Emotion Vs. Logic: Is It Better To Be Rational?

is it better than emotion crj

Carly Rae Jepsen's third album, 'Emotion', is considered by some to be the peak of her career, with others arguing that it is overrated. The album, released in 2015, was inspired by 1980s music and alternative styles, and features collaborations with Sia, Dev Hynes, and Rostam Batmanglij, among others. It received positive reviews from critics, who praised its pop escapism and catchiness. However, some reviewers criticised the album for lacking personality and not telling us who Jepsen is as an artist. Overall, 'Emotion' is considered a solid pop album, with a cult following, and has been influential for other artists.

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The album's 80s sound

The album E•MO•TION by Carly Rae Jepsen has been praised for its "commitment to its sound", with one fan noting that it "executed [the 80s sound] perfectly". Jepsen herself has stated that she was inspired by 1980s music and alternative styles, and enlisted a team of mainstream and indie collaborators to help create a largely synth-pop-centric effort.

The 80s influence on the album has been compared to that of Taylor Swift's 1989, with one fan noting that E•MO•TION is "early to mid-80s-inspired", while 1989 is "late 80s-inspired". However, another fan noted that 1989 is "not really [an] 80s pop album", and that Jepsen's album is their favourite 80s-inspired pop album.

The album's title track, "Emotion", has been described as a "midway point between the 'pure' pop she recorded in Los Angeles and the indie-folk effort that was scrapped in New York", with Jepsen herself stating that the song "Emotion" encapsulated her feelings of clarity and steered her in the direction of "'80s emotional pop".

Overall, the album E•MO•TION by Carly Rae Jepsen has been well-received by fans and critics alike for its 80s sound and has been praised for its "synth-pop perfection".

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Its cult following

Carly Rae Jepsen's third album, *Emotion*, garnered the artist a cult following, reinvigorating her career as an "indie darling". The album was shortlisted for the 2016 Polaris Music Prize and was praised by contemporary music critics for its pop escapism.

  • Emotion is regarded as a "commercial flop", yet it grew to become a cult hit, with Jepsen labelled as an "underdog". The record spread by word-of-mouth, with music critics compelled by the narrative of a "one-hit wonder trying to rebuild herself".
  • Emotion is noted for attracting Jepsen a large LGBTQ+ audience, with Brandon Tensley of Pacific Standard opining that her music "taps into a shared queer history of escape, possibility, and disappointment", likening her to Kylie Minogue.

The album is also said to have garnered Jepsen a large male fanbase, with one source noting that her fan base seems to mostly be "millennials, maybe some older Gen Z".

Emotion is further described as a "modern touchstone", with artists such as Maggie Rogers and Jay Som citing Jepsen as an influence. A tribute album was released digitally by Something Merry in 2018, featuring covers of each track on Emotion by various artists.

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Its commercial performance

Commercial Performance

Despite being well-received by critics, Emotion underperformed worldwide, debuting at number 16 on the Billboard 200 with 16,153 units sold in its first week. By the end of 2015, it had sold a total of 36,000 copies. In Canada, the album debuted at number eight with 2,600 copies sold in its first week. In Japan, the album entered the charts at number eight with 12,189 physical copies sold in its first week and was later certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for selling over 100,000 copies. The album also entered the UK Albums Chart on September 25, 2015, at number 21 with sales of 4,150 copies.

The album's lead single, "I Really Like You", reached the top five in several territories, including the UK and Japan. However, the choice of "I Really Like You" as the lead single was criticised as a "damaging misstep" that hindered Jepsen's ability to showcase her artistic growth.

Despite its lacklustre sales, Emotion reinvigorated Jepsen's career, garnering her a cult following and a large LGBTQ audience. The album was also shortlisted for the 2016 Polaris Music Prize and is considered a crucial factor in Jepsen's "unlikely" career trajectory, with publications praising her for cultivating her sound and reestablishing herself as a "pop star for grown-ups".

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Its critical reception

The critical reception of Carly Rae Jepsen's third album, Emotion, was largely positive. Critics praised the album for its "pop perfection" in catchiness, cohesion and production value. Sasha Geffen of Consequence of Sound wrote that Jepsen is "the kind of singer who thrives on the stakes that unapologetic pop music offers".

The album was also praised for its merging of mainstream pop sensibilities and indie production, with Anthony Fantano observing that it inspired Jepsen's contemporaries to be more open to working with alternative-leaning producers.

However, some reviewers criticised the album's lyrical content as immature or bland, with Corban Goble of Pitchfork commenting: "It's unfair to deeply scrutinize lyrics on a pop record—the goal is to write smart, but skew broad—but Emotion fails to tell us who Jepsen is or wants to be." Goble also noted Jepsen's "absence of an identity", comparing her to contemporaries such as Rihanna and Miley Cyrus, who were noted for their image-conscious work.

Overall, Emotion received positive reviews and was recognised as a significant release in Jepsen's career, with publications commending her for cultivating her sound and reestablishing herself as a pop star for grown-ups.

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Its influence on other artists

Carly Rae Jepsen's album 'Emotion' has been praised for its pop perfection in catchiness, cohesion and production value. The album has been described as a perfectly constructed mix of synth-pop, funk, and R&B, with each of its 17 tracks being "practically bulletproof".

The album's successful merging of mainstream pop sensibilities and indie production inspired her contemporaries to be more open to working with alternative-leaning producers and to release full-length efforts that eschew general trends in favour of more specific sonic landscapes. Maggie Rogers, for example, has cited Jepsen as an inspiration, and Rina Sawayama directly references her in 'Bad Friend'.

Jepsen's work on the album has been described as "genuine messages about intimacy and a desire for it", and her songs are noted for tapping into a "shared queer history of escape, possibility, and disappointment".

'Emotion' has been labelled a "gateway drug to pop music", with its influence being likened to that of Cyndi Lauper's 'She's So Unusual', and it has been described as a modern touchstone for pop music.

Frequently asked questions

CRJ's Emotion is often considered one of the best '80s-inspired pop albums, with some fans arguing that it is the best. Other albums that are often mentioned in this context include Taylor Swift's 1989, Chvrches' entire discography, and Dua Lipa's Future Nostalgia.

While CRJ has released several well-received albums, some fans consider Emotion to be the peak of her career. However, others argue that albums like Dedicated and Dedicated Side B are also excellent and deserve more recognition.

There seems to be no consensus on the best song from Emotion, as fans have different preferences. However, some songs that have been mentioned as favourites include Gimme Love, LA Hallucinations, I Didn't Just Come Here to Dance, Making the Most of the Night, Your Type, and Let's Get Lost.

Emotion is known for its commitment to an '80s sound, with synth-pop perfection. The album also has captivating lyrics and an escapist theme that resonates with listeners.

While CRJ wrote 200 songs for Emotion, only 26 have been released. There has been speculation about a possible Side C or a re-release of the album with additional songs. However, CRJ has stated that her "Disco Sweat" album will forever be buried in her backyard, so it seems unlikely that we will get a full Emotion Side C.

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  • Aisha
  • Aisha
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