British pop maverick has enjoyed her most successful album release cycle yet with her eighth album Brat. It’s sold well in the UK and US and enjoyed critical acclaim. It’s even become part of the US political landscape – democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has coopted its art style for her campaign.
But how does Brat hold up compared to the rest of Charlotte Aitchison’s discography? Aged only 31, she’s already recorded eight albums. I didn’t include her self-released debut 14, which she released in her early teens. However, I’ve included her two most recent mixtapes, Number 1 Angel and Pop 2, which feel substantial enough to stand proudly as albums.
Charli XCX albums ranked
#8 Sucker
2014
On her sophomore album, Aitchison embraced a guitar-driven pop-rock sound. The sound works fine for her, but it’s her most inconsistent bunch of songs. There are great moments like the onomatopoeic lead single ‘Boom Clap’ and the Rita Ora collaboration on ‘Doin’ It’.
But Aitchison’s punk-infused adolescent persona isn’t always convincing. The non-stop energy can feel grating at times.
#7 Number 1 Angel
2017
Sucker had its moment but it felt like a dead end. Aitchison reinvented herself with the 2016 EP Vroom Vroom. She started working with PC Music, and the label’s founder A.G. Cook produces Number 1 Angel. The hyperpop sound gives Aitchison more edge.
Despite more avant-garde elements, the best moments on Number 1 Angel are the most conventional. ‘3AM (Pull Up)’ combines a great hook with mixed emotions, while ‘Babygirl’ is warm and tuneful.
#6 Crash
2022
Crash was originally planned as the sequel to 2019’s Charli, as a 1980s-tinged record inspired by Janet Jackson. It was pushed back a couple of years by the pandemic and the quickfire recording of How I’m Feeling Now.
It’s a little disappointing, too mainstream and straightforward to play to Aitchison’s strengths. But it has its moments – the collaboration with Caroline Polachek and Christine and the Queens on ‘New Shapes’ is unstoppably bombastic, while ‘Break Every Rule’ stands out with its quiet reflection.
#5 Charli
2019
After five years of EPs and mixtapes, Aitchison’s third official album arrived in 2019. It feels like it’s trying to cover all her bases. It spans from experimental songs like ‘White Mercedes’ to crowdpleasers like the Troye Sivan collaboration ‘1999’.
There’s plenty of strong material though. The opener ‘Next Level Charli’ is one of my favourites from her discography, building in intensity over two-and-a-half minutes. It’s followed by the excellent collaboration with Christine and the Queens on ‘Gone’.
#4 True Romance
Aitchison was only 20 when she released her debut album. But she’d been around for years, playing raves as a teenager and co-writing the #2 Swedish hit ‘I Love It’ for Icona Pop. She works with producer Ariel Rechtshaid. Rechtshaid furnishes her with a moody sound that Aitchison describes as “neon goth”.
The opening track ‘Nuclear Seasons’ remains one of her finest songs. ‘What I Like’ is fun and breezy, while ‘Stay Away’ is typical of the album’s dark but accessible sound.
#3 How I’m Feeling Now
2020
2020 was the year of the COVID pandemic. Aitchison set herself a deadline of five and a half weeks to write, record, and mix a record during self-isolation. She previewed the songs during weekly Zoom meetings with fans – sharing demos and early lyrics.
The focus helps spotlight Aitchison’s strengths. There’s little diversity or cameos, and it showcases her strengths as a writer and vocalist. Songs like ‘Forever’, ‘Detonate’, and ‘Enemy’ stand proudly on their own merits.
#2 Pop 2
2018
Charli XCX’s most recent mixtape is one of her most accomplished records. It’s more experimental than Number 1 Angel. Releasing it as a mixtape rather than an album gave Aitchison artistic freedom.
‘Backseat’, with Carly Rae Jepsen on duet vocals, is one of Aitchison’s finest tracks. It showcases the record’s ability to mix pop hooks with an exploratory feel. Jepsen’s girlish voice and Aitchison’s deeper tones contrast well, and the song breaks down into the pair singing “alone, alone, alone, alone”. ‘Femmebot’ is an impressive, more straightforward, pop song.
#1 Brat
2024
Before Brat Charli struggled to meet her potential, veering between pop maverick and mainstream wannabe. Brat is finally the great album she’s promised to make, combining the best aspects of her previous work. It combines the intimacy and honesty of How I’m Feeling Now with the brash hooks of Sucker and Crash.
There are many great moments. Among the embarrassment of riches, ‘B2B’ and ‘Girl, So Confusing’ rank among my favourite tracks. ‘Talk Talk’ tells the story of her first meeting with her fiance George Daniel, while there’s unexpected carnival piano in ‘Mean Girls’. Brat is likely to stand as Aitchison’s career high point.
Did I underrate your favourite Charli XCX album?
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