Ajay hating on Beyonce's Renaissance album. "her least fave beyonce album so far"

[phantasmas 10,527]

i wouldnt say she hated it lol

more like its just not her vibes 

[AURAOFSHEISSE 6,516]

The way my least fave songs are the only ones she likes

[Guest]

She's predominantly someone who likes R&B vocals. It is not surprising that she is not into an album that goes against a traditional Beyonce album. There's a reason she likes plastic off the sofa as much as she does, and that's the first track she likes. It is not because Renaissance is "complex" or is "hard to get" (what?) its because it is not the kind of music she likes when it comes to this particular artist, even if she vibes to other artists putting out that kind of music.

[Ziggy 11,792]

1 hour ago, Edonis said:

Honestly, this doesn't surprise me and it's probably corny to draw parallels between the two (because they aren't really that similar outside of both albums having dance-pop music) but it kind of reminds me of how she didn't vibe with Chromatica at first either because she was kind of expecting something else.

There's probably room to warrant another thread talking about how dance music in general is so polarizing for the GP (and I include Ajay in the GP, she's gone on record to say she doesn't listen to the genre that much/it's not her favorite). Some like it, some love it, some get it, and then others just really, really, really don't care for it. Especially when you start getting into the older stuff.

Tbh I’m so sick of people hating on dance music. Like it nearly always comes off as homophobic af. If you don’t like it you don’t like it but the discourse seems to always veer into homophobic reasons and I’m just so tired of hearing it bc then someone like SZA (love her) will put techno elements on a record and everyone is OBSESSED and it’s like y’all learn some respect fr

[Ziggy 11,792]

6 minutes ago, Agunimon said:

She's predominantly someone who likes R&B vocals. It is not surprising that she is not into an album that goes against a traditional Beyonce album. There's a reason she likes plastic off the sofa as much as she does, and that's the first track she likes. It is not because Renaissance is "complex" or is "hard to get" (what?) its because it is not the kind of music she likes when it comes to this particular artist, even if she vibes to other artists putting out that kind of music.

While i agree, I also think Renaissance is an album that, to really really appreciate what it’s up to, you do kinda need to be familiar with the history and context of dance and Black dance music especially. You really gotta be in the genre, ya know? So to that end, I’d say it is complex! Maybe not topically, but I think thematically and aesthetically it is. Buuuut that also speaks to the point I agree on that if the genre isn’t your vibes then you, frankly, will probably miss the complexities there lol it’s not like omg she’s dumb; it’s just she’s not really in a position to appreciate the merits of the album imo

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, Ziggy said:

While i agree, I also think Renaissance is an album that, to really really appreciate what it’s up to, you do kinda need to be familiar with the history and context of dance and Black dance music especially. You really gotta be in the genre, ya know? So to that end, I’d say it is complex! Maybe not topically, but I think thematically and aesthetically it is. Buuuut that also speaks to the point I agree on that if the genre isn’t your vibes then you, frankly, will probably miss the complexities there lol it’s not like omg she’s dumb; it’s just she’s not really in a position to appreciate the merits of the album imo

Yeah, I definitely agree and see where you are coming from. But from her full reaction, she spotted the afrobeat influences, and admitted that that isn't a sound she was into her producing while being a sound she was interested in in general.

But I do think when people usually say an album is complex, a majority of them do not mean about the musical theory and undertones of an album or sound, but the production itself, and I think people saying that here are saying that in that context, rather than the musical history of the influences used. But I tend to generalize a lot when it comes to pop music dominated forums since I know a lot of people only listen to the same circle of similar artists.

[secfelix 192]

The nice thing about music is that we all get to have an opinion. This album made Beyoncé the most awarded Grammy winner of all time. Accolades speak louder than critics. 

[BBhomemaker 5,611]

1 hour ago, Monstermilo said:

i totally agree with her 

ive listened to Renaissance 10 times to try to get into it and its just not my JAM 

i get what beyonce was trying to do, but it just didnt work for me, and i get she was trying to do an afrobeat/ballroom album but idk it just seemed so MEH to me. i miss albums like 4 and sasha fierce where there was more diversity in the music - this just all sounds the same to me, even cuff it and BMS are so severely underwhelming and if anyone other than bey had released this, it wouldve tanked even harder.  

4 is my fav like a lot of hives, i think Cuff It and Lay up Under Me can follow each others pretty well. 4 was more emotional ofc. Also for me, Bey's most diverse album would be her self titled. From Blow to Drunk in Love to Haunted to Rocket each songs seemed to be a new chapter. But Bey loves to create cohesive albums following a line a sound or a story and it's even more pronounced on Renaissance in therm of sound which might be why you connect with less tracks

[Pablo 7,791]

Renaissance really had to grow on me, I'm not surprised this is her first reaction 

[clementine 290]

It’s just weird because while I respect her opinions she said that plastic off the sofa was the only song she liked because it was the only song that Beyoncé sang from beginning to end as if that was the only thing that would have made the album good for her? Exactly what does that mean? Beyoncé sang throughout the entire album so I don’t fully understand her thought there. Like every album under the sun has a level of production that includes vocals, instrumentals, beats, drums, words, rapping, speaking, beat boxing.. other people singing…the artists own vocal layering… etc!! That’s was makes music so beautiful because it’s so diverse and anything can be used to convey an idea in a song… I don’t… get it. 

[Anderson123 38,293]

I know she loves Beyoncé so it’s nice to see her being honest about what she thinks about it. Renaissance is an interesting project but not as easy to get into as Self Titled and of course everything before that. Lemonade was quite a statement and this one has just a LOT of references to black music, samples etc. It’s an album that has a ton of people involved and sounds like it. 

[llemesm 1,520]

She's right though.

[PartySick 159,880]

I mean. I disliked Renaissance too. And still do

Especially Break My Soul

I got into PURE/HONEY though 'cause Lil Nas X incorporated it into his show but other than that the whole album is basically unlistenable imo.

I just don't care for club or house music tbh

[PartySick 159,880]

38 minutes ago, clementine said:

It’s just weird because while I respect her opinions she said that plastic off the sofa was the only song she liked because it was the only song that Beyoncé sang from beginning to end as if that was the only thing that would have made the album good for her? Exactly what does that mean? Beyoncé sang throughout the entire album so I don’t fully understand her thought there. Like every album under the sun has a level of production that includes vocals, instrumentals, beats, drums, words, rapping, speaking, beat boxing.. other people singing…the artists own vocal layering… etc!! That’s was makes music so beautiful because it’s so diverse and anything can be used to convey an idea in a song… I don’t… get it. 

Maybe she shares a gripe with Renaissance that I share with Chromatica. Gaga deadass disappears on some of the "choruses". And on songs like Free Woman or Fun Tonight, unnecessary dance breaks are shoehorned in that basically ruin a more epic or natural flow to the song.

It works for some songs! Like Swine, for example. A dance break to rage out a bit. But when the majority of an album decides to prioritize dance breaks or instrumental hooks over well written lyrics, it gets boring and even exhausting.

Stupid Love, Rain on Me, Free Woman, Fun Tonight, Replay, Enigma, 1000 Doves, Babylon, they basically all forgo actual choruses and it sucks...Enigma is still my baby though

Anyway!! Bey does the same thing on Renaissance iirc. I haven't listened to the album a third time so I don't remember exactly.

[RenegAde 19,137]

Some of the theories  i've read here as to why she doesn't "get" the album and chucking it up to album being too "complex" or her not "knowing the history" are ridiculous to me. She does not like it cuz she does not like it. period , get over it and grow up.  So far as she was not being dismissive, i do not see the problem.