Haze

Love this write up! I think the backings is the smartest thing she could've done at this point in her career, because it allows her voice to rest more as well. Last time when she toured America (after the European tour iirc) her voice was shot on a few dates, because it is simply too much. She does so many dates, and she clearly lives for it, so I'm happy she found a way to keep both the intensity and the quality. I hope, hope there will be a live record from this tour. And I wouldn't be opposed to hearing the backings on further studio records, albeit a bit more sparingly.

This tired old discourse and it's not even pride month. Anyone who has actually gone to cruising areas knows it's never completely out in the open (unless a space is designated for it, like in Amsterdam iirc). It's always a bit of the beaten path, and requires you to look for it. No children are there ffs.

I cannot open a single thing via notifications across two browsers. Site is becoming nigh unusable atm for me. Is there any update about the verification thingy?

You mean things you stop doing once you learn to read fluently?

'Black imperialism' is awful and should not have left her mouth, but the point she's trying to make is a bit more nuanced and for it you have to read the article. I'm not making excuses for any of the words she used here; there are ways to say things and this is not it, but the point she makes here (in horrendous fashion) is precisely an intersectional one, namely that the true country experience is one of poverty and destitution, of having lived that very life and your voice be a reflection of it, and that Beyoncé's reclaiming of the genre as a subversion of white supremacy fails to cut to the heart of the subject of country music. Beyoncé chooses to view country music through the lens of race and while I don't think its wrong for her to do so, and she makes valient points and beautiful music along the way, it paints a politically black and white picture (quite literally so). It's hard to listen to Texas Hold 'Em and not think it's a caricature, and I don't think Beyonce would even disagree: it is a spoof of a typical white country radio song, that is the very point! She made the pop machine take notice of a black woman singing country, but that precise movement of power, money, reclaiming, repurposing etc etc (which, again, isn't in itself something bad) is antithetical to the nature of country (as someone who musically appreciates it -- I don't think, or at least I hope so, Galas has any more time for the Morgan Wallen's and other superstars of country pop). But in any case, I don't think viewing Cowboy Carter as a country album is a very fruitful endeavor; it plays too much with genre for that. But I also think Billionaire Beyoncé who has spent years cultivating a goddess like image, trying to subvert working class tropes was always going to hit a nerve with people. If it reads as phony, that's because it inevitably is for someone like her -- she's a megastar, whatever hardships she knows they aren't the same as the ones whose lifeblood run through that very music (white or black!).

Hide your coworkers etc

Such a heartfelt closer. Great winner, great rate, fantastic host @conatus . Had a lot of fun!

The Boy best song on the album winning, I know that's right

Looking at the writing credits on that album, she's receiving a full 0.00000000000045654434555343 dollars per song (unlike you I rounded up)

That point was reached typing up your ballot, love

It had a 10 just before I saw one @California post too many

I just wanted to be @SupremeGoddess for once. And you know what, I like it. Bussy tighter (noone wants it), brain much, much lighter

Taking it up the ass tonight like your Greek ancestors would've wanted in your honor @Démodé

Sometimes you cannot argue with a stone cold bop

The power of nature @Graves @Florence Belch finally showing some taste this rate! Let's all go to Wendy's and dissect a twig or whatever her commentary usually says

Twigs got a bit shafted with these placements, but it was the worse release of her two 2025 albums. The fact that the quality was still so high speaks for her talent.

invoking the song of all time Hyperballad for a PP song, oh @cloudbusting I know you love everything but this is the clearest case of Beyoncé sweetie ever

Should've given this a ten but I didn't want to seem too biased. Sorry Sudan, I failed you etc

The top ten is actually okay. In all my disgust at these fäggots results I kinda have forgotten that most of these albums are great.

this reverse warholian experience

When @Album Leak pans a song you know it's fantastic, like it's a seal of quality at this point

These album averages, at what point do you ever round up @conatus

You can just @Vin @Truth Teller

Oh, this foul. Misogynoir more like