“Higher than ariana and tate???” — Netizens react as Pitchfork rates Addison Rae’s new album an 8.0

Addison Rae's new album received an 8.0 rating from Pitchfork. This score took many netizens by surprise, especially as it ranked higher than releases by artists like Ariana Grande and Tate McRae.

Rae released her debut studio album, Addison, on June 6, 2025, through Columbia Records. The album features 12 tracks, including her previously released singles such as Diet Pepsi. Pitchfork reviewed the entire album and gave it a rating of 8.0.

Several netizens expressed their surprise at Pitchfork's rating and took to social media platforms to share their reaction. One X user wrote:

"higher than ariana and tate???"

"Something is going on. Her album is not bad, but this is some kinda propaganda," another user wrote.

Another user posted screenshots comparing Rae's rating to those of albums by Tate McRae, Ariana Grande, and Billie Eilish, all of which received lower ratings, writing:

"yet these are better with better vocals, styles and techniques… and they get lower ratings? like i said, wbk pitchfork on some sh*t and don’t know what they’re talking about… or its run by a bunch of 17yo kids"

Meanwhile, some fans heaped praise on the singer.

"queen of pop," one user wrote.

"SHOULD BE 10 BUT I’LL TAKE IT," another commented.

"IF YOU LISTENED TO IT YK ITS TOO LOW," one fan tweeted.

Pitchfork is an American music magazine founded by Ryan Schreiber in 1996. It is known for generally being a trusted voice in the music industry.

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Ed Sheeran heaps praise on Addison Rae's debut album

On Saturday, June 7, pop star Ed Sheeran shared his thoughts on Addison Rae's album via his alternate Instagram account, @teddysvinylbreakfast. Holding the record, he spoke highly of the album and recommended it to fans, saying:

"So, I've got Addison Rae's album. I've been listening to her for a while. My friend, Elvira, who works very closely with me, on my records, did most of this album. It is bloody fantastic. I think Addison is a superb pop star. And yeah, 'Diet Pepsi' was my favorite one. If you haven't checked out the record, go check it out."

Meanwhile, in an interview with the GRAMMYs, Addison Rae revealed that writing the remix version of Charli XCX's Von Dutch inspired her to make her album.

Rae initially rose to fame through social media, mainly TikTok, and was primarily known for that rather than her music, despite having released multiple singles. In 2024, Charli XCX invited her to write the remix of Von Dutch, which they later performed at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium.

Reminiscing on that moment, Rae said:

"To be honest, I think before I even started writing the album, [the] 'Von Dutch' remix had happened, and that was my first 'aha' moment as a songwriter, which was only last year."

The singer continued:

"I was so shocked to have Charli trust me so much with the lyrics that I was writing. It was really the first time that I felt confidence in myself as a songwriter, because obviously Charli is so incredibly talented and has been in this industry for so long. I['ve] started to lean on myself as a songwriter since that moment."

Addison contains 12 songs and was co-written by Addison, Elvira Anderfjard, and Luka Kloser.

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