Ultraviolence

Lana Del Rey's third studio album, Ultraviolence, arrived on June 13, 2014, via Polydor and Interscope Records. After initially dismissing the idea of a follow-up to her major-label debut Born to Die (2012), she began crafting this record in 2013. Production stretched into 2014, when she teamed up with Dan Auerbach to overhaul what she had considered a finished project. Additional production came from Paul Epworth, Greg Kurstin, Daniel Heath, and Rick Nowels. The result is a dramatic shift from her earlier sound, leaning into guitar-driven arrangements and raw, intimate vocals. It's a psychedelic rock album with touches of dream pop, desert rock, and slowcore, creating a hazy, brooding atmosphere.

The album's 11 tracks explore themes of toxic love, glamour, and self-destruction, wrapped in cinematic melodies. Critics praised its cohesive production, Del Rey's vocal delivery, and the sharp, often dark lyricism. Ultraviolence topped charts in eleven countries, including the US, where it sold 182,000 copies in its first week, marking her best sales week at the time. It also landed on numerous year-end lists, with Metacritic ranking it the 13th most mentioned album in critics' lists for 2014. Four singles supported the record: "West Coast," "Shades of Cool," "Ultraviolence," and "Brooklyn Baby." Del Rey then hit the road for The Endless Summer Tour from May to June 2015, with openers Courtney Love and Grimes. [edit]