Wuthering Heights

this album just came out wtf? It is good but shocked it's on here

I understand why "brat" made the revised list, but this is nowhere as socially relevant or as good. There are far more albums that have come out the last few years that deserve recognition. 2/5 Won't listen again

Minuspoäng för att skivan är så pass ny. Men annars är den ganska spännande och jag gillade den. Många fina låtar här.

Haven't seen the film and I doubt I will. I did hear the first track here in advance and it got me really excited. Epic and brilliant, it stands alone. Holds off and builds the tension brilliantly before letting rip with stings and crunch at the absolutely perfect moment. I could listen to this build for another 3 minutes, I want more. I got this the day after Brat which, yeah, insert here all the usual arguments about the book and Bruno Mac's picks etc. I've done it myself, but being 10/12 through the new albums and reading the reviews of them here daily it is getting tiresome seeing the same point made by everyone again and again and again. Understandable of course, just boring. Moving on... Wall of Sound is also a great track, no beats which is interesting for a Charli track, again twisted strings, stretched and scrawped within an inch of their life. Dying For You returns to more familiar and straightforward poppy territory, but strings remain. This could easily have been on Brat or another of her previous commercial dance efforts, but it is a decent. The standard set early on is very high. Since her new album (2nd release in 2026) is more concerned with a rocky aspect, I'm glad this more dance-oriented number had this project to get an airing, even if it doesn't quite fit the mood of the rest of the record. Always Everywhere, a lovely upbeat (without the beat) track, this time with luscious, rather than battered, strings. The autotune dial is leaned on less heavily here also, very pretty song. Which makes it all the more noticeable when it returns in the next track Chains of Love, a full on 80s power ballad (except with loads of autotune). Again decent, so far no complaints. There are a couple of less exciting tracks, before Eyes of the World reminds me Sky Ferreira exists and still hasn't released that second album after what is it, a decade now? but this is a fully fledged banger, and showcases her evident talent. The album closes very strong with the swirling, excellently smooth but with jagged edges Funny Mouth. All this reminds me why I stuck this in my tentative albums of the year list back in January - so I then question why I haven't listened back much since then> Perhaps because while very good, as the album goes on it feels all very good, but not necessarily pushing any boundaries, or being quite exciting enough to keep me coming back. Open Up alone reminds me this is a soundtrack album, there isn't much soundtrack stuff here, these are very definitely mostly songs and so an album that stands alone, and a good one at that.

I prefer Brat, it's vastly superior. Though I appreciate what she's going for with this rather concise album. It's dirty, it's horny, it's melodramatic.

Out of context it’s just kind of whatever. Different than what brat was up to; grandiose. Movie was terrible though. Not the worst of the 2026 additions, but with them putting brat on there already, this is probably the second-most redundant pick out of them.

It's pretty good, it's not outstanding, right?

Ok 3/5

Blind album, know the artist by name. So confused why any if these new albums are on this list... 2.

1. houze - 1 2. uuall - 1 3. dying - 1 4. aluuayz - 1 5. chainz - 1 6. out - 1 7. open - 1 8. zeeing - 1 9. altarz - 1 10. eyez - 1 11. reminder - 1 12. mouth - 1

Well i made it through to the end of the album so this is doing better than the film this soundtracks In truth this is decent and fairly surprising That said i do find it hard to distinguish between the different songs which i think is due to her vocal style Why isn’t Sky Ferrira’s debut on the list though

3/4

Ah it makes slightly more sense this was a soundtrack I suppose, the music certainly wasn't trying to stand out. Felt like I was waiting for it to kick in and then it finished. Was a bit sort of grand and and airy pop I think? But I'm not 100 percent to be honest, its already fell out of my brain. Really bad albums are noticeably painful so it's not a 1 but it has to be a low score by it's clear blandness, 1.5.

Cinematic synth-pop with big emotions and lots of angst. Charli xcx is an interesting artist — she makes a lot of club bangers and party songs, but there’s often a tension and vulnerability in her songs. Even on “Brat,” which is ostensibly a party album, half the songs are about insecurity and anxiety and regret. This album has a different musical style for sure, but I recognize that candid, emotional nakedness that’s in a lot of her lyrics and singing. I wonder how many of these songs are in the movie and how they work with the story. There’s definitely a cinematic vibe to the album — the strings alone feel like dramatic movie score strings. I’m halfway through the album and already feel like this is dense enough to go back for a second listen. The structure and style of the songs are surprising me. The music is sweeping and melancholy at the same time. I also love the auto-tune and distortion effects on her voice throughout the album. I’ve long thought that auto-tune is a great way to bring out certain emotional textures (the enduring influence of Kanye’s “808s & Heartbreak” continues), and Charli xcx puts the effect to great use here. There are moments of pain and sadness that are somehow amplified by that robotic sound.

Good album. Great collab with Cale.

How is this already on the list it just came out

Considerably better than the other Charlie XCX on this list. My highest rated yet of the new installment

Best Song: Dying for You. This felt like it really built out of the two more "introductory" tracks, into the first real true pop song. Worst Song: Eyes of the World. That talk-singing is very "Taylor Swift" in a bad way. Overall: A bit of a strange pop album, seemingly split between pretty standard modern pop, and interludes that seem purely there for the vibes. Not entirely cohesive, and the first half seemed more ambitious than the latter half.

The first song might be her best

Disco con canciones con ritmo y con estilo predominantemente dance. Buena voz y bien elaborado. No es mi estilo, pero puede funcionar para tener de fondo y escuchar algo distinto.

Now I’m the biggest Charlie xcx hater. I wake up with a smile on my face ready to hate on her ass. I stand on the fact that her music is the musical equivalent to hot dog water. However, this album was not that bad. I actually quite enjoyed her writing in this one and the musicality actually had some quality to it. You win this round Charles, you win this round.

7/10

Not like brat. More interesting.

I am having an xcx crash course here, and this is...not as much fun as Brat, but probably more interesting in a way. The level of genre hopping is fascinating, if occasionally a little jarring. Despite that, it does have a kind of 'wild Heathcliffian moors' vibe to it throughout, in large parts thanks to great production. Another slice of Charli xcx that makes me think she's an extreme force for good in a very bland world.

Unswttliy pop

Came in ready to hate this album and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Charli has modern pop in the palm of her hands and she deserves it

Another new addition that I've heard before, and another one that doesn't really deserve its place. At least BRAT was very clearly a cultural phenomenon for its time. Wuthering Heights... hmm. It's hard to say given it came out this year, but I haven't heard many people talk about this record. The first song, House, barely qualifies as a song, never mind a Charli xcx song with any qualities that mark genuinely good music. The high, repeating screeching notes, the slow, meaningless rhythm... God, this is genuinely hard to listen to in parts. Loud, grating, repetitive, and trudges slowly in muddy circles in an attempt to make a deep artistic statement about the nature of introspection and (possibly) depression. It's impressively bad – and certainly more so than anything from BRAT. Wall of Sound avoids living up to its title, and though the echoed vocals are decent, the track never really picks up steam. If you're going to start a record with two dreary percussionless tracks, you'd better have a really good concept to back it up. Dying for You does a much, much better job at presenting a sound that combines classic Charli with accessibility and also with some cool new synth-pop ideas. Tons of energy and solid hooks. Always Everywhere, though a little generic, does what it sets out to do: a couple of big swelling synth buildups with some soaring melodic lines at the peaks. The first truly great song here has to be Chains of Love, containing a confusing yet glorious mess of 1980s-slash-2020s production choices, distortion, muted percussion... the works. Charli's singing is really solid here, too. Out of Myself excels most with its overly aggressive double bass(?) hits. I also like the light pitter-patter percussion and the weird-as-heck string outro. With Open up, Charli again demonstrates how not to open a side of music. Ambience can work, and it very nearly does here, but her vocals are a bit off-putting. Seeing Things is a bit of an extended build-up that doesn't quite pay off, but build-ups themselves have a certain degree of merit. The little outro glow is an easy highlight. We continue the strangely held-back energy on side 2 with Altars, another solid effort (this time featuring percussion!) with a fairly plaintive mood. I hear heavy Lana Del Rey influence here. Every of the World is much the same, though I consider it the high point of side 2 because Ferreira's voice adds a really interesting, expressive new texture to the mix. My Reminder is pretty uninteresting; barely passable on account of the dizzying synths that pick up about 90 seconds in. Good thing we have Funny Mouth as an intense, weird, ridiculous closer. It's so oddly intriguing that it just about works. Also, the percussion between the string hits sounds like machine gun fire. 3/5 Key tracks: Dying for You, Chains of Love, Out of Myself

decent

Another Charli album! This time her rave influenced pop climaxes with cinematic orchestral strings instead of a bombastic and cocaine fueled EDM breakdown, which is kind of weird! I have a complicated relationship with soundtrack albums, they definitely need representation but too often (and Dimery's guilty of this) they don't hold up well as standalone experiences, requiring further context from the source material to get the most out of it. The first song, House - which is a very interesting piece of industrial dark ambient -, filled me with dread because it sounds like the very thing I was complaining about! Fortunately the album corrects course quite quickly and has Charli do her usual thing with cinematic classical strings. She does actually utilize the strings in interesting way such as Dying For You where they're used essentially as a dance best, but for most of the album they do feel a bit hackneyed in the same way they're always used in movies. Still, Charli has to work with the assignment and she does a good job for the most part. Was it a good addition to the list: No. If we need more than one Charli album, there's definitely better choices. Top 3 songs: Dying for You, Chains of Love, Funny Mouth

Chains of Love //

Actually think this is better than brat Should the soundtrack to a poorly reviewed movie be on this list? Absolutely not Enjoyable, but come on.

It’s atmospheric and ambitious. The collaboration with John Cale is the standout track by a mile. It’s a solid offering from a pop girlie who is maturing in their creative pursuits. There’s a lot of promise here. But not an album that blew me away.

Too soon to be on this list? Maybe. But a stunning listen - gripping, compelling and rich with storytelling. Charli XCX comes into her own as an artist, making bold sonic choices that creates a landscape full of obsession and desire and pain. Beautifully delivered.

Nope. Shouldn't be here. Again, another prime example of recency bias and reasons why there should be a decade gap. There's so many better soundtrack albums out there, why include this one because she's flavour of the month? The Harder They Come by Jimmy Cliff? ANYTHING by Ennio Morricone? Absolute joke of an inclusion. Best Tracks: Dying For You; Always Everywhere; Chains of Love

Not better than brat, but I'm glad Charli is at least represented now

Didn’t really enjoy this one much, it’s ok but I question its inclusion in this newest edition of the book.

Very immersive album. After reading the wiki I'm not surprised to learn this album was made to be the soundtrack for a movie because it is very atmospheric. I'm normally not a big pop fan but this doesn't feel like just another pop album.

Surprised how much I enjoyed this.

I guess? A perfectly serviceable soundtrack for a (from what I've heard) pretty shitty movie. I think a much better thing to do if you're bound by the shadow lord to include two Charli xcx albums on your list is to go for "BRAT" and one of her earlier hyperpoppier works (probably "how i'm feeling now") to both actually show her evolution as an artist and the hyperpop genre in general. John Cale inclusion be damned as good as that song is. I really doubt this is gonna be an album with any staying power. More of a curiosity in her catalogue, kind of like when Pink Floyd did the soundtrack for "More".

I'm sure it fits perfectly in the movie. No idea what it's about, nor will I even watch it probably. This album should not have been chosen for the list. It's not bad, but not essential by any stretch of the measure.

i really liked the first 2/3 of this album, with only a few somewhat boring tracks towards the end. i want this degree of texture and discordance in more pop and pop-adjacent music. i really liked her approach to using her voice. i wish the album had continued with the intensity of the first tracks. 3.5 rounded up.

Got this immediately after brat and it's basically impossible to make a case for this album to be on this list when Charli xcx already has a better, more unique-sounding, and more buzzy album on the same exact book update. In such an incremental change there's really no defense in my mind for putting on two albums from one artist. I like the opening track, I find it interesting, but it's also the only one that I really remember after listening.

The TikTok song! Other than that I have no idea how this made the cut. Chains of Love was the best song on the album by a huge margin. I thought the production was nice and lush but each song felt short and a little half baked. It’s not a bad album but it’s not essential by any stretch of the definition and we already have Brat so why add another Charli xcx album?

I do agree with the gripes of adding an album the year it comes out but I can't review the music on that alone. This has interesting moments, I'm glad John Cale is getting work. It's a bit odd this is a soundtrack.

What are we talking about here? The poor people that died before being informed they needed to listen to this before they died. I know the name, not the music. This does sound like a soundtrack. A cohesive sound. Well produced and I wouldn't mind hearing what else she has done. There are definitely worse albums that remained on the list. I don't see myself thinking of this again, but I enjoyed the listen.

If you're only adding thirteen albums, I don't think two of them need to be Charli XCX ones, and if you're only choosing one, it's obviously Brat over this. Still, I quite enjoyed it; a high three, almost a four.

Rubbish

OK OK We ARE doing soundtracks here. Robert adds two (2) pre-disco(!!!) Bee Gees albums to the list but... No Saturday Night Fever Make it make sense!

Highlights: House, Always Everywhere. Charli XCX did a soundtrack? Well there ya go. The synth blasts are cool. Some strange use of loops. It's more daring and experimental music than what I was expecting. Overall: 4/10

I am not the target audience for a companion album to a movie screenplay targeted to teenage girls. It was ok.

Adding new albums to this list that have been out for less than a year seems super suspect to me. I had brat a few days ago and understood it's inclusion more because it was such a big hit. However, I enjoyed this a lot more than brat. It's noisier and more abrasive and atmospheric, and it turns down the pop a bit. All of that being said, I think it's pretty premature to add it to this list so quickly.

Not bad

I was pretty surprised to see this album got added to the list tbh. It's a pretty nice listen and I really like the darker, broodier style Charli does on it, but the whole thing feels pretty disjointed and the songs come across as half-baked in a lot of the cases (some of this may be because it's a soundtrack album). It's no BRAT, but that's okay and I still like it. 8/10

Fíla þetta!

Wuthering Heights by Charli XCX must be one of the newest albums on this list. The author of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die is clearly a Charli XCX fan, judging by her inclusion in the more recent editions! It's quite a surprising entry, particularly as this is a soundtrack to the film of the same name. I enjoyed BRAT when I listened to it as part of this challenge, so I was interested to hear what she'd do next. It was also a lovely surprise to hear John Cale appearing on the album. Musically, this is very different from BRAT, which could have been a disappointment if the songs weren't so good. Thankfully, I really enjoyed it. There's a darker, more atmospheric feel to the music, but it still has plenty of the interesting sounds, catchy melodies and creativity that made BRAT such an enjoyable listen. For me, this is exactly how an alternative pop album should be. Twelve tracks in just 34 minutes, short, sharp and straight to the point. There's no unnecessary filler, the songs don't outstay their welcome, and there's enough variety to keep everything interesting. It's full of unusual sounds and great production, but most importantly, it's entertaining. The album gets off to a particularly strong start, and I really enjoyed "Chains of Love", "Wall of Sound" and "Dying for You". There's a lovely mixture of melody, atmosphere and energy throughout, and nothing feels particularly weak. I also like that Charli isn't simply trying to recreate the success of BRAT. She's doing something different, and it works really well. Overall, Wuthering Heights is a really good album and another pleasant surprise from Charli XCX. It's inventive, enjoyable and perfectly paced. I liked BRAT, but I think I might actually prefer this. Two very different records, both of which have made me appreciate her music far more than I expected. I'll definitely be listening to this again. Favourite tracks: "Chains of Love", "Wall of Sound" and "Dying for You". A really strong opening to the album, with some excellent songs throughout. Least favourite track: Nothing really. There isn't a bad song on the album, and everything was worth a listen. Album artwork: A cool, striking cover. I'm assuming it's an image from the film, but either way, it suits the music nicely.

While the brief 34-minute runtime keeps it from dragging, the tight conceptual box Charli built for herself means some tracks can blend together, occasionally lacking the punchy, instantly iconic hooks of her best work. Critics are a bit split on it for this reason—some find it a breathtaking stylistic exercise, while others feel it doesn't quite reach the heights of her peak solo output.

Kind of like an opera. Slightly weird. Fun I guess but I don't think it's that full of tunes.

3 issues with this album: 1) it's a soundtrack..... 2) Charli XCX has 2 albums featured on the new additions made to the list.... Pick one, not 2 out of 13.....3) this album isn't even a year old..... Way too new to be included. There should be a minimum age applied to the list.... I mean... The music isn't terrible.... But I really don't understand why it was deemed "necessary listening". What does this album do to further progress the art of music? Nothing. It will be forgotten about within 6 months. I also have issues with soundtracks in general taken out of context being recommended on a list like this. If you've seen the film in question, they may hit better than someone who hasn't seen it. There are very few movie soundtracks that can stand alone as a good album without previously viewing the movie they represent. Favourite songs: Chains of Love, Dying for You, Out of Myself Least favourite songs: Eyes of the World 2/5

I can’t speak to whether this album accurately reflects the movie it was made for or the book the movie was based off, but I can say that at no point during this album did Charli sing about digging up a corpse and having sex with it, which is in the book. I know the movie doesn’t address this for some reason. Are we more prudish in the 2020s than we were in the 1840s? Anyway, Charli’s hesitation to just go for it leaves the album feeling a little boring and dull. It’s not fun like Brat or thought provoking like the book. Might be the same vibes as the movie, but like the movie, this album is very meh and ultimately forgettable. 3/5

Is it because John Cale features on the deliciously sinister opener of this album, "House", that Dimery and co. felt the need to include a *second Charli XCX album* in the 2026 edition of the book (already including *Brat*, as it should)? I guess it is tempting to comment on the dizzying march of time by tying this record to the iconic *The Velvet Underground And Nico*, as vastly different-sounding as the two records for completely different eras are. Yet other choices were possible. To comment on the dizzying march of time, Dimery could have as well selected *Music Fashion Films*, another album Charli released in 2026 -- whose closer, "Nothing Lasts Forever" makes an even more impressive statement about the ticking clock rendering all our hopes and artistic achievements pointless, thanks to David Cronenberg's spoken word featuring in it. This is a way for me to say that I also understand why some users would find the mention of *Wuthering Heights* sounds like a weird choice. This album is pretty cool overall, with a lot of endearing highlights and terrific production values making most of the songs shine with a distinctive dark light, even the lesser ones (more on those assets on one second). But this LP is of course not the sort of watershed moment that *Brat* was. It is undeniable that when Charli recorded this "companion album" to a film adaptation of Emily Brontë's literary masterpiece (which I guess not many people cared about, and which was panned by the film critics to boot), she did so to take away the pressure after the "Brat summer". Involving yourself in a low-stakes project such as this one -- before going on on your own adventures -- was a smart move, Charli. Nicely pulled off. And the first two thirds of the record are excellent anyway, with a lot of instantly memorable songs drawing on more melancholic intents than usual (in a hyperpop fashion, of course). Which is fitting given the source material. Special mention to "Dying For You", the poignant dream pop tones of "Always Everywhere", the banger ballad "Chains Of Love","Out Of Myself" and "Seeing Things". The last third of the album feels a little lackluster, Charli and Keane (her main producer on this one) losing their momentum to an extent. But as far as "low-stakes projects" go, you'd be hard-pressed to find one where the quality level is this satisfying. What gives at least half a bonus point to this record is the insane work for strings arrangements. Those strings are found everywhere in the tracklist, and they bring a one-of-a-kind gothic ambience, once again fitting to Emily Brontë's book. You have a wealth of ominous glissandi, atonal dirges, sudden jolts à la Bernard Hermann, and irresistible crescendos. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that this album / partial soundtrack feels more cinematic than the film is it associated to. Yeah, I haven't watched the film, by the way. I guess that to this day, I am more interested in the XCX cinematic universe than any offshoot from it. 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list dedicated to essential albums, rounded up to 4. 8.5/10 for more general purposes (5 for the musicianship and production values + 3.5 for the artistry) ---- Number of albums from the original list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 465 + 1 (addition to the 2026 edition of the book) Albums from the original list I *might* select for mine later on: 288 + 5 (*including this addition to the 2026 edition of the book*) Albums from the original list I won't select for mine: 336 + 5 (additions to the 2026 edition of the book) ---- Number of albums from the users list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 124 Albums from the users list I *might* select for mine later on: 142 Albums from the users list I won't select for mine: 319

Au moins c’est juste 34 minutes!

After listening to Brat yesterday, I wasn't expecting to like this album as much as I did. I ended up listening to it twice, because I went back to re-listen to the opening track (which I love) and got sucked back in. I also really loved "Funny Mouth."

1,5

Possibly the weirdest album to be added to the 2026 addition of the book. Two albums by Charli XCX feels a little lopsided. I get it, 8she's definitely a very important artist right now and Brat is a non-brainer. But there are also many great albums that didn't make the cut so it does feel weird to have this one (a soundtrack no less) included. Ok, that out of the way, let's try to give this a fair review. To start with, the opening track with John Cale is sensational and one of my favorite songs in recent years. That song alone is enough to save this album from getting a bad score. The rest of the album is very different though. Like many before her, Charli XCX attempts to create something that's equal parts film score and album. No easy feat for a film like Wuthering Heights that demands stark instrumental atmospheres. What makes this soundtrack different is that the balance tips towards a poppier song, at times even danceable, but with an undercurrent of a soundtrack. I haven't seen the movie so I can't comment on how well it works there. But as an album, it's interesting and notable for its darkness and foreboding. It's as if Charli XCX got sucked into the world of the film. And perhaps she even snuck a synthesizer in with her. Overall, it's a pretty good soundtrack with a handful of good ones and one great one. It's no Brat but it's good.

Possibly a 3.5 would try this one again

On the prior Charli xcx album I bemoaned these modern credits lists with no instrumental musicians just a ton of programmers and engineers. Joke's on me with this heavily orchestrated art price. I thought it was great, a surprising other side of this artist. Very art forward but a fun listen nonetheless. I might actually have to see the film.

I absolutely loved Brat but this time, i couldn't enjoy it as much :/ i guess it's cause Charli 's music doesn't really fit Wuthering Heights overall vibe

I adore Charli, but pray this isn't the one album of hers somehow chosen for this selection. Like, just the deluxe version of "Girl, so confusing" alone deserves to be on this list, not to mention that entire album, or my beloved How I'm Feeling. I'd even consider her latest album, Music, Fashion, Film, to be a worthy contender. It's not that this album is bad, not by any means; however, despite its bombastic gothic-pop flare, I find Wuthering Heights to be less adventurous than many of Charli's other projects. Her discography is full of ambitious, genre-defining sounds, and I've never felt this was quite at that level. Perhaps in part because its tied to a movie that fell short of my expectations.

Protest votes for being from 2026. Teehee. All of us doing this project act like we can give a definitive view on an album after living with it for a day, often giving it no more than a single listen. No less ridiculous than the book itself generally or specifically in picking 2026 albums. The whole thing is ridiculous but hopefully fun and maybe occasionally educational. Anyway, I liked this even though I felt like a lot of the melodies were familiar. I wish it was all like the first track.

Look I’m not saying it’s REALLY good, but it does have quite a lot more fibre and vitamins than you expect.

We saw the new Wuthering Heights movie. It is very little like the book: characters were combined, the scenes were WAY over sexed in comparison to the book. And Charli xcx's soundtrack was very anachronistic. Now sometimes that works, like in "A Knight's Tale". Not so much here. Probably because her writhing on the floor in the videos and such enforced the hyper-sensuality of the film. And why two of her albums back to back? I probably would have just kept "Brat," and I didn't even like that tht much either. NEXT.

Erikoinen valinta ottaa albumi samalta vuodelta, ja siinä ei mikään (omasta mielestäni) Charlin uran huippuhetki. Ihan kelpo levy, ei siinä mitään.

Just complete garbage. Why the hell did this album get added to the list? 1/5

Gear: Hifiman HE6se v2 SE Artwork: 🫳🥚👐 Production: 🎧⛪🌟 Music: 👻🎻🤯 Rating: 🕯️🕯️🕯️(🕯️)/5

almost 2.5

I like this, in fact it is surprisingly good. I haven’t seen the film.but it fits the themes well and works as a stand alone piece. Gothic pop I’m calling it, that’s probably a sub genre already though lol

Not bad, gave it two listens. Some strings and orchestral elements mixed with pop. 3/5

nope

Not first listen Hmmm- I’m torn on this one. In one way, it exceeded expectations because I thought the processed orchestra was used very effectively- a nice balance between pop music and film score. On the other hand, the production carries some otherwise slight songwriting. They’re all short songs, but sometimes the economical length leaves me feeling like some songs could have spent more time in development. Lyrically “Always Everywhere” is nice, musically it sounds like a basic-ass throwaway that Taylor Swift might have written. This being a movie soundtrack doesn’t really affect my rating. I’m not super interested in seeing this Wuthering Heights film, but I imagine hearing these songs in the context they were made for might make me appreciate them differently. 13 new albums on the list and 4 of them are repeat artists (Charli, Cure, Chemical Brothers, Stones)? Smarten up, editors HL: “House”, “Dying For You”, “Chains of Love”, “Eyes of the World”

We only needed brat. This was a waste of time.

Whilst it's a decent sounding record, if I was in the mood for this I would just listen to Rosalia - LUX as it's a much better record.

This is a hard one for me. I loved this movie, so naturally I should be happy. I do not think this has anywhere close to enough time that would make me agree with having to listen to this before I die. It simply should not be on this list, and certainly should not replace a different one as well. Given that, I personally do like some of these songs! Chains of love I listen to always. But shouldn’t be on the list.

It's not even time for magazine columns for best of the year and this album that came out around dinner time yesterday is in a book of all-time albums?? GTFO. yeah it's fine for the construction it is, a lot of work was put in for sure - slickly produced and everything quantized and tuned to microtonal perfection. for me: eh. 4/10 2 stars IMO: Belonged in the book? again...no.

Strange but somehow great because it’s so strange

Opening with a John Cale collaboration was unexpected and gave this project even more “art cred” than the backdrop material. His contributions throughout add to the haunting beauty of the overall sound.

Dance pop; nothing here we haven’t heard over the last twenty years: synth vocals and a snappy beat.

How does an album that is 8 months old, probably less, make a list of 1001 essential albums?

How did an album from 2026 make it into the list? I’m so confused. Also this album is a bunch of soundscape noise, not actual songs.

this is all well and good, but what in the damn hell does any of this have to do with heathcliff??

One of the newbies to the list and certainly a strange entry at that. I'm hoping 'brat' made it on here at least. This album I remember I heard back when it first came out but didn't really think too much of it, especially given its ties to a movie that I never ended up seeing. I mean, it must've been really hard for Charli to follow up the enormous commercial success of 'brat', I mean how do you do that to a summer defining, critical-darling, pop magnum-opus? So something a bit more low-key, introspective, and artsy like this wasn't exactly unexpected and probably the right move. Vocally, Charli comes off very sincere, every song just seems to explode into a arena-sized sing-a-long chorus like with 'Chains of Love' or 'Seeing Things', two undeniable highlgihts. And they still maintain that subtly throwbacky and cheesy millenial pop edge of the choruses from her previous album (not a bad sing). Ultimately my biggest gripe is the production. It sort of has this more generic synthpop thing going for it, which is fine, but something about it felt too cluttered and a bit too layered and in-your-face for my liking. Not as slick as her last record, that's for sure. The opening intro with John Cale hinted at something interesting with that cool feedback noise bit at the end, but the album doesn't really follow through with that. Just compared to other contemporary boundary-pushing pop artists like Tinashe and Slayyyter, the production here was mostly forgettable. Probably not what Charli was going for, so it's all good, still enjoyed this thing a fair bit by the end, more than I remembered.

3 - Having St Vincent as my previous album, it was amazing how close these two albums were.

I generally hate seeing movie soundtracks cluttering a list that is supposed to catalog essential albums before you die, and having an entry that was just released this year added alongside previous classic removals makes the whole exercise feel painfully premature. Make no mistake, it’s an intriguing, gothic-tinted detour, the eerie string arrangements, tight 34-minute runtime, and that weirdly bold John Cale opener prove Charli xcx knows how to execute a dark concept without entirely abandoning pop craft... but it simply isn’t Brat (neither the noun, adjective, nor the verb), and it lacks the cultural weight, instant anthems, or time-tested staying power to justify its place in the canon so soon.

Initial thought: another album that lacks the movie to support the music. It was a nice industrial opening with monologue that paved the way for something that never transpired. OK, decent, nothing to write home about. Would never listen to this but maybe watch the movie. Like avoiding reading the book, just watch the movie! 2 or 3.

Charli xcx's *Wuthering Heights* is less a traditional soundtrack and more a strategic, gothic-inflected reset following the career-defining phenomenon of *Brat*. It is a concise, 34-minute album that trades the neon-lit party confessional for a windswept, string-laden examination of obsessive love, though it remains unmistakably a Charli xcx record at its core. ### 🎭 Themes: Obsession, Entrapment, and the "Post-Brat" Pivot The album's thematic core revolves around the destructive, all-consuming nature of passion, mirroring the source material but filtered through Charli's sensibilities. Critics note that the lyrics eschew modern references (no clubs or cocaine) to focus on a timeless, almost visceral romantic desperation . Tracks like "Out of Myself" delve into submission and identity loss ("Please rub the salt in my wounds / I like the person you turn me to"), while "Chains of Love" explicitly frames devotion as imprisonment . Crucially, the album functions as a meta-commentary on her own career. Several reviewers interpret the project as a clever way to sidestep the immense pressure of following *Brat* . The closing track, "Funny Mouth," offers a glimmer of hope ("If there's a light, don't let it go out"), suggesting a tentative step forward from the gothic gloom . ### 🎸 Music and Production: "Elegant and Brutal" Sonically, the album is defined by a friction between classical instrumentation and industrial noise. Charli and producer Finn Keane (formerly easyFun) reportedly adhered to John Cale's philosophy of music being "elegant and brutal" . This manifests in the prominent use of **string arrangements**—a first for a Charli album—that often sound jagged and dissonant rather than soothing . * **Industrial Textures:** The album is bookended by heavy, metallic sounds. The opener "House" and closer "Funny Mouth" utilize industrial drums and droning feedback that recall Nine Inch Nails or The Velvet Underground . * **Pop Sensibilities:** Despite the gothic dressings, Charli's pop craftsmanship remains. Tracks like "Dying for You" and "My Reminder" feature undeniable hooks and driving beats, though they are often undercut by atonal flurries or eerie synths . * **Vocal Processing:** Her signature auto-tuned vocals are present throughout, but they are often mixed to sound distant or haunting, fitting the theme of ghostly obsession . ### ✍️ Lyrics: Direct and Theatrical Lyrically, the album leans into melodrama and directness. Unlike the hyper-specific, meta-referential style of *Brat*, the writing here is more universal and poetic. Lines like "I think I'm gonna die in this house" (from "House") and "My face is turning blue / Can't breathe without you here" are theatrical and unironic . However, some critics noted that this sustained intensity can lead to thematic stagnation, with the second half of the record struggling to find new emotional ground beyond "pain and torture" . ### 🌍 Influence and Context *Wuthering Heights* serves as a masterclass in career management. By pivoting to a "high-art" film project, Charli avoids the risk of releasing a *Brat* sequel that could feel stale or overexposed . It also reconnects her with the gothic-pop sound of her 2013 debut, *True Romance*, which she herself labeled the album's "sister" . The inclusion of **John Cale** (Velvet Underground) and **Sky Ferreira** ("Eyes of the World") adds significant indie credibility and bridges generational gaps in alternative music . --- ### ⚖️ Pros and Cons **Pros:** * **Strong Artistic Identity:** It successfully functions as a standalone album, not just a collection of background music. The production is rich, detailed, and cohesive . * **Successful Sonic Experimentation:** The integration of atonal strings and industrial noise with pop songwriting is largely praised as innovative and compelling . * **Career Pivot:** It effectively signals a new era for Charli, proving she is not confined to the *Brat* aesthetic . * **Standout Tracks:** "House," "Wall of Sound," and "Chains of Love" are frequently cited as highlights that showcase both ambition and pop craft . **Cons:** * **Thematic Stagnation:** Some reviewers felt the relentless focus on toxic love and suffering becomes repetitive, especially in the album's latter half . * **Uneven Quality:** While the highs are high, tracks like "Seeing Things" are criticized for sounding "unintentionally dated," and "Altars" is viewed by some as a weaker pop moment . * **Underutilized Features:** Sky Ferreira's feature on "Eyes of the World" is excellent but brief, leaving listeners wanting more . * **Derivative Moments:** A few critics pointed out melodic similarities, such as "Dying for You" bearing a rhythmic resemblance to The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star" . **Verdict:** *Wuthering Heights* is a bold, atmospheric, and strategically brilliant album that succeeds more as a mood piece and a career reset than as a collection of immediate pop hits. It rewards repeated listens for its textural details, even if it occasionally gets lost in its own gothic fog.

I love Charli but come on!!!

A strange addition to this list. Probably the least interesting of Charli’s 3 most recent albums. Still pretty good. Dare I say reminiscent of Midnights at times…. (In a good, or at least neutral, way)

This album was released less than a year ago, like what are we doing? That aside, good stuff... Was told it doesn't work in the movie it was made for at all but good stand alone. I like Charli xcx but this was no brat and probably doesn't belong here.

Hang on! I thought soundtracks were banned in the 1001? It's just so pedestrian. I can't what Dimery was thinking?

I agree with what others have said - a 2026 album shouldn't be included on this list. There's a reason the halls of fame that I'm familiar with (rock n roll and baseball) have strict timing-based eligibility rules. Having said that, I'll rate this album based on its merits. Interestingly, the final album I got before moving on to user submissions was Charli xcx's Brat. I liked this one quite a bit better. More experimental and interesting to me. I love that she started with a John Cale collaboration. I think this was excellent overall. Should it be on the list? I think it would be better to make that call 10 years from now, but I could see it. 4 stars.

i like charli but this wasn't my jam really

This album wasn't aimed at me as an audience and as such, it didn't resonate with me.

My third album from the newbies, and already my second Charli xcx album. This one wasn’t as cohesive as brat, and it was also less exciting. Like every other film soundtrack here, this one would probably be more impactful with the associated movie. Less deserving of inclusion on this list, and probably won’t have the cultural impact that the other one did. I will give Charli xcx this: she’s not beating every idea into the ground, unlike so many other electronica artists.

I'm enjoying this. But why is an album that's 8 months old on this list?? I think it's interesting but at this point has it had any ongoing impact? We don't know.

I liked it much more than the 2023 album of hers recommended 3 days before this. More mature, deeper emotion. Fully formed original pop.

I’ll spare the mega crashout I experience every time I see one of the newest edition albums because I already crashed out in the cure review. Also this one is a slightly better pick. It didn’t need to be on here, I think brat is coming soon since I only have 130 albums left. But still, this is trending in the right direction. Since brat has yet to be reviewed, I’ll also save the diatribe on how excellent charli xcx generally is as a pop musician. This record is fine. Better than fine as a movie accompaniment, but just fine on its own. Melodramatic as ever. “Dying For You” is such a pretty song. I’ll take a 3/5 for the road

All this effort for a film everyone hates (rightfully) Music is fine but tarnished.

Wuthering Heights is clearly good but it should not be on this list; it's eight months old, so to say I have to listen to it before I die is extremely premature, it's a movie soundtrack albeit one that is crafted by the artist, and it's also not Charli XCX's best work nor the work that represents her best. I enjoyed a fair bit of it nonetheless, Altars is brilliant, but like any movie soundtrack I'm only getting half the experience at best, and we already had Brat, which was very different and I only gave a 3/5 on preference, but at least it was properly Charli XCX. This only gets a 2/5 more on principle, her voice, the arrangements, the darker theme running throughout is all really quite good, just that it shouldn't be on the list in this form.

Seeing this I realize that Charli has already released 2 albums this year. ”Music, Fashion, Film” had the much larger media push, so this earlier release got somewhat forgotten. Between the two, I would have chosen the more recent work, but of course there was no time to wait with adding an album from this year… and really the already added ”BRAT” is as representative of Charli’s music as ypu can get. All that aside, this album is good! Glad to see a (somewhat) relevant pick out of these year-of picks.

Surprising! I guess I don't like Charlie's usual genre, but this was great.

Better than the one before it.

oh wow neu! ah was de john cale? of velvet underground?? uiii d synthis chömed hässig ine plötzlich. gooil. wall of sound isch au wieder gaaanz gross ahgleit. chains of love isch recht guet, sehr so de moderni strings(sehr john cale?) und de autotune vocals isch lustig. finds gut for real. eyes of the world tönt au uuuhuere geil. so guet produziert und ihri stimm chunt so guet wenn sie chli schreit.

ÄHÜÄÄ es album vo 2026? mega fun kenn basically nüt vo charli xcx woaaah also s intro (house) findi huuuere geil aaaaber de trope vo "alte maa mitere chratzige stimm verzellt mier öppis wo tüfgründig tönt" hani iwie scho gnueg ghört fuck shet en teil glöscht. bins uf jede fall nomal am lose und han jz always everywhere iwie cute gfunde ahh ja, d pop-element sindmer mengisch chli too much d strings findi aber meistens sehr schön, chönnted idem kontext au seehr corny überecho! ganz ehrlich, ich wirds album nöd hüfig lose aber ich finds trz sehr es intressants album. via

It was fine.

An astonishing addition to the book that brings its credibility into question. It's not a bad album but only time will tell whether it's an essential listen

Background music for background people

This is such a typical, contrary 1001 albums inclusion. I presume this has been selected ahead of Brat, which was a global phenomenon and could've added a bit of contemporary hyperpop representation to the list? Don't get me wrong; in some ways I prefer the gothic sonics and less, err, bratty lyrics of Wuthering Heights - I just think it has much less claim to being a 'must hear' album. Still, I've become a casual Charli XCX fan in recent years and I like this record too. It has enough artsiness and enough earnestness to feel fresh and interesting in a post-Brat world, while still ultimately being an album of catchy pop songs. Out of Myself and Seeing Things are my favourites. A strong 3.5 stars.

The book, the Kate Bush song, this album. In that order.

4.1 This one caught me by surprise. I know it's quite dickish but I normally immediately write off any modern pop artist; in my defence 95% of the time I feel I'm justified. This is definitely in that other 5%. Straight away it draws you in with something unique, and comes out with some emotive bangers that don't feel too contrived or manufactured. Wall of Sound and Out of Myself the stand outs for me. Like a lovely blend of Kate Bush, Taytay and Bjork. I like it. Will jump straight to Brat next as I see it's come up.

Couldn't stand the book in high school, and zero interest in any visual adaptations. This one was a dud for me.

A lot of dark drama for very little substance. The album literally flew by and I retained none of it.

Well, I was Wuthered

Not bad.

Slow and I know she has a lot more energy than this.

Slow, atmospheric and stormy with a thundering low end and an echoey warbly hyper processed set of strings, synths and vocals vamping somewhat aimlessly but moodily. Favorites: dying for you, chains of love,

Are you fucking kidding me? On its own this wouldn’t actually be a bad album, but as the soundtrack to a critically-mixed movie that came out THIS YEAR, featuring an artist who has already been added!? Yeah absolutely not. Brat fucks; this album jerks off in front of a camera. Much like the film itself, Dimery’s list continues to be a shining pedestal for English mediocrity.

New additions to the list! John Cale?!? Weird, dreary strings mixed with XCX pop. Yes, please.

Not a fan of either the source material or this type of music, but I found myself singing along enough times to bump it to a 3

fedt nok album men altså

Egentlig en rigtig fed plade, men føles som om der mangler en film. (Ikke helt sikker på at det passer, givet hvad jeg har hørt om filmen). Utvivlsomt et helt sindssygt valg af Charli XCX plade til det her projekt.

What a weird album to put on this list....

Brat was fine but I'm having a hard time seeing whu Charli xcx gets 2 albums in the update. Maybe it would help if I saw the film this is from but probably not

I liked this, but I'm a bit surprised it made the cut with the reluctance to include movie soundtracks. I wish I'd seen it in the context of the film.

Haunting.

Wow this was a really interesting album… not at all what I expected. A companion album to Wuthering Heights is a not something I expected at all, and it was fantastic! Really loved it and its nice, tight runtime. Now I guess I should see the movie.

думала вдруг это тот самый альбом для которого она нормальные песни написала, но нет. не люблю Чарли(

I mean you certainly need to have the taste for Charli's music. I thought this was ok, though too often it does feel too far out there - and I largely like electronic music (though not much of the early electronic bullshit that often appears on this list). Was ok at best. 4/10

Makes me want to watch the movie now. Hopefully it lives up to the soundtrack

"You gon' jump if AG made it." It turns out that AG wasn't involved in this project but the sounds on Wuthering Heights are just as good as Brat. Real spooky vibes on this one that I enjoy a lot.

Opening track certainly sets a tone, John Cale has such a great voice. The rest of the album I enjoyed even though it's not a style I choose to listen to often. But even though subtle, there's just enough nods to new wave and dark wave amongst the pop to keep me interested throughout the album. I don't know charlie xcx at all but there's 13 years of records to go back through apparently, so I'll probably do some of that after listening to this. 3.5

Never actually sat down and listened to a Charli XCX album. This has some very nice sounds on it on some songs, but some of it is kinda soulless. I wish there was more live instrumentation on it. Overall though, I enjoyed my time with it ok. I don't think I'd revisit it, but I would vibe a bit if someone else put it on. 3/5

not 4 me

Such a lazy pick.

Damn somehow missed Poppy and some other stuff. Glad to be back. Not sure I am the target audience for this. Haven't seen the movie, haven't read the book in 40 years (didn't much like it); and I don't much like the style here--too overproduced, too emotional, too mechanical (that auto-tune style!). But it is indeed dramatically creative and original, must give it that.

Before I could reply get a hold on what was happening, the album was over. I enjoyed it, though the whole thing just slipped through my fingers. I like that she doesn't seem preoccupied with fitting into any boxes or being anything other than her own artist, and things were off-balance enough that I'll assume she knew what she was doing the whole time.

There were a couple of bangers on here, but overall, I'm not quite sure why this was selected for the list. as others have said, it's so new. let things marinate a bit.

While I consider myself a Charlie fan I was completely unfamiliar with this album. I loved this aural trip and she is a brilliant smart pop star.

Quite like that one. Starts off strongly but weakens as it goes on. Not quite a 4 got no stamina yeah.

as a 1975 fan i love the production i can hear george’s influence for sure..

Brat left me a bit cold, I didn't really vibe with it and found it a bit boring. I was expecting more of the same and was pleasantly surprised. This is an interesting record, with a few different things going on.

I liked the first track and this wasn't as awful as I had been expecting. It was still pretty lightweight, but I feel three stars is fair.

I liked it alot. Quite a departure from Brat, which was dancing happy pop. This album was dark and dramatic from the get go. Strings and heavy vibe worked well.

I’m one of the 7 people who enjoyed this film, and I thought the soundtrack really worked for it. But I would never, and did not, want to listen to it on its own. This is probably a 3 star soundtrack as a film score, but it’s not a good listen as an album and doesn’t belong here. Take your two stars and enjoy them.

J'étais vraiment curieuse, j'étais décidée à donner une vraie chance pour voir ce qui se fait actuellement. Et j'aime la voix de Charli xcx. Mais c'est comme si je n'avais pas compris le concept. Je présume que le moment où je trouve que la musique est discordante est celui où j'admets que je suis vieille et que je ne suis plus les jeunes. J'ai justement trouvé l'approche des thèmes juvénile. Est-ce en lien avec le film, que je n'ai pas vu? Bref, on voit que, plutôt que d'écouter, j'ai tout suranalysé. C'est pas bon signe.

This album probably won't end up being the worst of the new additions, but it definitely feels the most unnecessary, and that's with another Rolling Stones album being added! I just don't understand this pick at all. Brat is already here, and this is far weaker than that album. Only guess was to pull in sales, but if people wanted to see a pop album from this year to pull in sales, it wouldn't be this, especially after the reception of the movie itself. This is getting cut next edition, no questions. Music itself is fine, even good at times, but, again, why would you listen to this over most of Charli's other work?

Wuthering Heights isn’t a score, but a soundtrack of new pop songs written by Charli XCX. Rather than music composed specifically for the film, it works as a companion piece, with a collection of new tracks from a single artist. I suspect the soundtrack may ultimately be remembered more fondly than the film itself, starring Margot Robbie. It’s a surprisingly adventurous album, and it’s interesting to see female pop artists increasingly willing to experiment. Rosalía’s LUX is another recent example. That said, I don’t expect it to cause any major shifts in the musical landscape. It simply isn’t strong or innovative enough from start to finish. Even so, Charli XCX shows that she’s capable of more than crafting reflective dance tracks or serving as the standard-bearer for hyperpop. This won’t be her magnum opus, though. Brat remains the more influential work.

I'm not going to talk about Brat, because in my review of Brat I suggested that it was actually closer to basic bitch than brat. This, on the other hand, is so very obviously a film soundtrack that it's difficult to evaluate it as an album in its own right. I say this because it's mixed like it's going to be played in a cinema, or on a home theatre system that's capable of range. This is nice, because so much music is mixed to suit "the average listener". I am painfully aware while listening to this that I've not seen the film. Which is kind of a difficulty, because while I rather enjoyed listening to this soundtrack, I am continuously reminded that it's not a complete work. It's a complementary work to a film I've not seen. Where this has occurred in the user-generated list, I've called it out. Hamilton, Phantom, Tron, Jimmy Cliff's "The Harder They Come", any of the videogame soundtracks - it's not necessarily that the music is bad. In many cases, the music is really good. The problem is, it's music for something else, and I don't really think that soundtracks really work as albums. Dimery has not gotten it right with this one, and that hits doubly hard when he's removed genuinely decent actual albums in order to make space for this "album-adjacent" offering. If this was a "1,001 soundtracks to listen to" there's a chance I'd give it a top score, because it genuinely is engaging. I couldn't give it a top score without having seen the film though, because IT'S A FILM SOUNDTRACK. As an album, it might get 3 - solely because it's lacking an entire fucking movie to provide it the framework it needs.

Soundtrack de la película. Ni fu ni fa.

kind of peak

2.5/5

Decent but there was no reason to include this

The beginning had me thinking she would be doing something daring, because it sounded dark and foreboding. And then it went into basic pop princess. I get it, she has fans. It's alright. Nothing special. My rating: 3/5

Rubbish

It was very bold of Charli to cover the Grateful Dead’s Eyes of the World for the Wuthering Heights soundtrack. Admittedly, this is a good selection of songs. Does it deserve to be here? Hell no! It’s just unfortunate that House is the most sonically interesting song here but it ends before it can really go anywhere. This is a three star album that loses one for having the audacity to be put on a list like this. Charli deserves to make an updated version of the list. Brat absolutely should be on a list like this, but if you are going to put her on here twice this is the wrong choice.

I do like some of the songs on this album. But it's a middling soundtrack album from Charli xcx, who already was represented in this edition of the book with brat. What's worse is that this seems to portend a bit of an artistic downturn that's only gotten worse with Music, Fashion, Film. That album was so disappointing to me even though some across the critical community seemed to like it. Like genuinely bad music. So minus at least a point, leaving me at 5/10.

Thanks for adding this! I was bored

This thing opens with a bang and ends with a bit of a whimper. I like Charli though! Not sure we need two of her albums on the official list. Also, we dog people on the fan-made list all the time for putting up 2026 albums. I feel like having a 2026 album on the official list is *insane*

I liked this more than I thought I would. Not usually a huge pop fan but this was good.

Got one of the new ones already, didn't even take a breath. Was not looking forward to this but thought it was really quite wonderful, especially the John Cale track that sounds like a mixture of Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds and a Hammer House of Horror film. The rest of the tracks were very interesting too - high 3.

very zen popwergirl pop. 3?

They put in 2 Charli XCX albums and still only have Daft Punk's Homework. That makes sense. This is a decent album but not my favorite by her. Dying For You is a bop. Alter is okay. Yea what the hell?

Wow, something brand new that came out this year (2026). Never listened to Charlie xcx but I know they are pretty big in pop right now so interested to see what her music sounds like. Oh weird this is a soundtrack for a movie based on a book, not something I would expect on this list. Not bad, not super into pop music but this feels a bit dark which I like. Decent album and better than I expected but not really sure why it made the list.

I love Charli but why is this on the list?

I don’t think this is the height of Charli’s work.

The film was so appallingly bad that the soundtrack collapses in a pile of mediocrity. How you could take one of most visceral and powerful and sensual books ever written and come up with that bland and dull pile of pointlessness? The soundtrack doesn’t improve it. 0 stars. Rounded up.

Dying for You is a straight lift of Video Killed the Radio Star, respect Charlie respect. I like the John Cale opening track, gives you a sense that there is something coming. Always Everywhere sounds really promising then glides into Enya. At this point I've got a sense that there is a really good record her trying to come out. Funny Mouth My Reminder are Enya, straight out. So I think there is half way decent artist here who is trapped in this 21st century nonsense around song writing and vocal style. I read somewhere it is a i-v-vi-iv structure that is cosily comfortable for 21st century ears and they dont vary from that formula. It's that, they used to say you see around corners, but you sure can see a 21st century pop songs structure coming before you have had your first coffee. In another time, another place, she'd be alright would young Charlie, but no this doesn't work.

Following the megasuccess of Charli XCX's "brat summer," feelings of creative drought began to creep in for our 365 party girl. And who could blame her? Being that 365 party girl can be exhausting and it felt like brat summer was running long into the autumn months. To say that it wasn't sustainable would be an understatement, but it was also such a defining moment for Charli's career than any follow-up would inevitably be in the shadow of brat. Well, it turns out that the next move would be to make a pitstop in order to craft a soundtrack for Wuthering Heights (currently sitting at 57% on Rotten Tomatoes). Compared to the bass-pounding club classics on brat, Charli's take on a Wuthering Heights soundtrack is a far more subdued and elegant sound. Granted, it's still a pop album, but it occasionally wields atonality to evoke the messy romantic themes of the film. This comes as no surprise given her inspiration and collaboration with John Cale of Velvet Underground fame, though her Wuthering Heights songs tread light on the experimental ground that VU was rocking in the '60s. Other than these occasional atonal elements, there's not much that makes the Wuthering Heights soundtrack stand out, which is fine considering that it's just a soundtrack. And that's kind of the point, isn't it? The freedom to put a stopgap between your main studio albums enables Charli to create a little distance from brat while still having something to show. It's kinda like releasing some of the pressure bult up from brat's hype, thus giving her true follow-up, Music, Fashion, Film, some room to breathe and stand apart from brat. Of course, there was no need to include this on the list because it pales in comparison to brat or her 2020 album which should've been included in the prior edition of the book. Oh well!

Meh

Beyond just being the 21st century's winner of the *Purple Rain* Award (soundtrack that justifies the existence of the subpar film it accompanies), this album is a perfect marriage of artist and subject matter. Charli, after all, is the Last Party Girl Standing now that Taylor and Selena and Lana and Demi are off to marital suburbia of various flavors, Miley is chasing respectability, Rihanna is out of the game entirely. So of course Charli begins by recruiting John Cale for the opener "House," a track on which her voice gradually subsumes his - taking the Lou Reed role. And thematically that is where we are: if Reed's career was a perpetual rumination on desire and its consequences then this is Charli's retort on that subject - about the particular ways in which a life dedicated to satisfying one's desires is distinctive for a woman. When I put it that way, it doesn't sound like new ground is being broken: desire, after all, has been explicitly and irrevocably foregrounded in female-driven pop music since at least Madonna (who herself was planting in soil tilled by Donna Summer among others). But what's striking here is the way Charli wrestles with all that history and carves out a place for herself in it. "Chains of Love" turns the famous Erasure title into something more sinister: "no matter how hard I try I'm here so permanently," Charli intones. And "Altars" is the aftermath of Madonna's "Like a Prayer," the wreckage of having exalted a lover to the point of holiness only to find them unworthy of devotion. And when she stands alongside her era's ultimate cautionary tale, alterna-pop madwoman in the attic Skye Ferreira, for "Eyes of the World" there is a sublime sense of dislocation as the drums drop out and their voices entwine and wail. This a new addition to the list alongside Charli's *Brat*, and the idea of giving an artist two albums - and this one in particular - has been controversial around these parts. I was prepared to argue with the decision. But now I find I'm a believer.

I liked the opening John Cale song but the rest wasn't really my cup of tea. At least it's unconvential pop but not sure an album from 2026 is worth on the list when other albums from the past few years were already omitted from the newest edition of the book.

This is a great album despite being such a departure from brat, but did this really need to be on the list as well considering just how monumental brat was in comparison. Anyway, I really liked how this album sounded dark but still pop at the same time.

I think the "song" HOUSE is brilliant. What an amazing sound. Never heard this before but I like it. Love to hear more from this artist. 4/5

I was fully prepared to despise this album as much as I despised the film, and the opening track did nothing to deter me from this course. But it won me over once I could forget that it was a soundtrack.

Better than expected

I was really hoping this might be a little more avant-garde and experimental than it ended up being. The John Cale appearance at the start of the record felt like it presented a possible path for this record to be something more than (mostly just) a pop album with strings. As a related aside, it’s interesting to me that pop music and “indie” have kind of swapped places in recent years, with pop becoming more experimental and “indie” becoming a more formulaic genre in many respects. And while pop has become more artistic and experimental, it seems to rarely leave the comfort of pop music formula and structures, which makes the experimentation feel less rewarding. When Withering Heights strays from the traditional and embraces the experimental, that’s where it succeeds the most.

Interesting, intense at times and dancy.

This was a fun album. I liked the spooky songs and there were other catchy songs on there too.

I watched 16 minutes of Wuthering Heights on the plane from Auckland to LAX and this album made me wish I’d seen a little more.

Like, this isn't a bad album, I tapped my foot, but it just felt like McDonald's during Restaurant Week

It's the therapist of her three most recent albums, but that is not in any way a bad thing. There is a lot of joy to be had from this record and my God John Cale sounds fantastic on it

3.1 2x at SLC layover to OAK. Not bad

I'm trying very hard not to let my loathing of the story to destroy my enjoyment of the album, but I'm not the biggest fan of the genre anyway. The opening track is the one I would have liked best and also the hardest to distance

I found this more accessible than Charli xcx's previous album, Brat, to my 44-year-old ears. Perhaps that means the kids won't think it's as cool, but I really like it. 34 minutes of modern pop in varying styles, with catchy songs and plenty of emotional resonance. It does its thing really well and doesn't outstay its welcome. Maybe I should see the movie...? Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Dying for You Date listened: 27/10/26

This is difficult because I think Charlie xcx makes music for people who put square pegs in round holes. Could literally have picked any other Charlie album, LDR effect

not my vibe. aunque no tenía idea que la canción n1 del disco era de aquí.

If this while album followed the blueprint of the first song, I would have loved it. It turns into a generic brooding pop album upon track two. Overall, more listenable than a lot of the pop albums on the list but when I learened they removed The Mars Volta's De-Loused In The Comatorium to add this, I wanted to riot.

Pretty unremarkable

Brats a 5 obviously but this is such a useless entry charli xcx with strings soundtrack stuff not bad but really

Brat didn't land with me. But this is very driven and heartfelt.

Went in fully expecting to hate this: a 2026 film soundtrack from a hyped pop star. Turns out I was completely wrong. Great alt-pop record that doesn’t outstay its welcome, loved the atmospheric dark feel to this. One of the better surprises on this list.

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: House, Dying for you, Always everywhere, Chains of love, Out of myself, Altars, My reminder

Suprised to see a 2026 album included, that's saying a lot! This is quite a soundtrack album. It has good storytelling, decent production, Charli has quite a voice. It's dark and angsty. Not bad, just not my type.

Wow, new editions! Just when I was about to finish my 1089 albums (27 to go!)... I kind of like it :-) I would miss to be miserable on daily bases listening to another WTF album of the day. This way I'm getting 13 more days :-) 01) House - 7,0 02) Wall of Sound - 9,0 03) Dying for You - 8,0 04) Always Everywhere - 7,0 05) Chains of Love - 9,5 06) Out of Myself - 8,0 07) Open Up - 7,5 08) Seeing Things - 8,0 09) Altars - 8,0 10) Eyes of the World - 8,0 11) My Reminder - 8,5 12) Funny Mouth - 7,0 TOTAL: 7,96 (80/100) Current ranking: 300/1063

Really didn't need including. Its so removed of its context here. Did the list makers just get the Charli bug?

Ooh, my first official album from the new batch (The Cure’s album was the only one that I got a chance to review as a part of the user lsit before these new additions got added. When it comes to Charli XCX, I’m pretty sure the only album of hers I’ve ever listened to is Brat, which I have not reviewed yet, but I was not impressed by on my first listen. Charli’s work on Icona Pop’s “I Love It” is fantastic though, and even though I don’t expect this album to match that vibe, I hope that it can at least produce something as memorable as that single was! Dang, this album was pretty darn good. I don’t have the benefit of being familiar with Wuthering Heights, much less seeing this year’s film adaptation, but I really liked the overall sound of this album. These beautiful and sweeping arrangements were really enjoyable, and I loved the lulls and swells in the tempo of the music. Charli’s vocals were really good too, and I thought this album’s shorter run time served it really well. For something that I assume is a love story, I didn’t experience any emotional pull from these songs, but it didn’t take away from my enjoyment that much. I dunno that I think this album belongs on the most recent version of the list, but I enjoyed it, and now I’m looking forward to taking another stab at Brat.

Interesting

Eh, two Charli xcx albums included within such a short timespan? It's fine, but significantly worse than Brat, and 'House' is quite clearly the best track.

There's really no need for Wuthering Heights to be included on this list. At all. It was released just earlier this year; the reviews were good, but I'm yet to find anyone calling it better than Brat. Also, it's essentially a soundtrack. What is it doing here!? The album itself isn't bad. Especially "House", the opening track featuring the excellent John Cale, is great - the rest of the album is fine but nowhere near that opening. Charli's approach into something darker and more gothic is intriguing, I just believe she can do better. It's a 3 by its own means, but a 2 if you were to consider it solely as part of this list.

This was a huge change of direction coming straight out of the success that was Brat and its remixed successor. General impressions were that this has its moments of beauty in production and certainly carries a more cinematic air to it (which is unsurprising given that it is billed as a soundtrack to the movie of the same name), but I have no will to listen to this more than once. Listening for a second time today only reinforced that position. This is not _bad_, but there is nothing here specifically drawing me in. I'm a high 2, mostly earned on quality of the production rather than active enjoyment.

Pretty unique. Not exactly what I expected from Charli xcx, but the production and vocals and energy are out in full force. Not my fave, but a good one.

Digging the production on this one. Not sure it needs to be on this list but wasn't a terrible listen. The strings were nice.