what's the best Beyoncé album?
it's B'Day, bitches! 🙌🏾👑🐝
#WednesdayWisdom
“I don't like to gamble, but if there's one thing I'm willing to bet on, it's myself.” ~ Beyoncé
Morning Musings
Last week, during a surprise party my husband, Jeff, threw for the one-year anniversary of Stop Waiting for Perfect, my friends asked me to rank my favorite Beyoncé albums. One week later and I’m still reflecting on the question.
As we speak, today is Queen Bey’s 43rd birthday and I’m celebrating by listening to none other than B’Day, to start. Actually, I began the morning with one of Chelsea Jackson Roberts’ Beyoncé-themed meditations and I’m not going to lie, I got a little teary-eyed while the instrumental version of “SPIRIT” from The Lion King: The Gift played in the background.
That album doesn’t get enough love, in my person opinion, but it was pivotal in my realization that I wanted—no, needed—to quit my full-time PR and communications job back to return to my first love, writing. I found my way back and here I am, several years later as a published author and full-time freelance writer. I’m not saying it’s all because of Beyoncé, but she and Toni Morrison played pivotal roles.
And did I mention Violet was born to “BROWN SKIN GIRL”? You can’t make this stuff up!
If you’ve been subscribed to this newsletter for any amount of time, follow me on social media, or read my debut book, then you know I am the queen, captain and president of the BeyHive. While I don’t consider myself one of those stans (you know the type…Swarm, anyone?), I love Beyoncé DOWN and I don’t play about my girl.
I’ve been a member of the BeyHive before the BeyHive existed.
I still remember going to C-Mart and my mom buying me Destiny’s Child self-titled debut album on cassette tape (yes, I’m that old). It was the fall of ‘97 and 10-year-old me was blasting “No, No, No” (both Parts 1 AND 2…IYKYK) and I’ve been hooked ever since. I distinctly recall reading a magazine that included a pronunciation key next to Beyoncé’s name stating the lead singer’s name rhymed with fiancée. It’s safe to say we all know how to pronounce her name now.
And while I’m fully cognizant of the fact that she has no idea I exist, Beyoncé has been there for me through my formative years and then some. “Survivor” gave me a much-needed boost of confidence after having been bullied by middle school classmates for being smart, skipping a grade and “talking like a white girl.” Whereas the teen magazines I was reading at the time praised petite figures, “Bootylicious” became a personal anthem for me and my curves.
“Diva,” “Run the World (Girls)” and “Formation” have all become my go-to hype-up songs before big speaking engagements and TV appearances (such as my national TV debut on CBS Mornings…below is a picture of me after busting out the “Run the World” choreo in the green room before going on set with Gayle F*cking King!).
Before I ever met him, “Brown Eyes” and “Dangerously in Love” (both the D.C. and Beyoncé versions, although we all know the Renaissance World Tour version is the best version and we need that live album like yesterday) made me think of my future husband. And interestingly enough, “Love On Top” was the first dance song at our wedding.
All that to say, I love them all. Beyoncé is so personal to me (and, dare I say, many if not all of her fans) that each album holds a special significance to me. 4 is my favorite, hands down. And I’m in good company because Beyoncé herself has stated that’s her favorite. To me, it’s quintessential R&B Beyoncé and before Beyoncé became BEYONCÉ. And there’s no denying self-titled “changed the world with that digital drop.” Everyone in the Hive remembers where they were on December 13, 2013 (Jeff had just dropped me off at my apartment and I stayed up all night listening/watching and reviewing the album for work).
On the way to the venue for last week’s book event, my BFF Pam asked me where B’Day ranks among my favorite Beyoncé albums, which sent me down a tailspin. Every time I thought I’d landed on an order, I’d contradict myself. A large part of the problem, as Pam noted, is that we’re not just trying to rank Beyoncé albums, her catalog arguably holds some of the best albums EVER. So yea, ranking is no easy feat.
Plus, are we just talking about studio albums? What about the live albums? What about EVERYTHING IS LOVE (which also doesn’t get enough credit, in my opinion)?
If we’re counting them all, then I can only land on a top three:
4
The Lion King: The Gift
HOMECOMING: THE LIVE ALBUM
And that’s it. I can’t go any further because BEYONCÉ, Lemonade, RENAISSANCE and COWBOY CARTER are in a four-way tie. Although, if you think about it, there are definitely synergies between BEYONCÉ and RENAISSANCE and Lemonade and COWBOY CARTER, which makes sense if you recall Beyoncé’s performance of “Daddy Lessons” with the Chicks at the CMAs back in 2016 was the impetus for COWBOY CARTER.
Which leaves Dangerously in Love, B’Day and I Am…Sasha Fierce locked in a three-way tie. Thus, my dilemma.
What I will say (as I’ve said before) is that while 4 is my favorite album, I feel as though COWBOY CARTER may be her best album to date. It’s certainly the most comprehensive and, as Linda Martell states on the album, it spans a range of genres.
Although Pam also brought up a valid point during our drive to Hyde Park that recency bias is a thing. So will my ranking change when act iii finally drops? Only time will tell!
In the meantime, feel free to share your favorite Beyoncé album or a full ranking, if you’re feeling feisty! I may share your thoughts in a future newsletter. Until then, I will continue to blast Beyoncé all day and raise a glass of whiskey in honor of our queen! 🥃
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Sept. 8: End of Summer Book Bash. One of my other fave bookstores, Three Avenues Bookshop, is hosting a mini literary festival next month and I’m thrilled to be one of the authors on site signing books and having an overall good time. It’s going to be LIT-erary (see what I did there?)!
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Links I Love
R. Kikuo Johnson’s “A Mother’s Work” (The New Yorker): Whoever said a picture is worth a thousand words was clearly referring to this illustration.
Yoga with Adriene is not a Prescription for Health ( ): Sorry not sorry, it needed to be said. 💁🏾♀️
We Will Have a (Black, South Asian) Woman President, But at What Cost? ( ): Fellow Substacker (and LT in the City Weekly subscriber)
asks the important questions here.
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To answer the first question, I think it’s Lemonade for me, then Renaissance and Cowboy Carter.
And then I’m deeply grateful for you sharing my post from last week. We can’t be too excited, especially since this is the only world our children will know and we deserve to give them the best.
Thank you so much for sharing my essay! And I love Cowboy Carter but you've inspired me to listen to 4 again because it's been forever.