On Friday, April 24, Noah Kahan released his fourth album, “The Great Divide,” showcasing nostalgia, life after fame, and mental health struggles.
The American singer and songwriter debuted the track “The Great Divide” on Jan. 30, after not releasing music for four years. His last album, “Stick Season,” follows a similar meaning; relating to the experience of being a young adult, and struggling with mental health.
“I really liked it. I like how it combines a bit of instrumentals with very sad lyrics,” sophomore Valere Simonetti said. “It made me cry. It was really sad.”
After the success that came with Kahan’s third album, “Stick Season,” he experienced what fame was like. The fame Kahan had endured was a major contribution to the creation of “The Great Divide.”
“He did a lot of opposites of what he had already written. For example, ‘Downfall’ was the direct opposite of ‘You’re Gonna Go Far,’” Simonetti said.
The album is made up of 17 songs, all featuring the indie folk theme that Kahan is recognized for. His most-streamed song on the album so far is “Doors,” with around 4.4 million streams as of May 4.
“Doors” unpacks the feeling of growing up in an unwelcoming environment, isolation, vulnerability and imperfections. Similar to his track “False Confidence” from his first album “Busyhead.”
“A lot of his songs overlap with his old songs, and have similar meaning,” sophomore Charley Goodstein said.
“Everybody can take something from that because he really talks about personal journeys all the time,” Simonetti said.
“He has a huge community, and it just has an impact on those people. So I think he’s doing a good thing,” sophomore Daniel Bang said.
The second most-streamed track on the album is “End of August,” with 3.6 million streams. “End of August” covers the hardships of growing older and the complex emotional experience.
“It was very impactful. I think a lot of the songs have really deep meanings, and it just resonated with me,” Goodstein said.
Outside of “Doors” and “End of August,” “The Great Divide” has been an overwhelmingly successful hit since its debut. “The Great Divide” conveys the feeling of understanding another’s misfortune and wishing them well after a falling-out.
“The Great Divide” has become Kahan’s highest charting song on the Billboard Hot 100, sitting at number six as of May 4.
Not only have individual tracks performed well since the release, but the album as a whole has been a success. The album has reached 43 million streams in its first week of release and has received positive feedback.
