About Malcolm Todd
Malcolm Todd is a young and upcoming singer-songwriter from Los Angeles, California. He began self-releasing music in 2022, at the age of 18. In 2023, his music began going viral on TikTok, and he was eventually recognized by an executive at Columbia Records and signed later in 2024. Columbia Records, for reference, has signed big artists such as Adele, Harry Styles, and even Beyoncé.
Once signed with Columbia Records, Malcolm Todd made haste in the studio. On April 4, 2025, Malcolm Todd released his first album, Malcolm Todd. While the mixtape Sweet Boy by Todd is considered his first official release, Malcolm Todd is his first studio album. The album is short, totaling 14 songs and taking 37 minutes to listen to.
The album includes two of Todd’s biggest hits: “Chest Pain (I Love)” and “Bleed (feat. Omar Apollo).” These are two songs that have hit mainstream and have remained his most popular songs on Spotify for over a month now. Todd is set to go on a national tour for this album on May 1, 2025.
My Ranking and Review
Disclaimer: The two tracks, “I Do” and “Good Job Malcolm,” are more interludes, and I won’t be including them in my ranking.
My Top Five:
As a longtime listener of Todd, I find this song to be a testament to his musical evolution. The song is layered with more instruments than minimalistic beats, making the production more confident and complex. This song carries you like a wave from start to finish with its fluidity, creating an irresistible urge to sway.
This song is one of Todd’s most popular right now, and it’s for good reason. The song is incredibly raw with lyrics such as “My chest is hurting, my feet can’t fall out of bed, I don’t know where to go, so I’ll lay here instead.” Something about the relatability of this lyric makes the song so comforting. The song’s chorus is like a nice break from the fast pace of the rest of the song, and the repetition of “I love” in the chorus makes it so catchy.
3. “Who’s the Fool”
I was quickly drawn to this song by that bass-heavy beat that starts off the song and appears during the chorus in the same rhythm of a pulse, almost. This song is short and sweet, which is why I like it so much.
This song is another popular one from the album; the chorus is catchy and emotional, repeating “How my heart bleeds” with an unforgettable beat playing. The melancholy lyrics contrast with the upbeat instrumental in the back, making the listening experience different depending on which part you choose to hear.
5. “Concrete”
This song is intense and tells a story, with the opening being what sounds like a voicemail from a girl telling Todd to “pick [himself] up.” The beginning has this electric beat in the background that was most likely made using a synth pad, a reminder of Malcolm Todd’s beginnings, as a synth pad is typically something that starting artists use. However, the layered instruments throughout the song show his growth, and the rhythm is powerful, making it fun to dance to.
While the rest of the album is also brilliant, I will share that my least favorite track is “Harry Styles.” The song is more melancholy, which isn’t my cup of tea. The song is talking about the dismal parts of being a performer, with the opening line being “Dance monkey, dance,” which isn’t something I can necessarily relate to. Nothing about my critique makes it a bad song. It is simply not the one I’ll go out of my way to listen to.
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