Pop Review: Conan Gray’s Wishbone is His Best Album Yet, Track by Track

Western Pop
Conan Gray Wishbone Album Cover

Conan Gray’s latest album, Wishbone, has fans everywhere celebrating, especially after it paved the way for his debut performance at this year’s VMAs.

Conan Gray dropped his long-awaited fourth album, Wishbone, on August 15, 2025, under Republic Records. Filled with heartache and dreamy moments, the record reflects two years of painful breakups and recovery, all while Conan was still lighting up stages with his ’80s-inspired Found Heaven tour. With its mix of emotional ballads and swoon-worthy pop anthems, Wishbone shows a more vulnerable yet confident side of Conan, proving his relatability among today’s generation of listeners.

Conan Gray 4th Album Wishbone Cover

Wishbone Track Listing

  1. Actor

Conan Gray shows his genius for storytelling in “Actor,” the first single from Wishbone. The title itself captures the heart of the song, as Conan compares love to a performance where someone hides behind a mask. Lines like “You pretend nothing happened, I believe, ’cause you’re a much better actor” highlight how easy it is to get fooled by a carefully staged act.

Fans might have expected a love ballad, but Conan made it clear with this track that Wishbone was going to be more than just another heartbreak album.

What makes “Actor feel even more personal is the lyric where Conan names himself: “A friend of mine asked you, ‘Have you talked to Conan?’” It’s a rare, intimate touch that breaks the fourth wall and makes the song hit harder. Through the song, he’s letting listeners in on a private story, especially since the writer is none other than Conan himself.

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2.  This Song

Another standout from Wishbone is “This Song,” the lead single and one Conan Gray wrote entirely on his own. Serving as the first part of the well-loved trilogy about the love affair between Brando and Wilson, it gives listeners a glimpse into Conan’s most vulnerable side. The track feels like a window into his own experiences with romance, especially when he sings, “I wrote this song about you,” a lyric that makes the track hit with raw intimacy. It’s both a confession and a love letter, drawing listeners closer to the emotions that inspired it.

“This Song” is filled with yearning, capturing the desperate hope that love can be mutual and just as strong on both sides. Its soaring pop melody makes it perfect for late-night listening, whether in the quiet of a bedroom or after finishing a bittersweet novel.

The music video adds another layer of storytelling, with Conan starring alongside close friend Corey Fogelmanis, who also appears in the trilogy’s other tracks, “Vodka Cranberry” and “Caramel.” Together, they create a cinematic arc that turns personal heartbreak into one of the most captivating narratives in modern pop.

3. Vodka Cranberry

“Vodka Cranberry” marks the second stage in the love story between Brando and Wilson, and it captures the turning point where cracks in their relationship begin to show. The song slowly reveals the detachment between the two, moving from passion to disconnection.

The music video deepens this emotion, portraying the raw unraveling of their bond and highlighting Conan Gray’s gift for telling stories that resonate even with listeners who might not have followed the trilogy closely.

For Conan, “Vodka Cranberry” is more than just a drink in this song—it becomes a symbol of emotional exhaustion in love. The bittersweet aftermath of passion fading too fast is perfectly expressed in lyrics like, “Got way too drunk off a vodka cranberry / Called you up in the middle of the night / Wailing like an imbecile / If you won’t end things, then I will.” It’s messy, aching, and brutally honest, a track that lingers long after the first listen and reminds fans of the cost of burning too brightly, too soon.

4. Romeo

“Romeo” is another crash-out track from Wishbone that fans can’t help but sing along to, whether they’re navigating heartbreak or just vibing to the energy. The song balances catchy pop melodies and emotional truth, making it instantly memorable. It’s a track that lets listeners release frustration while still feeling the sting of betrayal, showcasing Conan Gray’s ability to turn personal pain into anthemic pop.

At its core, “Romeo” is about realizing that someone doesn’t deserve your love, especially after being treated as an experiment in someone else’s story. Conan drives this point home with the biting lyric, “You’re no Romeo,” turning disappointment into empowerment. The song’s mix of playful melody and hard-hitting honesty makes it a must-listen for anyone who has ever felt used or undervalued in love, proving once again that Conan can craft songs that are both fun and deeply relatable.

5. My World

“My Word” is the first upbeat track on Wishbone, giving listeners a chance to dance and let go while moving on from past pain. Its lively rhythm and catchy melodies make it impossible not to sway along, offering a refreshing contrast to some of the album’s more heart-wrenching songs. To be honest, this is the perfect song to sing in the bathroom while getting ready and is determined to overcome another day, a track that sets the tone for facing the day and thriving.

Beneath the pop energy, “My Word” explores the aftermath of a toxic relationship—how loving someone, falling out of love, and feeling broken can leave lasting scars. The song reflects the final stage of recovery, where the listener can feel and begin to realize that they can reclaim themselves and recognize their own worth. Conan Gray’s ability to blend an infectious beat with a message of self-realization makes “My Word” one of Wishbone’s most uplifting and cathartic moments.

6. Class Clown 

“Class Clown” is a track that mixes humor with heartbreak, showing a lighter yet sharp side of Conan Gray. The song feels like a confession wrapped in playful melodies. It reflects on someone who hides pain behind a façade of jokes and laughter. There’s a sense of vulnerability in feeling like everyone is watching and laughing at you, a pressure that Conan captures perfectly while keeping the rhythm catchy and easy to sing along to.

At its core, “Class Clown” explores the tension between appearance and reality in relationships and in life. Conan sings with honesty that makes the listener relate, whether they’ve encountered someone who masks their feelings or felt the need to do it themselves. With its clever lyricism and sing-along quality, this track perfectly balances the bittersweet tone of Wishbone while reminding fans that even in pain, there’s room for wit and resilience.

7. Nauseous 

“Nauseous” is a personal favorite for many fans, a hidden gem among the standout tracks on Wishbone. The song captures the lingering trauma that can develop after enduring so much pain in a relationship. It serves as a wake-up call, showing how past heartbreaks can make someone fearful or hesitant to trust again. Compared to “Actor,” “Nauseous” feels even more intense, revealing the hidden red flags masked by affection that later turn out to be false.

The lyric “It scares me to death how I want it” perfectly encapsulates the toxic push-and-pull of loving someone who has hurt you. It expresses that aching contradiction of craving a person’s love while knowing it can be dangerous, highlighting the struggle of wanting someone you should let go. Conan Gray turns this dark, complicated feeling into an honest, haunting track that resonates deeply with anyone who has experienced love’s most painful moments.

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8. Caramel

“Caramel” closes the music video trilogy, capturing the lingering feelings of yearning for the past and the bittersweet weight of broken promises. The song explores the complexity of loving someone deeply, even when that love comes with pain and disappointment. Conan Gray turns this tension into a cathartic anthem for anyone who has felt manipulated or gaslighted in a relationship. The track perfectly balances sorrow and acceptance, showing how love can teach resilience even when it hurts.

Conan described the song to Capital Buzz, saying, “I’ve always reached a point with everyone who’s ever left my life where the pain has kind of dulled. And you can take a moment to step back and be like, ‘At the end of the day, though, I really liked you. You really meant a lot to me. Every time we’re in the same city, I kind of wish I could call you, but I can’t, which is weird.’” This sentiment plays out in the music video’s ending, where Wilson sees Brando again—not with pain, but with a sense of relief and closure. “Caramel” transforms heartache into something reflective and tender, giving fans a satisfying emotional conclusion to the trilogy.

9. Connel 

This track is one of the saddest songs on Wishbone, instantly evoking a deep, almost excruciating sense of pain. From the first notes, it draws listeners into the heartbreak, making it impossible not to feel the weight of the emotions Conan conveys. Fans who have read Normal People or watched its series adaptation will especially connect, as “Connel” references one of the main characters and mirrors the complicated, bittersweet dynamics of love and loss.

The lyric “You remind me how good it feels to hurt you, remind me of how little I deserve” perfectly captures the mix of longing, guilt, and self-doubt at the heart of the song. A heartbreak may be painful, but the pain and tears are still earned—it may not be the reward one wants, but they carry lessons and realizations. This track stands out as a haunting, emotional high point on the album, reminding listeners that even sorrow can bring clarity and growth.

10. Sunset Tower

“Sunset Tower” is a beautifully melancholic track that captures the loneliness and introspection that can come with fame and personal growth. The song makes listeners feel like they are standing on the edge of a high-rise at sunset, looking out at a world that feels both vast and isolating. Conan Gray’s voice carries a mix of vulnerability and reflection, making every word hit with quiet intensity.

The lyrics explore the conflict between ambition and personal connection, and the emptiness that can follow even when dreams are achieved. Lines like “I built this tower, but I’m still falling” show the struggle of balancing success with emotional fulfillment. “Sunset Tower” is a track that stays with you long after listening, reminding fans that growth and achievement often come with complicated feelings and moments of solitude.

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11. Eleven Eleven

The melody and rhyming in “Eleven Eleven” are nothing short of spectacular. This track is all about trying to make sense of love that has left a person wounded. It is filled with yearning in two forms: the hopelessness of loss and the hopelessness of clinging to what once was. Conan Gray captures the desperation of searching for reasons, answers, and closure in the aftermath of heartbreak.

What makes the song even more heartbreaking is its connection to superstition, with the idea that making a wish at 11:11 might bring back what is gone. Gray vulnerably admits that love drives people to chase anything for meaning, even signs that may never come true. Singing “there’s black cats, broke glass, cracks on the pavement,” he weaves in universal symbols of bad luck to show how some things simply could not have worked out, no matter how much we wish otherwise. “Eleven Eleven” leaves listeners with the raw ache of unfulfilled desires.

12. Care

The last track in Wishbone feels more upbeat than the ones before it, almost like a sigh of relief after the heaviness of heartbreak. “Care” stands as the moment of acceptance, the stage where Conan Gray overcomes everything explored in the earlier songs. From “Actor,” where he unravels the deception behind false affections, to “Care,” where he finally embraces the truth with pride, the shift is striking. Singing “I told myself that I’m over you, but I care,” Gray reminds us that moving on does not mean erasing what was once real.

Caring for someone you once loved isn’t a weakness—it’s inevitable, especially for those who feel deeply. “I’m not trying to say that I want you back, but it’s nice to linger in the past” captures that bittersweet truth. It’s not about holding on to the pain but about acknowledging that love leaves traces, and sometimes those traces are worth carrying, even as you move forward.


Source:Youtube, Conan Gray Offical Website

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