ALBUM REVIEW: Benson Boone’s American Heart Tries to Go Big, But Doesn’t Quite Land

Benson Boone is clearly aiming for the moment. After a chart-topping breakout and viral momentum, American Heart was supposed to be his grand artistic leap. But instead of a full-on evolution, what we get is a slick, emotionally dramatic album that feels more like a playlist of Pinterest-pop aesthetics than something personal.

Let’s break it down.

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Theatrics Over Truth

Boone’s got a voice, no question. It’s powerful, emotional, and built to fill arenas. And he knows it. But on American Heart, he leans so far into that theatrical delivery that the vulnerability starts to feel… manufactured. You can hear how badly he wants each song to hit like a gut-punch, but without the lyrical depth or originality to back it up, it ends up more exhausting than emotional.

There’s a lot of telling here. Boone tells us he’s heartbroken, tells us he’s hurting, tells us he’s complicated, but we never really see it. The drama’s there, but the storytelling isn’t.

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Retro But Not Refreshing

A big part of this record pulls from 70s and 80s influences: glam rock, synth-pop, classic piano ballads. He’s drawing from icons like Elton John and Queen, which sounds cool on paper, but in execution, it feels more like dress-up than homage. There’s a theatrical shell, but no clear heartbeat underneath it. Boone’s trying on aesthetics, but we’re left wondering who he actually is.

The production is glossy, maybe too glossy. It feels expensive, but that polish smooths over any raw edge that might have made the album hit harder.

Photo by David Roemer

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Some Flickers of Heart… But Only Flickers

There are a few moments where Boone shows glimmers of something deeper. “Momma’s Song” is a sweet, stripped-back moment that feels like it could’ve come from a different album entirely. “My Greatest Fear” almost gets to something real. But these tracks are the exception, not the rule.

Even “Mr. Electric Blue,” which is supposed to be self-aware and campy, ends up kind of hollow. Like he’s in on the joke… but forgot to actually make it funny.

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Final Thoughts: Pretty, But Paper-Thin

American Heart sounds like a debut album from someone trying really hard to prove he belongs on the world stage—but skipping the part where we actually get to know him. The vocals are there. The ambition is there. But the identity? Not yet.

Boone’s still figuring himself out—and hey, that’s okay. But for now, American Heart feels more like a mood board than a memoir.

Rating: 5.5/10