This year has been quite the incredible one for music, with many notable and, quite frankly incredible, albums being released. Everyone from Drake to the Red Hot Chili Peppers have released a new album, and each and every one has seemed to catch the public’s eye. Once the Grammy’s role around this year, we will really know who rose above the competition in 2016.
However, I have a prediction; the 2016 Grammy Awards are going to be the most contested and debated Grammy’s in recent history, and that is all thanks to two women; Adele Adkins and Beyoncé Knowles.
Adele’s Smash album 25 was released at the end of 2015, but it was within the qualifications for the 2016 Grammy awards; this is why she did not win all of the awards last year. As an Adele fanatic, I can remember counting down the days until it was released, and then listening to the Album at least 10 times the first day. In my mind it was simply a work of art, and I simply could not wait to hear what all of the critics had to say. When all of the praise came in for Adele and her third studio album, I just turned right around and listen to the album once more.
The public has also fallen in love with 25, and this is evidenced by the 3.38 million units sold in the first week. The success of the album is simply staggering, clocking in at over 8 million records sold in the United States at the time of this writing. This is incredible feat especially because 25 very well might be one of if not the very last 10 million selling Diamond certified album of our lifetimes. Online streaming services such as Spotify and Pandora has made listening to music easier than ever, and people just aren’t buying music as much. The fact that 25 has sold as well as it has is a testament to the mastery of the artist behind it, and she surely deserves recognition.
However, the heavyweight in the other corner is Beyoncé Knowles with her jaw-dropping hit album Lemonade. This album was a passionate, incredible, and moving piece of art that was paired with what this writer will call the greatest music video of all time (even though it was for the whole album, clocking in at around an hour long). Now I was what one might call a casual listener to the music of Beyoncé, but when I first heard Lemonade, I too had my jaw hit the floor at its sheer power and emotion that was wrapped up inside of it. After hearing the struggles of this strong woman pour out for all to hear, I just could not stop listening to its haunting melodies and hearing the incredible story behind it.
The rest of the world seems to agree that Lemonade is truly a marvel to behold. It passed the million record mark on June 9th, and it shows no signs of slowing down. For weeks after the album was released, I saw social media post after social media post about Lemonade, and many of the conversations I heard were about the smash hit album. What’s more is that the concert that goes with the album, is one of the hottest tickets to buy. A friend of mine was lucky enough to attend the show, and he came back saying that it was the greatest show he had ever scene. All of this adds to Beyoncé’s star power, which at this point is seemingly endless.
Come February 12th of 2017, the world will be watching to see which unstoppable force will claim the title of Album of the Year.
Will the soothing yet endlessly strong vocals of Adele take the crown?
Or will it be the powerful yet poignant lyrics of Beyoncé?
The contest is sure to be fierce, with everyone picking a side like it was the difference between Coke and Pepsi. I for one am beyond excited to see who wins, and quite frankly, I’ll be happy with whoever wins. Both women have given the world music that will last for generations, and that in itself is an astounding accomplishment to be proud of.
