Beyoncé's most recent album I would call well-received

But not broadly. Neither Swift. They are one of the few prominent artists who are being sold by the old music establishment, and they would reach the public who still follows the distribution channels owned by the establishment. And if one is in those segments, s/he could think that the album is being received 'broadly'. But that is just another bubble.

I also think the fact that Googling the name of the album and "review" yields three pretty scathing articles.....The Rolling Stone and Pitchfork reviewers

Google is another bubble and the industry critics' articles it prioritizes do not reflect the sentiments of the actual public. The same critics are sh*tting on Eminem's album too, but the viewing numbers tell a whole different story. The music, movie critics, and the like have been out of touch with the public since a long time now, and it shows.