What is the best pop album of the streaming era?

Bedroom-pop whispers and arena-filling bangers, viral debut albums and comeback masterpieces — the streaming era has been anything but quiet. Which pop album will go down as the one that defined it?

1

When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

Billie Eilish's 2019 genre-bending debut that traded glossy pop production for whisper-quiet intensity and dark bedroom-pop textures.

2

Fine Line

Harry Styles' 2019 album that blended 70s rock influences with lush pop songwriting, establishing him as a major solo voice.

3

Thank U, Next

Ariana Grande's swift 2019 follow-up record that processed heartbreak into some of the sharpest, most self-assured pop of the decade.

4

SOUR

Olivia Rodrigo's 2021 debut that channelled teenage angst through power-pop and emo influences, becoming a generational anthem album.

5

Midnights

Taylor Swift's 2022 synth-pop meditation on sleepless nights that shattered streaming records upon release.

6

Short n' Sweet

Sabrina Carpenter's 2024 breakout album that made her a pop superstar with razor-sharp songwriting and irresistible hooks.

7

Happier Than Ever

Billie Eilish's 2021 sophomore album, a deeper and more introspective exploration of fame, relationships, and identity.

8

Harry's House

Harry Styles' 2022 intimate pop gem that stripped away rock posturing for a warm, eclectic sound rooted in folk-pop and funk.

9

GUTS

Olivia Rodrigo's 2023 sophomore album that broadened her palette with pop-punk energy and lyrical wit while retaining emotional rawness.

10

brat

Charli xcx's 2024 hyperpop-meets-dance-pop statement that became a cultural phenomenon and one of the year's most critically acclaimed records.

11

The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess

Chappell Roan's 2023 debut album that built a devoted cult following with theatrical pop-rock and razor-sharp queer storytelling.

12

After Hours

The Weeknd's 2020 synth-pop and R&B epic that blended cinematic grandeur with dark romanticism to global commercial success.

13

Purpose

Justin Bieber's 2015 career-reinventing album that merged tropical-pop, EDM, and R&B into a polished commercial juggernaut.

14

÷ (Divide)

Ed Sheeran's 2017 smash record spanning folk-pop, hip-hop, and Celtic folk — one of the best-selling albums of the streaming era.

15

Chromatica

Lady Gaga's 2020 return-to-dance-music album, a euphoric synth-pop and house record about healing through rhythm and movement.

16

reputation

Taylor Swift's 2017 dark, synth-heavy reinvention that subverted her wholesome image and became a streaming-era blockbuster.

17

Dangerous Woman

Ariana Grande's 2016 album where she stepped fully into her own as a pop powerhouse with lush production and mature songwriting.