As a fan who barely knows Lana, what should I listen to first?

[ChicaSkas 80]

Hi guys!

I've always liked Lana, but I barely heard her on the radio and honestly my music life has focused elsewhere for the past decade, so I've not heard much Lana beyond ---

 

-- Summertime Sadness Cedric Gervais remix. This song is what I know her best for. I really liked it and I remember ripping it at the time.

 

 

-- Videogames --- there were a few remixes of this that captivated me and I remember thinking, why was this dude just playing video games when this gorgeous sultry girl was his literal actual girlfriend. I mean if she was my girlfriend I would not leave her alone that way. wow. anyway.... I'm BRAND NEW kinda, guys!

 

Ripping/watching/enjoying Lanachella brought me here

 

did you want to watch? I put it on my google

 

I discovered new sound already that I'm super happy about:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Blossom 8,977]

I think u would like National Anthem and Cherry 

[X8deletedUserX 4,726]

.

[Psychedelic Pussy 30,111]

Oh you’ll definitely love her song Peppers

[yourboy 3,397]

To be frank, Born to Die is a GREAT starter pack. There is a reason for it to become one of the longest charting album EVER

[taco truck 33,437]

I feel like every new listener should just listen to BTD/NFR/OB I think they are her “essential albums”  and show her artistic growth perfectly. Personally I would throw LFL in there too because it’s great bridge from BTD to NFR (I think UV and Honeymoon are better albums but they are a little more secluded in their sounds). 

[Ultra Violet 19,047]

My suggestion would be to play her albums in order while you're driving/commuting, hanging out, doing chores, etc. You'll pretty much pick up the vibe of each album quickly and know which one/s you want to dive into more.

I'd also suggest watching her music videos if you want to do something quicker to check out the singles and visuals.

[Ultra Violet 19,047]

Also, if you have spotify and it's updated, they have that function where you can flick through snippets of each song on an album. That would be a faster way of seeing what the vibe of each album is like. Lana often always has a few more upbeat songs and a few very slow songs on her albums, so that spotify thing can help you pick the individual songs you'd like more.

[Say Yes to Heaven 27,622]

Nice to see you make your way here from GGD! Was really surprised to read your name. 

[Say Yes to Heaven 27,622]

When I initially became a fan, she only had BTD and Paradise out alongside her newest hit (and what drew me in) Young and Beautiful .. A lot of unreleased tho and I listened to that.. A LOT. 

 

While it may be unconventional for other artists, Lana has such a plethora of classic unreleased tracks that I’d actually recommend checking them out alongside her released discography. Many of them stand up, or are even better, than their released counterparts. 

 

 

[Rock Candy 1,852]

I would recommend Honeymoon, but I also think a conscious approach would be to listen to BTD and LFL. These albums set the vectors for the development of her work (in my view of her discography)

 

Coming to UV and NFR should be spontaneous, like finding a pearl, but this should be a canonical event in everyone's life!!!

 

OB, Cotcc and BB are dessert for the most sophisticated

However, these albums should not be ignored

[Dark Angel 203,585]

personally, i would just listen to the albums in order, i feel like it would be really interesting to see how her artistry has shifted throughout time, it may take it a while to really familiarize yourself with everything, but it's completely worth it  once you've listened to all of her officially released projects and are mostly familiar with them, i would then listen to lana del ray a.k.a lizzy grant (the greatest album of all-time!) and then sirens, there's also young like me, from the end, and no kung fu, she also has literal hundreds of unreleased songs and demos to explore, you'll never be bored again!

[shadesofblue 16,968]

I agree w others in the thread you should deff listen to born to die and ocean blvd! Some songs that are more upbeat/pop that remind me of the ones you liked would prob be:

• Off to the races
• radio
• national anthem
• west coast
• freak
• in my feelings
• Cherry
• interlude the trio
• A&W
• peppers
• Taco truck x VB

but you should definitely listen to all her albums in order when you have the chance! I’m sure there will be ones that will surprise you  

[The Siren 30,526]

Literally just go through her albums chronologically

[Make me your Dream Life 88,903]

I fell in love with Born To Die, the album. And it’s magical that she sang Without You at Coachella, bc that’s the song that just drew me in. The contrast to it. I’d start with Diet Mountain Dew first, and then the album in order. 
 

Supplement them with the music videos. And if you get interested, check out the performances of said songs during those times. 
 

West Coast is when I claimed myself as a fan. Think of the places surrounding the albums, or connect them to a place familiar to you that you’d like, to really immerse yourself. 
 

Try to listen to things in it’s natural progression, it’ll be a clear adventure of progress and her story as an artist, have fun 🤍
 

I know she gets a lot of flack, especially starting out, but listening to her stuff and actually understanding what she sings about is such a beautiful counterpoint to popular opinion. 

[bluechemtrails 27,338]

A good place to start is with her videos on youtube, so especially with the released singles. And depending on which video/aesthetics you like best, you can then choose which album you want to listen to in full first.

[details 17,455]

sometimes i wish i could erase born to die from my memory just so i could listen to it for the first time again so i say go listen to born to die! really cherish that experience bc listening to it for the first time is like losing your virginity 

[blackenedrussianpoetry 2,536]

Noir and bentley

[barttttender 5,249]

2 hours ago, ChicaSkas said:

Hi guys!

I've always liked Lana, but I barely heard her on the radio and honestly my music life has focused elsewhere for the past decade, so I've not heard much Lana beyond ---

 

-- Summertime Sadness Cedric Gervais remix. This song is what I know her best for. I really liked it and I remember ripping it at the time.

 

 

-- Videogames --- there were a few remixes of this that captivated me and I remember thinking, why was this dude just playing video games when this gorgeous sultry girl was his literal actual girlfriend. I mean if she was my girlfriend I would not leave her alone that way. wow. anyway.... I'm BRAND NEW kinda, guys!

 

Ripping/watching/enjoying Lanachella brought me here

 

did you want to watch? I put it on my google

 

I discovered new sound already that I'm super happy about:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Born to Die, it's her most approachable record. Then probably Paradise and Lust for Life.

 

Then you can go into the really good stuff like NFR!, Ultraviolence and Ocean Boulevard.

 

Leave Honeymoon, Blue Banisters and Chemtrails for last as these are her slowest and most hermetic records (more in the fans-only vein).

[Coney Island King 26,126]

BTD/NFR/Ocean will give the widest array of what she’s about.

 

I think Lust For Life is probably the best one album for a first timer only because we get pop, trap, alternative, slow, mid tempo, a real wide range of sounds that we get across her whole discography.