'A&W' named 'Best Song of the 2020s So Far' by Pitchfork

[Trash Magic]

1. Lana Del Rey: “A&W” (2023)

 

Lana Del Rey dropped “A&W” eight months after the Supreme Court handed down Dobbs v. Jackson, as tradwifery was gaining traction in online corners and the politics of sex and femininity in America seemed fated for a precipitous backslide. The song is both a staggering work of self-mythology and a first-person treatise on the national state of womanhood, tacked up by its central declaration: “This is the experience of being an American whore.”

 

It’s sneaky, though—more probing than polemic. Jack Antonoff’s production, built around somber broken piano chords and dry guitar strums, seems innocuous enough, at first. Lana’s most explosive lyrics—cataloguing the impossible standards set for victims of sexual violence, the stigma around expressing sexuality as you age—are diffused by her vaporous whisper. Patriarchy is loud, flagrant; Lana’s rejoinder is harder to pin down.

 

Then the radical switch-up in the song’s second half introduces a thunderous beat, a slew of references to Lana’s own back catalog, and a more impish persona. Behind the whiplash and psychedelia of it all is the impression of a woman pushed over the edge. “Look at me,” she sang earlier, the demand of someone all too familiar with the forces that conspire to make complicated women invisible. Here, she makes it impossible to look away. –Olivia Horn

 

https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-100-best-songs-of-the-2020s-so-far/

[bluechemtrails]

Congratulations! 

[anwdelrey]

Good write up Pitchfork 

[Bonita]

I'll never forget my first listen, she made a lot of people feel so seen with this track and i'm so glad she put it out 

[Deadly Nightshade]

it truly deserves the praise 

[Chickacherrycola]

Amazing, so happy she is being recognized. The boring music gets awards, but her music leaves a legacy.

[Thunder Revenant]

As it should be! 

[bluechemtrails]

another decade in which one of lana's songs will take a top position in the critics

in 2010s video games reached number 9 on acclaimedmusic.net

http://www.acclaimedmusic.net/year/2010-19s.htm

if you ask me, that's worth more than any scammy

[Furor Poeticus]

This is huge 

I’m so proud of her 

[Neon Palmmm]

So deserved!!!!! A&W is truly a massive song, and I think the two-part structure really helps capture LDR's essence in a single song (which I would've thought was impossible!). It's the Rosetta Stone to her discography lowkey, all roads lead to Rosemead and Ramada 

[Veinsineon]

Thats so cool!!

 

Spoiler

but its actually My Forever

 

 

[domandapiano]

Regardless of all the commotion over recent events, so glad to see this. It truly deserves it. 

[Beautiful Loser]

There’s so much depth in the lyrics alone, and the music itself is magical, haunting. I’m glad it’s getting the recognition it deserves. 

[drugsdesire]

so happy to see this song getting the well-deserved recognition! lana is an amazing artist who will forever be remembered and who will always be loved. she’s a modern legend and this song kinda solidifies that status  god bless lana

[GeminiLanaFan]

Deserved 

[X8vinylScratchX]

.

[PARADIXO]

Definitely one of the best songs in recent years. this is actual music.

[JDaniel]

3 hours ago, drugsdesire said:

I'm so happy to see this song getting the recognition it deserves! Lana is an incredible artist that will always be remembered and loved. She's a modern legend and this song kind of solidifies that status,   God bless Lana

of course the flip side (her work)  makes this artist incomparable

the face side is certainly forgettable

[ultrablvd]

imma let a&w have her moment but sweet deserved the award 

[questionfortheculture]

Im so happy this song is getting so much praise I feel like it perfectly speaks to the experiance so many victems of SA like myself experiance regarding hyper sexuality after assault and the  numbness that comes with it