For this assignment I have decided to focus on one of the best-selling recording artists nowadays Beyoncé and the hit single from her third solo studio album “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)”. This song received platinum status 4 times only in the United States (RIAA1) which proves her popularity and commercial success. It was also atop of many charts worldwide for a long time. Even at this time, 3 years after the song was released, it still keeps its popularity and continues to be one of the main empowering theme songs for women all over the world.
Beyoncé is one of the most significant figures in the contemporary RnB and pop music. The number of her hit songs is truly impressive. Her incredible singing, legendary dance moves and captivating beats definitely make her an icon in the music industry. Beyoncé has often stated in her interviews that the main influence on her music was Michael Jackson. She also names such amazing artists as Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Anita Baker, Etta James, Aretha Franklin and Prince among people who left the perceptible imprint in her work. This list is really impressive as it represents some of the greatest artists of all time. So it is not surprising that Beyoncé’s music has an outstanding quality. She is also very good at mixing styles from hip hop, soul and RnB to pop and rock and using a lot of different instruments in her music. This is why every song she makes is different and has a rich flavor.
“Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” is an up-tempo song that is a combination of RnB and dance pop. It also demonstrates some influences of bounce and dancehall as it uses the hand-clap bounce beat. "More than most female singers, Beyoncé understands the funky art of singing rhythmically, and this is a prime example." (Powers) Owing to the highly rhythmical dance beat the song overtook clubs all over the world. The message of the song is highly feminist as many of Beyoncé’s songs are. This made “Single Ladies” a theme song for many women. It is believed to be “an empowerment song for a new generation, much like “Respect” and “I Will Survive.” (Powers) When we talk about the “Single Ladies” song we definitely should mention the official music video that “has become the first major dance craze of both the new millennium and the Internet.” (Powers) A quite simple black-and-white video made the world go crazy with a new dance.
"Single Ladies" is a triple threat – a strong song of female empowerment ("if you liked it then you should have put a ring on it"), a great dance full of sexy moves, and a video that has launched a thousand imitators.” (Crawford) This is why I think that the song will be known even after 25 years from now. Beyoncé has been making a priceless contribution into the music industry with her iconic hits like “Independent Woman”, “Diva”, “Halo”, “Crazy in Love”, “Irreplaceable” and many more. I believe she will keep on working with the same output and that will make her a real icon on the same level with her main influences: Michael Jackson and Tina Turner.
Beyoncé is an extremely talented and hard-working person. She has always delivered 100% not matter what she does: acting, dancing, recording or live performances. Some people call Beyoncé a living legend, a Diana Ross of our time and I will agree with them. She is a voice of the new generation of strong and independent women and she stay dedicated to the message she wants to deliver to the world. She just turned 30 and she has already changed the music industry with her breathtaking live performances, rhythmical and sexy dance moves, outstanding music videos and the incredible number of hit songs. She is also a philanthropist and contributes to the society. “The Observer” named her the artist of the decade “because her achievements chime with bigger narratives.” (Smith) And I think all these features will help her stay on top of the music industry for a much longer time.
Works Cited
Crawford, Trish. “Beyoncé’s Single an Anthem for Women.” thestar.com, 23 Jan. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2011.
Powers, Ann. “A Talent That’s Maturing Nicely.” articles.latimes.com, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2008. Web. 20 Nov. 2011.
Smith, Caspar Llewellyn. “Beyoncé: Artist of the Decade.” guardian.co.uk, 29 Nov. 2009. Web. 20 Nov. 2011.
