MINI GRAMMY AOTY REVIEWS: VARIOUS ARTISTS - BLACK PANTHER: THE ALBUM

Last but not least.

BLACK PANTHER: THE ALBUM  by VARIOUS ARTISTS.

Blank Panther: The Album album brings every big name in R&B and rap right now together to celebrate the film of the same name.
It's easy to forget that this album is by definition: a soundtrack. We don't see many soundtracks that are 1) focused on these genres and 2) nominated at the Grammys. Although this year the Grammy's seems to be loving the soundtracks (A Star is Born single 'Shallow' has picked up a few nominations too), we have to remember that there hasn't been a soundtrack album even nominated for AOTY since 2002, so this in itself is achievement for Black Panther: The Album.

This album is very well put together. It was created by Kendrick Lamar and you can tell that someone heavily involved in this kind of music put it together, because it works very well. Choosing artists from all walks of life from all across the globe, but still having the strong of genre and steady beats to link them all together. A lot of strong voices coming together for one combined purpose. This is definitely an almost perfect example of how a compilation album should be. With hits such as 'All The Stars' and 'Pray For Me' featured on here, it is easy to see how the album got the nomination.

I was left a little confused during some parts of the album but there could be a very simple explanation for this: I haven't seen the film. At the end of the day, this is a soundtrack to (and songs inspired by) the Marvel film Black Panther, so I don't know how much judgement I can place upon it having not seen the inspiration.

Is it my favourite of the album nominations? No. Is it a damn good album? Absolutely! Even as someone who isn't into the genre, I can see that it's a well-curated and powerful album that I'm sure compliments the film perfectly.

This album winning could cause a real upset in the world of music. As good as the album is, there's something about soundtracks that the industry just doesn't like, and it would be very interesting to see the aftermaths of a Black Panther win.

THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE:  Varied, Volatile and perfect-for-the Visual.

COULD IT WIN? Yes.

RATING OUT OF 5: 4/5!

Listen on Spotify HERE
Listen on Apple Music HERE

Written by Ruby Crowhurst.