Musicianship[edit]
Vocal[edit]
Jody Rosen highlights her tone and timbre as particularly distinctive, describing her voice as "one of the most compelling instruments in popular music".[15] Her vocal abilities have led to her being considered by many as the centerpiece of Destiny's Child.[16] Consequence ranked Beyoncé at number 30 on its list of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time [17] while Rolling Stone has ranked her at number eight in their list of 200 Greatest Singers of All Time (2023), describing Beyoncé as "one of pop's great historians" and her voice representing "the entire history of Black music".[18]
Rap-singing[edit]
She is largely credited by music critics for the invention of the staccato rap-singing style that has become popular in pop, R&B, and rap music, after first using it throughout Destiny's Child's The Writing's on the Wall (1999).[19] The sound subsequently began dominating the music industry, revolutionizing both singing in urban music and rapping in pop music.[20][21] Artists such as Kanye West and Drake have implemented the style and cadence in the late 2000s and early 2010s on several of their musical projects.[22] The staccato rap-singing style continued to be used within the music industry in the late 2010s and early 2020s. Michael Eric Dyson stated that Beyoncé "changed the whole genre" and has become the "godmother" of mumble rappers, who use the staccato rap-singing cadence. Dyson added: "She doesn't get credit for the remarkable way in which she changed the musical vocabulary of contemporary art."[23]
Music videos and visual albums[edit]
Beyoncé is credited with the trend of creating visual albums, with notable examples including 2006's B'Day, which was her first album to have all of its original songs receive a music video, her self-titled album (2013) and Lemonade (2016).[24] Joe Coscarelli of The New York Times described how popular musicians are following the blueprint that Beyoncé made with Lemonade and are creating "high-concept mini-movies that can add artistic heft to projects", citing Frank Ocean's Endless and Drake's Please Forgive Me as examples.[25] Chris Deville of Stereogum similarly wrote that artists are releasing albums with complementary film projects, such as Lonely Island's The Unauthorized Bash Brothers Experience, Thom Yorke's Anima, Sturgill Simpson's Sound & Fury, and Kid Cudi's Entergalactic.[24]
Sonia Rao of The Washington Post credited Beyoncé with initiating the trend of using music videos to explore racial and sexual identity, citing Frank Ocean, Janelle Monáe and Donald Glover as examples of artists who followed the precedent that Beyoncé set.[26] Beyoncé "is almost singlehandedly keeping the art of the music video alive", according to Daniel Kreps of Rolling Stone.[27] Kaitlin Menza of Marie Claire wrote that Beyoncé has revived music videos as an art form.[28]
Genre heterogeneity[edit]
Rania Afitos of Billboard credited the significant contribution of artists like Beyoncé and Drake in boosting the popularity of Afrobeats within the music industry, leading to the establishment of the "Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs" chart.[29]
Upon release, Renaissance sparked conversations and essays on the history of dance music and its roots in Black culture.[30][31] Several industry fellows reacted positively toward the release. American singer Crystal Waters, who helped make house music mainstream in the 1990s, said she was "ecstatic" when she heard Beyoncé's new music and expressed gratitude for how she is shining a light on underappreciated house singers.[32] Chicago house DJ Ron Carroll described Renaissance as a "trailblazing" album that has reintroduced house music to the radio and encouraged other musicians to follow Beyoncé's lead.[33] Aluna Francis of English electronic music duo AlunaGeorge lauded Renaissance for its impact on dance music and its Black creators. Francis explained that throughout her career, she had hoped and fought for the widespread recognition of Black musicians' place in dance music. Francis wrote that this revolution has now occurred following the release of Renaissance, with Beyoncé breaking stigmas and declaring that dance music is Black music, in turn encouraging listeners to reflect on the visibility and exploitation of Blackness within dance genres. Francis added that Renaissance could greatly benefit the investment and growth of communities around the world which allow Black dance music to thrive.[34] Other musicians also praised the album for its impact and musicology. British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding said that her then-upcoming album Higher Than Heaven is a dance and house album in the same vein as Renaissance, with Beyoncé taking those genres to a global level.[35] She later said that Renaissance restored her faith in pop music after the genre was heading in a bad direction.[36] American singer-songwriter SZA said that the album was the biggest risk a mainstream artist has taken in recent years.[37] American singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens praised the production on the album, telling Stereogum: "The wizardry on that album is so awesome and frustrating for me as a musician because even if you took out her vocals, I'm still obsessed; I'm still intrigued by the engineering and production that's going on and the harmonic relationship between chords."[38]
According to Billboard, Beyoncé's country music has spotlighted Black musicians in the country music space and boosted their listenership. Streaming gains have been seen in music by Linda Martell, Rhiannon Giddens, Tanner Adell, Reyna Roberts, and K. Michelle upon the release of Texas Hold 'Em and 16 Carriages.[39]
Commercial influence[edit]
Surprise album[edit]
Beyoncé was released without prior announcement on December 13, 2013 via the iTunes Store, and is credited with the popularization of the surprise album. This has subsequently been executed by many artists, including Drake,[40] Kanye West,[41] Taylor Swift,[42] Kendrick Lamar,[43] and Eminem.[44] The surprising release of Beyoncé caused "hilarious, honest and hysterical" reaction among Beyoncé's fans,[45] and "shock" among other musicians in an effect coined as "Beyoncé Syndrome" by the BBC.[46][47]
According to data provided by Twitter, the release generated over 1.2 million tweets in twelve hours.[46] Rolling Stone's Rob Sheffield wrote: "The whole project is a celebration of the Beyoncé Philosophy, which boils down to the fact that Beyoncé can do anything the hell she wants to." Peter Robinson of The Guardian hailed the shock release as "Beyoncégeddon", describing it as "a masterclass in both exerting and relinquishing control".[48] Henry Knight for the BBC said "Beyoncé's self-titled album not only proved innovative musically, it rewrote the business model of the industry."[47] Forbes' Zack O'Malley Greenburg noted that "Beyoncé didn't make use of any of the perks of [being signed to a large record label]—the "machine" we're told is so necessary. There was no radio promotion, no single, no advance press of any kind".[49] The marketing strategy of releasing an album with little or no notice was the subject of a case study at Harvard University School of Business.[50]
Brands[edit]
Beyoncé's use and references to various brands have resulted in sales spikes for their respective products. The mention of the American restaurant chain Red Lobster in "Formation" increased sales at its restaurants by 33%, and upon the song's release, the chain was tweeted about over 42,000 times during the first hour and trended for the first time in its history according to Red Lobster spokesperson Erica Ettori.[51] Employees also renamed popular menu items after Beyoncé and call the effect the "Beyoncé Bounce".[52] Photographs of Beyoncé carrying Telfar bag, as well as a reference in a lyric on "Summer Renaissance" on Renaissance, generated a large spike in demand for the bag.[53][54] Forbes described her as not just a global Icon but a magnate whose brand output perseveres in spite of the odds.[55]
Academic study[edit]
Beyoncé's work and career have been the subject of several college and university courses.[89] Since 2010, Rutgers University offered a course titled "Politicizing Beyoncé", which focused on her artistry and image as an access point for the study of black feminist works on race, gender, and sexuality. The course became one of the most popular of the university's offerings, with it being consistently full to capacity.[90] In 2014, the University of Victoria began offering a course which explored how Beyoncé's music has impacted society.[91] In September 2015, the University of Waterloo began offering a course that explored Beyoncé's influence and impact, focusing on her eponymous 2013 album.[92] In November 2017, the Cornell University began offering a course which explored Beyoncé's Southern roots and how Beyoncé's music has impacted black feminism.[93]
Fashion[edit]
Beyoncé has been considered a fashion icon by journalists and other sectors. Her influence on fashion has been examined by critics and designers. She has had several ventures into the fashion industry, including owning fashion brands House of Deréon and Ivy Park, appearing at events such as the Met Gala, and made her runway modeling debut at Tom Ford's Spring/Summer 2011 fashion show.[116] She became the first non-athlete to cover Sports Illustrated and has appeared on the cover of Vogue four times throughout her career.[117] Tyler Mitchell became the first African-American photographer to shoot a Vogue cover after Beyoncé handpicked him.[118] Beyoncé has set various fashion trends throughout her career, and aspects of her style looks, and clothing have influenced the public, designers, and other entertainers of different generations. Beyoncé's photoshoots and personal belongings have been displayed in museums and other exhibitions around the world, including several at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[119] She is often credited with popularizing the leotard as a performance outfit after appearing in the "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" music video and subsequent performances.[120] Beyoncé has also received various awards for her fashion, including the CFDA Fashion Icon Award in 2016.[121]
Beyoncé's mention of Telfar Clemens and Birkin bags in the closing track "Summer Renaissance" caused searches for both items to increase on Google Trends and multiple re-sale websites.[122] Beyoncé's looks have been a constant topic of conversation and she is highly regarded as one of the world's most beautiful women. She was named the "World's Most Beautiful Woman" by People in 2012[123] and the "Hottest Female Singer of All Time" by Complex in 2012.[124] In January 2013, GQ placed her on its cover, featuring her atop its "100 Sexiest Women of the 21st Century" list.[125][126] VH1 listed her at number 1 on its 100 Sexiest Artists list.[127] Many of the designers Beyoncé and her dancers wore in Black Is King saw triple-digit spikes in search traffic after the film's release. The Marine Serre moon print bodysuit that is featured in the film became "the most popular design of 2020", with the brand seeing a 426% increase in searches in the 48 hours after the film's release.[128] Beyoncé's fashion in the film made her become the most influential woman in fashion in 2020.[129] The film also helped raise awareness of African fashion worldwide.[130] The film kicked off hair and makeup trends, with stylists and artists around the world creating looks inspired by those in Black Is King.[131]
Renaissance World Tour resulted in an estimated media value exceeding $187 million for the esteemed fashion houses involved. These renowned fashion houses dedicated their expertise to craft unique couture pieces for Beyoncé and her dancers at every stop throughout the tour.[132][133] Following Beyoncé's Instagram challenge to her fans to showcase their silver disco ball-inspired looks, the demand for silver has surged, leading to a significant boost in small business activity.[134][135]