YMMV / Amy Winehouse

• Awesome Music:
  • "Fuck Me Pumps" even gets people who don't usually like her music dancing.
  • For her, singing a duet with Tony Bennett, one of her favorite artists and inspirations.
• Covered Up: Her version of "Valerie," originally by The Zutons, has not only become one of her most popular songs, but has covered up the original, which is particularly impressive as the original was a sizeable hit itself.
• Crack Pairing: In her short career, Amy only did four duets (that we know of as of 2011). So it's very jarring to know that Duet #4 is with none other than an artist over three times her age, and who outlived her entire life. Ladies and gentlemen, Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse.
• Director Displacement: "Valerie" was recorded for Mark Ronson's album with Amy credited as a guest but the song is usually viewed as solely hers.
• Even Better Sequel: Whilst Frank was a best selling album and a critical success too, Back to Black was an international hit and is often regarded as one of the best albums of the 00's.
• Harsher in Hindsight:
  • "They tried to make me go to rehab; I said no, no, no." At first it was harsh due to her continued drug and alcohol problems after the song became a hit, then she died...
  • Also jokes from comedians about her being an unkempt drug addict. Doubles as Values Dissonance as nowadays there is a great awareness of mental health struggles.
  • Some of her sadder not waking up unhappy with life songs became this for her fans after she died.
    • Even worse, she had once expressed fear of joining the "27 Club."
  • The music video of "Back to Black", which is about a funeral. Said funeral is to her heart. And even the end slate (which has since been removed in later releases of the music video) has the words "R.I.P. the Heart of Amy Winehouse." Brr.
• Posthumous Popularity Potential: Amy was a very successful artist before her untimely passing at the age of 27. Her album Back to Black sold over 20 million copies worldwide (even more impressive when you consider that record sales were at an all-time low at that point), had 15 charted singles, many of which were international hits, won numerous awards — including 5 Grammys in one night — and by their own admission directly inspired and paved the way for the likes of Adele, Lady Gaga, Florence Welch and Duffy. However, in the later years of her life, she was ridiculed by the media for her substance abuse problems and dismissed as a terrible role model.^note NME voted her "Villain of the Year in both 2008 and 2009. After her death in 2011, the focus was not only on her music but also on her charitable activities which had never been mentioned before.
• Signature Song: "Rehab," "Back to Black" and "You Know I'm No Good" easily the most famous of her songs.
• Spiritual Successor: Winehouse very well served as this to her hero Ronnie Spector, all the way down to also having a Short-Lived, Big Impact career. In fact, Spector saw a resurgence of public interest in her wake. Hearing Ronnie Spector cover "Back to Black" showcases just how incredibly similar their voices and singing styles were.
  • Biography notes the similarities don't end there, as there are many parallels to their lives off of the stage as well. Both started their careers as teenagers, both had short, turbulent, abusive marriages^note Though Spector was entirely the victim while Winehouse was to some extent the abuser and both were alcoholics. While Spector was able to overcome her alcoholism, Winehouse's drinking eventually killed her.

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