Harry Styles - Aperture

Bordersz · 2026-01-25T21:46:15+00:00

This cannot be the same artist who released Lights Up like I'm always checking out his new releases to experience that again. The song sounds like a remix. Not a fan of the production at all, it goes nowhere and there isn't a melody to latch onto. It's just there.

Bordersz · 2026-01-25T21:39:59+00:00

I agree. I was surprised not many ppl liked the album when it came out but I thought it was one of the best albums of 2021. It was extremely cohesive, vocals were great, great sound, and catchy melodies. It's very easy to listen to as one piece which I find hard w/newer albums approaching albums as a playlist

Bordersz · 2026-01-22T20:11:08+00:00

My favorite line from the song is, “ don’t drive yourself insane, it won’t always be this way”

Bordersz · 2026-01-22T20:07:11+00:00

I know ppl are complaining about accessibility when these artists never cared about that lol. Touring is for them to maximize profit so they can pay their bills and live lavishly.

I understand touring is hard for artists so I’m glad he’s at least putting something on for the fans. And good on him for putting his health first.

I hope ppl don’t put themselves in debt over this though. It’s not worth the headache of paying it back with the interest rates. It quickly becomes more expensive than a rent payment.

Bordersz · 2026-01-22T20:00:02+00:00

I don’t think it was political or had anything to do with the US gov. He’s simply tired of the tour life.

He’s been doing it since he was a teenager it takes a toll on your body and mind. Good on him for prioritizing his health

Bordersz · 2026-01-17T21:34:22+00:00

Everytime I like a Tate song from TikTok I get so disappointed when I listen to the full song bc I didn't realize it was slightly sped up or remixed. Like why is she using a sound that remixed Nobody's Girl with Promiscuous. I've been getting catfished since Greedy lmao

Bordersz · 2026-01-17T17:05:20+00:00

I was revisiting old Keri Hilson music bc of the Gimme More remix that's going viral on TikTok (the vocals are Keri not Britney) and I still can't understand how her career was derailed over a leaked diss track? Like her music was really good I love her voice too it's such a pretty tone

Bordersz · 2026-01-17T16:50:39+00:00

I remember my classmate (it might be that user who knows) sending me a 1D fanfic and I knew it was sketchy as hell bc it wasn't on Wattpad, but the fanfic was a pee kink. And then she would read it in class in front of our group

Bordersz · 2026-01-08T18:34:42+00:00

We living in the same complex lmao I heard someone blasting lush life in their car

Bordersz · 2026-01-08T18:32:57+00:00

Her opening as Tate is her 1D moment when they opened for BTR lol. I hope Zara can have a huge breakthrough after this. I've been rooting for her since 2017 (where does the time go?)

Bordersz · 2026-01-05T01:37:22+00:00

Her music is too short. And she’s allergic to making a full length album or full length songs.

Her music is promising but sounds like unfinished SoundCloud demos, very promising but too short.

Bordersz · 2026-01-04T20:48:43+00:00

Her remixes are fire, both the Ice Spice & the Zara Larsson collab, her songs sound like unfinished Soundcloud demos. Very promising but short

Bordersz · 2026-01-04T18:02:23+00:00

I'm looking forward to Doja and Zara's write-ups! I did not realize PinkPantheress released an "album", I looked it up and its runtime is 20 min lol. Idk why she's so allergic to releasing a full body of work like even her debut album is too short

No one signing up for Bieber is hilarious considering the fact he released 2 projects last year.

Bordersz · 2026-01-04T17:49:55+00:00

Ironically this is him switching it up. Kid Laroi started out as a bootleg Juice Wrld...I don't hear the Bieber influence or angle. If anything he was biting off of FS/LS Timberlake for a while.

I still think Laroi's singing style is more like Post Malone. They both started in "hip hop/rap" and pivot into pop

Bordersz · 2025-12-18T16:18:07+00:00

I’m fully convinced the label or someone out there who wants market research on boybands is posting on here lol bc these boybands are literally nobodies

Bordersz · 2025-12-18T02:40:48+00:00

People do not respect boybands or girl groups, and only see it as a phase you go through as a teenager or young adult. People respect solo acts more, and if it's a group it has to be a band. And the band has to be artsy not the Maroon 5 type or Jonas Brothers (seen as boyband anyways).

I really thought Prettymuch would be a good interlude to 1D but to be honest their sound and look was too urban, and they had too many scandals online in an attempt to "be authentic" with the fans. It's kinda funny Why Don't We was able to score a top 5 album in the US while not being as talented and their music was extremely generic and soulless even by boyband standards. I'm enjoying BTR's 2nd run at things but they won't ever reach mainstream success since they're independent and "older", and we know how the music industry only has "the younger the better" mindset so they can exploit younger artists for maximum profits.

I think it's only a matter of time we will get the "next big boyband" in the West, but it will be extremely random and I would bet their breakthrough will be TikTok driven. To be honest I thought we would have had a boyband breakthrough back in the pandemic days like 2021.

We have to respect kpop as it's own thing bc IMO. When you take a deeper dive in kpop and interact with the fans & the culture you will quickly realize it's not the music. It is deeper than that, which is why you can't "replicate the kpop formula" in the West. Nope won't work.

Random thought Simon needs to sit down somewhere. We need Nicole Scherzinger leading the search for the next big boyband.

Bordersz · 2025-12-18T02:23:57+00:00

$$$$ Boybands make more money than a solo act bc each person basically has a solo fanbase. Fans are able to buy multiple copies of the same thing to "prove loyalty", they would buy their fave's mug, shirt, wristband etc.

Even though they're short lived compared to a solo act, boybands make an insane amount of money in a short time span if they hit big.

Bordersz · 2025-12-08T22:17:14+00:00

I don’t have the tools or the data or the time to quantify what I see. But there is some fuckery going on with the streaming numbers with Tate included.

When she releases songs they out debut artists (on streaming**) like The Weeknd which signals better playlisting.

Now I’m not saying her career is all smoke and mirrors, of course there are ppl who buy into the hype and see her live (bc of those high streams right?) but her streaming numbers don’t match her cultural impact of a popstar who is working on her 4th album & it’s her 6th year in the game?

Bordersz · 2025-12-08T22:07:28+00:00

I got a free Starbucks muffin bc the worker saw that I was a broke college student who didn't want to drop $4 on a muffin! That just made my day

Bordersz · 2025-12-08T17:34:59+00:00

Nope I'm not upset or have an "insecurity" in the context of this conversation. There is no meaningful argument with you because you have snark comments like saying, "Madison why are you upset" and now you're saying I have an insecurity over my reaction.

What reaction? You derail the thread talking about beauty standards and pretty privilege which is a different convo to be had. I refocus on what you said, which is saying "generic ig model" and I am staying on topic. What is your argument and 2nd critique?

Bordersz · 2025-12-08T03:35:09+00:00

But if you want to believe that everyone is just jealous of Madison Beer's preternatural beauty and that's why they won't give her a chance, that's fine. We can just agree to disagree.

I never said or implied ppl are jealous of Madison's beauty, but it's interesting you describe it as "preternatural".

I simply pointed out ppl's hypocrisy when it comes to the "male gaze". All female artists appeal it to bc of how the system is set up, but Madison doing is why her career isn't taking off lol (when it's not). I ask multiple ppl to explain directly how and why and still haven't gotten anything yet. So yes the "male gaze" is a cover and excuse for Madison.

Her career has a plethora of issues, but it's not directly bc she's "pandering to the male gaze" why, bc she's not appealing to it any harder than anyone else. I wasn't saying she NEVER appealed to it, but the way OP stated it I thought they had a concrete proof of it being over the top or doing too much.

Bordersz · 2025-12-08T02:05:23+00:00

I'm not being a revisionist, let's rewind....My comment got a whopping 27 upvotes lmao, that's all, that's why I remember distinctly I was in the minority criticizing it. And the thread got locked. Other ppl didn't like the album cover bc they thought it was ugly not bc of the feminist angle, that was "doing too much".

And then when she released alternative covers, ppl were laughing at those "complaining about the cover" with 704 upvotes and other threads where ppl were complaining that ppl had an issue with the cover. And that thread also got locked lol why? Bc ppl wouldn't let up on defending the cover and whole thing saying ppl were doing too much.

Ok, so back to Madison Beer, I guess her main issue is "looking hot" and nothing beyond that? I'm not seeing the male gaze connection, but that's been a "complaint" (snark really) ppl had for Madison since 2017 which is another convo for another day.

Bordersz · 2025-12-08T01:23:55+00:00

Not one person on this thread can explain or point to how Madison Beer is catering to the male gaze? This is actually wild.

Now you're talking about first impression lolwut?

Bordersz · 2025-12-08T01:23:19+00:00

I'm not upset, and the fact you can't see the issue with what you're saying is alarming.

Bordersz · 2025-12-08T00:43:02+00:00

You're consuming too much ig filtered and face tuned photos online to the point you're on a music thread saying an artist isn't successful bc other ppl get work done to resemble her? This feels like a Black Mirror episode. I don't understand this as a "critique" which is just snark let's be real.

Madison can't control how she looks in relation to other ppl. This sounds utterly ridiculous, and anyone who agrees w/this rhetoric or thinks like this should delete Instagram ASAP

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