In the link provided is my infographic going through the timeline of Beyoncé’s well established career. She has accomplished so much throughout the years that this timeline does not even cover half of it. I decided to pick a main focus instead of trying to cover everything, and that was her studio albums. Beyoncé puts her all into just about everything, but especially her albums. It is definitely the most defining aspect of her career. She has described albummaking as an art that is not seen as much today, which is why she will always work towards changing that. As the artist has been in the industry officially since the 90s, that is where the timeline starts. Beyoncé’s moments in the popular R&B girl group, Destiny’s Child helped to show the world who she really was. It also helped to build excitement towards her solo career and what she can bring to the table as a new artist.Even today, when it comes to music groups the most popular or experienced is usually referred to as the“ Beyoncé” of the group.
Dangerously in Love and B’Day were her first solo albums which truly established her signature go-to sound. It is where we see iconic hits such as “Crazy in Love” and “ Irreplaceable.”It was not different from Destiny’s Child sound, as both are R&B focused. The R&B songs ranged in different tempos as some were slow jams while others would be suitable to play in clubs. There were also a few ballads thrown in the mix, as that is a favorite genre from the singer as her voice truly shines in this genre. I Am…Sasha Fierce released in 2008 is where the biggest switch from previous projects is seen. Singles such as “Sweet Dreams” and “Single Ladies” show a more pop-influenced side. As Beyoncé describes it, half of the album is dedicated to fans with her classic R&B hits and ballads, while the other half is more mainstream with influences of pop,rock, electric. It is not truly a Beyoncé album without the experimental mixes of genres.
4 was a moment that showed how secure Beyoncé’s place in the music industry really was. She has come to that point as an artist where there is nothing left to prove, everyone knows who you are and what you can do. It is where creative freedom is at an all time high, as the end product is more of what you want instead of what was popular. In 2011, EDM was all of the craze with singles such as “We Found Love” and “Party Rock Anthem” spending the most weeks at #1 on Billboard. It is also the year Beyoncé decided to go back to her roots with her signature experimental genre mixing with an R&B focus as we can see in songs such as “Countdown” and “Love on top”. It was her own way of trying to stay true to her artistic vision instead of going down the trendy road.
Beyoncé’s self-titled album is one of her more popular albums for a reason. Even today anyone doing a sudden release with no promo is referenced as pulling a “ Beyoncé.” The success of this album showed how well a music project could do without any promo at all. She was not the first to do this, but definitely popularized the movement. As self-titled was a visual album it gave a chance to show her raw talent of creating a visual for her music but also telling a story. Her vocal and performance talents were already well known at this point, the visual talents just pushed her up to another level. The exploration of social issues is also another major part that ties into the album, specifically the feminst themes. If we want to get more specific than that, it is especially geared towards the uplifting of black woman who often get left behind in the overall feminist movement. It is not the first time the artist has explored gender issues,”If I Were a Boy”, but is the more well known example.Most notably is “Flawless” one of the more popular songs on the album. It includes part of a speech given by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie which is about how boys and girls are raised differently as girls are taught to “shrink themselves”, aspire to marriage ,and other gender roles imposed on women. The experect ends with an official definition of a feminist . As she said herself “Changed the game with that digital drop/Know where you was when that digital popped/I stopped the world.”
Lemonade is one of Beyoncé’s most known albums to date. Another visual album that was accompanied by a film documentary with the release of the album. Another signature is the genre mixing as we see the reggae influence in songs like “Hold Up” or the country route that “Daddy Lessons” takes. Gospel, rock, and trap are just to name a few more. The is most notably known focus on the personal experiences of the artist, most specifically marital problems. Each song is meant to represent a different emotional stage during the ups and downs of her relationship.
Beyoncé’s Impact on The Music Industry by Dominique Morgan
