Yours Truly vs thank u, next

[popmusiccritic]

Vote for the best song of each track number, and then overall which is the better album. Both have twelve tracks respectively.

Talk about the album, discuss.

[Deleted]

I chose thank u, next for everything except Tattooed Heart and Honeymoon Avenue

[𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕖𝕓𝕤]

y'all had "ghostin" tied w "the way" when I opened the thread, wtf

[Lost In Musical Reverie]

1. Honeymoon Avenue (close battle, but I feel it's tighter lyrically, and just a brilliant album opener)
2. needy (one of my favorite Ariana Grande songs. "Baby I" is a cute bop, though)
3. Right There (always found "NASA" to be overrated)
4. Tattooed Heart (I love "bloodline", but like with #1, "Tattooed Heart" is beyond special)
5. fake smile (another thematically powerful track from Ariana's most honest and vulnerable album - I love everything about it. Shout-out to "Lovin It" too for being an underrated cut from her debut)
6. bad idea ("Piano" is adorable and such a fun wholesome tune, but "bad idea" has terrific production, and perhaps the biggest missed opportunity for a single from the "thank u, next" era)
7. Daydreamin' (not the biggest fan of either, to be honest, but "make up" has some really embarrassing lines, while "Daydreamin" 's lyrics perfectly convey the innocence and romance of the crush described)
8. ghostin (by far the hardest choice - both songs are career-highlights for Ariana in different ways, and both have a heartbreaking factor in common. "The Way" was a fantastic introduction to her, but "ghostin" is a masterpiece.)
9. You'll Never Know (surprised "in my head" is winning by an overwhelming majority - I do really like it though, but I prefer "You'll Never Know", despite not being as interesting lyrically)
10. Almost Is Never Enough (Ariana's most underappreciated single vs. her most overrated and my least favorite song from her - easiest battle)
11. thank u, next (I'm one of the few "Popular Song" supporters, but the title track is iconic and a beautiful ode to learning from past relationships and focusing on self-love)
12. break up with your girlfriend, I'm bored (awful album closer, but a pretty fun and atmospheric track when considered separately. Also "Better Left Unsaid" is just underwhelming in general, and the uptempo parts are questionable)

6 for "Yours Truly" vs. 6 for "thank u, next" - a tie 🥰

Judging them as bodies of work, though, "Yours Truly" is significantly more consistent in quality, but "thank u, next" has some phenomenal highs, and its vulnerabie and honest lyrics really make it a special album. Kind of torn here, to be honest. 

[samo🦕]

I only ended up voting for thank u, next for 3, 5 and 8 oops

[popmusiccritic]

Apr 11, 2021 4:51:56 GMT -5 Lost In Musical Reverie said:

1. Honeymoon Avenue (close battle, but I feel its tighter lyrically, and just a brilliant album opener)
2. needy (one of my favorite Ariana Grande songs. "Baby I" is a cute bop, though)
3. Right There (always found "NASA" to be overrated)
4. Tattooed Heart (I love "bloodline", but like with #1, "Tattooed Heart" is beyond special)
5. fake smile (another thematically powerful track from Ariana's most honest and vulnerable album - I love everything about it. Shout-out to "Lovin It" too for being an underrated cut from her debut)
6. bad idea ("Piano" is adorable and such a fun wholesome tune, but "bad idea" has terrific production, and perhaps the biggest missed opportunity for a single from the "thank u, next" era)
7. Daydreamin' (not the biggest fan of either, to be honest, but "make up" has some really embarrassing lines, while "Daydreamin" 's lyrics perfectly convey the innocence and romance of the crush described)
8. ghostin (by far the hardest choice - both songs are career-highlights for Ariana in different ways, and both have a heartbreaking factor in common. "The Way" was a fantastic introduction to her, but "ghostin" is a masterpiece.)
9. You'll Never Know (surprised "in my head" is winning by an overwhelming majority - I do really like it though, but I prefer "You'll Never Know", despite not being as interesting lyrically)
10. Almost Is Never Enough (Ariana's most underappreciated single vs. her most overrated and my least favorite song from her - easiest battle)
11. thank u, next (I'm one of the few "Popular Song" supporters, but the title track is iconic and a beautiful ode to learning from past relationships and focusing on self-love)
12. break up with your girlfriend, I'm bored (awful album closer, but a pretty fun and atmospheric track when considered separately. Also "Better Left Unsaid" is just underwhelming in general, and the uptempo parts are questionable)

6 for "Yours Truly" vs. 6 for "thank u, next" - a tie 🥰

Judging them as bodies of work, though, "Yours Truly" is significantly more consistent in quality, but "thank u, next" has some phenomenal highs, and its vulnerabie and honest lyrics really make it a special album. Kind of torn here, to be honest. 

Damn, you nailed it all! Every point you made is true and the correct answer. I like how you described everything and set it up, the best comment/response i've seen to the discussions. Very insightful, well done!! 

[Lost In Musical Reverie]

Apr 11, 2021 12:09:43 GMT -5 popmusiccritic said:

Apr 11, 2021 4:51:56 GMT -5 Lost In Musical Reverie said:

Damn, you nailed it all! Every point you made is true and the correct answer. I like how you described everything and set it up, the best comment/response i've seen to the discussions. Very insightful, well done!! 

Thank you so much! Your positive feedback is much appreciated. 😊

However, I do want to stress that there is no correct answer here, as opinions are subjective. But I'm glad you agree with what I wrote.

[popmusiccritic]

Apr 11, 2021 13:01:07 GMT -5 Lost In Musical Reverie said:

Apr 11, 2021 12:09:43 GMT -5 popmusiccritic said:

Damn, you nailed it all! Every point you made is true and the correct answer. I like how you described everything and set it up, the best comment/response i've seen to the discussions. Very insightful, well done!! 

Thank you so much! Your positive feedback is much appreciated. 😊

However, I do want to stress that there is no correct answer here, as opinions are subjective. But I'm glad you agree with what I wrote.

Of course they are, I just agree with most of the stuff you written, not all, but some amount.

[needyslovelanguage]

1. Honeymoon Avenue (both very good, but this is just a little bit more special for me)

2. needy (again I like both, but I think the lyrics to this one wins me over)
3. Right There (NASA is good but Right There is one of my favorite singles by her)
4. Tattooed Heart (I never really felt all that connected to Bloodline)
5. fake smile (this one was pretty easy)
6. bad idea (Piano is cute but...)
7. make up (Yours Truly has other songs on it that does what Daydreamin’ tries to do better, and I feel like one of the few who likes make up)
8. The Way (I really like Ghostin’ but I’d much rather have the song where the 2 are together and happy than the one where one of them is grieving the other)
9. in my head (this clears the other)
10. 7 rings (7 rings is that gworl and others can seethe lol)
11. thank, u next (pretty self-explanatory)

12. BUWYGIB (also pretty self-explanatory)

Yours Truly - 4
thank, u next - 8

[Lost In Musical Reverie]

Apr 13, 2021 7:09:12 GMT -5 needyslovelanguage said:

8. The Way (I really like Ghostin’ but I’d much rather have the song where the 2 are together and happy than the one where one of them is grieving the other)

You raise a really great point here, and while I stand by my point of "ghostin" being a more transcending song, its tough subject matter makes it a hard listen, and I do return to "The Way" way more often.

[toomuchboy]

1. Honeymoon Avenue v. imagine ~ HA hasn't aged well, but it's still the winner here.
2. Baby I v. needy
3. Right There v. NASA
4. Tattooed Heart v. bloodline
5. Lovin' It v. fake smile
6. Piano v. bad idea
7. Daydreamin' v. make up
8. The Way v. ghostin
9. You'll Never Know v. in my head
10. Almost Is Never Enough v. 7 rings ~ Sykes' horrid vocals keep AINE from being as good as it could be, but I love the melody.
11. Popular Song v. thank u, next
12. Better Left Unsaid v. break up with you girlfriend, i'm bored (I like both of these, so threw BLU a pity vote since it's being flattened, lol.)

Better Album: Yours Truly v. thank u, next