BEYONCÉ

Some of the singles are good. Not a type of music that I have a lot of experience listening to so I don’t have any opinions.

p936. 2013. 2 stars. Well, she's got a great voice and some decent lyrics - but there's no standout tunes, it goes on far too long for what it is, and it's horribly dated.

Maybe because this album followed an album very special on to me, but I found this to be pretty bland. Never felt any emotion and seem to lack the desire to be something special. I just couldn't get into it and the addition of people like Drake, Nicki Manaj and Kanye just made it worse. I quit halfway through my 2nd listen. Just doesn't appeal to me. 2

2.5 This is one of those albums I have trouble rating because, while I recognize it’s incredibly well-produced and that Beyoncé is an insanely talented singer/performer, it just does very little for me. Which, honestly, is kind of how I’ve always felt about Bey’s music - it’s not bad, but I’m not sure what drives so many people to it. There’s certainly a bit of R&B groove to it (especially here), but for the most part, it just feels formulaic - which is definitely what you don’t want on an album that’s supposed to be intimate and personal. Like, all I really got out of this is that Beyoncé and Jay-Z have a very active, healthy sex life (good on them, honestly). I know the album is supposed to represent sexual liberation for both Bey and women alike, an ambition I respect and that I think she pulls off pretty tastefully for the most part, but the concept started growing a little thin for about the same time the music did, which was somewhere in the middle. Pretty Hurts and Drunk in Love were both decent songs to start off with, but when Drake popped in to completely ruin Mine, I was mostly checked out for the rest of this album. I thought the Frank Ocean song might at least save things, and while his feature is certainly solid, musically I found Superpower to be the most annoying on the album. However, I did think the closing track dedicated to her daughter was a really nice note to end on. I mean, also a touch weird given the subject matter of just about every other song here, but sweet nonetheless. A net “okay” from me all-around, mostly because I feel unaffected by this, but I will say, the bonus tracks damn near spoiled the whole thing for me. Kanye West jump scare alert - dude pretty much massacres the best song on the album with his remix.

She’s got some real talent. Wasn’t expecting to like this at all

Chimamandas "verse" was a cultural reset. Sue me.

A solid album that definitely felt its length by the time I reached the end. I enjoy playing the hits more than I enjoy listening to this one cover to cover. Favorite Songs: Partition / Drunk in Love (Remix)

A redefining record for Mrs. Carter. I mean this in the most objective way possible. It sounds very much of its time, and that's a testament to the fact that this helped define it. For such a front-facing r&b/pop artist to embrace alternative sounds is admirable. It's an enjoyable lap for Beyonce fans, but I found myself wanning slightly from Mine through Flawless. Otherwise, a bombastic, blended offering from one of the greatest stars in entertainment history. Also, shoutout to the user base. Y'all really hate music made by black people until it's co-opted by white people and then you think it's good music in retrospect, but you still prefer when the white people do it. For example, only liking a song because John Mayer covered it, but still liking the John Mayer version more. But hey, at least you're consistent. 7/10 Favorite Song: Rocket/Superpower/Blue

7/10 Good album by a great artist. One of her better albums but probably not in my top 3 from her. It’s very good when it’s good but there’s a lot of fat that could be trimmed on this one.

Surprisingly boring.

Honestly from other Bee, this or Lemonade is her best work.

There are a couple really amazing pop songs in here and it starts off strong, but it just isn't consistent enough to be a classic. I appreciate Beyonce pushing herself into new territory with this album, but she did it much more successfully on Lemonade.

Haunted beginning rapping bit sounds like GKMC era Kendrick. I really like the more rap and R&B ones, rather than the straight pop ones. THE SAMPHA FEATURE. why does he always have like a 3 second verse and always hidden. Also not too keen on the corporate clothes shop pop ones, but there's actually not too many. The singing is obviously amazing, but I feel like it can be too overproduced at times with the overdubs, but I guess it is a pop song. Favourite songs: pretty hurts, haunted, drunk in love, partition, jealous, flawless (and the remix), blue Overall around 6/10

Too many pauses in the music, overall abit repetitive

I wish I could give it less than 1 star. W t f was this?? I like some of Beyoncé earlier songs but this was a load of pretentious crap.

This is fun. Not my favorite from her, but there’s a good amount of experimentation and openness on this. Arrangement is good, production is stellar, vocals are obviously perfect. I don’t know, though, do we need over an hour of this? Some tracks just keep going in a way that gets to feeling like self aggrandizement. I’m starting to use big words so I guess it’s time to end the review. 4/5

I just don't get it... There's a couple of Beyonce's singles that are bangers, but this album is dreadful.

great, love beyonce

I liked it fine - I have heard a good amount of these songs in one place or another since its release. I think some of the less-popular songs on the album aren't as great as the big hitters that remained (like Drunk in Love), but still a solid album overall. Not usually my type of music, but fine.

Sucks ass

This album seems more like a product placement for Beyonce the image than it is a serious work of art offering trenchant political and social commentary (as is billed).

4/5. With each listen, I do appreciate the songwriting and musical production more. As far as the songs themselves, I enjoy them but don't think their perfect. The influence this album has though is not something to deny. If this album was mostly instrumental, I think I might enjoy it more because the beats are really good. Beyonce can still sing though and the way she uses her voice in certain songs is on an expert level. There are just some songs on here that stand out and not in a good way. Overall, I do think it's a necessary album but not her best. Best Song: XO, Rocket, Haunted

7/10… Pop / r&b

Sexy, overproduced pop stuff. Worth a listen, but about once is plenty.

an impressively average album

Generic and soulless. But even worse than that, boring.

She's talented but it didn't do much for me

I loathe this style of music.

Just not my kind of music, respect to Queen Bey

Listened to the extended version. Hit or miss on the songs. I had not heard any of these songs which surprised me as I would have thought I’d at least know a single from any Beyoncé album especially one on a list like this.

Not my jam

This is Beyoncé's horny bad bitch era, and I honestly love it. She's singing, she's rapping. She left the pop category, and started making her own. I, admittedly, didn't dive in to listening to this full album until after her Coachella performance (years after this released), but "Drunk in Love" was inescapable. I was also late to Lemonade, but once I went there then I began to dig more in to her discography, and have kept up with her new releases since. This isn't my favorite Beyoncé album, we'll get to that one later here I'm sure. It's actually not even my second favorite - but she produces hits and banging tracks. Tempted to rate this higher just to contradict all the 1-star haters of the Global Reviews here. My fave track: "Partition"

There's some pretty good stuff here, but there's a lot of fluff, or at least a lot of stuff I didn't really like. Great singer, great production, great collaborators, but a lot of boring generic music.

A struggle for me to get through, very generic beats, I didn't care for the lyrical content. But to be honest I knew I wouldn't like it, she gets way too much radio time and nothing of hers has ever encouraged me to go listen to one of her records before, what was most surprising I didn't recognize one of these songs. I'm just not the audience for this type of music

This is music just to make money, not music just to make music. No soul. No passion. No heart. No, thank you.

I'm not really a fan of Beyonce, but I know some of her songs, quite normal pop hits, nothing that stands out. After looking at this album I realised that I don't know any of the songs from it. After listening I know why - it's just bad. Album feels very personal, but the style was very unpleasant, I couldn't get through any song in full. Didn't like the vocal, music or anything else. One of the weakest pop albums on this list.

Beyoncé is a legend of pop music, but this album did not manage to reveal to me why that is. Very forgettable overall.

Better than I thought it would be. There's none of the big hits on here and the album is pretty samey, but I enjoyed it. I don't see myself listening to it regularly, but when I do, I'll enjoy it for what it is. Good pop.

I really like the Sacha Fearce album but struggle to find any standout tracks on this on. My partner loves Beyoncé and she never listens to this one so what does that tell you?

Her voice is magical and there is an unapologetic confidence to everything she does. Immediate negative points for Jay-Z says breastesses. Overall it’s fine. Nothing stood out as incredible or terrible for me. Also I love creativity and the idea of a visual album but it’s almost explained like the music can’t speak for itself. Favourite song: Heaven

Was anticipating maybe finally seeing what the hype was about. But no. Repetitive and boring.

I swear I do like Beyoncé…but I feel like she has way better albums? This wouldn’t have been my pick.

It’s not bad but I’m not into this at all.

Fair play for trying something a little different than you'd expect... Not my thing at all though

Bey +

Don't usually read the wiki before listening to an album, but I did this time. I was completely floored by the amount of people that has been working on this. Some songs seems to have up to 10 different writers and producers on it, absolutely ridiculous. Regarding the album itself, I must say that I don't quite understand the hype around Beyoncé? I mean, she is a very good singer for sure, but apart from her active female support drive (which is not her music per-se), I don't quite see what she does that no other R&B does. But to be fair, it is quite clear to me from listening to this that I don't really understand R&B either, so could just be that. The groove of 'Blow' really stood out and is my favourite song of the record. Other than that I had a hard time finding any songs that didn't just flow over my head as something generic you'd find on radio, unfortunately. Totally not my jam, but even with this in mind, it didn't feel particularly revolutionary. Solid 3.

Was actually looking forward to this. Beyonce seems to have a knack to choose good songs to sing. I also really like her live album which really showcases her live performance skills. This album lacked the energy I think her live performances have. I felt the whole thing was the lowest common denominator bland pop. Quite disappointed, none of my favourite songs are on this record and the whole thing just fell a bit flat. Beyonce is maybe more a performer than album creator. Highlight was "Flawless" with its excellent beat. Listen to "Homecoming: The Live Album" for what I was hoping for.

Why did so many of the songs on this album start off with at least some potential only to be ruined within 30 seconds. How the fuck do you have an album produced by 30 of the world's "best" producers only for it to wind up this shit? The only reason why this album is a 2 and not a 1 is because I actually thought the narration at the start was pretty cool, and the album seemed like it would follow along this theme of how women in the spotlight will always be criticised for their appearance or behaviour, and that's some Queen shit. But then songs like Blow and Jealousy fucking ruined it (although I admit I was amused by the fact that a song called Blow was actually about eating pussy, I hope my boyfriend likes Skittles).

Carried by Beyoncé's vocal ability and melodies, the album has some very average instrumentals and functional lyricism at best.

Didn't skip this one because I didn't have access to it on Amazon music, only assume I couldn't face it at the time. Earlier Beyonce was catchy, nothing stood out here, a lot of bassy club beats. Felt very vapid, droning on about banging felt very childish and not great themes to sell to the kids. The piano in the very last song was alright, did not like the rest at all.

A very dull trundle through some R&B with electro bells and whistles. I thought I might know, Drunk in Love, I did not. To be fair - I didn't mind her late 00s work, it was of the time, and jolly good fun. Not this though.

Think this is the first Beyonce album we've had? I've completely forgotten it if not. Not that I'm a Beyonce fan, but I'm quite surprised that in an hour and a half of Beyonce, I did not recognise any tracks. I thought I knew her schtick, and nothing suprised me. Maybe a few more "adult" themes than I expected. Regardless, good voice, shite album. Not at all for me. 1

Overrated.

Drunk in love pushes the whole thing to 4.

Had somehow never actually listened to a whole Beyoncé album other than the country one, which I thought was kind of meh. This one…I really liked a few songs. But I wouldn’t listen to the whole album again. Felt like too much of a mixed bag to me.

The highs are dizzying, the lows are mediocre

decent sound, probaby a 3.5, some of the lyrics are a bit crude.

Nice, but I like more her recent work

While I don't see myself putting this album specifically on very much, it was a great listen and obvious why Beyonce is the queen. Powerful voice, powerful lyrics, and great, catchy beats. She deserves all of the accolades.

I've never really listened to Beyoncé, so I was quite pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the album a few tracks in... and then I didn't. I actually found myself getting pretty bored by the end of the album. Favorite track: "Haunted"

Better than I was afraid. Well produced.

Sound wise this album is amazing in its variety and edginess, it also feels very personal but not necessarily relatable. There is no doubt we have a superstar giving us her thoughts and feelings and maybe that why I feel distanced from the whole effort.

Quite liked the message but not the hiphop or whatever this is. Not even a single song I knew on this...

This album has a handful of pretty great songs on it but my god is it bloated. In some places the music is empowering and fun and well made. In others it’s over produced, with poor writing and lyrics. Beyoncé’s vocals have always seemed to me to be pretty undeniably great, regardless of the quality of the writing and the over produced glitzy sound works for the style of this album in some places, but often comes across as too much. Stand out tracks are: XO, Jealous, Partition and Drunk in Love. Worst song for me is easily Blow, for a song about sex it sounds so un-sexy, like Beyoncé decided to make her own version of 50 cents candy shop. It’s going for this Raunchy not subtle tongue in cheek metaphor which isn’t meant to be hard to catch but it’s so tactless and the sound design and production of the song is so bad that instead of feeling cheeky it just feels frustrating. Overall the highs on this album are pretty high and with some trimming of fat and tweaking it could’ve been a pretty good album. Hoping there’s some more Beyoncé on this list as she has much better albums that could’ve been here instead. As it stands 2.5/5

2/10. Overrated artist who has an only a couple of OK songs on this dull 1hr30 runtime album. Even a broken clock is right twice, I guess. I could’ve watched Shrek instead of listen to this.

1st half of this album is very strong, but with over an hour runtime it does feel a bit bloated. There are a lot of good songs on here (XO, Drunk in Love, Rocket, Pretty Hurts) and obviously it's Beyonce, so the floor of this grade is high to start. Low 4 feels fair to me.

I have never quite understood the broader appeal of Beyonce. I've tried to listen to other of her albums straight through (most recently Rennaissance), but have never made it. The mix throughout is weirdly suppress, but pushing the volume a bit did the trick. Opener, Pretty Hurts, feels like the mix is weirdly suppressed. Despite this, I can get down with the song. The synth heavy instrumental is triumphant and anthemic. Gotta say Haunted is not a side of Beyonce I've heard. Love the instrumental here -- sounds like Clams Casino meets Burial or something. Early album standout -- the trap drums through the end were satisfying. Drunk in Love is a familiar one. For me, the instrumental carries this one (though the chorus delivery is catchy as hell). Gotta be weird to listen to your mom and dad make music when dad is talking about "slid(ing) the panties to the side" because he doesn't have time to take drawers off. Credit where it's due -- this song bangs. Mine feels like oddly placed here. It plays like a cast off Drake track from Nothing Was the Same more than a Beyonce song. Also the vocal sample sounds a lot like something Joey Purp would put out. End result is pretty in production, but kind of boring. XO is a turn the house lights on sort of track. Fine, but sort of losing steam. Okay Flawless is trying to pump some life back in with a semi-aggressive trap instrumental. I am a sucker for a well-placed philosophical vocal sample and this is no exception. Blue is disarmingly beautiful. It feels familiar in all aspects, but is such a nice standalone song. Weird fit within the context of the album, but I'm not complaining. Maybe I've just listened to the wrong Beyonce albums. This was more hit than miss. Kind of dragged in the back half, but was still a solid 4 for me.

3.5 stars, she is very talented and the album seems well produced. Just not my type of music

XO was one of my favorites. Execution was fine on this album, but nothing else really stood out to me.

Beyonce with the incredible singing and surprising amount of womping bass on a lot of these songs. Was excited to see this album pop up because it was unexpected and also cool to listen to. Just so the Beyhive doesn't come after me I am giving this a 4.. jk jk I am going to give it a 4 anyways cause that was a very good album

FOXXY Cleopatra! Only song I know on here is Drunk In Love. Beyonce bringing the heat. Really digging this first half. Rocket is a standout for me. Drake has to ruin everything. While R&B is usually not my thang I really enjoyed the electronic aspects with this and obviously, her voice. The back half definitely took me out of it. Low 4.

1h30 de Beyoncé c’est… correct? Mais genre, tu retourne pas remplir ton assiette mettons

Sorry but not gonna give this a listen

Meh.

Loved hearing the childhood dance competitions interspersed with her songs.

solid pop album

I didn’t know any of these songs going into the album, and I won’t know them tomorrow either. Ultimately forgettable. Does she have a restraining order against getting within 100ft of an actual musical instrument?

I'm in no place to criticize the talent on display here, but it's a great shame that a voice like Beyonce's must be used for factory-dispensed pop music born of a desire for cash by greedy record producers. This album makes me feel the same way most mall music does; just existing in space enough so as not to distract me from my main focus.

Not since In Rainbows had a surprise album drop stirred such a frenzy, and for good reason: BEYONCÉ is a towering testament to the singularity of its creator, an internet-breaking audio-visual showcase of sexual empowerment and vocal supremacy.

Kyllä tää vaan on hyvä: kun meinaa alkaa balladihkot kyllästyttää, tulee joku pikku herätys, vähintään vähän lisää bassoa ja kovuutta, kunnes taas pehmenee. Tätä on työstetty ja osaavimmat ihmiset ovat olleet töissä. Eli snadi duuniviba, tehty tosi tietoisesti jotain megamyyvää. Onneksi ei voi kuitenkaan sanoa, ettei olisi silti kekseliäisyyttä.

Pitää seksistä; tekee kekseliästä poppia. Henkilökohtaisesti en koe estetiikkaan mitään vetoa, enkä äkkiseltään kuule sen rajoja ylittäviä koukkuja. 2+

It's a 2 but I'm marking it down for the Lewinsky line

I am always okay to admit when I just don’t “get” an artist, and I am never really going to “get” Beyonce. I am a straight white guy and her music is not really for me. This album is solid, certainly well-made, but stinks way too much of 2010s pop trends and polish. Still, this is an interesting album since you can see the perception of her transforming from pop-soul diva to Serious Artist Making Serious Statements. Her own conception of herself seems to be changing in the same way—I don’t know why else she would include a whole-ass excerpt of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie giving a talk on feminism. The transformation would solidify on Lemonade, but it is kind of funny to see an early draft of it on that song, where you have her trying to mash together serious commentary on women’s worth with her roaring “I’m the shit, bow down bitches.” I guess for a lot of people it synthesizes perfectly… but again, not really for me. Best song: Blue

12/1089 - It feels like most film music to me: the vocals are the most important thing (Beyoncé has good technique) and all of the other surrounding instruments have to have no rhythmic activity (or repeat the beat with barely any variation). Some songs were more interesting to me "Haunted", "No Angel", and "Blue".

Beyonce, not listened

Drunk in Love is a comedy masterpiece: surfboart? Breastesses! An incredibly 2014 album, I get why it’s on the list - totally changed the game with the surprise drop, made feminism cool, and had a gargantuan cultural impact. If I had my way I’d probably take this off the list and replace it with either Lemonade or Renaissance which knocked it out the park. Anyway, WE TEACH GIRLS TO SHRINK THEMSELVES, TO MAKE THEMSELVES SMALLER 🗣️🗣️🗣️ Favourite Track: ***Flawless Least Fav Track: Blow

reading all the reviews and they remind me of youtube comments a 13 year old who's really into nirvana might leave, but some of them are written by people in their 30s. the album is good

Great little unknown artists are why I love this challenge. Hope there’s more of her!

I was hoping for some catchy pop R&B, except in my mind that would be Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, not this hot garbage. Auto-tuned horny shit. I don't want to hear or think about eating her pink Skittles ever again. We also get a lecture on feminism and Beyonce telling the bitches to bow down to her. I struggled to find a decent track. There was one near the end, Heaven. I listened to the 14 track basic version. I couldn't imagine enduring any more of this.

Really boring and repetitive.

2/5

Surfboard. Surfboard

Not for me. Boring

Oh look, it's underground star and little known songstress Beyonce Knowles. I gather she got all the world's best producers to live with her for a month and this is what they came up with. It's good and all, but the Beatles got shoved in a recording studio for 12 hours without any warning and produced Please Please Me, so maybe streamline your practices Bey?

Album 660 of 1001 Beyoncé - BEYONCÉ (2013) Rating : 2 / 5 A bunch of trash songs written by a committee of men. She isn't even that great of a vocalist. I just don't get it. Production was alright.

Går knappt att lyssna på. Klarade av de tre första låtarna 1/10

Not looking forward to this one. Well it’s not what I expected, not saying I liked it but it felt familiar. It is not as poppy ask would have expected. I know now, I think i may or may not have heard many of these songs at a strip club. It’s fine - the girl can sing.

Not necessarily my favourite Beyonce. It's just not as memorable as some other albums--only a few real standouts. It's not bad, it's just not as great compared to some of her other albums. (4 known / 5 new)

Not my thing but an icon.

Queen B had a great voice and voice control, no doubts about that. The production is great. The music is not for me.

True rating 5/10. Didnt really grab me, but not bad.

Damn, Beyonce! Legendary Houstonian singer :D I only really remember 7/11 and Haunted from this album which a friend recommended to me, curious to see how it is! Interesting to see all the Jay-Z references but didn't he cheat or smth? I don't know any public gossip. Holy horniness 💀😂 Rocket hit me like a truck but the more I listen the more I like it, it's pretty sensual and that climax (pun intended) is pretty evocative. Didn't expect the Instagram line and the comfort she describes is great. Mine has a great beat and some lovely vocals by her! Drake is also here. Flawless is the best damn song so far, great (and still relevant) message, GREAT beat and of course an H-Town shoutout :) The switchup is great too, a theme on this album I find. Frank Ocean is here too?! It's like he's dropping music again! 😍 (Still gotta listen to Channel Orange, I loved Blond(e) though.) The Flawless Remix has some sick videogamey sounds. I'm pa rumpa rum pumpin on your stomach, Kanye wth 😭😭 I know she's a legend, maybe it's just cause this wasn't the mood I was expecting but right now this is like a 5/10 for me 😭 Vocals and instrumentals are standouts.

I was still on Tumblr and Twitter when this album was surprised dropped into the world, and that's all anyone was talking about for weeks. So I, of course, listened to it - and honestly, it was... fine? I personally don't really get the hype around Beyoncé. Like, I understand her significance in terms of being a Black female pop star who's uncompromising in her vision for her music, but I think the "Queen Bey" thing is massive overhype. Anyway, l think "Lemonade" is Beyoncé's best album and should've been the one on this list. This album is fine - I appreciated the chance to listen to this album again - but I think "Lemonade" is a more consistent, focused album with better ideas. Some of the songs on this album were just... bleh. There were too many underwhelming songs about sex. Favourite tracks: Pretty Hurts, XO

thanks to beyonce for she isn't in my taste

An extreme talent, with an incredible voice and a flair for the presentation. She excels at these, but the music can become tired and shallow. The production value is high and the hooks are catchy, but the themes are cliche. This album starts of with vivid discretions of having sex with Jay-z, then it shifts to complex feelings of love which I got more in then with. Overall, counter to all of the haters this is good music, but not timeless. Beyoncé is timeless, but not allll of her catalog.

I tried my best to not be very biased against this album, but it is extremely long, boring and soulless.

A great record - was struggling to find why Beyoncé is so highly rated - and this album explains it. Good pop, hip hop and soul - stunning voice and a huge influence on a lot music that came after it. I would put it up there head to head with the Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.

Loved it!

Rich and famous, yet produces shite music. Go figure.

Da wirkt nichts echt. Alles Kunststoff!

3.5

I wanted it to be better. I just didn’t hit for me. 🤷🏻‍♂️

She really is great....this album is not her best in my opinion tho. Also a bit long.

26/12/24 I have never wanted an album to end as much as this shower of shite. I understand that she is talented, but this is God awful.

Some unique sounds, but generally generic songs.

I don't like her as much as many people do

Bit of a snooze fest this one. Not sure why this one is that on the list when surely Beyoncé has better albums than this

I too get filthy when that liquor get into me. Superb. We be all night… Simpsons: Yes

Solid 3 stars, it was fine.

The tracks had too much talking, and I was disappointed that not every song was Crazy In Love. Also, it was too long. I'll also be honest I have always been more of a Kelly Roland fan

Man so many of these albums I enjoy until they start singing about sex in lurid detail and then I just find it a bit icky. That Ike Turner line was in fucking poor taste. And can we leave Monica Lewinsky alone? Drake? Ew. This is just an album of poor taste. That being said the music is pretty good, if it wasn't for the stupid childish lyrics a load of the time it'd be a decent album. Then we had certified lover boy

‘ I cooked this meal for you naked So where the hell you at?’

Beyoncé

Wow. I don't think I've ever disliked pop music this much. Genuinely unpleasant to listen to. I thought Beyonce was pretty well-liked, but this is just not fun or interesting at all.

Boring

I like Beyoncé, I appreciate Lemonade as a visual piece but when just listening to the music it misses that narrative device.

Good, but not my thing

Shite

nah

Um bom album de pop. Gosto muito da Beyoncé, mas somente Blow me pegou. Mas eu ainda acho meio estranho ela fazendo back-vocal para ela mesma.

I had trouble connecting with this album, but did like a few songs, especially the one about waffles.

I’m indifferent about this. I feel obligated to like it but… I just don’t. One of the things that turns me off is how horny it is. But I have no problem with horny when a male artist does it? Time to talk to my therapist about my internalized misogyny again I guess.

Not sure why she gets the accolade she gets, this was pretty mediocre

I think her massive appeal and commercial success is more attributed to Beyonce the "product", rather than just the music. An above-average singer, with an above average hype machine behind her.

Beyonce' is more of a product than a person. The music seems so self-indulgent, more a vehicle to serve the Beyonce' image and machine than anything else. It's not my thing and not enough to make me want to listen.

Surpringly good

So long….i liked it ok, but it’s a lot. The guest appearances on the second disc are good, Minaj and Kanye.

You could throw me onto the “where are the songs?” pile of middle-aged (mostly) white guys reviewing this, but I’m bothered by how obstinately obtuse this is: songs seem to contain half a dozen or so ideas stitched together, but not quite followed through on, just polished to a gleam, dressing to exquisitely-sung self-help advice columns, with the occasional rapper dropping in as guest commentator. The money drips off the production, it sounds spectacular. It is an expensive folly - the architectural kind - a bit of a chore, and extremely, confusingly successful.

vapid drivel, some of the worst music in a long time

Beyoncé’s fifth album Beyoncé is a remarkable piece of work in many ways. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-beyonce-by-beyonce?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false

Definitely not my favorite of Beyonce's records, but still very good. There is a ton of great production and mixing on here to pair with her incredible vocals. However, as a straight white man, I can't say that the themes of this one really resonate with me. Favorites were XO, Superpower, and Pretty Hurts

One thing about Beyoncé that you can always count on is her albums always sound very well produced and polished. Probably a side effect of having many of the best producers in the business at her disposal. Her voice is good and the songs are pretty good, but the inclusion of this album over Lemonade baffles me. This one is also just a touch on the long side. Highlights are Pretty Hurts, Drunk In Love, XO, and Superpower.

Not for me I'm afraid - very afraid!!

Some of these tracks are strong, but they're too inconsistently scattered throughout a lot of filler to really make for a positive album experience. The opener, Pretty Hurts, is an overexcited hype track that doesn't really get anywhere musically or lyrically. The next three consecutive songs – Haunted, Drunk in Love, and Blow – are all fairly good, particularly the former, which is a satisfying balance of moody and upbeat. Drunk in Love's "goodness" comes mostly from its circle-of-fifths chord progression (think the jazz standard Autumn Leaves); the rest is pretty unremarkable R&B/pop noise. The highlight of Blow is easily the guitar-synth interaction. It creates a funky, danceable atmosphere. No more interesting tracks appear until much later on the album with the song XO. This seems to be the point on the album where Beyoncé figures out how to write a convincing melody, because three of the final four tracks (the exclusion being Flawless) have some of her best vocal lines – helped greatly by the melodies. The two songs Heaven and Blue, in particular, are a great one-two to end the album on a high note. Other general comments: As another reviewer mentioned, her music sounds almost factory-produced at times. It's really difficult to connect with the music, even while ignoring the lyrics (which are clearly meant for an audience I'm not part of). Nearly everything is artificial, sterilised, and soulless (ironically). I assume the lyrics are meant to be the dirty, gruelling, boundary-pushing part, but I wouldn't know, because I'm not a lyrics guy. This album has further convinced me that Beyoncé is much more interesting as a media personality than as a musician. 2/5 Key tracks: Haunted, XO, Blue

I have dreaded this day for a long time. I have always identified myself as someone who doesn’t like Beyonce’s music and music of this genre. After having listened to this, I still indentify as such a person, but I can tolerate some of the songs. But it’s not fair that it’s 1 h. 33 mins. - that’s just too much Beyonce and friends for me

There are a couple of really good songs but probably 45 minutes of fluff that does nothing for me and makes the album a real chore to listen to.

Beyoncé is an incredible talent of course, but there were too many boring as hell songs in between the good ones.

I was excited to listen to a Beyoncé album, after hearing about her for years. Welp, now I can say I’ve listened. It’s a no from me dawg, sorry. Lots of sexy talk, but where’s the sexy MUSIC?? No soul at all. What a let down. Addendum: Out of curiosity, due to all the Beyoncé hype I’ve heard over the years, I checked out a few of her other albums and they were MUCH better than this one. It’s not a talent issue, more a production/style weakness.

No notes!

This was my first Beyonce album and it went exactly how i expected. I feel like there was a lot of auto tune happening. 2/5

I'd like to thank Beyoncé... But not for making this record. Pure product. Advertisement music.

this was good, had some fun tracks

I'm not exactly sure how to feel about this one. Obviously it's clear how insanely talented Beyoncé is, but this is just so generic and commercialised.

Reviewers here seem really mad this this album doesn't allow them to sustain the fantasy that music isn't a commodity. This is an industrial cultural product with the full force of that machinery brought to bear on its production to, unsurpringly, extremely successful effect. People get caught up in the paradox that this industrial product is marketed through a narrative of the individual authenticity of the artist's voice and the delusion of an intimate relationship between performer and audience - no shit, Adorno Jr, it's pop music! Lush, polished, horny, ultra-processed pop-music that distills the latest sounds, skills, technologies and talents of RnB, Hip Hop, House/Electronica, poat-millenial indie rock, and pure-pop into a zeigeist capturing culturally dominant force that creates a wide range of moods and feelings. The corporate feminism stuff is cringey, so are the bio-pic audio snippets, and there's something inherently undignified about the word instagram appearing in lyrics though, throws me way off. Favorites: No Angel, Rocket, Mine

Third track - these are the people hoovering up the awards and money? I'm obviously a special little snowflake as I don't really understand. And I was about 25 when this came out, not 105. Had to listen to the Pretenders again to wash it down. Struggle to really get through it, it's about six days long.

I like her voice. Unfortunately, I find some of her lyrics offensive.

Very boring! Her wonderful voice doesn't support this succession of bad songs. Some are even cool and save the album from total uselessness. I'll leave two stars today

Seems overproduced. I do feel the commercialism rather than genuine emotion. Don’t particularly like a lot of her music but she does have a very good voice.

I'm still surprised how even the most massively commercial stuff is fully avoidable post around 2010. Streaming I guess, I'm just more able to curate what I passively consume. Never heard a single one of these songs. Don't think I've heard anything by her since Single Ladies. And they're all...fine. Haunted was vaguely interesting to be fair. But that is it. Everyone says Lemonade was great, and I might be missing out but... Finished now. Well that was certainly a record that I listened to. Don't think I'd recognise any of those songs again if they ran me over.

Was very surprised that this album had so much drum and bass. I've heard Beyonce's hits on the radio for years. Hearing some of the stuff between those songs, not sure if this is for me. A lot of R&B ends up being f*cktunes and this is no exception. I think she knows what it is, how to sell it. It was a lot more raunchy than I was expecting. Jay Z's verse on Drunk in Love is WEAK. His features are so phoned in for some reason.

She's a good singer and rapper but a lot of these songs aren't doing it for me. Not sure if I just don't get it or if I have to give it more listens (which I won't).

She is a great singer and I see the appeal but this is not for me

Starts strong, gets weaker pretty quick

Nice

Honestly very, very impressive. I thought this was going to be some naff pop shite but wow I was wrong. The production is top notch, some of the beats are incredible. Hanuted a particular stand out. The clear display of sexuality made it a bit uncomfortable at first listen, but once you expect it it actually adds to the album. Puts it on a complete different footing than most Beyonce/Destiny's Child albums. Fair play. Well done Beyonce, I was wrong to paint you as a one dimensional pop artist.

ts kind of weird tbh i wasnt expecting it. you could argue its overproduced but i like it sounds interesting

Favorite Track: Superpower

This is a landmark album. Changed the game. The music is great, too!

Outside of a couple songs, there wasn't really anything that set this apart from other bland modern hip-hop acts

The only Beyoncé song I like is Beautiful Liar, and now I think it's carried by Shakira. I don't like rap mixed with pop, even though I like them separately. Would like this be more rap

Beyonce and Rihanna possess the same space in my mind, probably due to me hearing them at the same point in my life and thinking that their music was similar. However, every time I hear any of their songs I am starkly reminded that I like Rihanna's music more.

A lot of people try so hard to be counterculture, that they ironically find themselves of the mainstream opinion on sites like this in just hating certain popular artists. If you want to see why she's so praised or get a taste of the appeal to the beehive, check out her Coachella Homecoming performance, as it's one of the greatest live musical shows of all time. This album on the other hand is just okay. Even the best songs often trail off with unnecessary interlude moments, which can often kill the moment. The production is overall solid, but this album doesn't really showcase how she's a powerhouse as a live performer, and so for that, I really recommend the naysayers explore how she excels there.

Its a real damnation on the artistic side of the music industry that such talented vocalists regularly produce such uninteresting music. Hey, at least some executive's bottom line looks great since music has never been more accessible and listeners have never been more susceptible to algorithms, though!

Self titled albums are usually statements. This one's no different. I don't feel qualified to talk about the long and interesting history of Beyoncé, so I'll skip that. But at this time she's on top of the world, releasing an album that's also a music video showcase. The issue with reviewing this album now is that the context stands in contrast to what Queen B is portraying, so I can't help but feel weird when she sings the lines 'I'm not Jealous', as the shadow of 'Becky with the Good Hair' looms over it. She levels 'are you happy with yourself?' at beauty pageants, but it almost feels like the sort of question she might have been asking herself. Still, it's a very well produced and artistically stretching album. Beyoncé raps, and her emotion runs clear through everything. It didn't feel overlong or too short. It was, ultimately, a great foundation to build this current phase of her career on. Tangent: what exactly DID Jay-Z contribute to the song 'Drunk In Love'? I couldn't hear him at all. Fave: Pretty Hurts Least Fave: Mine Strong Bad Demerit Score: 0

Like the Instagram stories of your friend from school who married young - goes between gushing over her 'hottie' husband one day to posting 'why are men are such snakes? x' the next. In private, despite puffing up her husband and congratulating him on their sex-life, there's a growing sense of melancholy and resentment as she's coming to terms with family life, constantly having to tell herself that she's still got it. It's relatable despite being written by a multi-platinum-multi-millionaire married to another multi-platinum-multi-millionaire. Much more rewarding than her Queen Bee singles era.

A masterpiece.

It feels very corporate- a brief worked out by a marketing team and then passed on for product production.

I am not the target demographic. It was fine, just not for me.

Kann ja wohl nicht wahr sein, da wird mir hier so ein Mist angeboten.

I like Beyonce as a vocalist, so going in, I thought it would be an easy decision to rate this as a five-star album, but in the event I could not. Some of the tracks are very good, but others didn't move me much at all. I think I like the album enough to add it to my Tidal library and give it some more air time, but a four-star rating is the best I can do, I feel.

meh. Not a great album. Some of the duets were good, but this is not Beyonce's best work. Disappointing.

Is this the og bad bitch pop? So horny. Pretty good tho!

R&B styled pop. Not too bad, but dragged on a little for my taste. She can sing, but it felt pretty bare.

I enjoyed the sound design and the general feel of most of the music. Certainly a subwoofer-fest on most tracks. She has a lovely voice as well. However, nothing really stuck out to me or blew me away. Several songs felt overly long. Clearly I'm not the target demographic.

No questioning the talent and popularity of Beyonce. Even though there are lot of different sounds on this album, it still did not deeply resonate with me. Still, tha ambition of it warrants a 3.

Fine, doesn't move the needle for me

Some fillers but many great songs.

Not my jam. This wasn’t terrible but I’ll never listen again.

Afraid the production kills this for me. I just can't get over the pop-focused mechanics that drains any real human emotion. Sad, because I want to marry her.

I’m sure she is the poster girl for Sex Sells. This is polished and expertly produced And she’s incredibly beautiful. But oh my gosh, boring as hell. What is it with this one note Album which is just all about sex and ooh, ooh and ooh baby! I did really like Haunted. A great Halloween dance anthem. Did I mention that the rest was tedious listening, dull as dishwater and I remember now why I don’t care about Beyoncé apart from the odd single.

I'm learning I'm really not moved by this brand of diva pop. And it's unfair to pigeonhole Beyoncé, I suppose, it's clear she's an ambitious and fearless artist who seems set on making every album a message and doesn't tread the same ground twice. It's really just the trappings of the presentation that don't appeal. And by that I mean all the super-expressive singing and embellishments that get to be too much for me. I was going to rate it a 4 because this is clearly a massive piece of work, but I'm going with a 3-star to align with the enjoyment I derived from my listening experience.

File under "Not my cup of tea." I didn't hate this, though I'm not sure I really see the appeal. The production is solid, if often a bit unimaginative. There were definitely some songs that were pretty dope. XO was pretty great. Ultimately, though, I don't find her compelling or even that great of a singer. And for an album that's all about sex, I found it pretty unsexy.

Do I like Beyoncé’s music or Beyoncé’s persona? Hmm I do like Drunk in Love

actually pretty good

I had to skip even through the shorter standard edition because there was nothing to find for me. If the most remarkable thing about this album is the release strategy, why should I hear it before I die? 1,5

did I need to listen to this before I die? maybe I wouldn't think about how I look when I wake up as much... but this contemporary R&B with electronic and soul music vibe she has going is a choice ?? she can clearly sing and there are some bangers for fans on there but not a huge fan... i've heard the visual album is good so maybe that's a better entry point for me

I'm lost on this one.

Sexy and boring at the same time. Which is an achievement I guess.

Seemed like an album designed for hardcore fans. There wasn't an easy entry point for me. Even the singles weren't good on ramps to the rest of the album.

I really hated this album. It's everything I don't like in music styles and not for me at all. The best song was the one Jay-Z was one, and that's not saying much. I'd be happy if this was the last R&B album I had to listen to. Surprising because Beyonce seems to have some songs that are at least catchy, and I found nothing of that on this album.

This is a hard listen. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn’t to be bored. For such a sexually explicit album lyrically, it’s somehow lacks any sense of joy.

For some reason, I just didn't click with this album. It felt too long and whatever artistic value it has was Beyondmé.

5.5/10 Highlights: Pretty Hurts XO

This was pretty bland - hook-free, and un-memorable

Over rated

I just don't like this album. It has some very famous songs on it, I can appreciate this, and many people love this album and her, but I just always get a weird vibe with her. so boring fo rme personally

I woke up like this! I was living in Japan when this album surprise dropped, so I got to watch it earlier than all of my friends in America. I remember being skeptical during "Pretty Hurts" but I was immediately sold by the next track, and video, "Ghost". I proceeded to watch this album regularly. I was in my first solo apartment and in a foreign country so I had a lot of time to just jam to Yoncé. If you have time to watch the visual album, I recommend it. It's beautifully done and adds a lot of context to the arc of the tracklist. Towards the end of my time abroad, a friend and her boyfriend (now husband) came to visit. We road tripped around and listened to a burned cd of this album. I have a distinct memory of us turning it up and belting "Rocket" more than once. How could you not want to sing that opening line?

The sheer magnitude of hits hard. Beyonce delivers another top album with defining songs and themes to power and elegance. I am not in love with her music but I can appreciate it.

4-

Is Tang the same as fresh orange juice? no. There's no need to compare them, they're two completely different experiences. One is natural juice, the other is a manufactured artificially-flavored sweet treat. Sometimes I want to drink a nice glass of fresh orange juice, other times Tang is just the thang. If I want fresh orange juice, I'll pop in Sharon Jones, Roberta Flack, Aretha. If I want Tang, I'll pop in Beyoncé, Rihanna or maybe Janelle Monáe. People whining about how this record is "made by committee / artificial / manufactured" are just bitching about how Tang isn't orange juice. Nobody said it was.

I would give this a 3 normally, but some of these reviews man. You guys need to get out more.

This is one of those albums that brings back memories. I remember where I was in my life when this album came out. It was a staple in our house for a while. It’s still a classic — an ambitious, sprawling, sexy, genre-shifting album packed with great songs, surprising turns and cool details in the production. Here are some of my favorite parts: The skittering hip-hop drums on the moody “Haunted.” The silly Jay-Z verse on “Drunk in Love” I’ve heard so many times that it’s been etched into my brain forever. The bright neons and disco inflections on the sex jam “Blow.” The swagger of “Partition” and all its eyebrow-raising lyrics (“He Monica Lewinsky’d all on my gown,” “He like to call me peaches when we get this nasty”). The epic anthem “Flawless” (again with the swagger and those killer hip-hop snares). That slightly warped piano on “Blue,” which also almost sounds like “Over the Rainbow” in the beginning. I learned something new on this listen. The distorted backing vocals on “Rocket” that kind of sound like a guitar or a synth are Justin Timberlake! Great detail that adds a lot of style to the track. This is also one of those great albums where I bet everyone has their own favorite and least favorite songs. For me, I could pretty much always skip “Pretty Hurts” and just start the album at track 2. And the Drake-featuring “Mine” has some good bits but drags a little too. But whatever. Great albums don’t have to be perfect. This was a blast to revisit. Definitely one that I would include on my personal essential albums list.

This is really a great inclusion to the list as I really loved it when it came out and definitely wore down the CD. Actually, this was the album that got me to really get into Beyonce and to appreciate her as more than just a pop hit maker. My favorite from this album is actually "XO" even though "Drunk in Love" and "7/11" are the bigger hits. I really feel like "XO" is such an attractive standout on this album; it's so romantic, fun, catchy, and lovely. The night time beach boardwalk carnival vibe music video is a perfect visual representation for how I hear the song. There's love and excitement in the air, a drumbeat that screams "we're dancing and having fun but are in no rush to get to the end of the song", and Beyonce is not only sexy but also friendly and silly; often laughing and highlighting others in the video. Strong 4/5.

3☆/5 10.09.2024

Beyoncé has a reputation for receiving songwriting credits for work largely done by others. She has been criticised for cultural appropriation and commercialising feminism. She is massively overexposed to the point that she is considered an actress and her clothing line has been accused of unethical labor practices. I used the 1.5 hours I was forced to listen to this album to research why I felt like I needed to punch a wall. Phew - it's over.

Ok, she can sing - but this is such over produced commercial rubbish, I just don't think I needed to listen to this before I die and I don’t think it belongs on the list. 1.5 hours of my life I’m never getting back

Two discs is a bit much. There’s no doubt Beyoncé has a wonderful voice. If I were a teenager, I’d probably be impressed with the production and range. Drunk in Love is fun. But Jay-Z doesn’t really add anything. Rich people singing about rich people problems, has limited appeal. Blow is cute. First two songs are skippable. Partition is fun, from 2 min in. 3/5

**Album Review: _BEYONCÉ_ by Beyoncé – A Comprehensive Exploration** Beyoncé’s self-titled 2013 album, _BEYONCÉ_, was a landmark release, both in terms of its unexpected drop and the sonic and lyrical evolution it showcased. With no prior announcement, Beyoncé released the album as a "visual album" with 14 tracks and 17 accompanying music videos, revolutionizing the way music could be marketed and consumed. Beyond the shock value of its release, the album itself was a testament to Beyoncé’s maturation as an artist. In this in-depth review, we’ll examine the album’s lyrics, music, production, themes, and its cultural and musical influence while also discussing its pros and cons. ### 1. **Lyrics: A Deep Dive into Personal, Political, and Intimate Themes** The lyrics on _BEYONCÉ_ explore a range of personal, emotional, and occasionally political topics. Beyoncé dives into vulnerability, sexual empowerment, motherhood, self-doubt, and racial identity. The album is unflinchingly intimate in its revelations, reflective of a woman unafraid to present her multifaceted experiences. - **Vulnerability and Empowerment:** On "Pretty Hurts," the opening track, Beyoncé critiques society's obsession with beauty standards. The line “Perfection is a disease of a nation” explores the pressures women face to conform to societal beauty norms, while questioning the emotional toll this conformity takes. "No Angel" and "Mine" show a softer, more fragile side to Beyoncé, grappling with imperfection in love and the internal struggle of maintaining a relationship under constant scrutiny. "Haunted" portrays her search for something authentic amidst the pressures of fame and external expectations. - **Sexual Liberation:** Tracks like "Partition" and "Drunk in Love" present a confident and sensual Beyoncé. She revels in her sexual power, unapologetically embracing her role as both a wife and a sexually empowered woman. These songs flip traditional narratives around female sexuality, showing a woman who is in control of her desires and the narrative around her own body. The lyricism here is bold and provocative, especially in "Partition," where she teases with double entendres and evocative imagery. - **Motherhood and Feminism:** "Blue," dedicated to her daughter Blue Ivy, offers a heartfelt exploration of motherhood, reflecting Beyoncé’s fears and joys as a mother. The album overall carries an undercurrent of feminist themes. Beyoncé’s inclusion of a snippet from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's TED Talk on feminism in the song "***Flawless***" explicitly declares the album’s stance on gender equality, though not all tracks engage feminism in an overt way. **Pros of the Lyrics:** - Beyoncé’s lyrical exploration of various themes—love, desire, identity, power—is multidimensional and raw. - She balances emotional vulnerability with confidence, offering a refreshing take on womanhood, sexuality, and self-expression. - The inclusion of feminist commentary adds a layer of depth, contributing to ongoing conversations about gender equality. **Cons of the Lyrics:** - Some critics argue that while the lyrics are thematically rich, they sometimes lack the poetic intricacy of artists like Solange or Frank Ocean. The messages are clear, but they can be somewhat direct or simplistic. ### 2. **Music: A Bold Fusion of Genres and Styles** Musically, _BEYONCÉ_ is an eclectic album that showcases Beyoncé’s ability to experiment with different genres while maintaining cohesiveness. It’s a significant departure from her earlier works, marking a shift towards darker, moodier, and more experimental sounds. - **Genres:** The album traverses a wide spectrum of genres, including R&B, hip-hop, pop, soul, and trap. Tracks like "Haunted" and "Ghost" delve into electronic and minimalist beats, blending atmospheric soundscapes with Beyoncé's ethereal vocals. "Flawless" and "Drunk in Love" bring a trap-influenced edge, while "Superpower" leans into a smooth, nostalgic soul sound. - **Production Choices:** The album’s production is top-notch, with major contributions from a star-studded roster of producers, including Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, Detail, and Boots. _BEYONCÉ_ plays with sonic texture, utilizing layers of intricate beats, bass-heavy rhythms, and stripped-down instrumentals. Songs like "Partition" have a minimalist feel, where production is used sparingly to create space for Beyoncé’s voice and the sensual narrative to breathe. Conversely, tracks like "***Flawless***" and "Haunted" showcase dense, multi-layered production, with distorted beats, syncopated rhythms, and background harmonies. - **Vocal Performance:** Vocally, Beyoncé is at the peak of her powers on this album. Her delivery is versatile: from the aggressive, self-assured vocal performance on "***Flawless***" to the breathy sensuality on "Partition," she demonstrates range and control. In tracks like "Heaven" and "Blue," she dials back the technicalities, allowing emotion to take precedence over vocal acrobatics. **Pros of the Music and Production:** - The album’s ability to seamlessly blend diverse genres showcases Beyoncé's range as an artist and willingness to experiment. - The production is rich, textured, and impeccably crafted, lending depth to the thematic content. - Beyoncé’s vocal performances are captivating, emotionally resonant, and powerful throughout. **Cons of the Music and Production:** - For some listeners, the album’s genre-blending may feel disjointed, as it jumps between styles without much transition. - The minimalist and dark production may not appeal to fans of Beyoncé’s earlier, more radio-friendly pop sound. ### 3. **Themes: Intimacy, Empowerment, and Control** _BEYONCÉ_ is thematically ambitious, tackling issues of personal identity, female empowerment, and the intersections of intimacy and power. - **Empowerment:** One of the album's central themes is empowerment, both personal and sexual. Beyoncé presents herself as a woman fully in control of her desires, her body, and her image. The exploration of sexuality, particularly on tracks like "Partition" and "Blow," is a bold statement on female agency, flipping traditional gender dynamics that often portray men as dominant in sexual relationships. - **Control:** Beyond sexual empowerment, _BEYONCÉ_ touches on control in other facets of life. Beyoncé exerts creative control over the project itself, releasing it in a manner that eschewed traditional marketing strategies. She presents herself as the sole architect of her career, emphasizing the importance of self-determination. Songs like "Flawless" and "Pretty Hurts" illustrate her critique of societal expectations, especially regarding beauty standards, while simultaneously celebrating self-acceptance and confidence. - **Motherhood:** The theme of motherhood plays an important role in this album. "Blue" is a tender ode to her daughter, reflecting Beyoncé’s vulnerability and love in this new phase of her life. The track offers a softer, more maternal side of Beyoncé, contrasting with the edgier, more explicit themes in other songs. **Pros of the Themes:** - The album’s focus on empowerment, both in personal and public realms, is timely and necessary, contributing to broader cultural conversations. - Beyoncé’s willingness to be vulnerable about motherhood, marriage, and her insecurities is refreshing, humanizing her larger-than-life persona. - The album's exploration of power dynamics in relationships, particularly through the lens of sexuality and desire, is subversive and challenges traditional narratives. **Cons of the Themes:** - The feminist message is sometimes inconsistent; while certain tracks strongly promote female empowerment, others (like "Drunk in Love") have been critiqued for normalizing unhealthy relationship dynamics, leading to a lack of thematic cohesion. ### 4. **Cultural and Musical Influence** _BEYONCÉ_ left an indelible mark on the music industry and pop culture. It altered how artists release music and engage with their audiences. By dropping a surprise visual album without prior promotion, Beyoncé defied industry norms, inspiring other major artists (like Drake and Rihanna) to adopt similar surprise releases. - **Impact on Music Marketing:** The album’s release strategy was revolutionary, leveraging digital platforms and social media to bypass traditional promotion. This approach changed how albums are rolled out, marking a shift in the music industry’s focus towards digital-first marketing. - **Feminist Influence:** The album also became a cultural touchstone for feminism, particularly in pop music. Beyoncé’s incorporation of feminist ideas into mainstream music, especially with songs like "***Flawless***," helped push feminist discourse further into the public consciousness. - **Genre Evolution:** Musically, _BEYONCÉ_ helped to further blur the lines between genres, incorporating influences from trap, electronic, and alternative R&B. This helped solidify the trend of genre-fluid albums that would come to dominate the 2010s. **Pros of the Album’s Influence:** - The release strategy set a new industry standard, influencing how albums are marketed in the streaming age. - The album contributed to greater representation of feminist themes in mainstream music, fostering a more inclusive cultural dialogue. - It pushed musical boundaries, encouraging other artists to embrace genre-blending and more experimental sounds. **Cons of the Album’s Influence:** - The album's experimental nature might alienate listeners who prefer more structured, traditional pop music. - While the visual elements were groundbreaking, they arguably overshadowed the music itself at times, leading some to question whether the visuals were necessary for the album's impact. ### Conclusion _BEYONCÉ_ is a defining moment in Beyoncé’s career, a bold statement of personal, sexual, and creative freedom. Its strengths lie in its experimental production, fearless exploration of themes like empowerment and vulnerability, and its significant cultural impact. However, its risks don’t always pay off for all listeners— some may find its genre-blending jarring, and its feminist messaging occasionally inconsistent. Ultimately, _BEYONCÉ_ is a triumph of both artistry and marketing, marking Beyoncé as a visionary in both realms. The album stands as a testament to her evolution as an artist, solidifying her status as one of the most influential figures in modern music.

Mucho más que el pop que solía escuchar de Beyoncé.

It was good, but I think it's a little dated and not in a good way. Lemonade and Renaissance are both better than this one. Loved the hits, but some fillers on here. 3.5.

4.5 rounded down--it's beyonce

Well, that's one way to follow up Megadeth. That's also one way to mark 365 albums done for the project. I've done this for a year. Well, okay, because 2024 is a leap year, I'm counting tomorrow's album as the one year mark, so sorry Beyoncé fans. However, that is the only apology I will issue to Beyoncé fans in this review. Quite frankly, they have things pretty good. This a solid album. Like most modern pop albums, it's not really my thing, but I do respect this album quite a bit. I think Beyoncé's a pretty good singer. She adds some character to these songs. The writing isn't my favorite, but it has it's great moments in there. The production is great. One interesting thing about modern albums to me is how many producers are on there. Fortunately, I didn't really feel like any of the production on here was subpar. Then again, I'm not an expert in that regard, so take that with a grain of salt. The features are mostly pretty good. Of course, the one problem with the features here is that I can no longer make fun of Drake for not being on the list in any capacity. The songs on here are pretty good too. I will say that the idea of a "visual album" that this album kind of pioneered is really cool. I didn't watch the visuals of this album, but I'm sure they're neat.I see the appeal in this album. It might not appeal much to me, but I get why others like it. I'm not one of those kinds of people who just endlessly complain about music from the 2010s onward being "all bad" because I know that that simply isn't true, and this album shows that. Strong 3/5.

I've heard this in the car with Jen. Enough times where I can see. I like maybe one song. Not for me

Not in the original book and too difficult to find on streaming services. Hard pass

best album that starts with the letter b

This was what I expected for the most part. Good pop songs with some hip hop as well.

Big fan of Beyoncé, but this isn’t my favourite, regardless, it’s not a bad album by any means.

We flawless

XO is great but other than that not for me

Notforme. Bored me.

I've realized that Renaissance being the first Beyoncé album I listened to (in full) massively inflated my opinion of her, and she's just pretty good outside of it (and then there's Cowboy Carter...*shudders*)

Home is where the heart is, then she came home and farted. OK, some of the lyrics are catchy, butt she’s too up on herself. Beyonk (PLATINUM - styled in ALL CAPS) breaks down quickly and becomes difficult to listen to. The songs get so similar that it’s hard to discern one from the next. Until she brings in N Minaj, then it actually gets significantly worse. I started out thinking “pretty good”, as each song passed I was thinking “not that bad”, by the middle of the album I’m at “not horrible”, by the time it ended an hour and a half later I was at “that was not a good experience, in fact - that sucked”. Way too long, near the top of the 1001 too long album list. Even without Minaj the highest I can go is (2.3*s) and she just brings it down from there.

I was relatively familiar with a few songs on this album due to insane radio play but I never bought into the hype. The popular songs aren't really that good and the unheard of tracks are bland and missable. Her attempt at rapping is super annoying. Still I'm even more annoyed that she thinks she owns the moniker "Queen Bee." I expected more from this and didn't enjoy it overall. Even the song with Frank Ocean was meh (which is insanely hard to do).

Nah...I don't get it. All for women empowering themselves but Beyonce ain't the first to take the sexual power back. Can't say I liked a single song on the album. Half of it is her just fucking Jay-Z. The rest of the subject matter isn't that inventive either. Poor you being pretty and talented...boring. And please stick to singing cause her rapping is weak as hell. Why this album is ranked on any list is Beyondce me...0.7.

Beyoncé has been touted as the biggest fucking thing for the past decade or whatever. I've steered clear as I'm not the target demographic and her press is so overblown that I'd rather just tune it out than engage. Every time she drops an album it is huge news but I've never gone out of my way to listen to any of her music. I went into this expecting it to be mediocre overproduced middle of the pack diva R&B. I figured it wouldn't be anywhere near my wheelhouse but just something I could listen to and file away as "meh". Boy was I wrong. It's more than an hour of nearly insufferable pretentious bullshit. It's track after track of her gushing about how hot, amazing and perfect she is in every single way. I'm sure there is some powerful feminine messages buried beneath the countless tracks outlining how Beyoncé is an insanely erotic and sexual specimen. 10 minutes I started to understand what this album was and had to suffer through the rest of it. I'm actually impressed at how much this annoyed me. Where I previously would have responded "not a Beyoncé fan cuz I don't know the music" I will actually now update this to "I actively dislike her music". Not sure if this is part of the schtick and yet another form of engagement for her but I will be going out of my way to turn off Beyoncé moving forward. Garbage. .58 stars

2.5

Wtf is this trash

I was going to ghost review this bc I really couldn’t be arsed when I saw 1hr 33mins like WHAT DO U MEAN. If Beyoncé could release this album without writing it then I would happily review it without listening to it. BUT I GOT THROUGHT IT AND LOWKEY IT WAS GOOD? PASSABLE? ICONIC? It was better than I thought at any rate :)

Not my style, but beyoncé is beyoncé. The song are very high quality but the production bases are boring

the songs on the radio are nice but i heard a million times already, nothing against queen b

I was surprised to find out that a friend of mine was a huge fan of Beyoncé, but I said to him, well, whatever floats your boat. No, he said. That's buoyancy. (Anyway. Some real highlights - Partition, Flawless - but plenty of lowlights too, and the sentiment throughout is pretty banal. Hard to care about.)

This good album will not stay on the 1001 list for long. I'm pretty sure it can be replaced by "Lemonade" or even "Cowboy Carter" in the next edition (especially the second, given the book authors' love for country music). However, it is here, and it was a good listening session. It's nice to note every breakthrough from Beyoncé's last albums being born here and there, along with the songs of this album.

I know she is a cultural icon and i applaud her female empowerment message, but i dont think the music stands up to the status This was overly long, overly produced and pretty bland. None of the quirk of Janelle Monae, none of the beats of a Lauren Hill or a Little simz. Just meh.

Drunk In Love redeems this, but otherwise not really vibing with a lot of Beyonce.

Love it!

Crass

This album changed the music industry in the most monumental way since the availability of digital music. Crazy what you're capable of when you're the highest paid musician in the world. It's too bad the music didn't help to change music. It's a great passive listen, but so much of Beyoncé's catalogue overshadows the musicality of this album. Shoutout Boots though: he got a chance and took it well.

I feel as if I walked into a hair salon, for a long ass haircut. Stand-out: XO

Destiny’s Child and a Beyoncé album in the same week? FFS. Talented, yes. But this procured pretentious pop brand building vehicle is not for me. One thing is certain with the inclusion of this albums “short film”… Yoncé has a clear aversion to wearing pants.

Bland pop, not great vocal

电子烟，属实一般

i like most of the songs on this album, it was nice at the time, it was nice now, pretty hurts and XO are my favourites (although XO reminds me of a break up from my ‘kind of’ long distance boyfriend from new york, odd time) beyoncé is a great singer and i appreciate a lot of her music tbf, it’s catchy and sometimes emotional and it always makes you wanna sing along which is always a + for me.

Beyonce horny, Michael.

i got this album ON Beyoncé’s birthday??? what an amazing coincidence. anyways, there is me before i listened to this album as a teen and there’s after. it truly opened my eyes to feminism, female sexuality and more. my friends and i used to quote the opening skit of Haunted all the time, and we used to have dance parties listening to Drunk In Love and Partition. i think that Lemonade or Renaissance might be better albums, but self-titled will always have a special place in my heart. 4.5

Production value is unsurprisingly high but I'm not sure many of the songs justify the extended run time. Largely very slow paced. Drunk in Love still meanders on a bit but has a pretty good hook. I was about to write off Angel until a cool synth riff came in in the middle. I wish there was more of this. Rocket is 6:31 (!) long and unfortunately one of the most boring songs here. XO is pretty good, and the last few tracks are shorter, at least, but still so slooow. I might like this more as instrumentals, which kind of defeats the point of a Beyonce album. At least I get to skip the second disc of extra tracks and remixes.

The album opens okay. "Pretty Hurts," "Haunted," and "Drunk in Love" are decent tracks, nothing special but listenable. After that, it's a long, forgettable stretch of mid-tier R&B. Which is fine, but it's not a case for a spot on any essential listening list. The bigger issue is that so much of this album's reputation is built on her persona and the marketing stunt of a surprise drop, not the music itself. Even the best song here, "XO," is a cover. Strip all that away and you have a competent R&B album that a lot of people would have forgotten by now if a lesser artist had released it. It's not bad, but it doesn't belong on this list, and it's overrated, so 2 stars.

Beyonce is a legend, which is why I'm sad I feel obligated to rate this album this low(and on another note, I find it bizarre to have your fifth album as your self-titled album). She still did a great job at singing, but most of the songs were just "meh", and mostly forgettable. Favorite Track: "Flawless".

sex sex sex sex

кажется стартом шокирующих женских альбомов, но отсюда выглядит базовым. также посмеялась над ютуб каментами что никогда доселе мир не видел такого жанрово разного альбома. вут

meh

A steaming turd of over-vocalization and studio electronics. Truly garbage

Beyoncé has a pretty good singing voice, but I hate this kind of written by committee, completely artificial music. It’s hard to take it seriously and Beyoncé is such a product that I find her ruminating on sexuality to be quite disingenuous and fake.

there's so much porn

Ihan hyvä poppislevy. Vähän ehkä turhan isoa makuuni tällä saralla. Kaipaisin ehkä jotain sellaista nyrjähtäneisyyttä, mutta ihan solid. 3/5

Onhan tämä aika toimiva pop-levy. 4/5

Kind of forgot how horny this album is. I'm no prude, but I was pretty shocked with how overt this can get. Blow in particular gave me Prince - Dirty Mind vibes. Overall this is a good pop album. A lot of the hits have admittedly worn their welcome. I don't know that I ever need to hear Drunk in Love again. And I've never loved Drake, but Kendrick really did a number on him this summer, because he's worse to listen to now. Before, a Drake feature was fine, but not something I was looking forward to. Now it's like a jump scare. Not even a bad feature; I just had an involuntary reaction when he popped up on Mine. This is the only Bey album I've heard in full, and while I do like it, I feel like her potential is much higher than this; potential she's probably already reached on Lemonade or Renaissance, which I haven't yet heard. Impressive that a pop star who's been around this long is still putting out major albums and performing at such a high level. *Heard before.

Never been a fan of Beyoncé. Don’t judge me! ⭐️

Nunca la había escuchado y me gustó en general. Pretty Hurts me pareció muy linda.

Tight R’n’B Album with astonishing bangers that shift Beyoncé core discipline towards even tighter produced Electro.

I'll put this one down as just not being targeted at me. It is a snapshot of pop music at the time but felt like every song was a bit gimmicky. Don't plan on revisiting.

I have no interest whatsoever in this. 1 star or F for me.

Malgré de grands moyens de production, un album intime, d’une artiste mature qui explore en dehors des impératifs commerciaux. Touchant et surprenant

haunted was cool

Some are songs are really good, some aren't as fun to listen to. She is pretty to listen to.

Man I don’t get the appeal

Beyoncé: Can you sing a verse on my new album about our passionate love life, family and women’s sexual empowerment? Jay-Z: Imma beat it like Ike and Iron Mike

Nice

Highly enjoyable electro funk and R&B masterwork that is a passionate expression of female sexuality and feminist ideas. Drunk in Love, Blow, Partition, XO are all classics now, but also love the D’Angelo-esque Rocket and falsetto No Angel. The production is flawless, the guests are all stars, and Yonce is at the height of her superpowers.

I don't like pop music, and the best I can say about this one is that I wouldn't notice much if it's on. Don't think there's any new ground here for 2013. Beyonce is surprisingly awkward on this, lot of moments where the phrasing sounds so forced. Jay Z really said "I'm Ike Turner", huh? Sounds like a really bad move, especially when you're a guy who seems so unlikeable. I was just saying how I'm happy with having no idea what Drake sounds like, so I started skipping around before that one came on. I know a bunch of queer women who find something to latch onto in Beyonce - weird for something that seems so straight pride parade, right? But good for them, I'm not going to knock it unless I have to review it on this list. I'm going to try to review other albums I haven't heard when something boring comes up. Today is SNFU's Better Than A Stick In The Eye (1988): It's not a different world from lots of straightahead punk, but has some things going for it: Chi Pig was a great singer, and the band pulled off some big rhythmic shifts without losing momentum, very cool. The lyrics are silly in a way that's good, and they're more than just funny - sort of like sarcastic Kids in the Hall thing, alienated and making fun of the world but not falling into ineffectual nihilism. The Cat Stevens cover at the end is outrageous. 'punk cover of Wild World' sounds like it should be so bad. This one rules. ★ ★ ★ ★

It’s good in the sense that if you give one hundred skilled people a large amount of time and money to put together hit songs that fit the zeitgeist of the time, you’ll end up with a bunch of hit songs that fit the zeitgeist of the time. But here’s how disconnected from reality the finished product feels for me: Beyoncé references drinking several times throughout, and every time, my main thought was “I can not even imagine Beyoncé having a sip of alcohol and having a nice time.” A strange listen.

Music made by committee and is as soulless as you expect from that

This album experiments with many different sounds and styles, but fails to exceed at any of them. There are good lyrics that are interrupted by spoken word interludes mid-song that feel out of place. This album seems to be on the list because of the popularity of Beyoncé and not the content. 2/5

It's a great example of what people mean when they refer to the 'music industry', but after so many unique albums it's hard to consider this one to be an outstanding stop

Did this album really have to be on this list? Not sure its even Beyonces best album, let alone part of the 1001

3.75!

Fuck you Beyonce

Third self titled album in a row. Queen Bee slays as usual.

Not as good as lemonade, which isn't on this list.

Quite enjoyed first couple of tracks. Some good production kept it interesting. If I could be arsed I’d look up the credits. But then it turned into a-typical my mans a hound and I’m worth better than that. Apart from the track where she wants a spanking.

Generic pop music which generated no interest in me.

Yes it’s manufactured pop, but isn’t all pop manufactured in one way, shape or form?

A lot of T&A on this lady, and her daddy knew just how to use it. I must be an old fuddy-duddy for sure, cuz this is all about bitchin and fuckin. A lot of unwanted babies were conceived during the playing of this album.

There's nothing of value here. Crowd sourced lyrics that play at being inspired channeled through a mannequin who can sing.

Not my kind of music. Extremely erotic lyrics. It's always curious to hear how in the name of feminism you can be so explicit, but if a male artist was to write these lyrics (see for example 'Blow'), it would be seen as exploitative and misogynistic. It is a bit over the top, for me - and yet the erotica is poetic and poignant. Musically, it peters out a bit in the last few songs. Should've been more ruthless in editing out the non-killer songs? Not Beyonce's best. More of interest as a statement and a shocker.

Not my favorite album but some fun individual songs

This album is just ok for me. It's not my genre so I'm not going to spend the time to see if it really belongs in Apple's 100 albums of all time. I'll just listen to it once and believe all the critics and millions of people who say it is. But, Beyonce has been on top for over 20 years, nobody stays on top in the music biz for that long without a ridiculous ass ton of talent and smarts.

IT’S BEYONCÉ!!!

Favourite Song: Crazy In Love

Its okay. It was an interesting listen. Kept me entertained, but its a bit too long. The last 3 songs could've been left off in my opinion.

I confess I'd never listened yo Beyonce before this, and you know what? She's really good. Pretty much every song (ok I only listened to disc 1) had me going. I get it now. Album cover: A-. Simple and gets the job done.