Sour
by Olivia Rodrigo
  • Record Label: Geffen
  • Release Date: May 21, 2021
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1336 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,075 out of 1336
  2. Mixed: 63 out of 1336
  3. Negative: 198 out of 1336
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  1. blackpinkicons
    May 30, 2021
    10
    olivia is the next main pop girl. wbk. she gave us EVERYTHING with this album. she is a legend, an icon, a star, and she is the moment. already ended the other girlies iktr
  2. mtanzer8
    May 30, 2021
    9
    Like come on!!!! This is how you make a debut album. Favorite Crime and 1 Step Forward...3 Steps Back are my faves.
  3. piratetales
    May 29, 2021
    0
    The definition of overrated. Boring "bananes and avocades" industry plant. Support talented, underrated artists instead.
  4. LISOCHIKOTOSA
    May 29, 2021
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The album is pretty impressive. Olivia is a talented artist and she is miles ahead of where her main influences ( Lorde and Taylor Swift ) were when they were her age or when they debuted. Daniel Nigro also proves to me an immaculate and versatile producer who brings Olivia's vision out in the best way possible. The album is an amalgamation of various sounds including punk-rock, pop-rock, indie-pop and ballads. She emphasizes the same theme of heartbreak and sadness in most of the songs but at the same time she does it skillfully and all while exploring various sounds. Most of the songs have a very somber tone and they display raw emotion and teenage distress. Not to mention her impressive vocal ability which she shows off on the more acoustic songs like enough for you and traitor. The only negative thing i could say is she relies too much on the same narrative about this break up and its not really a multi-dimensional break up; she was madly in love, he broke up with her, he moved on very quickly. This is the same narrative in drivers license, traitor, good 4 u, traitor, happier , deja vu and most of the other songs. It could get boring. Luckily, it doesn't because she keeps things very short and sweet. At just 35 minutes, the album is the right length and it does what it needs to do. It shows Olivia has a lot of talent and she is just getting started.… Expand
  5. trullyghost
    May 28, 2021
    10
    cada música desse álbum mostra uma faceta da personalidade da olivia e os momentos depois de um término, misturou vários gêneros e várias tonalidades e mesmo assim conseguiu entregar um álbum coeso e de qualidade, matou a billie, é aoty
  6. NourIsACritic
    May 28, 2021
    9
    Definitely Pop album of the year. Wish some of the songs were more upbeat but overall absolutely relatable and fun. So excited for this emerging new artist.
  7. effecktx
    May 27, 2021
    10
    that's reeeeally good. she was personal in a mixed way, sometimes dramatic, sometimes fun, sometimes f*ckin craaazy. I LOVE IT!
  8. xuxuba
    May 27, 2021
    7
    To be honest, i thought it was kinda off the first time i heard. some of the lyrics are kinda meh but the beats are very nice and well produced! i dont understand people who're saying she just wrote about love and heartbroken things, actually theres songs in this album who says about something else like "hope ur okay" and "jealousy, jealousy." overall is a good listening, easily one of theTo be honest, i thought it was kinda off the first time i heard. some of the lyrics are kinda meh but the beats are very nice and well produced! i dont understand people who're saying she just wrote about love and heartbroken things, actually theres songs in this album who says about something else like "hope ur okay" and "jealousy, jealousy." overall is a good listening, easily one of the best albums of the year.… Expand
  9. taylorbrandon
    May 27, 2021
    0
    Not a good album in my opinion very straightforward songs with boring lyrics
  10. Alanclocker
    May 27, 2021
    0
    A very bland and plain album nothing special about this. Just overhyped in my opinion
  11. Luanljds
    May 27, 2021
    0
    #1 in kids choice awards. This album sucks. I don’t even like the singles...
  12. Tom_Supreme
    May 27, 2021
    9
    This is an fantastic debut. She speaks facts from her point of view and i wouldn't be surprised if many people can relate to what she says.
  13. Carlos_dleon1
    May 27, 2021
    0
    I dont like it, its so bad, really is very bad vocal n lyrics. Idk but over party
  14. GamePlayer77
    May 26, 2021
    7
    Olivia Rodrigo lets her beautiful voice, great songwriting, and independence shine on her debut album, with some exceptions.

    FAV TRACK: deja vu
    LEAST FAV TRACK: jealousy, jealousy
  15. sebasms1
    May 26, 2021
    10
    Best album of 2021, ended butter and all bts discography prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
  16. Terry_0
    May 26, 2021
    1
    For me The songwriting is not as great as it seemed , some lyrics don't make sense for me. Royal flush
  17. Icki
    May 26, 2021
    7
    This album is really great for a debut. The melodies and her voice delivery is incredible and i love how honest she is, you can tell she sings from her heart. However, i don’t find this album so cohesive since some songs just don’t fit with the others and also lyric themes are pretty repetitive, i wish she changed it up a bit and sang from, for example, different perspectives of aThis album is really great for a debut. The melodies and her voice delivery is incredible and i love how honest she is, you can tell she sings from her heart. However, i don’t find this album so cohesive since some songs just don’t fit with the others and also lyric themes are pretty repetitive, i wish she changed it up a bit and sang from, for example, different perspectives of a heartbreak not just ‘hating the boy cause he has done everything wrong’. Overall, it’s definitely worth listening and i’m so looking forward to her new projects!… Expand
  18. trisdebelen
    May 26, 2021
    10
    The artistry and songwriting in this album are exceptional. Olivia Rodrigo has the ability to pick you up and place you into her universe, let you into her world, but you feel everything and you relate and understand. There are so few who understand this type of music. The quality of her songs is amazing. Her influence with pop-rock shows in her songs Brutal and Good 4 U but she also hasThe artistry and songwriting in this album are exceptional. Olivia Rodrigo has the ability to pick you up and place you into her universe, let you into her world, but you feel everything and you relate and understand. There are so few who understand this type of music. The quality of her songs is amazing. Her influence with pop-rock shows in her songs Brutal and Good 4 U but she also has the ability to slow it down with power ballads that can make your heartache. There is a rawness in the emotions that she aims to convey and she successfully does. Olivia Rodrigo has versatility and it shows in this amazing debut album. The world should watch out for what else she can bring.… Expand
  19. Nainasingh
    May 21, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It is the most relatable album I have ever heard....I feel pain,anger,regret,fun everything… Expand
  20. gabsousaaaa
    May 25, 2021
    10
    best album of 2021, i said what i said and you cant disagree with me . deal with it.
  21. ChrisD2019
    May 25, 2021
    10
    SOUR is a masterpiece. You go in expecting it to be like: "whatever *shrug*", but it surprises tf outta you and turns out to be amazing. Olivia deserves all the Grammys and other awards for this absolute once in a decade album. 10/10 would recommend everyone to listen to it.
  22. Ingperez9
    May 25, 2021
    10
    The best album ever for a teenage girl!!! And olivia had such a beautiful voice!!
  23. shay1018
    May 25, 2021
    10
    i was surprised how amazing this album actually was! i’m proud of her and it’s only her debut
  24. leovmm11
    May 25, 2021
    9
    Very good album! Loved the duality of the more energetic songs and the slower and calmer songs! It’s a rlly good album in general :p fav song is either: “good 4 u” or “favorite crime”
  25. Kemperb
    May 25, 2021
    9
    Inspiration is the name of the game when it comes to SOUR. Ultimately, the sounds are fresh and fun, but sometimes the style can get a little lost in the content and can shy away from one clear focus. Production is absolutely amazing with lots of different sounds mixing together to make one of the best pop records of the year so far.
  26. sammiconger
    May 25, 2021
    10
    This album embodies what it means to be a teenager. Even though that specific narrative is so cliche, she somehow has completely reinvented it and made it completely her own. Her influence from Taylor Swift is clear in her songwriting, taking a strong feeling and making it clear sonically, expelling emotion throughout her singing voice and her lyrics. The beginning track is strong andThis album embodies what it means to be a teenager. Even though that specific narrative is so cliche, she somehow has completely reinvented it and made it completely her own. Her influence from Taylor Swift is clear in her songwriting, taking a strong feeling and making it clear sonically, expelling emotion throughout her singing voice and her lyrics. The beginning track is strong and powerful, with arguably one of the best lines from the album: "And I'm so sick of seventeen / where's my **** teenage dream? If someone tells me one more time "enjoy your youth", I'm gonna cry." - Then, she sings about heartache, what she's gone through in her teen years through her own experience, yet making it completely general so anyone can take her words and make them their own. It's a heartbreak album with angst, and quite honestly, no artist should ever shy away from what they really want to write about, and I'm glad Rodrigo did just that. Her talent is clear with her first three debut singles going straight to number one, thus making history as a woman musician. She is here to change the world, and we are merely just watching and listening as she does so. One of the best albums of 2021, and we only get to see her grow from here. 10/10.… Expand
  27. Carolmsp
    May 25, 2021
    7
    A great debut album, Olivia is a gifted songwriter and have so much potential. But, big part of the songs in the album sound like the same, and talk about similar experiences. Loved all the main singles, but i think she picked a weak set list.
  28. lb56
    May 25, 2021
    10
    From the first song to the last, this album has no skips. Brutal reels you in with shocking pop rock and Olivia keeps you there until the last heartbreaking song. Olivia Rodrigo is here to stay.
  29. Lanasbeech
    May 25, 2021
    0
    A very predictable, kinda boring album. it’s giving miley cyrus wannabe. another industry plant as if we didn’t already had one like that. hope she’ll serve something better soon.
  30. analuizwpgo
    May 25, 2021
    7
    for a debut album this is impressive! the singles are definitely the highlights of the album among traitor and brutal. this is girl is already huge
    taylor swift is proud of her child!
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Awards & Rankings

89
#89 Best Album of 2021
11
#11 Most Discussed Album of 2021

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Universal acclaim - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. AllMusic
    May 28, 2021
    80
    Her combination of sweet melodies and bitter moods, her conversational flow, and her self-awareness are all skills many songwriters twice her age would love to call their own, and they make Sour a well-rounded emotional journey and strong debut album.
    Read full review
  2. PopMatters
    May 25, 2021
    70
    Sour, for the most part, is a pop album that dips its toes into the alt-pop and bedroom pop subgenres, specifically spending most of its time in the latter. ... Rodrigo's lo-fi deep cuts that were made in the shadow of "Drivers License" can sound a bit repetitive. Her craft as a songwriter is especially evident on tracks like "Enough For You", "Happier", or "Hope Ur Ok", but the acoustic complexion these songs were going for could have benefitted from a bit more background noise.
    Read full review
  3. Exclaim
    May 25, 2021
    80
    By the end of the album, Rodrigo has established her voice and showed listeners that she's not afraid to be vulnerable. SOUR is a strong debut that vividly illustrates the beautiful chaos of being inside a teenage girl's brain.
    Read full review
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