You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love
2026 studio album by Olivia Rodrigo
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You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love (stylized in all lowercase) is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo, released by Geffen Records on June 12, 2026. It features a guest appearance from Robert Smith of the Cure on the track "What's Wrong with Me".
| You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Standard cover | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 12, 2026 | |||
| Genres | ||||
| Length | 51:02 | |||
| Label | Geffen | |||
| Producer | Dan Nigro | |||
| Olivia Rodrigo chronology | ||||
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| Singles from You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love | ||||
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The lead single, "Drop Dead", reached number one in five countries including the United Kingdom and the United States. Its second single, "The Cure", reached the top ten in various countries. "Stupid Song" was released to radio as the third single in July 2026. Rodrigo will embark on the Unraveled Tour from September 2026 to May 2027.
Upon release, the album was met with widespread acclaim from music critics. They highlighted Rodrigo's confessional songwriting and vulnerability, and deemed it a significant step-up in maturity compared to her previous works. You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love charted number one in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Scotland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Background and conception
On September 8, 2023, Olivia Rodrigo released her second album, Guts, to critical and commercial success.[1] Produced by longtime collaborator Dan Nigro, the sonically diverse record was inspired by the period of time immediately following the release of her debut album, Sour (2021).[2] In December 2025, Rodrigo released a live album of her performance at Glastonbury Festival 2025, titled Live from Glastonbury (A BBC Recording). It features a special guest appearance by English musician Robert Smith of the Cure on recordings of the band's tracks "Friday I'm in Love" and "Just like Heaven".[3]
In March 2026, Rodrigo began teasing the thematic direction of her third album in an interview with British Vogue.[4] She indicated that it would predominantly feature "sad love songs", explaining that many of her favorite romantic tracks derive their appeal from an undercurrent of fear or longing.[5][6][7] On April 2, the title was unveiled after being painted on a pink wall in Los Angeles and hinted with its final word in several cities.[citation needed]
Production and music
You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love continues Rodrigo's collaboration with Nigro, who returns as producer.[8][9] Taking inspiration from her time in London, she dubbed the album her "most experimental" yet.[4] The tenth track, "What's Wrong with Me", features a guest appearance from Smith and marks Rodrigo's first career collaboration for an original song.[10]
You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love has primarily been described as a pop,[11][12] indie,[13] and 1980s alternative record[14] in the styles of pop rock,[15] dream pop,[16] new wave,[17] and shimmering synth-pop,[18] influenced by shoegaze.[16] Its songs shift between indie pop, emotional ballads,[19] fuzzy alternative rock, minimalist pop,[20] post-punk,[21] and folk rock sonics.[22] It has also been described as incorporating elements of New Romantic-era rock and college rock.[23]
Lyrics and themes
The album opens with the lead single, "Drop Dead", which has been mainly described as a synth-pop, chamber pop, indie pop, pop rock, and trippy soft rock song[24][25][26] with a rock bridge[24] and a power pop guitar solo.[27] Lyrically, it has been described as singing about the start of a romance.[28] The next track, "Stupid Song", is an indie pop,[29] pop rock,[30] and synth-rock song.[31] Much like "Drop Dead", "Stupid Song" has been lyrically described as hinting at an early relationship.[32] "Honeybee" features backing vocals from Rodrigo's friend Conan Gray and has lyrics relating to Rodrigo singing about the love for her then-partner and her hope for their future together.[33] "Maggots for Brains" has been described as having an "intriguing title"[34] and is said to reference the relationship of Sex and the City characters Miranda Hobbes and Steve Brady.[4] "U + Me = <3" is an indie rock track[35] that talks about "[a] boy with 'floppy hair' who takes her out to dinner".[36] "My Way" sees Rodrigo address another woman who is trying to pursue her boyfriend.[37] The seventh track, "Purple", closes out the Girl So in Love section; a ballad originally written as a "sweet and saccharine" love song, it was later changed to have a darker theme.[38]
The You Seem Pretty Sad section begins with the second single, "The Cure", a downtempo, rock, indie rock, and pop track[39][40][41][42] that critics have described as a "crowning achievement"[43] and a "mature step forward" for Rodrigo. "Begged", a folk and acoustic pop ballad, explores themes of yearning and uncertainty.[44][45] "What's Wrong with Me" with Robert Smith is a baroque pop song[46] about the realization that one's romantic relationship is the source of their unhappiness, despite their hopes for it to succeed.[47] It is followed by "Less", which has been speculated to have lyrics related to a "devastating breakup".[48] The penultimate track, "Expectations", has been described to have lyrics that suggest "new standards for dating" followed by the singer.[49] Tom Breihan of Stereogum described the song as a "pulsing new wave rager" that's incandescent in its bitterness, with an electropop bassline that evokes Devo and The Human League.[50] The closer, "Cigarette Smoke", contains lyrics that seem to be about a brutal response after a breakup.[33]
Artwork and packaging
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The standard album cover artwork shows Rodrigo upside down on a swing against a soft pink-and-blue sky, wearing a pink babydoll dress, white crew socks, and Mary Jane shoes.[52] The cover has been compared to Jean-Honoré Fragonard's Rococo painting The Swing, which similarly depicts a woman on a swing in a pink dress.[51] Rodrigo's official web-store edition, also known as the "Carve Our Names" picture disc vinyl, features an original oil painting by Chloe Wise based on a photograph by Chad Moore.[53] Preorders for Target-exclusive vinyl editions started the day that she announced the album. Shoppers could choose from a "Pretty Sad" pink color vinyl and a "Hope Like Snow" white color vinyl.[54]
Promotion and release
The track listing was revealed on May 26. Stylistically, it is divided into two parts: Girl So in Love and You Seem Pretty Sad.[34] On June 14, a digital edition was released with "Never Do" as a bonus track.[55]
On April 7, 2026, Rodrigo announced the lead single, "Drop Dead", which was released on April 17.[56] Its accompanying music video was primarily shot at the Palace of Versailles and directed by Petra Collins.[57] The single debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, extending her record as the first artist to debut the lead singles from their first three albums at the top of the chart.[58]
On April 18, Rodrigo appeared as a surprise guest on Addison Rae's set at Coachella 2026 and debuted "Drop Dead" live.[59] She later premiered a new song, "Begged", during her appearance on Saturday Night Live on May 2, 2026.[60]
On April 30, Rodrigo announced her third concert tour, the Unraveled Tour. Consisting of 86 dates across North America and Europe, the tour will begin on September 25, 2026, in Hartford, and conclude on May 10, 2027, in London. Supporting acts include Devon Again, Die Spitz, Grace Ives, the Last Dinner Party, and Wolf Alice.[61][62][63]
On May 19, "The Cure" was announced as the second single and was released on May 22.[64] It reached number one in Australia,[65] Ireland, and Singapore[66] and number five in the US.[67] Physical editions of the single feature the bonus track "Never Do".[68]
On June 6, she performed a surprise set at Primavera Sound with only a few hours' notice, playing a new song, "What's Wrong with Me", with Smith.[69][70][10] She appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on April 30.[71] She performed "The Cure" and "Stupid Song" on Jimmy Kimmel Live![72] On June 2, she performed "The Cure" and a cover of CMAT's "When a Good Man Cries" at the BBC Radio Live Lounge.[73] She also performed at the Spotify Billions Club.[74]
A promo "Walk in the Park" limited-edition vinyl for the album tracks "Honeybee" and "Cigarette Smoke" was released.[75] Merchandise was also released.[76]
A music video for the third single "Stupid Song", shot primarily in New York City, was released the same day as the album.[77][78] It debuted at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the charts in Australia,[79] Ireland, and New Zealand.[80] It was sent to radio stations on July 13, 2026.[81]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 8.5/10[82] |
| Metacritic | 87/100[83] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Associated Press |   [84] |
| Clash | 9/10[85] |
| DIY | [86] |
| The Guardian |  [11] |
| The Independent | [87] |
| The Irish Times | [13] |
| Pitchfork | 8.3/10
 [23] |
| Rolling Stone | [88] |
| Sputnikmusic | 5/5[12] |
| The Daily Telegraph | [89] |
You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love was released to widespread acclaim from music critics.[90][91][92] According to the review aggregator Metacritic, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 87 out of 100 from twenty-six critic scores.[83] The review aggregator Any Decent Music gave the album a weighted average score of 8.5 out of 10 from twenty-six critic scores.[82]
Pitchfork's Molly Mary O'Brien viewed You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love as Rodrigo's "most sophisticated" release yet, noting that she "has never sounded more adventurous" and was "somehow running the gamut from Gary Numan to R.E.M. without sounding like pastiche at any point." O'Brien praised Rodrigo's evolution as a songwriter, deeming it "a sight to behold" and further noting: "Emotional transmission has always been a big tenet of the Olivia Rodrigo experience—she needs us to feel everything as intensely as she does, and will use every musical trick in the book to make it happen."[23] Sputnikmusic's Caleb Robinson stated that You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love "will go down as one of the decade's finest albums, and it sits comfortably among the ranks of other modern pop classics." Robinson praised Rodrigo's songwriting talent for reaching "a level of perfection and depth rarely achieved by her pop contemporaries."[12]
Rolling Stone's Julyssa Lopez believed that Rodrigo's storytelling had matured on the album, which she described as her "most complete, musically adventurous album yet."[88] Emma Constance from Clash described Rodrigo's songwriting as diaristic, capturing the rise and fall of a romantic relationship with unfiltered honesty. Constance praised tracks such as "Drop Dead", "Stupid Song", and "Honeybee" for their euphoric depictions of infatuation, while highlighting "The Cure", "Begged", and "What's Wrong with Me" as devastating-yet-catchy explorations of heartbreak. Constance concluded that Rodrigo had "successfully transformed another turbulent part of her life into something beautiful and unskippable."[85] Vulture's Jason P. Frank described the album as "essentially, a rock opera."[93]
NPR Music's Hazel Cills had a more mixed review, criticizing the "melodramatic" and "repetitive" tone of the first half and noting that "Rodrigo doesn't step back quite far enough to truly make sense of what this relationship has done to her". However, Cills praised "The Cure" as "one of the strongest [tracks] of Rodrigo's career so far."[94] Stereogum's Tom Breihan stated that the album "calls back to the college rock of the late '80s". He also described the penultimate track, "Expectations", as a "pulsing new wave rager that's incandescent in its bitterness" with an "electro-pop bassline that evokes Devo and the Human League."[95]
Vinyl format controversy
The vinyl editions of You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love received criticism following their release for containing shortened versions of several tracks compared with the digital and CD editions. Although all thirteen tracks are included, "Honeybee", "Maggots for Brains", "u + me = <3", "The Cure", "What's Wrong with Me", and "Cigarette Smoke" feature edits, including the removal of repeated sections and portions of their outros.[citation needed] The changes result in a shorter running time for the vinyl edition than the standard version of the album, which runs for approximately 51 minutes.[96]
The alterations were not disclosed as alternate versions in listings for the vinyl release.[citation needed] Following the album's release, some purchasers criticized the shortened versions and the decision to issue the album as a single LP rather than a double album.[citation needed] Neither Rodrigo nor Geffen Records publicly provided a reason for the shortened versions.[citation needed]
Accolades
The album appeared on multiple publications' list of best albums from roughly the first half of 2026, published in June and July. These lists were largely unranked, although Tom Dunne of Irish Examiner placed it at number seven in his top ten,[97] and The Quietus compiled a ranked list from a poll which its staff and contributors voted on; the album ranked seventy-nine out of one hundred entries.[98] Furthermore, the album was also included in other mid-year lists such as in the BrooklynVegan,[99] Elle,[100] Flood Magazine,[101] Manila Bulletin,[102] NME,[103] Our Culture Mag,[104] Rolling Stone,[105] Slant Magazine,[106] and Variety.[107]
Commercial performance
Streaming
Upon release, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love became 2026's most streamed album by a female artist within a single day on Spotify and obtained the largest global streaming debut on Amazon Music.[108]
United States
According to Luminate figures reported by Billboard, the album earned 485,000 album-equivalent units in the United States its first week, comprising 273,000 pure album sales (including 164,000 vinyl LPs), 211,000 streaming-equivalent albums (from 218.41 million on-demand audio streams), and 1,000 track-equivalent albums. It debuted atop the Billboard 200, Top Album Sales, Top Streaming Albums, and Top Rock & Alternative Albums charts. It marked Rodrigo's third consecutive US number-one album and made her the first act in Billboard history to have their first three lead singles and studio albums debut atop the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200. It was the largest weekly overall debut and the largest streaming opening for any album by a female act released in 2026.[109]
It spent two consecutive weeks atop the Billboard 200 in total.[110] Four tracks charted within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, with "Stupid Song" and "Honeybee" entering at numbers three and nine, respectively. With this, Rodrigo became the first woman to debut their first ten top-ten singles in the top ten.[111]
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, the album debuted atop the UK Albums Chart with 102,814 album-equivalent units in its first week (comprising 27,194 CD sales, 25,562 vinyl LP sales, 9,212 cassette sales, 1,443 digital downloads, and 39,403 streaming-equivalent albums), becoming Rodrigo's biggest opening week and her third consecutive UK number-one album.[112] At age 23, Rodrigo became the youngest international artist to surpass 100,000 opening-week album-equivalent units in the UK in over two decades, since Britney Spears's Greatest Hits: My Prerogative in 2004. It also achieved 2026's biggest opening week for a non-British release in the UK up to that point.[113] It remained atop the chart in its second week[114] and was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for selling 100,000 units in the country.[115] Two tracks from the album, "Drop Dead" and "The Cure", were certified Silver in the country.[116] Furthermore, all the singles from the album charted in the top three positions with "Drop Dead" topping the chart and both "The Cure" and "Stupid Song" peaking at number two.[117]
Worldwide
In Europe, the album reached number one in Austria,[118] Belgian Flanders[119] and Wallonia,[120] Croatia,[121] Denmark,[122] Finland,[123] France,[124] Hungary, Ireland,[125] Italy,[126] Portugal,[127] Spain,[128] Sweden,[129] and Switzerland.[130] It topped both the Top 100 albums and Top 100 Pop albums chart in Germany.[131] It peaked at number 2 in Lithuania,[132] Norway,[133] Poland and Slovakia.[134]
The album also spent two weeks on top of the Canadian albums chart,[135][136] with the lead single, "Drop Dead", topping the Canadian Hot 100.[137] The album was later certified gold in the country with "Drop Dead" and "The Cure" being certified platinum.[138] In Australia, the album spent three weeks atop the album chart,[139][140] with all three singles reaching number one on the singles chart in the country.[141] The album also spent three consecutive weeks atop the album chart in New Zealand.[142][143][144]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Drop Dead" | 3:44 | |
| 2. | "Stupid Song" |
| 3:29 |
| 3. | "Honeybee" | Rodrigo | 3:43 |
| 4. | "Maggots for Brains" |
| 4:00 |
| 5. | "U + Me = <3" |
| 4:07 |
| 6. | "My Way" |
| 3:00 |
| 7. | "Purple" |
| 4:00 |
| 8. | "The Cure" |
| 4:57 |
| 9. | "Begged" | Rodrigo | 3:37 |
| 10. | "What's Wrong with Me" (with Robert Smith) |
| 3:44 |
| 11. | "Less" |
| 3:13 |
| 12. | "Expectations" |
| 3:41 |
| 13. | "Cigarette Smoke" |
| 5:40 |
| Total length: | 51:02 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14. | "Never Do" | Rodrigo | 3:43 |
| Total length: | 54:45 | ||
Notes
- All track titles are stylized in all lowercase.
- Tracks 1–7 are grouped under Girl So in Love while tracks 8–13 are grouped under You Seem Pretty Sad.[34]
Personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.[146]
Musicians
- Olivia Rodrigo – vocals
- Daniel Nigro – background vocals, bass, drum programming, guitar, string arrangement, Mellotron, piano, percussion, programming, acoustic guitar, Moog bass, electric guitar, organ (tracks 1–10, 12, 13); production, engineering (all tracks); mixing (3, 9, 11, 13); vocal production (8)
- Sterling Laws – drums (tracks 1, 2, 4–6, 8, 12)
- Paul Cartwright – violin, viola (tracks 1–3, 8, 13); string arrangement (tracks 1, 3, 8, 13); cello (track 8)
- Noah Conrad – piano (tracks 2, 3, 11); co-production (track 11)
- Bryn Bliska – programming (tracks 2, 5); synthesizer (track 8)
- Conan Gray – background vocals (track 3)
- Lily Elise – background vocals (tracks 3, 4)
- Arianna Powell – guitar (track 3)
- Ben Romans – piano (tracks 4, 5)
- Sam Stewart – guitar (track 5)
- Ryan Linvill – flute (track 7); saxophone (track 9)
- Jim-E Stack – drum programming, guitar, piano, programming, co-production, engineering (track 7)
- Amy Allen – background vocals (track 7)
- Robert Smith – vocals, background vocals, bass, guitar, piano, engineering (track 10)
- Mike Wise – guitar, programming, co-production, engineering (track 12)
Technical
- Neal Pogue – mixing (track 1)
- Mitch McCarthy – mixing (tracks 2, 4–8, 10, 12)
- Zachary Acosta – additional mixing (track 1)
- Mike Bozzi – mastering (tracks 1, 2, 5, 8)
- Jack Doutt – mastering (tracks 2, 5)
- Randy Merrill – mastering (tracks 3, 4, 6, 7, 9–13)
- Chris Kasych – engineering (tracks 2, 4, 6, 11)
- Michael Harris – additional engineering (track 5)
Charts
| Chart (2026) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Argentine Albums (CAPIF)[147] | 1 |
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[148] | 1 |
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[149] | 1 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[150] | 1 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[151] | 1 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard)[152] | 1 |
| Croatian International Albums (HDU)[121] | 1 |
| Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[153] | 4 |
| Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[122] | 1 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[154] | 1 |
| Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[155] | 1 |
| French Albums (SNEP)[156] | 1 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[157] | 1 |
| German Pop Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[158] | 1 |
| Greek Albums (IFPI)[159] | 1 |
| Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[160] | 1 |
| Irish Albums (Official Charts)[161] | 1 |
| Italian Albums (FIMI)[162] | 1 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[163] | 21 |
| Japanese Combined Albums (Oricon)[164] | 36 |
| Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[165] | 8 |
| Lithuanian Albums (AGATA)[132] | 2 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[166] | 1 |
| Norwegian Albums (IFPI Norge)[133] | 2 |
| Polish Albums (ZPAV)[167] | 2 |
| Portuguese Albums (AFP)[127] | 1 |
| Scottish Albums (Official Charts)[168] | 1 |
| Slovak Albums (ČNS IFPI)[134] | 2 |
| Spanish Albums (Promusicae)[128] | 1 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[129] | 1 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[169] | 1 |
| UK Albums (Official Charts)[170] | 1 |
| US Billboard 200[171] | 1 |
| US Top Rock & Alternative Albums (Billboard)[172] | 1 |
Certifications and sales
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Canada (Music Canada)[173] | Gold | 40,000‡ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ)[174] | Gold | 7,500‡ |
| Spain (Promusicae)[175] | Gold | 20,000‡ |
| United Kingdom (BPI)[115] | Gold | 100,000‡ |
|
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||