Cultural impact of Beyoncé



American singer-songwriter Beyoncé (b. 1981) has had a cultural impact through her music, visuals, performances, image, and lifestyle. Her career began in the late 1990s as a member of the American girl group Destiny's Child, and she made her solo debut in 2003. Beyoncé has since become a cultural figure, building a legacy that goes beyond music, often a subject of academic cultural analyses.

Journalists emphasize Beyoncé's "boundary-pushing" artistry, versatility and vocal performances, and consider her one of the greatest entertainers of her generation. Her contributions to music and visual media have made her a prominent popstar of the 2000s and 2010s decades. She has even been described as the most important popular-musician of the 21st century. Several critics have credited Beyoncé's presence and success with empowering African-American woman artists, bringing appreciation of Black culture in popular music, the revitalization of the visual album, popularization of the surprise album, and emphasizing women in music in general.

Debuting during the album era, Beyoncé has allowed herself to traverse through various changes in the music industry. She has used her influence and artistry to address and critique various issues in popular culture, dealing with themes of feminism, sexism, racism, LGBT rights, and woman empowerment. Throughout her career, Beyoncé has attracted contradictory sociocultural attention, with instances of criticism from family organizations, conservative activists, feminists, and religious groups, resulting in boycotts, censorship, and protests. Additionally, her name has been used by the media as a superlative adjective or noun to indicate her impact and popularity.

Vocal
Jody Rosen highlights her tone and timbre as particularly distinctive, describing her voice as "one of the most compelling instruments in popular music". Her vocal abilities have led to her being considered by many as the centerpiece of Destiny's Child. Consequence ranked Beyoncé at number 30 on its list of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time 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".

Rap-singing
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). The sound subsequently began dominating the music industry, revolutionizing both singing in urban music and rapping in pop music. 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. 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."

Music videos and visual albums
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). 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. 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. ''

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. Beyoncé "is almost singlehandedly keeping the art of the music video alive", according to Daniel Kreps of Rolling Stone. Kaitlin Menza of Marie Claire wrote that Beyoncé has revived music videos as an art form.

Genre heterogeneity
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.

Upon release, Renaissance sparked conversations and essays on the history of dance music and its roots in Black culture. 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. 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. 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. 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. She later said that Renaissance restored her faith in pop music after the genre was heading in a bad direction. American singer-songwriter SZA said that the album was the biggest risk a mainstream artist has taken in recent years. 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."

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".

Surprise album
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, Kanye West, Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, and Eminem. The surprising release of Beyoncé caused "hilarious, honest and hysterical" reaction among Beyoncé's fans, and "shock" among other musicians in an effect coined as "Beyoncé Syndrome" by the BBC.

According to data provided by Twitter, the release generated over 1.2 million tweets in twelve hours. 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". Henry Knight for the BBC said "Beyoncé's self-titled album not only proved innovative musically, it rewrote the business model of the industry." 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". 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.

Brands
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. Employees also renamed popular menu items after Beyoncé and call the effect the "Beyoncé Bounce". 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. Forbes described her as not just a global Icon but a magnate whose brand output perseveres in spite of the odds.

Subject of controversies
Beyoncé has been the subject of various protests and boycotts throughout her career. The Beyoncé Experience was scheduled to visit Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on November 1, 2007; however, the show was ultimately canceled due to Malaysia's strict Islam-based laws surrounding the clothing that women in public, and women performers, can wear. Several publications reported that the news followed an uptick in protests by several conservative groups, including the National Union of Malaysian Muslim Students, urging the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage to stop the concert from taking place. Several years later, Beyoncé attempted to return to Malaysia during her I Am... World Tour. She again was met with strong opposition from religious groups in Kuala Lumpur and agreed to tone down some parts of her performance. A spokesperson for the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party stated: "We are against Western sexy performances; we don't think our people need that." He went on saying that Beyoncé should be regarded as a "role model" and an "embodiment of success" because of her philanthropic work, including campaigns against poverty and domestic violence. The Marctensia promoter further told the Associated Press: "We are confident that Beyoncé's concert will once and for all silence international critics and put Malaysia back on track and move up the ranks in presenting A-list international pop concerts in this region and further boost tourism."

Following her performance at the Super Bowl 50 halftime show, where Beyoncé and her dancers wore outfits widely perceived to be reminiscent of the Black Panther Movement, the Fraternal Order of Police said in a statement that it had voted to let its members boycott Beyoncé's upcoming concert at Miami's LoanDepot Park because it believed Beyoncé had used the Super Bowl halftime show "to divide Americans by promoting the Black Panthers." The group called for other law enforcement organizations to boycott her concerts as well. Police unions in Nashville and Tampa later urged officers not to volunteer to work security during Beyoncé's performances in those cities. Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani accused the performance of being anti-police and also criticized Beyoncé's use of Black Power and Black Panther Party symbolism in her dance routine. "This is football, not Hollywood, and I thought it was outrageous that she used it as a platform to attack police officers who are the people who protect her and protect us and keep us alive," he said. There were planned protest outside of the National Football League's headquarters, however, no one showed up. Nine months following her performance at the Super Bowl halftime show, Beyoncé was met with similar opposition and media attention after her performance at the 50th Annual Country Music Association Awards for both the return of the Dixie Chicks to the CMA stage following their controversial statements about George Bush which saw them shut out of the country music industry as well as her appearance in general. Their performance of "Daddy Lessons" from Beyoncé's Lemonade album polarized viewers, artists, and critics alike, with some praising the collaboration, though many country fans claimed Beyoncé did not belong at the event following her alignment with the Black Lives Matter movement and references at the Super Bowl.

Fame and stardom
Beyoncé has commonly been referred to as one of the most famous or most powerful singers in the world by several media publications and popular figures, including Forbes, BBC, and YouGov. Time magazine featured her among a list of 100 women who defined the last century and named her one of the most influential person in the world in 2014. Due to her level of fame, Beyoncé has achieved a near omnipresence in pop culture. She has been referenced in numerous popular TV shows and films over the course of her career. Entertainment Weekly's Alex Suskind noted that her "songs, album rollouts, stage presence, social justice initiatives, and disruptive public relations strategy have influenced the way we've viewed music since 2010." Stephanie Li wrote in Black Camera that Beyoncé's continued impact can be attributed to how she reinvents herself "again and again through record-setting albums, transformative songs and videos, and visionary marketing strategies. Arwa Mahadi of The Guardian described how Beyoncé's projects aren't solely albums but cultural events, adding: "Beyoncé has risen to a rare level of fame where she has surpassed mere celebrity and become an archetype of achievement. In a profile for The New York Times, Jody Rosen wrote: "Beyoncé has become something more than just a superstar, she is a kind of national figurehead, an Entertainer in Chief and Americana. In an article for The Guardian, Tshepo Mokoena asserted that Beyoncé destroyed the idea of performers "just sticking to the music", instead leading a creative revolution that has allowed artists such as Kanye West, Donald Glover and Rihanna to explore new creative avenues and industries.

The Beyoncé Effect
The "Beyoncé Effect" is a term used by cultural critics and fans to describe Beyoncé's influence over market trends after featuring brands in her work. Eboni K. Williams explained for Revolt how Beyoncé "singlehandedly makes trends cool simply by putting her stamp of approval on it", attributing the phenomenon to the fact that the work Beyoncé has put in throughout her career has made it seem like she can do no wrong, "so when she does anything, she's the model of perfection. Beyoncé boosted the popularity of the Louvre after filming the "Apeshit" music video in the museum, with the visitor count increasing by 25% to 10.2 million after the video's release, the highest count for any museum in history.

Feminism
Beyoncé is credited with popularizing the feminist movement and mainstreaming intersectional feminism. Beyoncé was described as the most influential feminist in America by The Washington Post, citing how her form of feminism – which encompasses self-reliance, sexual confidence, representation, and economic empowerment – resonates with younger women. Writing for NPR, Ann Powers said that Beyoncé set the bar for the other women who have achieved success in the music industry, who followed Beyoncé's precedent by integrating messages related to feminism and liberation in their music.

Academic study
Beyoncé's work and career have been the subject of several college and university courses. 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. In 2014, the University of Victoria began offering a course which explored how Beyoncé's music has impacted society. In September 2015, the University of Waterloo began offering a course that explored Beyoncé's influence and impact, focusing on her eponymous 2013 album. 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.

Race and politics
Beyoncé and her blackness have been the subject of various conversations throughout her career, including in her music and films, by music journalists and the media. While reluctant to voice her political beliefs in the early stages of her career, she became an outspoken and influential figure during the late 2000s after publicly aligning herself with the Democratic Party and support of Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Beyoncé has since been called the "most politically divisive" celebrity in the United States and "Black America's great communicator". She has also consistently supported the Black Lives Matter movement, donating millions of dollars to various charities, bailed out several protesters who could not pay their bail following anti-police brutality demonstrations in Baltimore and Ferguson, Missouri, and publicly dedicated her BET Humanitarian Award to the movement. She has used her social media platform and celebrity status to highlight racial injustices on several occasions, including after the murder of George Floyd, issuing an open letter to Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, calling out the lack of arrests in the case of Breonna Taylor, and attending protests after the killing of Trayvon Martin. The latter resulted in a threat made by George Zimmerman, the man who fatally shot Martin.

She has released several songs largely considered to be anthems for the African American community, including "Black Parade", "Freedom", and "Formation". The lattermost dominated public conversation and ignited discussions on the topics of culture, racism, and politics. Several of Beyoncé's songs have since been used as an anthem for various socio-political movements. The song became a Black Lives Matter anthem, being adopted by activists and played at protests worldwide. The song garnered attention for the Black Lives Matter movement and raised awareness for issues facing black people before the 2016 US presidential election. Charles Hughes, professor and director of the Memphis Center at Rhodes College, said that music was one of the strongest influences on the 2016 presidential election and that "Formation" had the greatest influence of all songs. Hughes described the song as "invoking movement" and reminding listeners of the role of women in the Black Lives Matter movement. In Michael Moore in TrumpLand, American filmmaker Michael Moore said that Beyoncé's performance of "Formation" at the Super Bowl was the breaking point of the shifting gender balance in American society, at which straight white men realized they were losing their power to women. Beyoncé is credited with mobilizing the black vote in the 2008 presidential election, contributing to Barack Obama's victory. Beyoncé also mobilized people to vote for Obama during the 2012 presidential election, with Beyoncé acting as a public face for black women, who voted at a higher rate than any other group and were key to Obama's success. Trevor Nelson described Beyoncé mobilization of Americans, particularly marginalized communities, to vote for Obama in the elections as a "game-changer". For the 2020 presidential election, Beyoncé's encouragement to vote was what energized Generation Z the most to vote, with 56% saying it influenced their decision.

"“When I first started, 21 years ago, I was told that it was hard for me to get onto covers of magazines because black people did not sell. Clearly, that has been proven a myth.… It’s important to me that I help open doors for younger artists. There are so many cultural and societal barriers to entry that I like to do what I can to level the playing field, to present a different point of view for people who may feel like their voices don’t matter.”"

In 2018, Beyoncé chose Tyler Mitchell to photograph her Vogue September issue, thereby making Mitchell the first Black photographer to shoot a cover for Vogue in its 126-year history. Additionally, a portrait from this editorial was acquired for the permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

Dictionary
"“The notoriety of the person and their work in France and in the French-speaking area; the permanence of this notoriety; its legitimacy and recognition among the public, critics and their peers; the universality of the work; the accessibility of the content of this work and its availability; and consistency with the values of Petit Larousse, those of excellence, to the promotion of French culture.”" In France, The French encyclopedic dictionary Petit Larousse Illustré has added Beyoncé's name as a proper noun in its 2024 update.

Fashion
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. She became the first non-athlete to cover Sports Illustrated and has appeared on the cover of Vogue four times throughout her career. Tyler Mitchell became the first African-American photographer to shoot a Vogue cover after Beyoncé handpicked him. 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. 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. Beyoncé has also received various awards for her fashion, including the CFDA Fashion Icon Award in 2016.

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. 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 and the "Hottest Female Singer of All Time" by Complex in 2012. In January 2013, GQ placed her on its cover, featuring her atop its "100 Sexiest Women of the 21st Century" list. VH1 listed her at number 1 on its 100 Sexiest Artists list. 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. Beyoncé's fashion in the film made her become the most influential woman in fashion in 2020. The film also helped raise awareness of African fashion worldwide. The film kicked off hair and makeup trends, with stylists and artists around the world creating looks inspired by those in Black Is King.

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. 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.

Influence on other artists
Beyoncé has been cited as an influence by various mainstream artists all over the world. These artists include • Adele,

• Addison Rae,

• Alexandra Burke,

• Alexis Jordan,

• Amber Riley,

• Anitta,

• Ava Max,

• Azealia Banks,

• Bebe Rexha,

• Brandy,

• Bridgit Mendler,

• Britney Spears,

• Camila Cabello,

• Cardi B,

• Christina Aguilera,

• Dua Lipa,

• Dami Im

• Destiny,

• Doja Cat,

• Chris Martin,

• Ciara,

• Demi Lovato,

• Ellie Goulding,

• Faith Hill,

• Fergie,

• Gal Gadot,

• Grimes,

• Gwyneth Paltrow,

• Haim,

• Harry Styles,

• Hayley Williams,

• Hwasa,

• Jazmine Sullivan,

• J Balvin,

• Jess Glynne,

• Jessie J,

• Jessie Ware,

• JoJo,

• Kelly Rowland,

• Kendrick Lamar,

• Kesha,

• Kim Petras,

• Lady Gaga,

• Leona Lewis,

• Little Mix,

• Megan Thee Stallion,

• Meghan Trainor,

• Miley Cyrus,

• Miranda Lambert,

• Nicole Scherzinger,

• Nicki Minaj,

• Ningning,

• Normani,

• Olivia Rodrigo,

• One Direction,

• Reneé Rapp,

• Rihanna,

• Rina Sawayama,

• Rita Ora,

• Rosalía,

• Rosé,

• Sam Smith,

• Selena Gomez,

• Shakira,

• Stormzy,

• SZA,

• Sevyn Streeter,

• Taylor Swift,

• Tinashe,

• Tini Stoessel,

• Tori Kelly,

• Whitney Houston,

• Zara Larsson,

• Zendaya. Many individuals, particularly black woman singers, have received a nickname associated with the name Beyoncé. It is also common for a popular figure to be referred to as the Beyoncé of a specific category or group, often used as a superlative by the media. Such instances include Meghan Markle being called a "wannabe Beyoncé of the UK"

The label became visible in the profile of various performers, to which some of them have responded with mixed comments towards the moniker and comparisons with Beyoncé. Others declared themselves as such or wanted to be the next Beyoncé and the media followed suit. Some artists were planned or slightly promoted as the next Beyoncé or as "Beyoncé's successor" in their debut era by their record label or music journalists, according to some of them or media, including Rihanna and Tinashe.

Various media sources have also labeled popular artists as the "local version" of Beyoncé, such as Ailee and Hwasa being referred to as the "Korean Beyoncé", Nadine Lustre as "Southeast Asia's Beyoncé", Naomi Wang as "China's Beyoncé", Naomi Watanabe as "the Japanese Beyoncé",  and Anitta and Iza as the "Brazilian Beyoncé".

Architecture and sculpture


According to Elenberg Fraser, the Premier Tower's design is reminiscent of Beyoncé's fabric-draped silhouette in the music video for her 2013 song Ghost. In additionally, Beyoncé is represented by numerous wax figures at Madame Tussauds Wax Museums in major cities all over the world, including New York City, Berlin, Singapore, Tokyo, London, Washington, D.C., Amsterdam, Bangkok, Hollywood Sydney, Istanbul, Blackpool, Las Vegas, Orlando, San Francisco, Nashville, Budapest, Vienna, Shanghai and Delhi.

The latest was unveiled by Madame Tussauds New York on July 27, 2023, showcasing Beyoncé's look from her historic 2018 Coachella performance. Debuted at Edge, New York City's highest outdoor sky deck, the figure features Beyoncé in a Balmain bodysuit and Nefertiti-inspired headpiece, commemorating her as the first Black woman to headline the festival. This addition involved extensive collaboration with the original designers, requiring six months to capture Beyoncé's iconic style precisely.