The Best Albums of the Decade, Ranked

Published on January 29, 2020 By Mathew Cohen

22. Lana Del Rey, Born to Die, (2012)

While this album may have received its fair share of criticism at the time of release, Born to Die nevertheless shaped Lana Del Rey’s retro image. Filled with references to 1950s and 60s Americana, Born to Die featured riveting hits such as Summertime Sadness, Video Games and the titular Born to Die.

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This album took on dark themes such as suicide and doomed relationships, while helping to shape Lana Del Rey’s cult status. As time has progressed, Del Rey’s debut album has garnered an increasing amount of praise, particularly for her courage in sacrificing catchy hooks for emotive and sincere vocals.