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"Sweet Dreams" is a song recorded by American singer
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
from her third studio album '' I Am... Sasha Fierce'' (2008). Originally titled "Beautiful Nightmare", it leaked online in March 2008. The song was written and produced by Beyoncé,
James Scheffer James Gregory Scheffer (born June 8, 1970), professionally known as Jim Jonsin, is an American record producer, songwriter, businessman and DJ from South Florida. Jonsin has collaborated with numerous artists, including Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland ...
,
Wayne Wilkins Wayne Wilkins is a British record producer, songwriter, record engineer and record mixer. He has produced and written for artists such as Rick Astley ("Cry for Help"), Natasha Bedingfield (" These Words", "Single" and " Love Like This"), Beyon ...
, and
Rico Love Richard Preston Butler Jr. (born December 3, 1982), better known by his stage name Rico Love, is an American record producer, songwriter, singer, and rapper. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, but split his childhood between Milwaukee, Wiscon ...
.
Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
released "Sweet Dreams" as the album's sixth single, to
mainstream radio Contemporary hit radio (also known as CHR, contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format that is common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by ...
and
rhythmic contemporary radio Rhythmic contemporary, also known as Rhythmic Top 40, Rhythmic CHR or rhythmic crossover, is a primarily American music-radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip hop and upbeat R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary never uses ...
playlists in the United States on June 2, 2009, and elsewhere on July 13. It is an
electropop Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
song whose instrumentation includes synthesizers, a keyboard, and
snare drum The snare (or side drum) is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when the head is struck with a drum stick, due to the use of a series of stiff wires held under tension against the lower skin. Snare drums are often used ...
s. Beyoncé employs slinky vocals to sing the lyrics, which describe a romantic relationship that the female protagonist believes could be a dream.
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 ...
praised the beats,
synthpop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s a ...
sound and Beyoncé's vocals in "Sweet Dreams". Some critics noted that the sliding
bassline Bassline (also known as a bass line or bass part) is the term used in many styles of music, such as blues, jazz, funk, Dub music, dub and electronic music, electronic, traditional music, traditional, or classical music for the low-pitched Part ( ...
gave the song a dark quality and resembles the one used in some of
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
's songs on '' Thriller'' (1982). "Sweet Dreams" gained popularity for its electronic style, which contrasts her earlier R&B,
urban Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of people ...
, and releases. The song was nominated for the Viewers Choice Award at the 2010
BET Awards The BET Awards is an American award show that was established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which are presented annua ...
. "Sweet Dreams" peaked at number ten on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Outside of the United States, "Sweet Dreams" topped the charts in New Zealand, and peaked within the top ten of the charts in many countries, including Australia, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Ireland, Slovakia, and the United Kingdom. "Sweet Dreams" was certified platinum in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. The song's accompanying music video was directed by
Adria Petty Adria Petty (born November 28, 1974) is an American director, editor, art director, and artist. She is best known for her music video work with Beyoncé and Regina Spektor. She is the elder daughter of rock musician Tom Petty and his first wi ...
, and was filmed in
Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, New York. It mainly uses a
green screen Chroma key compositing, or chroma keying, is a visual-effects and post-production technique for compositing (layering) two images or video streams together based on colour hues ( chroma range). The technique has been used in many fields to r ...
and effects, making the clip minimal and . The video sees Beyoncé wearing a golden robot suit designed by French fashion designer
Thierry Mugler Manfred Thierry Mugler (; 21 December 1948 – 23 January 2022) was a French fashion designer, creative director and creative adviser of Mugler. In the 1970s, Mugler launched his eponymous fashion house; and quickly rose to prominence in the fo ...
. Critics described it as and noted that she reprised some of the choreography from her 2008 video for " Single Ladies". Beyoncé promoted the song by performing it live at the
2009 MTV Europe Music Awards The MTV Europe Music Awards 2009 took place in Berlin, Germany at the O2 World and Brandenburg Gate on 5 November 2009. The awards ceremony was presented by Katy Perry for a 2nd consecutive year. It was the fourth time that the MTV Europe Music Aw ...
and occasionally during the I Am... World Tour (2009–10). "Sweet Dreams" was recognized as one of the most performed songs of 2009 at the 27th
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
(ASCAP) Pop Music Awards. The song was used in a Cryster Geyser Water Japanese advertisement that featured Beyoncé.


Production and recording

Initially titled "Beautiful Nightmare", "Sweet Dreams" became one of the first songs composed for Beyoncé Knowles' 2008
double album A double album (or double record) is an audio album that spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically either records or compact disc. A double album is usually, though not always, released as such because the recording i ...
''I Am... Sasha Fierce''.
Record producer A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure.Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...
Rico Love regarded writing "Sweet Dreams" with Knowles as "the experience of a lifetime". When Knowles went to the South Beat Studios in
Miami Beach Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It was incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on natural and man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter of which sep ...
, Florida, she was not prepared to record and had to attend the opening concert of her husband tour. However, when she heard a demo of the song, she was impressed and wanted to record it immediately. She sang and recorded “Sweet Dreams” in 15 minutes. Knowles, Wayne Wilkins and Jim Jonsin did some additional writing and produced the song alongside Love at the same studio. Knowles and Love worked on the vocal arrangements; Knowles appreciated Love's
background vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are used ...
in the
hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...
and retained them. Jim Caruana assisted in
recording A record, recording or records may refer to: An item or collection of data Computing * Record (computer science), a data structure ** Record, or row (database), a set of fields in a database related to one entity ** Boot sector or boot record, ...
the music. Love then recorded Knowles' vocals; the recording session lasted for an hour. Lastly, Wilkins mixed the track. "Sweet Dreams" appears on the ''Sasha Fierce'' disc of ''I Am... Sasha Fierce'' as it allowed Knowles to portray her ''
alter ego An alter ego (Latin for "other I", " doppelgänger") means an alternate self, which is believed to be distinct from a person's normal or true original personality. Finding one's alter ego will require finding one's other self, one with a differen ...
'' Sasha Fierce, whom Knowles described as her "fun, more sensual, more aggressive, more outspoken ..and more glamorous side".


Composition and lyrical interpretation

"Sweet Dreams" is an
electropop Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a re ...
song that incorporates elements of
rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
and
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
music. The song is built on undulating electro rhythms and a thumping
beat Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery ( ...
; its
groove Groove or Grooves may refer to: Music * Groove (music) * Groove (drumming) * The Groove (band), an Australian rock/pop band of the 1960s * The Groove (Sirius XM), a US radio station * Groove 101.7FM, a former Perth, Australia, radio station * ...
fits into hip hop phrasing. It is mainly driven by a keyboard and also has guitar, piano,Sheet music for "Sweet Dreams".
EMI Music Publishing EMI Music Publishing Ltd. is a British multinational music publishing company headquartered in London, owned by parent company Sony Corporation of America. In May 2018, Sony Music Publishing agreed to increase its stake in EMI to 90%, pending ...
(2008).
synthesizer,
snare drum The snare (or side drum) is a percussion instrument that produces a sharp staccato sound when the head is struck with a drum stick, due to the use of a series of stiff wires held under tension against the lower skin. Snare drums are often used ...
and
bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...
instrumentation Instrumentation a collective term for measuring instruments that are used for indicating, measuring and recording physical quantities. The term has its origins in the art and science of scientific instrument-making. Instrumentation can refer to ...
. Many music critics noted that several components of "Sweet Dreams" are reminiscent of the songs on
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
's 1982 album '' Thriller''. James Montgomery of
MTV News MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
said that the "gnarly low end" sounds like Jackson's song "
Beat It "Beat It" is a song by American singer Michael Jackson from his sixth studio album, '' Thriller'' (1982). It was written by Jackson and produced by Jackson and Quincy Jones. Jones encouraged Jackson to include a rock song on the album. Jackson l ...
" (1983). Nick Levine of
Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
noted that the electronic
bassline Bassline (also known as a bass line or bass part) is the term used in many styles of music, such as blues, jazz, funk, Dub music, dub and electronic music, electronic, traditional music, traditional, or classical music for the low-pitched Part ( ...
is similar to those used in Jackson's songs " Thriller" (1983) and "
Bad Bad or BAD may refer to: Common meanings *Evil, the opposite of moral good * Erroneous, inaccurate or incorrect * Unhealthy, or counter to well-being * Antagonist, the threat or obstacle of moral good Acronyms * BAD-2, a Soviet armored troll ...
" (1987). Arielle Castillo of the ''
Miami New Times The ''Miami New Times'' is a newspaper published in Miami, Florida, United States, and distributed every Thursday. It primarily serves the Miami area and is headquartered in Miami's Wynwood Art District. Overview It was acquired by Village Voic ...
'' noted that Jackson could use the beat of "Sweet Dreams" to bring up to date his style. The lyrics of "Sweet Dreams" are about a female protagonist who has some insecurities about her new romantic relationship; she is confused about whether her relationship with her partner is a "sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare". The song starts with a bassline, which is occasionally interrupted by spare snare kicks, drum fills and Knowles' chanting, "Turn the lights on". She then adopts slinky vocals to begin the first
verse Verse may refer to: Poetry * Verse, an occasional synonym for poetry * Verse, a metrical structure, a stanza * Blank verse, a type of poetry having regular meter but no rhyme * Free verse, a type of poetry written without the use of strict me ...
. The
chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
then starts with the line, "You can be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare / Either way, I don't wanna wake up from you". The song is written in the key of
E-flat minor E-flat minor is a minor scale based on E, consisting of the pitches E, F, G, A, B, C, and D. Its key signature consists of six flats. Its relative key is G-flat major (or enharmonically F-sharp major) and its parallel key is E-flat major. I ...
with a
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 (often ...
of 122 beats per minute. Beyoncé's vocals span from D♭4 to E5 in the song.


Leak and release

"Sweet Dreams" was
leaked A leak is a way (usually an opening) for fluid to escape a container or fluid-containing system, such as a tank or a ship's hull, through which the contents of the container can escape or outside matter can enter the container. Leaks are usuall ...
under its original title the day after it was recorded in March 2008, eight months before the album's release. It was the first time that a song by Knowles was leaked before its inclusion on an upcoming album. She responded to the leak on her official website, thanking her fans for the positive response towards the song, before clarifying that it was just a work in progress and that she did not intend to release new material in the near future. About the leak, Love told MTV News:
I was more concerned that eyoncéwould feel that we did it. A lot of times producers or songwriters leak records because they feel if you put the song out there it would go n to become a hit Usually a leak that far in advance of an album release puts the song in serious jeopardy of being excluded from the final track list. It was frustrating. I felt like you work hard to get in the studio to work with Beyoncé. utI was blessed ... that song turned out ohave nine lives.
Under the song's original title "Beautiful Nightmare", "Sweet Dreams" gained some attention in the United States, where it amassed enough airplay to chart at number on
Hot Dance Club Songs Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...
chart and at number on Pop 100 Airplay chart. "
Broken-Hearted Girl "Broken-Hearted Girl" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her third studio album '' I Am... Sasha Fierce'' (2008). Written by Beyoncé, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, and production duo Stargate, it was initially a classic rhythm a ...
" was initially intended as the sixth US and fourth international single alongside the stateside-only single "
Ego Ego or EGO may refer to: Social sciences * Ego (Freudian), one of the three constructs in Sigmund Freud's structural model of the psyche * Egoism, an ethical theory that treats self-interest as the foundation of morality * Egotism, the drive to ...
" (2009). However, its release was scrapped at the last minute, and replaced by "Sweet Dreams", which Knowles selected for a summer single release because she wanted a dance song. She added, "It's very rare to find an uptempo song ..that's not just about going to a club or partying or being a sexy girl". "Sweet Dreams" was added to US
contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio (also known as CHR, contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format that is common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by ...
and
rhythmic contemporary radio Rhythmic contemporary, also known as Rhythmic Top 40, Rhythmic CHR or rhythmic crossover, is a primarily American music-radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip hop and upbeat R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary never uses ...
playlists on June 2, 2009.
Dance remix A remix (or reorchestration) is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, video, poem, or photograph can all be remixes. The o ...
es of the song alongside the album version of "Ego" and its remixes were later released on the same digital EP on August 17, 2009, in the US.


Critical reception


Reviews

"Sweet Dreams" was acclaimed by critics, some of whom praised its dark tone and electropop sound that is different from Knowles' previous work. James Montgomery of MTV News wrote that Knowles' vocals, which he called, "icy and cool, slippery like mercury ndnothing to scoff at either", help make the song an "undeniable smash" that is unique compared to the work of other artists. Jennifer Vineyard of the same publication argued that the rock elements and smooth vocals contribute to Knowles' "fierce" alter ego, who "dares the listener to dream of her, warning that it might be a 'beautiful nightmare'." Arielle Castillo of ''Miami New Times'' noted that "Sweet Dreams" is another one of Jim Jonsin's productions with a keyboard-propelled arrangement, but unlike the material Jonsin crafted for
Soulja Boy DeAndre Cortez Way (born July 28, 1990), known professionally as Soulja Boy (formerly Soulja Boy Tell 'Em), is an American rapper and record producer. He rose to prominence, after his self published debut single "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" peake ...
, the song is "swirling, and darker". Joey Guerra of the ''
Houston Chronicle The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
'' and Gary Trust of ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' magazine agreed and said the song is one of Knowles' purest dance songs and is "an irresistible call to the dance floor". Describing "Sweet Dreams" as a "cool dance track", Dennis Amith of complimented its arrangement, calling it "experimental" with "cool transitions". Adam Mazmanian of ''
The Washington Times ''The Washington Times'' is an American conservative daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., that covers general interest topics with a particular emphasis on national politics. Its broadsheet daily edition is distributed throughout ...
'' described the song as "a gritty slow grind with a salacious bassline" and noted that Knowles "delivers a near parody of a voice" while singing the chorus. Ryan Dombal of
Pitchfork Media ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music publication (currently owned by Condé Nast) that was launched in 1995 by writer Ryan Schreiber as an independent music blog. Schreiber started Pitchfork while working ...
wrote that "Sweet Dreams" sounds like a song
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
would sing. Echoing Dombal's sentiments, Nick Levine of
Digital Spy Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
wrote that the best song on the ''Sasha Fierce'' disc is a "dark shelectropop track called 'Sweet Dreams',
hich Ij ( fa, ايج, also Romanized as Īj; also known as Hich and Īch) is a village in Golabar Rural District, in the Central District of Ijrud County, Zanjan Province, Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also ...
actually sounds like the cousin of Rihanna's ' Disturbia'". On a separate review for the single, Levine awarded "Sweet Dreams" a rating of four stars out of five, and commented that the song seduces listeners with its catchy chorus hook, and thereafter keeps them intrigued by "placing a hint of darkness just beneath the shiny, synthy surface". Spence D. of
IGN Music ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
wrote that though "Sweet Dreams" is not a "stellar track", it is superior to other album tracks, including "
Diva Diva (; ) is the Latin word for a goddess. It has often been used to refer to a celebrated woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, theatre, cinema, fashion and popular music. If referring to an actress, the meaning of ''diva'' is clo ...
" and "
Radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...
". Similarly, Vicki Lutas of
BBC Music BBC Music is responsible for the music played across the BBC. The current director of music is Bob Shennan, who is also the controller of BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 Music, and the BBC Asian Network. Officially it is a part of the BBC's Radio o ...
wrote that even though "Sweet Dreams" appears to lack something, it is undeniably a good song overall. She added that "Sweet Dreams" may not be Knowles' finest or most memorable work, but it remains her best offering since her 2003 song "
Crazy in Love "Crazy in Love" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé, featuring a rap verse and ad-libs from her future husband Jay-Z from her debut solo studio album '' Dangerously in Love'' (2003). The song was released as her official debut single ...
". Lutas also commended Knowles' vocal delivery, which he described as "beautiful and soft, yet strong and powerful". Talia Kraines of the same publication wrote that "Sweet Dreams" is one of the standout tracks on the ''Sasha Fierce'' disc though she believed Knowles did not get as experimental as she did on her 2006 song "
Ring the Alarm "Ring the Alarm" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her second studio album, ''B'Day'' (2006). It was written by Knowles, Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean, and Sean Garrett. Columbia Records released "Ring the Alarm" as the second si ...
".


Recognition and accolades

"Sweet Dreams" earned Knowles the Best Female Vocal accolade at the 2009 Music MP3 Awards. It was nominated for Best R&B/Urban Dance Track at the 25th Annual International Dance Music Awards, but lost to the
Black Eyed Peas Black Eyed Peas (also known as The Black Eyed Peas) is an American musical group consisting of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo (rapper), Taboo. The group's line-up during the height of their popularity in the 2000s featured Fergie (singer ...
's 2009 song "
I Gotta Feeling "I Gotta Feeling" is a song recorded by American group the Black Eyed Peas for their fifth studio album ''The E.N.D.'' (2009). It was written by the group members with the song's producers David Guetta and Frédéric Riesterer. The song was rel ...
". It was also nominated for the Viewers Choice Award at the 2010
BET Awards The BET Awards is an American award show that was established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which are presented annua ...
. The
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
(ASCAP) recognized "Sweet Dreams" as one of the most performed songs of 2009 at the 27th ASCAP Pop Music Awards. On the occasion of Knowles' thirtieth birthday, Erika Ramirez and Jason Lipshutz of ''Billboard'' magazine ranked the song at number 21 on their list of Knowles' 30 biggest ''Billboard'' hits, and noted that its electropop sound, which was in contrast to Knowles' previous singles, showcased her range of talent. On ''The Village Voice''s 2009
Pazz & Jop Pazz & Jop was an annual poll of top musical releases, compiled by American newspaper ''The Village Voice'' and created by music critic Robert Christgau. It published lists of the year's top releases for 1971 and, after Christgau's two-year abse ...
singles list, "Sweet Dreams" was ranked at number 115. In 2013, John Boone and Jennifer Cady of
E! Online E! (an initialism for Entertainment Television) is an American basic cable channel which primarily focuses on pop culture, celebrity focused reality shows, and movies, owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of NBCUniversa ...
placed the song at number five on their list of ten best Knowles' songs, writing that Knowles "stepped away from R&B roots with this surreal electropop tune, which features these standout lyrics: 'My guilty pleasure, I ain't going nowhere / As long as you're here, I'll be floating on air' (which, from Bey's mouth, sounds like the greatest threat ever)".


Chart performance

"Sweet Dreams" debuted at number 97 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart issue dated August 8, 2009. It peaked at number ten for two non-consecutive weeks on the charts issued dated November 7 and 21, 2009. The song became Knowles' thirteenth top ten Hot 100 single as a solo artist during the 2000s, and tied her with
Ludacris Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...
and for second-most top tens on the chart since 2000; Knowles' husband
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
lead with fourteen in that period. Knowles' is the third song titled "Sweet Dreams" to reach the top ten of the Hot 100 chart, following " Sweet Dreams" by
Air Supply Air Supply is a soft rock duo formed in Melbourne, Australia, in 1975. It consists of Englishman Graham Russell (vocals, guitar) and Australian Russell Hitchcock (vocals). They had a succession of hits worldwide, including eight top-five hit ...
in 1982 and "
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" is a song by British new wave music duo Eurythmics. It is the title track of their album of the same name (1983) and was released as the fourth and final single from the album in early 1983. The song became t ...
" by
Eurythmics Eurythmics were a British pop duo consisting of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart. They were both previously in The Tourists, a band which broke up in 1980. The duo released their first studio album, '' In the Garden'', in 1981 to little succ ...
in 1983. For the week ending September 12, 2009, it topped the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart; it became Knowles' eleventh number-one song, and was the fourth song from ''I Am... Sasha Fierce'' to top that chart. "Sweet Dreams" tied Knowles with
Kristine W Kristine Elizabeth Weitz, widely known by her stage name Kristine W, is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and entrepreneur. She is most widely known as a Electronic dance music, dance music artist. Born and raised in Pasco, W ...
for second-most number one songs on the Hot Dance Club Songs during the 2000s. "Sweet Dreams" was certified platinum by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA), denoting sales of one million digital copies. As of October 2012, it had sold 1,691,000 digital downloads in the US. In the United Kingdom, "Sweet Dreams" debuted at number 52 on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
on July 18, 2009. It peaked at number five on the UK Singles Chart on August 9, 2009 for three consecutive weeks, and became Knowles' eighth top ten single in Britain as a solo artist. In Australia, the song peaked at number two on the
ARIA Singles 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 ...
on August 9, 2009. The song spent 38 consecutive weeks on the ARIA Singles Chart, where it last charted on March 1, 2010; it was certified 3× platinum by the
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing th ...
(ARIA) for shipping 210,000 copies.


Music video


Background and concept

The accompanying music video for "Sweet Dreams" was directed by
Adria Petty Adria Petty (born November 28, 1974) is an American director, editor, art director, and artist. She is best known for her music video work with Beyoncé and Regina Spektor. She is the elder daughter of rock musician Tom Petty and his first wi ...
, whom Knowles chose because of her intelligence and beautiful visual references. After Knowles learned the choreography in Los Angeles, the video was shot in a studio in
Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
, New York City. It was the seventh video from the album, and the second to have complete color, being "
Halo Halo, halos or haloes usually refer to: * Halo (optical phenomenon) * Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head HALO, halo, halos or haloes may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Video games * ''Halo'' (franch ...
" the first. Knowles described it as more "graphic" when compared to the previous six videos, and commented it took "Sasha ierceto the next level". In the video, Fierce is symbolized by the golden robot suit she wears; it was designed by French fashion designer
Thierry Mugler Manfred Thierry Mugler (; 21 December 1948 – 23 January 2022) was a French fashion designer, creative director and creative adviser of Mugler. In the 1970s, Mugler launched his eponymous fashion house; and quickly rose to prominence in the fo ...
. A and (CGI) were used for the video to create a minimal and performance-based clip. The CGI was employed to create a context-less void, as the background was deleted and a void-like digital canvas was created for the dance routine that is executed by Knowles and her dancers Saidah Nairobi and
Ashley Everett Ashley Chrisha Marie Everett (born April 19, 1989) is an American dancer and actress. She is best known as lead backup dancer and dance captain for Beyoncé, and has worked with such artists as Usher, Jennifer Lopez, Ne-Yo, Tina Turner, Ciara, S ...
, who all sport numerous flashy and symmetrical costumes throughout the video. Accordingly, there were no concerns of cutting as the images were merged into one another using computers. A high number of camera lens glare effects was used in the video, part of which was inspired by British designer
Gareth Pugh Gareth Pugh (born 31 August 1981) is an English fashion designer"Gareth Pugh: Fashion Designer."
's Autumn/Winter 2009 video presentation. Knowles further commented about the fashion and choreography:
The fashion was extremely important in this video because everything was so minimal ... With the choreography, we really focused on hitting all of the accents in the drum beat. What makes this choreography so interesting is that in one instance, it is very
staccato Staccato (; Italian for "detached") is a form of musical articulation. In modern notation, it signifies a note of shortened duration, separated from the note that may follow by silence. It has been described by theorists and has appeared in music ...
and hard... And the next instance; the movement is very smooth and there are lots of melts with inter-kit movement in the fingers and hands.
On June 12, 2009, a video with Knowles dance rehearsal was released; Knowles was dressed in golden costumes and was performing some robotic movements. A clip from the video was posted online on July 8, 2009; it showed Knowles alongside her two female dancers in a virtual desert. The following day, the full video was leaked online but was soon deleted after Knowles' label issued warnings to infringing websites. The video for "Sweet Dreams" premiered on
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later the same day.


Synopsis and analysis

The video opens with Knowles tossing and turning in her bed; her idea was to make the opening shot look like "a dark fairy tale". As she tries to sleep,
Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid- Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped wit ...
's "
Wiegenlied Wiegenlied (German for "lullaby") may refer to: *Wiegenlied (Brahms), the composer's op. 49 no. 4 *Schlafe, mein Prinzchen, schlaf' ein, an 18th century German lullaby to words by Friedrich Wilhelm Gotter *Wiegenlied, D 498 (Schubert), "Wiegenlie ...
" plays softly in the background. She then levitates off her bed using her stomach muscles to move the top half of her body. Knowles said that the levitation shot was the hardest one as she had difficulties making her neck look straight. She added that the scene represents the nightmare and the white bird flying above her takes her into her dream, which unfolds after the screech of an electric guitar. Knowles is transported to a desert and several clouds are present in the background. She wears a black
Roberto Cavalli Roberto Cavalli (; born 15 November 1940) is an Italian fashion designer and inventor. He is known for exotic prints and for creating the sand-blasted look for jeans. The high-end Italian fashion house Roberto Cavalli sells luxury clothing, perfu ...
dress and boots; as the music begins, her two backup dancers wearing Gareth Pugh pieces appear. The scene changes into a landscape where Knowles is inscribed with a circle and square in a similar fashion to
Leonardo da Vinci Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 14522 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, Drawing, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially res ...
's ''
Vitruvian Man The ''Vitruvian Man'' ( it, L'uomo vitruviano; ) is a drawing by the Italian Renaissance artist and scientist Leonardo da Vinci, dated to . Inspired by the writings by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius, the drawing depicts a nude man in two s ...
''. The first chorus is brought in by a subtle sound effect as the special effects disappear and Knowles appears in a silver mini dress on a white background. Accompanied by her backup dancers, she performs dance moves described as "sophisticated", "street and ". The second chorus shows Knowles wearing a bodysuit while smashing mirrors. During the bridge, the video fades to black and white and Knowles appears wearing the gold robot suit, and gold and diamond nail rings valued at $US 36,000 and designed by Jules Kim. With it, she executes some robotic movements. As the chorus begins to play for the third and final time, digital doubling and mirroring are used to create a collection of dance moves and multiple images of Knowles arching her back. The gold outfit is then reused, this time in color. Knowles performs another dance routine with her two backup dancers, then says, "Turn the lights out", and the video ends.


Reception

James Montgomery of MTV News wrote that the video is "an , , " one. He praised the way Knowles "
ops In ancient Roman religion, Ops or ''Opis'' (Latin: "Plenty") was a fertility deity and earth goddess of Sabine origin. Her equivalent in Greek mythology was Rhea. Iconography In Ops' statues and coins, she is figured sitting down, as Chthon ...
her pelvis in ways never imagined", and the wardrobe changes in the clip, before concluding: "She expands on her burgeoning robot fetish, flashes the crazy eyes and contorts her body in downright unsettling ways. All of which is to say that 'Sweet Dreams' is just like every amazingly crazy Beyoncé video from the past three years, which — to extend the point — also means that it's pretty great." Olivia Smith of '' Daily News'' noted that in the video, Knowles references
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in the movie '' Barbarella'' (1968),
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and
Pamela Anderson Pamela Denise Anderson (born July 1, 1967) is a Canadian-American actress and model. She is best known for her glamour modeling work in ''Playboy'' magazine and for her appearances on the television series ''Baywatch'' (1992–1997). Anders ...
through the different costumes she wears. Smith further compared the video with the one for "
Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé, from her third studio album, '' I Am... Sasha Fierce'' (2008). Columbia Records released "Single Ladies" as a single on October 13, 2008, as a double A-side alon ...
", writing that Knowles reprises some of the moves she performed there. Brandon Soderberg of ''
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'' described the introductory part of the video as a mixture of eroticism and symbolism. He added that the video was "one part ''Victoria's Secret'' commercial, another part dream logic , and a freakout all around", and commended the video for being "an excess of body and action, not filmic techniques", adding that the dancing in the video "blow our minds anew". ''
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'' found similarities between the video for "Sweet Dreams",
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
's video for "
Paranoid Paranoia is an instinct or thought process that is believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of delusion and irrationality. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concer ...
" (2009) and the cover artworks of English rock band
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. Canadian magazine ''
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'' also compared the video with "Paranoid" due to their similar dream sequences. Vicki Lutas of the BBC did not appreciate the first 30 seconds of the video, writing that "the dark, horror-type music, the pumping heartbeat, the equally spooky lullaby, the screech of an electric guitar", gave her the impression that she was watching "some 90s magician, with a Knowles soundtrack". However, she complimented the rest of the video writing that "things (thankfully) move away from the Hallowe'en cheese and into familiar Beyoncé territory (right from the fact it's proper 90s pop through to the video essentially being 'Single Ladies' with Beyoncé and 2 dancers)". Lutas concluded that the video might not be remembered for long or hailed as Beyoncé's finest and more memorable work, but it remains one of the best music videos from Knowles she has seen since "Crazy in Love". Nick Levine of
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compared the dancing moves in the video with those in "Single Ladies". It was ranked at number 13 on
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's ''Notarized: Top 100 Videos of 2009'' countdown. Tamar Anitai of
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
placed the video at number three on his list of the best five videos of 2009, wrote that it "isn't just another look at Beyoncé", and continued, "It's the dark yin to the brighter, lighter fare of 'Single Ladies.' This is a look at Beyoncé's life: Beyoncé the woman, Sasha Fierce the performer, and the powerful force that occupies the spaces in between." In 2013, John Boone and Jennifer Cady of
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placed the video at number ten on their list of Knowles' ten best music videos, praising Knowles' sexy robotic look.


Promotion

Knowles was due to perform "Sweet Dreams" at the
2009 MTV Video Music Awards The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, honoring the best music videos from the previous year between June 2008 to June 2009, were presented on September 13, 2009, at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and televised by MTV. The ceremony was ho ...
on September 13. However, last minute changes were brought to her performance that night; wearing a leotard and a silver glove, Knowles sang a short drum-led remix of "Sweet Dreams" before switching to "Single Ladies", accompanied by two female backup dancers. Wearing a red
Agent Provocateur An agent provocateur () is a person who commits, or who acts to entice another person to commit, an illegal or rash act or falsely implicate them in partaking in an illegal act, so as to ruin the reputation of, or entice legal action against, the ...
corset, stockings and long satin gloves, Knowles sang "Sweet Dreams" at the
MTV Europe Music Awards 2009 The MTV Europe Music Awards 2009 took place in Berlin, Germany at the O2 World and Brandenburg Gate on 5 November 2009. The awards ceremony was presented by Katy Perry for a 2nd consecutive year. It was the fourth time that the MTV Europe Music Aw ...
on November 5. Charly Wilder of ''
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'' magazine commented that Knowles overshadowed American singer
Katy Perry Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...
(host of the event) "with her mesmerizing, rendition" of "Sweet Dreams". "Sweet Dreams" was not regularly performed on the I Am... World Tour, a 2009–10 world tour in support of ''I Am... Sasha Fierce'', but a video interlude featuring the song was included. Knowles sang an acoustic and downtempo rendition of the song live during the
concert residency A concert residency (also known as musical residency or simply residency) is a series of concerts, similar to a concert tour A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countrie ...
I Am... Yours that was held at the Encore Theater in
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on August 2, 2009. She blended it into a romantic medley that also included her 2003 song " Dangerously in Love 2" and
Anita Baker Anita Denise Baker (born January 26, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. She is one of the most popular singers of soulful ballads, especially renowned for her work during the height of the quiet storm period in the 1980s. Starting her career ...
's 1986 song "Sweet Love (Anita Baker song), Sweet Love".(2009) Album notes for ''I Am... Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas'' by Beyoncé Knowles. Music World Entertainment/Columbia Records. The performance was subsequently included on her 2009 CD/DVD live album ''I Am... Yours: An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas''. Knowles performed "Sweet Dreams" live at the Glastonbury Festival 2011, Glastonbury Festival on June 6, 2011; she mixed it with "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Eurythmics. "Sweet Dreams" was used in a commercial for Crystal Geyser Water Company, Crystal Geyser bottled water in which Knowles appeared; she dances and drinks water while the song is played in the background.


Cover versions

An unofficial remix of "Sweet Dreams", featuring American Rapping, rappers Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj, was included on Wayne's 2009 mixtape ''No Ceilings''. English duo the Big Pink Cover version, covered the song in a live session for BBC Radio 1 on November 7, 2009. They also performed it at the Isle of Wight Festival 2010, 2010 Isle of Wight Festival on June 13, 2010. The cover later became the A-side and B-side, B-side to their 2010 single "Tonight (The Big Pink song), Tonight". Jon Caramanica of ''The New York Times'' commented that their version had a "disarmingly flat affect, delivering it as the ramble of a neurotic" when compared to the original. Likewise, Pitchfork (website), Pitchfork's Ryan Dombal felt that their cover "obliterates the original's pulse, turning it into something a lot moodier and creepier". On November 1, 2010, American professional basketball player, Shaquille O'Neal, dressed as his female alter ego Shaquita for Halloween, and gave a performance of Knowles' "Sweet Dreams". In September 2011, Jade Collins covered "Sweet Dreams" during an episode of the The X Factor (British series 9), ninth series of ''The X Factor (British TV series), The X Factor''. On October 27, 2012, boy band Union J covered the song during the same season of the show.


Jessica Sanchez version

On March 28, 2012, Jessica Sanchez, a contestant of the American Idol (season 11), eleventh season of ''American Idol'', covered "Sweet Dreams" performing a slow-tempo ballad version of the song accompanied at the beginning by harps. Her performance received favorable comments and a standing ovation from the judges of the show. Jennifer Lopez commented, "You did a beautiful job on it ... If I was Beyoncé and I was home and I heard that, I'd be like 'I got to do that in my next concert, slow that one down.'" Steven Tyler described Sanchez's performance as "great" while Randy Jackson noted that it was "unbelievable, sensational". James Montgomery of MTV News graded her performance with a B, and called the cover "a bit of an odd choice, and yet also a supremely confident one". He added, "For once, she pulled things back, and maybe suffered a bit for doing so, but there were still plenty of subtly great moments, particularly in the verses. Might not have been her best—it definitely lacked in vocal fireworks ... And really, it was good enough". Mellisa Locker of ''Rolling Stone'' praised Sanchez's performance, calling it a "brilliant job" and adding that "it's risky, but Beyoncé has done it, and if anyone can pull off a dazzling repeat performance, it's Jessica". She further compared the performance with the dream sequence from the 1945 film ''Spellbound (1945 film), Spellbound'' but noted that it was "slightly weirder". Jim Farber of the ''Daily News'' commented that "her take on a song by her clear role model, Beyoncé, showed too much similarity in their timbres and phrasing, making Sanchez's voice seem redundant ... despite the fact she switched up the arrangement of the bootylicious song she chose, 'Sweet Dreams.'" Amy Reiter of the ''Los Angeles Times'' wrote, "Sanchez gave yet another perfectly calibrated performance with Beyoncé's 'Sweet Dreams,' balancing restraint and power. Everything from her voice to her dress to the red door she walked through seemed polished and tour-ready". ''The Arizona Republic''s Randy Cordova praised the performance, saying that the slow-tempo version allowed Sanchez "to really delve into the song's emotional core". ''The Hollywood Reporter''s Erin Carlson praised the tonned-down theatrical stage during the performance and Sanchez's vibrato voice, further describing the performance as a .


Formats and track listings

*"Ego / Sweet Dreams (Singles & Dance Mixes)" # "Ego"  – 3:57 # "Ego" (DJ Escape & Johnny Vicious Club Remix)  – 8:22 # "Ego" (Slang "Big Ego" Club Remix)  – 6:18 # "Sweet Dreams"  – 3:28 # "Sweet Dreams" (OK DAC Club Remix)  – 5:14 # "Sweet Dreams" (Karmatronic Club Remix)  – 6:36 *Germany digital EP # "Sweet Dreams"  – 3:28 # "Sweet Dreams" (Groove Police Remix – Radio Edit)  – 3:10 # "Ego"  – 3:57 # "Ego" (Remix) [feat.
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
]  – 4:43 # "Sweet Dreams" (Video)  – 4:00 # "Ego" (Remix) [feat. Kanye West] (Video)  – 4:52 *Digital EP # "Sweet Dreams" (Dave Spoon Remix)   – 7:07 # "Sweet Dreams" (Steve Pitron & Max Sanna Remix – Radio Edit)   – 3:37 # "Sweet Dreams" (Steve Pitron & Max Sanna Club Remix)   – 7:38 # "Sweet Dreams" (Oli Collins & Fred Portelli Remix)   – 5:38 # "Sweet Dreams"  – 3:28 *Digital single; Germany and UK CD single # "Sweet Dreams"  – 3:28 # "Sweet Dreams" (Steve Pitron & Max Sanna Remix) [Radio Edit]  – 3:35 *UK download single # "Sweet Dreams"  – 3:28


Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from ''I Am... Sasha Fierce'' liner notes. *Beyoncé Knowles – lead vocals, music producer, songwriter *Rico Love – vocal producer, music producer, songwriter, additional vocals *Jim Caruana – recording engineer *James Scheffer – music producer, songwriter *Wayne Wilkins – songwriter, audio mixer, music producer


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Certifications


Release history


See also

*List of Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number ones of 2009, List of ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Club Play number ones of 2009 *List of Billboard Rhythmic number-one songs of the 2000s#2009, List of ''Billboard'' Rhythmic number-one songs of the 2000s *List of number-one singles from the 2000s (New Zealand)#2009, List of number-one singles from the 2000s (New Zealand)


Notes


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sweet Dreams (Beyonce Song) 2008 songs 2009 singles Beyoncé songs Columbia Records singles Electropop songs Number-one singles in New Zealand Songs about dreams Song recordings produced by Beyoncé Song recordings produced by Jim Jonsin Song recordings produced by Rico Love Songs written by Beyoncé Songs written by Jim Jonsin Songs written by Rico Love Songs written by Wayne Wilkins