Best of 2019 - Rolling Stone

Ahhh, Rolling Stone.  I still get it delivered in print to the house, and I still read every article, but their year end list is usually horrific.  One year they'll go full dad mode and call U2's weakest album the album of the year, and then the next year they'll wildly overcorrect and say a new album of Lady Gaga farting the songs from Cats is their album of the year.  So I take this with a grain of salt.

Now, GTFOH with that Ariana Grande crap, man.  Just get it right the hell outta here.

1. Ariana Grande - Thank U, Next.  They actually call this a "trap-R&B-pop masterpiece that nods to 'NSync and The Sound of Music."  What the what are they talking about? (I mean, yes, I know that she interpolates "My Favorite Things", but really?)  Dawning on me now, as I listen to the first song, that I never even tried this album in the first place.  I hated Sweetener, and figured this would be in the same boat.  I'm not wrong!  The Mariah squeak level on the opening track is brutal.  "NASA" sounds like a Beyonce" song for a bit, until she just starts annoyingly chanting about space.  "ghostin" makes me want to clap my hands over my ears and cry for silence.  This is not a good album - I have no need to try it again.
1. although, I'd like to note something else that dawned on me while listening to this, is that my kids no longer listen to AG, at least around me.  I must have heard "no tears left to cry" 500 times last year, but other than a few spins of "7 rings," this one apparently gained no traction with my girls.
2. Also, interesting to note that all three hits are the last three songs on the album, which is weird.
2. Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?  I don't hate this album, but its not one that I am going to go back to over and over.  After seeing her live at ACL, I'm pretty put off by the whole schtick.  That being said, I found myself randomly singing the one about God herself having enemies, so maybe they're better than I give them credit for.
3. Lana Del Rey - Norman Fucking Rockwell.  Surprisingly, I also don't hate this one.  The opening track sounds like some classic Fiona Apple stuff.  Not a complete endorsement of the album though - some is a little cheesy sounding, like "fuck it i love you," but then "Doin' Time" comes on and I actually really like her version of that song.  The overall chilled out vibe of the album is appealing.
4. Taylor Swift - Lover.  Definitely some good tunes on here, but the album as a whole doesn't latch on for me.  Although, it is better than the three other albums RS gave higher rankings to, for sure.  Like Ariana, I don't hear my girls ever playing TayTay anymore.  I guess really all I hear, now that I think of it, are tiny clips of trap songs on TikTok from the older girl, and Sigrid from the younger.  Bad and good!  I;'ve given this album a few more listens and its growing on me.
5. Bad Bunny - X 100pre.  I mean, I have no clue what any song is about.  For the most part, I don't like it - his singing voice stays in too high of a register to please my ears, but every once in a while the beat gels around his voice and I kind of dig it despite not understanding.
6. Lizzo - Cuz I Love You.  Word.  Dope album and should be higher on this list.
7. Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride.  Same here.
8. Miranda Lambert - Wildcard.  This one is pretty good.  Very much the rock and roll version of new country, but with some fun lyrical things like "Way Too Pretty For Prison," or "White Trash," or "It'll All Come Out in the Wash."  "Track Record" has synths like its an 80's band track and drums/guitar like Strand of Oaks.  "How Dare You Love" reminds me of a pretty Kelly Willis track from 20 years ago.  It's a good album.  I doubt I'll hang on to it much, but I'm glad to know that some modern country isn't awful.
9. DaBaby - Baby on Baby.  Reviewed this album not that long ago, and it's not all that.  RS seems to think this was a seismic shift in the history of rap.  It ain't.
10. The Highwomen - The Highwomen.  Agreed on this one - good album and great lyrics.

The thing about RS, compared to the other end-of-year lists, is that they aren't trying to go pretentious with unknown weird Celtic albums.  For the most part, everything on here is a household name (maybe not for DaBaby, but I'd maintain it is if you pay attention to music at all).  So, nothing new really discovered here for me, except I hate many of these albums less than I thought I would.