"That's not even her best work": Fans react as Rolling Stone labels Beyonce's 'Lemonade' the greatest album of the 21st century

Beyonce is at the top of Rolling Stone's list of the 250 greatest albums of the 21st century. According to their January 10 article, Lemonade has allegedly surpassed the singer's earlier songs in terms of cultural connection, storytelling, and revelation.

Rolling Stone further asserted that the album revealed the singer's sensitive side to the world as it grappled with topics like her husband's adultery and talked about the empire they had established.

The list described Lemonade as:

"It’s a music film as layered, gorgeous, and haunting as a canonical drama, a matrix of generational heartbreak, a celebration of legacy, and a hand-drawn map to the intersections of many Black women’s interpersonal and political lives."

The news about Lemonade topping the list of 250 greatest albums of the 21st century was uploaded on Instagram by the popular pop-culture account The Neighborhood Talk. It garnered mixed reactions from the netizens.

Many people took to the comment section of the post to express their opinions. Stating the same, one Instagram user said Lemonade is not even Beyonce's best album.

Netizens reacted as Beyonce’s 'Lemonade' was ranked No 1 (Image via Instagram/@jelesa._)

Other netizens also echoed this sentiment. One claimed that they might love Queen Bey but they don’t agree with the decision, while another one said that Rolling Stones should "stop doing rankings". Additionally, one netizen said that, according to them, the singer's 2013 self-titled album Beyoncé was the best.

Netizens reacted as Beyonce’s 'Lemonade' was ranked No 1 (Image via Instagram/@nyethesongwrita, @cutupden, @buggaboo235)

On the other hand, many netizens agreed with the decision and said she should have won “album of the year” with Lemonade. One even said that it was a "cultural moment", while another one said that Queen Bey poured her "real life into the project".

Netizens reacted as Beyonce’s 'Lemonade' was ranked No 1 (Image via Instagram/@bellakymmie, @godsplan3542, @bigcryss)

---

Rolling Stones also justified their reason for ranking Beyonce's Lemonade as the greatest album of the century

Queen Bey released 'Lemonade' in 2016 (Image via Getty Images)

In January 2024, Rolling Stone updated their 500-entry count to rank Bey's 2016 album Lemonade, as the best female album of the 21st century, and its 2022 follow-up, Renaissance, the best female album of the 2020s.

The outlet further stated that Lemonade begins with complex songs that cut across genres and time. It features country music inspired songs like Daddy Lessons, the powerful rock ballad Don't Hurt Yourself featuring Jack White, and the sweet reggae tune Hold Up, which samples Soulja Boy.

The album explores themes like identity, empowerment, and resilience. It further discusses topics like self-discovery, forgiveness, and betrayal in a genuine and approachable way.

Lemonade music video is also a visual record, with a beautiful film that complements its story. The media outlet further recorded that the album's creative narrative technique, which combines music and visual art to produce a comprehensive experience, has raised the bar for artists.

Lemonade is followed by other albums like Radiohead's Kid A, Frank Ocean's Blonde, OutKast's Stankonia, and Taylor Swift's Folklore, in the top five spots on Rolling Stone's list of the 250 greatest albums of the 21st century.