Sorry, Lady Gaga: "All the Stars" should win

[WorstBehavior 1,141]

The Best Original Song category at the Oscars has been relatively strong for years now, but with relatively little dramatic tension compared to the acting and directing categories. That might change this year, as two of the biggest songs of 2018, period, are going head-to-head in this narrow contest: "Shallow," performed by Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga for "A Star Is Born," and "All the Stars," performed by SZA and Kendrick Lamar for "Black Panther."

All the Stars," however, is a far better song than "Shallow." But all the reasons "All the Stars" is better are also why "Shallow" will probably take home the trophy on Oscar night.

"Shallow," which is performed in character by Gaga and Cooper, is a self-conscious rock ballad, which wallows in a nostalgic but completely false sense that guitar-driven rock is somehow more authentic than the pop and sample-driven hip hop that currently dominates the charts. Despite the lyrics about "longing for change" and the need for more, the song is stubbornly backwards-facing in its musical form.

I predict that a decade from now, people will still be listening to "All the Stars," while "Shallow" will be viewed as an oddity in Gaga's otherwise musically progressive career.

I say this as someone who is personally a massive rock fan with a not-small streak of my own nostalgia. It's good music and no one should feel bad for liking it! But Oscar voters should be voting on more than "I like this" and think about the thorny issues of cultural change and staying relevant.

"All the Stars" is a great song on its own. "Shallow" drafts off nostalgia for older, greater songs that it palely imitates. The Oscars are about rewarding creativity, and on that metric, "All the Stars" should be the clear winner.

https://www.salon.com/2019/01/22/sorry-lady-gaga-all-the-stars-should-win-best-original-song-over-shallow/

 

[WorstBehavior 1,141]

As a Kendrick Lamar fan, I respectfully disagree. I don’t think “All The Stars” is the better song here. Besides, how can the writer say that people will be singing “All The Stars” and not “Shallow” when I’ve seen more people doing covers and singing Shallow? Shallow was also the bigger song on the billboard chart. Also on YouTube.

Also, what type of bs is this “But Oscar voters should be voting on more than "I like this" and think about the thorny issues of cultural change and staying relevant.”?

[Ryusei 61,110]

"I predict that a decade from now, people will still be listening to "All the Stars," while "Shallow" will be viewed as an oddity in Gaga's otherwise musically progressive career."

Umm there is already nobody listening to all the stars anymore. It's not in the itunes top 100 and it barely re-entered on the spotify worldwide top200 today... 

I'm not even trying to sound bitter or like "you all just hate hip hop" but all the stars is not giving me a dam thing. Shallow gives me the feels, the vocals the relevance in the movie. 

[Matangi 3,050]

I honestly think that All of the Stars is a better record, HOWEVER I would like to see gaga served justice and win this along w actress because Shallow was more integral to the film it was included in. SZA's brilliant bridge alone makes All The Stars a better record.

[Babel 41,495]

Y’all smell that ****? 

[DeleteMyAccount 11,881]

Oh I thought the OP was your opinion of who should win. lol

Tbh, All the Stars may be a better song overall just because it's a complete production but Shallow was intended to be a spontaneous reworking of a lyric sung early in the movie to set the tone and story. And that's why Shallow should/will win. The song is intertwined with the story of the film. It's not just a soundtrack song. One of the things that annoys me about award shows nominating songs is that the songs aren't always part of the movie but more so an element to promote the movie, like Black Panther. 

[DoremonLove 8,147]

No what is this shallow should win

[AlexanderMagno 10,746]

5 minutes ago, WorstBehavior said:

As a Kendrick Lamar fan, I respectfully disagree. I don’t think “All The Stars” is the better song here. Besides, how can the writer say that people will be singing All The Stars and not Shallow when I’ve seen more people doing covers of Shallow? And Shallow was a bigger song on the billboard chart. Also on YouTube.

 

6 minutes ago, WorstBehavior said:

 

All the Stars," however, is a far better song than "Shallow." But all the reasons "All the Stars" is better are also why "Shallow" will probably take home the trophy on Oscar night.

 

Did you seriously opened a thread and answered to yourself in a whole different way?

 

 

EDIT: ok now I get it, you were just quoting the article  you should change the font or something...

 

[Vitleysingur 13,789]

Would Amanda Marcotte lie? 

[Matangi 3,050]

1 minute ago, Ryusei said:

"I predict that a decade from now, people will still be listening to "All the Stars," while "Shallow" will be viewed as an oddity in Gaga's otherwise musically progressive career."

Umm there is already nobody listening to all the stars anymore. It's not in the itunes top 100 and it barely re-entered on the spotify worldwide top200 today... 

I'm not even trying to sound bitter or like "you all just hate hip hop" but all the stars is not giving me a dam thing. Shallow gives me the feels, the vocals the relevance in the movie. 

All The Stars - 546 million streams

The Shallow - 295 million streams

on Spotify. both the numbers you talked about and the stream totals show that the songs were released at different times..

[DoremonLove 8,147]

Just now, AlexanderMagno said:

 

 

Did you seriously opened a thread and answered to yourself in a whole different way?

 

I think op posted an article

[ItsTommyBitch 12,640]

Uhhhhhhh

Thats a really strong opinion.

I'm not even a big fan of Shallow, but ATS is honestly not near the best work from Kendrick or SZA.

It is a more "creative" song than the Shallow, but ASIB is essentially a musical, so the meanings/intentions of music in that production are markedly different than a song used to vaguely promote the film from a curated Soundtrack. (Though there's nothing wrong with that, it just inherently lets the artist create music that isn't entirely attached to the movie's themes, characters, aesthetic, etc.)

Also, we aren't going to be listening to it in years  

[Matangi 3,050]

I think Black Panther is a better album, and stands as an incredible project separate from the film, A Star Is Born is obviously intertwined in the film and could not similarly stand on its own.

[Runway 27,876]

ATS is forgotten while Shallow is already iconic. She is trying  

[Matangi 3,050]

Just now, ItsTommyBitch said:

Uhhhhhhh

Thats a really strong opinion.

I'm not even a big fan of Shallow, but ATS is honestly not near the best work from Kendrick or SZA.

It is a more "creative" song than the Shallow, but ASIB is essentially a musical, so the meanings/intentions of music in that production are markedly different than a song used to vaguely promote the film from a curated Soundtrack. (Though there's nothing wrong with that, it just inherently lets the artist create music that isn't entirely attached to the movie's themes, characters, aesthetic, etc.)

Also, we aren't going to be listening to it in years  

1

false honey