~ Reviews 💿 ~

Reviews: The Musical Hype

Ah, welcome to the reviews on The Musical Hype! Albums, EPs, and songs [singles + tracks] of various styles are evaluated here – we don’t discriminate! All reviews are also available on the home page. Both album and song reviews are assigned a star rating on a scale of 0 – 5 (½ stars are used as well), that is visible at the beginning and ending of the review.

5 out of 5 stars = Masterpiece 🤩

4.5 out of 5 stars = Near Masterpiece 🤩

4 out of 5 stars = Excellent 😀

3.5 out of 5 stars = Very Good 😀

3 out of 5 stars = Average / Good 🙂 👌

2.5 out of 5 stars = Below Average… it’s giving sus  😏 😑 🫤

2 out of 5 stars = Mediocre 👎 😡

1.5 out of 5 stars, 1 out of 5 stars, 0.5 out of 5 stars, 0 out of 5 stars = BAD… 🤬


~ Album Reviews 💿 ~

Album reviews tend to follow a track-by-track format, commencing with an intro paragraph comprised of background information, and concluding paragraph that wraps things up. Also, GEMS 💎 – the best, highly recommended tracks – are selected at the end of each review. It should not come as a surprise to see the analysis run > 1000 words.


~ Check out the most recent posts ⬇️ in this hyperlinked gallery 😎 🤘 ~


~ Get your fix of album reviews in all their glory, starting from most recent to oldest 😎 🤘 ~

Marilyn Manson, The Pale Emperor | Album Review 💿

Shock rocker Marilyn Manson keeps the hellish, shock value alive & mephistophelean on his latest album, The Pale Emperor

Lupe Fiasco Delivers Epically Fifth LP With ‘Tetsuo & Youth’

Cutting straight to the chase, Lupe Fiasco’s fifth studio album, 'Tetsuo & Youth' is arguably the MC’s most epic album yet.

Jazmine Sullivan, Reality Show | Album Review 💿

Three albums in, Grammy-nominated R&B singer/songwriter Jazmine Sullivan shows that she is the model of consistency on Reality Show.

Nicki Minaj, The Pinkprint | Album Review 💿

Although The Pinkprint is a scattered effort, rapper/singer/songwriter Nicki Minaj’s third studio album proves to be captivating.

K. Michelle Pours Out Her Heart on ‘Anybody Wanna Buy A Heart?’

Up-and-coming R&B singer-songwriter K. Michelle delivers a superb, honest sophomore album with 'Anybody Wanna Buy A Heart?'.

D’Angelo, Black Messiah | Album Review

Grammy-winning, neo-soul standout D’Angelo reenergizes R&B on his triumphant, long-awaited comeback album, 'Black Messiah.'

Takeaways: J. Cole, ‘2014 Forest Hills Drive’

J. Cole surprised everyone by dropping his third album, '2014 Forest Hills Drive' with short notice. Here are five takeaways after listening to the album.

Takeaways from Mary J. Blige’s, ‘The London Sessions’

Maybe it took Mary J. Blige “a whole damn year” to heal from heartache, but 'The London Sessions' is an album listenable beyond that short span of time.

Rick Ross Aims Shallowly On ‘Hood Billionaire’

Rick Ross' 2nd album of 2014 ('Hood Billionaire') is shallow thematically. A conceptual effort, his approach at contrasting the past is mildly successful.

Chrisette Michele, The Lyricists’ Opus (EP) | Album Review 💿

R&B diva Chrisette Michele sounds as if she was free to deliver the kind of project that she wanted to on EP 'The Lyricists’ Opus'.

~ Song Reviews 🎵 ~

Song Reviews on the site tend to follow a format that includes an intro paragraph with background information, a body, comprised of at least one paragraph of analysis, and a concluding paragraph (older reviews) or statement (more recent reviews) that ‘put a cap’ on things. Song reviews generally run a minimum of 250 words with many running > 300 words.


~ Check out the most recent posts ⬇️ in this hyperlinked gallery 😎 🤘 ~


~ Get your fix of song reviews in all their glory, starting from most recent to oldest 😎 🤘 ~

Yeat, “Talk” | Track Review 🎵

Rapper Yeat brings the heat on his confident, cocky rap banger, “Talk.”

Lil Pump, “I’m Back” | Track Review 🎵

“Gucci Gang” rapper Lil Pump asserts his return on “I’m Back,” a brief, utterly forgettable, substance-less rap single. 

The 1975, “I’m In Love With You” | Track Review 🎵

The 1975 delivers a relatable song about struggling to express feelings regarding love on “I’m In Love With You,” the third single from Being Funny In a Foreign Land.

Charlie Puth, “Smells Like Me” | Track Review 🎵

Though still ‘adorkable,’ Charlie Puth shows some growth regarding relatability on the scent-driven, “Smells Like Me.”

Ava Max, “Million Dollar Baby” | Track Review 🎵

Listeners will have to wait until 2023 for a new Ava Max album (Diamonds & Dancefloors) but her ‘miraculous’ single, “Million Dollar Baby,” will ‘tide you over.’

Lil Baby, “Detox” | Track Review 🎵

While his flow is potent, Grammy-nominated rapper Lil Baby doesn’t deliver that ‘wow’ factor on his brief banger, “Detox.”

Arctic Monkeys, “There’d Better Be A Mirrorball” | Track Review 🎵

Alternative darlings Arctic Monkeys return with their seventh studio album, The Car, led by radiant, distinct single, “There’d Better Be A Mirrorball.”

Natasha Vroegindeweij, Sometimes I Wonder | Track Review 🎵

With her top-quality performance on her single, 'Sometimes I Wonder', Natasha Vroegindeweij explodes through the speakers like a broken light bulb.

Joji, “YUKON (INTERLUDE)” | Track Review 🎵

Joji returns with 🎵 “YUKON (INTERLUDE),” his second single of 2022 from his forthcoming album, SMITHEREENS.

Elton John & Britney Spears, “Hold Me Closer” | Track Review 🎵

“Hold Me Closer” marks the comeback of Britney Spears as well as an iconic collaboration with the legendary Elton John, repurposing three of his classics.

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