The emotional resonance of an album is what makes it nostalgic. Each generation has its perception of which albums are nostalgic. The following albums are what four seniors, Morgan Anderson, Liv Schmitz, Frida Fortier, and Maggie Murnan believe to be the most nostalgic album of their time. 

Morgan: Songs about Jane (2002) – Maroon 5

It is a rainy day; you are sitting in the backseat of your mom’s car, staring out the window as “She Will Be Loved” by Maroon 5 acts as your escape from reality. You find your imagination slip into your life as a movie: a movie in which you are the main character. 

Maroon 5’s debut album, Songs About Jane, created a name for the band, and one of the most emotional and moving albums of all time. Because of the cohesive storytelling through each song, this album conveys the ups and downs of a break-up. 

This cathartic album went 4x platinum and, at its peak, topped at number 8 on the Billboard 200. With “She Will Be Loved” receiving a Grammy nomination, and “This Love” helping Maroon 5 win MTV’s Music Video Award for Best New Artist in 2004; the awards speak for themselves. 

The nostalgia this album brings to today’s generation remains untopped. The painful story scattered with sweet and tender moments that the album tells resonates with young adults as they move through some of the most influential times (and breakups) of their lives. Sometimes debated as overplayed on a rainy Sunday morning (pun intended), there are no denying Songs About Jane is one of Maroon 5’s best creations. 

Liv: Fearless (2008) – Taylor Swift 

Picture this. The year is 2008, the biggest thing you have to worry about is which one of your neighbors can play that afternoon. You put on Fearless by Taylor Swift, which is an album that consists of intense love stories and breakups, something that you could never understand at the ripe age of eight years old. Even so, you belt out the intense lyrics. 

Taylor Swift touched the soul of almost every girl in 2008, and today, in 2019, the feeling of nostalgia after hearing “Love Story” or “Fearless” can bring a tear to anyone’s eye. The album was a country-pop crossover that has a lighthearted and youthful feel. Swift included various acoustic instruments such as a guitar, banjo, and fiddle. 

Swift takes listeners on an emotional roller coaster where she explores the ins and outs of relationships. The first half of the album represents the beginning of a relationship where there are no problems, and she is caught up in the excitement. Towards the end, she includes songs like “You’re Not Sorry” and “The Way I Loved You” where she goes through a breakup that has more violent lyrics and mellow back tones. 

Fearless was number one on the Billboard 200 for eleven weeks and was the best-selling album of 2009. The album has sold 7.18 million copies and was certified diamond. Fearless reached number one in Canada and New Zealand and has sold over 12 million copies worldwide.

Frida: Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded – Rihanna (2009)

It’s 2009, and you’re belting the lyrics to “Umbrella” in your shower. Even though you do not have an umbrella as you are dancing underneath the pouring shower head, you feel as if you could be the main star in Ri-Ri’s newest music video. Life is good. 

Release in 2007, Good Girl Gone Bad, otherwise known as Rihanna’s breakout album, was Rihanna’s third-ever album, and it is packed with upbeat and catchy songs sure to make the listener sing along. Rihanna, being the queen that she is, performs her songs in a way that can appeal to many different audiences. With songs like “Umbrella,” “Don’t Stop the Music,” “Shut up and Drive,” and “Good Girl Gone Bad,” this album will without a doubt bring you back to your childhood.

Good Girl Gone Bad is filled with a variety of songs. Whether you’re ready to get into your feels on a night drive home or dancing with your friends at a party, this album is sure to satisfy whatever mood you may be in. 

The album’s hit single “Umbrella” gifted Rihanna many awards, including her first Grammy Award in 2008. Rihanna also earned the Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist in 2007 from the American Music Awards, as well as the Best Female R&B Artist from the BET Awards. 

Maggie: Teenage Dream – Katy Perry (2010)

Katy Perry’s second studio album, Teenage Dream, is full of nostalgic and iconic songs that will bring you straight back to your childhood. One might look at the album and envision Katy Perry with pink or purple hair, wearing candy-inspired outfits, singing frivolous pop songs. Although this image might be true in some aspects, there is a lot more to the album than this. 

With a mix of upbeat songs and slower sentimental songs, Perry displays her diversity as an artist. The album had six Grammy nominations including Album of the Year and Record of the Year. Teenage Dream sold 6 million copies worldwide and was the second album ever to produce five number-one singles, proving that it is one of the most nostalgic albums of our childhoods. 

“Last Friday Night,” “California Gurls,” and “Firework” are some of the first songs that come to mind when I think of nostalgic Katy Perry. These were the songs you would dance to in your room with your friends, sing along to in the back of your mom’s car, and you still hear at dances and parties today. 

Perry shows a more vulnerable side with the song “The One That Got Away.” This song brings a change of pace to the album proving that Perry isn’t just a pop singer. Perry also shows emotion in the song “Teenage Dream;” although it isn’t a ballad, it brings the listener through her teenage years. The storytelling in these songs highlights some of the influential experiences that she has gone through, giving insight into her life.