Katy Perry's 143 is an Album | Review + Analysis

[@erikdaniels0n]

I’m not even a Katy fan, but like.. the fact that I even had to be like “wait, that came out?!?” Is telling. Katy albums used to be a fuckin’ event

[@EljohnMacaranas]

For real, PRISM was a worldwide blockbuster event and Witness had that cool livestream that was absolutely insane but really humanized Katy to people

[@Sparlunar]

Fr like I just saw this video and I was like “that was today?” I just completely forgot about it 🤷‍♀️

[@EljohnMacaranas]

😭😭😭

[@the_fressno]

Imagine a dance pop album dedicated to her daughter. Something for her to dance in the future. That would have been a beautiful concept. Girl get it together

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I feel like that would have been a solid concept like Wonder and Lifetimes are about that and were the best tracks! I kinda hated the tracks about dating, like girl you married Legolas?!

[@andrewmaeda]

​@@EljohnMacaranas girl- she write it for everyone, not for herself, thats why she make it dance album

[@diegodeleon5787]

The fact these tracks passed through so many hands (and ears) before getting to this point is just astonishing.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I believe a total of 20 something writers is credited on this 💀

[@agwarddd]

I really do think it’s part of its problem. A lot of our favourite albums of the year have been written by tight teams, who all kind of understand what they’re going for on the song. But pretty much every song on this album has like 5 or 6 cowriters and I don’t think you can have an actual vision for it when running through so many people at a time. It ends up not having anything to say, not having an actual soul. Even the effective “flops” of Katy’s albums still had a soul to them, and this comes out as kind of a soulless, empty attempt at some dance pop beats. I think it lacks a real sense of depth and who Katy is, and what she has to say in this era of her career.

[@diegodeleon5787]

@@agwarddd too many cooks as they say!

[@kVnKaB00M]

hot take (maybe): im his, he's mine is the only good thing that came out of 143

[@joser4573]

She had the hype coming into this era. She has the potential to go big and bigger, but she constantly screws it up. She needs a better team, and needs to leave capital records immediately. And the cherry on top, she decides to work with Dr. Luke, like girl what are you thinking

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Honestly the Luke thing helped kill it before it started then the single choices more or less told people it wasn’t worth it

[@joser4573]

@@EljohnMacaranas that too! I forgot to add that

[@AnneettaLife]

I think it’s over for Katy. She and her team keep making the wrong decisions and she can’t keep up with the times. Or she’s trying too hard to keep up with the times.

[@noah.creative]

exactly right when she worked with Dr. Luke i was like there is no way in this world she will win

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Katy working with Luke who himself is a has been is so sad

[@MB832]

Aggressively mediocre is the best way to describe it

[@EljohnMacaranas]

It has moments where “oh! maybe!” then walks back the ledge

[@chelseac25]

this! ‼

[@gut853]

This album was so flat sounding my God. It’s crazy to think Dr Luke used to produce some actual bops. Idk why you’d put your reputation on the line to work with someone that’s just so lazy now. Max Martin was right there and he killed it on Eternal Sunshine this year. Major disappointment for me.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I think Max only has a credit because Gorgeous was a Feed the Beast scrap that was reanimated by Luke 💀 (some “insiders” I know told me such)

[@gut853]

@@EljohnMacaranas gotcha! I was wondering where the so called Max Martin track was lmao

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Max Martin was likely too busy with Weeknd and according to some rumors a possible Taylor reunion

[@NIKO-mf4hp]

In my opinion the main problem of the era was the choice of the singles rollout. Katy has never been an album artist, she has been a single artist. All her albums (teenage dream included) all filled with filler tracks but in the past she was able to pull out the right singles. Even with 143 I think she could have had some big hits if the rollout was better with Lifetimes, All the Love or Wonder as the lead single and leaving Woman’s world and the other garbage as album fillers. Really really bad marketing choices.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Agreed, she hasn’t been an albums artist so having the singles be THIS bad was a critical error

[@Jprager]

I really like this point, at the very least she could’ve made Gorgeous or I’m His first and there likely would’ve been lukewarm perception even if it’s not necessarily her sound.

[@lokislilproductions6542]

this album makes radical optimism look like the album of the yar 😭 im sorry yall-

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Not too much on Radical Optimism (which at the very least had writers on it who weren’t phoning it in)

[@00pium_kingvampstan]

ntm on Radical Optimism, as a day 1 hater, it’s not bad.

[@Coleshane]

"Radical Optimism" had a cohesion and a storyline. Maybe it did not give insight into Dua's life per se, but over the course of the album, the listener does get a sense of her approach to relationships (I.e. moving away from the anxious avoidance of "Houdini" to accepting her past partners in relationships that did not work out in the closer "Happy for You"). Honestly, it was an enjoyable listen that I find myself coming back to. If you squint, there are some illusions to Katy Perry's newfound joy in family life on "143". However, they are quite vague and provide little detail. Neither the detail nor production further any possible insight for the listener. Conversely, the album's tracks and subject matter are too similar throughout, which reduces any enjoyment this album could have had as a pure pop album (I.e. like Katy Perry's own "Teenage Dream", which is not cohesive, but the highs are high. There are some attempts to grapple with her shifting perspectives on relationships on "Circle the Drain" and "Not Like the Movies").

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Radical Optimism’s tour sold so fast it made the team look dumb for booking arenas over stadiums 😭

[@paolo2411]

Ntm on Radical Optimism cause she IS that bitch. I mean, houdini, ts, french exit, these walls, falling forever, whatcha doing, illusion, happy for you ALL on one album???!!?? Not all albums released in 2024 can relate, no shade

[@Romancenovellover]

The fact it took so many writers.... The fact it took a rapist.... and it isn't even good

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Proof karma is real!

[@kylereddell]

As one of the three only Witness stans on this planet (I will die on this hill).....hot dayum Katy what in the elevator techno happened here?? Really just entirely forgettable.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Witness was honestly an attempt at something, this felt so piecemeal compared to it! Like even production wise, 143 lacks any real complexity or honesty beyond maybe 3 tracks

[@lamarcorlis2081]

@kylereddell Witness is actually my favorite Katy album, I love it and feel bad it got the reception it got

[@puppydoglove-b3o]

@@lamarcorlis2081I like it as well it’s not my favorite as a long time Katy-cat fan but it’s still way better then this mess

[@naffie1]

The album was a bit better than I expected, but I feel like some of the magic that Katy's music usually has is gone with this one. There is a vision somewhere within this record, but it gets lost.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I feel like all her records tell stories and this one forgot to give us one, like Wonder feels like an ending to an arc that was never set up

[@riccardocolombo1792]

I liked the album...but Witness wasn't understood but for a reason, it was so different from anything Katy ever did Now we get a KP album every 4 years which is absurd and this time i fear it wasn't worth it She does NOT need to go back to the past, she need something new, a new roster of producers, writers and come back sooner than 2028... I was let down cause like, i do love Katy and i will support her but i need her to listen to what people are rightfully saying She needs a reality check, for the last decade she's been so removed from the world and she's not even relatable anymore, i did kind of lost hope, i don't think she will magically change before the next release...which if it has to be this much of a letdown it needs to be much sooner than 2027/2028

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I feel like she probably will be back much sooner than we think but the 4 year album gaps are career self sabotage

[@donutmago8760]

this album felt so hallow. like it lacked the heartfelt and yearning feeling i usually hear from katy before??? I can't explain it.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

So real, it lacks her like authentic soul

[@Fucorii]

​@@EljohnMacaranasit lacks soul period

[@fawzinazih6817]

@@EljohnMacaranas ive heard this ever since the witness era, move on just because she doesnt wanna make motivational songs doesnt mean she lacks soul

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Witness had something to it, this did not

[@Fucorii]

@@fawzinazih6817 except witness and Smile had a personality. This does not. Smile and Witness literally looks like AOTYs compared to 145

[@CatNagTaylorsVersion]

If she was gonna work with Dr.Luke she needed to make a second teenage dream and she gave us Dollar general ChatGPT pop star with a Kim Petras scrapped interlude and flopage. The maybe 2-5 good songs on here should’ve been kept and put on a better album

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Dr Luke did not even bother to give her his best, he phoned it in 💀

[@AnneettaLife]

Besides the shady things this man is accused of, Dr Luke hasn’t had a hit in years. WTH was she thinking? How did she believe for a minute that he was the answer to revive her career? I’m getting more and more convinced that no other producer wanted to work with her for some reason.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I heard some tea that a few songwriters have beef with Katy apparently… celeb blinds ofc but still

[@josephtafur]

I've listen to this album in parts and when i was done i was like, Wow do i miss the Witness Era.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

The Witness era was honestly at least a vision 😭

[@josephtafur]

@@EljohnMacaranas and it didn't have Dr. Puke either

[@EljohnMacaranas]

So real

[@averykoi]

mid is an understatement. its so baffling bad, like, how did she listen through this and thought “good enough. lets release it!!!”

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Maybe she wanted to break her previous record for worst sales week (justice for Smile)

[@bluvelvet3975]

What amazes me is a group of people in a recording studio and a whole record label said let’s go

[@EljohnMacaranas]

@@bluvelvet3975honestly with how corporate people think… it’s not that shocking but you’d think ONE person would go “guys it’s bad”

[@kingdomorange2]

I’m so disappointed but not surprised! The only song I really liked was Truth! I am scared for her future as an artist though

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I think she still has a shot if she does more P!nk Adult Contemporary stuff or maybe blows everything up and does acoustic?! But this is a big set back

[@CK_Godoth]

She says she will do Acoustic album for KP7​@@EljohnMacaranas

[@joser4573]

Also Imma need my fellow katycats to be 100% real. SHE CAN DO MUCH, MUCH BETTER! You know it, we’ll know it, so stop making excuses for her!

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Thank you!

[@evanliu1939]

The lack of melodies in general makes this album so painful to listen to. All those catchy hooks and pre-chorouses on this album would definitely go viral on tiktok one day, but no one’s going to remember the rest of this album after that.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Agreed! The artform is dying!!!

[@muziqpoet86]

The fact that Katy Perry's husband was the one to present her with Vanguard Award proves that the pop girlies of her era don't f*** with her no more..

[@EljohnMacaranas]

It was going to be Trisha Paytas at some point (she’d leaked Katy won the award months before the show)

[@AA-kf4qy]

You guys are fucking miserable. Maybe she chose the man who helped her out of depression and gave her a child to present her the award. All this hate is so forced lmao

[@CK_Godoth]

Tf does that even mean? It's not a bad thing the person she loves is the one to present it to her. The album is 143 and it's about love so I think it fits and doesnt reflect if her peers like her or not.

[@Jprager]

@@CK_Godothgirl if you look the reception backstage and online, you’d be singing a different song. At least her and Taylor are cool again. But after the whole mess up with Dr Luke people have not been looking at her the same

[@whatsup7535]

I mean she doesn't need them. She just needs to release better singles the next time. Unfortunately not EDM anymore, because she tried that with this album.

[@gui9535]

Lifetimes and all the love are the only truly good songs with replay value. Seriously what were her and her team thinking with this album rollout😭. The single choices? Cmon. It makes no sense and as a fan, makes me so disappointed. She had potential for a true reasonable comeback. Its gonna be really hard to come back from this i fear. I would love to see her return to her acoustic roots and do a soft pop/rock album similar to one of the boys, but who even knows what on earth she will do next after this.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Judging by how people still love I Kissed a Girl anytime she does it, I do think Pop Rock would be the best genre. She has the voice and attitude for it!

[@andrewchoi857]

I just skimmed through it. She just needs to do a whole "HOUSE" album n she'll be fine. This album was so MID.....ugh GOOOd!! Lifetimes is just a loop😢

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Lifetimes needed like a bridge to feel done

[@andrewchoi857]

That's what im saying....It's a fricken loop😢​@@EljohnMacaranas

[@The_MadonnaCorner]

I always wished that this album went back to her roots. One of the boys but better. But we didn't get that...

[@EljohnMacaranas]

With pop rock returning like crazy earlier this decade, you'd think...

[@howvery_]

@@EljohnMacaranas i really loved her in that era as a middle schooler lol I actually hated teenage dream era bc it had nothing to do with what i liked her for, then dark horse and et are the only songs i liked later on. i dont rlly have hope shell go back to that but it would be great

[@CatNagTaylorsVersion]

10:10 it sounds like something off A Dua album…though Dua wouldn’t have actually put this mess out

[@EljohnMacaranas]

💀💀💀

[@Ludraman_]

This could've been a great for Katy to have a comeback with hits that sound like Katy songs such as espresso or hot to go but she blew it

[@EljohnMacaranas]

She needed producers from this decade 😭

[@Heyhoopad]

I would’ve been interested to see her lean into the alternative music that got her into secular music in the first place, also think it would’ve been a better sound for an album that wanted to channel the 90s with it’s title.

[@Heyhoopad]

She really could have had something if she worked with Butch Vig to make some alternative infused pop-rock in the vein of Garbage or The Cardigans or even her older collaborator Glen Ballard if she wanted another go at channeling Alanis. This would’ve meant she wouldn’t haven’t collaborated with Dr. Luke (hence maintaining the good-will she had built up) and a new direction that would pique the interest of critics and fans alike.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Honestly the second she revealed Luke was the main producer, the wind left her sails so fast. On top of his allegations and being a shit coworker, he’s just not a good producer these days.

[@klee.365]

This is definitely the worst album this year for me. Even other “bad” albums that have been released this year, have potential. This to me is just bland Uber music. The only song I liked was gorgeous ft. Kim Petras. And the only reason I liked it was because of Kim LOL.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Uber ride music has to be the funniest insult I’ve read in a while on this channel. 😭

[@klee.365]

@@EljohnMacaranasbut on a kinda serious side, I wonder is she will take the criticisms and make a better album after this. Tbh I can’t see it in the future, but I’m always here to hope a pop girl can release a good album.

[@numberoneflop]

Wonder is terrible sorry. Her singing “Can someone promise me. One day our innocence doesn’t get lost in a cinical world” is so ironic it’s almost baffling. This album is the most cynical thing I’ve ever heard. It’s corporate, painfully generic, disposable, and a pure cash grab. Total pop slop with no redeeming qualities. Every element that could have been bad, was terrible.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I was looking for something to actually like (and miss going to Disneyland lmao)

[@yummiburritobowl]

Yeah this album is going to stick out like a giant sore thumb throughout her entire discography. It's not even that the songs are bad -- they're okay if anything. It is just extremely mediocre, to the production & even Katy's vocals IMO. This album is quite literally lifeless.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I know Smile gets flack but at least that one had soul to it

[@tylerhackner9731]

I forgot it even happened

[@Bluestarferies]

@@tylerhackner9731 Alzheimer.. go take care of it

[@EljohnMacaranas]

😭😭😭 damn my “a week” comment aged bad

[@MarinaHeath]

I think 5 is very VERY generous

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I was gonna be cheeky and give it a 4.3 lmao but I rounded way up bc I felt bad

[@miguel-h]

it deserved a 1.43 rating 🤭

[@somewhatantimatter]

As an ex Katy Cat I want to move on. I’m embarrassed, I want to pretend this album doesn’t exist. I would say I’d like to move on to the next album but after this I no longer trust her artistry. At this point I’m waiting for a new pop girly that’s gonna give me the prime Katy vibe so I can stand behind her.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I feel like Chappell might fit that mold but without the Luke baggage and Sabrina’s had a cute little TD-lite moment with SnS having so many hits

[@blu_ranger71]

I second that Chappell is filling the Katy-shaped void in the pop world.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Agreed with Chappell filling that hole

[@Sparlunar]

I have this weird thing where I just can’t hate music. I don’t really know any songs I can say I truthfully dislike either. Like I didn’t hate Jojo Siwa’s EP or Woman’s World at all 😭. It’s crazy cause everyone else talks about these awful albums then I listen to them and think they’re decent. Idk why. Honestly I think the second half of 143 (after Lifetimes) is pretty good. But the first half and the features of 21 Savage and Kim Petra’s gave me such a huge ick for some reason. Gorgeous (which I don’t like) sounds like Katy was going for a song that would open her tour (if she goes on one) like how P!NK uses Get This Party Started to get fans pumped. Definitely feel like the singles are the worst songs on the album by far and the lyrics could’ve been way way way better. Overall maybe a 6 out of 10? I did find myself looking for ways to pass the time while listening though because it felt like it’d never end. It literally felt longer than the entirety of Red (Taylor’s Version) 💀 Oh yeah and the fact that she worked with Dr Luke after everything that’s happened gave me another huge ick

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Tell me about it feeling longer than Red TV despite being like 34 mins 😭😭😭

[@EljohnMacaranas]

The Luke thing really sets it back bc he really phoned it in

[@d1etpussy621]

I didn't like Gorgeous either, but a lot of people seem to like it, so... I:

[@matiasguntern3496]

I feel like she was trying to emulate Dua's vibe, but misserably failed. The spoken "It's a woman's world" on woman's world is the most Dua thing EVERR. Also, the whole disco sound and the transitions come out as a cheap cash-grab

[@EljohnMacaranas]

If this was an attempt at Future Nostalgia… it was a miss 💀

[@Liveinhk852]

So happy to see some fans saying this album is boring lyric and boring tune

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I think honest feedback is the best thing, if this album was genuinely amazing, I’d say it!

[@smurfyboy92]

I’m gonna say something very controversial. Katy Perry was never that interesting as an artist. Yes Teenage Dream is an iconic album, but it is a product of the Obama era 2010s feel good pop music. 143 really highights that Katy really thrives on surface level music and working with Dr Luke again hasn’t worked in her favor

[@fitzgeraldgatsby4885]

⁠ One of the boys was Good. Prism was Amazing, Witness was Suffice. What is this claim..?

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I think she’s as interesting as the music (which tbf is most artist’s deal, very few really transcend their product)

[@david.grever]

i refuse to listen to this, i'm sorry i can't do it my ears deserve better 😭

[@EljohnMacaranas]

It’s OK, you didn’t miss much, though if there was one track to hear it’d be Wonder but Firework does the same thing better

[@lukewhproroblox7505]

I don’t think the album is garbage I feel like it’s getting way too much hate I think it’s just generic and that’s okay and we can just listen and wait for the next one I feel like she has one more hit left in her she just needs to search a little deeper yk but I really appreciate your non-bias so thank you

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Honestly, it’s bad for her standards but I do think there’s like a whole “let’s dunk this for clicks” energy where eh I’m meh is it r worth talking about

[@lukewhproroblox7505]

@@EljohnMacaranas yea it feels like an album to warm up for the actual album😂

[@zacharybrown2406]

Move on to KP7! I think she should drop Luke, and get Female producers, and maybe keep Max. And i think focus on just what you said about inspiring music and having more of her quirky personality back in the music.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Amaarae would have been an amazing producer for her! A collab between the two would help her rebuild her sound and clout!

[@MyNameisDC]

No way! My best friend and I listened to this album while on a road trip and he started singing "Catching My Breath" over Crush too! We ended up skipping Crush later on, it was the only skip we did other than Woman's World which is just like the automatic skip...

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Woman’s World was just impossible to even listen to again 😭

[@JP-vr3rg]

I am a Katy cat and a core fan- regardless of what she puts out I will listen, I’m just sad that she is making horrible musical choices when she had so much anticipation leading up to it > the old, one that got away Katy is long gone 😢

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I think that's a fair opinion and as someone who was going to bat for her during Witness when it was dropping I get that.

[@rxtv1016]

I honestly feel like wonder and maybe all the Love should’ve been the only singles that she could’ve kept and she should’ve called the album WONDER as well and worked with people like Matt Martin, Jack Antonoff, and a few others who are more on about the sound of today and you know incorporate the full circle moment themes that she was trying to go with but the album wasn’t that great but I still enjoy one or two from it.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Dr Luke honestly should have been left off entirely… I get she wanted to recreate what she did in the past but he just doesn’t have it anymore (and he’s an awful person)

[@stellamagdalene3521]

Smile deserve an apology after this release.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Sorry Smile but you were avenged in that Katy made a worse record than you 😭

[@DelusionalButterfly]

I don't see myself returning to this album anytime soon. That's all I honestly have to say about it. I do like the album cover tho but that's it. 💀

[@EljohnMacaranas]

The album cover and visuals deserve a way better record

[@manglerarity8232]

This album is the first time I’ve ever felt nothing about an album. I just stood their blankfaced and trying to enjoy this album. The KP x KP collab is dissapointing to me but ironically Is also a pne of the tracks I liked.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

When an album feels like a chore, it's DOA

[@mohamedAgacem]

The title though 😂, she should honestly go on a greatest hits tour and pretend this album doesn't exist

[@EljohnMacaranas]

The VMAs thing makes me think that’s the plan (and it would acc work!)

[@miguel-h]

That’s what J.Lo tried to do with her last album… and ended up canceling her entire tour due to low ticket sales! 😬 Hopefully that’s not the case with KP.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

@@miguel-hI think Katy can actually sell enough to keep the arenas but she needs to like not call the tour 143 anything

[@CoconutGirl333]

I feel like Katy has fallen victim to the current state of pop music. Yes, there has been a resurgence of catchy and fun music thanks to Chappel, Sabrina, and Charli but still. We have been in a stagnant state of TikTok music that has to catch our short attention spans or else forget it. Hence the lack of bridges and short lengths in today’s songs. And even our pop veterans (Katy) are not immune to it. I still hate that she’s working with Dr. Luke though.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Katy leaned hardest of all the vets imho like Gaga absolutely ignored it and it’s paid off

[@bradleybatch2865]

As a HUGE katy fan myself these katy rats in the comments are delusional. This album is in contention with smile for her worst yet. There is little personality in this album. In an attempt to mature her sound the lyrics are like a toned down version of Cardi B therefore missing the fun innuendos and humor that katy once possessed. Or her attempts at sentiment were incredibly cliche.More than that this album lacks substance. No one expects katy to be as diaristic as Taylor Swift but this album tells you nothing about her life or thoughts/feelings. Every album before smile although not lyrical masterpieces all had lyrics that felt unique and personal to her with songs like thinking of you, i’m still breathing, lost, the one that got away, circle the drain, not like the movies, by the grace of god, ghost etc. THE BIGGEST problem with this album that no one is talking about is how the verses suck. Because the beat in the verses are just a quieter/simplified version of the chorus’s all the verses lack melody and sounds like she’s just singing over a randomly chosen beat leading to unsatisfying verses. There were some things I liked about this album, Lifetimes Is so catchy (although the verse doesn’t help) the pre-chorus of Crush is great, I like artificial purely because of its uniqueness and JIDs feature is great, love the reverb at the end of the chorus on All The Love, and Truth is a pretty convincing song. But overall I feel like she phoned it in, generally the choruses were enjoyable( though crush, wonder and nirvana were disappointing) but nothing standout or amazing, the verses were clunky, her vocals were over processed, the basic club beats bled into each other (No unique sounds like Legebdary Lovers or Power for example) and the lack of bridges is disappointing. I’ll be looking forward to her acoustic record!!

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Lyrics do surprisingly matter, if only to move a song forward or have it tell a story.

[@pokemonishjigglypuff]

I really liked this video, this was a very good and non-biased analysis 😁 I instantly subscribed. I really agree that this album is extremely mid, but not extremely terrible either indeed. I feel like a lot of critics that I've seen reviewing this are also a bit biased because a 1.5 out of 10 for example (what I've seen from a critic) is a bit extreme. As a Katycat, I am disappointed in this whole era. Literally everything went wrong lol. Wonder should have been the lead single in my opinion! I really liked that song actually. I could see that song having a cute and touching music video about her daughter and that she will love her for life with scenes about katy and daisy growing up for example. I really think that would have been a positive reception from the media.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

The last thing I wanted to do was just roast her for clicks or sensationalize how I felt. Thank you so much for click and subscription!

[@amandaleebee98]

Honestly if she gave us like an album full of weird bops like gimmie gimme the album would’ve been better than randomly throwing kitty kitty wanna come party tonight inbetwbeen songs about her daughter & being in love with her hubs 😂 like if they just went car bangers or club beats it would’ve made more sense. I think Katy has always been on the outside of her career. She’s a singer, she went ti Hollywood and vibes with people and made their music. I feel like this album she was like wanting to do her come back but also focus on her family so she was like yeahs you guys write and produce these we can put them out and make money…. And it’s like no honestly if you want to cement a legacy you have to come back with something good because the past more recent projects were flops or just never going to live up to the previous eras. As a fan of Katy’s voice though I really would love if she went back to her original sounds and did more folk rock, indie, alternative, country or something. Then she could do all the songs about her family & hubs. The album definitely has mixed messaging even though I’m not a Katy kat I wanted to give it a chance.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

She definitely should try other genres, her voice is too versatile to be wasted on generic slop

[@2drawis2live30]

Artificial, All the love, and Wonder are really the only keepers for me. I really don’t see myself revisiting the rest of the album.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

My personal top 3! And agreed, I didn’t save to my Spotify 💀

[@2drawis2live30]

@@EljohnMacaranas I only saved those three

[@EljohnMacaranas]

😂😂😂

[@JG_Vietnam]

WONDER is my most fav track. It gives me such a strong emotion...

[@EljohnMacaranas]

It’s the only track to really get you to feel on this album

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Well, guys. 143 is here. Sound off on how you thought it was.

[@noneapplicable1327]

I saw the mid thumbnail and knew this was gonna be the worst rated album ever

[@theskeptic777]

I’m just saying this. If you thought 143 was bad Try Y2K by Ice Spice. (TW: she mentions A LOT of shit)

[@blu_ranger71]

@@theskeptic777 cuz she's the poop

[@JP-vr3rg]

Look that’s a reach , her old classics are that- absolute classics and have done what they should have done, don’t shit on her old stuff because her new sound isn’t working

[@EljohnMacaranas]

@@theskeptic777miss poopy 💙

[@lawrencefawsitt698]

I've been a Katy Perry fan for 11 years and it just baffles me how for the first time EVER I went into an album already not liking it and came out of it unsurprisingly disappointed. Lifetimes and Wonder are the best tracks and could've made the rollout better if they were the only singles, but they still feel very undercooked and generic, and would still be mid-tier if put in one of her past projects.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Yeah, she’s really lost the plot

[@CatNagTaylorsVersion]

This should’ve, no there should be a Hot city album review, at least it was memorable (it’s one of my AOTY contenders)

[@monstercat3628]

HOT CITY IS SO GOOOOOOD, the real TD successor

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Maybe when I do a Bonnie video essay

[@melonpeach9723]

@@EljohnMacaranasit deserves its own video :DD

[@CatNagTaylorsVersion]

@@EljohnMacaranas hot city needs its own video

[@jackierae5931]

I LOVE Gorgeous. Long-awaited KP + KP collab, and it's been a banger that I keep revisiting. I do agree it can get repetitive and lack direction, but it's definitely made it's way to the top of my playlist. Kim just delivers.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I think Kim ate Katy up on the track, she’s genuinely always on point and gets the assignment

[@townsendagency6780]

i think she just needed an album out to tour tbh, kinda like rare w selena to promote the make up brand

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Honestly she should avoid performing most of 143 lmao

[@Coleshane]

"Rare" is a much better album, though

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Rare was a great curation of tracks by Selena!

[@Sequoya]

You do a good job as a reviewer. Not everything is a smash, and this record just doesn’t resonate. I appreciate your tact!

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I honestly didn’t want to kick anyone more down than they already are but the lack of melodies or notable hooks on a pop record… criminal

[@aplant2133]

Harleys in Hawaii alone can solo this whole album

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Cannot believe they let that flop

[@IAmAli-xoxo]

Thank you for another great video! Honestly, I really enjoyed the vocals on tne album and the production was really cool. However, I felt dissapointed in regards to the lyrics and lack of bridges on a lot of the songs as I feel like Katy is amazing when it comes to songwriting and especially her bridges. I feel like the songs just needed more. I think the album as a whole was okay. It's definitely not the worst. The only songs I fully enjoyed was LIFETIMES, NIRVANA, WONDER and TRUTH. I'm at least glad Katy is at a great point in her life as she's stated compared to past records. I love Katy of course. She's my literal childhood artist next to artists like Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga. I also want to remind everyone that if you don't like this album, it doesn't mean you are "hopping on the Katy hate wagon" like some people are claiming. You can love an artist and not enjoy a body of work. YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO YOUR MUSIC TASTE AND OPINION. ❤

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Thank you for being a rational KatyCat! I feel like Katy’s understanding of structure especially with bridges was missing! Everything even the better tracks felt like they were only 60-80% there

[@nico.martinez336]

i was listening to this album and i couldn’t stop thinking “this sound like a kim petras reject from era 1”

[@EljohnMacaranas]

At least Era 1 was relistenable 😭

[@nikhilsonavane8939]

the only good thing about this album is doechii, my swamp queen, we needed to get you out of there 😭😭 also, i believe kesha, stream joyride 💕

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Doechii def got some visibility from this with all the tweets about her being positive!

[@justinfranco3361]

Artificial sounds a bit like "Don't Let Me Down" by the Chainsmokers

[@EljohnMacaranas]

OMG… wait that’s actually the song that was pestering my head when I heard it

[@con_is_brat]

this album is so bad. i thought it couldn’t get worse than woman’s world, but it did. the production is really what let the album die. Dr. Luke’s production is building up to something but it never builds up to anything it just falls off. lifetimes was actually pretty good one of my faves. gorgeous could’ve been so fun, so hype, and so much better but it’s the production that’s so boring and so nothing on most of these songs. we didn’t know how good we had it with smile. smile was actually a pretty decent album we had “never really older” “smile” “champagne problems” i think this is actually the worst katy perry album in my opinion do to it’s lackluster production also if 143 wasn’t your least favorite album of the year what is it then😭hold up one more thing i just read through the comments and comments STOP GLAZING KATY PERRY CHALLENGE LEVEL IMPOSSIBLE😭😭

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Oh I hated Y2K just a bit more than 143 lmao an itsy bit more tbh

[@con_is_brat]

@@EljohnMacaranas ohhh i forgot abt y2k yeah that sucked too

[@nolabiokid]

Right! I thought exactly the same, where is Bonnie McKee?, they two make magic together...Katy call her Hot City is still a better album tho!

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Bonnie and Katy were so good together! Always felt Bonnie was her best writer!

[@nolabiokid]

@@EljohnMacaranas Me too, I feel like they both have the same vision of pop music.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

They were so aligned! Great team!

[@nolabiokid]

@@EljohnMacaranas We can only hope for a miracle!

[@alicepaesleme3426]

perhaps i'm biased cuz i'm his fan but jid's verse felt to me like the best thing in this entire album and that's.... concerning. worst album of her discography by a long mile i fear

[@EljohnMacaranas]

JID did such a good job, really elevated the song!

[@alicepaesleme3426]

​@@EljohnMacaranas it helps that he's a very lyrical rapper in an album with such uninspired songwriting 😅

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I ended up spending some of my day rediscovering his discography, thanks Katy lmao

[@Marxnchill]

She lost me a long time ago. I usually at least TRy her albums *just in case* but not here. I heard snippets and any curiosity has left the building.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Woman’s World let me know what to expect but I had to cover it bc I said I would and ooof…

[@Cepheus773]

143 is truly an album of all time.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

🙂‍↕️ yes definitely an album

[@lukeslyfe]

Even If she just had harder drops and some bridges it would have elevated it so much more…what happened to bridges😭

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Bridges genuinely make or break songs, in this case the lack of effort feels worse

[@joshwill3941]

It baffles me that there are 6 to 12 writers on every song on this album just to have all these songs being so mediocre and with so few lyrics. It just makes me so sad because I can see kernels of things that are good and that I liked on songs like Lifetimes, All the Love, and Wonder but everything on this album is just incredibly average and I know Katy is capable of creating something better than this. I hope that if and when she makes another album, she takes notes from all the criticism and does something better. Until then, I am looking forward to hopefully cheap tour tickets🤞

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Cheap tour tickets is the dream! Hopefully there’s enough of the old hits on the set list!

[@clubfaist]

the bonnie mckee shoutout! yes! shes a pop master!

[@EljohnMacaranas]

People need to call her up to write again

[@horaciochubretovic6921]

Artificial chorus sounds like The Chainsmokers & Daya “Don’t let me down” I need ya, i need ya , i need you right noow Yeah i need you right now

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I just sang it over the song and omg...

[@Itsdarienalmanza]

This was TERRIBLE! I grew up listening to Katy Perry because of my aunt but since then I still came back to her her older stuff. I saw she had a new Album and thought it would be good, even after her backlash. Sadly this was GARBAGE. May Katy’s career rest in peace

[@EljohnMacaranas]

It’s a shame because the hype was there!

[@lukewhproroblox7505]

THERE IS ALSO NO WAY THIS GOT A 34 on Metacritic and Y2K by ice spice got a 65 likeeee 143 is a 57 to me yk

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I’d revise Y2K downwards and maybe raise 143 to like a 45

[@lukewhproroblox7505]

@@EljohnMacaranas agree

[@blackycat7539]

Please do Nelly Furtado 7 next ❤ (also released today)

[@EljohnMacaranas]

They didn’t promo it 😭😭😭

[@divangravett1271]

Does ALL THE LOVE remind you of I’m With You by Avril or is it just me?

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Wait just a bit now!

[@VV01a]

PLEASE MAKE A VIDEO ON SOPHIE’S FINAL ALBUM NEXT WEEK 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I WILL!

[@VV01a]

@@EljohnMacaranas YESSS

[@otterwithadarkside4422]

Now tell me why there's 3 features in a row

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Bad tracklisting!

[@theskeptic777]

With the way I rank my albums you might take offense to this but, I thought it was pretty alright. Nothing spectacular but there were many missed opportunities. To explain, I rank albums based on how many tracks I liked in the tracklist. This has been the case since the decade started and I don’t plan on changing it. And to be frank, I liked 8/11 songs on it. Most of the features did nothing to me and Truth was as bland as you could get. But I can’t help but like the tracks that in the end did sound good. Other than the singles (and yes some of the tracks were so bad Woman’s World sounded better) songs like Wonder, Nirvana, and All The Love were actually pretty solid. Percentage wise, it ranks higher than Witness (Deluxe) but I think that may be the shorter tracklist. Which is one of my major complaints about the album. If the album is going to he short, EVERY TRACK NEEDS TO HIT. I’m still baffled as to why she didn’t put When I’m Gone on the album when that would have been the more perfect intro to her return than Woman’s World was. Had Katy outsourced more and grabbed producers like Alesso, Zedd, maybe even Tiesto I feel like 143 would have been Katy’s best comeback. But in the end she didn’t. While to me her album isn’t the worst this year (Trust me that award goes to Ms Spice) It probably will be listened less to than Smile and Witness was personally. Either way, there may be a deluxe version and if a deluxe can make me like Brat more (because shockingly I didn’t like brat on my first listen) then maybe a deluxe can make this album better. Over all an 8/11.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Thank you for the thoughtful comment! It was cool reading how you evaluate records!

[@theskeptic777]

@@EljohnMacaranasit’s something I’ve been doing for a while and who knows maybe I’ll make a video about it. If you’re looking for a much better Dance record from this year I HIGHLY recommend Believe Me Now by Becky Hill.

[@aymancatboy4987]

I share with u the same sentiment that one of the most apparent issues of the album is the length and atructure of a lot of songs. Some of them had great potential but the lack of bridges and adlibs ultimately makes them sound flat and incomplete. That's why Wonder is one of the best cuz it FEELS complete. I think given that 10 out of 11 were produced by Luke makes it obvious that it was his decision to make the songs shorter bcz that's his idea of a 2024 "dance record". He's overall not a fit for a dance album at all. Zedd or Alesso could've done a much better job

[@EljohnMacaranas]

She used to be so good at it (her team anyway) like Luke definitely did her dirty and phoned this the hell in

[@JoshuaAlto]

I love Wonder, I'm His He's Mine, Lifetimes, Artificial, Nirvana & Gorgeous ❤❤❤

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Wonder is genuinely so good 🖤

[@addadd-nk9rq]

KATY PERRY IS MISSING IN THIS ALBUM! THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THIS!!! I THINK THE SAME!!!! I MISS KATY PERRY S VOICE AND PERSONALITY 😢😢😢

[@EljohnMacaranas]

No joke if you told me this was AI Katy, I would just go “yeah”

[@addadd-nk9rq]

@@EljohnMacaranas exactly, i would believe you if you say it s Ai

[@matteu49]

polish radio stations somehow picked up Lifetimes, it's more appealing for European market i guess. as for me, I wasn't expecting I'd give this album more than 1 spin, but I did 3 actually. I had no expectations, I never really liked Katy's work apart from singles and videos. I'd say it's somewhat better than we could expected, but that doesn't mean it's a good album. Wonder is truly the only decent track here. and even if the idea for the melodies where there it just doesn't click in the end. it falls short, without bridges, with continuos mixing, with corky lyrics that sometimes just makes you cringe. ugh 100% agree that this album is soulless, if this wasn't signed 'Katy Perry' you wouldn't guess it's actually her. if Witness and Smile were called flops, I don't know what this is

[@EljohnMacaranas]

This is just a career low

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Like it’s so bad by her standards and pop this year

[@kailiasage]

I decided to listen to this album once and I agree with you on this. Wonder was a sweet song especially when you consider that her daughter is named Daisy and Daisies was a great song. And unfortunately willingly working with dr luke cemented my distaste of this album from the get go, and it didn’t live up to any standards. If there’s one thing, the VMA performance showed me is that Katy is capable of creating incredible hits. This just wasn’t it.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Dr Luke is not only an awful person, he’s a terrible and dated producer now

[@MYSTERIOMUSIK]

Im sorry, but she wanted to be Chromatica and this is not it. 143 the most milktoast album of 2024. Not the worst but by far the best.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Chromatica had a vision and soul to it

[@MYSTERIOMUSIK]

@@EljohnMacaranas that part. This just feels like a cash grab for someone's failing pop career. I was so mad when you mentioned how many writers worked on the bulk of this project.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Album by committee is just a death sentence

[@gallifrey1212]

This album is more like a "don't come back" than a come back.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Lmaooooo

[@amandaleebee98]

When you off the cuff mention lady raven….. her family lives in Pennsylvania near me!!! Her mom and sister came into my work they’re so nice. Only reason I knew is because her dad’s M Night Shymalan . I forgot that movie came out in August so when my husband gets home imma make him watch it with me 😂

[@EljohnMacaranas]

That’s so sweet! Awww! I loved her in the movie and the fact she referenced the Eras tour was so funny! Def check it out!

[@amandaleebee98]

⁠@@EljohnMacaranaslol sorry just edited my comment bc I realized u we’re referencing the trap 🤣 anywho carry on😅😂 thanks for the vid!!!!! I’m still finishing it 🤣

[@SimplyDivineTV14]

please make a bonnie mckee video! like on her experience in the industry & her journey to release hot city!

[@CosmixxSlopShop]

I’m curious to see what your top 10 or whatever of all time are. Also wondering if Blackout would be on it

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Blackout’s an all-timer for me, one of the blueprints for modern dance pop

[@lewisoconnor5947]

Oh also ARTIFICIAL to me sounds really similar to Have Mercy by Chlöe, most of the songs on the album sound really similar to other better songs

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Have Mercy should have smashed, so did Body Do and much of her discography like I’m shocked how fumbled her career has been

[@bluvelvet3975]

You have money have budget connection a supportive label there’s nothing stopping you to make if not a hit then an average album

[@EljohnMacaranas]

She burned Capitol’s money lmao

[@bluvelvet3975]

@@EljohnMacaranas well there’s hope they might not give her a budget now so all well that ends well

[@MeganiumForever]

First listen to this, I thought it was horrible. I added two songs when listening to the album (Gimme gimme and I'm his, he's mine). By the end I was so dissappointed and kind of laughing from going insane and slightly angry I wasted my time (help? Lol), that I listened to the two songs I added and didn't like them anymore. I literally give the album a score of one. So many songs were knockoffs or samples. Im his he's mine sampled Gypsy Woman (Crystal waters) and is a worse version of the song. Womans World is a horrible rendition of Mother Monster's Stupid Love. Crush sounds like Kelly Clarkson like you said. And another one that stood out, in a bad way, was Artificial which had a knockoff Illuminati Madonna beat. The lyrics were simple, which I dont mind, BUT the music and sonics were boring and simple too. There was absolutely nothing noteworthy or special about anything. Also, the songs were way too repetitive. Which again isnt a bad thing if the production is good. BUT ITS NOT LOL I am never giving this album a relisten, and she honestly deserves to flop after working with #THAT man. Back to Joyride!

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Oh she’s over lmaoooo

[@Hellyiana]

The fact he had Dr. Luke on it already makes it a NO.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

True, but at least no one’s gonna wanna work with him after this!

[@ThePMMpc]

i will listen to it tomorrow. thanks for honest opinion. I want to get it over with

[@EljohnMacaranas]

It’s a breezy 34 mins bc the songs feel so… incomplete

[@pinecomax]

The main problem in this era is people hated the era in its first steps because of dr luke + woman's world as a lead single , people already made fun of the song and the video clip the interest has gone earlier, I like the album but I feel so bad cause the concept and the vision of the album has ruined , l see if all the love or artificial released as a lead single it would be more successful, nirvana too it could be the third or second single from the album some songs sound like a hit from 2010s like lifetimes could be hit in 2015 , gimme gimme 2017, woman's world 2014 ..

[@EljohnMacaranas]

The thing about making an album that sounds dated on purpose is if there isn't nostalgia built up just yet, it sorta falls flat.

[@pinecomax]

@@EljohnMacaranas she said before she made a fun and dance album not deep not serious album ...album for people to enjoy make TikTok with these songs.. she meant to made like these silly lyrics

[@EljohnMacaranas]

@@pinecomaxthose people did not show up 😂

[@flamingbird09]

It has another exclusive Track Has a Heart one! And I don't know where can I hear it? Pleaseee someone leak it already!

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I heard a small snippet on my TL and it seemed cute!

[@jorgevitor9551]

are you going to review the bonus tracks? i think there's three of them

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Honestly, it was hard getting through the standard. I might just write it up in a comment 🙂‍↕️

[@jorgevitor9551]

@@EljohnMacaranas lmfao 😭. that's understandable

[@legopopstars]

This is ChatGPT music lol

[@EljohnMacaranas]

The gag would be if Katy revealed this was an AI generated album to which case artists would opt out of using the tech

[@agwarddd]

I feel like this album just lacks a perspective above all else. There is no theme or topic to explore. It’s intended as just some good old fashioned dance pop, but it’s rooted in the old ways without really exploring fresh new ways to deliver that music. I’ve said before, I’m not a Katy fan, don’t think she’ll be an artist for me, but Katy has still pretty much always had a theme and topic to explore on her albums; primarily it’s self empowerment and purpose, I feel like Witness and Smile, especially, were deeply rooted in those themes, because they together kind of explore the search for and discovery of a new purpose in her life. I don’t feel like this album has a set theme, rather it tries to be a big celebratory dance pop album, and I don’t think that’s enough any more. And what’s strange to me, is that in this era, we are eating purposeful music up, lyrics have never been more important, so this was a prime opportunity for Katy to try and stake a claim on some new generation fans, only for her to not only drop the ball, but not even attempt to catch it. And for an artist who has generally had her finger directly on the pulse of trends in the past, an album that comes up feeling kind of creatively stagnant and lacking a narrative theme, it’s a really disappointingly flat release.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

It could have been centered around her love of her family and just life in general but it’s all over the place