''Renaissance'' (also titled as ''Act I: Renaissance'') is the seventh studio album by American singer Beyoncé, released on July 29, 2022, by

Parkwood Entertainment Parkwood Entertainment, LLC is an American management, production, entertainment company and record label founded by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter in 2010. The company began as a production unit for films and videos in 2008. It has offices located i ...

and Columbia Records. Her first solo studio release since ''

Lemonade Lemonade is a sweetened lemon-flavored beverage. There are varieties of lemonade found throughout the world. In North America and South Asia, cloudy still lemonade is the most common variety. There it is traditionally a homemade drink using ...

'' (2016) and the first installment of a trilogy project, Beyoncé wrote and produced the album with Nova Wav,

The-Dream Terius Youngdell Nash (born September 20, 1977), better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. His co-writing credits include songs with "Me Against the Music" (2003) for Britney Spears, " Rid ...

, Symbolyc One,

A. G. Cook Alexander Guy Cook (born 23 August 1990) is an English music producer, singer, songwriter and the head of the UK record label PC Music. Cook released his first solo singles in 2014. He has also collaborated with PC Music artists such as Hannah ...

Honey Dijon Honey Redmond (known professionally as Honey Dijon) is an American DJ, producer, and electronic musician. She was born in Chicago and is based in New York City and Berlin. She has performed at clubs, festivals, art fairs, galleries and fashion ...

, Beam,

Tricky Stewart Christopher Alan "Tricky" Stewart (born January 4, 1974) is an American record producer, record executive, songwriter, and music publisher. In a career spanning over 30 years, Stewart has won 5 Grammys and is responsible for over 50 million rec ...

BloodPop Michael Tucker (born August 15, 1990), known professionally as BloodPop (stylized as BloodPop®), is an American musician, record producer, and songwriter. He has previously used the monikers Blood Diamonds, Blood, and Michael Diamond. He is kn ...

Skrillex Sonny John Moore (born January 15, 1988), known professionally as Skrillex, is an American DJ and music producer. Growing up in Northeast Los Angeles and Northern California, he joined the post-hardcore band From First to Last as the lead si ...

Hit-Boy Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr. (born May 21, 1987), better known by his stage name Hit-Boy, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. In May 2011, he had signed a two-year deal with Kanye West's GOOD Music production branch. ...

No I.D. Ernest Dion Wilson (born June 23, 1971), professionally known as No I.D. (formerly Immenslope), is an American hip hop and R&B producer from Chicago, Illinois. Wilson is also a disc jockey (DJ), music arranger and former rapper, having relea ...

, P2J and various others. Beam, Grace Jones and

Tems Temilade Openiyi (born 11 June 1995), known professionally as Tems, is a Nigerian singer. She rose to prominence after she was featured on Wizkid's 2020 single "Essence," which reached the top ten of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 after the releas ...

appear as guest vocalists. Beyoncé conceived and recorded ''Renaissance'' during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

, seeking to inspire joy and escapism in listeners who had experienced isolation and to celebrate a club era in which marginalized people sought liberation through dance music. With its songs seamlessly arranged like a

DJ mix A DJ mix or DJ mixset is a sequence of musical tracks typically mixed together to appear as one continuous track. DJ mixes are usually performed using a DJ mixer and multiple sounds sources, such as turntables, CD players, digital audio players ...

, the album blends post-

1970s File:1970s decade montage.jpg, Clockwise from top left: U.S. President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office following the Watergate scandal in 1974; The United States was still involved in the Vietnam War ...

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

dance music Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. In terms of performance, the major categories are live dance music and recorded da ...

styles such as disco and house and pays homage to the Black and queer pioneers of those genres. The album's lyrical content explores themes of

escapism Escapism is mental diversion from unpleasant or boring aspects of daily life, typically through activities involving imagination or entertainment. Escapism may be used to occupy one's self away from persistent feelings of depression or gener ...

, hedonism, self-assurance and self-expression. ''Renaissance'' was a commercial success. It debuted at number one on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart, Beyoncé's seventh consecutive album to do so, and is

certified platinum Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...

. It also reached number one in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The lead single "

Break My Soul "Break My Soul" is a single by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé. It was released on June 20, 2022, through Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records as the lead single from Beyoncé's seventh studio album, '' Renaissance'' (2022). T ...

" was released on June 20, 2022, and reached number one on several charts worldwide, including the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The album received widespread acclaim from

music critics Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...

for its eclectic yet cohesive sound, joyous mood, and Beyoncé's vocal performance. The most highly lauded album of 2022, it was named the best album of the year by publications including the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...

'', ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'',

NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...

, ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

'', and ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

''. ''Renaissance'' received a record-breaking nine nominations at the

65th Annual Grammy Awards The 65th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony will be held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 5, 2023. It will recognize the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year, running from October 1, 2021, to September 3 ...

, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and

Record of the Year The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without reg ...

Background and conception

In the latter half of the 2010s, Beyoncé released several critically acclaimed, narrative-driven projects that explored the legacies of Black musicians and artists, including 2016's ''

''; her 2018, HBCU-inspired Coachella performance and the

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...

film and live album that documented it; and 2019's ''

The Lion King ''The Lion King'' is a 1994 American animated musical drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 32nd Disney animated feature film and the fifth produced during the Disney Renaissance ...

'' soundtrack album '' The Gift'' and its visual companion, 2020's ''

Black Is King ''Black Is King'' is a 2020 American musical film and visual album directed, written, and executive produced by American singer Beyoncé. It is a visual companion to the 2019 album '' The Lion King: The Gift'', curated by Beyoncé for ''The Lio ...

''. Beyoncé told British ''Vogue'' that the lockdown due to the

changed her as a person, stating that she has "spent a lot of time focusing on building my legacy and representing my culture the best way I know how. Now, I've decided to give myself permission to focus on my joy." Further, she called this period the most creative time in her life as she sought to escape feelings of isolation by recording new music. As lockdowns began to end, Beyoncé told '' Harper's Bazaar'' that "we are all ready to escape, travel, love, and laugh again. I feel a renaissance emerging, and I want to be part of nurturing that escape in any way possible." Beyoncé sought inspiration in post-1970s Black

and

club culture Clubbing (also known as club culture, related to raving) is the activity of visiting and gathering socially at nightclubs (discotheques, discos or just clubs) and festivals. That includes socializing, listening to music, dancing, drinking alcohol ...

. Beyoncé noted that she was largely introduced to this culture by her "Uncle" Jonny, her

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...

cousin who helped raise her until his death during the AIDS epidemic. Further, she wanted the album to be a celebration of the underappreciated pioneers of dance music, whose contributions had been unrecognized in the mainstream.

Cover artwork

On June 30, 2022, Beyoncé revealed the album's cover art, accompanied by a brief note, on her social media accounts. In the cover image, she is seated atop a "glowing", "

holographic Holography is a technique that enables a wavefront to be recorded and later re-constructed. Holography is best known as a method of generating real three-dimensional images, but it also has a wide range of other applications. In principle, i ...

", "crystal horse" in a "futuristic, centipede-ish bikini". Critics interpreted the equestrian pose as an allusion both to John Collier's 1897 painting ''Lady Godiva'' and to photographs of

Bianca Jagger Bianca Jagger (born Blanca Pérez-Mora Macías; 2 May 1945)

riding a horse into Studio 54. Beyoncé's garment was designed by Nusi Quero and is reminiscent of the crystal top she wore on the 2003 '' Dangerously in Love'' cover. An alternate cover image for the

vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl ...

release features Beyoncé atop the same horse, but "wearing a white cowboy hat with a silver headpiece that hides her hair" and "sparkling silver chains that drape her arms and legs, as white, feathery poofs hang along the body of the horse".

Composition

According to critics, ''Renaissance'' has an "innovative" and "playful" approach to genre, blending and shifting between several styles, primarily various genres of post-

black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

. Described as a dance, house, disco, pop and R&B album, its songs incorporate elements of a wide variety of sub-genres, namely bounce,

Detroit techno Detroit techno is a type of techno music that generally includes the first techno productions by Detroit-based artists during the 1980s and early 1990s. Prominent Detroit techno artists include Juan Atkins, Eddie Fowlkes, Derrick May, Jeff Mil ...

garage A garage is a covered structure built for the purpose of parking, storing, protecting, maintaining, and/or repairing vehicles. Specific applications include: *Garage (residential), a building or part of a building for storing one or more vehicle ...

, Afrobeats,

boogie Boogie is a repetitive, swung note or shuffle rhythm,Burrows, Terry (1995). ''Play Country Guitar'', p.42. Dorling Kindersley Limited, London. . "groove" or pattern used in blues which was originally played on the piano in boogie-woogie mus ...

, funk,

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...

Miami bass Miami bass (booty music or booty bass) is a subgenre of hip hop music that became popular in the 1980s and 1990s. The use of drums from the Roland TR-808, sustained kick drum, heavy bass, raised dance tempos, and frequently sexually explicit ...

psychedelic soul Psychedelic soul (originally called black rock or conflated with psychedelic funk) is a music genre that emerged in the late 1960s and saw Black soul musicians embrace elements of psychedelic rock, including its production techniques, instrument ...

, hip hop,

trap A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research. Trap or TRAP may also refer to: Art and entertainment Films and television * ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...

, gqom, new jack swing,

Jersey club Jersey club (originally called Brick City club) is a style of electronic club music that originated in Newark, New Jersey in the late 2000s. It was pioneered by DJ Tameil and other members of the Brick Bandits crew, who were inspired by Baltim ...

Chicago house Chicago house refers to house music produced during the mid to late 1980s within Chicago. The term is generally used to refer to the first ever house music productions, which were by Chicago-based artists in the 1980s. History and origins Disco ...

, deep house,

electro house Electro house is a genre of electronic dance music characterized by heavy bass and a tempo around 130 beats per minute. The term has been used to describe the music of many ''DJ Mag'' Top 100 DJs, including Benny Benassi, Skrillex, Steve Aok ...

hip house Hip house, also known as rap house or house rap, is a musical genre that mixes elements of house music and hip hop, that originated in both London, United Kingdom and Chicago, United States in the mid to late 1980s. British group the Beatmaster ...

, synth-pop,

hyperpop Hyperpop is a loosely-defined music movement and microgenre that predominantly originated in the United Kingdom during the early-to-mid 2010s. It is characterized by a maximalist or exaggerated take on popular music, and artists within the genr ...

, dancehall, and nu-disco. The tracks are connected by seamless transitions facilitated by beatmatching, evoking a

. This reflects "the shifting moods and the physicality of the dance floor" rather than "the constraints of a radio station or a playlist", according to ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...

'''s Carrie Battan. Some tracks also have unconventional

song structure Song structure is the arrangement of a song, and is a part of the songwriting process. It is typically sectional, which uses repeating forms in songs. Common forms include bar form, 32-bar form, verse–chorus form, ternary form, strophic form, and ...

s, containing multiple

tempo In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...

s and

movements Movement may refer to: Common uses * Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece * Motion, commonly referred to as movement Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * "Movement" (short story), a short story by Nancy Fu ...

. Lyrically, ''Renaissance'' contains themes of

, self-assurance, self-expression, hedonism and pleasure, with Beyoncé inspiring joy and confidence in listeners. According to ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'', it "urg slisteners to wholeheartedly embrace pleasure", particularly referencing joy in Black culture. The album's lyrics emphasize dance as both a measure of personal

catharsis Catharsis (from Greek , , meaning "purification" or "cleansing" or "clarification") is the purification and purgation of emotions through dramatic art, or it may be any extreme emotional state that results in renewal and restoration. In its lite ...

and a liberating spiritual practice. Beyoncé collaborated with, sampled and interpolated several progenitors of dance music on the album, including both mainstream and underground artists. This made the album a celebration of black and queer dance culture, with ''

Vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...

'''s Charlie Harding liking it to "a DJ set curated by house-music pioneers".

Promotion and release

Beyoncé began to tease a new album on June7, 2022, by removing her profile picture from all of her

social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...

platforms. Four days later, the text "What is a B7?" appeared on the homepage of the singer's official website. Fans noticed that the website also had placeholders for her upcoming seventh and eighth studio albums. Beyoncé officially announced the album and released the pre-sale for ''Renaissance'' on her website and digital streaming platforms the following day. After first joining

TikTok TikTok, known in China as Douyin (), is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 15 seconds to 10 minutes. TikTok is an international version o ...

in December 2021, Beyoncé posted her first video, a compilation of people (including American rapper Cardi B) "dancing, vibing, and singing along" to ''Renaissance''s lead single, "Break My Soul", on July 14, 2022. Further, she made her entire catalog available for use on the platform, attracting significant media attention. Two days before the scheduled release, on July 27, the album arrived in retailers in France and eventually leaked onto the Internet. The album was released on July 29, 2022. Upon the album's release, Beyoncé posted a note on her website revealing that ''Renaissance'' is the first part of a three-act project that she recorded over the past three years, during the

. Critics noted that ''Renaissance'' had a more conventional rollout than a number of Beyoncé’s previous albums, which were all surprise releases''. The New York Times'' wrote that the album’s rollout reflected its throwback themes and music, with Beyoncé eschewing an exclusive digital release and instead releasing elaborate vinyl and CD packages''.'' This ushered in a revival of CD sales, according to ''Billboard''.

Singles

On June 20, 2022, Beyoncé announced the album's lead single, "

", would be released at midnight

Eastern Time The Eastern Time Zone (ET) is a time zone encompassing part or all of 23 states in the eastern part of the United States, parts of eastern Canada, the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico, Panama, Colombia, mainland Ecuador, Peru, and a small por ...

on June 21, to coincide with the 2022 summer solstice. The song appeared on music streaming service

Tidal Tidal is the adjectival form of tide. Tidal may also refer to: * ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple * Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim * TidalCycles, a live coding environment for music * Tidal (servic ...

hours early, on June 20, and a lyric video was later released on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...

. On September 21, 2022, it was reported that "Church Girl" would be released as the album's second single; a week later, it was announced that it would be simultaneously released alongside " Cuff It" as the next two singles. "Church Girl" was scheduled to impact rhythmic contemporary radio on October 4, 2022, but the release failed to materialize whereas "Cuff It" was released as the sole second single, being sent to radio in France on September 28, 2022. It impacted

rhythmic Rhythmic may refer to: * Related to rhythm * Rhythmic contemporary, a radio format * Rhythmic adult contemporary, a radio format * Rhythmic gymnastics, a form of gymnastics * Rhythmic (chart) The Rhythmic chart (also called Rhythmic Airplay, and ...

and

urban contemporary Urban contemporary music, also known as urban music, hip hop, urban pop, or just simply urban, is a music radio format. The term was coined by New York radio DJ Frankie Crocker in the early to mid-1970s as a synonym for Black music. Urban conte ...

radio stations in the United States on October 4, 2022.

Visuals

When ''Renaissance'' was first released, Beyoncé stated through a press release that she wanted fans to focus on the music, rather than any

visual components Visual Components is a developer of 3D simulation software for manufacturing. Visual Components software is used for applications including layout planning, production simulation, off-line programming and PLC verification. History Visual Compon ...

, but confirmed that visuals were eventually forthcoming. On August 9, 2022, Beyoncé released a teaser video for the album's opening track, "I'm That Girl", that included a rapid montage of over twenty outfits that news outlets interpreted as previewing the various impending music videos for each track on the album.

Reception

Critics' reviews

''Renaissance'' was met with universal acclaim from

, many of whom praised its cohesive yet eclectic production, joyous nature, vocal performance, and celebration of post-1970s Black dance music. ''Renaissance'' is the most highly lauded album of 2022, topping many critics' year-end lists. On review aggregator

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...

, ''Renaissance'' received a score of 91 out of 100 based on 26 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". On review aggregator AnyDecentMusic?, the album has a rating of 8.6 out of 10 based on 25 reviews. Veteran critic Robert Christgau hailed ''Renaissance'' as "the album of the year" and Beyoncé's "finest album", calling it unconventionally political, "erotically explicit, knowledgeable, and felt", with each song a "shrewdly differentiated pop smash". Characterizing it as a "modern classic" and Beyoncé's most impressive album, '' Exclaim!s Vernon Ayiku wrote that ''Renaissance'' is "the sound of a once-in-a-generation superstar performing at her peak". According to Kyle Denis of '' Billboard'', ''Renaissance'' is an "absolutely stunning body of work", and perhaps Beyoncé's most innovative and

experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when a ...

album with her "most nuanced vocal performances" to date.

Ann Powers Ann K. Powers (born February 4, 1964) is an American writer and pop music critic. She is a music critic for NPR and a contributor at the ''Los Angeles Times'', where she was previously chief pop critic. She has also served as pop critic at ''The ...

described it as "Beyoncé's

Sistine Chapel The Sistine Chapel (; la, Sacellum Sixtinum; it, Cappella Sistina ) is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the pope in Vatican City. Originally known as the ''Cappella Magna'' ('Great Chapel'), the chapel takes its nam ...

", with its "stunning" design and detail, multifaceted nature and "timeless" impact. Describing the album as "intergenerational musical exchange that landed like a cultural comet", '' Okayplayer'''s Robyn Mowatt praised Beyoncé's ability to bring together dance legends (such as Grace Jones and Nile Rogers) with contemporary underground musicians. ''

The Line of Best Fit ''The Line of Best Fit'' is an independent online magazine based in London, concentrating on new music. It publishes independent music reviews, features, interview, and media. Founded by Richard Thane in February 2007 and currently edited by P ...

'' critic David Cobbald described the album as one of Beyoncé's best, noting that it is a departure from her previous work. Cobbald praised the album for celebrating "underappreciated architects" of disco, house and funk music. Music journalist Kate Solomon, writing for '' i,'' dubbed the album a "dazzling tribute to underground and underappreciated Black culture" and a dancefloor record aimed to heal "the pain and anguish" of the COVID-19 pandemic. Melissa Ruggieri described it "a

danceteria Danceteria was a nightclub that operated in New York City from 1979 until 1986 and in the Hamptons until 1995. The club operated in various locations over the years, a total of three in New York City and four in the Hamptons. The most famous locat ...

devoted to hedonism, sex and most importantly self-worth" in ''

USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgi ...

''.

Wesley Morris Wesley Morris (born 1975) is an American film critic and podcast host. He is currently critic-at-large for ''The New York Times'', as well as co-host, with Jenna Wortham, of the ''New York Times'' podcast '' Still Processing.'' Previously, Mor ...

of ''The New York Times'' noted Beyoncé's "galactic" vocal performance, delivery and range. Mikael Wood of the ''

'' called the album "the year's smartest record ndalso its most deep-feeling", praising its rhythms, harmonies and vocals. ''

'' critic Julianne Escobedo Shepherd called it "a challenging, densely-referenced album" that forays into dance and club music more successfully than similar projects by Beyoncé's peers. Marcus Shorter of ''

Consequence Consequence may refer to: * Logical consequence, also known as a ''consequence relation'', or ''entailment'' * In operant conditioning, a result of some behavior * Consequentialism, a theory in philosophy in which the morality of an act is determi ...

'' wrote that ''Renaissance'' is "damn close to perfect" with its "infectious and not overbearing, elegant, but not shallow" songs. John Amen, writing for ''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...

'', complimented the album's contemporaneous production, dubbing it "a

litany Litany, in Christian worship and some forms of Judaic worship, is a form of prayer used in services and processions, and consisting of a number of petitions. The word comes through Latin '' litania'' from Ancient Greek λιτανεία (''lit ...

of samples,

allusion Allusion is a figure of speech, in which an object or circumstance from unrelated context is referred to covertly or indirectly. It is left to the audience to make the direct connection. Where the connection is directly and explicitly stated (as ...

s, and tributes" but with "more style than substance" at times. '' Resident Advisor'''s Kiana Mickles praised Beyoncé's use of experimental production and genres on the album but wrote that it "falls flat" when Beyoncé references queer ballroom culture.

Featured, sampled and interpolated artists

Jamaican singer Grace Jones was featured on the track "Move"; Jones said how she does not usually collaborate with other artists, but agreed to work with Beyoncé because she is "a beautiful person, a beautiful talent" and she attends the same church as Jones' brother. American television personality

Ts Madison Ts Madison Hinton (born October 22, 1977), also known as Maddie, is an American reality television personality, actress, and LGBT activist. With the reality show ''The Ts Madison Experience'', she became the first black trans woman to star in and ...

, whose viral video clip "Bitch, I'm Black" is sampled on "Cozy", expressed gratitude to Beyoncé for allowing her to "let me use my voice" and "let it be known that we are all Black in totality" to a global audience. Other artists who expressed gratitude for being included on ''Renaissance'' include Robin S., whose 1990 house hit " Show Me Love" is credited on lead single "Break My Soul"; Kevin Aviance, whose song "Cunty" is sampled on "Pure/Honey"; and ballroom commentator Kevin JZ Prodigy, whose chants are borrowed from the 2009 DJ

MikeQ Michael Cox, known by the stage name MikeQ, is an American DJ, musician, music producer, and prominent figure in the ballroom community. He is the founder of the record label Qween Beat. In 2020 MikeQ was the DJ for HBO's Legendary. Early life ...

track "Feels Like" on "Pure/Honey". American singer and songwriter

Kelis Kelis Rogers-Mora (; born August 21, 1979), known mononymously as Kelis, is an American singer, songwriter and a professionally trained chef. At age 14, she was admitted to New York's Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Perform ...

' 2003 single " Milkshake" was interpolated on "Energy". Beyoncé sought permission from Pharrell Williams and

Chad Hugo Charles Edward Hugo (born February 24, 1974) is an American record producer, multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter. With close friend Pharrell Williams, he formed the production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom he has prod ...

the Neptunes The Neptunes are an American songwriting and production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provides additional vocals on records and appears in the duo's music videos ...

– the sole writers, producers and rights owners of "Milkshake" – who subsequently cleared the interpolation. Kelis voiced anger about this, claiming that the Neptunes made her sign an exploitative contract and that she should have been notified of the song's use in advance. In response, the interpolation was removed from "Energy". British tabloid '' The Sun'' claimed that English pop duo Right Said Fred said that Beyoncé did not seek permission to interpolate their 1991 single " I'm Too Sexy" on " Alien Superstar". In response, Beyoncé's representative said that the accusation is false, with permission being sought on May 11, 2022 and granted on June 15, and the duo subsequently speaking of their gratitude for being on the album on social media. The song "Heated" was met with criticism online for its use of the word " spaz" in its lyrics, which disability advocates said is an ableist slur. Other users online said that "spaz" has a different meaning in African-American Vernacular English and is synonymous with "freaking out". Beyoncé announced the following day that the word would be removed from the song, with the word soon being replaced with "blast".

Accolades

At the end of 2022, ''Renaissance'' appeared on a number of critics' lists ranking the year's top albums. According to

, it was the most prominently ranked record of 2022, and the album that was listed at number one by the most publications (22 publications).''Renaissance'' was the most nominated album at the

, receiving nine including Album of the Year, Song of the Year and

. This tied Beyoncé with Jay-Z as the most Grammy-nominated artists of all time.

Commercial performance

Upon its release, ''Renaissance'' garnered the record for the most single-day streams for an album by a female artist on

Spotify Spotify (; ) is a proprietary Swedish audio streaming and media services provider founded on 23 April 2006 by Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon. It is one of the largest music streaming service providers, with over 456 million monthly active us ...

in 2022, with over 43 million streams, which was later surpassed by

Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...

's '' Midnights''. Within three months of its release, ''Renaissance'' amassed over 1 billion streams on Spotify.

North America

In the United States, ''Renaissance'' debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, with 332,000

album-equivalent unit The album-equivalent unit, or album equivalent, is a measurement unit in music industry to define the consumption of music that equals the purchase of one album copy. This consumption includes streaming and song downloads in addition to traditio ...

s—the second biggest 2022 album debut by a female artist and the third-biggest overall, after

's '' Midnights'' and Harry Styles's ''

Harry's House ''Harry's House'' is the third studio album by English singer and songwriter Harry Styles, released on 20 May 2022 by Columbia Records and Erskine. The album was largely written and recorded during 2020 and 2021 and has been noted as Styles' ...

''. In doing so, ''Renaissance'' became Beyoncé's seventh consecutive album to debut at number one and the first album released by a woman in 2022 to reach number one. Already the only artist to have her first six albums all debut at number one, she became the first artist whose first seven albums did so as well. ''Renaissance'' received 179.06 million streams in its first week, the eighth-biggest of the year overall, and the most of Beyoncé's career. In terms of traditional album sales, ''Renaissance'' posted the fourth-largest sales week for an album in 2022 with 190,000 albums sold. Additionally, the album sold 26,000 vinyl copies in its debut week. ''Renaissance'' went on to spend its first 14 consecutive weeks within the top 10 of the Billboard 200. In Canada, ''Renaissance'' debuted at number one on the Canadian Albums Chart, becoming Beyoncé's third consecutive album to do so and her fourth number one album overall.

International

By its second day of release, ''Renaissance'' was outselling the rest of the week's top five bestselling albums combined in the UK. The album debuted at number one on the

UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...

, becoming Beyoncé fourth album to do so as a solo act, and her fifth including Destiny's Child. The album also debuted at number one on the

Official Vinyl Albums Chart The Official Vinyl Albums Chart is a weekly record chart in the United Kingdom. It is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC) on behalf of the music industry. It lists the top 40 most popular albums in the vinyl format each week. The chart, al ...

. In Ireland, ''Renaissance'' debuted atop the

Irish Albums Chart The Irish Albums Chart is the Irish music industry standard albums popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association (IRMA). The charts were previously compiled on behalf of IRMA by Chart-Track, and have been compiled by the ...

, becoming Beyoncé's fifth number one album in the country. Simultaneously, "Break My Soul" also peaked at number one on the Irish Singles Chart, allowing Beyoncé to score an Irish Chart Double. In France, ''Renaissance'' debuted at number one on the SNEP albums chart, becoming Beyoncé's first number one album and her fourth top ten album in the country. Previously, ''4'' was Beyoncé's highest-charting album in the country, peaking at number two in 2011. Additionally, the album was the first album by a female artist to top the chart in 2022. In the Netherlands, the album landed atop the Album Top 100, becoming Beyoncé's third consecutive album to reach the summit in the country. The album has so far spent three non-consecutive weeks at number one, following its return to number one in its 11th week on the chart. In Australia, the album debuted at number one on the

Australian Albums Chart The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offici ...

, becoming Beyoncé's third consecutive number-one album in the country after ''Beyoncé'' and ''Lemonade''. Additionally, seven tracks from the album debuted in the top 50. It spent two consecutive weeks at number one, becoming her first album to do so since ''Beyoncé''. ''Renaissance'' debuted at number one on the

New Zealand Albums Chart The Official New Zealand Music Chart ( mi, Te Papa Tātai Waiata Matua o Aotearoa) is the weekly New Zealand top 40 singles and albums charts, issued weekly by Recorded Music NZ (formerly Recording Industry Association of New Zealand). The Music ...

, becoming Beyoncé's second consecutive number one album in the country following 2016's ''Lemonade'', and her seventh top ten album in the country overall.

Impact

Upon release, ''Renaissance'' sparked conversations and essays on the history of dance music and its roots in Black culture. 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 Ronald Michael Carroll is an American DJ, singer, songwriter and producer. He is primarily known in the house music circuit. Carroll has worked with many of house's most famous producers, including E-Smoove, Maurice Joshua and Bob Sinclar. H ...

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 AlunaGeorge are an English electronic music duo from London, consisting of singer-songwriter Aluna Francis and producer George Reid. Career 2009: Formation The duo first met in June 2009, when Reid remixed Francis' band My Toys Like Me's trac ...

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. British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding said that her upcoming album ''

Higher Than Heaven ''Higher Than Heaven'' is the upcoming fifth studio album by English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding, set to be released on 24 March 2023 by Polydor Records. It was preceded by the singles "Easy Lover "Easy Lover" is a song performed by P ...

'' is a dance and house album in the same vein as ''Renaissance'', with Beyoncé taking those genres globally. She later said that ''Renaissance'' restored her faith in pop music after the genre was heading in a bad direction. American singer SZA said that the album was the biggest risk a mainstream artist has taken in recent years. American musician 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." Beyoncé's mention of Telfar and Birkin bags in the closing track "Summer Renaissance" caused searches for both items to surge on

Google Trends Google Trends is a website by Google that analyzes the popularity of top web search query, search queries in Google Search across various regions and languages. The website uses graphs to compare the search volume of different queries over time. ...

and multiple re-sale websites.

Track listing

Notes * indicates a co-producer * indicates an additional producer

Samples and interpolations

Source: ''Billboard'' * "I'm That Girl" ** contains elements of "Still Pimpin", written by

Tommy Wright III Tommy Wright III is an American rapper and hip hop producer. He began rapping in Memphis, Tennessee during the 1990s and is considered to be an early pioneer for fast-paced rap and trap production in South Memphis. Musical career Growing up i ...

and Andrea Summers and performed by Tommy Wright III & Princess Loko. * "Cozy" ** contains an excerpt of "Bitch I'm Black" by

** contains a sample of "Get With U", written by Curtis Alan Jones and performed by

Lidell Townsell Lidell Townsell is a house-music artist from Chicago, Illinois. He originally released numerous singles on the Trax and D.J. International labels. He released one album, ''Harmony'', on Mercury/PolyGram Records as Lidell Townsell in 1992. Two ...

& M.T.F ** contains a sample of "Unique", as performed by Danube Dance featuring Kim Cooper. * "Alien Superstar" ** contains an interpolation of " I'm Too Sexy", written by Rob Manzoli, Richard Fairbrass, and Christopher Fairbrass and performed by Right Said Fred. ** contains a sample of "Moonraker", written by John Michael Cooper and performed by Foremost Poets ** contains a sample of

Barbara Ann Teer Barbara Ann Teer (June 18, 1937 – July 21, 2008) was an American writer, producer, teacher, actress and social visionary. In 1968, she founded Harlem's National Black Theatre, the first revenue-generating black theater arts complex in the U.S. ...

's "Black Theatre" speech ** contains a sample of "Unique", written by Kim Cooper and Peter Rauhofer and performed by Danube Dance. * "Cuff It" ** contains an interpolation of " Ooh La La La", written by Mary Brockert and Allen McGrier and performed by

Teena Marie Mary Christine Brockert (March 5, 1956 – December 26, 2010), known professionally as Teena Marie, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, composer, arranger, and producer. She was known by her childhood nickname Tina before taking the sta ...

. * "Energy" ** contains an interpolation of "Ooh La La La", written by Mary Brockert and Allen McGrier and performed by Teena Marie ** contains a sample of "Explode", written by Freddie Ross and Adam Piggot and performed by

Big Freedia Freddie Ross Jr. (born January 28, 1978), better known by his stage name Big Freedia ( ), is an American rapper and performer known for his work in the New Orleans genre of hip hop called bounce music. Freedia has been credited with helping popu ...

. ** contains an interpolation of " Milkshake", written by Pharrell Williams and

and performed by

(later removed on digital and streaming versions). * "Break My Soul" ** contains elements of " Show Me Love", written by Allen George and Fred McFarlane and performed by Robin S. ** contains a sample of "Explode", written by Freddie Ross and Adam Piggot and performed by Big Freedia. * "Church Girl" ** contains a sample of " Center of Thy Will", written by Elbernita Clark and performed by

The Clark Sisters The Clark Sisters are an American gospel vocal group consisting of five sisters: Jacky Clark Chisholm (born 1948), Denise "Niecy" Clark-Bradford (born 1953), Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark (born 1954), Dorinda Clark-Cole (born 1957), and Karen Cla ...

. ** contains elements and interpolations of "Where They At", written by Jimi Payton, Dion Norman, and Derrick Ordogne and performed by DJ Jimi. ** contains elements and interpolations of "

Think (About It) "Think (About It)" is a funk song recorded by Lyn Collins and released as a single on James Brown's People Records in 1972. The recording was produced by Brown (who also wrote the song) and features instrumental backing from his band The J.B.'s ...

", written by James Brown and performed by

Lyn Collins Gloria Lavern Collins (June 12, 1948 – March 13, 2005), better known as Lyn Collins, was an American soul singer best known for working with James Brown in the 1970s and for the influential 1972 funk single, " Think (About It)". A favorite ...

. ** contains elements of " Drag Rap (Triggerman)", written by Orville Hall and Phillip Price and performed by the Showboys. ** contains a sample of "Mister Magic" written by Ralph MacDonald and William Salter and performed by Grover Washington Jr. * "America Has a Problem" ** contains a sample of "Cocaine", written by Tino McIntosh and Andrell Rogers and performed by Kilo Ali. * "Pure/Honey" ** contains a sample of "Miss Honey", written by Andrew Richardson, Count Maurice, and Moi Renee and performed by Moi Renee. ** contains a sample of "Cunty (Wave Mix)", written by Eric Snead and Jerel Black and performed by Kevin Aviance. ** contains a sample of "Feels Like", written by Michael Cox and Kevin Bellmon and performed by

& Kevin Jz Prodigy. * "Summer Renaissance" ** contains elements and interpolations of "

I Feel Love "I Feel Love" is a song by American singer and songwriter Donna Summer. Produced and co-written by Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, it was recorded for Summer's fifth studio album, ''I Remember Yesterday'' (1977). The album concept was to have ...

" written by Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, and

Pete Bellotte Peter John Bellotte (born 28 August 1943)Ancestry.com. England & Wales, Birth Index: 1916–2005 atabase on-line Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. Original data: General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration Index ...

and performed by Donna Summer.

Credits and personnel

Recording locations

Atlanta, Georgia * Sing Mastering (1–16) * Tree Sound Studios (3, 16) Los Angeles, California * Avenue A Studio West (1–16) * Hardcover (13) *

Henson Recording Studios The Jim Henson Company Lot, formerly A&M Studios, is a studio property located just south of the southeast corner of North La Brea Avenue and Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Originally established by film star Charlie Chaplin, the property served ...

(6, 11) * The Juicy Juicy (1–16) * Kings Landing West (5, 8–12, 15–16) * Nightbird Recording Studios (3) * Parkwood West (1–16) * Record Plant (2, 15) New York City, New York * Trailer East Hampton (1, 3, 5–7, 11–12, 14) North Hollywood, California * Blakeslee Studios (3,15) Ochi Rios, Jamaica * Zak Starkey Studio (10) Westport, Connecticut * Le Crib (3)

Personnel

* Beyoncé – vocals (all tracks), programming (tracks 1, 15), horn (15), vocal production * Beam – vocals (4, 11), drums (5) * Grace Jones – vocals (10) *

– vocals (10) *

– background vocals (1, 11), synthesizer (3, 4, 9), programming (7, 14), drums (13, 15) * Kelman Duran – programming (1, 11) * Stuart White – programming (1), drums (7, 11, 12, 15) * Mike Dean – synthesizer (1–3, 13, 14, 16), drums (13), programming (16) * Nija Charles – background vocals (2) * Chris Penny – keyboards (2, 3), programming (2–4) *

– programming (2–4) * Luke Solomon – programming (2–4) * Dave Giles – vocals (2) * Blu June – background vocals (3, 15) *

Raphael Saadiq Raphael Saadiq (; born Charles Ray Wiggins; May 14, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He rose to fame as a member of the multiplatinum group Tony! Toni! Toné! In addition to his solo and group ...

– bass,

clavichord The clavichord is a stringed rectangular keyboard instrument that was used largely in the Late Middle Ages, through the Renaissance, Baroque and Classical eras. Historically, it was mostly used as a practice instrument and as an aid to compositi ...

, drums, strings (4); horn (15) * Nile Rodgers – guitar (4) * Sheila E. – percussion (4) * Daniel Crawford – piano (4) * Scott Mayo – saxophone (4) * Lemar Guillary – trombone (4) * Jamella Adisa – trumpet (4) * Al Cres – drums (5) *

– drums (5) * Nova Wav – synthesizer (5) *

– vocals (5, 6) *

The Samples The Samples is an American rock band formed in Boulder, Colorado in 1987. The band's name came from the members' early sustenance of food samples from the local grocery store. The music has been described as "reggae influenced rock/pop" and a ...

– choir (6) * Jason White – conductor (6) * Caleb Curry – vocals (6) * Danielle Withers – vocals (6) * Jasmine Patton – vocals (6) * Jorel Quinn – vocals (6) * Kim Johnson – vocals (6) * Kristen Lowe – vocals (6) * Sabrina Claudio – background vocals (8) * Patrick Paige II – bass (8) * Derek Renfroe – guitar (8) * Leven Kali – synthesizer (8), background vocals (9, 16) * Annika Gesteedle-Diamant – background vocals (9) * Ashlee Wingate – background vocals (9) * Kye Young – background vocals (9) * Laylani Gesteedle-Diamant – background vocals (9) * Ari PenSmith – background vocals (10) * Tatiana "Tatu" Matthews – background vocals (11) * Calev – guitar (11) * Cadenza – programming (11) *

– programming (12) * Lil Ju – programming (12) * Jameil Aossey – drums (13) * S1a0 – drums (13) * BAH – programming (13) *

– programming (13, 15), synthesizer (13) *

DIXSON Dixson is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Alice Dixson (born 1969), Filipino American actress, commercial model, and former beauty queen *Hugh Dixson (1841–1926), Australian business man and philanthropist *Hugh Robert Dixso ...

– background vocals (15) * Kenneth Whalum – saxophone (15) * Lee Blaske – strings (15) *

Keyon Harrold Keyon Karim Harrold (born November 18, 1980) is an American jazz trumpeter, vocalist, songwriter, and producer. Early life and family Keyon Harrold was born and raised in Ferguson, Missouri, United States, one of 16 children in a family of musi ...

– trumpet (15) * Colin Leonard – mastering * Stuart White – mixing, recording * Andrea Roberts –

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...

(all tracks), recording (11) * John Cranfield – engineering * Brandon Harding – recording (1, 2, 4–7) * Chi Coney – recording (3–5, 11, 15, 16) * Hotae Alexander Jang – recording (4, 15), engineering assistance (15) * Russell Graham – recording (4) * Steve Rusch – recording (4) * Chris Mclaughlin – recording (6) * Delroy "Phatta" Pottinger – recording (10) * GuiltyBeatz – recording (10) * Jabbar Stevens – recording (13) * Matheus Braz – engineering assistance

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

Notes

References