#5 Lemonade – Beyoncé (2016)
The Beyhive scares me… I just started coming back into writing and I pray that I don’t see thousands of bee emojis and a militia listening to “Formation” outside my place because this isn’t number 1. Let me discuss why we call Beyoncé Queen Bey first. This album is FANTASTIC. If you didn’t know, this album is a cathartic release of emotion after Beyoncé learned of Jay-Z’s infidelity. If it was only that, it probably wouldn’t be too high, but it is how she did it. Bey started this off STRONG with “Pray You Catch Me”, which I interpreted as, “I wish you would find me watching so you can feel the guilt and I can beat your ass”. She doesn’t let up there either, going back in with “Hold Up” to have him understand that no one will hold him down like she can. Also, it is genre-bending AS HELL! The next song, “Don’t Hurt Yourself” with Jack White, being rock-influenced, “Daddy Lessons” being country-influenced, and even “Freedom” being very march/anthemic and almost its own genre. So why is it number 5? Well, it comes down to personal enjoyment. As much as I LOVED this album and I acknowledge it as the best album of 2016, one of the best albums ever, and I even recognize Beyoncé as my lord and savior, there were just 4 albums I enjoyed a little more. (Side note: I love Beyoncé, I listened to B’Day 24/7 back when I was 10, Beyhive, I love you, please don’t do anything to me this early.)
