BEYONCÉ: the discography rate ~ #44 ~ VOTING OPEN 4 BREAK MY SOUL

I had assumed my album averages were going to be higher across the board* but in many cases deluxe edition tracks (I'm looking at you B'Day) end up dragging the overall scores way down. That or I'm just an incredibly harsh scorer...

*Except of course for I Am... which is a horrendous album that has aged terribly.

 

Oh shit

 

After some positive and negative distractions this weekend, I've listened to her first two albums today, I will be watching Black is King, very shortly this late evening, and ensure every song from The Gift has been relistened to and is not missed, obviously both the recent scores from 4 and The Gift will help me decide when I finalise all the scores, and I will be scurrying through every album in my last few hours awake and tomorrow afternoon and evening, see if I can at long last watch Lemonade. I really do wish to complete this rate tomorrow.

 

I am pushing closer and closer to the finish line but obviously it is far more tempting to listen to "Break My Soul" than some of these optional extras.

 

Welp, I definitely won't be making this, sorry!
But very glad that new Beyoncé will hold me over.

 

I'm just rating the last few bonus tracks, will give it once last look over and then submit today.

I hope I'm not the only I Am... apologist rating!

 

Just as I was about to reveal myself as an "I Am.... Sasha Fierce" apologist - you're not alone! There are obviously duds on that album and it didn't age too well but I enjoy a lot of songs from it.


And while I'm nibbling down the seemingly endless list of extras, let me do another one of these...

Songs we could've rated

Cards Never Lie (feat. Wyclef Jean & Rah Digga)

Briefly considered before most of the soundtrack songs were axed. Released in 2001 as part of Carmen: A Hip Hopera musical, it's one of the four songs that features Beyoncé on that soundtrack. I think this is a very pretty song with nice instrumentation and could've been a nice addition to the rate, since it's an original composition. Obviously it's nothing notable in the long run.


Trust in Me

For some reason the only song from Cadillac Records soundtrack that isn't featured in the rate. I believe the other few covers from that soundtrack were additionally added after being requested by someone to be included? Anyway, it's a nice rendition of Etta's song but I never see myself returning to it.


You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)

This live version of this cover was frequently paired with "Baby Boy" during the tour performances. It was first released on "I Am... World Tour" live album in 2010. I like it but it's obviously way too inessential to be included in this rate. Interestingly, Beyoncé would go on to do the same thing nearly 10 years later, for "Homecoming" live album:

Now I'm off to listen to "EVERYTHING IS LOVE" for the third time since the album was released...

​

 

I gave it more 10s than I expected. It may also relate to the fact that I was in high school when it came out.

 

I Am... might not be a perfect album, but there are still plenty of great songs deserving of high scores there, especially in the Sasha Fierce half.

 

Working through this at my desk and the I Am ballads are slapping more than usual? The vocals on Broken-Hearted Girl!

 

Here are my overall scores, little Giselles.

Dangerously in Love - 7,08
B'Day - 7,84 (Blame the Bonus Tracks)
I Am... Whelming - 6,68
4 - 8,44
Sélf-Titled - 8,95
Lemonade - 9,69 (DAMN.)
Everything Is Love - 8,3
Black is King - 9,64 (YUP. YUP.)

 

I actually think most of "B'Day" bonus tracks are just as good as standard tracks?
And I'm likely team ballad when it comes to "I Am... Sasha Fierce", but there are some proper bops too, of course.

With about 25 songs left to rate, my scores are a damn mess I'm scaring myself by the amount of hot takes so be warned. Someone will surely kill me by the end of this rate ddd

 

Finally finished! Not giving out averages since I don't think they accurately depict my feelings on the albums as a whole anyways (looking at you, whelming bonus tracks) but the number of 10's per album, which turns out to be the exact order I'd rank her albums overall.

Dangerously in Love - 3
B'Day - 10 (give it to mama, indeed)
I Am... - 2
Four - 4
Self-Titled - 5
Lemonade - 5
Everything is Love - 0
The Gift - 1

Sadly I don't think any of my three 11 contenders will even reach top 20 in this but I had to go with the one track that's been pivotal Bey for me the longest so hopefully it go go go-oes far.

 

I should definitely have it done bit I just wanna know what time we need it in by, if there's a specific one.

 

I will definitely need more time, after midnight BST. All I need to do is finish the bonuses, optional (yes I do want to complete the optional section, even you, Ed), then, the Homecoming songs as well as Beyonce and Lemonade, when I have the TV to myself. I'm thinking of actually starting a Tidal trial and download the app on Fire TV to watch Lemonade. All of the first 4 albums, (except for the Bonus tracks), The Gift and The Carters is done now. It's just all go tonight!!!

 

Thanks to all those that have submitted already! I am still recovering from partying like a crazy person at Glastonbury, so I will close the voting period officially when I wake up in the morning!

Looking forward to celebrating Queen B with you all!

 

I finally submitted! I didn’t work out my album averages until afterwards but am pretty happy with them. Here they are:


Dangerously in Love 5.22
B'Day 7.22
I Am… 7.5
4 7.53
BEYONCÉ 7.73 (8.5 without bonus tracks)
Lemonade 9.42
Lion King 8.31

 

I'm on this boat too so let me do that as well

Dangerously In Love - 2
B'Day - 8
I Am... Sasha Fierce - 5
Four - 5
Self-Titled - 5
Lemonade - 6
Everything is Love - 1
The Gift - 1
Extras (mandatory) - 5
Extras (optional) - 1

A discography.

 

Rather ashamedly, I've had to rush my scores a little - however, given that she's my all-time favourite artist, my knowledge of Beyoncé's catalogue is quite sound indeed.

I know I'll regret not making 0.5 tweaks here and there, but I could honestly spend another month on this and it probably wouldn't be enough time! I've been extremely harsh in the sense that I handed out only a few 10s across the board - my thought process was that you essentially have to rank on a different scale entirely here, and I only gave 10s to songs I would be genuinely happy winning the entire thing (with the 11 being my preference, of course).

Can't wait for it all to begin. And for Renaissance to flip the script entirely in a month's time, causing me to rethink everything.

 

Just completed Lemonade, the home of the single Formation, which I remember I didn't like at all, during the PJ Chart Rate and I've made offensive comments about the song's style that I never would say today. From scoring Formation a 9, I very much now see it as very well-choreographed light relief to end the album and film on, and I've decided that it is worth the 9 musically and visually. Without doing a single average, because I still have 21 songs to listen to this morning, with four 10s and only one 8.75, sorry Sorry, no, not you Sorry (Original Demo), it looks like Lemonade is going to snatch the highest average from me, especially if all the others have either okay, decent or lame bonus tracks. Like everyone else though, still no clue where my 11 is going to go to. But one standout of the 4 10s, tonight, is in the running.