For those who aren’t the biggest fans of modern pop music, Doja Cat’s “Vie” might be the perfect opportunity to have a not-so-pop album in your back pocket to beat the pop music hater allegations. And guess what – you might actually love it.

Doja released the album on Sept. 26, marking her fifth LP. Having a history of ‘80s inspired songs, it was unsurprising to hear the pop singer and rapper segue from being simply influenced by the era, to a pure ‘80s homage on nearly every track.

While the synthesizers remain modern and similar to most pop music today, the layered vocals are reminiscent of late ‘90s R&B, with the backtracking that places the listener in a nightclub during the era of MTV and neon clothing.

Each song on the album is well layered and not too straightforward compared to many of its pop counterparts. The lyrics are relatable yet uniquely phrased, and some are likely to even cause a chuckle.

Doja lets the listener know right away that this album is going to be different by tapping into her ‘alto-ego’ with the opening song, “Cards.” It’s catchy, showcases her vocal range and is so ‘80s. In fact, take out the vocals and you’ve got background music to an arcade game.

Although Doja joked on social media that her album is not performing to her standards, as of the first few days of October, it is expected to overtake the number four slot on the Billboard 200, according to @talkofthecharts on X. Currently sitting around 60,000 units, it is predicted to surpass the albums of Sabrina Carpenter, Young Thug and Alex Warren.

Here is the track list:

Standouts and predicted hits are marked with an exclamation point.

(!) Cards

The sax intro alone lets the listener know Doja is in a new era of music. When the beat kicks in, the classic airy vocals are unmistakably hers, but the bass line takes us back 40 years. She layers the vocals with much lower ones in case anyone forgot she has range.

(!) Jealous Type

Released ahead of the album, this song has already garnered 63 million listens on Spotify. Most would agree that this is likely to be the biggest hit of the album due to its digestibility and commonality with modern pop. Pop haters, this is not for you.

(!) AAAHH MEN!

Every album needs one song that is just totally relatable, and it is definitely this one. Dating in the modern world is encompassed by the lyrics demonstrating the back and forth confusion arising in dating scenarios. It’s fun, and the background vocals might provide a laugh.

Couples Therapy

On a more serious note, this slower song details a struggling relationship on the verge of breaking up despite the singer trying to hang on. The vocals are light, and the backtracking has that R&B feel to it.

Gorgeous

Classic Doja. It strays away from the retro route and revisits her classic era with perfect articulation and a mix of pop and rap. It’s a self-love anthem, so it makes sense that she would briefly return to the musical style that put her on everyone’s radar.

(!) Stranger

Nobody knew they needed to hear it until Doja said, “nothing you do could freak me out,” in this melodic and quirkily romantic track. It’s certainly a love song, but somehow avoids the cliches and finds a unique way to express that feeling of being totally in love with someone.

All Mine

Pure R&B from the backtrack to the vocals. The bass line and keyboard embellishments pay tribute to the early 2000s.

Take Me Dancing (feat. SZA)

This will probably be playing at The Bungalow in Santa Monica pretty soon – base your opinion on that and it will probably be pretty accurate.

Lipstain

This track once again returns to more classic Doja but adds those lower vocals, some in French. It’s slow and smooth, but lacks the layers the other tracks have.

Silly! Fun!

The lyrics are delusional, but that is the point. In correlation with the title, this song has some fun features with Doja playing with the vocals on the chorus.

Acts of Service

Doja gets more vulnerable here, mixing themes of love and uncertainty, even asking her love interest if it’s real to them, too. She also takes a break from pop and provides more stripped down music, possibly to emphasize the lyrics.

Make it Up

Another stripped down song letting the listener know the lyrics are authentic and truly meant. Providing a sense of desperation and anxiety, the singer pleads to her lover in a light and layered way for a chance to “make it up” to them.

One More Time

After a brief detour from the synths and pop sound, Doja is back in full force with this song, asking her lover to give it another shot with her. The guitar additions hint at ‘80s rock as well.

(!) Happy

A simple, sexy, seductive, yet ironically sad track that carries meaning and vulnerability behind the relatable lyrics. In this song, she’s being cheated on but just wants to make her partner happy.

Come Back

Closing the album, Doja’s final track begs her love interest to come back. The song closes the album in a symphonic way with many layers and a rich backtrack. It’s pop, yet it’s totally not.

The whole album seems to tell a tale of Doja feeling herself, falling in love, but then watching her partner slip away, despite her best efforts to keep them hanging on as tightly as she is. It is certainly different from her other albums, but still holds pieces of them throughout. Once again, if you hate pop music but want to not hate pop music, this album might just be for you.