# Sex Hysteria

**Sex Hysteria** is the second studio album by the American singer and songwriter [Jessie Murph](https://www.edgepedia.org/jessie-murph), released on July 18, 2025 through [Columbia Records](https://www.edgepedia.org/columbia-records). The 15-track, roughly 42-minute record blends alt-pop, [country pop](https://www.edgepedia.org/country-pop), trap, pop soul, and contemporary R&B, and it follows her 2024 debut *That Ain't No Man That's the Devil*.<sup>[1](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/1340935-jessie-murph-sex-hysteria.php)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://www.allmusic.com/album/sex-hysteria-mw0004554746)</sup> Where the debut held back from her personal story, *Sex Hysteria* draws directly on her upbringing in Alabama, including her relationship with an abusive, alcoholic father.<sup>[3](https://music.apple.com/us/album/sex-hysteria/1817707266)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Artist | Jessie Murph, a singer from Athens, Alabama, born in 2004<sup>[3](https://music.apple.com/us/album/sex-hysteria/1817707266)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://los40.com/2025/07/25/jessie-murph-la-ultima-estrella-emergente-estadounidense-que-triunfa-con-sex-hysteria/)</sup> |
| Release | July 18, 2025, Columbia Records (Sony); 15 tracks, about 42 minutes<sup>[1](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/1340935-jessie-murph-sex-hysteria.php)</sup> |
| Chart debut | No. 8 on Billboard's album chart in its first week<sup>[5](https://latimes.pages.dev/entertainment-arts/music/story/2025-07-31/jessie-murph-sex-hysteria-blue-strips-1965-interview)</sup> |
| Singles | "Blue Strips" peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100; "Touch Me Like a Gangster" reached No. 56<sup>[6](https://frontview-magazine.be/en/article/jessie-murph-releases-sex-hysteria?category=music)</sup> |
| Guest features | Gucci Mane on "Donuts" and Lil Baby on "Best Behavior"<sup>[3](https://music.apple.com/us/album/sex-hysteria/1817707266)</sup> |
| Deluxe edition | Released November 14, 2025 with 23 tracks, adding eight songs<sup>[7](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/1539515-jessie-murph-sex-hysteria-deluxe.php)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[8](https://musicandgigs.com/reviews/with-sex-hysteria-deluxe-jessie-murph-doubles-down-on-the-chaos/)</sup> |
| Reception | AllMusic critic score 80; Album of the Year user score 27 from 743 ratings<sup>[1](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/1340935-jessie-murph-sex-hysteria.php)</sup> |

## Background

Murph grew up in Athens, Alabama, on pop and country music, fell in love with hip-hop, and built an audience on social media with covers that combined the three. Since her 2021 debut single "Upgrade," she has collaborated with Jelly Roll, Teddy Swims, and [BigXthaPlug](https://www.edgepedia.org/bigxthaplug), and landed hits about heartbreak and dangerous love.<sup>[3](https://music.apple.com/us/album/sex-hysteria/1817707266)</sup> She began gaining popularity on TikTok in 2019, and her first major success, "Always Been You" (2021), surpassed 70 million streams on Spotify.<sup>[4](https://los40.com/2025/07/25/jessie-murph-la-ultima-estrella-emergente-estadounidense-que-triunfa-con-sex-hysteria/)</sup>

Her label framed the album as her most ambitious work to date, exploring sexuality, inherited trauma, and personal awakening, and confronting difficult family dynamics.<sup>[9](https://kommunikasjon.ntb.no/pressemelding/18600226/jessie-murph-slipper-sitt-andre-album-sex-hysteria?lang=no&publisherId=8931514)</sup> Murph herself described the record as personal and vulnerable, and said she was "very scared" to release it.<sup>[10](https://www.powerorlando.com/news/sex-hysteria-jessie-murph-is-very-scared-release-her-personal-vulnerable-new-album/U5WPRJPRLQ3A5AGFH2T2NIA2EE/)</sup>

## Music and themes

The album's style fuses [Lana Del Rey](https://www.edgepedia.org/lana-del-rey)'s reverb-laden, 1960s-inspired romanticism with [Dirty South](https://www.edgepedia.org/dirty-south) hip-hop swagger, a sound AllMusic's Matt Collar, a reviewer for the music database AllMusic, calls Southern-fried trap-pop.<sup>[2](https://www.allmusic.com/album/sex-hysteria-mw0004554746)</sup> Critics place Murph in [Amy Winehouse](https://www.edgepedia.org/amy-winehouse)'s lineage, steeped in the sound of 1950s and 1960s torch singers and girl groups, while noting that hip-hop's flow and attitude run so deep in her writing that even her sung verses hit like rap lyrics.<sup>[11](https://theweek.com/culture-life/music/alex-g-tyler-the-creator-jessie-murph)</sup>

**Opening and biography.** The album opens with "Gucci Mane," which interpolates the rapper's "Lemonade" and examines Murph's childhood and troubled relationship with her father; its opening lines name her Alabama roots and her "shitty father."<sup>[2](https://www.allmusic.com/album/sex-hysteria-mw0004554746)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://music.apple.com/us/album/sex-hysteria/1817707266)</sup> The rawest moment, by Apple Music's editorial account, is "The Man That Came Back," a stark piano ballad about her violent upbringing and her father's attempts at redemption.<sup>[3](https://music.apple.com/us/album/sex-hysteria/1817707266)</sup>

**Sensuality and satire.** Other tracks push in a hedonistic direction: "Touch Me Like a Gangster" is a 1960s girl-group-styled number with a tongue-in-cheek sadomasochistic twist, "I Like How I Look" is an erotic slow jam, and "A Little Too Drunk" is a tipsy hook-up anthem.<sup>[2](https://www.allmusic.com/album/sex-hysteria-mw0004554746)</sup> "1965," inspired by Amy Winehouse, is a winking satire of trad-wife femininity.<sup>[3](https://music.apple.com/us/album/sex-hysteria/1817707266)</sup> The song drew online debate over whether it romanticizes abuse; its defenders read the sampled audio as jabs at the patriarchy, snapshots of what men expected from women in 1965.<sup>[12](https://cdnc.heyzine.com/files/uploaded/v3/de5db1dc66f1c9a0f932a392e6481086c85d3df3.pdf)</sup> The title track, a brooding rock ballad, exposes what one critic called the mess of needing someone you know is bad for you, and does not try to resolve the hurt.<sup>[11](https://theweek.com/culture-life/music/alex-g-tyler-the-creator-jessie-murph)</sup>

## Commercial performance

The album debuted at No. 8 on Billboard's album chart in late July 2025.<sup>[5](https://latimes.pages.dev/entertainment-arts/music/story/2025-07-31/jessie-murph-sex-hysteria-blue-strips-1965-interview)</sup> Its lead single "[Blue Strips](https://www.edgepedia.org/blue-strips)," whose title refers to the security marking on a $100 bill, peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spread widely on TikTok; "Touch Me Like a Gangster" held at No. 56.<sup>[6](https://frontview-magazine.be/en/article/jessie-murph-releases-sex-hysteria?category=music)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://los40.com/2025/07/25/jessie-murph-la-ultima-estrella-emergente-estadounidense-que-triunfa-con-sex-hysteria/)</sup> In Australia the album reached No. 3 on the ARIA Country Albums Chart.<sup>[13](https://cdn.aria.com.au/pdfs/2FA3720F7355C3C0893CFC689502F828ADF018C3FD2A05EDC6FCA2494C800E90/ARIA%20Country%20Albums%20Chart.pdf?seq=44)</sup> Lana Del Rey, whom Murph cites as a key influence, posted a video of herself pole dancing to "Blue Strips" shortly after the album's debut.<sup>[5](https://latimes.pages.dev/entertainment-arts/music/story/2025-07-31/jessie-murph-sex-hysteria-blue-strips-1965-interview)</sup>

## Reception

Professional reviews were largely favorable. AllMusic rated the album 80, with Matt Collar calling it "at turns harrowing and hedonistic... a beguiling experience."<sup>[1](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/1340935-jessie-murph-sex-hysteria.php)</sup> Variety's Jem Aswad, music business editor at the trade publication, wrote that the album "has even more sass and swagger than her impressive 2024 debut," and Rolling Stone praised "the fast-rising pop star" whose rise "will only accelerate with Sex Hysteria, her bold second album."<sup>[11](https://theweek.com/culture-life/music/alex-g-tyler-the-creator-jessie-murph)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[6](https://frontview-magazine.be/en/article/jessie-murph-releases-sex-hysteria?category=music)</sup>

Listener response was far more divided. On Album of the Year the album holds a user score of 27 based on 743 ratings, with popular user reviews criticizing the vocals and the blending of country and rap.<sup>[1](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/1340935-jessie-murph-sex-hysteria.php)</sup> The critic [Anthony Fantano](https://www.edgepedia.org/anthony-fantano)'s TheNeedleDrop placed it fifth on his list of the worst albums of 2025.<sup>[14](https://musicbrainz.org/release/270079e2-071f-4fa8-8af6-492806ca5dbb)</sup>

## Deluxe edition

A deluxe reissue followed on November 14, 2025, adding eight tracks including "I Stay I Leave I Love I Lose," "Wildflowers and Wine," "Forever" featuring 6LACK, and "Certain Kind of Love."<sup>[7](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/1539515-jessie-murph-sex-hysteria-deluxe.php)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[8](https://musicandgigs.com/reviews/with-sex-hysteria-deluxe-jessie-murph-doubles-down-on-the-chaos/)</sup> The deluxe edition holds a user score of 54 on Album of the Year, and some listeners rated the added material above the standard album.<sup>[7](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/1539515-jessie-murph-sex-hysteria-deluxe.php)</sup>

## References

1. [Sex Hysteria – Jessie Murph, Album of The Year](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/1340935-jessie-murph-sex-hysteria.php)
2. [Sex Hysteria Review by Matt Collar, AllMusic](https://www.allmusic.com/album/sex-hysteria-mw0004554746)
3. [Sex Hysteria – Album by Jessie Murph, Apple Music](https://music.apple.com/us/album/sex-hysteria/1817707266)
4. [Jessie Murph: la última estrella emergente estadounidense que triunfa con 'Sex Hysteria', LOS40](https://los40.com/2025/07/25/jessie-murph-la-ultima-estrella-emergente-estadounidense-que-triunfa-con-sex-hysteria/)
5. [Jessie Murph is posting through the outrage, LA Times Mirror](https://latimes.pages.dev/entertainment-arts/music/story/2025-07-31/jessie-murph-sex-hysteria-blue-strips-1965-interview)
6. [Jessie Murph releases "Sex Hysteria", FrontView Magazine](https://frontview-magazine.be/en/article/jessie-murph-releases-sex-hysteria?category=music)
7. [Sex Hysteria (Deluxe) – Jessie Murph, Album of The Year](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/1539515-jessie-murph-sex-hysteria-deluxe.php)
8. [With Sex Hysteria (Deluxe), Jessie Murph Doubles Down on the Chaos, Music and Gigs](https://musicandgigs.com/reviews/with-sex-hysteria-deluxe-jessie-murph-doubles-down-on-the-chaos/)
9. [Jessie Murph slipper sitt andre album "Sex Hysteria", Sony Music Norway](https://kommunikasjon.ntb.no/pressemelding/18600226/jessie-murph-slipper-sitt-andre-album-sex-hysteria?lang=no&publisherId=8931514)
10. [Jessie Murph is 'very scared' to release her 'personal and vulnerable' new album, POWER Orlando](https://www.powerorlando.com/news/sex-hysteria-jessie-murph-is-very-scared-release-her-personal-vulnerable-new-album/U5WPRJPRLQ3A5AGFH2T2NIA2EE/)
11. [Alex G, Tyler, the Creator and Jessie Murph, The Week](https://theweek.com/culture-life/music/alex-g-tyler-the-creator-jessie-murph)
12. [Needle Drop Magazine](https://cdnc.heyzine.com/files/uploaded/v3/de5db1dc66f1c9a0f932a392e6481086c85d3df3.pdf)
13. [ARIA Country Albums Chart](https://cdn.aria.com.au/pdfs/2FA3720F7355C3C0893CFC689502F828ADF018C3FD2A05EDC6FCA2494C800E90/ARIA%20Country%20Albums%20Chart.pdf?seq=44)
14. [Release "Sex Hysteria" by Jessie Murph, MusicBrainz](https://musicbrainz.org/release/270079e2-071f-4fa8-8af6-492806ca5dbb)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musical works and recordings › Albums and recorded releases › Studio albums › Pop albums › 2020s albums › Albums by American artists*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license
