Album Review: Olivia Rodrigo’s “Guts”

Oliva Rodrigo’s 2nd album, “GUTS,” came out on September 8, two years after the widespread release of “Sour,” which catapulted Rodrigo to fame. “GUTS” consists of 12 songs which is about 39:12 minutes of listening time. The overall vibe is a much more moody and rock-inspired album than her first album SOUR. SOUR can be described as a classic teenage heartbreak pop album, with her hinting about her break up with Joshua Bassett.

Rodrigo’s first song is titled “All American B***h”. The opening track can be described as a pop-punk track highlighting the complex ideals of a young woman in America. We can infer this with her singing “Coca-bola bottles that I only use to curl my hair. I got class and integrity just like a goddamn Kennedy” All American B**** is 4th on Spotify, making it more popular than songs like  “Deja Vu” and “Driver’s License,” which were all the rage in 2021. Another popular song from GUTS is Olivia’s “Bad Idea Right?” which is now a popular sound on TikTok with 197.9k posts using the song. The song sounds like something you’d hear from a 2000s teen film. “Bad idea right?” is about Rodrigo leaving a party to see her ex while her friends object. The song also talks about Olivas’ hope to rekindle her love with that certain ex. One of the less popular songs of this album is “Ballad of a Homeschool Girl” is a song about social anxiety. The song appeals to today’s teens with about 1 and 3 teens dealing with social anxiety. It could be a reference to Rodrigo’s home-school days or just about her own social anxiety she has.

Overall, GUTS doesn’t disappoint with it being only her second album. Though I’d like to hear some more pop-punk tracks in it. While yes they do have a heavier punk influence in some songs that happen to be popular I think she could be the next generation Arvil Lavinge. Overall I think Oliva fails to have a trademark that can easily identify her but I bet as she releases more albums shell find her trademark eventually. 

Overall Oliva’s newest album proves to be another hit with  199.59 million streams overall on Spotify and all her songs hitting above the top 40 of the Hot 100. Since the album was released, Rodrigo announced at the MTV Music Awards that the GUTS tour will start in February 2024. Artists joining her on tour include the likes of “PinkPantheress” “Chappell Roan” and a couple more. Overall Rodrigo will perform a total of 77 shows for her sophomore album, with the Success of Guts which means that there’s a new line of merch ranging from t-shirts to tote bags and hats. Overall “GUTS” is an amazing album with so many good songs and its success proves that.