Its so funny to me how my vent yesterday was met by "if the streaming numbers..." or "she's not a streaming girl". Where did I mention streams in my post? Its ur assumption its about when I adressed the chunkiness of the entire era, the amateurish rollout, the negligence of her fans, the 0 content policy, the 0 performances policy, the 0 MV policy. And u better bet: at this point, majority couldnt care less about a film by Bey. 

 

I won't add to the complaints because plenty has been said. The only thing I do believe worth echoing is the shabby release of CC. The name change, limited edition CDs with a different cover, incomplete songs and choppy ending for Ya Ya are just not good. THIS is what hurts a brand. Bey is associated with quality and talent, limited edition but elite, attention-demanding but worth your time and money. As a fan, I did not buy the CC CD even though I have Renaissance because... well, it is not the full album. Also, the main CC cover is her absolute best, in my opinion, and that is what I want. Its sad that even among fans, a solid image of bey being greedy at all costs is taking hold. 

 

But like I said... most of it has been said. 

Moving past all that, I am interested to understand where bey's mind is. 

 

We know she prioritizes family and personal life, which I respect, but she is an artist at heart who is always trying to evolve and build her legacy. This means that while it is true, as she tells us repeatedly, she feels overworked and overwhelmed and wants to be with her kids, she is also dedicated to her legacy (even if it's the last thing she'll do—lol). 

 

I wonder what that means for her next. 

 

On the business side, I feel Cecred is finally hitting the right note. They will grow slowly, and it'll do amazing. 

 

Musically, I feel the pandemic years truly unleashed her. She has broken free of many 'bounds', and I love the creativity it has ushered in (CC and Renaissance). 

 

Vocally, I think she's at her best. 

 

I do think she has a chip on her shoulder to prove herself as a filmmaker. Even her music-making is like a director (auteur) putting various pieces together to fulfil a vision. So I do think she's cooking something major in that direction. I hope she takes a more fun direction with proper storytelling. 

 

I know we are in a bit of a doom cycle of nothing right now, but we still have another act to go. I am truly curious if she had thought through the major themes and goals and vision of the trilogy and how the final act will place itself within it. The connections between act i and ii aren't the strongest tbh and I can't wait to see how she had envisioned this whole trilogy from a storytelling perspective. 

 

Also, American Requiem deserves to be a global classic. 

18 hours ago, Bender34 said:

 Danny definitely is nothing but engagement farming. ThuggaBey, however, may just be that stupid

i've rarely seen anyone that stupid… and i use atrl 

Billie's album is impressive IMO, the only other album really standing up to CC this year so far

1 hour ago, Lose My Breath said:

Billie's album is impressive IMO, the only other album really standing up to CC this year so far

They both fill my needs of a short and long album. 

 

I'm kind of scared to say Billie is tugging on CC's wig a bit.

 

1 hour ago, Lose My Breath said:

Billie's album is impressive IMO, the only other album really standing up to CC this year so far

I was really hyped to listen to Billie, but was left kinda mid tbh. Yes, its very well-produced (kudos to Finneas), but I'm missing highs in the project. There's never a moment that really lets u "have it" - its all vibey and chill and sleak.

Highlights of the project are Chihiro, Wildflower and Blue to me, while Lunch is def the one with the biggest hit potential - and thats about it. 

Its not as ambitious storytelling wise, it doesnt have a song like American Requiem that just leaves u floored, it doesnt have the highs and lows of a CC that really make u FEEL sth when listening.

Thus im still rooting for CC atm when it comes to quality of an album and purpose 

 

I wouldnt rule out Hozier or Noah Kahan atm with Stick Season. Now thats a gorgeous project

Edited May 17, 20242 yr by Kristie Kuwa

Well regardless of the quality, everyone else is going to actually promote their material so  may the best marketing strategist win.

15 hours ago, giRLbye. said:

when you break the curse of allowing numbers to influence how you perceive music and realize that Beyonce is simply NEVER going to be the #1 streaming girl EVER...only then will true healing start to begin for many of you

 

if the album was doing 50 mill daily in streams...a lot of this "sentiment" wouldn't exist even if everything else stayed the same. it will be denied but we know its true....its been the case for years. if Spotify decided to stop publishing its daily numbers...that would take the "power" out a lot of these sorrowful narratives.

 

 

Totally valid but if stans are saying they are feeling disengaged and the Spotify numbers back that up... I don't think it's an argument not worth having. Cause even when REN wasn't doing the best in streams or seeing the tour boost people assumed, the stans were happy and defending Bey. CC is simply not as a great as REN and needs a lot more support to stay afloat. 

2 hours ago, Lose My Breath said:

Billie's album is impressive IMO, the only other album really standing up to CC this year so far

I know we aren't supposed to talk about AOTY for fear of looking like we care, but my early prediction is she's taking AOTY. I don't think they'll give it to Taylor again (but wouldn't put it past them) so Billie and Finneas are the sure bet. The credits are literally two people next to the army on CC and they're white GRAMMY darlings. 

Edited May 17, 20242 yr by ShouldersSideways

I'm still mad we don't have the standard Cowboy Carter album/cover. Before Inwas being facetious when I said it's never coming. But holy ****. It's really never coming.

 

Can we stop calling these things Eras when it comes to Giselle. We need to coin a new phrase "Blip" perhaps?

 

32 minutes ago, Space&Time said:

I'm still mad we don't have the standard Cowboy Carter album/cover. Before Inwas being facetious when I said it's never coming. But holy ****. It's really never coming.

 

People buy limited editions for collector purposes and now everyone has the limited edition

 

1 hour ago, ShouldersSideways said:

I know we aren't supposed to talk about AOTY for fear of looking like we care, but my early prediction is she's taking AOTY. I don't think they'll give it to Taylor again (but wouldn't put it past them) so Billie and Finneas are the sure bet. The credits are literally two people next to the army on CC and they're white GRAMMY darlings. 

For sure.

2 hours ago, Kristie Kuwa said:

I was really hyped to listen to Billie, but was left kinda mid tbh. Yes, its very well-produced (kudos to Finneas), but I'm missing highs in the project. There's never a moment that really lets u "have it" - its all vibey and chill and sleak.

Highlights of the project are Chihiro, Wildflower and Blue to me, while Lunch is def the one with the biggest hit potential - and thats about it. 

Its not as ambitious storytelling wise, it doesnt have a song like American Requiem that just leaves u floored, it doesnt have the highs and lows of a CC that really make u FEEL sth when listening.

Thus im still rooting for CC atm when it comes to quality of an album and purpose 

 

I wouldnt rule out Hozier or Noah Kahan atm with Stick Season. Now thats a gorgeous project

 

I agree with the underlined.  There are some really nice moments though, but I got euphoric hearing some of the CC tracks on first listen, tbh, most of them made me feel that way. 

 

 

1 hour ago, ShouldersSideways said:

I know we aren't supposed to talk about AOTY for fear of looking like we care, but my early prediction is she's taking AOTY. I don't think they'll give it to Taylor again (but wouldn't put it past them) so Billie and Finneas are the sure bet. The credits are literally two people next to the army on CC and they're white GRAMMY darlings. 

 

I agree, and I think I wouldn't feel as salty if Billie got it with this album as it's very well done

1 hour ago, Lose My Breath said:

 

I agree with the underlined.  There are some really nice moments though, but I got euphoric hearing some of the CC tracks on first listen, tbh, most of them made me feel that way. 

 

 

 

I agree, and I think I wouldn't feel as salty if Billie got it with this album as it's very well done

I agree that if Billie takes it, it wouln't be thaaaat bad but still, it feels so weird and Taylor and Billie will always win everything they are nominated for. It's almost automatic now.

And the idea that the less people work on it, the more chances of getting the award is annoying as f*ck!!!! Come on! It takes TALENT to create projects such as Lemonade, Renaissance and CC. They are not excelent just because many people worked on it . That narrative is what makes me sick that they will probably give it to Billie and use that as an excuse as to why CC would not ge it.

20 hours ago, Draper. said:

She had Cuff It keeping her name out there and her last solo tour before that was before covid, 6 years prior to it. The situation was not nearly the same.

 

Cowboy Carter came and went, as of now. She messed up the physical release with a different version of the album, with a different title and a different cover. She tried to sell it as an exclusive web version (with a bonus track!) and when she saw that she was not selling enough, it became available everywhere. She still doesn't have a proper photoshoot for the album. The whole thing seems rushed. That hurts her brand. Not the lack of promotion, that we know and it's part of her brand; but the lack of professionalism in the release. It has no excuse and her doing more promotion of her haircare products and updating beenboring doesn't help at all.  

None of this is going to prevent her from selling tour tickets. She is the greatest living performer alive. Ticket sales will be fine I guarantee.

Edited May 17, 20242 yr by yonsé

What the hell is going on. Where is the tour announcement?

https://x.com/metacritic/status/1791525599003185475

 

how do we not have any sign, confirmation or even a rumor about the standard vinyl of our fav's latest album 2 months after its release ?  WHO runs this business ?? 

29 minutes ago, ScorpiosGroove said:

how do we not have any sign, confirmation or even a rumor about the standard vinyl of our fav's latest album 2 months after its release ?  WHO runs this business ?? 

Because it isn't coming

 

She been country, she isn't country anymore, that was her way to say the ERA was over

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 17, 20242 yr by Lose My Breath

1 hour ago, ScorpiosGroove said:

how do we not have any sign, confirmation or even a rumor about the standard vinyl of our fav's latest album 2 months after its release ?  WHO runs this business ?? 

It's not coming until someone on Parkwood figures how to cut Ya Ya properly, so never. 

1 hour ago, ScorpiosGroove said:

how do we not have any sign, confirmation or even a rumor about the standard vinyl of our fav's latest album 2 months after its release ?  WHO runs this business ?? 

what would she gain by making and releasing standard vinyls? she couldn't even sell out the botched ones. she's not going to waste money making new vinyls that probably won't be that popular. and she's certainly not going to do it as a gift to fans