violence in its extreme nature, possibly where LDR got her inspiration from.
Proving its success, Ultraviolet debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
2) Norman Fucking Rockwell (2019)
The Grammy-nominated Album of the Year last 2019, Norman Fucking Rockwell, delves more into American chic and its human complexity.
The songwriting is beyond immeasurable- her most poetic and passionate lyrics all in a single album.
The second line of the album, “You f****d me so good, I almost said I love you” generally summarizes what the album is about. LDR collaborated with Jack Antonoff to make us feel the tension and unsettling self-awareness.
Debuting at number 3 on the US Billboard 200, it easily becomes the artist’s sixth top album on the said chart.
1) Born to die (2012)
Who guessed it – Born To Die on first?
Lana Del Rey kisses the American dream goodbye in her Born to die album. Her songs depict detachment from any desires, she suggests living as if death comes tomorrow and thereafter.
The album heavily suggests abusive relationships, alcohol, sex, older men, and drugs are what make us alive!
Born to Die is LDR’s most successful album for a reason (sold 13 million copies)!
Conclusion
Lana Del Rey’s discography is a treasure trove of bold storytelling. From “Paradise” to “Norman Fucking Rockwell”.
Each album offers a different perspective on love and life, making them a must-listen for fans of contemporary music. Del Rey’s music will leave you feeling nostalgic and longing for more.
These top five albums are a great place to start with Lana Del Rey.