Melanie Martinez has announced that her highly anticipated fourth album, HADES, is coming out on March 27. Fans are ecstatic for the new character, themes, and 18-song track list.
An American singer-songwriter known for her alternative pop style, Melanie Martinez employs Seussical visuals and contrasting, distinctive themes. Her concept albums—Cry Baby, K-12, and Portals—follow Crybaby, a character inspired by Martinez’s upbringing. Across each album, Crybaby goes through childhood, then life, before dying and returning in an afterlife form. These albums cemented Martinez as a unique storyteller and performer. Fans fell in love with Crybaby and her progression through each album, creating a lasting fanbase. Here are 22 songs to jam out to for Crybaby and welcome in Martinez’s new album and new character, Circle.
Cry Baby (2015)
1. “Cry Baby”
2. “Dollhouse”
3. “Carousel”
4. “Sippy Cup”
5. “Soap”
6. “Pity Party”
7. “Milk and Cookies”
8. “Mrs. Potato Head”
9. “Mad Hatter”
Starting with Martinez’s debut album, Cry Baby features iconic songs that defined an era and introduced the world to the singer’s trademark look and flair. Having the first three songs on the playlist is essential, as they introduce listeners to Crybaby’s world and set the stage for the twinkling beats and dreamlike sound production.
The lyrics of the songs tell the tale of a young, sensitive girl who cries and cries while dealing with a fake picture-perfect family and her first time falling for someone. More light is shed on Crybaby’s family in “Sippy Cup,” where the lyrics describe that just because something is fashioned all fancy on the outside, it is still the opposite on the inside.
The world-building and childhood milestones like first crushes and birthday parties continue in “Soap” and “Pity Party.” Intertwining storytelling and specific sounds to make each song stand out, these are perfect for blasting through one’s speakers. The uniqueness is built in “Milk and Cookies” and “Mrs. Potato Head,” where the topics of kidnapping and changing everything about your looks are wrapped in a melodic dancing tune that lulls listeners into a feel-good mood despite the opposing lyrics.
The album has a satisfying end with “Mad Hatter,” an anthem of sorts about accepting one’s “craziness” since “all the best people are,” and celebrating it with equally crazy friends.
K-12 (2019)
10. “Class Fight”
11. “The Principal”
12. “Nurse’s Office”
13. “Strawberry Shortcake”
14. “Orange Juice”
15. “Teacher’s Pet”
16. “High School Sweethearts”
17. “Recess”
In the album that’s a metaphor for going through life, K-12 expands Martinez’s musical universe with school-themed lyrics and stark, timely themes. A surefire way to get up and dance is through “Class Fight” and “The Principal” with their catchy beats and addictive lyrics. An added bonus for the story element is Crybaby going to school for the first time, encountering her first bully, and learning her principal is a fraud.
The jams at school carry on in “Nurse’s Office” and “Strawberry Shortcake.” One conveys wanting to go home to escape school, and the other dissects girls suddenly being at fault for their bodies changing. This particular theme of girls’ struggles is seen in “Orange Juice” as well, with those lyrics highlighting the toll of eating disorders. Yet, each song contributes to the dance party with its individual sounds and can’t-help-but-sing-along lyrics.
Martinez intertwines darker elements seen from her first album through the song “Teacher’s Pet,” which highlights a teacher/student relationship, and still factors in the elusive melody that makes listeners want to get up and sway to the tune again. She evens out the darkness with “High School Sweethearts,” a light and fun song that lists the requirements to be Crybaby’s one true love. After listeners are done singing to their pretend love, they can take it slow with the enchanting melody that is “Recess.” A slight ballroom-dance feel, this song is perfect to round out the adored sophomore album.
Portals (2023)
18. “DEATH”
19. “VOID”
20. “SPIDER WEB”
21. “THE CONTORTIONIST”
22. “MOON CYCLE”
23. “NYMPHOLOGY”
24. “EVIL”
As Martinez’s most recent album, Portals sent shockwaves through her fanbase for its out-of-nowhere release and a new look from Martinez herself: a pink four-eyed alien. Fans quickly learned that this alien look was Crybaby’s afterlife form, for she had died, and this album represented life after death. While the story took a sad turn, the beats did not.
“DEATH” and “VOID” open the album to background sounds of insects skittering and crawling, yet listeners can’t help but dance along to the new and different beats accompanying them as Martinez sings that she is back from the dead. “SPIDER WEB” adds to the strange yet enjoyable sound production through its percussive melody and metaphorical lyrics describing social media addiction.
Relatable themes follow through the rest of the album from “THE CONTORTIONIST” (relationship break-up) to “MOON CYCLE” (women dealing with their menstrual cycle) to “NYMPHOLOGY” (calling out ex-partners). Weaving through them all is Martinez’s ever-changing, creative sound and whimsical yet hard-hitting lyrics. This is especially heard in the fan-favorite “EVIL,” which gives a new spin to the angry breakup anthem. Listeners will equally sing and dance their hearts out by the end of this album.
The impact of these albums
Throughout these albums, listeners discovered and fell in love with the unique tunes and lyrics that don’t fit anywhere else except in Crybaby’s world, crafted and honed by Martinez. In making a large influence in the music industry, Martinez has garnered a worldwide fanbase and an exceptional discography filled to the brim with a variety of distinct dancing beats and eye-catching lyrics. With a discography like that, there’s no better way to gear up for an album release than a playlist full of her greatest hits.
