Be the Cowboy, American singer/songwriter Mitski's fifth studio album, released on August 17, 2018, through Dead Oceans, showcases her evolving sound, blending piano, synthesizers, and her signature guitar. Produced by longtime collaborator Patrick Hyland, the album incorporates elements of pop, indie rock, and art pop, while drawing from a wide range of other genres, including disco, punk, and chamber pop. Mitski approached the album with a focus on narrative and fiction, inspired by the image of a solitary performer on stage, and chose to keep the vocal arrangements minimal to evoke this atmosphere.

Critically acclaimed upon release, Be the Cowboy was hailed for its conceptual shift from the deeply personal themes of Puberty 2, while retaining Mitski’s emotional depth. The album earned her first appearance on the Billboard 200 and charted internationally in Canada, Ireland, and the UK. Mitski, who began her career in the indie rock scene, gained recognition for her introspective songwriting and genre-blurring music, often reflecting on identity, isolation, and self-reconnection. Critics praised Be the Cowboy as her most ambitious work to date, with Pitchfork calling it her finest album and Rolling Stone highlighting its subtle but powerful political undertones.

Tracklist:

Side A