What makes The Story So Far by Divine notable?

The album features the iconic track Native Love, which became a dance hit and is often credited with helping to popularize Hi-NRG music. Its bold representation of LGBTQ+ themes contributed to its status as a cultural touchstone during the early 1980s, influencing subsequent generations of artists within the genre. Released in January 1984, The Story So Far marks Divine's debut album, arriving shortly after the artist gained notoriety through John Waters' cult films. This album established Divine as a significant figure in the Hi-NRG scene, solidifying their place in pop culture as a pioneering drag performer and musical artist.

Who is The Story So Far for?

The Story So Far works well if you're into dance floor anthems for celebration, high-energy tracks for parties and front-loaded excitement and energy.

How many songs are on The Story So Far?

The Story So Far has 6 tracks, running approximately 29 minutes.

The Story So Far

Divine · 1984

29 min · 6 tracks · pop music

A vibrant fusion of high-energy disco beats and unapologetic pop anthems that ignites the dance floor.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Native Love — As the standout track, Native Love combines infectious melodies with explicit lyrics that celebrate sexuality, making it an anthem for freedom and expression.
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Shake It Up — This track showcases Divine's ability to blend catchy hooks with upbeat rhythms, embodying the spirited energy of dance music prevalent in the era.
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Love Reaction — With its pulsating beat and passionate delivery, Love Reaction perfectly captures the essence of love and desire, resonating deeply within the Hi-NRG genre.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

50 /100

Foothills

Higher than 23% of albums we've rated

The album combines catchy pop melodies with disco rhythms, establishing Divine's distinct sound in the Hi-NRG genre.

What we noticed

The album opens with a high-energy track, 'Native Love', that sets a danceable tone for the entire record.
Each song features prominent synthesizer lines and driving disco beats, maintaining a consistent tempo throughout.

Composition 25% of the score: 6/10
Craft 20% of the score: 7/10
Durability 25% of the score: 5/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 7/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 6/10

Influence 6/10

Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

dance floor anthems for celebration
high-energy tracks for parties
front-loaded excitement and energy
gradual build to euphoric climax

Maybe skip if you

slow-paced reflective listening
minimalist soundscape preferences

Where this album fits

Career context: Released in January 1984, The Story So Far marks Divine's debut album, arriving shortly after the artist gained notoriety through John Waters' cult films. This album established Divine as a significant figure in the Hi-NRG scene, solidifying their place in pop culture as a pioneering drag performer and musical artist.
Stylistic neighbors: Sylvester· Pet Shop Boys· Madonna

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

1 Native Love 3:58
2 Shake It Up 3:14
3 Shoot Your Shot 6:25
4 Love Reaction 5:34
5 Jungle Jezebel 4:43
6 Alphabet Rap 5:59

What to play next

Listen next

T-Shirts and Tight Blue Jeans

1984

Go back to

My First Album

1982

Full Divine discography Artists like Divine

Hi-NRG

Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata