Smells like teen spirit

Quite possibly the best new pop album of the year, Lorde's Melodrama finds the 20-year-old pop chanteuse singing songs about heartbreak and personal struggle against sleek electronic beats and occasionally grandiose instrumentation.

After her breakthrough in 2013 with the single Royals and the album Pure Heroine, this sophomore record showcases her growth both as a musician and an individual. Her lyrics reflect the musings of a young woman trying to find her own two feet on ground that's consistently shifting.

Melodrama is available online and in record stores.