I haven't listened yet but I'm seeing her in a month and am freaking excited.

The credits mention:

- interpolation from "My Girls"
- Father John Misty, Ezra Koenig, and Diplo contributing to write one song
- features from James Blake, Jack White, Kendrick Lamar, and the Weekend
- elements from "Maps" and "When the Levee Breaks" and "Turn My Swag On" and "Spottieottiedopalicious"
- an hour-long visual

God bless our national treasure. Get it on Tidal (the only shitty part - but just grab a free trial)

10000 out of 10

Watched the HBO special. It's crazy how she pretty much calls Jay-Z out on his cheating, eek.

Overall I'm liking the album, dunno if I like it better than her last album though.

Heard some of the songs this morning. Eh. It's Bey. People who love her will love it. She won't grab new fans with this.

Yeah i'm with you.... Bey just diesnt have it to pull a 1000/10 album.

Becky with the good hair got waaaay out of hand and shows how stupid the beyhive is

Probably the most overrated artist that I can remember.

Taylor Swift says hi

http://www.metacritic.com/music/lemonad ... ic-reviews

Definitely invites a view that she's overrated... considering this (and self-titled) have been acclaimed on a level that is far, far above any other female pop star.

But because of the spread between Bey... and even Adele or T. Swift... you should probably explain.

Because she's not that good of a singer on most of her songs? And most of her lyrics are garbage?

94 on MT??? Ahahaha. LOL. That's one of the best albums ever recorded then. Interesting how not even a thing leaked up front, not even written info and all the outlets had ready reviews in a day. I doubt it takes one listen to properly review the album.

go Beyonce. The album is growing on me.

You think the lead time on Lemonade reviews is any less than it was for 1989 or To Pimp a Butterfly? Both of which received substantial acclaim? Nonsense.

Critics also don't get multiple opportunities to stew over a blockbuster film before reviewing it. They watch it once, a few days before its release, and have probably a 24-hour timeframe (if not less) to provide a draft. Why should a visual album be any different?

I would also expect, btw, that most critics have watched the film once or twice and have played through the album 3-5x by now. I know I have.

And I also think critics that actually watched the HBO event front to back are in a better place to provide commentary on it as an album than you are, having listened to "some of the songs." Since at least they worked through the entire package as it was intended.

Meh.

I don't think Beyonce is a "Top 10" singer. I wouldn't be super excited about a "Beyonce covers Aretha Franklin" album.

But she's matured. She's learned to color her voice and perfect her enunciation for different material. She is super versatile... she can talk-rap, belt a ballad, and backdrop an atmospheric song. And she has a wide usable range.

Examples: Blue, 'Yonce, Haunted, 1+1, Dance For You, I Miss You, Pray You Catch Me, Freedom, etc. -- I can't imagine another pop singer on most of these.

She is a good singer I never get the sense Beyonce is a true songwriter and artist like others such as Taylor and Gaga.

yeah, she has writing credits on all her songs... but so do dozens of others so who knows if this narrative of infidelity and other messages sprinkled in Lemonade is even true lol

Taylor doesn't write her stuff much anymore. Does Gaga? I'm not sure.

The credits for Bey's album are way too long, though.

Dead at Ross basically saying Beyonce is the biggest and best start to ever live in the universe.

She's good but you need to chill

Look at the dates: http://www.metacritic.com/music/to-pimp ... ic-reviews

A lot of the reviews came out in April.

1989 definitely sent out review copies as there were some reviews dated before the official release.

Most of the mainstream releases do sent out preview copies before the official release date. I don't expect the companies to do the same for surprise releases, but this is just jumping on bandwagon - we need to have Bey review for clicks on out page! The sooner the better.

I'd never heard any of the songs on this album until the Grammys last night. How Beyoncé has fallen since the Single Ladies days.

Lemonade continues to be one of the most overrated albums in recent memory.

Overrared, sure. Its still better than 25 though, which just isn't very good at all.

Beyonce is the most overrated person in the world

I don't like Adele's music at all, but I find Adele as a person to be great. So I don't mind her winning at all. Girl broke the Grammy in two!

25 is great.