CALLA JORDAN / CONTRIBUTOR

Each time an artist reemerges, ready to release a new pop album of the year, their appraisal is halted by an overwhelming disapproval of their handpicked single. Artists choose to release a single in hopes of building up momentum and potential hype for their upcoming album release. But, almost inevitably, an artist’s single will fall flat, worrying listeners about the integrity of the following album. However, the concern lies with the consumers’ unwillingness to adapt and accept new music rather than the artists’ choice to release the single. 

Recently, pop singers Harry Styles and Olivia Rodrigo released singles months before their album drop, and were met with particularly harsh criticism. Listeners were shocked by Harry Styles’ 2026 single “Aperture” because of its deviation from his typical, upbeat pop music. The song had a greater techno-influence, aligning with the resurgence of EDM. While his shift conforms with current music trends, fans were displeased with the lack of familiarity in the single. This brings up a common phenomenon: the exposure effect. Listeners subconsciously prefer music that feels familiar because it stimulates a feeling of safeness. 

Prior to his album, “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally,” Styles had not dropped new music for nearly four years. The built up hype for this album release set the album up for an inevitably unsatisfactory reception. Expectations became impossibly high and all that could please his dedicated fanbase would in fact be an upcycle of his previous material. 

It’s  unrealistic  to  assume that  any  music  artist’s  style won’t evolve throughout their careers. But unfortunately, listeners are not dialing back on their strong opinions. 23-year-old pop star Olivia Rodrigo is heading toward her third album release  in  six  years,  yet  fans were taken aback by  her  single  release  “drop dead.” Critics on TikTok and Reddit argued that the song  felt  immature  compared to her previous albums “Guts” and “Sour.” Her lyrics dive into her experiences with young love, and to write the song off  as  childish  merely  highlights the common dismissal of young female artists’ expression. 

However, reviews of Rodrigo’s seem to conflict, as several listeners complained that the song felt too unoriginal compared to her previous sounds. Artist Noah Kahan received similar backlash for his title track “The Great Divide.” While the overall album was largely successful, many listeners believe his sound is becoming too predictable. Kahan’s newest album remains under the folk-pop influence, prompting particular listeners to write the album off as a rendition of his previous album “Stick Seasons.” The critiques surrounding both Rodrigo and Kahan’s newest singles highlights the even greater issue artists’ face when dropping new music. Listeners, no matter the sound or genre, are hard to please. 

Artists are oftentimes put in a no-win situation when it comes to releasing music, as they are expected to both release out of the ordinary sounds while staying in tune with their image and predicted style. Criticism will likely follow both Rodrigo and Kahan throughout their evolving careers, but listeners should acknowledge music as a reflection of the artist, and not as something curated for perfection. 

Some listeners might argue that a musician should stick with their particular style in order to maintain an image, but experimenting with new or multiple genres is how ground-breaking music is created. Artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Harry Styles are dominant forces in pop music, and by exploring other genres, they inevitably introduce their wide range of listeners to new sounds. 

The ever expanding music scene makes it easy for listeners to jump to hasty conclusions about the music and artists cycling through pop culture. While listeners are entitled to both their preferences and criticism, having an open and adaptive mind can lead consumers to new influences, grooves and communities.