Rapper and singer Post Malone released his third album, “Hollywood’s Bleeding,” on Friday, September 6. With 17 relevant tracks, the album is a roller coaster of emotions from start to finish. 

“Hollywood’s Bleeding” has a gloomy vibe that describes Malone’s career and his views on the world. It is really an opening of his heart and his thoughts, and is vastly different from his past discography, notably his 2017 feel-good song “Congratulations” and his 2018 album “Beerbongs and Bentleys” released in 2018. 

Malone immediately jumps into the emotional and enlightened theme of the album. In the title track, Malone sings, “You never took the time to get to know me / Was scared of losing something that we never found / We’re running out of reasons, but we can’t let go / Yeah, Hollywood is bleeding, but we call it home.”

Malone is narrating his perception of society today: a mindless chase for perfection that people strive for but never achieve. This results in a loneliness that Malone sings about, “It seem like dying young is an honor / But who’d be at my funeral? I wonder.” 

The lyrics unveil how fake personas are common in Hollywood and potentially in everyday people. Fans can feel the pain in his lyrics, which can possibly open their eyes to the struggles Malone is expressing.  

Even though the album has such a dark start, it transforms into the typical rap theme of having money, girls and a stable pace of working hard. The songs “Saint-Tropez” and “Enemies” use a heavy bass and a buoyant beat to describe the successful but cliché life Malone lives and how people who used to doubt him can see he is now on top. 

There are many connections between songs in the album that share the same message. “Allergic,” “A Thousand Bad Times” and “Circles” all explain a toxic relationship where the girl is taking advantage of the speaker. However, he keeps coming back to her, and they are scared to lose each other, a topic that many can relate to.

But being rich does not mean life will be easy. Malone mentions this in the mellow and easygoing song “Myself,” where he sings, “I’ve made so much, spent so much / And I can’t get enough / I wish I could have been there myself.” With everything he possesses, he is still not satisfied with his life. “Myself” brings the mood of “Hollywood’s Bleeding” back to where it began.

“Internet” plays near the end of the album where Malone talks about how people’s lives do not have a lot of meaning anymore. He sings, “Instalove / Well if ignorance is bliss than don’t wake me up / And I’ll prolly be the last to know / ‘Cause I don’t get on the internet no more.” Malone wants to represent how he longs to be free from the judgy space. Listeners can enjoy the lyrics because they are engaging while still being honest and real.

Malone’s album “Hollywood’s Bleeding” really hits home because on it he discusses society’s views of people not truly being themselves, and the struggle of life itself. Fans receive upbeat tunes that makes them feel on top of the world, but they also learn valuable lessons from Malone’s music.