• Record Label: Polydor
  • Release Date: Jan 31, 2012
User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 2350 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. Nov 16, 2013
    6
    After all the pre-release hype for Lana Del Rey's debut album she unfairly found herself a target for the usual internet maniacs but, while Born to Die doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel, it is certainly a solid start to her recording career. Songs such as Title track Born to Die, Video games and Blue Jeans ably demonstrate Lana's vocal talents and will attract more than enough fans toAfter all the pre-release hype for Lana Del Rey's debut album she unfairly found herself a target for the usual internet maniacs but, while Born to Die doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel, it is certainly a solid start to her recording career. Songs such as Title track Born to Die, Video games and Blue Jeans ably demonstrate Lana's vocal talents and will attract more than enough fans to make her a success in the pop world. Expand
  2. Sep 4, 2019
    6
    This album clearly has some great themes about fame and what it means to be a woman in today's society but she seems too content and not ready for change.
  3. Jun 18, 2014
    6
    The album is good in general, the music is complex and it has some beautiful songs on it. Nevertheless, the lyrics tend to be very simple and dumb and even though the violins play it good here, it lacks of maturity and cohesion.
  4. Dec 27, 2014
    6
    Pretty amazing universe, no colloquial texts, always poetry. It's like Lana saw flowers and tell it without spelling the main word once. She uses a form nobody uses, this is it
  5. Jul 24, 2017
    6
    Born to Die was a material designed to be commercial, damaging the creative process of the album. Plunged into a sickly hip hop, the album has its good points, such as the title track and 'Million Dollar Man' and negatives that crucify the work like 'Diet Mountain Dew' and 'Carmen'.
  6. Aug 25, 2022
    6
    Elizabeth Woodridge Grant emerged quietly from obscurity in her fully formed persona "Lana Del Rey" taking the world by storm. Her explosive single "video games " set the nostalgic vintage sound she'd learn to master throughout her lustrous career. I remember when i first heard it i was repelled and intrigued simultaneously:the vintage sound seemed uninteresting but her lyrics appearanceElizabeth Woodridge Grant emerged quietly from obscurity in her fully formed persona "Lana Del Rey" taking the world by storm. Her explosive single "video games " set the nostalgic vintage sound she'd learn to master throughout her lustrous career. I remember when i first heard it i was repelled and intrigued simultaneously:the vintage sound seemed uninteresting but her lyrics appearance were fresh captivating,thank god i was lured. "Born to die " divided critiques who then could either love it's invention and timeliness aesthetic or found her entirely packaged, boring snd a fad. The latter were wrong as born to die would become the blue print of an iconoclastic genre of sad girl whisper pop juggernauts(eg.lorde,billie ellish etc)time would be extremly kind to this record as it improves the more you hear it's delicious textures.

    For debuts "Born to die " gives others a run for their money. It bushed and created boundaries and showed artists didn't need to belt lile Beyonce or Adele to infiltrate billboard. It took the world in a more gray direction moody direction inflected with trip hop beats and vulnerable lyrics. From the dramatic plea of the openers first words to the astoundingly creative winder of "off to the races ",which pushed what could be pop. Nothing is black and white here, alongside images of patriotism ,the American dream and heart ache are genuine expressions of her experiences she's had or is preparing to have. It has a freedom other records just couldn't evoke such as the slick swagger of "blue jeans" or the giddy & tipsy "diet mountain dew" which sounds like an irresistible 20's jingle. In spite of disarming (though sometimes off pitch) vocals and watertight aesthetic there is a power to her words,lyrics come first to glorious results. Such as the standard editions closer or "carmen".

    Born to die is a once misunderstood prototype rejected by the critical masses and now beloved by all. It's a universal shift, it's a gem
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  7. Jan 15, 2020
    6
    It was the start of a new generation of pop music sonically, but lyrically it was repetitive to the point where you could cut it down to 5 songs and it’d still have the same effect.
  8. Aug 26, 2021
    6
    Lana Del Rey’s monumental debut album is far from perfect with its repetitive production styling and overall weak, though sometimes genius, lyrical content. However the controversy sparked from this album, paired with Del Rey’s undoubtedly intriguing persona and unique voice, fill her future with nothing but promise and potential.
  9. Mar 24, 2023
    6
    Born To Die's exploration of melodrama and tragic love evokes bland hip-hop beats to tell the Manhattan singer-songwriter's fantasies.
  10. Feb 2, 2012
    5
    Lana del rey is undeniably talented and her voice is unique, haunting and she has great vocal ability and she brings something new to music industry, but this album just doesn't worth the hype it had the past weeks. The album is too melancholic and melodramatic, a little unsuitable for an album with themes of party-rocking, sexuality and spending money..., plus the album is so repetitiveLana del rey is undeniably talented and her voice is unique, haunting and she has great vocal ability and she brings something new to music industry, but this album just doesn't worth the hype it had the past weeks. The album is too melancholic and melodramatic, a little unsuitable for an album with themes of party-rocking, sexuality and spending money..., plus the album is so repetitive that it gets tiring and boring through the 3/4 of the tracklisting and at the end the whole album seems a little dull. Really hope she does something more essential next time. Expand
  11. Jan 31, 2012
    5
    It's not a bad album, but it isn't great either. Definitely not worthy of the hype. There are some good tunes here but Del Rey is not a very good lyricist and needs to improve her writing skills.
  12. Jul 12, 2012
    5
    One of the most talked-about singers of 2011 and 2012 released her awaited album just for disappointing. There are a few highlights, but the down parts are most eloquent. It is a bit dull at some ways, and it's strangeness makes we feel like Lana don't believe in what she is singing. Of course, highlights I've mentioned are "National Anthem" and "Summertime Sadness".
  13. Feb 7, 2012
    5
    I hear a couple of songs off this album and was really struck by Miss Grant's style and how it fused with the production. I couldn't really say why I enjoyed it but I did. Then it hit me that I was listening to Lana del Rey with the idea of Nancy Sinatra in my head. Lana del Rey is applying the same sort of approach, but on the whole I think Nancy Sinatra's songs are consistently superior.I hear a couple of songs off this album and was really struck by Miss Grant's style and how it fused with the production. I couldn't really say why I enjoyed it but I did. Then it hit me that I was listening to Lana del Rey with the idea of Nancy Sinatra in my head. Lana del Rey is applying the same sort of approach, but on the whole I think Nancy Sinatra's songs are consistently superior. The sound approximates the feel of a Nancy Sinatra album but lacks the fire that made Nancy Sinatra so great. There are a few excellent singles in this album, but on the whole its rather disappointing, Talented but inconsistent is the best way to describe her, I think. Expand
  14. Jul 27, 2012
    5
    If I'm honest, I didn't want to go with the critics for this one, but when I first downloaded and listened to Born to Die shortly after its release, it became obvious to me that one of my most anticipated albums at the end of 2011 had turned out to be a disappointing mixed bag. Going through the tracklist, the title track and opener is dramatic and initially enjoyable though unremarkable,If I'm honest, I didn't want to go with the critics for this one, but when I first downloaded and listened to Born to Die shortly after its release, it became obvious to me that one of my most anticipated albums at the end of 2011 had turned out to be a disappointing mixed bag. Going through the tracklist, the title track and opener is dramatic and initially enjoyable though unremarkable, but the cringeworthy melodrama and lyrics of second track "Off to the Races" chokes is lush strings and production for a full five minutes, no less. Next, "Blue Jeans" is propulsive and inoffensive though bland, with a decent sense for song structure. At this point, "Video Games", the album's only complete triumph, comes off so honest, so sincere and so beautifully crafted that it feels slightly out of place in a set of songs so dedicated to ego and persona. No surprise that it clashes so vehemently with the obnoxious intro to the following track: "You're no good for me, but baby I want you, I want you." The ensuing three tracks are fairly predictable pop songs with their fair share of downfalls, but where normally an album like Born to Die would end in a series of unlistenable sentimental ballads, something must be said for the final few songs on the album, as they show the most promise: "Summertime Sadness," despite the title, builds up well and has a simple, powerful refrain. "Million Dollar Man," while sadly overproduced, may be the only song comparable in quality to "Video Games:" Del Rey's powerful voice is shown off over jazzy piano that make the song interesting and listenable. Still, not even these strong points could save the album: at the end of the day, despite considerable merits, it just sounds all too similar and uninteresting as a whole. Expand
  15. May 19, 2012
    5
    The production is the greatest aspect of this album. It is really good ("Carmen", "National Anthem"). However, the themes on this album range get very repetitive very fast. Del Rey attempts to present herself as a singer with substance. It's obvious that she's trying to say something with this album. However, you can't take her seriously with phrases like 'money is the reason weThe production is the greatest aspect of this album. It is really good ("Carmen", "National Anthem"). However, the themes on this album range get very repetitive very fast. Del Rey attempts to present herself as a singer with substance. It's obvious that she's trying to say something with this album. However, you can't take her seriously with phrases like 'money is the reason we exist/everybody knows it/it's a fact, kiss-kiss'.
    Unlike Amy Winehouse, another vintage sounding singer, Lana Del Ray lacks tact. Instead, she comes across as the indie equivalent of any mainstream pop singer. She doesn't live up to the hype.

    5. She's the smartest fish in the pop charts.
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  16. Jun 19, 2012
    5
    Exaggerated vocals, some songs are worth as "Video Games" for example, lyrics are not so much convincing, with the exception of Carmen and the production is a bit interesting. A not very nice mixture of baroque pop with a quasi-hip-hop. We could say that Lana is not yet ready to release an album, but her voice indicates a singer who can demonstrate more talent in some years.
  17. Apr 30, 2017
    5
    Lana Del Rey's partying is fuelled by a knowing sadness, and sung in that laconic, hypnotic voice, which ultimately saves this thoroughly dissolute, feminist nightmare of a record for the romantics among us.
  18. Apr 8, 2018
    5
    su peor album, aunque los singles y el ep son unas joyas honestamente. igual es su trabajo mas pop
  19. Jul 24, 2017
    5
    Born To Die is an interesting album. There is a lot of different textures in it, a lot of ambiances, attitudes and feelings. But the production of the songs are way too heavy and overproduced. It feels like the album is stuck in a middle of a bridge between pop-music and indie-music but doesn't dare to go in a way or another.
  20. Feb 10, 2021
    5
    Best Album On My Life
    Best Album On My Life
    Best Album On My Life
    Best Album On My Life
    Best Album On My Life
    Best Album On My Life
    Best Album On My Life
    Best Album On My Life
    Best Album On My Life
  21. Apr 23, 2012
    4
    This is another pretentious album , that the basic **** think is going to make them look like hipsters and snobs. It's funny because the album has the same melody from the beginning to the end and it's beyond boring and most of the tracks go unnoticed. Her vocals is obviously the best thing on it, there are some ok songs like This What Makes Us Girls, Video Games, Radio and Lucky Ones.
  22. Jun 26, 2012
    4
    All songs sounds almost same through entire album. I enjoyed only 5 of 15: Born to Die, Blue Jeans, Video Games, Dark Paradise and Summertime Sadness. You definitely should listen to it before buying.
  23. Nov 19, 2012
    4
    No doubt Lana is the most overrated new generation pop star. Have to admit she's able to write good catchy songs but it's poor production and her law singers talent just ruin all the good stuff.
  24. Jan 27, 2016
    4
    In a word this album was meh. I wasn't impressed at all but it wasn't awful but I really don't like Del Rey's voice and she certainly should change it up drastically to impress me.
  25. Sep 10, 2015
    4
    This album it's sooooooooooo good. You are definitly play it on repeat, really, again and again and again.
    .............................................
  26. Sep 13, 2015
    4
    Lana has a beautiful voice, but in the most part of this album she sings like she was having an orgasm, or at least too bored to sing decently. The lyrics are OK, there are still really good tracks on it, like Carmen, Summertime Sadness and Off to the Races, but when I listen to National Anthem I just want to know what the **** is going on there.
  27. Jul 21, 2017
    4
    Literally Lana Del Rey was not ready for an album, but the good part is that Born to Die made an impact. Personally is not my taste, but she can do better. Still the album has good songs
Metascore
62

Generally favorable reviews - based on 37 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 37
  2. Negative: 2 out of 37
  1. Feb 28, 2012
    50
    Spread over 12 songs, Del Rey becomes so ordinary, even bland, that no amount of little girl vocals or pouting can save her.
  2. Mojo
    Feb 27, 2012
    80
    Tune out the background media noise and immerse yourself. [Mar 2012, p.94]
  3. Q Magazine
    Feb 21, 2012
    80
    Confirms her as the most compelling new pop star around: half doomed romantic, half mordant cynic, with a distinctively conflicted vision of how love, fame and America work. [Mar 2012, p.94]