I Am... Sasha Fierce
In its original release, I Am... Sasha Fierce was formatted as a double album, intending to market Beyoncé's dichotomous artistic persona.The first disc I Am... contains slow and midtempo pop and R&B ballads, while the second, Sasha Fierce–titled after Beyoncé's on-stage alter ego–focuses on more uptempo beats that blend electropop and Europop elements.Musically, I Am... drew inspiration from folk and alternative rock, while blending acoustic guitar elements into contemporary ballads, and its tracks were written and produced by Beyoncé, during collaborative efforts with Babyface, Tricky Stewart, The-Dream and Ryan Tedder.I Am... Sasha Fierce received mixed to positive reviews from music critics and was a commercial success, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart with first-week sales of 482,000 units and earning Beyoncé her third consecutive US number-one solo album.To further promote the album, Beyoncé made several award show and televised appearances across Europe and America, and embarking on the worldwide I Am... Tour (2009–10).[6] She collaborated with several record producers and songwriters, including Babyface, Stargate (production duo composed of Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel Storleer Eriksen), Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Darkchild, Sean Garrett, Solange Knowles, Jim Jonsin, Rico Love, Ryan Tedder, Bangladesh, Ian Dench, Dave McCracken, Wayne Wilkins and Blac Elvis.[10] During the nine-month period between November 2007 and August 2008, Beyoncé recorded over seventy songs and decided during the editing process that she did not want to reconcile the two approaches into one disc.[20] According to Jonah Weiner of Blender, the song makes a clear reference to marriage[21] while Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune felt that the lyrics had a connection with "post-breakup"."[31] According to critics, "Video Phone" contains lyrics that are in reference to "a celebration of Skype sex and putting on a solo show, on camera, for a guy you just met at the club".She stated that "it pissed her off that an agency could dictate what her fans wanted based on a survey", pointing out that she was "so exhausted and annoyed with these formulaic corporate companies" and highlighting the album's subsequent great commercial success.[38] Beyoncé promoted I Am... Sasha Fierce through various televised appearances and awards ceremonies by performing songs featured on the album from late 2008 until early 2010.[43] On November 16, Beyoncé sang a medley of "If I Were a Boy", "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", and "Crazy in Love" during the final episode of Total Request Live.[54] In February 2010, the bonus track "Why Don't You Love Me" from the album's multiple reissues, climbed up the US Dance Club Songs, eventually taking the top spot and becoming Beyoncé's thirteenth number-one hit on the chart.[60] The platinum edition of I Am... Sasha Fierce was released in Australia on Beyoncé's twenty-eighth birthday on September 4, 2009, and in the United States on October 20, 2009;[61][62] it included a cover version of Billy Joel's song "Honesty" (1979), as well as a DVD containing various music videos from the album's singles.[64] An extended play (EP) titled I Am... Sasha Fierce – The Bonus Tracks was released the same day for digital download in the United States, featuring the latter songs, along with "Why Don't You Love Me".Beyoncé then went on to perform in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and the United Kingdom, before finishing the 2009 portion of the tour on November 24 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.[74] The next single, "Halo", was released internationally and peaked at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100,[71] proving to be commercially successful and reaching top ten around the world.[85] Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani wrote that the album's "strength" is "its individual songs ... a testament to Beyoncé as one of today's most reliable singles artists", but felt that "the real disparity is her inability to reconcile the adult-contemporary schmaltz of I Am with the more modern, edgy sounds of Sasha Fierce."[87] AllMusic's Andy Kellman called its double-disc "gimmick" "flimsy" and favored its second disc's "decent, if easily forgettable, upbeat pop."[13] In his consumer guide for MSN Music, Robert Christgau named it the "dud of the month",[86] indicating "a bad record whose details rarely merit further thought".[86] Jonah Weiner of Blender commented that "Beyoncé is still a beauty-shop feminist, quick with the smack-downs, and she still describes the rattling rush of love with preternatural poise".[90] The Village Voice's Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond felt that the I Am... disc lacks cohesion, but complimented "Sasha Fierce as "brassy, big-headed, confrontational, and witty," and stated, "each incendiary track challenges you to leave your inhibitions at coat-check."[93] Christian Hoard of Rolling Stone noted that its slow songs are "full of bland self-affirmation and saggy lines", but wrote that "the "Sasha" disc boasts Beyoncé's most adventurous music yet".[89] Colin McGuire of PopMatters called the album "a little rough around the edges at times" and viewed its Sasha Fierce disc as "a far more compelling trip down dance-lane".[94] Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly wrote that the album offers "two compelling sides" of Beyoncé and stated: "The collection might have been better served had she edited it down to one disc, rather than belabor what ultimately seems like a marketing gimmick.[95] Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly ranked I Am… Sasha Fierce at number two on her list "10 Best CDs of 2008", stating that "'If I Were a Boy' and 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)' are undoubtedly album highlights; still, the surprise here is how consistently satisfying the rest of it is – even the less showy tracks blossom on repeated listening.[117] I Am... Sasha Fierce debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 482,000 copies in its first week and giving Beyoncé her third consecutive number-one album in the United States.[121] With this achievement, Beyoncé eventually equaled Garth Brooks, Mariah Carey, and Shania Twain for placing an album in Nielsen SoundScan's year-end top ten for the fifth time.[136] The album was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) on April 26, 2009 (after twenty-three weeks on the chart), shipping over 15,000 copies to retailers[137].[140] The album experienced massive success in Brazil, topping the country's year-end chart and being certified double diamond for sales in excess of 500,000 copies by Pro-Música Brasil.
Studio albumBeyoncéChung KingElectric LadyRoc the MicStrawberrybee ProductionsPatchWerkMusic WorldColumbiaProducerBama BoyzBangladeshDarkchildIan DenchBlac ElvisToby GadSean GarrettAmanda GhostJim JonsinHarold LillyDave McCrackenRico LoveStargateTricky StewartRyan TedderThe-DreamWayne WilkinsThe Beyoncé Experience LiveSinglesIf I Were a BoySingle Ladies (Put a Ring on It)Sweet DreamsBroken-Hearted GirlVideo PhoneColumbia RecordsMusic World Entertainmentdouble albumdichotomousballadsalter egoelectropopEuropopEtta Jamesalternative rockBabyfaceBillboard 200seven-times platinumRecording Industry Association of Americabest-selling albums of the 21st centuryGrammy Award52nd Annual Grammy AwardsAlbum of the YearBillboard Hot 100Why Don't You Love MeI Am... TourPatchWerk Recording StudiosAtlantaGeorgiaChung King StudiosElectric Lady StudiosRoc the Mic StudiosNew York CityNew YorkLos AngelesCaliforniaMiami BeachFloridaBurbank, Californiarecord producerssongwritersTor Erik HermansenMikkel Storleer EriksenSolange KnowlesBC Jeanacoustic guitarballadrysoul musicFranz SchubertAve MariaLondonEnglandThe Daily TelegraphJon McLaughlinOK NowThe NeptunesBillboardBarbra StreisandKaren CarpenterThe BeatlesAllMusicadult contemporarysoft rockFreakum DressRing the AlarmCrazy in LovePeopleEssenceIrreplaceableFergieBig Girls Don't CryLike a BoyAnn PowersLos Angeles Timesupbeatdance-popdancehallbounceBlenderGreg KotChicago TribuneEvan BogartLeona LewisLil WayneA MillibasslineMichael JacksonBeat Itcontemporary R&Bpiano balladstringsdrum machineJerry MaguireLady GagainnuendosAlice in ChainsJill Scott