Jump to content

Formation (song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Formation"
Cover art for "Formation": Beyoncé in a blue pickup truck, her arms outstretched and upper half sticking out the window, most prominently, her cornrows hairstyle
Single by Beyoncé
from the album Lemonade
ReleasedFebruary 6, 2016 (2016-02-06)
Recorded2015
StudioQuad Recording Studios, New York City
Genre
Length3:26
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Beyoncé
  • Mike Will Made It
Beyoncé singles chronology
"Hymn for the Weekend"
(2016) 		"Formation"
(2016) 		"Sorry"
(2016)
Music video
"Formation" on YouTube

"Formation" is a song by American singer and songwriter Beyoncé. It was the lead single for her sixth studio album Lemonade (2016). It was written by Beyoncé, Mike Will Made It, Swae Lee, and Pluss, and produced by the former two. It was surprise-released on February 6, 2016, through Parkwood Entertainment. "Formation" is an R&B song[1] with trap and bounce influences, in which Beyoncé celebrates her culture, identity and success as a black woman from the Southern United States.

The song received widespread acclaim upon release, with particular praise for the lyrical references, as well as for the production and vocal performance. It was critics' top song of 2016, being named the best song of the year by publications including Rolling Stone, Time, NPR, and Complex. In 2019, it was named the best song of the decade (2010s) by publications including Essence and Parade. "Formation" was also Google's most searched song of 2016.[2] "Formation" won all six of its nominations at the MTV Video Music Awards, and was nominated for three Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Music Video, of which it won the latter award.

The song's music video premiered on the same day as the song itself as an unlisted video on Beyoncé's official YouTube account. Directed by Melina Matsoukas, the New Orleans-set video portrays black pride and resilience through diverse depictions of black Southern culture. The video received critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone naming it the greatest music video of all time in 2021. In order to promote the song, Beyoncé performed it during her guest appearance at the Super Bowl 50 halftime show the day after its premiere.

Upon release, "Formation" ignited discussions on the topics of culture, racism and politics. The song, music video and Super Bowl performance also triggered controversy. Conservative commentators and politicians claimed that Beyoncé was spreading anti-police and anti-American messages. Several law enforcement officers protested at one of her concerts.[3] The song became known as a protest song and was adopted as an anthem by the Black Lives Matter movement and the Women's March. The song has also been the subject of study at colleges and universities.

Writing and production

[edit]

Co-producer Pluss formulated the original beat for "Formation" in Atlanta, Georgia, implementing a synthesizer effect found in the Virtual Studio Technology plug-in on FL Studio.[4][5] In April 2014, Mike WiLL Made-It and the members of Rae Sremmund were driving to Coachella and freestyling to beats in the car. For the beat that Pluss made, Swae Lee said: "Okay ladies, now let's get in formation". Will loved the concept and thought it would be suited to Beyoncé, who had recently asked him to send new music ideas. Will believed it could be a huge female empowerment anthem in the same vein as "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", with the song being about women getting in line with the men they are in relationships with.[4][6] They recorded the line on a voice note and later played it back when in a recording studio in Los Angeles. Lee recorded a simple reference track, freestyling over the beat. Mike Will sent it to Beyoncé, together with five or six other reference tracks.[4][7] A few months later, Mike Will was at a party after a basketball game. Beyoncé appeared at the party and told him she really liked the "Formation" idea, and left it at that.[4]

Beyoncé then wrote all of the verses of the song in New York, while keeping the central concept of "okay ladies, now let's get in formation".[4][8] Beyoncé's verses took the song in a different direction from what Will intended and broadened its scope to turn it into an anthem about her identity, heritage and culture.[9] Jon Platt of Warner Chappell Music told Mike Will: "Yo, this shit's crazy, you got to hear this". Will went to New York and spent a week in the studio with Beyoncé to complete the recording and production.[4] They added heavy, distorted 808 beats with saturated upper harmonics to the track to make it "palatable to the culture", according to mixing engineer Jaycen Joshua.[10] Beyoncé thought it could be a song that marching bands would play, and asked for horns to be added to the track to evoke the sounds of New Orleans.[5] Will explained that Beyoncé "took this one little idea we came up with on the way to Coachella, put it in a pot, stirred it up, and came with this smash. She takes ideas and puts them with her own ideas, and makes this masterpiece."[4]

Release

[edit]

"Formation" was released on February 6, 2016, accompanied by its official music video. It was a surprise release, being released with no prior announcement in a similar manner to Beyoncé's 2013 self-titled studio album.[11] The song was made available for free download exclusively via the subscription-based music streaming service Tidal.[12][13] The release of the song was also followed by new merchandise through the singer's website with items and clothing citing lyrics from the song.[14] The release date of the song was noteworthy as it was the start of Black History Month, during Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the day after Trayvon Martin's birthday, and the day before Sandra Bland's birthday.[15][16]

Composition and lyrical interpretation

[edit]

"Formation" is a Houston trap and New Orleans bounce song.[17][18] The song is written in the key of F minor in common time with a tempo of 123 beats per minute.[19] It has a minimalistic beat containing rubbery synths and a heavy bass line, which transforms into a horn-infused stomp reminiscent of marching bands and military tattoos.[20][21][22] Regina N. Bradley for The Huffington Post wrote that the synth effect sounds like a tweaked electronic banjo from the bayou, which positions Beyoncé "squarely in the middle of a messy Black South".[23] In The Oxford Handbook of Social Media and Music Learning, Joseph Michael Abramo wrote that Beyoncé's implementation of electronic production, brass elements and vocal fry in "Formation" acts as a tribute to the signifiers of black music, while also forming a critique of institutional racism together with the lyrics.[24] The song has an unconventional structure that deviates from the norm of pop music.[22][25] American singer-songwriter Mike Errico called the songwriting "practically Dylanesque", with no single clear chorus on the track, but instead a chorus followed by a "super-chorus" that "blows what we thought was the chorus out of the water".[25]

Beyoncé's vocals span from D3 to A♭4 in the song.[26] Beyoncé employs multiple delivery styles on the track, with the introduction being delivered in a hoarse, whispered tone that switches into a half-rapped, half-sung cadence as the song progresses.[18][22][27] Lauren Chanel Allen of Teen Vogue noted how Beyoncé used "a lazy trap flow" instead of "her superhuman vocal range", which acts as a refusal to code-switch and an embracing of blackness.[28] The Guardian's Alex Macpherson characterized Beyoncé's delivery as "playful" and "carefree", noting the "amused drawl" of the opening line and the "sudden giddy exclamation as she lands on the word "chaser" in the chorus".[22] Sheldon Pearce of Pitchfork described how Beyoncé raps on the track, implementing enunciated syllables, "hard-cracking consonant sounds and precisely-measured alliteration" that make the lyrics satisfying to recite.[29]

"Formation" contains strong political criticism in its lyrics, being described by Los Angeles Times's Mikael Wood as "a statement of radical black positivity." It also was noted by Joseph Lamour who commented during a review for MTV that "Formation" is "a song whose lyrics are teeming with notions of empowerment and pride in her heritage as a black American with roots in Alabama and Louisiana."[30] In the opening line, Beyoncé says "Y'all haters corny with that Illuminati mess", addressing the conspiracy theory about the singer's connection to the Illuminati. With this line, Beyoncé is dismissing those who believe that black women can only achieve success through secretive manipulation instead of recognizing their talent and hard work.[31][32] NPR's Mandalit del Barco noted during the first verse, Beyoncé represents her family roots, she said, "Her mother is from Louisiana, as she let us know in the song. This has always been a big part of her identity; it's not one that the mainstream focus is on. People talk about her not centering it." She also described the lines as an "unapologetic blackness".[33]

Critical response

[edit]

Reviews

[edit]

"Formation" received widespread critical acclaim upon release.[34] Alexis Petridis, head rock and pop critic for The Guardian, characterized "Formation" as "a masterpiece", citing the "adventurous" music, Beyoncé's "perfect" vocal performance which switches "between playfulness and determination", and the lyrics that act as "a powerful statement of black resilience and a tribute to the fabulousness of Beyoncé".[35] Pitchfork named the song "Best New Track", with Britt Julious describing it as one of Beyoncé's "most instrumentally-dense and trend-forward productions" which is made specifically for black women, "an audience that might not receive the sort of mainstream, visually and sonically-enticing wisdom that Bey has perfected". Julious added that "for Beyoncé (and for her listeners, too), the unapologetic embracing of one's blackness and the power one can harness when making a name, livelihood, and legacy can't ever be ignored or taken for granted."[17] The New York Times' Jenna Wortham praised the expression of black identity in the song, writing that is "about the entirety of the black experience in America in 2016" encompassing topics such as beauty standards, police brutality, empowerment, and shared culture and history. Wortham also characterized the song as "an existential call to action", with Beyoncé telling black women to join her in formation, making "a power structure that doesn't rely on traditional institutions."[36]

In The Lemonade Reader, Tamara Winfrey Harris described the song as "a radical act", with Beyoncé forgoing an image of blackness that appeases white Americans ("smiling, agreeable, passive, straight, and as close to white as possible") in favor of one that makes them uncomfortable ("Nappy Black, 'Bama Black, queer Black, sexual Black, militant Black").[37] Omise'eke Natasha Tinsley, a professor of African Studies at University of Texas at Austin, writes for Time that the song, which many called "political" because of its references, "differs radically from other post-Ferguson protests songs like Trip Lee's "Coulda Been Me" or Rihanna's "American Oxygen" video, which focuses on black men's deaths", calling African American women to stand side by side ("in formation").[38] Kevin Fallon of The Daily Beast called the song "a booming meditation on black identity, the validity and transience of a person's roots and history, and the crushing interplay between power and helplessness, agency, and victimization".[39] A Rolling Stone journalist wrote that "in the era of #BlackLivesMatter, 'Formation' felt downright necessary" and further deemed it "a powerful statement of black Southern resilience".[40] "Formation" was later placed at number one on the same magazine's "50 Best Songs of 2016" list by Rob Sheffield, with him commenting: "'Formation' was a song that kept hope alive in a bleak year – and it will be essential ammo for the struggles to come in the next."[41]

Recognition

[edit]

"Formation" was named the best song of 2016 by Rolling Stone,[42] Time,[43] NPR,[44] Rolling Stone Australia,[45] Rolling Stone Argentina,[46] Complex,[47] Entertainment Weekly,[48] Fuse,[49] Paste,[50] The Music,[51] Musikexpress,[52] Aftonbladet,[53] Idolator,[54] Mashable,[55] Red Bull,[56] and PopMatters.[57] In the annual Village Voice's Pazz & Jop mass critics poll of the year's best in music in 2016, "Formation" was ranked at number one.[58] The song was also named the best international song of 2016 by Rolling Stone Brazil.[59] Pitchfork[60] and Spin[61] named the song the second best of the year, while Noisey named it the fourth best.[62] Fact named it the fifth best song of the year,[63] while NME the sixth.[64] Billboard ranked "Formation" at number one on their "10 Best R&B Songs of 2016" list,[65] and number 14 on their "100 Best Pop Songs of 2016" list.[66] "Formation" was also named one of the best songs of 2016 by The Irish Times,[67] Elle,[68] and Harper's Bazaar.[69]

In 2019, Essence[70] and Parade[71] named "Formation" the greatest song of the decade (2010s). Consequence of Sound,[72] Paste,[73] Insider,[74] and Tampa Bay Times[75] listed "Formation" as the third greatest song of the 2010s. For Pitchfork[76] and Rolling Stone[77] it was the fourth best of the same period, while for Stereogum it was the 8th best,[78] and for NME, the 11th best.[79] BBC,[80] Billboard,[10] and GQ[81] included "Formation" in their lists of the songs that defined and shaped the decade. Vulture included the release date of "Formation" in their list of the 103 days that shaped music in the 2010s.[82]

The Independent included "Formation" on their list of the 40 best song lyrics of all time.[83] i-D ranked the song at number one on their list of the greatest pop comebacks of the 21st century.[84] In 2021, Rolling Stone placed the song at number 73 on its list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.[85]

Accolades

[edit]

"Formation" received three nominations at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Music Video, of which it won the latter award.[86] At the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, "Formation" won all of its nominations, making Beyoncé the most awarded artist in Video Music Awards history.[87][88] This video's win for Video of the Year marked Beyoncé's second win in this category, tying the record for artist with the most wins in the category in history.[89] With the song's win for Best Pop Video, Beyoncé became the only black artist to win the award in history.[90]

Year Ceremony Award Result Ref.
2016 AICE Awards Best Music Video Won [91]
BET Awards Video of the Year Won [92]
Viewers Choice Award Won
Centric Award Won
Camerimage Awards Best Music Video Nominated [93]
Best Cinematography in a Music Video Nominated
Cannes Lions Awards Excellence in Music Video – Grand Prix Won [94]
Clio Awards Best Video of the Year Won [95]
London International Awards Best Music Video Won [96]
Best Direction Won
MTV Europe Music Awards Best Video Nominated [97]
MTV Video Music Awards Video of the Year Won [98]
Best Direction Won
Best Pop Video Won
Best Cinematography Won
Best Editing Won
Best Choreography Won
MTV Video Music Awards Japan Best Female Video Nominated [99]
Q Awards Best Video Nominated [100]
Soul Train Music Awards Video of the Year Won [101]
Song of the Year Won
Best Dance Performance Nominated
The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter's Award Nominated
UK Music Video Awards Best Urban Video Nominated [102]
Best Styling in a Music Video Won
WatsUp TV Africa Music Video Awards Best International Video Won [103]
2017 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Award Award Winning R&B/Hip Hop Songs Won [104]
Grammy Awards Record of the Year Nominated [86]
Song of the Year Nominated
Best Music Video Won
iHeartRadio Music Awards Best Music Video Nominated [105]
NAACP Image Awards Outstanding Song Nominated [106]
Outstanding Music Video Won
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards Favorite Music Video Nominated [107]
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards Brazil Best Music Clip Nominated [108]
NME Awards Best Music Video Nominated [109]
One Show Awards Cultural Diver Award Won [110]
Best Music Video Won
Webby Awards Best Music Video Won [111]

Chart performance

[edit]

Prior to its official release as a single, "Formation" debuted at number nine on the US Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 in February 2016.[112] The song also debuted at number 11 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay with 16.3 million audience impressions, marking Beyoncé's highest career debut on that chart, despite the song not being promoted to radio stations or available for purchase.[113] Throughout March, the song reached number 33 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs due to airplay and further purchase was not disclosed to Billboard by Tidal, the official platform where the song was exclusively made available. After the release of Lemonade, "Formation" set new peak positions on the charts.[114] It debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on May 2, 2016, becoming Beyoncé's first top 10 single since "Drunk in Love" in 2014; it is also the singer's highest-debuting single of her career (surpassing "Ring the Alarm" and "Drunk in Love" which both debuted at number 12). During that week, the song debuted at number three on the Digital Songs chart, selling 174,000 downloads.[114] It fell to number 19 on the Hot 100 in its second week.

Upon the release of Lemonade, "Formation" also debuted on several international charts. It debuted at number 31 on the UK Singles Chart on May 5, 2016.[115] The same week it also moved to a new peak position of eight on the UK R&B Singles chart.[116] On the ARIA Singles Chart, the song set a peak of 17 on the chart issue dated May 8, 2016. It managed to top the ARIA Urban chart the same week, while the singer's own "Hold Up" was on the second spot.[117] On the French Singles Chart, "Formation" set a peak position of 24 during the week of the album's release. In Canada, the single peaked at number 32 on the Canadian Hot 100 and was certified gold by Music Canada on November 28, 2019, for sales of 80,000 units.[118]

Music video

[edit]
Main article: Formation (music video)

The music video was directed by Melina Matsoukas. It was filmed over the span of two days in Los Angeles. The video premiered on February 6, 2016, alongside the song's debut exclusively on Tidal. The video was also uploaded to Beyoncé's official YouTube channel unlisted, meaning this prevented the music video from being accessed by search functionalities, with viewers needing to access the video via Beyoncé's official website.[119]

The video begins with Beyoncé crouching on top of a New Orleans police interceptor, which is partially submerged in floodwaters. As the video progresses, the car gradually sinks into the water. Another set of scenes portray Beyoncé as the mistress of an all-black household in a Southern plantation-style house, reclaiming the legacy of slavery in the South. Beyoncé and her dancers perform in an empty swimming pool in another scene. Beyoncé is later depicted standing in front of a plantation house with a black wide-brimmed hat covering her eyes. In another scene, a man can be seen holding a newspaper titled The Truth with an image of Martin Luther King Jr. on the front page. The last sequence depicts a young boy in a hoodie dancing in front of a line of police officers in riot gear. When the boy holds up his hands, the officers reciprocate the gesture. The video cuts to a wall graffitied with the phrase: "Stop shooting us", echoing the demand of the Black Lives Matter movement for reform in policing and criminal justice.[120][121]

The music video caused controversy from conservative figures, law enforcement organizations and social media users over perceived anti-police, anti-American and racist messages, including the National Sheriffs' Association, Internet Research Agency, and the Government of Canada. It won the Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video and MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year, among various other accolades.

External videos
video icon Formation (Explicit) (4:52)

Live performances

[edit]
Beyoncé performing during the Super Bowl 50 halftime show

Beyoncé performed the song as part of a guest appearance during the Super Bowl 50 halftime show, which was headlined by Coldplay at the Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California on February 7, 2016.[122][123] Her performance started after Bruno Mars finished with "Uptown Funk". She wore a black and golden leather outfit and was joined towards the end by Mars again. The duo finished his track and went on performing dance choreographies. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times praised the singer's overall energetic performance, concluding that she outshined Coldplay. He felt that Beyoncé was the only artist capable of promoting new songs at the event. and "walking the cultural tightrope of delivering a song with such potent declarations of black pride on a stage that prefers studied neutrality".[124] A writer of Rolling Stone felt that the performance, with tributes to Michael Jackson and the Black Panthers was "awe-inspiring".[40]

Flanked by her dancers, Beyoncé performs "Formation" on The Formation World Tour in 2016

"Formation" was the opening number on Beyoncé's The Formation World Tour (2016) with the first performance taking place in Miami at the Marlins Park on April 27, 2016.[125] It was performed with the singer backed by dancers dressed in black sequined leotards and hats with wide brims.[126] "Formation" was also performed as part of a medley of songs from Lemonade at the 2016 MTV Video Music Awards on August 28, 2016, along with "Pray You Catch Me", "Hold Up", "Sorry" and "Don't Hurt Yourself". She finished the performance with "Formation", with her dancers forming the female symbol at the end. Rolling Stone's Rob Sheffield commented that Beyoncé "set the whole thing on fire with a 16-minute stomp through the Lemonade songbook", considering the performance as "one of the most blood-chillingly great live performances in award-show history".[127] Billboard named the performance the greatest award show performance of all time.[128] Beyoncé performed "Formation" during a surprise set at a "Get Out the Vote" concert for Hillary Clinton on November 4, 2016. Beyoncé and her dancers wore pantsuits, which is a piece of clothing that Clinton is known for.[129]

During her 2018 Coachella performance, Beyoncé sang "Lift Every Voice and Sing" (commonly known as the Black National Anthem) and then transitioned into "Formation". Naima Cochrane of Billboard described the placement of the song as "thoughtful", tying "Formation" – "an anthemic call to action celebrating her power as a black woman" – to the Civil Rights Movement anthem.[130] The performance was subsequently included in the 2019 Homecoming film and live album.[131] Beyoncé performed "Formation" during the On the Run II Tour, her 2018 co-headlining stadium world tour with Jay-Z.[132] The song was also performed at the 2018 Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100 charity concert in Johannesburg, South Africa, which commemorated Nelson Mandela's 100th birthday.[133] Beyoncé and her dancers each wore a different color and lined up in a row, forming a human pride flag to show support for the LGBTQ community.[134] "Formation" was also a part of the setlist of Beyoncé's 2023 "Renaissance World Tour". The song opened up the army-themed, "Opulence" act of the show.

Controversy

[edit]

"Formation", its music video, and the performance at the Super Bowl received criticism from conservative figures, law enforcement organizations and social media users over perceived anti-police, anti-American and racist messages.[135][136][137] Former Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani called the performance "outrageous", adding: "I don't know what the heck it was. A bunch of people bouncing around and all strange things. It was terrible."[138] Congressman Peter King condemned the "Formation" video, saying that "no one should really care what she thinks about any serious issue confronting our nation".[139] Canadian politician Jim Karygiannis said that the Canadian government should investigate Beyoncé and consider banning her from the country.[140] Conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh said that the song was "representative of the cultural decay and social rot that is befalling our country".[141] Conservative TV host Tomi Lahren directed a rant towards Beyoncé, accusing her of "ramrodding an aggressive agenda down our throats" and concluding: "Your husband was a drug dealer. For fourteen years, he sold crack cocaine. Talk about protecting black neighborhoods? Start at home".[142][143] Beyoncé requested to use thirty seconds of Lahren's rant for the Formation World Tour, but Lahren denied the request.[144] An anti-Beyoncé campaign was started on social media titled #BoycottBeyoncé, which was met with a competing #IStandWithBeyoncé hashtag.[135][145] As part of the campaign, an anti-Beyoncé protest was held on February 16, 2016, outside the National Football League headquarters, citing the "hate speech & racism" in Beyoncé's performance, which encouraged a counter-protest to be organized.[146] In order to stoke unrest as part of the Russian interference in the 2016 US elections, the Kremlin-backed Internet Research Agency placed adverts on Instagram urging people to attend the protests.[147] Only three anti-Beyoncé protesters attended, while a larger counter-protest gathered, holding signs expressing statements such as "Pro-black doesn't mean anti-white".[148]

The National Sheriffs' Association linked Beyoncé's performance to the killings of seven law enforcement officers in the US.[149] Rutherford County Sheriff Robert Arnold blamed shots being fired outside his home on the "Formation" video.[150] Police unions across the US encouraged a boycott of the Formation World Tour.[151] Outside Beyoncé's concert at NRG Stadium on May 7, 2016, the Coalition of Police and Sheriffs held a demonstration over the Black Lives Matter themes in "Formation". The protesters wore "Police Lives Matter" T-shirts, held a printout of Jay Z's mugshot, and shone a blue light toward the stadium.[152] President of the Tampa Police Benevolent Association Vinny Gericitano urged a boycott of Beyoncé's music and tour, however ensured that her concert in Tampa would be properly policed.[153] Other law enforcement organizations did not join the boycott, such as those in Houston and Raleigh, the latter of which voted unanimously not to boycott the tour.[149][152]

Other public figures defended Beyoncé. Writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie told Le Monde that she "very much admires" what Beyoncé did with "Formation". Adichie said that there is something in mainstream American culture "that says you cannot be too black", and questioned why people would feel uncomfortable with the song's message and not be outraged over police brutality.[154] The controversy was discussed on Real Time with Bill Maher, where Maher mocked the right-wing response to "Formation". Rapper and activist Killer Mike explained how the song is not about white people, while comedian Margaret Cho added: "Black pride doesn't have to take anything away from white culture. I think this is what Black America needed. It's what all of us needed."[155] Minister Louis Farrakhan backed the singer during a sermon and offered her the protection of the Nation of Islam.[156] Singer-songwriter Ne-Yo questioned why Beyoncé was being criticized for singing about her identity, stating: "Everybody else has the right to talk about their culture and their race and be proud of it, so why can't we? Why can't she?"[157] On The Daily Show, Jessica Williams defended Beyoncé and responded to commentators who said her performance was not "wholesome" enough, saying she did not realize singing about race was the equivalent to Janet Jackson's Super Bowl controversy.[158]

Beyoncé responded to the backlash, telling Elle: "I'm an artist and I think the most powerful art is usually misunderstood." She expressed respect and admiration for police officers and explained that the message of "Formation" was not anti-police but against police brutality and injustice. Beyoncé added: "If celebrating my roots and culture during Black History Month made anyone uncomfortable, those feelings were there long before a video and long before me. I'm proud of what we created and I'm proud to be part of a conversation that is pushing things forward in a positive way."[159] Beyoncé later sold "Boycott Beyoncé" merchandise at the Formation World Tour, acting as a tongue-in-cheek reference to the controversy.[160] The Atlantic's Spencer Kornhaber wrote that this was also a statement that Beyoncé was unwavering in her beliefs, which directly acknowledges "the people she's alienated and telling them she doesn't want them to come back".[161]

Impact and legacy

[edit]

Race and politics

[edit]
"Formation" has been used as an anthem for various socio-political movements, with its lyrics featuring on signs at protests

Upon its release, "Formation" dominated public conversation and ignited discussions on the topics of culture, racism and politics.[18][162][163] Many academic syllabi, think pieces, ideological debates and analyses were published that were triggered by the release of the song.[164][165] Puja Patel, editor-in-chief of Pitchfork, wrote that the song was "an awakening for a country in crisis" at first, and it has since evolved to "live on as a reminder of the slow, persistent, daily work of organizing and the power of resilience and protest".[76] The song garnered attention for the Black Lives Matter movement and raised awareness for issues facing black people before the 2016 US presidential election.[166] Charles Hughes, professor and director of the Memphis Center at Rhodes College, said that music was one of the strongest influences on the 2016 presidential election and that "Formation" had the greatest influence of all songs. Hughes described the song as "invoking movement" and reminding listeners of the role of women in the Black Lives Matter movement.[167] In Michael Moore in TrumpLand, American filmmaker Michael Moore said that Beyoncé's performance of "Formation" at the Super Bowl was the breaking point of the shifting gender balance in American society, at which straight white men realized they were losing their power to women.[168][169] The song forced Americans to address topics in American history, such as the Black Power movement, the Black Panther Party and Malcolm X, which had largely been excluded from history books and public school syllabi.[135] The song also reclaimed the images of both the Black Lives Matter movement and Black Panther Party, which some Americans had associated with terrorism instead of liberation.[37] Describing the song as "revolutionary", Riché Richardson wrote that it "unsettled the prevailing national fantasies of a post-racial America" and challenged listeners to envisage a future nation that is more inclusive of race, sexuality, and gender.[170]

"Formation" became known as a protest song upon its release and has since been used as an anthem for various socio-political movements.[171] The song became a Black Lives Matter anthem, being adopted by activists and played at protests worldwide.[18][172][173] Tamara Winfrey Harris explained how "music has a powerful ability to shape social values and beliefs", with "Formation" following in the footsteps of songs that provide "the support and soundtrack for civil rights", such as Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit", Nina Simone's "Mississippi Goddam", Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" and Aretha Franklin's "Respect".[37] Nora Guthrie, daughter of American singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie, told Billboard that she looks to Beyoncé to continue the work of her father and other folk pioneers who wrote protest songs in the 1960s. Guthrie compared "Formation" to the work of Lead Belly, adding: "just because the music isn't based in acoustic guitar doesn't mean it isn't drawing from the same ideals."[174] Gerrick D Kennedy of the Los Angeles Times wrote that the song became part of the "soundtrack for a new generation of young black men and women during a renewed time of racial unrest" and helped Beyoncé become "the face of protest music" in 2016.[175] "Formation" continued to be one of the protest songs of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, with the track being played at the George Floyd protests.[176] The song also became a women's empowerment anthem, with it being used to show support for the #MeToo movement and its lyrics being featured on signs at the Women's March.[76]

Music industry

[edit]

With "Formation", Beyoncé "set the standard [for] nearly everyone else in the music industry", according to Bianca Gracie of Billboard.[10] Glamour's Danielle Young wrote that the song "revolutionized the way we consume music", with Beyoncé making listeners stop and experience the song together.[177] Writing for Vice, University of Waterloo professor Naila Keleta-Mae noted that with the release of the song, "Beyoncé went from manipulating the pop culture music industry machine to usurping it". Keleta-Mae added that the song has acted as a blueprint for how artists can "unequivocally delve into the politics that matter to them while simultaneously holding mainstream attention".[178] Jordan Bassett of NME wrote that song has brought protest music back.[179] In an article for The Guardian, Yale University professor Daphne A Brooks wrote that one can consider the song to have ushered in "a new golden age of protest music", as an "inspired, insurgent assault" that "challenges us to ask how we can all make cultural forms work for us and not the other way around".[180]

Academic study

[edit]

"Formation" inspired the 2018 book Beyoncé in Formation: Remixing Black Feminism by Omise'eke Natasha Tinsley. The book is based on Tinsley's college course "Beyoncé Feminism, Rihanna Womanism", which she teaches as professor at Harvard University and the University of Texas at Austin, and analyses the cultural, political, and black feminist themes in Lemonade.[181] In 2017, the University of Pennsylvania offered a course titled "Beyoncé, Protest, and Popular Music", which explored the risks that Beyoncé took when releasing "Formation", its place in the history of protest songs, and the role of gender and race in popular music.[182] At the University of Hertfordshire, "Formation" was studied as part of the UK's first degree course focusing on the Black Lives Matter movement.[183] In 2016, the University of Texas at San Antonio offered a class focusing on the "Formation" video and Lemonade album. These projects were used as a basis to examine the sociocultural issues affecting black women through the study of black feminist theory, film, music, and literature.[184] Texas Christian University offered a course titled "Beyoncé and Intersectionality", which used "Formation" and other Beyoncé projects "to explore deeper issues of patriarchy, racism, classism and sexism in society".[185] In 2021, Boston University offered a course that studied the "Formation" video as part of their exploration of how the South has been depicted in American fiction.[186] The University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Nursing analyzed the concepts and issues in "Formation" to explore topics such as intersections of black history, black femininity and body politics, and how the Black Lives Matter movement has impacted health and health outcomes.[187] The 2017-18 Rabinor Lecture in American Studies at Cornell University by Riché Richardson was inspired by "Formation", being titled "Writing Home: The Birth of Beyoncé and a Formation Nation". Richardson also taught a course titled "Beyoncé Nation", which studied "Formation" and other projects to examine Beyoncé's use of iconic symbolism, allusions to police brutality, and feminist themes.[188][189]

[edit]
Sales at Red Lobster increased by 33% after it was referenced in "Formation"

References within the lyrics of "Formation" have popularized certain brands and phrases. The mention of the American restaurant chain Red Lobster in the song's bridge increased sales at the restaurants by 33%, and upon the song's release, the chain was tweeted about over 42,000 times during the first hour and trended for the first time in its history according to Red Lobster spokesperson Erica Ettori.[190] Employees also renamed popular menu items after Beyoncé and call the effect the "Beyoncé Bounce".[191] The term "Bama" received a major boost in prominence after it was used in "Formation", and the word was subsequently added to the Oxford English Dictionary.[192] Beyoncé's shoutout to the Chevrolet El Camino car in the song and its feature in the music video "did more in 5 seconds for the El Camino than General Motors marketing did for years", according to Hannah Elliott of Bloomberg.[193]

The use of the word "slay" in the song has since popularized the term.[194] A novel method of screening drugs to combat antibiotic resistance was named SLAY (Surface Localized Antimicrobial Display) as a reference to the song.[195] Presbyterian pastor Floretta Barbee-Watkins evoked the song in the opening devotion of the 2021 Presbyterian Mission Agency Board meeting, where she called for the Presbyterian Church (USA) to "get in formation" by transforming the church in a time of volatility and complexity,[196] and ended the devotion with the call to action "'cause we slay".[197]

The lyric "I got hot sauce in my bag, swag" became a common refrain after the song's release and inspired people to produce related merchandise.[198] In an interview with The Breakfast Club during her 2016 presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton referenced the lyric, saying she carries hot sauce in her purse. This sparked controversy, with some saying that she was pandering to young black voters.[199][200]

One of the hairstyles that Beyoncé wore in the music video, with long cornrows with a deep side part, has since been termed "Lemonade braids" after the album and remains a popular hairstyle for black women.[201] The black power beret was given "a new lease of life" after the performance of "Formation" at the Super Bowl, according to The Guardian's deputy fashion editor Priya Elan, triggering the hat's comeback as a symbol of black power.[202] Piping became the defining trend of the spring/summer 2016 fashion season after Beyoncé wore a piped shirt in the "Formation" video.[203]

Cover versions and usage in media

[edit]

Several white musicians released acoustic covers of "Formation".[204] Jonny Hetherington, frontman of Canadian rock band Art of Dying, posted a cover of the song on February 18, 2016. In contrast to the original track, Hetherington sings with a clear vocal accompanied by piano chords. This video, among the other covers, sparked controversy as they were perceived to be trivializing the specific blackness of the song.[24][205] In The Oxford Handbook of Social Media and Music Learning, Joseph Michael Abramo wrote that it is "striking and uncomfortable" to see a white man sing lyrics such as "I like my negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils", which celebrate black features that have been "denigrated by white conceptions of beauty". Abramo added that Hetherington's delivery eliminates the "grittiness" of the track, in turn eliminating "the criticism of institutional racism it represents".[24] In response to these covers, Black Twitter posted trap covers of songs by white artists, such as Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me", The Beatles' "Hey Jude", and Queen's "We Will Rock You", to outrage from fans.[204][206] This also ignited a wider debate on the appropriation of black culture in music.[204]

American electronic musician Lotic released a remix of "Formation" titled "Formation (Election Anxiety/America Is Over Edit)" on November 9, 2016, in response to the results of the United States presidential election. The song evokes Lotic's trademark industrial sound as well as that of marching bands, acting as a reference to Beyoncé's Super Bowl performance of the song and as a tribute to the South.[207][208] The song was named "Best New Track" by Pitchfork, with Philip Sherburne writing that it "turns Beyoncé's strutting call to arms into a cry of pain and defiance".[208]

Australian brand Misha Collection concluded its Australian Fashion Week show on May 16, 2016, with models led by Bella Hadid walking to "Formation". This received criticism, as there were no models of color cast in the show, which acts in contrast to the song's message of celebrating blackness.[209][210] This incident was used to trigger conversations on the lack of diversity in the fashion industry.[211]

"Formation" was used in Google's 2021 Women's History Month commercial that celebrates women who became "firsts" in their respective fields.[212]

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from Beyoncé's website.[213]

Song credits

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications and sales for "Formation"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[243] 2× Platinum 140,000‡
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[244] Diamond 250,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[118] Platinum 80,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[245] Platinum 30,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[246] Gold 25,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[247] Gold 400,000‡
United States (RIAA)[248] 3× Platinum 3,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]
Release dates for "Formation'
Region Date Format Label Ref.
Various February 6, 2016 Free download (Tidal exclusive)
[12]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Formation - Beyoncé | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  2. ^ "Beyonce Tops Google's Year-End List of Top Searches". Billboard. December 14, 2016. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  3. ^ Blair, Olivia (May 9, 2016). "Beyoncé accused of 'anti police' performances by officers who protested singer's hometown concert". The Independent. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Seabrook, John (July 4, 2016). "How Mike Will Made It". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Mike WiLL Made-It Explains How He Builds Songs for Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé". Pitchfork. December 11, 2020. Archived from the original on April 18, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  6. ^ "Key Tracks: Mike WiLL Made-It on Beyoncé's "Formation"". daily.redbullmusicacademy.com. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  7. ^ "Mike Will Made-It, Rae Sremmurd, and the Making of Beyoncé's "Formation"". Complex. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  8. ^ Leight, Elias (May 4, 2018). "Mike Will Made-It: Why New Rae Sremmurd LP Is 'The First Sremm Album'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 6, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  9. ^ "Mike WiLL explains how Beyoncé's "Formation" came together". Genius. Archived from the original on May 15, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  10. ^ a b c "Songs That Defined the Decade: Beyoncé's 'Formation'". Billboard. November 21, 2019. Archived from the original on December 8, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  11. ^ "Beyonce surprises with new track Formation". BBC News. February 7, 2016. Archived from the original on May 27, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  12. ^ a b Reilly, Katie (February 6, 2016). "Download Beyonce's New Single 'Formation' for Free". Time. Archived from the original on February 7, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  13. ^ Bartleet, Larry (February 6, 2016). "Listen to Beyoncé's new surprise single 'Formation'". NME. Archived from the original on February 7, 2016. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  14. ^ Kreps, Daniel (February 6, 2016). "Watch Beyonce's Surprise New Video 'Formation'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 11, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  15. ^ "Beyoncé's Formation reclaims black America's narrative from the margins | Syreeta McFadden". The Guardian. February 8, 2016. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  16. ^ "Beyonce's 'Formation' Is A Visual Anthem". NPR. Archived from the original on April 1, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  17. ^ a b Julious, Britt (February 7, 2016). ""Formation" by Beyoncé - Tracks - Pitchfork". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on April 20, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  18. ^ a b c d McKinney, Kelsey (December 20, 2016). "15 songs that prove there was still goodness to be found in 2016". Vox. Archived from the original on March 14, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  19. ^ "Key and BPM of Beyoncé - Formation | AudioKeychain". AudioKeychain. Archived from the original on August 6, 2016. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  20. ^ Coscarelli, Joe (February 6, 2016). "Beyoncé Releases Surprise Single 'Formation' Ahead of Super Bowl Performance". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved February 6, 2016.
  21. ^ "The 50 best tracks of 2016". Fact. December 20, 2016. Archived from the original on July 8, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  22. ^ a b c d Macpherson, Alex (February 8, 2016). "Beyoncé's Formation review – a rallying cry that couldn't be more timely". The Guardian. Archived from the original on February 10, 2016. Retrieved February 10, 2016.
  23. ^ Bradley, Regina N. (February 12, 2016). "Getting in Line: Working Through Beyonce's 'Formation'". HuffPost. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  24. ^ a b c Abramo, Joseph Michael (November 26, 2020), Waldron, Janice L.; Horsley, Stephanie; Veblen, Kari K. (eds.), "Resonating Bodies Online: Social Justice, Social Media, and Music Learning", The Oxford Handbook of Social Media and Music Learning, Oxford University Press, pp. 547–567, doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190660772.013.33, ISBN 978-0-19-066077-2, archived from the original on December 11, 2020, retrieved March 18, 2021
  25. ^ a b Ifeanyi, K. C. (February 29, 2016). "We Break Down Exactly Why Beyonce's "Formation" Is (Non-Traditional) Ear-Crack". Fast Company. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  26. ^ Knowles, Beyoncé (June 2016). "Beyoncé "Formation" Sheet Music in F Minor (transposable) - Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Archived from the original on June 8, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  27. ^ "Beyoncé's Best Rap Moments". Complex. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  28. ^ Allen, Lauren Chanel (February 9, 2016). "Why the Outrage Over Beyoncé's Super Bowl Performance Is Completely Ridiculous". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on May 9, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  29. ^ Pearce, Sheldon (October 12, 2017). "Beyoncé, The Rapper". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on February 23, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  30. ^ "Beyonce Just Released A New Song And Video -- This Is Not A Drill". MTV. February 6, 2016. Archived from the original on March 31, 2017. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  31. ^ "Okay, I'll slay: Beyoncé and the lessons learned from Formation". gal-dem. February 8, 2016. Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  32. ^ Snider, Idrissa Nichelle (January 2019). "Self-Defined: A Womanist Exploration Of Michelle Obama, Viola Davis, And Beyonce Knowles". Wayne State University Dissertations. 2227.
  33. ^ "Beyonce's 'Formation' Is A Visual Anthem". NPR. February 8, 2016. Archived from the original on March 26, 2017. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  34. ^ Rao, Sameer (February 8, 2016). "Beyoncé, Dancers Channel Black Panthers Iconography at Super Bowl". Colorlines. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  35. ^ Petridis, Alexis (March 19, 2021). "Beyoncé's 30 greatest songs – ranked!". The Guardian. Archived from the original on March 24, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  36. ^ Caramanica, Jon; Morris, Wesley; Wortham, Jenna (February 7, 2016). "Beyoncé in 'Formation': Entertainer, Activist, Both?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  37. ^ a b c The Lemonade reader. Kinitra Dechaun Brooks, Kameelah L. Martin. London. 2019. ISBN 978-0-429-48745-3. OCLC 1195818139.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  38. ^ Tinsley, Omise'eke Natasha; O'Neill, Caitlin. "Beyonce's 'Formation' Is Activism for African Americans, Women and LGBTQ People". Time. Archived from the original on November 21, 2020. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  39. ^ Fallon, Kevin (February 6, 2016). "Beyonce's 'Formation': A Fiery Black Power Anthem and Call to Arms". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on February 8, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  40. ^ a b "Our Favorite Songs and Videos Right Now: Beyonce, Kanye West and More". Rolling Stone. March 2, 2016. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  41. ^ "50 Best Songs of 2016". Rolling Stone. November 30, 2016. Archived from the original on September 23, 2017. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  42. ^ Sheffield, Rob (November 30, 2016). "50 Best Songs of 2016". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 23, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  43. ^ Cox, Jamieson. "The Top 10 Best Songs of 2016". Time. Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  44. ^ "Top 100 Songs of 2016". Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  45. ^ "25 Best Songs of 2016". Rolling Stone Australia. December 13, 2021. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  46. ^ "Las 25 mejores canciones de 2016". www.lanacion.com.ar (in Spanish). January 5, 2017. Archived from the original on January 29, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  47. ^ "Complex's Best Songs of 2016". www.complex.com. Archived from the original on April 25, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  48. ^ "The 100 Best Songs of 2016". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 19, 2016.
  49. ^ "The 20 Best Songs of 2016 - Fuse". www.fuse.tv. Archived from the original on December 9, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  50. ^ Saunders, Hillary (December 2, 2016). "The 50 Best Songs of 2016". Paste. Archived from the original on January 6, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  51. ^ Wall, Sam (December 23, 2016). "he Music Writers Pick Our Top 10 Songs Of The Year". The Music. Archived from the original on July 3, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  52. ^ "Die 50 besten Songs des Jahres 2016". Musikexpress (in German). December 21, 2016. Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  53. ^ "Årets 99 bästa låtar". Musikbloggen (in Swedish). December 23, 2016. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  54. ^ "The 20 Best Songs Of 2016". idolator. December 13, 2016. Retrieved March 10, 2021.[permanent dead link‍]
  55. ^ Tesema, Martha (December 14, 2016). "Here are the top 11 songs of 2016". Mashable. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  56. ^ "50 Best Songs of 2016". Red Bull. Archived from the original on January 14, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  57. ^ "The Best Songs of 2016". PopMatters. December 7, 2016. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  58. ^ "PAZZ+JOP 2016". Village Voice. January 25, 2017. Archived from the original on January 26, 2017. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  59. ^ Internet (amdb.com.br), AMDB (January 13, 2017). "Melhores Músicas Internacionais de 2016". Rolling Stone (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  60. ^ "The 100 Best Songs of 2016". Pitchfork Media. December 12, 2016. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  61. ^ "The 101 Best Songs of 2016". Spin. December 13, 2016. Archived from the original on August 21, 2018. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  62. ^ "The 100 Best Songs of 2016". www.vice.com. December 15, 2016. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  63. ^ "The 50 best tracks of 2016". Fact. December 20, 2016. Archived from the original on December 19, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  64. ^ "NME's Songs of the Year 2016". NME. November 26, 2016. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved December 13, 2016.
  65. ^ "10 Best R&B Songs of 2016: Critic's Picks". Billboard. December 9, 2016. Archived from the original on July 20, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  66. ^ "Billboard's 100 Best Pop Songs of 2016: Critics' Picks". Billboard. December 12, 2016. Archived from the original on December 13, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2016.
  67. ^ "The Ticket Awards 2016 - and the Music nominees are..." The Irish Times. Archived from the original on August 4, 2017. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  68. ^ Mejia, Paula (December 8, 2016). "The 35 Best Songs of 2016". ELLE. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  69. ^ Gonzales, Erica (December 31, 2016). "22 Songs that Defined 2016". Harper's Bazaar. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  70. ^ "The End Of An Era: The 10 Best Songs Of The Decade". Essence. Archived from the original on December 27, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  71. ^ Sager, Jessica (December 26, 2019). "50 Best Songs of the 2010s That We'll Be Listening to For Decades to Come". Parade: Entertainment, Recipes, Health, Life, Holidays. Archived from the original on December 27, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  72. ^ "Top 100 Songs of the 2010s". Consequence of Sound. November 11, 2019. Archived from the original on November 12, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  73. ^ "The 100 Best Songs of the 2010s". Paste. October 21, 2019. Archived from the original on March 21, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  74. ^ Ahlgrim, Callie. "The 113 best songs of the past decade, ranked". Insider. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  75. ^ "The best pop songs of the 2010s: Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Lorde, more". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on December 29, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  76. ^ a b c "The 200 Best Songs of the 2010s". Pitchfork. October 7, 2019. Archived from the original on October 11, 2019. Retrieved October 8, 2019.
  77. ^ "The 100 Best Songs of the 2010s". Rolling Stone. December 4, 2019. Archived from the original on December 4, 2019. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  78. ^ "The 200 Best Songs Of The 2010s". Stereogum. November 5, 2019. Archived from the original on November 5, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  79. ^ "NME's Greatest Songs Of The Decade: The 2010s". NME. December 4, 2019. Archived from the original on December 4, 2019. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
  80. ^ Dowling, Stephen. "The songs that truly defined the 2010s". www.bbc.com. Archived from the original on May 29, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  81. ^ "The 24 Songs That Shaped the Decade". GQ. December 23, 2019. Archived from the original on September 18, 2021. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  82. ^ s (December 31, 2019). "103 Days That Shaped Music in the 2010s". Vulture. Archived from the original on December 24, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  83. ^ "The 40 best song lyrics of all time". The Independent. January 16, 2021. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  84. ^ Greenwood, Douglas (November 12, 2020). "Best pop comebacks of the 21st century so far, ranked". i-D. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  85. ^ "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 15, 2021. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  86. ^ a b "Grammy Awards 2017: See the Full Winners List". Billboard. February 12, 2017. Archived from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  87. ^ "VMAs 2016: full list of winners at MTV video music awards". The Guardian. August 29, 2016. Archived from the original on June 13, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  88. ^ "The Last 10 Years of MTV Video of the Year Winners". Contactmusic.com. August 20, 2018. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  89. ^ Montgomery, Daniel (August 14, 2017). "Rihanna could make history at the MTV Video Music Awards by breaking this tie with Beyonce and Eminem". GoldDerby. Archived from the original on November 13, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  90. ^ "Awards Shows Are Still Pigeonholing Black Artists". Paper. September 3, 2020. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  91. ^ "AICE : Events : AICE Awards Show : 2016 Winners". www.aice.org. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  92. ^ "BET Awards: The Complete Winners List". Billboard. June 27, 2016. Archived from the original on June 27, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  93. ^ "MUSIC VIDEO NOMINATIONS ARE HERE! – EnergaCAMERIMAGE 2021". camerimage.pl. Archived from the original on October 27, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  94. ^ "Beyonce's 'Formation' Music Video Wins Grand Prix at Inaugural Cannes Lions Entertainment for Music Awards". Billboard. June 24, 2016. Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  95. ^ "Beyoncé - Formation". Clios. Archived from the original on September 18, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  96. ^ "US Wins 185 Statues, Including Five Grand LIAs at the 31st Annual London International Awards". www.liaawards.com. Archived from the original on November 21, 2022. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  97. ^ "2016 MTV EMAs: See the Full Winners List". Billboard. November 6, 2016. Archived from the original on May 26, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  98. ^ "VMAs 2016: See the Full List of Winners". Billboard. August 29, 2016. Archived from the original on February 1, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  99. ^ "MTV VMAJ 2016 - 日本から世界へ発信する、ミュージックビデオの祭典". MTV VMAJ 2016 (in Japanese). Retrieved March 9, 2021.[permanent dead link‍]
  100. ^ "And The Winner is... Muse, The 1975, U2, MIA, Blondie, Bastille, PJ Harvey & more honoured at StubHub Q Awards 2016". Q. Archived from the original on February 21, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  101. ^ "2016 Soul Train Awards: See the Full Winners List". Billboard. November 28, 2016. Archived from the original on July 5, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  102. ^ "UK Music Video Awards 2016: all the winners! | News | Promonews". Promonewstv. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  103. ^ "Shatta Wale saves Ghana at 2016 WatsUp TV Africa Music Video Awards". www.ghanaweb.com. December 29, 2016. Archived from the original on December 30, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  104. ^ "2017 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards". www.ascap.com. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  105. ^ "iHeartRadio Music Awards Winners: Updated List". Variety. March 6, 2017. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  106. ^ "2017 NAACP Image Award Winners: Complete List". The Hollywood Reporter. February 10, 2017. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  107. ^ "Kids' Choice Awards 2017 Winners: The Complete List". E! Online. March 12, 2017. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  108. ^ "KIDS' CHOICE AWARDS 2017: CONHEÇA OS VENCEDORES". Kids' Choice Awards. Archived from the original on March 14, 2017. Retrieved April 22, 2017.
  109. ^ "VO5 NME Awards 2017 - full winners' list". NME. February 15, 2017. Archived from the original on February 18, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  110. ^ "The One Club / The One Show - Archive of Award Winners". www.oneclub.org. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  111. ^ "21st Annual Webby Award Winners Announced | The Webby Awards". Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  112. ^ Cantor, Brian (February 23, 2016). "Andra Day, Alessia Cara, Ty Dolla $ign, Beyonce, Zendaya score Bubbling Under Hot 100 Debuts". Headline Planet. Archived from the original on April 29, 2016. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  113. ^ Mendizabal, Amaya (February 18, 2016). "Beyonce Earns Highest R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay Chart Debut With 'Formation'". BIllboard. Archived from the original on May 11, 2016. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  114. ^ a b Trust, Gary (May 2, 2016). "Desiigner Holds Off Drake Atop Hot 100, Prince & Beyonce Hit Top 10". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 2, 2016. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  115. ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  116. ^ a b "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  117. ^ "ARIA Urban Singles Chart" (PDF). May 9, 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 4, 2016. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  118. ^ a b "Canadian single certifications – Beyonce – Formation". Music Canada. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
  119. ^ "The Beyoncé video for 'Formation' is still unlisted on YouTube". The Daily Dot. March 17, 2016. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  120. ^ Hartmann, Johanna (December 22, 2017). "Sound, Vision, and Embodied Performativity in Beyoncé Knowles' Visual Album Lemonade (2016)". European Journal of American Studies. 12 (12–4). doi:10.4000/ejas.12415. ISSN 1991-9336. Archived from the original on July 12, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  121. ^ "With 'Formation,' Beyoncé Lights Up The Internet. Here's What People Are Saying". NPR. Retrieved April 16, 2021.
  122. ^ "Beyoncé On Why She Performed 'Formation' At The Super Bowl". The Huffington Post. February 9, 2016. Archived from the original on February 10, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  123. ^ Abad-Santos, Alex (February 6, 2016). "Listen: Beyoncé's new song 'Formation'". Vox. Archived from the original on February 8, 2016. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  124. ^ Caramanica, Jon (February 7, 2016). "Review: It's Coldplay, Starring Beyoncé, at Super Bowl Halftime Show". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 26, 2019. Retrieved May 12, 2016.
  125. ^ "Beyoncé Kicks Off 'Formation' Tour in Miami, Jay Z Shows Support But Doesn't Perform". ET. April 27, 2016. Archived from the original on May 12, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  126. ^ Randel, Becky (April 27, 2016). "Beyonce Pays Tribute to Prince, Dedicates 'Halo' to Jay Z as 'Formation World Tour' Kicks Off in Miami". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 19, 2016. Retrieved May 14, 2016.
  127. ^ Sheffield, Rob (August 29, 2016). "How Beyonce Demolished the 2016 Video Music Awards: Middle Fingers Up". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 8, 2016. Retrieved October 8, 2016.
  128. ^ Unterberger, Andrew (August 2, 2017). "The 100 Greatest Award Show Performances of All Time". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  129. ^ Framke, Caroline (November 5, 2016). "Beyonce endorsed Hillary Clinton, performed "Formation" in a pantsuit, twirled on her haters". Vox. Archived from the original on February 14, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  130. ^ Cochrane, Naima (April 19, 2019). "Your Musical Guide to the Blackness of Beyonce's 'Homecoming'". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  131. ^ Coscarelli, Joe (April 17, 2019). "'Homecoming' Documentary Comes With a Surprise: A Beyoncé Live Album (Published 2019)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on March 7, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  132. ^ "Here Are All the Songs Beyoncé & JAY-Z Played on the Opening Night of the On the Run II Tour". Billboard. June 7, 2018. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  133. ^ "Beyoncé and JAY-Z throw down hit-filled set at Global Citizen: Mandela 100: Watch". Consequence of Sound. December 3, 2018. Archived from the original on November 20, 2020. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  134. ^ "8 Times Beyoncé Proved She Is a Fierce LGBTQ Ally". Billboard. March 14, 2019. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  135. ^ a b c Gammage, Marquita (November 2017). "Pop Culture Without Culture: Examining the Public Backlash to Beyoncé's Super Bowl 50 Performance". Journal of Black Studies. 48 (8): 715–731. doi:10.1177/0021934717729504. ISSN 0021-9347. S2CID 149269119. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  136. ^ Lopez, German (February 8, 2016). "Why conservative pundits and politicians are attacking Beyoncé". Vox. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  137. ^ Allen, Lauren Chanel (February 9, 2016). "Why the Outrage Over Beyoncé's Super Bowl Performance Is Completely Ridiculous". Teen Vogue. Archived from the original on May 9, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  138. ^ "Beyonce criticised by Rudy Giuliani for Super Bowl 'attack on the police'". The Telegraph. February 8, 2016. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  139. ^ "New York Rep. Peter King Lashes Out At Beyonce Video". NBC New York. February 9, 2016. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  140. ^ "Should Beyoncé be banned from Canada?". CBC. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  141. ^ Kreps, Daniel (February 13, 2016). "Killer Mike Defends Beyonce's 'Formation' on 'Real Time'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  142. ^ "The Power of 'Petty': How One Small Word Came to Represent Black Resistance". www.vice.com. February 2, 2017. Archived from the original on June 3, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  143. ^ "Tomi Lahren to Beyonce: Your husband was a drug dealer, worry about that". TheGrio. February 10, 2016. Archived from the original on November 29, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  144. ^ "A News Anchor Says Beyoncé Asked to Use Her Anti-Beyoncé Super Bowl Rant for the Formation Tour, and, Well, She Blew It". Vulture. April 25, 2016. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  145. ^ "The 10 most talked-about albums of 2016 - BBC Music". www.bbc.co.uk. December 7, 2016. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  146. ^ Lisa Respers France (February 9, 2016). "Beyonce critics and fans plan protests". CNN. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  147. ^ Romm, Tony. "'Pro-Beyoncé' vs. 'Anti-Beyoncé': 3,500 Facebook ads show the scale of Russian manipulation". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on November 4, 2020. Retrieved April 13, 2021.
  148. ^ "Anti-Beyoncé protest countered by Black Lives Matter demonstration". The Guardian. February 16, 2016. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  149. ^ a b Lisa Respers France (February 23, 2016). "Why the Beyoncé controversy is bigger than you think". CNN. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  150. ^ Chokshi, Niraj. "Sheriffs: Beyoncé is 'inciting bad behavior' and endangering law enforcement". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on May 22, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  151. ^ "Time Person of the Year Runner Up: Beyoncé". Time. Archived from the original on October 7, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  152. ^ a b George, Cindy; Rahman, Fauzeya (May 7, 2016). "Dueling protests to get in 'Formation' outside Beyoncé's Houston concert". Chron. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  153. ^ Company, Tampa Publishing. "Tampa police union supports boycott of Beyoncé's music but doesn't tell members not to work her Tampa concert". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  154. ^ "'There is power in pop culture': Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie applauds Beyonce for quitting her comfort zone with 'Formation'". Sunday Times Books LIVE @ Sunday Times Books LIVE. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  155. ^ ""White people, it's not always about you": Bill Maher and Killer Mike push back against right-wing Beyonce outrage". Salon. February 13, 2016. Archived from the original on January 23, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  156. ^ "Beyoncé Offered Protection From Nation of Islam Amid Police Union Boycotts - Billboard". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 13, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2020.
  157. ^ Gebreyes, Rahel (February 12, 2016). "Ne-Yo Talks 'Formation': Beyoncé 'Has The Right' To Celebrate Her Black Identity". HuffPost. Archived from the original on November 28, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  158. ^ Kreps, Daniel (February 9, 2016). "'Daily Show' Defends Beyonce's Super Bowl Performance". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  159. ^ Spanos, Brittany (April 5, 2016). "Beyonce Explains Why 'Formation' Video Is Not Anti-Police". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  160. ^ France, Lisa Respers (April 28, 2016). "Beyonce selling 'Boycott Beyonce' shirts". CNNMoney. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved March 22, 2021.
  161. ^ Kornhaber, Spencer (April 28, 2016). "The Genius of Beyoncé Selling 'Boycott Beyoncé' Shirts". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  162. ^ Johnson, Tre (September 29, 2016). "How Beyonce Made Football a Protest Space". Philadelphia. Archived from the original on April 16, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  163. ^ "Why Beyonce's 'Formation' Matters So Much". TheWrap. February 11, 2016. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  164. ^ Sullivan, Jas M.; Platenburg, Gheni N. (April 2017). "From Black-ish to Blackness: An Analysis of Black Information Sources' Influence on Black Identity Development". Journal of Black Studies. 48 (3): 215–234. doi:10.1177/0021934716685845. ISSN 0021-9347. S2CID 151605188. Archived from the original on February 11, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  165. ^ "25 Songs That Tell Us Where Music Is Going". The New York Times Magazine. March 10, 2016. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  166. ^ Crumpton, Taylor (October 16, 2020). "Protest music found a home in contemporary pop". Andscape. Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  167. ^ Schulte, Laura. "Music that may have affected your vote". Wausau Daily Herald. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  168. ^ Cheshire, Godfrey. "Michael Moore in TrumpLand movie review (2016) | Roger Ebert". rogerebert.com. Archived from the original on September 18, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  169. ^ "Michael Moore in TrumpLand". Bergensia. October 28, 2020. Archived from the original on September 30, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  170. ^ "Beyoncé's South and the Birth of a "Formation" Nation", Emancipation's Daughters, Duke University Press, pp. 221–234, 2021, doi:10.1215/9781478012504-006, ISBN 978-1-4780-1250-4
  171. ^ Kot, Greg (October 25, 2018). "Can the power of a song make you vote? Chance the Rapper, Taylor Swift and other pop stars think so". chicagotribune.com. Archived from the original on June 24, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  172. ^ Seymour, Corey (June 13, 2020). "Rebel Music: Protest Songs from Beethoven to Bob Marley Have Been Speaking Truth to Their Times—And Ours". Vogue. Archived from the original on January 20, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  173. ^ Smith, Amy (February 2, 2017). "These are the songs soundtracking protests around the world". Time Out London. Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  174. ^ "The Times They Are A-Changin': Is Folk Music Still Relevant for the Resistance?". Billboard. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  175. ^ Kennedy, Gerrick D. (December 6, 2016). "From Beyoncé to De La Soul, modern black protest music got plenty of attention at the Grammys". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 12, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  176. ^ "YG, Che Lingo, Kendrick Lamar: the protest songs of Black Lives Matter 2020". The Guardian. June 10, 2020. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  177. ^ "5 Years of 'Lemonade'". Glamour. April 23, 2021. Archived from the original on September 30, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  178. ^ "Get What's Mine: "Formation" Changes the Way We Listen to Beyonce Forever". www.vice.com. February 8, 2016. Archived from the original on May 14, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  179. ^ "Beyoncé's Formation Video: The Main Talking Points". NME. February 8, 2016. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  180. ^ "How #BlackLivesMatter started a musical revolution". The Guardian. March 13, 2016. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  181. ^ "The Professor Who Made Beyoncé's 'Lemonade' a College Course". www.vice.com. December 13, 2018. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  182. ^ "Beyoncé, Protest, and Popular Music". UPenn Department of English. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  183. ^ "University students offered course on Black Lives Matter movement". The Independent. May 30, 2018. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  184. ^ "UTSA to Offer 'Black Women, Beyoncé & Popular Culture' Course on 'Lemonade'". Complex. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  185. ^ "Show Your Syllabus: Beyonce and Intersectionality". TCU Magazine. November 13, 2018. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  186. ^ "Fall 2021 Advanced Literature | English". www.bu.edu. Archived from the original on June 18, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  187. ^ "Unpacking Beyoncé's Formation: Nurse as Social Justice Educator". Creating Community. February 19, 2016. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  188. ^ Zafar, Maryam (November 30, 2017). "How Does Beyoncé 'Run the World,' Students Answer After Semester of Study". The Cornell Daily Sun. Archived from the original on March 6, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  189. ^ "The Beyoncé Course Formation at Cornell | Africana Studies & Research Center Cornell Arts & Sciences". africana.cornell.edu. November 7, 2017. Archived from the original on May 13, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  190. ^ Riley, Charles (February 9, 2016). "Red Lobster: Sales spike 33% after Beyoncé endorsement". Archived from the original on May 11, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  191. ^ Whitten, Sarah (February 8, 2016). "A Beyonce mention sends Red Lobster sales higher". CNBC. Archived from the original on November 21, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  192. ^ "Release notes: Bama and shaka: how two local words went global". Oxford English Dictionary. December 14, 2016. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  193. ^ "Rediscovering the Awesomeness of a 1967 Cadillac Coupe de Ville". Bloomberg.com. February 12, 2016. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  194. ^ McCorquodale, Sara (2020). Influence : how social media influencers are shaping our digital future. London. p. 197. ISBN 978-1-4729-7191-3. OCLC 1108693604.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  195. ^ "New UT testing named for Beyoncé aims to combat antibiotic resistance". KXAN Austin. January 11, 2018. Archived from the original on May 29, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  196. ^ "Presbyterian Mission Agency Board considers massive restructuring and studies implicit bias". The Presbyterian Outlook. October 7, 2021. Archived from the original on October 7, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  197. ^ @Presbyterian (October 6, 2021). "Harkening Beyonce song "Formation" Rev. Dr. Barbee-Watkins ends devotion with a call to action ''Cause We Slay'" #PMAB #PMA" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  198. ^ Weldon, Glen (December 8, 2016). "Pop Culture Advent Calendar, Day 8: 'I Got Hot Sauce In My Bag/Swag'". NPR. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  199. ^ II, Vann R. Newkirk (April 19, 2016). "Was Hillary Clinton Pandering When She Talked About Hot Sauce?". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on February 1, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  200. ^ khari (April 18, 2016). "The Source |Hillary Clinton Says She Always Keeps Hot Sauce In Her Bag On 'The Breakfast Club'". The Source. Archived from the original on June 21, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  201. ^ "Lemonade braids". Dictionary.com. August 24, 2018. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  202. ^ "'A sign of revolution': why the black power beret is making a comeback". The Guardian. October 9, 2020. Archived from the original on March 22, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
  203. ^ "Piping hot: this season's souped-up shirt". The Guardian. March 29, 2016. Archived from the original on October 3, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  204. ^ a b c "The dos and don'ts of the 2020 cover version". The Independent. December 3, 2020. Archived from the original on January 31, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  205. ^ "White People, Please Think Long and Hard Before Covering Beyoncé's "Formation" or Rihanna's "Work"". www.vice.com. February 25, 2016. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  206. ^ Lockett, Dee (February 26, 2016). "#TrapCovers Responds to White 'Work' Covers". Vulture. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  207. ^ "This Lotic Edit Of Beyoncé's "Formation" Is A Post-Election Rallying Cry". The FADER. November 5, 2016. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  208. ^ a b Sherburne, Philip (November 10, 2016). ""Formation (Election Anxiety/America Is Over Edit)" by Lotic". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on November 25, 2020. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  209. ^ Lubitz, Rachel (May 17, 2016). "Beyoncé's "Formation" Was Used In a Fashion Show Starring Only White Models". Mic. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  210. ^ "Australian Fashion Show Closes with All-White Runway Models Walking to "Formation"". Paper. May 17, 2016. Archived from the original on May 10, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  211. ^ "People Aren't Happy That an All-White Fashion Show Played Beyoncé's "Formation"". Complex. Archived from the original on June 28, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  212. ^ Baron, Nick (March 17, 2021). "What Is The Song In The Google 2021 Women's History Month Commercial?". Looper.com. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  213. ^ "Beyoncé: Lemonade: Credits: Lemonade". Beyoncé. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  214. ^ "Beyoncé – Formation". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
  215. ^ "ultratop.be - Beyoncé - Formation". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  216. ^ "Beyoncé – Formation" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  217. ^ "Beyonce Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  218. ^ "Denmark Digital Songs". Billboard. May 2, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  219. ^ "Euro Digital Songs". Billboard. May 2, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  220. ^ "Beyoncé: Formation" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  221. ^ "Beyoncé – Formation" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  222. ^ "Beyoncé – Formation" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  223. ^ "Greece Digital Songs". Billboard. May 2, 2016. Archived from the original on May 23, 2013. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  224. ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  225. ^ "Chart Track: Week 17, 2016". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  226. ^ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Archived from the original on December 1, 2016. Retrieved June 7, 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Titolo" field, search "Formation".
  227. ^ "Top 30 Singles Chart Malaysia". Archived from the original on May 5, 2016.
  228. ^ "Netherlands Digital Songs". Billboard. May 2, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  229. ^ "New Zealand Digital Songs". Billboard. May 2, 2016. Archived from the original on May 24, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  230. ^ "Norway Digital Songs". Billboard. May 2, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  231. ^ "Chart Search - Billboard". Billboard. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  232. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  233. ^ "Beyoncé – Formation" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  234. ^ "Sweden Digital Songs". Billboard. May 2, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  235. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker – Vecka 18, 6 maj 2016" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  236. ^ "Beyonce Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
  237. ^ "Beyonce Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
  238. ^ "Beyonce Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2016.
  239. ^ "Beyonce Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
  240. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Urban Singles 2016". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2017.
  241. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 2016" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved December 27, 2016.
  242. ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 1, 2018. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  243. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2021 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  244. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – Beyoncé – Formation" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  245. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Beyoncé – Formation". Radioscope. Retrieved December 17, 2024. Type Formation in the "Search:" field.
  246. ^ "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 26, 2023. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter Formation in the search box.
  247. ^ "British single certifications – Beyonce – Formation". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  248. ^ "American single certifications – Beyonce – Formation". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Formation_(song)&oldid=1263633200"