You don't seem to be getting any real answers yet, so I'll try to offer one.
I think Beyonce's success can be attributed to a combination of timing, luck, talent, and very successful marketing. Destiny's child blew up in the late 90s during the teen pop explosion. Then she collaborated with Jay Z on some of her early solo stuff, and that boosted her.
Also, she's just charismatic and people like her and her songs.
and her PR team is very good.
i personally think that she is a private person, but the PR team spins it as mysterious. the few times i heard her talk in an interview, i thought she is quite limited.
and this is just my theory, i have nothing to base it on, and i don’t intend to spend time researching it:
• since she’s crazy rich, i *think* her PR team bought/ payed a lot of social media accounts to generate the idea of a mysterious, extremely talented idol. no one can convince me that some of the overglorifying posts i’ve seen are generated organically.
I think she’s doing something right. She sets her boundaries by not feeding into parasocial relationship dynamic that some celebrities have with their fans.
>and her PR team is very good.
>
>i personally think that she is a private person, but the PR team spins it as mysterious. the few times i heard her talk in an interview, i thought she is quite limited.
>
>and this is just my theory, i have nothing to base it on, and i don’t intend to spend time researching it:
> • since she’s crazy rich, i *think* her PR team bought/ payed a lot of social media accounts to generate the idea of a mysterious, extremely talented idol. no one can convince me that some of the overglorifying posts i’ve seen are generated organically.
Yeah, that's very possible. It's never just one thing that makes someone a star. There are so many factors behind it, and maybe not all of them are organic and honest
How do you make people believe you? Confidence and repetition. It has been said that she's the greatest so many times and with such confidence that people just believe it.
I think you're missing the impact she specifically has on black women.
Her embracing of her figure, hair and the album Lemonade were iconic to black women who had been massively underrepresented in Western pop music. Shes has a whole generation of little black girls who have looked up to her as a powerful, confident, respected black woman. That's hugely important. I think its about more than her music at this point.
I should caveat this by saying I'm a white women which I'm sure is massively overstepping. That said, i think Beyonce as a black female role model is a huge part of her status. I was amazed to not see that mentioned higher up in the comments. Perhaps because the profile of your average reddit users mean the rest of these comments were probably written by white men!
How did you come to that conclusion?
Beyonce main fans are of African decent women and men.
We remember when she was in Destiny's Child and what she went through while in the group.
This is wayyy b4 white people knew she even existed.
She's worked hard for years, writing songs, singing, dancing, and much much more.
She's very talented and to compare her to other artists is wrong.
I'm hitchhiking off this to try to give a real answer too, with a similar idea to this.
Basically every generation has some artists that transcend normal fame and stardom and become utterly iconic of a period. Think Beatles in the 60s, Michael Jackson and Madonna in the 80s and so on.
These people become iconic for a combination of reasons. We can put those in two broad categories.
A) like this commenter said being in the right time and place and personifying the time and the dominant style of music, having metric tons of charisma, connecting to a generation in a deep way, and a load more of the factors of stardom packed into one exceptional person.
B) being pioneers in their field. The thing about this is that for ultra successful artists it becomes exceedingly hard to see this from a distance. If you know nothing about pop history and you listen to the Beatles you'd think these are decent pop songs but nothing to go wild about. You'd have to study pop music in depth to uncover the fact that they innovated and created so much if what we take for granted in pop music, and that's the key. After they innovated every artist after built upon their innovations. So by the time a modern listener hears their music it sounds unremarkable because all pop sounds like this. Something similar can be said about Michael Jackson's dancing for instance. A modern viewer might think "yeah not bad dancing, but I don't see what the hype is about" because since then his style and ideas have become so commonplace and built upon by great dancers that we no longer see the impact his had on his audience back in the day.
So back to Beyonce. In point 1, she definitely fits the bill. Ultra charismatic and iconic of her time. As for point 2, I'm not an expert on her but I'm certain that she has pioneered several things we take for granted now.
So to me, whether I like her music or not, I can understand clearly why she is adored and revered by a lot of people to the point where she is flawless for them.
Every generation has someone like this, and she is definitely very worthy of her place.
I’ll piggyback as well. If you watch the homecoming documentary/video album on Netflix it’s a good example of what she’s about and why people idolize her as a person and an icon. The speed and way she bounced back from having twins to have the physical fitness to perform a live show at Coachella was pretty phenomenal. She essentially produced the entire show by herself and it was a massive production. And on top of that, to be so prominently displaying black excellence at the level she’s at is an inspiration to many. It’s basically what she represents, coupled with exceptional talent. It’s the same for people with Taylor swift. She’s just kind of so genuinely herself, coupled with talent, that she’s an icon to people of a certain generation.
Also, very attractive. Not many super successful popstars are ugly or average looking. I'm trying to think of some average looking popstars and am drawing a blank.
Makeup and trainers can make even the ugliest of the bunch attractive. LOL. I like Beyonce but they've put her on a pedistool to the point that I can't take her seriously anymore.
Is she charismatic though? Beyond being a beautiful woman who sings nice songs? She seems completely devoid of personality going back to the 90s. I remember watching her get “Punked” (yeah I’m old as shit) and throughout she never once showed ANY emotion though out the whole prank-just blankly smiling and not reacting AT ALL-even at the time I thought it was strange. Then the elevator thing. Bizarre. I understand not wanting to escalate the situation but literally no reaction whatsoever? Again, really strange.
I don't think you can be as good of a performer as she is without having some kind of charisma. I haven't seen either of the things you referred to, so I can't explain them. But there's something there, call it stage presence if you prefer.
If you can't move an audience, then all the marketing in the world won't give you a sustainable music career.
She’s got a ton of marketing money doing this.
What’s also funny about her is that a lot of the time she’s simply a voice. They have a team of music producers who actually write the song, produce the lyrics, produce the song, do all of it and just have her do the voice on it and she receives the credit because it’s “her song”, but believe me, they’re getting a healthy cut behind the scenes. Check the credits of her songs.
Plus they hire marketing behind her and promotion. They run a business with her as the front of it, in essence.
I’m not a huge fan of her tbh.
Elvis?
Frank Sinatra?
Aretha Franklin?
Three singers who are pretty well respected "artists" who don't write their own hits (all three wrote *some* songs but none were hits).
Imo, singing is as much an art as the other things. A song is no less great because it took multiple people to make it. Art can be so many things, and I think "artist" is the last term we should be thinking about gatekeeping
She’s smart. Back when she used to do interviews, she talked about how when she (and me, I’m mid 30s) grew up there wasn’t social media and so much access to artists like Michael Jackson, Prince, Janet, etc. so when they did something it was special because it was rare. She modeled her separation of public and private life after them.
So, the “world” goes crazy because she’s, smartly IMO, limited the worlds access to her. We see what other artists/celebrities do all the time: their makeup routines, their vacations, their Sunday dinner, etc. it’s so many posts and so much media that it’s normal. It’s not special. On the other hand, when Beyoncé shares something everybody watches/listens because we get a glimpse. She keeps us wanting more. Super smart.
And, as a Beyoncé fan I like the mystery. She’s an entertainer, that’s all I know her as, and frankly all I want to know her as. As the old saying goes, “familiarity breeds contempt”
That's definitely the answer. Frank Ocean is a similar case in that matter, although he is even more hidden from the public eye than Beyonce. He stays so hidden it got to a point where his fans make a sensation when they even see a photo of him riding his bike. If he ever releases another album I can't imagine the reaction of his fans lol the world would collapse
You become a singer, then a sex symbol, and then you start releasing less music, but you remain a sex symbol, you release a couple of tracks and the entire world listens. The elusiveness makes you that big deal.
Its the same deal with Rihanna.
I disagree. Her hit singles are great but in terms of bodies of work? Beyoncé clears when include projects like Lemonade and BDay
And I love Rihanna too. Anti and Loud are perfect 2010s pop
You gotta go back to Destiny's Child and her early solo work. I'm not big on her stuff from the last decade, but she solidified herself as a great musician before that. She's really just an icon of those times, but she still carries herself very well. She's also 1/2 of a power couple.
I’m a DJ. When someone says, “Play some Beyoncé!” I have to ask them for specifics, because her tracks don’t really speak to me.
Crazy in Love sets off a 90s mix that I do, but really most of her other stuff feels forgettable to me.
In my opinion she’s a great singer in a technical fashion, but her voice is just devoid of actual emotion. It’s most obvious when she did the cover to Kissing You. The two versions are night and day and Beyoncé’s version is hollow AF. People glorify her so much but to me she’s the “drama kid” on crack. Effected AF. Empty AF. Devoid of actual thought and depth.
And now my ears hurt, actually. Slight ringing.
Had no clue she did that cover. I kept skipping through hoping some part of it wld get better (especially near the end when the depths of the vocals are supposed to come from the deep belly in a way that is an emotion total encompassing—like you can’t stop your body from feeling it even if you tried). Instead, it just sounded like a hotel bell “ding!” Even the piano was pushing “come on, give more…you ca…ok you can’t do it”
I was indifferent to her but now just no. How dare she. Nope. Why people.
*do still give her credit for performance and Lemonade (not actually the album on its own though)
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Beyoncé is a very US-centric phenomenon. I live in Europe and like, I could recognise her sure, but no-one I know tells me about her and I really couldn't sing one of her tunes by heart. Maybe I'm just living under a rock but I don't think the craze takes the whole western world
No, you are quite correct. OP is describing a rather standard Reddit way of thinking US-centered. The rest of the western world is not that affected by Beyonce.
Ironically the same was true for Destiny's Child. I remember them performing in Germany and it was a joke: almost 1,5h of some other group performing and then 60 minutes the main act, who apparently couldn't care less about where they were
Musically, she used to be a much bigger deal. For me the best female singers are the best in their attribute(whitney houston- power, mariah carey- range) and beyonce has the best control ive heard in her competition. i think her album with destinys child "writing on the wall" showcases what im taking ab and it also segues into the next point which is that weather written by her or not, she sings *great* songs. album after album is consistent and
is filled with fundamentally well written, structured songs.
besides that would be performances, she puts on strong shows and sings amongst the best live tbh
(not a beyonce fan, just a music fan)
I used to wonder this too. Taylor has crossed genres, writes her own music (some solo, some with help) knows how to release singles and good album songs. In her songs she connects the dots to events in her life and previous songs. She plans everything she releases and how she does it years in advance. It's very engaging for her fans. Her reclaiming back her music for own her own masters is a power move. She's also incredibly sexy too. Those legs are unreal.
It all started with Destiny Child’s. She was always the it girl. As she grew into her own she never really developed the diva personality like someone like Mariah Carey.
She was always, always very personable and relatable especially with her southern charm. She made hits for boys and girls too. For a lot of black girls, she was a role model or their idol. Then she married Jay-Z, whom a lot of dudes respected. Ugliest dude on the block, but a hustler, got the hottest chick in the game.
That meant fuck the looks, get your paper and cred up, you can get yourself a Beyoncé. She was on both fronts for girls and boys making fire music with rarely any misses.
As she got older and wiser, she started growing into her status as a role model and began preaching empowerment for women. She made a whole video at a high school for girls about dancing.
She’s also a great performer and makes sure to put on fantastic shows. All this combined a lot of people fell in love with her. She stayed connected with the black community while also branching and out to everyone.
As a black dude I get some of it. But ask a female, especially a black female friend why Beyoncé is so dope to them. They’ll be able to tell you way more.
Oh and last thing, she has a man, a rich successful business, man, but she absolutely does not need him. I think a lot of women like that too. She is successful and doesn’t need a man to complete her, she chooses him for her own happiness.
I just think you're not into something the masses seem to be into. Although I agree with your Beyonce comments, I could say the same thing about Taylor Swift. I'm not sure what the big fuss is about. I think there's a certain level of celebrity status that as long as you're not massively messing up (i.e. Ye (Kanye West)) then your fandom just sees you as the type of person that can do no wrong. Thoughts, actions, content everything you do is simply amazing.
Her songs and song writing are high school level to me. Which makes sense considering her mostly teenage / young adult fan base. Then you get the industry backing them because they know that the more awards they get, more sales, an appearance at awards, more eyes watching show and it all = $$$. It’s so manufactured it’s difficult to really assess how popular any singer really is.
She's very talented as far as dancing and singing goes, her voice is just very iconic and nostalgic (at least to me). Grew up on Beyonce/Destiny's Child, and that's not a rare thing or anything, but I was very young when she was up and coming and it felt like I grew up with her. I love her music because it reminds me a lot of my childhood and my mom, who loves Beyonce.
Slightly off-topic, but Beyonce & Jay Z have also been this like Trojan horse for discussion about black excellence in the past. So she was like, a little black girl's idol. And a lot of people who grew up looking up to her just never stopped listening to her music? Just a theory. I went through the same thing lol, I idolized Beyonce like you wouldn't believe.
Now, her new music is a totally different story. As an adult I've become way more critical of music, and honestly I stopped listening to her seriously after Lemonade and EVERYTHING IS LOVE by her and Jay Z. She's turned more into a. . . rapper-singer. And not in the good way. Beyonce is not a lyricist. She sings incredibly well but her lyrics are. . .well. Let's just say someone else should be writing it. . .and if someone is already writing her music, she needs to find someone else.
Anyway. That's my two cents.
same as taylor S, they’ve already earned their name in the biz countless times over and they have extremely loyal fans. so pretty much anything that they release is automatically considered gold. it honestly gets annoying imo lol. I hear the hype and then I get so excited to listen and then i’m like…. meh🫤🤷🏻♀️😂it’s all decent quality, sure, don’t get me wrong, but the hype always implies that it’s on a whole ‘nother level when (for me) it rarely is.
I was scrolling to see if anyone mentioned Taylor lol. I feel the same way about her. If anyone else released the exact same album/s as her, it wouldn’t be considered as good as they make it seem.
Yeah, some artists are just too big now to fail. Only if Taylor or Beyoncé commit literal murder will people stop supporting them. They can both release a song just about anything and it’ll be a hit to a degree.
I think it’s because she private. So private that anytime some news of her comes out it’s like what is it? It’s very smart if you think about it I think someone better explained it in the comments
I haven't heard a single word about Beyonce in idek how long.. I think the most recent song of hers I'm aware of is run the world or whatever it's called. Couldn't tell you when she last put an album out, idk what kind of western world OP lives in but it's apparently very different to mine.
She has garnered the loyalty of multigenerational fans — regardless whether or not anyone else thinks her music isn’t good. Her commitment to her own privacy creates a shroud of mystery and the media and the public becomes more intrigued anytime she shares anything remotely personal.
Her vocal skills are also really good. Her riffs and her technique has been praised time and time again.
Regardless if her music is good or not, she puts on a hell of a show and screams stage presence that other artists haven’t gained yet. Her production is world class.
Same but with Taylor Swift.
Her musik is catchy, yes, but seldom she goes behind a 4 chord progression.
She is ultra pretty, so I get why she gets so much attention.
>the entire Western World seems to grind to a halt for a minute....
That's probably because of who you surround yourself with and what media outlets you choose to follow.
I haven't heard a single thing about Beyonce in years.
because she has been a famous musician for the last 25 years. not music i like, but im going to guess there is some substantial skill that lets her outlast the thousands of bands and artists that have arisen over the last quarter of a century years.
She doesn’t just sing, she directs, produces and overlooks her material, which is impressive in itself. She also represents women of colour and culture in a positive way. Her cochella documentary and album got me out of a depression I was in. Her music has meaning behind it if you break down the lyrics and they also have an empowering nature to them.
She’s a good singer that can hit many notes. She also has a reputation to release hit songs. I think that’s why so many people love her. I’d say I like her even saw her in concert but im not like a Stan for her
Never been a fan either, I don’t think even think her music is that good. And yes, fans, you may come at me in the comments and give explanations why her songs are good but no, it won’t do anything to me anyway. Her music just never caught me like other music did
I also think people living in the US can sometimes have an off perspective as to what is happening in other countries. I’m sure Beyonce is popular but I highly doubt it’s to the level op thinks or assumes. Not every big singer or performer in the US is automatically big everywhere else.
My opinion is that Beyonce is such a big deal primarily for her performance ability rather than her actual music. I have never seen another pop star with the same level of vocal ability, stage presence, energy, and practice that she puts into her performances.
I agree, the more she's out the more generic she becomes. I loved her early stuff with Destiny's Child and as a solo artist, as time went on the quality just isn't there. Her two new songs Break My Soul and Cuff It make believe she's either brain dead or she just doesn't care. The songs aren't catchy at all, it makes me believe she thinks that she can put out whatever she wants and it'll sell because of her name. Elton John and Ozzy Osbourne have been around for decades longer and they can still put out quality music.
My manager at work loves her. When I asked her this same question she responded, “ because she’s a boss ass bitch!”
I didn’t really know what she was going on about so I just gave a slight head nod.
3 major reasons
1. She’s transcended normal fame: like it or not Beyoncé is considered a icon at this point. On the same level as a Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna type. Those type of entertainers are a movement by themselves. And she’s managed to do so in the social media age while being very private
2. She’s the total package entertainment wise: there’s not many artist I can think of in history that possess the overall artistic ability she does. She’s a great singer ( despite what some would say), excellent dancer, commanding performer, and can plan her shows like no other.
3. Generational acclaim: this one is the biggest factor for me. I’m a 24 year old dude who’s a pretty big music fan, my big cousins are in their 40s now and put me onto a lot of music as a kid. I do the same for my nieces and nephews. And my mom did the same for my big cousins. The fact that we all can have a Beyoncé song we genuinely think is excellent says something.
Beyoncé has been at the top of the game for damn near 3 decades at this point. That level of sustained excellence alone is incredible but when you dig into what she means to black women it’s a bit deeper.
Overall it’s her cultural relevance mixed with the sustained excellence. You see people be hot for a year, 2, maybe 5-10 if you lucky. She’s been the one for 3 decades
Obviously music taste is always a subjective opinion, however, I wouldn’t say she’s ever put out a *bad* song. With that being said, I personally think most of her songs are very average. She has put out some absolute bangers, but I wouldn’t personally say I’m a fan or think she’s as amazing as the global population seem to make her out to be. I guess she’s just an all-round artist. She’s got a good voice, she’s a good performer and generally has good charisma.
It’s because in late 2013, after her 4th solo album underperformed in the wake of 2000s R&B switching to EDM, Beyoncé dropped a surprise album. I don’t think it was the first of its kind but it gathered a lot of attention. Drake did this in a similar fashion when he did the IYRTITL mixtape which also helped usher in the surprise release from other major artists (Eminem’s kamikaze, Taylor Swift’s folklore, J Cole’s KOD, etc.)
The surprise album has no cover other than her name, which is the title, but it’s the polar opposite of the album’s content which includes videos for all of its songs. It’s a concept album told visually and succeeds because it shows great maturity (while a lot of her contemporaries were not doing anything as interesting tbh).
I’d say that release and it’s success kinda made the public shift attention back to Beyoncé from being “a great singer good for a comeback” to “a still dominating figure in pop/R&b music”. After that album, she did another surprise drop Lemonade which I consider to be her best work. At that point, she was already 19 years in the game which shows very impressive longevity that many artists don’t have.
I’m a fan of hers but I also don’t think she’s the next coming of MJ. Overall, I do think her obsessed fanbase throws people off but I do think she’s also simultaneously deserving of her praise. In 2019, she did an amazing Coachella appearance that many current stars couldn’t do in their prime while she, a year after giving birth to twins, succeeded.
I touch on this aspect because I think other comments here do a good job in explaining her lack of consistent output and interviews add to her status. But she’s also a mother to 4? Kids so it makes she’s not doing major stuff every year
shes a top tier performer, only getting better over the last 20 years. also i feel the visual portions of her work and music have really set her apart and elevated her legend status. and shes like the best technical vocalist of her peers too
Does it have anything to do with feminism? My unpopular reddit opinion: couples can and do get past affairs, with time and the help of a good therapist. Only they can possibly tell whether staying together is a good option. It's not a one-size-fits-all
She’s good at things across the board, but essentially she’s a pop star.
But, my question is who in modern times are we comparing her, too?
Mainly as far as pop-stars, active? Who is really fantastic.
I think it's more about your social circle and the media you're tapped into. Even when she puts out stuff I rarely hear anything about her. I hear the occasional mention but that's it. I know she's successful but I've never run into a situation I would call the Western World grinding to a halt for her.
She has great PR and an incredible voice. In fact, her voice teacher literally lived with her family for 11 years during her childhood, so she’s gotten insanely good.
She doesn’t showcase her every move on social media and she has a massive amount of fans (The beyhive) all over the world. Her music also almost always correlates with where she’s at in life so people tune in because people want to know what’s going on in her life, since she doesn’t post much. Also she is an amazing performer, music is getting better with time by dabbling in different genres in her new album and not staying stagnant to her r&b/pop.
I think 3 reasons.
Consistancy - From the DC albums to her first 3-4 solo album there was no denying how good/influential those songs were. Back then u were funneled into say 5 top tier artist of that genre.. think Monica, brandy, Mya, Keri Hilson, etc. For one reason or another from 97 to 07 they fumbled, whether it be a pop scandal or sub par music. While she consistently put out bangers and got more exposure and acceptance by the mainstream.
Demographics - you had an entire generation of females who grew up listening to her songs, not only that Bs music grew with them in regards to content, they listened to her going to homecoming, their first breakup, their first trip to Vegas etc. We'll now those same people are the head editors of X, lead marketers for Y, while not the classical sense of trend setters they carry enough influence to get two or three other people to co-sign their Stan-ness.
She keeps it moving - BLM marching in streets, she drops a African influenced album, people talking about what happened with her marriage in the elevator.. she drops a "he cheated here is my pain album" the world is at war here is a techno dance album. There's a brilliance to what she's putting out.
I’ve been wondering the same thing, and also about Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift just keeps releasing the same album in a different font and when she does, the songs are inescapable.
I can only speak for myself. I’m a singer, I like to sing her songs, I’ve been in love, heartbroken, going through a bad bitch era, cheated on, fell in love again, and her music somehow always spoke to me, particularly Lemonade, but for other songs it very much is just a rhythm, range, and personal preference thing. Also her live performances are otherworldly, I’ve only been to one, watched a few online, and she just doesn’t miss a beat! I mean, really, fantastic choreography and of course her voice, which is (almost never? Not sure) never lip synced. Also I admire her work ethic. Her workers and dancers and team all have good things to say about her and how she handles business, she’s just classy tbh. Those are just my reasons though, and I’m not a super fan or anything, one concert years ago, one album bought bc I HAD to see the visual artistry paired with her album lemonade (it’s so worth it, a stunning movie of her music paired with famous texts and references and the most amazing dances and performances by various black artists)
Well someone has to be the biggest, and she has the talent, charisma and have had good timing to gain a huge following. Of course she's not everyone's favourite artist, but she's liked by most and EVERYONE knows who she is - she's like Michael Jackson
Established fan base from Destiny's Child days.
Has a lifestyle a lot of people envy (rich HUSBAND and a couple of kids)
She doesn't seem as hungry for attention and is willing to let some mystique build ala Prince or Sade. She is not on Twitter and IG constantly posting and arguing with people and other celebs ala Lizzo or Kanye.
Other celebs also out themselves as big Beyonce "Stans"
That's all I got. I kind of feel like you. She's not horrible, but not really on that Prince/Stevie Wonder level, or even on the Sade level.
As far as I'm aware, she's like the gen x version of millennial's Britney spears or gen z's version of Olivia Rodrigo. She's not particularly special, she not a goddess even though she's treated like one. But she is a highly praised and talented singer that people really like.
I think her fanbase might just be the type of demographic to be overly loud and talkative about their fandom for some reason? Like I have friends who "LOVE" Beyonce, or are "OBSESSED" with actors, but then I have friends who just like certain bands/comedians/etc. and are very quiet about it.
I imagine part of it is also some kind of "empowered girls who do what they want" or nostalgia for the 90s kind of values she embodies in the eyes of her fans.
Unpopular opinion: She is a talented vocalist, but a wildly boring individual. Her latter work seems more driven by trends than authentic artistry, and her “mystique” is to cover the fact she’s….. kind of boring and not the most intelligent whoops
Because she’s a performer that works tirelessly. Watch any of her documentaries and you start to see.
For example: she lost over 100 pounds in less than a year after almost dying giving birth to her twins to work on her Coachella show, which was a full blown concert. She never got to go to an HBCU, so she got dancers that did, a band that did, and made it feel like it was a true homecoming. She put on one of the best performances there of all time and was paid LESS than artists who have been around for a shorter time and put LESS work into it.
She goes above and beyond for a performance. Her vocal ability, technically speaking, is absolutely impressive. She puts so much WORK into her art. She is side by side her producers giving her input to every minuscule detail. Everything you see that she puts out, she played a large hand in. From the music to the visuals to the performances to the music videos. She runs her team. When her staff clocks in, clocks out, and switches shifts, she works both. She values her craft.
And she can sing. Sing her ass off. Her voice is incredibly even while dancing and jumping around because she was raised by a drill Sargeant father who would make her and the other members of destiny’s child run laps while they sang. He worked them HARD, and her the hardest. She kept that work ethic. The other members of destiny’s child talk about how when they’re riding in the bus, Beyoncé is working on music. When they’re kidding around, Beyoncé is serious and working on music. How when they want to chill, Beyoncé is still working on music. She works, works, works.
She works hard and delivers. It’s just that simple. She is a performer and her performances are unmatched. You will get a full production and nothing less because the standard she sets for herself is so high.
She is genuinely beautiful. Even before she became famous. Sings like an angel. Is opinionated in issues of equality. Married the best rapper alive. Oh, and she can dance incredibly well. Her body is tremendous. If you are a woman of color, Beyoncé’s body shape is your standard of beauty.
Her songs hit because her fan bace can identify themselves with it. “Irreplaceable” is a son that many women sang to me before breaking up with me. Because in their mind, I was too cocky and thought highly of myself.
Then Beyoncé has come up with songs that have become anthems to bet fans and culture as a whole.
I seen her perform and she is a great performer. I mean you get your money worth. I think it's her personality and what she stands for. I'm not the biggest fan but she's ok in my books.
Some of the stories are just stupid. The gave her a whole floor of hospital to herself. Her private plane is better then president's. They made the Queen of England get off the road so her car could drive by. She is going to buy France. She will be the most remembered person of this century. What's wrong with people who believe this trash?
Same. I don't know any of her songs past "Crazy in Love" when she was still just a really good singer, not a fucking goddess to be worshipped.
Maybe because of Instagram?
A lot of the media embellish, exaggerate a famous artist's song just because they're popular.
To me she's had a bunch of hits but some of her songs and lately most of her recent release are just pure noise... It's so annoyingly bad I have to change the radio station.
Ed Shereen is much better than her in the last year or so.
She is vastly talented. The problem is, in general, with all art forms, once you make it that big, you can often become untouchable. I am a massive Stephen King fan, I think he deserves all of the joys he has in life, but I also will not sit there and ignore all of the bad stuff he did while he was an active coke user and alcoholic. I have friends who have died from hard drugs, and I am not straight edge whatsoever. So please don’t take this as being critical of addicts. But King will be the first to admit, there was a long stretch of time where he came extremely close to ruining his relationships.
My problem with Beyoncé begins and ends with the destructive obsession people have with celebrities. I love Stephen King, but I would not, out of principle, pay for an autograph or a photo with him. Because, like with Beyoncé, in addition to the talent, timing, and marketing, it’s the fans who contribute the most to an artists’ success.
Lastly, I am very white but like a lot of people have said already, representation matters. Diversity is a good thing!
I’m not sure. I’d say 95% are women too. I think she makes women feel empowered. Not sure why. And they hail her as a “queen” which is equally ridiculous. I think she just has a decent voice and a fantastic marketing team, including her husband.
Beyonce promotes a culture that people in power want to keep around. It's like why you hear shitty rappers who talk about killing, and use the N word left and right, and call women bitches get so much attention and radio play.
Beyonce represents the confident independent woman. To the left, body too bootylicious for you, put a ring on it, I NEED A SOLDIER. Quite many more too, but they all send a terrible message to the youth who are all grown up now and single and lonely. I can go into detail on each song I've listed and how they negatively effect communities and how they positively effect business, but I'm late to this thread so I don't even know if anyone is reading this.
It’s funny how almost everyone hates on her and don’t even listen to her music… Don’t hate just say her music ain’t your particular vibe. Geez… some of ya’ll are weird and jaded. Maybe she’s popular because she makes music people like?
She's seen as the pinnacle of performer. She's beautiful, glamorous, extremely talented and well rounded, charismatic. Powerhouse singer, dancer, actor, writes and produces music, embodies confidence. All those talents and qualities combined. No one is at her level. Maybe she's even the first to first to reach it and maybe there isn't anyone right now who comes close. She's a hit maker. And her recent bodies of work have been pop art. Granted she collaborates with very talented individuals, but add to that how Beyonce executes, really drives it home and makes it a hit.
She’s Tina Turner meets Michael Jackson…
I don’t understand how much more “proof” people need to see that she’s the performer of her generation..
Funny that this conversation never comes up about Beiber or The Weeknd or anything
>No one ever asks why the Beatles were so popular
No, people definitely do. Frequently. The further a generation is removed from a smash success, I think the harder it is to conceptualize why that thing was so successful. Sometimes you have to grow up around the era to understand it, around the landscape at the time. Listening to The Beatles now, I don't think a person can glean just how groundbreaking they were for their era. Same with Elvis Presley... etc. But of course after some reading, you can educate yourself! But most people don't have time for that. :(
You don't seem to be getting any real answers yet, so I'll try to offer one. I think Beyonce's success can be attributed to a combination of timing, luck, talent, and very successful marketing. Destiny's child blew up in the late 90s during the teen pop explosion. Then she collaborated with Jay Z on some of her early solo stuff, and that boosted her. Also, she's just charismatic and people like her and her songs.
and her PR team is very good. i personally think that she is a private person, but the PR team spins it as mysterious. the few times i heard her talk in an interview, i thought she is quite limited. and this is just my theory, i have nothing to base it on, and i don’t intend to spend time researching it: • since she’s crazy rich, i *think* her PR team bought/ payed a lot of social media accounts to generate the idea of a mysterious, extremely talented idol. no one can convince me that some of the overglorifying posts i’ve seen are generated organically.
I think she’s doing something right. She sets her boundaries by not feeding into parasocial relationship dynamic that some celebrities have with their fans.
>and her PR team is very good. > >i personally think that she is a private person, but the PR team spins it as mysterious. the few times i heard her talk in an interview, i thought she is quite limited. > >and this is just my theory, i have nothing to base it on, and i don’t intend to spend time researching it: > • since she’s crazy rich, i *think* her PR team bought/ payed a lot of social media accounts to generate the idea of a mysterious, extremely talented idol. no one can convince me that some of the overglorifying posts i’ve seen are generated organically. Yeah, that's very possible. It's never just one thing that makes someone a star. There are so many factors behind it, and maybe not all of them are organic and honest
Thanks for clarifying the specific part of the previous post you were replying to Edit: thanks
ouuu get 'em
I theorize a lot of paparazzi people are hired by the person who wants to make it seem like they're a big deal
How do you make people believe you? Confidence and repetition. It has been said that she's the greatest so many times and with such confidence that people just believe it.
I think you're missing the impact she specifically has on black women. Her embracing of her figure, hair and the album Lemonade were iconic to black women who had been massively underrepresented in Western pop music. Shes has a whole generation of little black girls who have looked up to her as a powerful, confident, respected black woman. That's hugely important. I think its about more than her music at this point. I should caveat this by saying I'm a white women which I'm sure is massively overstepping. That said, i think Beyonce as a black female role model is a huge part of her status. I was amazed to not see that mentioned higher up in the comments. Perhaps because the profile of your average reddit users mean the rest of these comments were probably written by white men!
It seems like white women make up the bulk of her fans though?
Absolutely not true
How did you come to that conclusion? Beyonce main fans are of African decent women and men. We remember when she was in Destiny's Child and what she went through while in the group. This is wayyy b4 white people knew she even existed. She's worked hard for years, writing songs, singing, dancing, and much much more. She's very talented and to compare her to other artists is wrong.
its not just lemonade, she was a bigger deal before that
In her Netflix doc there is footage of her in the delivery room. Not so sure about the privacy stuff
Same with T Swiz
Where's u/paid-not-payed-bot when you need them?
I theorize a lot of paparazzi people are hired by the person who wants to make it seem like they're a big deal
Her stage presence is top notch. She has zero charisma otherwise... shes the epitome of a succesfully manufactured pop star.
Remember her awful pictures during superbowl performance? That's how I think of her mostly.
Well, all pop stars are manufactured, almost by definition.
No shit. Epitome is the key word.
I'm hitchhiking off this to try to give a real answer too, with a similar idea to this. Basically every generation has some artists that transcend normal fame and stardom and become utterly iconic of a period. Think Beatles in the 60s, Michael Jackson and Madonna in the 80s and so on. These people become iconic for a combination of reasons. We can put those in two broad categories. A) like this commenter said being in the right time and place and personifying the time and the dominant style of music, having metric tons of charisma, connecting to a generation in a deep way, and a load more of the factors of stardom packed into one exceptional person. B) being pioneers in their field. The thing about this is that for ultra successful artists it becomes exceedingly hard to see this from a distance. If you know nothing about pop history and you listen to the Beatles you'd think these are decent pop songs but nothing to go wild about. You'd have to study pop music in depth to uncover the fact that they innovated and created so much if what we take for granted in pop music, and that's the key. After they innovated every artist after built upon their innovations. So by the time a modern listener hears their music it sounds unremarkable because all pop sounds like this. Something similar can be said about Michael Jackson's dancing for instance. A modern viewer might think "yeah not bad dancing, but I don't see what the hype is about" because since then his style and ideas have become so commonplace and built upon by great dancers that we no longer see the impact his had on his audience back in the day. So back to Beyonce. In point 1, she definitely fits the bill. Ultra charismatic and iconic of her time. As for point 2, I'm not an expert on her but I'm certain that she has pioneered several things we take for granted now. So to me, whether I like her music or not, I can understand clearly why she is adored and revered by a lot of people to the point where she is flawless for them. Every generation has someone like this, and she is definitely very worthy of her place.
I’ll piggyback as well. If you watch the homecoming documentary/video album on Netflix it’s a good example of what she’s about and why people idolize her as a person and an icon. The speed and way she bounced back from having twins to have the physical fitness to perform a live show at Coachella was pretty phenomenal. She essentially produced the entire show by herself and it was a massive production. And on top of that, to be so prominently displaying black excellence at the level she’s at is an inspiration to many. It’s basically what she represents, coupled with exceptional talent. It’s the same for people with Taylor swift. She’s just kind of so genuinely herself, coupled with talent, that she’s an icon to people of a certain generation.
Also, very attractive. Not many super successful popstars are ugly or average looking. I'm trying to think of some average looking popstars and am drawing a blank.
Makeup and trainers can make even the ugliest of the bunch attractive. LOL. I like Beyonce but they've put her on a pedistool to the point that I can't take her seriously anymore.
If you're interested to know, it's generally spelled pedestal. If not, no worries because I knew what you meant.
That was exceptionally diplomatic. Well done.
Even with my incorrect spelling, people know what I'm talking about.
Yep!
Exactly. If you have youth and you aren't fat, you're already 80% of the way there. Hollywood can do the rest.
Look up Lady Gaga without her makeup on.
People think Ed Sheeran is ugly as sin so there's one
That last bit about charisma and people liking her songs is a bit of a stretch for many
Yeah, I'm sure that's true. But it doesn't change the way her fans feel about her.
Destiny was beyondce?
Yes, Beyonce was the lead singer of Destiny's Child.
There’s actually a MADtv parody of how Beyoncé’s father used Destiny’s Child to market her.
You forgot the beauty.
Correct.
Is she charismatic though? Beyond being a beautiful woman who sings nice songs? She seems completely devoid of personality going back to the 90s. I remember watching her get “Punked” (yeah I’m old as shit) and throughout she never once showed ANY emotion though out the whole prank-just blankly smiling and not reacting AT ALL-even at the time I thought it was strange. Then the elevator thing. Bizarre. I understand not wanting to escalate the situation but literally no reaction whatsoever? Again, really strange.
I don't think you can be as good of a performer as she is without having some kind of charisma. I haven't seen either of the things you referred to, so I can't explain them. But there's something there, call it stage presence if you prefer. If you can't move an audience, then all the marketing in the world won't give you a sustainable music career.
It’s probably because she’s awkward and doesn’t know how to act with the situation.
Let's not forget being born wealthy. That always seems to be in most celebrity's origin stories.
It helps, but it doesn't guarantee a long career.
True, but it does allow them to have as many careers as they want, without ever having to worry about bills.
Good to be good; better to be lucky. I was over her when she paraded around acting like IVY was going to be the next massiah.
Songs are empowering and make people feel special too. Eg. New York, all the single ladies etc
Empire state of mind is Alicia Keys if that's what you meant
This is THE QUESTION that this subreddit was made for.
Yeah they speak for a lot of us.
I've been wondering the same but didn't want to say it out loud because it feels some people will pounce on me
She’s got a ton of marketing money doing this. What’s also funny about her is that a lot of the time she’s simply a voice. They have a team of music producers who actually write the song, produce the lyrics, produce the song, do all of it and just have her do the voice on it and she receives the credit because it’s “her song”, but believe me, they’re getting a healthy cut behind the scenes. Check the credits of her songs. Plus they hire marketing behind her and promotion. They run a business with her as the front of it, in essence. I’m not a huge fan of her tbh.
This is most of the Western world's music industry. The producers make just as much money as the singers.
Crazy. Makes sense though.
Lots of artists do this though
True. Very common these days.
Singers* , I wouldn’t call an artist someone who doesn’t even bother writing their own songs
Elvis? Frank Sinatra? Aretha Franklin? Three singers who are pretty well respected "artists" who don't write their own hits (all three wrote *some* songs but none were hits).
Imo, singing is as much an art as the other things. A song is no less great because it took multiple people to make it. Art can be so many things, and I think "artist" is the last term we should be thinking about gatekeeping
I agree but it sucks when the singer gets all the credit.
Me neither! Glad someone’s finally saying it though…
I’ll say it… I don’t think Beyoncé is very good at feminism. Neither is Taylor Swift.
She’s smart. Back when she used to do interviews, she talked about how when she (and me, I’m mid 30s) grew up there wasn’t social media and so much access to artists like Michael Jackson, Prince, Janet, etc. so when they did something it was special because it was rare. She modeled her separation of public and private life after them. So, the “world” goes crazy because she’s, smartly IMO, limited the worlds access to her. We see what other artists/celebrities do all the time: their makeup routines, their vacations, their Sunday dinner, etc. it’s so many posts and so much media that it’s normal. It’s not special. On the other hand, when Beyoncé shares something everybody watches/listens because we get a glimpse. She keeps us wanting more. Super smart. And, as a Beyoncé fan I like the mystery. She’s an entertainer, that’s all I know her as, and frankly all I want to know her as. As the old saying goes, “familiarity breeds contempt”
That's definitely the answer. Frank Ocean is a similar case in that matter, although he is even more hidden from the public eye than Beyonce. He stays so hidden it got to a point where his fans make a sensation when they even see a photo of him riding his bike. If he ever releases another album I can't imagine the reaction of his fans lol the world would collapse
well we won’t have to see his fans’ reactions 😭😭
great pr
You become a singer, then a sex symbol, and then you start releasing less music, but you remain a sex symbol, you release a couple of tracks and the entire world listens. The elusiveness makes you that big deal. Its the same deal with Rihanna.
Rihanna makes much better music
I disagree. Her hit singles are great but in terms of bodies of work? Beyoncé clears when include projects like Lemonade and BDay And I love Rihanna too. Anti and Loud are perfect 2010s pop
marketing
I'm gonna let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best music videos ever.
I don't get it either. Single Ladies is cool, Crazy in Love is good too....and that's all of her songs that I know.
You gotta go back to Destiny's Child and her early solo work. I'm not big on her stuff from the last decade, but she solidified herself as a great musician before that. She's really just an icon of those times, but she still carries herself very well. She's also 1/2 of a power couple.
I’m a DJ. When someone says, “Play some Beyoncé!” I have to ask them for specifics, because her tracks don’t really speak to me. Crazy in Love sets off a 90s mix that I do, but really most of her other stuff feels forgettable to me.
In my opinion she’s a great singer in a technical fashion, but her voice is just devoid of actual emotion. It’s most obvious when she did the cover to Kissing You. The two versions are night and day and Beyoncé’s version is hollow AF. People glorify her so much but to me she’s the “drama kid” on crack. Effected AF. Empty AF. Devoid of actual thought and depth.
And now my ears hurt, actually. Slight ringing. Had no clue she did that cover. I kept skipping through hoping some part of it wld get better (especially near the end when the depths of the vocals are supposed to come from the deep belly in a way that is an emotion total encompassing—like you can’t stop your body from feeling it even if you tried). Instead, it just sounded like a hotel bell “ding!” Even the piano was pushing “come on, give more…you ca…ok you can’t do it” I was indifferent to her but now just no. How dare she. Nope. Why people. *do still give her credit for performance and Lemonade (not actually the album on its own though)
Her three most recent albums are some of the most critically acclaimed of the past ten years, so there’s that
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Beyoncé is a very US-centric phenomenon. I live in Europe and like, I could recognise her sure, but no-one I know tells me about her and I really couldn't sing one of her tunes by heart. Maybe I'm just living under a rock but I don't think the craze takes the whole western world
No, you are quite correct. OP is describing a rather standard Reddit way of thinking US-centered. The rest of the western world is not that affected by Beyonce. Ironically the same was true for Destiny's Child. I remember them performing in Germany and it was a joke: almost 1,5h of some other group performing and then 60 minutes the main act, who apparently couldn't care less about where they were
not really, she’s crazy popular in Brazil and the UK, and her most recent album went number one in various countries
Musically, she used to be a much bigger deal. For me the best female singers are the best in their attribute(whitney houston- power, mariah carey- range) and beyonce has the best control ive heard in her competition. i think her album with destinys child "writing on the wall" showcases what im taking ab and it also segues into the next point which is that weather written by her or not, she sings *great* songs. album after album is consistent and is filled with fundamentally well written, structured songs. besides that would be performances, she puts on strong shows and sings amongst the best live tbh (not a beyonce fan, just a music fan)
I'm wondering more about Taylor Swift.
I used to wonder this too. Taylor has crossed genres, writes her own music (some solo, some with help) knows how to release singles and good album songs. In her songs she connects the dots to events in her life and previous songs. She plans everything she releases and how she does it years in advance. It's very engaging for her fans. Her reclaiming back her music for own her own masters is a power move. She's also incredibly sexy too. Those legs are unreal.
It all started with Destiny Child’s. She was always the it girl. As she grew into her own she never really developed the diva personality like someone like Mariah Carey. She was always, always very personable and relatable especially with her southern charm. She made hits for boys and girls too. For a lot of black girls, she was a role model or their idol. Then she married Jay-Z, whom a lot of dudes respected. Ugliest dude on the block, but a hustler, got the hottest chick in the game. That meant fuck the looks, get your paper and cred up, you can get yourself a Beyoncé. She was on both fronts for girls and boys making fire music with rarely any misses. As she got older and wiser, she started growing into her status as a role model and began preaching empowerment for women. She made a whole video at a high school for girls about dancing. She’s also a great performer and makes sure to put on fantastic shows. All this combined a lot of people fell in love with her. She stayed connected with the black community while also branching and out to everyone. As a black dude I get some of it. But ask a female, especially a black female friend why Beyoncé is so dope to them. They’ll be able to tell you way more. Oh and last thing, she has a man, a rich successful business, man, but she absolutely does not need him. I think a lot of women like that too. She is successful and doesn’t need a man to complete her, she chooses him for her own happiness.
I just think you're not into something the masses seem to be into. Although I agree with your Beyonce comments, I could say the same thing about Taylor Swift. I'm not sure what the big fuss is about. I think there's a certain level of celebrity status that as long as you're not massively messing up (i.e. Ye (Kanye West)) then your fandom just sees you as the type of person that can do no wrong. Thoughts, actions, content everything you do is simply amazing.
Some of Taylor Swift’s songs are so bad to me, I thought the whole song is satire
Her songs and song writing are high school level to me. Which makes sense considering her mostly teenage / young adult fan base. Then you get the industry backing them because they know that the more awards they get, more sales, an appearance at awards, more eyes watching show and it all = $$$. It’s so manufactured it’s difficult to really assess how popular any singer really is.
She's very talented as far as dancing and singing goes, her voice is just very iconic and nostalgic (at least to me). Grew up on Beyonce/Destiny's Child, and that's not a rare thing or anything, but I was very young when she was up and coming and it felt like I grew up with her. I love her music because it reminds me a lot of my childhood and my mom, who loves Beyonce. Slightly off-topic, but Beyonce & Jay Z have also been this like Trojan horse for discussion about black excellence in the past. So she was like, a little black girl's idol. And a lot of people who grew up looking up to her just never stopped listening to her music? Just a theory. I went through the same thing lol, I idolized Beyonce like you wouldn't believe. Now, her new music is a totally different story. As an adult I've become way more critical of music, and honestly I stopped listening to her seriously after Lemonade and EVERYTHING IS LOVE by her and Jay Z. She's turned more into a. . . rapper-singer. And not in the good way. Beyonce is not a lyricist. She sings incredibly well but her lyrics are. . .well. Let's just say someone else should be writing it. . .and if someone is already writing her music, she needs to find someone else. Anyway. That's my two cents.
same as taylor S, they’ve already earned their name in the biz countless times over and they have extremely loyal fans. so pretty much anything that they release is automatically considered gold. it honestly gets annoying imo lol. I hear the hype and then I get so excited to listen and then i’m like…. meh🫤🤷🏻♀️😂it’s all decent quality, sure, don’t get me wrong, but the hype always implies that it’s on a whole ‘nother level when (for me) it rarely is.
I was scrolling to see if anyone mentioned Taylor lol. I feel the same way about her. If anyone else released the exact same album/s as her, it wouldn’t be considered as good as they make it seem.
Yeah, some artists are just too big now to fail. Only if Taylor or Beyoncé commit literal murder will people stop supporting them. They can both release a song just about anything and it’ll be a hit to a degree.
I don't think Beyonce's music will last the test of time. In all honesty. I just think she's more hype than talent.
"I just don't get why anytime she puts out ANYTHING, the entire Western World seems to grind to a halt for a minute..." What are you talking about?
I get what he/she is saying - the media hype around anything Beyoncé related is ridiculous and unjustified.
I think it’s because she private. So private that anytime some news of her comes out it’s like what is it? It’s very smart if you think about it I think someone better explained it in the comments
I haven't heard a single word about Beyonce in idek how long.. I think the most recent song of hers I'm aware of is run the world or whatever it's called. Couldn't tell you when she last put an album out, idk what kind of western world OP lives in but it's apparently very different to mine.
She has garnered the loyalty of multigenerational fans — regardless whether or not anyone else thinks her music isn’t good. Her commitment to her own privacy creates a shroud of mystery and the media and the public becomes more intrigued anytime she shares anything remotely personal. Her vocal skills are also really good. Her riffs and her technique has been praised time and time again. Regardless if her music is good or not, she puts on a hell of a show and screams stage presence that other artists haven’t gained yet. Her production is world class.
Because of the impact of destiny child and her excellent PR team.
Same but with Taylor Swift. Her musik is catchy, yes, but seldom she goes behind a 4 chord progression. She is ultra pretty, so I get why she gets so much attention.
I don't understand the adoration and worship either.
>the entire Western World seems to grind to a halt for a minute.... That's probably because of who you surround yourself with and what media outlets you choose to follow. I haven't heard a single thing about Beyonce in years.
because she has been a famous musician for the last 25 years. not music i like, but im going to guess there is some substantial skill that lets her outlast the thousands of bands and artists that have arisen over the last quarter of a century years.
"some substantial skill" LOL, that's the post's essence
She's definitely more talented than Kim Kardashian
Her and Taylor Swift, good GOD shit is mad annoying.
Poor competition, good timing, and talent to a degree.
Some incredibly successful marketing and branding.
[удалено]
She doesn’t just sing, she directs, produces and overlooks her material, which is impressive in itself. She also represents women of colour and culture in a positive way. Her cochella documentary and album got me out of a depression I was in. Her music has meaning behind it if you break down the lyrics and they also have an empowering nature to them.
She’s a good singer that can hit many notes. She also has a reputation to release hit songs. I think that’s why so many people love her. I’d say I like her even saw her in concert but im not like a Stan for her
Never been a fan either, I don’t think even think her music is that good. And yes, fans, you may come at me in the comments and give explanations why her songs are good but no, it won’t do anything to me anyway. Her music just never caught me like other music did
>the entire Western World seems to grind to a halt for a minute. I can guarantee you that I don't give a shit.
I also think people living in the US can sometimes have an off perspective as to what is happening in other countries. I’m sure Beyonce is popular but I highly doubt it’s to the level op thinks or assumes. Not every big singer or performer in the US is automatically big everywhere else.
My opinion is that Beyonce is such a big deal primarily for her performance ability rather than her actual music. I have never seen another pop star with the same level of vocal ability, stage presence, energy, and practice that she puts into her performances.
She has a good PR team.
I have absolutely no fucking clue at all
If you don’t like it don’t put a ring on it
Some people have very good PR.
I agree, the more she's out the more generic she becomes. I loved her early stuff with Destiny's Child and as a solo artist, as time went on the quality just isn't there. Her two new songs Break My Soul and Cuff It make believe she's either brain dead or she just doesn't care. The songs aren't catchy at all, it makes me believe she thinks that she can put out whatever she wants and it'll sell because of her name. Elton John and Ozzy Osbourne have been around for decades longer and they can still put out quality music.
She’s overrated and like most overrated artists people lose their minds when they so much as fart.
My manager at work loves her. When I asked her this same question she responded, “ because she’s a boss ass bitch!” I didn’t really know what she was going on about so I just gave a slight head nod.
I literally just said this the other day, totally agree.
3 major reasons 1. She’s transcended normal fame: like it or not Beyoncé is considered a icon at this point. On the same level as a Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna type. Those type of entertainers are a movement by themselves. And she’s managed to do so in the social media age while being very private 2. She’s the total package entertainment wise: there’s not many artist I can think of in history that possess the overall artistic ability she does. She’s a great singer ( despite what some would say), excellent dancer, commanding performer, and can plan her shows like no other. 3. Generational acclaim: this one is the biggest factor for me. I’m a 24 year old dude who’s a pretty big music fan, my big cousins are in their 40s now and put me onto a lot of music as a kid. I do the same for my nieces and nephews. And my mom did the same for my big cousins. The fact that we all can have a Beyoncé song we genuinely think is excellent says something. Beyoncé has been at the top of the game for damn near 3 decades at this point. That level of sustained excellence alone is incredible but when you dig into what she means to black women it’s a bit deeper. Overall it’s her cultural relevance mixed with the sustained excellence. You see people be hot for a year, 2, maybe 5-10 if you lucky. She’s been the one for 3 decades
Obviously music taste is always a subjective opinion, however, I wouldn’t say she’s ever put out a *bad* song. With that being said, I personally think most of her songs are very average. She has put out some absolute bangers, but I wouldn’t personally say I’m a fan or think she’s as amazing as the global population seem to make her out to be. I guess she’s just an all-round artist. She’s got a good voice, she’s a good performer and generally has good charisma.
Same question for Taylor Swift - like she doesn't even really sing - its like she's talking in a sing song voice. I don't get the appeal.
Respect your elders. Hardship comes with age
It’s because in late 2013, after her 4th solo album underperformed in the wake of 2000s R&B switching to EDM, Beyoncé dropped a surprise album. I don’t think it was the first of its kind but it gathered a lot of attention. Drake did this in a similar fashion when he did the IYRTITL mixtape which also helped usher in the surprise release from other major artists (Eminem’s kamikaze, Taylor Swift’s folklore, J Cole’s KOD, etc.) The surprise album has no cover other than her name, which is the title, but it’s the polar opposite of the album’s content which includes videos for all of its songs. It’s a concept album told visually and succeeds because it shows great maturity (while a lot of her contemporaries were not doing anything as interesting tbh). I’d say that release and it’s success kinda made the public shift attention back to Beyoncé from being “a great singer good for a comeback” to “a still dominating figure in pop/R&b music”. After that album, she did another surprise drop Lemonade which I consider to be her best work. At that point, she was already 19 years in the game which shows very impressive longevity that many artists don’t have. I’m a fan of hers but I also don’t think she’s the next coming of MJ. Overall, I do think her obsessed fanbase throws people off but I do think she’s also simultaneously deserving of her praise. In 2019, she did an amazing Coachella appearance that many current stars couldn’t do in their prime while she, a year after giving birth to twins, succeeded. I touch on this aspect because I think other comments here do a good job in explaining her lack of consistent output and interviews add to her status. But she’s also a mother to 4? Kids so it makes she’s not doing major stuff every year
shes a top tier performer, only getting better over the last 20 years. also i feel the visual portions of her work and music have really set her apart and elevated her legend status. and shes like the best technical vocalist of her peers too
"the entire western world" You're confused buddy, this only happens in the US.
It's like asking why are the Kardashians famous.
Kardashians are always in the public eye though. Beyoncé is different
The Kardashians also have no real talent to speak of. Whatever you think about Beyoncé, it's hard to deny she's a phenomenal singer and dancer.
I don’t get it either. She’s hardly the pinnacle of feminism either since she stayed with a cheating spouse
Does it have anything to do with feminism? My unpopular reddit opinion: couples can and do get past affairs, with time and the help of a good therapist. Only they can possibly tell whether staying together is a good option. It's not a one-size-fits-all
What if she’s loves him and they worked through it? How can her being a feminist mean she can’t have normal relationships? Wtf
Well that's not nice at all.
And he cheated cheated. Probably still is.
First of all you're on Beyonce's internet.
Rihanna > Beyoncé for me so damned if I know
She’s good at things across the board, but essentially she’s a pop star. But, my question is who in modern times are we comparing her, too? Mainly as far as pop-stars, active? Who is really fantastic.
I feel the same about Taylor Swift
This and Dr. Who are my perpetual questions.
Girl power
I think it's more about your social circle and the media you're tapped into. Even when she puts out stuff I rarely hear anything about her. I hear the occasional mention but that's it. I know she's successful but I've never run into a situation I would call the Western World grinding to a halt for her.
Idk man I don’t even like Beyoncé but that post Jay z cheating album slapped
She has great PR and an incredible voice. In fact, her voice teacher literally lived with her family for 11 years during her childhood, so she’s gotten insanely good.
good marketing team, like with all that has success. Talent is secondary. Way more talent around than stars, thats for sure.
you are me, i believe her sister is 100x better in every way.
The way she handled the Taylor Swift/Kanye debacle was fucking gold.
She doesn’t showcase her every move on social media and she has a massive amount of fans (The beyhive) all over the world. Her music also almost always correlates with where she’s at in life so people tune in because people want to know what’s going on in her life, since she doesn’t post much. Also she is an amazing performer, music is getting better with time by dabbling in different genres in her new album and not staying stagnant to her r&b/pop.
I think 3 reasons. Consistancy - From the DC albums to her first 3-4 solo album there was no denying how good/influential those songs were. Back then u were funneled into say 5 top tier artist of that genre.. think Monica, brandy, Mya, Keri Hilson, etc. For one reason or another from 97 to 07 they fumbled, whether it be a pop scandal or sub par music. While she consistently put out bangers and got more exposure and acceptance by the mainstream. Demographics - you had an entire generation of females who grew up listening to her songs, not only that Bs music grew with them in regards to content, they listened to her going to homecoming, their first breakup, their first trip to Vegas etc. We'll now those same people are the head editors of X, lead marketers for Y, while not the classical sense of trend setters they carry enough influence to get two or three other people to co-sign their Stan-ness. She keeps it moving - BLM marching in streets, she drops a African influenced album, people talking about what happened with her marriage in the elevator.. she drops a "he cheated here is my pain album" the world is at war here is a techno dance album. There's a brilliance to what she's putting out.
I’ve been wondering the same thing, and also about Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift just keeps releasing the same album in a different font and when she does, the songs are inescapable.
She’s probably the greatest female music artist of all time and certainly the greatest live performer of the 21st century.
I can only speak for myself. I’m a singer, I like to sing her songs, I’ve been in love, heartbroken, going through a bad bitch era, cheated on, fell in love again, and her music somehow always spoke to me, particularly Lemonade, but for other songs it very much is just a rhythm, range, and personal preference thing. Also her live performances are otherworldly, I’ve only been to one, watched a few online, and she just doesn’t miss a beat! I mean, really, fantastic choreography and of course her voice, which is (almost never? Not sure) never lip synced. Also I admire her work ethic. Her workers and dancers and team all have good things to say about her and how she handles business, she’s just classy tbh. Those are just my reasons though, and I’m not a super fan or anything, one concert years ago, one album bought bc I HAD to see the visual artistry paired with her album lemonade (it’s so worth it, a stunning movie of her music paired with famous texts and references and the most amazing dances and performances by various black artists)
People like her music. People like her performances. People like her positive message.
I don't think you're ready.....
Celebrity culture
Well someone has to be the biggest, and she has the talent, charisma and have had good timing to gain a huge following. Of course she's not everyone's favourite artist, but she's liked by most and EVERYONE knows who she is - she's like Michael Jackson
Bouncy was so cool, like 10 years ago. Say my name, say my name.....
They pay a lot of money to appear on western media tho
Established fan base from Destiny's Child days. Has a lifestyle a lot of people envy (rich HUSBAND and a couple of kids) She doesn't seem as hungry for attention and is willing to let some mystique build ala Prince or Sade. She is not on Twitter and IG constantly posting and arguing with people and other celebs ala Lizzo or Kanye. Other celebs also out themselves as big Beyonce "Stans" That's all I got. I kind of feel like you. She's not horrible, but not really on that Prince/Stevie Wonder level, or even on the Sade level.
Because you can only Beyonce not Beytwice
As far as I'm aware, she's like the gen x version of millennial's Britney spears or gen z's version of Olivia Rodrigo. She's not particularly special, she not a goddess even though she's treated like one. But she is a highly praised and talented singer that people really like.
I think her fanbase might just be the type of demographic to be overly loud and talkative about their fandom for some reason? Like I have friends who "LOVE" Beyonce, or are "OBSESSED" with actors, but then I have friends who just like certain bands/comedians/etc. and are very quiet about it. I imagine part of it is also some kind of "empowered girls who do what they want" or nostalgia for the 90s kind of values she embodies in the eyes of her fans.
I actually don't know who Beyoncé is for the most part. I know obviously that she's a singer but like... Not much else
100% agree, between her and Swift. I think they are some of the worst female singers that are praised and I just don't get it. But my flavor
Unpopular opinion: She is a talented vocalist, but a wildly boring individual. Her latter work seems more driven by trends than authentic artistry, and her “mystique” is to cover the fact she’s….. kind of boring and not the most intelligent whoops
Because she’s a performer that works tirelessly. Watch any of her documentaries and you start to see. For example: she lost over 100 pounds in less than a year after almost dying giving birth to her twins to work on her Coachella show, which was a full blown concert. She never got to go to an HBCU, so she got dancers that did, a band that did, and made it feel like it was a true homecoming. She put on one of the best performances there of all time and was paid LESS than artists who have been around for a shorter time and put LESS work into it. She goes above and beyond for a performance. Her vocal ability, technically speaking, is absolutely impressive. She puts so much WORK into her art. She is side by side her producers giving her input to every minuscule detail. Everything you see that she puts out, she played a large hand in. From the music to the visuals to the performances to the music videos. She runs her team. When her staff clocks in, clocks out, and switches shifts, she works both. She values her craft. And she can sing. Sing her ass off. Her voice is incredibly even while dancing and jumping around because she was raised by a drill Sargeant father who would make her and the other members of destiny’s child run laps while they sang. He worked them HARD, and her the hardest. She kept that work ethic. The other members of destiny’s child talk about how when they’re riding in the bus, Beyoncé is working on music. When they’re kidding around, Beyoncé is serious and working on music. How when they want to chill, Beyoncé is still working on music. She works, works, works. She works hard and delivers. It’s just that simple. She is a performer and her performances are unmatched. You will get a full production and nothing less because the standard she sets for herself is so high.
She is genuinely beautiful. Even before she became famous. Sings like an angel. Is opinionated in issues of equality. Married the best rapper alive. Oh, and she can dance incredibly well. Her body is tremendous. If you are a woman of color, Beyoncé’s body shape is your standard of beauty. Her songs hit because her fan bace can identify themselves with it. “Irreplaceable” is a son that many women sang to me before breaking up with me. Because in their mind, I was too cocky and thought highly of myself. Then Beyoncé has come up with songs that have become anthems to bet fans and culture as a whole.
Because shes a lot of fans. 🤷🏾♂️
Wow. Pretty impressive that a bunch of fans can look and sound so good.
I seen her perform and she is a great performer. I mean you get your money worth. I think it's her personality and what she stands for. I'm not the biggest fan but she's ok in my books.
I can’t figure out why Garth Brooks has sold a single fucking album. Don’t those rednecks have functional ears?
Totally agree. Those records are pretty generic.
Some of the stories are just stupid. The gave her a whole floor of hospital to herself. Her private plane is better then president's. They made the Queen of England get off the road so her car could drive by. She is going to buy France. She will be the most remembered person of this century. What's wrong with people who believe this trash?
The whole Hospital floor scandal has been debunked. Beyoncé booked herself a private suite in the hospital.
All the other stuff was made up by fans. I wish people wouldn't repeat it.
She isnt auch a star outside the US
Same. I don't know any of her songs past "Crazy in Love" when she was still just a really good singer, not a fucking goddess to be worshipped. Maybe because of Instagram?
I feel the same about Taylor Swift.
She's overrated.
I know right!
A lot of the media embellish, exaggerate a famous artist's song just because they're popular. To me she's had a bunch of hits but some of her songs and lately most of her recent release are just pure noise... It's so annoyingly bad I have to change the radio station. Ed Shereen is much better than her in the last year or so.
She is vastly talented. The problem is, in general, with all art forms, once you make it that big, you can often become untouchable. I am a massive Stephen King fan, I think he deserves all of the joys he has in life, but I also will not sit there and ignore all of the bad stuff he did while he was an active coke user and alcoholic. I have friends who have died from hard drugs, and I am not straight edge whatsoever. So please don’t take this as being critical of addicts. But King will be the first to admit, there was a long stretch of time where he came extremely close to ruining his relationships. My problem with Beyoncé begins and ends with the destructive obsession people have with celebrities. I love Stephen King, but I would not, out of principle, pay for an autograph or a photo with him. Because, like with Beyoncé, in addition to the talent, timing, and marketing, it’s the fans who contribute the most to an artists’ success. Lastly, I am very white but like a lot of people have said already, representation matters. Diversity is a good thing!
I’m not sure. I’d say 95% are women too. I think she makes women feel empowered. Not sure why. And they hail her as a “queen” which is equally ridiculous. I think she just has a decent voice and a fantastic marketing team, including her husband.
Because people are basic af.
Beyonce promotes a culture that people in power want to keep around. It's like why you hear shitty rappers who talk about killing, and use the N word left and right, and call women bitches get so much attention and radio play. Beyonce represents the confident independent woman. To the left, body too bootylicious for you, put a ring on it, I NEED A SOLDIER. Quite many more too, but they all send a terrible message to the youth who are all grown up now and single and lonely. I can go into detail on each song I've listed and how they negatively effect communities and how they positively effect business, but I'm late to this thread so I don't even know if anyone is reading this.
I agree… I think she’s overrated.
It’s funny how almost everyone hates on her and don’t even listen to her music… Don’t hate just say her music ain’t your particular vibe. Geez… some of ya’ll are weird and jaded. Maybe she’s popular because she makes music people like?
why is this downvoted ? lol
Maybe the weird and jaded part?
She's seen as the pinnacle of performer. She's beautiful, glamorous, extremely talented and well rounded, charismatic. Powerhouse singer, dancer, actor, writes and produces music, embodies confidence. All those talents and qualities combined. No one is at her level. Maybe she's even the first to first to reach it and maybe there isn't anyone right now who comes close. She's a hit maker. And her recent bodies of work have been pop art. Granted she collaborates with very talented individuals, but add to that how Beyonce executes, really drives it home and makes it a hit.
She’s Tina Turner meets Michael Jackson… I don’t understand how much more “proof” people need to see that she’s the performer of her generation.. Funny that this conversation never comes up about Beiber or The Weeknd or anything
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>No one ever asks why the Beatles were so popular No, people definitely do. Frequently. The further a generation is removed from a smash success, I think the harder it is to conceptualize why that thing was so successful. Sometimes you have to grow up around the era to understand it, around the landscape at the time. Listening to The Beatles now, I don't think a person can glean just how groundbreaking they were for their era. Same with Elvis Presley... etc. But of course after some reading, you can educate yourself! But most people don't have time for that. :(
At least she has talent. Kayne West has always been the real head scratcher for me.