An intentionally ugly, blurry lime-green album cover that looks like it took five seconds to make became the defining cultural aesthetic of 2024. This deep dive into Charli XCX's sixth studio album Brat unpacks how raw, messy authenticity disrupted an era of overly polished, highly curated pop culture and even infiltrated political campaigns.

We examine the album's confrontational hyperpop and electroclash sound, rooted in the illegal London rave scene, and the surprising vulnerability beneath its aggressive branding. From existential dread to grief to public feuds resolved on remixes, Brat swept the Grammys and Brit Awards while defining Brat Summer.

• How heavy club beats carry deeply tender, confessional lyrics
• The five-month development behind the deliberately offensive green square
• The Brat Wall guerrilla marke ...