12.31.24

Hello, this is a kind of special best of post. We, meaning me and Carys are diving into the best albums we listened to this year. It wasn’t a whole lot of music that we listened to, but we made room for more new music in our library.

We kept telling you guys that we wanted to do a review for Beyonce, Ariana Grande, and Taylor Swift. Yes, these names have been floating around for 2024. Mainly because these ladies have had a great year. Two put out tours, one is in a film doing well, but they all put out new music.

Beyonce – Cowboy Carter

First off, we have Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter. We know that B is from Houston, Texas and she stated in an interview a few years back that she grew up going to the rodeo every year. She said that one of her inspirations came from how the history of the American Black cowboy was overlooked. When she performed with the Dixie Chicks at the Country Music Association Awards, back in 2016, people criticized that fact that Beyonce attended the awards, saying she did not belong in the country music genre.

Well B felt that she was definitely not welcomed into the country music family and so decided to release her own country album, since this was planned as act II, Renaissance was act I, the first of the trilogy.

Carys: What Beyonce created was a cultural display of an album that brings the origins of country music. Is she now welcomed into the country music genre now that she has released the album? Unfortunately, no, but I do understand why. You have country artists that have been country artists for all their lives, playing, creating, and breathing country. Even though the album was good, that doesn’t mean that Beyonce is a country artist. She just wanted to show the world that she is capable to make a country album.

While I did enjoy the album, there were some songs that I liked; 16 Carriages, Texas Hold ‘Em, Alligator Tears, II Most Wanted, Levii’s Jeans.

My final thoughts for Cowboy Carter is that Beyonce was able to create her own brand of country music. You don’t have to like it, from where she stands, she doesn’t really care what critics think.

Shelley: My take on Cowboy Carter was ok. I have heard and read how she felt at the fact that she wasn’t welcomed with open arms at the Country Awards, so this album was her way of sticking out her tongue right at them or flipping the bird

. She didn’t get the awards from them, but she is not letting that get in her way. It’s like you said Carys, she wanted to create her own brand of country, the root of black music. Beyonce took it apart, put it back together to create Cowboy Carter.

My favorites:

• Blackbiird
• 16 Carriages
• Texas Hold ‘Em
• Jolene (I know there have been versions of this song, but can we add this one on the list?)
• Alligator Tears
• II Most Wanted
• Levii Jeans

Ariana Grande – eternal sunshine

Carys: Ahh, I kinda enjoyed this album from Ariana Grande. I always said that Sweetener, thank u, next, Positions, and now eternal sunshine have been a bit of biological albums. There are always questions about what is true in her personal life and what is not.

She has since married and divorced and hopped into another relationship, but let’s get into the music. This album another part of her personal, artistic journey. The seventh song, “true story“, Ariana says during an interview with Zack Lowe, it an untrue story based on untrue events (Apple Music) You get chill vibes with the song, “eternal sunshine“, some 90’s remanence with “the boy is mine“.” Yes, and?” is a reminder that Ari doesn’t really care what you think about her and what is going on in her personal life. She’s living her life, and she wants you to live yours. My favorites from this album.

• bye
• eternal sunshine
• true story
• yes, and?
• imperfect you

Shelley: Just when I think this young lady was happy and in love with her husband, well ex-husband, but both went their separate ways. Was I not surprised? Well no. 2024 was the year of change for Ariana Grande. She got married, divorced in a short period of time and now she’s with her Wicked co-star, Ethan Slater. I felt that this and sweetener, and thank, you next were her most personal albums. With her seventh studio album, eternal sunshine is right up there with the others.

I sometimes think that her personal life is one big puzzle. People want to ask, but they know that Ariana is not going into answering mode. So, when you listen to eternal sunshine, be prepared to just enjoy the music. In “yes, and?“, Ari sings “your business is yours and mine is mine, why do you care so much whose d..k I ride?” Bold words. The rest of the album will put you in a great mood though. My favorites from this alum….

• bye…giving me 70s vibe
• supernatural
• true story
• yes, and?…upbeat and direct

Taylor Swift – The Tortured Poets Department

Last, but not least, Taylor was in the middle of her epic Eras Tour re-releasing two of her albums, Speak Now and 1989, Taylor’s Version and earlier this year during the Grammys Tay told everyone the release date of The Tortured Poets Department. On April 19, the Swifties grabbed their hands on the albums, physical and digital.

People had their opinions on this album. Some liked it, some didn’t like it. We pretty much know about the songs here. Most is Matt Healy, “High School” is about Travis Kelce, and two is about Kim Kardashian.

Now I can talk for me and Carys about this album. We both listened to the Anthology version, with thirty-one songs. At the moment when I wrote this review, I was listening to “So Long, London” Joe Alwyn of course.

I can’t remember how many versions the album has, but we can say that this is our least favorite one. Midnights, Folklore, Evermore were her strongest works. Carys felt that album was a rushed and wasted product. I just think it’s just meh. The songs we felt were great were, “Fortnight” and “The Manuscript“. That is, it. The songs on Kardashian, “thanK you aIMEE” and “Cassandra“…I don’t know if Kim spoke on any of these songs, but at this point she is over Taylor. Hopefully Tay won’t write anymore songs on Kardashian. Time to move on from that.

Carys and I just thought that is album wasn’t Taylor’s best, and we think that she needs to move on from Jack Antonoff and find a new co-songwriter and producer. Time to do something new.

We hoped that you enjoyed our review of these albums. These three had the biggest year in 2024. Now let’s get one more thing off our chests with films.

Featured Images: The North West Star