Lola Young doesn't really do "nice." If you’re looking for a polished pop star with a sanitized PR script, you’re looking at the wrong South Londoner.
When Lola Young Good Books started popping up on everyone’s For You Page, it wasn't because of a high-budget marketing campaign. It was because the song feels like a glass of ice water to the face. You’re sitting there, scrolling through recipes or cat videos, and suddenly this rasping, cigarette-stained voice is screaming about parking a "dumb little car."
It’s visceral. It’s slightly aggressive. Honestly? It’s exactly what the music industry needed in 2024 and 2025.
The Messy Reality of Good Books
The track serves as the opening punch to her 2024 album, This Wasn't Meant For You Anyway. If you haven't sat with the lyrics yet, they’re basically a post-mortem of a relationship that was already dead on arrival. Lola isn't singing about the "one that got away." She’s singing about the one she should have kicked out months ago.
"I work hard to stay in your good books, but you don't read, so why do I try?"
That line is the heart of the whole thing. It’s a pun that actually hurts. Most pop songs try to be clever; Lola tries to be honest. There’s a massive difference.
She captures that specific, agonizing feeling of performing for someone who isn't even looking at the stage. You’re folding the clothes, you’re keeping the peace, you’re avoiding the "crazy" label. And they’re just... there. Probably getting high at 4:00 PM while you’re "shoveling shit to the left."
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Why this song hit different
Most people discovered Lola through "Messy," which became a global monster. But "Good Books" is the track that actually explains why the relationship in "Messy" was such a disaster.
- The Ultimatum: She mentions giving a choice between her and the weed. He laughed.
- The Car Incident: Most singers would write a metaphor about a "collision of souls." Lola writes about someone screaming in her face while parking a car. It’s ugly and domestic. It's real.
- The Broken Phone: Physicality enters the chat. "You broke my heart and then my phone." It’s a Gen Z tragedy wrapped in a soul-rock melody.
The "SZA" Influence and the Sound of South London
Lola has been pretty vocal about how SZA’s Ctrl changed her life. You can hear it. Not in the melody, but in the "stream of consciousness" writing style. It’s like she’s reading her notes app directly into the microphone.
She worked with producers like Solomonophonic (who has worked with Remi Wolf) and Carter Lang. You can feel that West Coast production influence clashing with her very British, very blunt delivery. It creates this friction. It’s R&B, but it’s also got this indie-rock grime under its fingernails.
Some critics have called her the "new Amy Winehouse" or the "new Adele."
That’s lazy.
Lola Young is much more chaotic than Adele and more cynical than Amy. She isn't just "sad." She’s annoyed. She’s "fucking messy," as she proudly proclaims. This isn't just music; it's a personality profile.
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The ADHD Anthem Debate
There’s been a lot of chatter on Reddit and TikTok about whether her music—specifically songs like "Messy" and "Good Books"—are "ADHD anthems."
Some people find it incredibly validating. They see their own struggles with executive dysfunction (the "forgetting to fold the clothes" line) and emotional dysregulation reflected in her lyrics. Others? Not so much. There’s a segment of the internet that finds the "I’m so messy" trope a bit whiny.
But that’s the point of Lola Young.
She’s not trying to be a spokesperson for a diagnosis. She’s just describing her day. If you relate to the chaos, great. If you think she’s a nightmare to date? She’d probably agree with you. She literally titled her 2025 project I'm Only F**king Myself. Self-awareness is her brand.
How "Good Books" Fits into the 2025 Landscape
By the time 2025 rolled around, Lola wasn't just a TikTok "one-hit wonder." She was everywhere. Her collaboration with Tyler, The Creator on CHROMAKOPIA (the track "Like Him") proved she could hold her own with the biggest names in the world.
But "Good Books" remains a fan favorite because it’s the most "Lola" song in her catalog. It doesn't have the radio-ready polish of her later singles. It’s raw. It feels like it was recorded in a basement while she was still steaming from an argument.
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Understanding the credits
If you’re a nerd for the details, the song was birthed out of a six-month writing binge in LA.
- Lola Young: Lyrics and Vocals (obviously).
- Solomonophonic (Jared Solomon): The architect of that bouncy, slightly off-kilter beat.
- Carter Lang: Bringing that SZA-adjacent soul.
It’s a global sound that feels intensely local. You can hear the London streets in her accent, but the frustration is universal.
What to do if you’re just discovering Lola
If "Good Books" is your entry point, don't stop there. The album This Wasn't Meant For You Anyway is a masterclass in modern storytelling.
It’s weirdly comforting to hear someone be so unlikable. In a world of "clean girl" aesthetics and perfectly curated Instagram feeds, Lola Young is the girl who didn't shower, forgot your birthday, but wrote the best song you’ve heard in five years.
Actionable Insight:
If you want to understand the full narrative of the relationship she’s tearing apart, listen to the tracks in this order:
- Good Books (The realization that they don't value you).
- Messy (The domestic fallout).
- Conceited (The "I'm better than this" phase).
- You Noticed (The final, heartbreaking look back).
Stop looking for "perfect" music. Go listen to the rubble. You’ll find more truth there anyway.