Zoe Rich
It’s an age-old question: If you were stranded on a desert island, which three albums would you take with you? These are the only songs you’ll be able to listen to while time marches closer to your inevitable sandy demise — choose carefully.
We asked our writers: What’ll it be?
Opinion Editor Charis Adkins @Charis_Batt
Sons of Town Hall, How to Build a Boat
The Black Crowes, The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion
Los Campesinos!, Romance is Boring
Have I ever listened to the album How to Build a Boat? No. Have I ever even heard of the Sons of Town Hall? Also no. But if I’m stranded on a desert island, the only thing more important than having some good tunes is having a way off that island. Everyone else can be slowly dying with their sunburns and their records — I’m off for an adventure on the open waves with my two remaining albums. Peace out.
Assoc. Opinion Editor Isa Garcia @Isa_TheBatt
Nirvana, In Utero
Type O Negative, Bloody Kisses
Lana Del Rey, Lust for Life
The last album before Cobain’s death, In Utero encapsulates all the grunge and tortured angst of Nirvana. Not a day goes by that the wounded, raw sound of “Heart-Shaped Box” doesn’t fail to soothe my soul, the whole tracklist blending beauty with the grotesque and profane. It would be a blessing to spend my last days listening to this wonderful melancholy — beautiful in that it reminds us of what we aren’t, and simultaneously terrifying in that it reminds us of what we are.
Opinion Columnist Maddie McMurrough @MadsMcMurrough
Lana Del Rey, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd.
Daniel Caesar, Freudian
Jordana, Lively Premonition
As someone who has consistently found themselves grouped into the top 0.05% of Lana Del Rey listeners each Spotify Wrapped for the last five years, I am qualified to say DYKTTATUOB is a god-tier album. It has everything a girl could want for a moody desert island stay. It has soft ballads to make you cry when you miss enjoying a cold Coca-Cola and your Nintendo Switch. It also has alternative rock that’s perfect for dancing like nobody’s watching, because let’s be honest — no one is. It’s a desert island.
Opinion Writer Joshua Abraham @joshrabe5
Benny The Butcher, Tana Talk 3
Black Country, New Road, Ants From Up There
Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago
Rap has been given a bad name by mainstream media, but Tana Talk 3 has proven to me the greatness that can come from the genre. Benny the Butcher tells a raw story of trial and tribulation, the replay value increasing with every listen. Producers Daringer and The Alchemist trade beats like punches in a boxing ring, and it’s an album I’ll happily be in the presence of as I’m dying on a desert island. Long live Griselda.
Opinion Writer Wyatt Pickering @WyattPickering14
Taylor Swift, 1989
Chappell Roan, Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
Charli XCX, Brat
Taylor Swift’s landmark album 1989 dominated the music scene for years after its release in 2014 and has made its mark on the pop genre. Songs such as “Wildest Dreams” and “Style” are permanently stuck in the minds of every 2000s kid who was lucky enough to hear this iconic piece of work. I would happily write my name in any “Blank Space” and “Shake It Off” to the vibes of a deserted island with this amazing album by my side.
Opinion Writer Kaleb Blizzard @kaleb_blizzard
Ariana Grande, Eternal Sunshine
Madison Beer, Life Support
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Look, when you’re on a desert island, you have to choose efficiently. Not only does Hamilton get me three hours of awesome Founding Father rap, it gets me one of the best plays ever. Honestly, though, I might not even need the soundtrack — I feel like I have it all memorized. I’ve caught myself rapping “My Shot” under my breath more than a few times when I’m making an important decision. Still, Lin-Manuel Miranda is so good that I have to bring it with me.