On September 8, rising pop star Olivia Rodrigo released her well-awaited second album, Guts, and later announced a seventy-five-date Guts “world” tour across North America and Europe in 2024.  Like her first album Sour, the new tracks quickly garnered attention from TikTok users for encapsulating the hardships and excitement of girlhood. So, obviously, as teenage girls, we’re obligated to rate these new songs:

Abby’s ranking:

1. pretty isn’t pretty

Possibly an unpopular opinion, but this is the best song on the album. It doesn’t particularly sound like anything she’s put out before, and I was pleasantly surprised by the abundance of high notes in the chorus (which I hope she’ll be able to hit live). 

2. get him back! 

The way she sings the verses reminds me of her rapping during her days on Bizarrdvark. Not necessarily a bad thing, just something I noticed. This is definitely a song you’d scream in the car with the windows down late at night. I also love the passive-aggressiveness in the bridge (“I wanna kiss his face / with an uppercut”). 

3. bad idea right?

This was one of the songs Rodrigo released prior to the full album, but it’s still one of my favorites. I will say that I did not like it at first, I thought the chorus was underwhelming and the lyrics and concept were trite. However, this track grew on me just because it was so catchy, and now I think it’s safe to say that it’s one of my favorites on Guts.

4. all american b*tch

If feminine rage was a song, this would be it. Just take the song’s outro with the blatantly sarcastic line, “All the time / I’m grateful all the time.” The song abruptly cuts from outright screaming to soft singing, the juxtaposition representing the difference between teenage girls’ inner monologue and the demure facade they are forced to put on even when being threatened or demeaned. 

5. vampire 

The build-up to the chorus is well worth the wait, and it nearly always is, but I’ve heard this song too many times via TikTok and Instagram. 

6.lacy

As someone who grew up not thinking that she was conventionally pretty and envied the girls with “skin like puff pastry” growing up, this song, despite being less upbeat (which warrants its lower ranking), is probably the one I relate to the most. 

7. love is embarrassing

I love the upbeat tone, but this one just doesn’t hit as hard as any of the other guitar-heavy tracks on this album. I do, however, agree with the lyrics, and I can say that this is another track I’d blast on the aux. 

8. ballad of a homeschooled girl 

This one I’ve heard plenty of times because of the discourse over the lyric “every guy I like is gay,” which I honestly expected her to change like Taylor Swift had to when she included the lyrics, “So go and tell your friends that I’m obsessive and crazy / That’s fine, I’ll tell mine you’re gay” in her song “Picture to Burn.” Besides this, I don’t think it’s a bad song, by any means — it’s just that I prefer the overall sound of the aforementioned tracks more. 

9. making the bed

You’d have to be in a certain mood to listen to this song. It’s not on my playlist because I think it’s too depressing to listen to on a regular basis, but it’s the kind of song I wouldn’t mind hearing during a coming-of-age movie or while walking in the rain. 

10. teenage dream

I’m just not a huge fan of her more minimalistic, sad songs, I suppose. I like the liveliness and spontaneity of the other tracks. I’m sure I’ll come back around to appreciate this song when I turn nineteen, but as of right now, it’s not my favorite. 

11. the grudge

This feels like a nod to her hit track “driver’s license,” which I can appreciate, but it also sounds too similar to it. Additionally, it’s just not the type of song I could put on a playlist to listen to every day. 

12. logical 

For the same reason as “making the bed,” “teenage dream,” and “the grudge,” this song doesn’t really fit the type of music I normally enjoy listening to. “Two plus two equals five,” additionally, only reminds me of the ending to George Orwell’s 1984, which is not necessarily something I’d like to think about while listening to an Olivia Rodrigo song. 

Sophia’s ranking:

1. ballad of a homeschooled girl

Rodrigo is mostly known for her ballads, so of course my favorite song on the album is this pop-rock track with a chorus that’s been stuck in my head for the past two weeks (“It’s social suicide, wanna curl up and die / it’s social suicide”). 

2. making the bed

As a sad song enjoyer, this track ranks high on my list. Not only do I love the melody, but turning the phrase “you’ve made your bed now lie in it” into this ballad was a clever move on Rodrigo’s part. 

3. vampire 

This was my first impression of the album given that it was the first single released, and to my surprise, it was better than I expected. Personally, I wasn’t a huge fan of Sour, so my expectations were low. Admittedly, it’s a catchy song. 

4. get him back!

Not only is this a fun sing-along, but the double entendre in the title implies Rodrigo wants to seek revenge on her ex while taking him back as a boyfriend. The accompanying music video, filmed fully on the new iPhone fifteen, further paints this picture in a creative and fun way. 

5. all-american b*tch

Right from the opening track, it’s apparent this album is not like Sour. While some of her heartbreak has continued to feature on this album, Rodrigo has shifted to the healed perspective on her past relationships. 

6. love is embarrassing 

I’m going to have to agree with Rodrigo on this one—love is embarrassing. 

7. pretty isn’t pretty

As the average teen girl, these lyrics are nothing short of very relatable and applicable to my life. Lines “I could try every lipstick in every shade / but I’d always feel the same / ‘cause pretty isn’t pretty enough anyway” are simple yet effective in conveying the meaning of the song. 

8. bad idea right?

Quite honestly I’ve heard this one way too many times due to social media trends, but objectively it’s a decent pop song. 

9. lacy 

This track is a nice, simple, acoustic finger-picking style song, but the others outrank this one by far for me. 

10. teenage dream 

Like most of her discography, I can personally relate to her lyrics and this one is no different. Additionally, I like the way the song turns into an explosion of instruments in the end for a dramatic finish. 

11. the grudge 

It’s a good sad song, but the lyrics aren’t memorable enough in my opinion. 

12. logical

“Two plus two equals five / and I’m the love of your life” is a little too like “roses are red, violets are blue” for me.