Ok, I realize this is probably my “You kids get off my lawn post” but, is it just me or does Beyonce’s music not have any soul. Don’t get me wrong, I think she has a beautiful voice. She has both skill and range, but her music is just well vapid, claptrap. I can’t figure out why this is, or like I said maybe it’s me. My feeling is that It’s not just her either, that this is a trend. What I do know is that I find her Destiny’s Child work much better than say “Single Ladies”.
Her songs were written by dozens of old white men to sell as many records as possible.
They’re catchy though.
Beyonce was profiled a few months ago in Forbes magazine (for the “400 most powerful people in Hollywood” list or something like that.) The one comment that struck me the most was when she was differentiating herself from Britney, Lindsey and the rest of the pretty & young crash & burn crowd. She said “I have worked too hard to ruin the brand that way.”
While it’s commendable that she has discipline and works hard, I found it slightly disturbing that she thought to describe her career, and herself, as a ‘brand.’ She doesn’t describe herself, or appear to think of herself as an ‘artist’ or ‘creative individual’ - She views herself as a packaged commodity, one to be sold and mass-consumed. Granted, there’s been marketing and salesmanship all the way back to Elvis’ days and before, but the best artists tried to inject their music with some new energy & innovation. Beyonce, one of the most popular artists of modern times, seems to have no concern for artistry - she’s too concerned with marketing herself.
Her lyrics sound like they were written by a bunch of angry black women.
I actually really like her songs “Crazy in Love” and “Sweet Dreams”.
So sue me.
I, a white guy, like “If I Were A Boy” best out of all the stuff I’ve heard by her. Which might only be four songs, but still.
Re: the brand thing- it’s all about the Benjamins. Artistic integrity is secondary (or tertiary).
Pitchfork had “Crazy in Love” as one of their top ten songs of the 2000’s. #4 or 5, I believe.
I also really like “Halo.”
Funny, this post was inspired by a conversation me and my son were having where I said what you wrote nearly verbatim.
Strangely, I find that this is what I love and hate about her equally.
First, to the OP, I want to say that I think people see her as R&B, when really, she is pop. Pop music is often souless, so she is right on track ( I happen to love a lot of pop, bigup to Madonna, Britney, Michael, Aaliyah, Janet, etc)
But yeah, I’m cool with her considering herself a ‘brand’. She wants to be a star, not an artist, so that is cool. She gets it, and I like that. I can hate her brand, but not hate her as a person. I am grateful that she gives me that option, because that is how I choose to see all ‘stars’.
Now, I hate it because people like her tend to go on sheer ambition as opposed to talent. I get in trouble for saying this because people think I mean I don’t respect hard work. I do. But I prefer my music stars to have actual raw TALENT. People like Beyonce and Usher; they work super duper hard to polish their brand, and they put so much blood sweat and tears in it that they eventually accomplish a product that one has to admit is pretty damn good. But it isn’t the same as having that certain star quality that makes a star. For some reason, people that are big stars even though they lack that star talent get on my nerves. Yes I know it’s stupid, I don’t care. It’s just show biz.
I actually have the opposite perspective of the OP. I think she’s a terrible singer with catchy music. But I love her despite her flaws.
Pop music today reflects an illiterate, poorly-educated fan base that has the memory of squirrels. That’s why the songs repeat the chorus for over 3/4th’s the song. Just 15 years ago, pop music had incredible depth (well, compared to today,) e.g. TLC.
My thoughts, exactly.
Mary J is R&B. Jill Scott is R&B. Beyonce? Nope.
Most any song is better than “Single Ladies”.
A common complaint within Beyonce’s fanbase is that she has yet to release a solid album that lives up to her talents. I think she’s an amazing singles artist and is mindblowing live.
As for the notion that pop music is somehow dumber now than it was years ago - please. You’ll find just as much dumb music in all eras as you will now, and just as much depth if you know where to look for it. And even if that notion were true, Beyonce is hardly an artist you’d point to as being an example - I think it’s much more likely that people would point to, say, Flo Rida, Black Eyed Peas or David Guetta (all of whom I have no problem with - not all the music I listen to needs to have earth-shattering emotional depth).
It’s a mediocre song with a great video.
She sings??
Never noticed, something must’ve been pulling my senses somewhere else.
Beyonce is good as long as you don’t look any deeper than the surface, because under that, is nothing really. I get the vibe she’s a really boring person.
She’s sexy etc, and flaunts it on tv, but in real life probably doesn’t experiment or do anything remotely exciting as her ‘image’ portrays her as. So whenever I see her do some sexy ass number, it just rings hollow. Worst yet, she falls back on that to distract you from the mundane music she pumps out.
In short words, at least Madonna had a sex book.
Wait - you’re using TLC as an example of a pop act with depth?
Artists have always been packaged. Look at Janet Jackson, until Michael’s death last year she even surpassed him in total chart achivements.
But she has always been totally packaged and designed to sell hits. I recall reading in Varitey and Billboard when she first tried to sell her records and they flopped. Then her “people” said, “Look she can’t compete with artists like Whiteny Houston in terms of voice.” So they developed a package of slick video, good dancing and acceptable vocals. And she just took off.
In terms of chart performance, she is even more successful than her brother.
And this isn’t to be critical of Janet, she is just the best example. There are so many other artists that are exactly the same.
So Beyonce is just another example of something that has been going on since, people could sell a record and most likely way before.
You know, I think you’re on to something. I immediately contrasted her with Whitney Houston, pre-Crack of course, in the conversation I mentioned.