Davidson

She absolutely sells the f*** out of it in the video, as always. She’s such a superstar. The song is obviously a BOP. It’s maybe just a little too close to ‘Needs’ for me currently, but seeing as that blew up on social media and got lots of Twitter hype, I can see why she is going for the Nashe’ sound again… and I’m sure there will be less obvious sounds on the album. She always delivers.

Stand by the fact it’s so 2013 Amelia Lily? It’s just so random and does her voice no justice. Complete damp squib of a launch.

This is by far my fav of the whole era so far. The video sells it but the song is just huge?? It doesn’t take itself too seriously, it is just joyous and unadulterated fun pop. Also the fact that the whole song and video are so Kylie coded. She really is Kylie’s musical daughter.

This is very Amelia Lily isn’t it? Immediately reminded of You Bring Me Joy… It will be a cute little song but I can’t see something like this smashing in 2024. Dated as hell.

Films I’ve seen in the cinema this year and what I’d rate them out of 10: One Life - 8/10 Priscilla - 5/10 Poor Things - 8/10 The Holdovers - 9/10 The End We Start From - 6/10 All Of Us Strangers - 10/10 The Color Purple - 7/10 The Zone Of Interest - 8/10 American Fiction - 6/10 The Iron Claw - 8/10 Shoshana - 6/10 Wicked Little Letters - 5/10 Dune: Part Two - 7/10 Mothers Instinct - 6/10 Late Night With The Devil - 7/10

This is another fantastic album, but we don't expect anything less from her. Having listened around four times so far today, here are my track by track thoughts... 09.5 - American Requiiem (what a song to start from... the build, the vocals, the rock elements. YES) 08.0 - Blackbird (a beautiful Beatles cover, but should be later in album? Feels weird as second track) 10.0 - 16 Carriages (still PERFECT) 08.0 - Protector (beautifully melodic - don't love the chorus' lyrics though) 08.0 - My Rose 07.0 - Texas Hold 'Em (bored of this quickly, sorry Bey) 08.5 - Bodyguard (very Fleetwood Mac... will sound incredible in summer. Wish the guitars at end came in earlier) 09.5 - Jolene (this just WORKS - the lyric changes are chef kiss) 10.0 - Daughter (the operatic vocals, the Spanish guitar. I am sorry, THIS IS INCREDIBLE) 06.0 - Spaghettii (I am so confused at why this is here??? I love Rap-Bey and it is not bad but it kills the mood for me!) 07.0 - Alliigator Tears (not bad per se, but seems most unneccessary so far?) 08.5 - Just For Fun (was not expecting a ballad from the name of the song - the second half is beautiful) 09.0 - II Most Wanted (Miley sounds absolutely insane!!) 08.5 - Levii's Jeans (hate Post Malone but he works on this? Love the laidback vibe) 07.5 - Flamenco (more of an interlude, lovely but inconsequential?) 10.0 - Ya Ya (the BEST song along with 16 Carriages - giving updated 'Suga Mama', this is for the B'Day girlies) 06.0 - Oh Louisiana (another interlude which doesn't massively add anything?) 07.0 - Desert Eagle (lovely funky vibe, but think these interludes are only okay... they don't really add to the transitions so just make tracklist longer) 07.0 - Riiverdance (is that a Kelly Rowland - Commander interpolation? Think this will grow, but feels like it drags for me) 08.0 - II Hands II Heaven (reminds me of 'Love Drought' from Lemonade? Lovely) 08.5 - Tyrant (love everything about this apart from the production breakdown which sounds cheap) 06.0 - Sweet Honey Buckin' (people loving this one, but I don't get it... I am finding it annoying as hell, giving country version of 'My House') 08.0 - Amen (lovely way to end) I would say that there are some songs that need to grow, and personally as I hate long albums, I would have cut 5/6 songs to get it down to the hour mark. I also think the quality of some of the tracks second half, is not as strong as the first half. I have to admit this is the first Beyonce album in maybe 15 years where I think it could have done with a little more editing and curating. But it is such a visionary album, and she achieves everything she set out to here. It won't beat Act I or even 'Beyonce' or 'Lemonade' for me but it is another triumph, let's be real.

Yes!!! That album cover is much more like it.

'The Boy Is Mine' is maybe her best song??? WOW.

LOVE immediately. Also amazing to see them at #1 on NMF.

Why do I feel like there is hardly any album hype this time around? I hope the quality is good...

Sorry, I’m massively entertained by Louis so far. He’s giving me everything I wanted from him. No filter, no social intelligence and a bitchy bumbling buffoon. I can’t wait.

Yay for Madisson entering. It is too good to flop. I hope it can steadily become a hit!

Hoping the fact she's doing Hyde Park on Saturday, 29th June means she can either do Glastonbury on Friday, 28th or Sunday, 30th.

Big Sunday drop off for Beyoncé but I would imagine she would retake again tomorrow, and manage over 700k+ towards the end of the week again.

YAY for a big boost for Beyonce!!

Getting closer between Beyoncé and Benson again. Hoping she’s done enough that this week there is no threat to her!

Your comments seem to ignore the impact of ‘good will’ for these new releases, which I think is definitely much more important in getting songs the quickest hit potential than a lot of people think Beyoncé built up a LOT of ‘good will’ last era… after not having a big chart hit in years she came back with BMS and Cuff It, and the magnitude of the tour, and the way it was all over social media definitely felt like a massive moment in her already immense career. Dua, on the other hand, had a lot of ‘good will’ coming off the back of Barbie, and although ‘Houdini’ didn’t do badly, it wasn’t the huge era starting single people were expecting, and therefore has probably meant that less people are going to check out ‘Training Season’ immediately. It doesn’t mean it is an instant flop, it doesn’t even really reflect the quality of the song. It’s just going to take a little longer to reach people as the same amount of immediate ‘good will’ isn’t quite there as it was a few months back.

Over 500k after the NMF boost is amazing for Beyoncé!!

Come on Bey! These figures are really great, she just needs to stay consistent this week. I don't see Dua doing big enough numbers to do it... Shame she is 7th on NMF UK though, kind of a ridiculously low placing for clearly SUCH a huge hit out the gate.

Anyone else hearing massive ABBA vibes from this? Way way way stronger than ‘Houdini’ and feels finally like she’s not giving us a Future Nostalgia reject. This manages to keep her signature sound, but also take it to new places too? This feels much fresher. I’m on board.

Meh, this casting is not great. Sadly I think lots of the queens will decline Canada vs The World as not a Ru season. UK queens like Tayce and A'Whora are probably holding out for Global All Stars...

Very happy for second day increase for Bey. Hopefully looking like a hit for her!

It was always the less commercial out of the two of them, but I think the reason is because of the way Spotify shows her newest release purely as ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ but no ‘16 Carriages’ shows unless you scroll all the way past her albums and go into her single section. It’s a shame that they weren’t listed as a double single, and been on the same link tbh. It would probably be much higher if it had been listed correctly. Great start for ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ though. Hope it can go top 10 officially.

‘16 Carriages’ is absolutely stunning. ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ leaves me cold.

But surely 4th to 22nd of March is only 19 days? That is definitely shorter than usual!