beyonce world tour money

Shop TODAY All Stars: Vote now for your top 4 picks!

• TODAY Plaza
• Share this —

• Watch Full Episodes
• Read With Jenna
• Inspirational
• Relationships
• TODAY Table
• Newsletters
• Start TODAY
• Shop TODAY Awards
• Citi Music Series
• Listen All Day

Follow today

More Brands

• On The Show

Tina Knowles praises Beyoncé and Taylor Swift for boosting the economy. See how much their tours have made

Tina Knowles is celebrating two of 2023’s hottest tickets — Beyoncé’s “Renaissance Tour” and Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour.”

On Instagram , Knowles shared a screenshot of a Facebook post from New York Times , which linked out to an article that detailed the economic and cultural impact of her daughter Beyoncé’s tour.

In the caption of her post, Knowles wrote, “This is so awesome ! To b able to stimulate the economy is no small feat! @beyonce.”

Knowles also gave a sweet nod to Swift in her caption, adding, “And ! @taylorswift ! Just being young women and being able to say this , is so awesome!!! Proud of them both !”

Beyoncé and Swift’s tours overlapped in the United States during the summer. Both were a pop culture sensation, with social media platforms inundated by various trends coming out of each tour.

For Swift’s “Eras Tour,” friendship bracelets and DIY themed costumes became the norm while Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” world tour birthed the “mute” challenge and had concertgoers following her request for a silver theme in celebration of Virgo season.

With Beyoncé’s tour wrapping up on Oct. 1 and Swift’s on-going tour resuming Nov. 9 in Argentina, both tours have already generated millions of dollars along the way.

Read on to learn more about each tour's economic impact.

How much has the “Renaissance Tour” made?

Beyoncé’s “Renaissance Tour” kicked off May 10 in Sweden and will conclude Oct. 1 in Kansas City. Before the tour kicked off, Forbes estimated that Beyoncé would earn nearly $2.1 billion from her tour.

The “Cuff It” singer’s tour set multiple records over the summer, including back-to-back records for the highest one-month gross in history in both July and August, according to a Sept. report by Billboard .

In July, she grossed $127.6 million and in August, that number increased to $179 million. The outlet also reported the “Renaissance Tour” became the highest grossing tour by a female artist, surpassing Madonna's “Sticky & Sweet Tour” with $461.3 million.

During the “Renaissance Tour,” Beyoncé also gave back $2 million to students and small business through her charity foundation, BeyGOOD. Half of the donations went to entrepreneurs, with luncheons hosted by BeyGOOD the day before each show for a chance to win a $100 thousand grant. The other portion of the $2 million donation was allocated to the Renaissance Scholarship Fund.

Beyoncé’s tour spawned several special moments over the course of its run, including a special tribute to the late Tina Turner , a birthday surprise from Diana Ross , as well as numerous performances alongside her eldest daughter, Blue Ivy.

It was also a hotspot for celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio, Vanessa Bryant, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Kim and Khloe Kardashian, and more.

How much has the “Eras Tour” made?

Swift’s “Eras Tour” originally ran from March 17 through August 9. Throughout the year, Swift added on additional dates including several international dates in 2023 and 2024 as well as additional 2024 dates in the United States and internationally. 

While Swift’s tour still has 13 months to go, so far it’s been estimated she's earned $1 billion in sales , with Pollstar estimating the singer will exceed $1.4 billion in the new year .

Swift's economic impact far has exceeded solely ticket sales, too. The tour also increased revenue for hotels across the country, with fans flocking to each city to experience her career-sprawling performances.

It was also reported Swift made several donations with her tour’s earnings, including donating to local food banks at each stop and gifting $100,000 bonus checks to her truck drivers at the end of the U.S. leg of the tour.

The singer’s tour is also set to hit the big screen in the United States, and now internationally. In a press release, AMC said that it took less than 24 hours for the film to “shatter AMC’s U.S. record for the highest ticket-sales revenue during a single day in AMC’s 103-year history.”

Swift’s “Eras Tour” was not without its faults though.

The singer spoke out against Ticketmaster after fans struggled to obtain tickets to the tour due to “historically unprecedented demand” causing the website to crash. The debacle sparked public scrutiny, including questions from senators , and elicited changes from the company before Beyoncé’s “Renaissance Tour” tickets went on sale.

Francesca Gariano is a New York City-based freelance journalist reporting on culture, entertainment, beauty, lifestyle and wellness. She is a freelance contributor to TODAY.com, where she covers pop culture and breaking news.

How much did Beyoncé make on the Renaissance Tour? See her growing empire

Call her Queen Bey, Mrs. Carter or Sasha Fierce, one thing is clear: Beyoncé Knowles runs the world.

Since she hit the scene as a child rapper in the kids group Girls Tyme in 1990, Beyoncé has built a half-a-billion-dollar empire that spans music, entertainment, fashion and a flurry of lucrative investments and endorsement deals. This year, her record-breaking 56-stop Renaissance tour — a dazzling mix of robotic arms, pyrotechnics and a flying holographic horse — helped power the U.S. economy.

See how much money Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour actually made

As the Renaissance tour heads this weekend to the silver screen, here’s a look at how the diva herself got some respect on her check.

Smart enough to make these millions

Beyoncé is a lot of things: Performer, entrepreneur, fashion icon. And they all have contributed to her fast-growing fortune.

Her net worth has soared 20 percent in the last year to $540 million, according to Forbes. That’s nearly enough to buy every person in her hometown of Houston a bottle of her $160 perfume, plus a couple of official Renaissance T-shirts.

The bulk of Beyoncé’s wealth comes from her 20-year solo career. The “Flawless” singer has sold more than 200 million albums, won a record 32 Grammy Awards and become the most-awarded artist at the MTV Video Music Awards, BET Awards and NAACP Image Awards.

She’s also started multiple companies — including Parkwood Entertainment, the production firm behind the 2008 musical biopic “Cadillac Records” — and signed lucrative endorsement deals with such global brands as PepsiCo, Samsung, L’Oreal and American Express.

Stacking money everywhere she goes

Revenue per tour in 2023 dollars

Renaissance World Tour (2023)

The Beyonce Experience (2007)

The Formation World Tour

I Am…World Tour (2009-10)

The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour (2013-14)

She works for the money and she ain’t sorry.

With 56 shows over five months, Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour cemented the performer as one of the most successful touring artists of all time. Billboard Boxscore lists Renaissance as the seventh highest-grossing tour in history, behind Elton John, U2 and Coldplay. Beyoncé is the only woman and the only Black artist to crack the Top 10.

The Renaissance tour drew more than 2.7 million fans to stadiums around the world, according to Live Nation, boosting tourism in Beyoncé’s tour cities. In Stockholm, the traveling “Beyhive” was even blamed for driving Sweden’s May inflation higher than expected.

Seeing Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ film? Here is our list of do’s and don’ts.

Over the years, Beyoncé’s tours have grown in scale and earnings. Her first solo tour featured shows in Europe and the United Kingdom. Her next tour, the Beyoncé Experience, was a global production that earned nearly $25 million — or about $35 million in today’s dollars — an impressive showing that amounts to just 6 percent of Queen Bey’s Renaissance haul.

A Mastermind in haute couture

Beyoncé’s expanding business empire includes investment in multiple companies, including flavored water company Lemon Perfect and Parisian fashion brand Destree, according to PitchBook Data.

Her own companies have included the fashion line House of Deréon and production company Parkwood Entertainment, which produced her 2019 concert film “Homecoming,” according to Billboard. Parkwood is also the parent company for athleisure clothing line Ivy Park, which recently ended its partnership with Adidas. Ivy Park posted on Instagram in November that “a new era awaits.”

In addition, she served as a global brand ambassador for Pepsi — a $50 million campaign, the New York Times estimated — and also collaborates with her husband on the music-streaming service Tidal, which sold a majority stake to the payment company Block for roughly $237 million.

Beyoncé knows better than to be reckless in a Givenchy dress and uses the stage to lift her businesses. She and her dancers frequently wear outfits from Ivy Park; the all-black outfit from the final show of the Renaissance tour in October is now sold out.

A Texas baby

Beyoncé often sings about her fondness for Houston. And her hometown loves her back. In September, Harris County (where Houston is located) officially renamed itself “Bey County” during the star’s two-night Renaissance tour stop.

Ticket sales for the Renaissance Tour’s Houston shows alone totaled $31.3 million. Meanwhile, visitors spent $18.2 million at Houston-area hotels — up 45 percent from the same weekend in 2022, according to Houston First Corporation.

To drum up excitement, city officials threw a homecoming bash for Queen Bey — complete with fireworks, a drone light show and cover bands playing her biggest hits. Some 5,000 people attended the free downtown celebration.

“It turned out even bigger than we could’ve imagined,” said Michael Heckman, chief executive of Houston First, which organized the event at the urging of Mayor Sylvester Turner. “When you have a hometown hero like Beyoncé coming back for a major concert, we just had to do something big that would be befitting of the star she is.”

She’s building her own foundation

She may be stingy with her love, but Beyoncé is making sure when she leaves this world she’ll have no regrets. For the last 10 years, she has focused on providing economic opportunities to people in underprivileged and marginalized communities through the BeyGood Foundation .

During the Renaissance tour, for example, she gave $2 million to entrepreneurs and college students, doling out $10,000 scholarships and $100,000 small-business grants in cities along the way. The Black Parade Route, created in 2020, brings together Black business owners around the world for networking luncheons and awards grants, funding hundreds of Black entrepreneurs.

The nonprofit has supported families dealing with disasters, including hurricanes in Houston and Orlando, and a lack of clean drinking water in Flint, Mich. Beyoncé has also given millions to Knowles-Temenos Place, a housing complex in Houston that helps the homeless.

World Wide Woman

If there’s one thing Beyoncé knows how to do, it’s make the most of every opportunity. And the Renaissance tour is no exception. Beyoncé is bringing the Renaissance World Tour to movie theaters around the world starting Nov. 30 — a shining new addition to the larger B universe.

About this story:

These songs are referenced in this story:

Illustrations by Alexis Arnold and Emily Sabens. Editing by Jennifer Liberto and Karly Domb Sadof. Design editing by Betty Chavarria. Photo editing by Haley Hamblin. Copy editing by Briana R. Ellison.

Photo credits: Getty Images, Reuters, AP Images, iStock.

• In Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance,’ the theater audience is the star December 1, 2023 In Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance,’ the theater audience is the star December 1, 2023
• How much did Beyoncé make on the Renaissance Tour? See her growing empire November 30, 2023 How much did Beyoncé make on the Renaissance Tour? See her growing empire November 30, 2023
• Beyoncé enters the hair-care world with Cécred. Here’s what we know. February 7, 2024 Beyoncé enters the hair-care world with Cécred. Here’s what we know. February 7, 2024

Capital XTRA

Jourds 4pm - 7pm

Now Playing

That's What I Like Bruno Mars Download 'That's What I Like' on iTunes

Beyoncé expected to earn BILLIONS from Renaissance World Tour

9 May 2023, 10:57

Beyonce has taken to the stage for her first headline concert since 2018

The superstar's world tour is set to rake in over 2 billion dollars.

Beyoncé 's long-awaited Renaissance World Tour is expected to make a whopping amount of money from her tour.

She is finally performing her seminal album Renaissance live this summer with dates so far confirmed for Europe and North America.

The singer's last solo tour, the Formation World Tour , grossed $289 million dollars from a mere 49 shows.

Beyoncé Renaissance Tour 2023: tickets, prices, dates, venues, setlist & more

Beyoncé's tour kicks off on May 10 in Stockholm, and finishes in New Orleans on 27 September.

Now, it is reported that the singer could earn a whopping $2 billion dollars (£1.6 billion) for her shows.

Bey's most recent tour, 2018's On The Run II with husband Jay-Z, grossed $276 million, which means she expected to earn almost double for her upcoming run of shows.

Beyonce Renaissance World Tour memes: the funniest fan reactions

Forbes have reported that the tour could gross between $275 million and $2.4 billion from tickets alone by the time it ends in September.

The estimates are based on ‘optimistic’ assumptions, including high ticket prices and assuming that fans will be lapping up Bey's merchandise too.

Here Are All The Ways You Can Listen To Capital XTRA

Latest beyonce news, is beyoncé going on a 'cowboy carter' tour in 2024 renaissance act ii rumours, what time does beyoncé's new album 'cowboy carter' come out, beyoncé’s renaissance act ii: ‘cowboy carter: release date & tracklist revealed, where can i watch beyonce’s renaissance tour, beyoncé 'my house' lyrics meaning revealed, who is daphne joy age, net worth and 50 cent relationship, is jhene aiko going on tour in the uk, diddy’s attorney releases statement after house raid video is released, when is sza’s new album ‘lana’ coming out, drake’s dad dennis graham weighs in on metro boomin and kendrick lamar feud, featured podcasts, book club with leah davis, homegrown: the podcast, black women working.

• Of The Essence
• Celebrity News
• If Not For My Girls
• The State Of R&B
• Time Of Essence
• SSENSE X ESSENCE
• 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
• 2023 Fashion House
• Fashion News
• Accessories
• 2024 Best In Beauty Awards
• Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
• Relationships
• Bridal Bliss
• Lifestyle News
• Health & Wellness
• ESSENCE Eats
• Food & Drink
• Money & Career
• Latest News
• Black Futures
• Paint The Polls Black
• Essence Holiday Gift Guide 2023
• 2024 Black Women In Hollywood
• 2024 ESSENCE Hollywood House
• 2024 ESSENCE Film Festival
• 2024 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
• 2023 Wellness House
• 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
• Girls United

Beyonce's Renaissance Tour On Pace To Pull In More Than $2 Billion Worldwide

The Beyhive is shelling out big bucks to see their queen in-person.

Beyonce’s Renaissance tour opened May 10 in Stockholm, Sweden and fans are rejoicing. The namesake of her lauded 2022 dance-centric album, has already raked in millions and is projected to earn more than $2 billion by its last stop.

This is unsurprising since fans have been patiently waiting for years, and have the savings accounts to prove it.

BEYONCÉ TICKETS THE SAME DAY AS RENT DUE? ROC NATION, YOU WILL CRUMBLE pic.twitter.com/q2DekgLYrm — DDOT. (@DDotOmen) February 1, 2023

One fan in particular hatched a smart plan to bolster his savings in case Beyonce dropped expensive tour information, and it caught the attention of a major banking institution.

The user, who goes by the name Bernard shared on social that he’d been saving since 2018.

“I’ve been saving $20 a paycheck for Beyoncé tickets since 2018 after I saw her at Coachella,” he tweeted. “I knew this day would come. Shoutout to @allyfinancial for their ‘saving buckets’ feature.”

He added: “That meant a percentage of each one of my paychecks would go directly into my savings account and out of that amount, $20 would go in a ‘Beyoncé [Tickets]’ bucket,” he further explained. “I then forgot about it over the course of the next five years until she announced her Renaissance World Tour. I initially created it because I was proud of myself for setting a goal, being disciplined in contributing toward it, and being prepared when the moment finally arrived.”

Ally saw the tweet and gifted him “a hefty cash bonus” for being using their savings bucket feature in the exact way it was intended and spreading the word about it to his followers.

Now, it’s paid off, as Beyonce concert range from a few hundred dollars to thousands.

According to reports , the star’s most recent tour, 2018’s On The Run II with husband Jay-Z, grossed  $276 million , which means she expected to earn almost double for her upcoming run of shows.

COMPANY INFORMATION Our Company Customer Service Essence Ventures Change Your Address Contact Us Job Opportunities Internships Media Kit SUBSCRIBE Newsletters Give a Gift of ESSENCE Magazine Tablet Edition FOLLOW US MORE ON ESSENCE Home Love Celebrity Beauty Hair Fashion ESSENCE festival ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

What Is Beyoncé’s Net Worth? She Might Reach Billionaire Status After Her 2023 Tour

The 32-time Grammy winner’s wealth will get a huge boost from her Renaissance World Tour.

They don’t call Beyoncé Queen B for nothing. After starting her career in the girl group Destiny’s Child , Beyoncé’s solo career began in 2003 , and 20 years later, she has remained a reliable hitmaker and moneymaker. Beyoncé’s Renaissance singles “Break My Soul” and “Cuff It” became defining hits of 2022. Now, in 2023, her Renaissance World Tour , which kicked off May 10 in Sweden and marks her first tour in five years, could rank among the biggest tours of all time.

However, it isn’t just music that’s fueling Beyoncé’s net worth. She’s also dabbled in various other businesses to build massive wealth, including a popular activewear line with Adidas, an ownership stake in a streaming music service, and even an interest in the cannabis space. With all of that on the table, it’s no surprise that she has racked up a large stack of coins. In fact, on June 1, she was named one of America’s Richest Self-Made Women with an increased net worth — and that doesn’t even include earnings from her latest world tour.

Here’s exactly how Beyoncé became a multi-millionaire, and how she could become a billionaire (just like her billionaire husband Jay-Z ).

7 Ways Beyoncé Has Made Millions

Beyoncé is still very much an artist first and foremost, though singers and musicians commonly don’t make the bulk of their money from music alone. Still, when you’ve had as long and successful a career as Beyoncé, music sales contribute significantly to the bottom line.

Destiny’s Child officially disbanded in 2006, but the group has reportedly sold more than 60 million albums worldwide. Her solo career hasn’t seen quite as high numbers, especially as the industry moved toward streaming. Her debut album Dangerously In Love sold 11 million albums, 2006’s B’Day and 2008’s I Am…Sasha Fierce sold 8 million each , and 4 sold approximately 3 million.

Beyoncé surprised everyone in 2013 with her self-titled album, which broke iTunes records for most album sales in the first week, and followed that with her 2016 acclaimed visual album Lemonade which became the highest-selling album of the year. Bey has received 88 Grammy nominations throughout her career — the highest of any female artist in Grammy history — and officially became the most-awarded Grammy winner of all time in 2023 when she snagged her 32nd win. In 2019, the London Evening Standard estimated that Beyoncé has made $13 million from album sales — a number that has only since risen with Renaissance .

Beyoncé concerts are events unto themselves, and the singer rakes in a huge chunk of change from ticket sales. In fact, her upcoming Renaissance World Tour is likely to be her highest-earning trek yet. Forbes estimates that the stadium tour could gross anywhere between $275 million and $2.4 billion in just ticket sales alone. The latter estimate is based on an eye-watering but unlikely $700 average ticket price, and if the Renaissance Tour crossed the $1 billion mark, it would be the highest-grossing tour of all time. But even if it only earns the lowest number in that range, it would still be Beyoncé’s biggest tour to date.

Her highest-grossing tour stop before 2023 was when she played Wembley Stadium for the Formation World Tour — the two sold-out shows alone brought in more than $15 million. Beyoncé cashed in more than $250 million for that tour . Other high earners include the 2009-2010 I Am... world tour at $119.5 million, the 2013-2014 Mrs. Carter world tour at $229.7 million, and the two On The Run co-headlining tours with husband Jay-Z which grossed more than $360 million in total.

Beyoncé also headlined the Coachella music festival in 2018 , becoming the first Black woman to do so, but her pay from the gig is disputed. Older reports put her pay at $4 million, which is half of what both The Weeknd received for headlining in 2022 when he replaced Kanye West, and what Ariana Grande made for her appearance in 2019. But a Billboard article suggests that Bey’s check was actually between $8 and $12 million.

3. Clothing Lines

Before launching Ivy Park, Beyoncé created a clothing line with her mother. House of Deréon, named after her grandmother, launched in 2006 before closing shop in 2012. Her activewear line Ivy Park was first launched in 2014 in collaboration with Topshop and business partner Sir Philip Green before Bey expanded the clothing line into a standalone company in 2016.

Two years later, Beyoncé took over full ownership of the brand and stewarded a partnership with Adidas. The first drop in January 2020 sold out in just a day . She continued to drop new products with Adidas every few months, with a winter-themed collection Icy Park, also selling out within a few days when it was released in 2021.

Adidas reportedly expected even more profit from Ivy Park than it did from Kanye West’s Yeezy brand, which earned over $1.5 billion in sales in 2019 , but the terms of their deal with Beyoncé were never made public. She parted ways from the athletic company in March 2023, with The Hollywood Reporter claiming there were “major creative differences” between the Ivy Park and Adidas camps. However, Bey is reportedly planning to keep Ivy Park alive on her own terms, with THR saying she’s “excitedly looking to reclaim her brand, chart her own path and maintain creative freedom.”

Tidal, the streaming music service started by Jay-Z, saw a large list of A-list musicians jumping on as early investors, including Madonna, Alicia Keys, Kanye West, Rihanna, and of course, Beyoncé. It seems that strategy has paid dividends for those initial 15 artists. According to Billboard , “each act was gifted 3% in equity of Tidal in an effort to provide exclusive content that would help drive value for the subscription price.” Though streaming exclusives quickly became a thing of the past, the equity deal proved its worth when Jay-Z sold his majority share of Tidal to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey in a $297 million deal, which ended up paying out $8.9 million to each of the initial stakeholders.

5. Endorsements

Beyoncé has been a longtime face of many brands, including L'Oréal and Pepsi. She first appeared with the soda brand in 2004 and re-upped her contract a decade later with a $50 million price tag . Her five-year L'Oréal contract was reportedly worth $4.7 million. The singer has also historically had deals with Tommy Hilfiger, Adidas, H&M, and more.

6. Acting & Film Gigs

While acting is not her primary gig, Beyoncé has starred in several movies and her name has proven to lead to box office success. IMDb reports that her films have a total box office gross of over $3 billion. Of course, she didn’t get to pocket that full amount, but her roles in films ranging from Austin Powers to Obsessed have certainly added to her bottom line. Bey also lent her voice to the 2019 remake of The Lion King, which The Hollywood Reporter speculated earned her $15 million (though Vibe suggests an even higher figure of $25 million).

In 2020, it was reported that Disney was doubling down on their partnership with Bey with a $100 million contract for her work on three more projects, including her Black Is King film that was released later that year. Beyoncé also struck a deal with Netflix to bring her Homecoming tour documentary to the streaming service. The deal is estimated to be worth $60 million and involves two more as-yet-unannounced projects.

7. Other Business Ventures

Beyoncé is the latest celebrity to jump on the cannabis and CBD train, recently announcing that she’s building a hemp and honey farm . “I discovered CBD on my last tour, and I’ve experienced its benefits for soreness and inflammation,” Beyoncé told Harper’s Bazaar in 2021. “It helped with my restless nights and the agitation that comes from not being able to fall asleep. Now I’m building a hemp and a honey farm. I’ve even got hives on my roof!” There’s no word about if and when she’ll start selling to the public, but we know it’ll be flying off of the shelves when she does.

The singer also became a key investor in an Atlanta-based flavored water brand called Lemon Perfect. “I don’t typically enjoy drinks without added sugar, but Lemon Perfect is delicious,” Beyoncé said in a statement on the Lemon Perfect website . “It was an easy decision to invest in something that not only tastes great and is healthy, but also, and most importantly, allows choosing a healthier lifestyle to be affordable and accessible to everyone.” Beyoncé didn’t disclose how much she has invested in the brand, but Lemon Perfect recently received $31 million from a group of investors, upping their total valuation to over $100 million.

What is Beyoncé's Net Worth?

$540 million.

As of June 2023, Beyoncé’s net worth is estimated to be $540 million, according to Forbes . However, this does not include earnings from her Renaissance World Tour, which only kicked off in May and has not announced any official grosses yet. Of course, she’s also married to Jay-Z who is worth more than $2.5 billion as of March 2023.

This article was originally published on July 29, 2022

Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour Becomes Highest Grossing Tour By Black Artist

Queen Beyoncé is having the best year ever. So far, we’ve witnessed everyone from Oprah to Madonna sing praise to what is arguably one of the greatest shows ever. After 33 shows, box office data shows, Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour has become the high-grossing tour of her career, with $295,676,504 in sales.

This becomes the highest-grossing tour of all time by a black artist, breaking the record set by her own Formation World Tour. Set to make $500,000,000 in ticket sales, I can’t help but to think about the adversity she overcame back when she silently fought through senseless rumors. If we learn anything from this ray of light we learned that naysayers and opinions don’t mean a thing when you stay disciplined and focused.

This tour tells a story with so many hidden gems that calling it a show doesn’t even do it justice—it’s an experience. One that you don’t want to miss. Creative thinkers, movers and shakers have been showing up by the boatloads to get a glimpse of this epic performance. Lenny Kravitz, Naomi Campbell, Pharrell Williams, Kelly Rowland, Salma Hayek, Kris and Kylie Jenner, Kandi, Megan Thee Stallion, Chloe and Halle Bailey, Amy Schumer, Ashley Graham and more have made this a priority in their schedule much like the rest of us.

I remember a time when they couldn’t pronounce her name correctly.

Now my 7-year-old daughter Felicity is envisioning her own future after we went to see Beyonce perform at Met Life Stadium in New Jersey. We both sang and danced through tears amazed at the legend my daughter (and myself) look up to. For three hours straight we watched her consistency, perfection, stamina and creativity in a way the world has never seen before. After growing up with every image but my own in the spotlight, it’s breathtaking to witness this greatness from Beyonce (and Blue Ivy) with my own black princess. 

It’s safe to say this generation has a new Michael Jackson in town…and her name is Beyoncé.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Felicity (@felicitysseamoss)

• Music Videos
• International Music
• Latest Trends
• Sports News
• Source Latino
• From the Issue
• Shop Merchandise
• Advertise With The Source
• Privacy Policy

Culture | Music

‘Taylornomics’ and Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour: what are the most lucrative music tours ever?

It’s a good year for pop music fans, as two of the world’s biggest acts are currently on tour: over the last several months both Beyoncé and Taylor Swift have been travelling the world playing to sold out stadiums.

Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour began in May and saw the artist play five consecutive nights at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in June. Swift’s Eras tour launched in March; she is currently in the US and will play in London next summer.

The tours of both artists have already raked in approximately $300 million each. This places Taylor Swift at the fifth spot and Beyoncé at the sixth spot on the list of the highest-grossing tours of the decade.

But the success of the sold-out shows doesn’t stop there: Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour has broken Beyoncé’s own record, becoming the highest-grossing tour by any Black artist ever, having already made $295 million and with another 20 shows yet to go ahead. Beyoncé has easily surpassed the takings of both her 2016 The Formation World Tour, which earned $256 million, and her 2013-2014 The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour, which made $229 million.

And without adjusting for inflation, Beyoncé has also far exceeded the takings of both Michael Jackson’s 1987-1989 Bad World Tour (which earned $125 million) and Tina Turner’s 1987-88 Break Every Rule tour (which earned $60 million).

Similarly, Taylor Swift’s Eras tour has already made over $300 million, which has surpassed the takings of her 2015 The 1989 World Tour, which earned $250 million. Her 2018 Reputation Stadium Tour made $345 million dollars, and given that Swift is still yet to complete nearly half of her tour, its extremely likely that she will smash her own personal best soon too.

In December, Billboard predicted that Swift would make as much as $590 million when the Eras concerts are completed, and back then the American pop star had only planned 52 stops. Swift has been adding dates to her tour ever since, and she is now set to stage a whopping 146 performances. If Swift continues to make money in line with Billboard’s projections, the artist could make as much as $1 billion by the end of the worldwide tour.

Even if she doesn’t reach that mind-blowing figure, Swift is on track to smash the record for the top female solo artist on the tour money rankings. Madonna currently sits at the top spot: her 2008-2009 Sticky & Sweet Tour made $411 million (which is around $560 million when adjusted for inflation).

Swift is also reportedly having a major financial impact on the cities she visits: “It’s simple Taylornomics: When Taylor Swift comes to town, Swifties go on a spending spree,” said the Wall Street Journal. In July, The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said that Swift’s concerts had helped to increase tourism in the region – a pattern that is emerging across the country.

So who tops the charts?

Raye reveals she made McDonald’s trip at 6am after record-breaking win at Brits

The £2 million revamp of the Gallagher brother's favourite Savile Row tailor

Dua Lipa and Becky Hill sport racy black gowns on Brit Awards red carpet

First look at exceptional new London properties for sale in 2024

Elton John is the artist who has earnt the most from a single tour, raking in a whopping $939 million for his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which came to a close in June.

The 76-year Rocket Man singer said goodbye at this year’s Glastonbury, playing to a crowd of approximately 100,000 people – the performance was described by The Standard’s Dylan Jones as “ primal gratification on a massive scale ”.

Ed Sheeran is second on the money list, with his Divide Tour (2017-19) having made $776 million, while U2 sits at third place, with their 360° Tour (2009-2011) having made $736 million.

However, when these figures are adjusted for inflation, it’s reportedly U2 who actually sit at the top of the highest-earners list.

The list of top 20 highest-earning tours of all time includes a number of bands: Coldplay, Guns N’ Roses, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Metallica and The Police; major pop stars: Harry Styles, Madonna, Bruno Mars and Pink; country singers: Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood; and standout rock act Roger Waters.

When the list is narrowed down to the top earners of this decade, it shifts to include international acts such as Bad Bunny, Blackpink, and Daddy Yankee, showing the diversification of music over recent years.

The 2022 World’s Hottest Tour from Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny, who was crowned Spotify’s most-streamed artist last year after clocking 18.5 billion streams, earned $314 million, placing him at fourth place on the list. Meanwhile the K-pop girl group come in at eighth on the list with their ongoing Born Pink World Tour. It has made $220 million so far. The 83-date La Última Vuelta World Tour from Puerto Rican rapper Daddy Yankee, made $198 million last year, placing him at ninth on the list.

Coldplay, who have made $617 million and counting from their ongoing Music of the Spheres World Tour, sit at the top of the list.

Taylor Swift is set to play in London on June 21, 22 and 23 and August 15, 16 and 17 2024

Beyonce Net Worth: How much money she has made on her singing career?

How the "Renaissance World Tour" catapulted her net worth.

Beyoncé , with her awe-inspiring talent and strategic business acumen, is poised to join the exclusive billion-dollar club. Riding high on the success of her " Renaissance World Tour ," which raked in a staggering $579 million, and bolstered by her monumental record sales, Beyoncé's net worth stands at an impressive $800 million as of December 2023, according to Forbes.

Her wealth is primarily driven by album sales, with an astounding 200 million records sold throughout her illustrious 20-year solo career. This monumental achievement solidifies her status as one of the best-selling artists in history, with her catalog alone estimated at $300 million.

Beyoncé 's financial ascent accelerated in 2023, with a remarkable 48% increase in her net worth, largely attributed to the resounding success of the "Renaissance World Tour." This tour, spanning 39 cities and 56 dates, grossed a whopping $100 million, following the release of her blockbuster album "Renaissance" in 2022, which sold one million copies.

Is Beyoncé a billionaire now?

Beyoncé's journey to billionairedom is uniquely defined by her astute business ventures and artistic endeavors. Beyoncé's net worth stands as a testament to her multifaceted talent and entrepreneurial prowess. Unlike some entertainers who diversify their income streams, Beyoncé's wealth predominantly stems from her music career, supplemented by her lavish properties, brand sponsorships, and various business ventures under her company, Parkwood Entertainment.

Beyoncé's meticulous approach to her career extends beyond music, as evidenced by her strategic foray into filmmaking. In a move reminiscent of Taylor Swift 's successful documentary endeavors, Beyoncé's concert film " Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé " emerged as a box office sensation, grossing $44 million and further amplifying her financial stature.

While Beyoncé 's net worth of $800 million places her in the upper echelons of wealth, Taylor Swift's towering net worth of $1.1 billion underscores the formidable presence of both artists in the entertainment industry. Despite their divergent paths, Beyoncé and Swift share a mutual admiration and support for each other's accomplishments.

In essence, Beyoncé's journey to billionairedom transcends mere financial milestones; it symbolizes the triumph of talent, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit in the pursuit of greatness.

Don't miss out on all sports information at www.marca.com/en .

Both Beyoncé And Taylor Swift Went On Tour, But Whose Is Bigger?

Beyoncé and Taylor Swift both launched massive world tours in 2023, so whose is the bigger attraction, and who brought in more money?

• Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are both dominating the music industry with their highly anticipated tours, leaving fans desperate for tickets and critics speculating about who will come out on top.
• Taylor Swift's Eras tour experienced high demand, causing a prominent ticketing website to crash, and she is expected to earn an impressive $500 million to $1.5 billion from the tour.
• Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour is her first solo world tour since 2016 and has generated an overwhelming demand for tickets, with her estimated earnings ranging from $2.1 billion to $4.1 billion.

Hot on the heels of 2023's most highly anticipated music events, dynamic powerhouse singers Beyoncé and Taylor Swift have taken the world by storm with their concert tours. In a clash of pop titans, the battle for tour supremacy has ignited the music industry, leaving fans clamoring for more and critics speculating who will emerge victorious.

One question stands above all: Whose tour is bigger?

Taylor Swift's tour exploded onto the scene, leaving a trail of shattered records in its wake . The sheer magnitude of Swift's star power and devoted fanbase crashed a prominent ticketing website, sending shockwaves through the internet. Beyoncé's tour experienced an unparalleled frenzy as tickets were snatched up at an astonishing rate, leaving fans breathless and desperate for a glimpse of their idol. In this clash of musical icons, the determination of tour success looms large.

How Taylor Swift Is Adding To Her Current $1.1 Billion Net Worth

In the matchup of Beyoncé versus Taylor Swift's tours, which one is the bigger event?

Updated November 2023: Since the article was published, both Taylor Swift and Beyoncé announced a tour movie. Taylor Swift's had its premiere on October 11, 2023, and Beyoncé herself showed up to the premiere to support her fellow popstar. Both divas also continued touring and their estimated earnings have been updated accordingly.

Both Beyoncé And Taylor Swift Started Touring In 2023

Renaissance world tour vs. the eras tour.

Tour fever is in full swing as music sensations Beyoncé and Taylor Swift hit the road in 2023, igniting a whirlwind of excitement and controversy. Beyoncé kicked off her highly anticipated Renaissance World Tour on May 10, sending shockwaves through the industry with her electrifying performances.

Taylor Swift launched her own spectacular Eras tour on March 17, captivating audiences with her signature blend of catchy melodies and heartfelt lyrics.

Taylor Swift's 15 Most Popular Songs, Ranked (According To Spotify)

A recent incident at the Grammy Awards showcased the unwavering bond between Swift and her ex-flame , Harry Styles. As Styles accepted his prestigious Album of the Year award, Beyoncé fans couldn't resist stirring up a ruckus, mocking the British heartthrob.

Swift, a seasoned veteran when it comes to unexpected interruptions, stood by Styles' side, visibly engrossed in his speech, her eyes downcast, perhaps drawing parallels to her infamous run-in with Kanye West back in 2009 .

This was an example of when the two influential artists were in the same space. With both Beyoncé and Taylor Swift hitting the road in grand fashion and dramatic encounters brewing, the battle for tour dominance is set to reach unprecedented heights.

Taylor Swift's Tour Broke A Website

Tickets ranged from $49 to $449.

Taylor Swift's highly anticipated Eras tour has been making waves, but it's not just the music that has fans talking. Ticket prices for the tour have skyrocketed, leaving many wondering if they can afford to see their favorite singer live. As soon as tickets were available on Ticketmaster, fans encountered difficulties securing seats, and prices quickly soared.

While tickets were originally expected to range from $49 to $449, fans were met with much higher prices on the website . The surge of fans rushing to purchase presale tickets caused Ticketmaster's website to crash , leaving thousands unable to access it.

The unprecedented demand for TaylorSwiftTix Presale tickets overwhelmed the system, with millions of fans trying to secure their spot at the concert. Complaints about accessing Ticketmaster flooded in, reportedly peaking at nearly 5,000 reports during the technical difficulties.

All Of Taylor Swift's Famous Exes, Ranked By How Much Fans Loved Them Together

Despite the challenges, Taylor Swift's Eras tour is her biggest to date, with 52 dates scheduled across the United States. With opening acts like Paramore, Haim, and Phoebe Bridgers, the tour continues to promise to be a memorable experience for fans.

Ticket prices may be steep , but Swift is expected to earn an impressive $500 million to $1.5 billion from the tour, proving that there's no price too high for Swifties.

Beyoncé's Tour Tickets Also Sold Out Fast

Tickets ranged from $500 to $2,000.

Beyoncé's Renaissance world tour got off to an incredible start as tickets for the first concert in Stockholm sold out within a matter of hours . The high demand prompted concert management group Live Nation to add a second show in the Swedish capital.

Beyoncé's 10 Most Popular Songs, Ranked (According To Spotify)

The tour included various stops across Europe and North America, culminating in a final concert in New Orleans in September 2023. Although specific details about the speed at which tickets were snatched up were not disclosed, it's evident that Beyoncé's star power continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

The Renaissance tour marks her first solo world tour since the Formation tour in 2016. While Beyoncé has chosen to maintain a more private life in recent years, she has consistently shown her appreciation for her fans.

One unforgettable moment during a concert in Copenhagen, Denmark, involved Beyoncé sharing the stage with a fan who impressively sang along to her hit song "Halo." The heartwarming interaction became a viral sensation, with millions of fans commending Beyoncé's humility and ability to connect with her audience.

While she may choose to live a more private life these days, focusing on her craft and delivering stellar performances, Beyoncé's dedication to her fans is unwavering. Her concerts are a testament to her commitment to providing an unforgettable experience for her audience, evident in the overwhelming demand for tickets and the addition of extra shows to accommodate her fans' enthusiasm.

Whose Tour Is More Successful: Beyoncé's Renaissance Tour Or Taylor Swift's Eras Tour?

$2.1 billion vs $4.1 billion.

In a clash of the titans, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are vying for the title of the most successful tour. With jaw-dropping estimates, Queen Bey's Renaissance World Tour could rake in a mind-boggling $2.1 billion, while Swift's Eras Tour is estimated to bring the singer a whopping $4.1 billion by the end of it . These astronomical figures are fueled by optimistic assumptions, including sky-high ticket prices and a surge in post-pandemic concert attendance.

Both Beyoncé and Swift are not only talented artists but also savvy business executives. Swift may retain a larger share of ticket sales, while Beyoncé secures hefty revenue through sponsorships and direct control over her tour production.

While their expenses are high, with Beyoncé rumored to have as many as 50 semis for her tour, these powerhouses are set to reap massive rewards.

Estimates for Renaissance ticket sales range from a conservative $275 million to an eye-popping $2.4 billion, while Swift's Eras tour is expected to generate between $620 million and $1.9 billion.

However, these figures could be surpassed if both artists hit the upper end of their revenue projections. Either way, Beyoncé seems to be leading the charge in terms of ticket sales, but that doesn't mean her high-powered shows aren't reducing her in-pocket profit.

Both Stars Have A Concert Movie

Taylor swift: the eras tour vs. renaissance: a film by beyoncé.

Both Taylor Swift and Beyoncé also decided to release a concert movie, and Swift's premiered on October 11, 2023 at The Grove in Los Angeles. To send a clear message to the world, Beyoncé showed up to Swift's movie premiere, showing to everyone that the two are not competitive with each other and that there is plenty of space for both of them to shine.

As of this writing, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour has made over $234.4 million worldwide.

Beyoncé's movie Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé is going to premiere on December 1, 2023, and it's safe to say that once it does, the comparison to Swift's success will be once again made.

What Is Beyoncé Net Worth In 2023? All About Her ‘Renaissance’ Tour, Concert Film, And More

Her new doc is absolutely blowing up in theaters RN.

The film's debut comes just two months after Beyoncé finished up that tour. And during that time, she definitely made quite a bit of money from her many, many performances. The average price of a ticket for her last tour was around $207–and much higher for floor seats, according to Marketplace . I think it's safe to say Renaissance has been a blockbuster success for the superstar.

But this isn’t the first time in the “Break My Soul” singer’s career that she has raked in the cash. So... Asking for a friend here: What is Beyoncé’s net worth and how did she make all that money? Women's Health has the full breakdown for you:

How much has she made off of Renaissance ?

The Renaissance album reportedly sold over 330,000 album units and peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 list in its first week . “ Break My Soul, ” the album’s lead single, was also the first of Beyoncé’s songs to top Billboard’s flagship singles chart since “ Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) ” in 2008, according to the New York Times . The song also currently has close to 400 million streams on Spotify.

Renaissance momentarily held the record for the most-streamed album in a day on the streaming platform, with 43.25 million streams (but that was later beat by Midnights by Taylor Swift), per Mashable.

Beyoncé has made about $13 million from the Renaissance album alone, since it debuted in 2022, making her Spotify’s most-streamed album by a female artist on its release, per Business Insider. Renaissance went platinum at the end of November 2022, and sold over 1 million units, according to the Recording Industry Association of America . And there’s still no word on the second and third parts of Renaissance , but maybe she’ll do another surprise drop soon.

Then, of course, the Renaissance World Tour was a huge success for the superstar, too. She earned more than $579 million worldwide, and entertained 2.7 million fans across 56 dates in 39 cities, according to Variety . Plus, while it isn’t technically a part of the Renaissance era, Queen B made an estimated $24 million off of her Dubai performance at the end of January 2023, per CNBC. The singer reportedly also stayed in the Atlantic The Royal’s most luxurious suit–which cost $100,000 per night.

And finally, Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé, has already had an impressive 900,000 fans during its opening weekend. The film debuted in 2,539 theaters in the U.S. and Canada, in addition to 94 international territories, a ccording to Billboard . Deadline reports that the 32-time Grammy winner accumulated $95 million during the film's opening weekend, despite a notoriously slow time of year for the box office.

The Renaissance vinyl is available for $45 on her site (which sold 47,500 copies during its release week ), the CD is available for $13, and the digital version is $10. She's also selling tons of other Renaissance related merchandise.

What about her other albums?

Beyoncé’s best-selling album to date is I Am Sasha Fierce, which was released in 2008, according to BestSellingAlbums . The singer’s album has sold over 9 million copies. And just a few days ago, Spotify posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the album has surpassed 3.5 billion streams on its platform. Sheesh!

Lemonade , released in April 2016, had the biggest week in music units and sales of 2016, selling 653,000 units in a week, per Time . According to Forbes , this album is actually her most successful release, followed closely behind by her self-titled album Beyoncé , which sold 617,000 units in its first week .

From June 2016 to June 2017, Lemonade raked in a total of $105 million (and that was two months ~after~ Lemonade dropped), per CelebrityNetWorth .

How much did she make with Destiny’s Child?

Okay, let's back up for a second. As you probably remember, Beyoncé got her start as part of a mega-popular group called Destiny’s Child . The group of four dropped its first album way back in 1998 and it was a huge success. Destiny’s Child ended up paring down to a trio, while continuing to churn out hits like “ Say My Name ,” “ Independent Women Pt. 1 ,” and “ Jumpin’ Jumpin’ ."

It’s hard to put an exact number on how much Bey made during her time with Destiny’s Child, especially since she had to split her earnings with Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams , but the group sold over 50 million records, won two Grammy awards, and was nominated for nine in total, so…it's safe to say they ~probably~ made quite a pretty penny for their work.

Of course, Beyoncé went solo in 2003 and never looked back.

How much did she make in her acting roles?

She really does it all. Aside from her music, she's also been an actress. And although Beyoncé hasn’t acted in a while, she’s been in plenty of movies throughout her career, including Dreamgirls , Cadillac Records , Obsessed , The Lion King , and even Austin Powers .

Unfortunately, her movie salary info has been kept under wraps— womp womp . That said, Vulture reports that she raked in $60 million for three projects with Netflix (including her film Homecoming, which provided a deep-dive into Beyoncé's 2018 Coachella performance .

How much does she make on tour these days?

Beyoncé makes some serious coin on tour. In 2014, her On the Run tour with hubby Jay-Z grossed $95 million, according to Billboard , and her On the Run II tour made $250 million. Her 2016 Formation World Tour made a whopping $256 million, per Complex , but her Renaissance World Tour just smashed those numbers, coming in at $579 million.

The Renaissance tour was her first time on the road since 2016, and it did not disappoint (monetarily or emotionally).

What endorsements has Beyoncé done?

Beyoncé has worked with plenty of big-name brands like Armani and Tommy Hilfiger, but more recently, she's worked with Pepsi, who gave her $50 million for endorsing their products, per Billboard .

In 2021, Beyoncé and Jay-Z partnered with Tiffany for its "About Love" campaign. It’s not confirmed how much the couple made in total from the deal, but Beyoncé wore a $30 million necklace in the ad campaign. And, while details of the deal haven’t been disclosed, you’d better believe they did well for themselves in negotiations for this partnership.

Beyoncé’s tour partnered with Citi Entertainment for her tour ticket sales . The exact amount the singer made from this deal is unknown, but credit card endorsements are probably pretty hefty .

And what about her fragrance line?

Yep. Beyoncé also has her won business ventures, from fragrances to real estate investments. Her entire fragrance line (Beyoncé Heat and Beyoncé Pulse, to name a few) has generated more than $500 million in revenue over the past decade, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

A few weeks after her tour ended, Beyoncé revealed the name of her new perfume, Cé Noir. In an Instagram post , she wrote, “Beyoncé Parfums presents CÉ NOIR. Pre-order now on parfum.beyonce.com for shipping in November and in time for the holidays.”

“It’s finally here after years of work. I wanted something to be monolithic, and I wanted something to have a little bit of intimacy,” Beyoncé said in another unboxing video while spraying on the new scent. “I actually sprayed this during the show a few times —gotta keep it fresh”

How much is Beyoncé's real estate worth?

Beyoncé broke the Internet yet again this year after she and her famous hubby, Jay-Z bought *the* most expensive private residence sold in California: A Malibu mansion that cost $200 million, according to Vanity Fair . The 300 square foot beauty was originally designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando and used to belong to Bill Bell Jr., who was heir to a soap opera fortune, per VF .

Of course, that's not the only property in her back pocket. Beyoncé also owns several (multi-million dollar) homes with husband Jay-Z in New York City, New Orleans, and Los Angeles, according to House Digest .

In 2017, the couple bought an East Hampton estate for $26 million, per StreetEasy . That same year, they also bought a new 30,000 square foot Bel-Air home for $88 million, The Los Angeles Times reported. It apparently has not two, not three, but four outdoor swimming pools. Oh, and a basketball court.

And to add the cherry on top, the couple owns a $4 million dollar private island in the Bahamas.

What is Jay-Z's net worth?

Beyoncé's husband is worth a whopping $2 billion, per Celebrity Net Worth . This year, the celeb's net worth rocketed up after he sold half of his 50% share in D'Usse cognac to Bacardi, bringing him from $1.3 billion to $2 billion, the outlet reported.

What is her total net worth?

Beyoncé’s net worth is $540 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth . Together with Jay-Z, the couple have a combined net worth of $2.54 billion (with a B!). That is a lot of money to go around.

Celebrity Net Worth lists them as the fifth richest couple in the world.

What is Blue Ivy's net worth?

Yep, even her kid is worth a lot of dough. As of 2021, Beyoncé’s eldest child, Blue Ivy, is reportedly the richest child in the United States. Her net worth is also reportedly around $720 million–most likely because of her parents.

However, the 11-year-old did enter Billboard ’s Hot 100 chart with “ Brown Skin Girl ” and is among the youngest artists to win a Grammy award for the song’s music video . She also may have gotten a cut of her mom’s $24 million for her appearance in Dubai .

Sabrina is an editorial assistant for Women’s Health. When she’s not writing, you can find her running, training in mixed martial arts, or reading.

Olivia Evans (she/her) is an editorial assistant at Women’s Health . Her work has previously appeared in The Cut and Teen Vogue . She loves covering topics where culture and wellness intersect. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, running, and watching rom-coms. 

Taylor and Travis Were Photographed on Vacation

Nordstrom's Spring Sale Has the Best Home Products

How Kate and William Are Spending Easter

Shop Parachute's Warehouse Sale for a Limited Time

How To Do The 369 Manifestation Method

Dyson March 2024 Sale: 25% Off Cordless Vacuums

Where Is Brittney Griner Now? All About Her Doc

When Does Caitlin Clark Play Again?

Who Is Gypsy Rose Blanchard's Husband?

Kaley Cuoco Shares Heartbreaking Family News on IG

How To Find Your Angel Number, Per Numerologists

Beyoncé on tour through the years: See the singer's performances

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Beyoncé: Cowboy Carter review – from hoedown to full-blown genre throwdown

(Parkwood/Columbia) Straying far beyond its original country concept, the musician’s eighth album straddles the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the blues – and Becky with the Good Hair via Dolly Parton’s Jolene

A merican Requiem, the opening track of Beyoncé’s eighth studio album, is many things. It offers a touch of state-of-the-nation address – “Can we stand for something? Now is the time to face the wind” – and a sprinkling of the kind of vague but apparently personal lyrics that send social media into a frenzy of decoding: what are her “father’s sins” that Beyoncé has apparently “cleansed” herself of? Who are the “fairweather friends” for whom she claims to be planning “a funeral”?

It’s also a loud statement of what you might call Beyoncé’s bona fides. She is, she avers, “the grandbaby of a moonshine man [from] Gadsden, Alabama” who furthermore has roots in Louisiana. “They used to say I spoke too country,” she protests, adding: “What could be more country than that?”

In a sense, this all feels quite surprising. For years, Beyoncé has been in an unassailable critical position: everything she’s released has been greeted with huge sales, ecstatic reviews and lengthy reflections on her peerless artistry, thus affording her the ability to do whatever she wants. Equally, you can see why she might want to shore up her position when launching a venture into country and western – which is very much what Cowboy Carter has been trailed as – and not merely because her performance with the Dixie Chicks (now the Chicks) at the 2016 Country Music Association awards, while garnering the usual critical acclaim, attracted adverse online comment from viewers, some of it flatly racist.

Country isn’t so much a genre as a law unto itself. It’s traditionally very wary of musical outsiders – be they the Byrds or Ray Charles – and presided over by a notoriously reactionary Nashville establishment. Moreover, it’s traditionally a musical voice of the rural poor and working class: you don’t want to be perceived as a superstar dilettante who’s decided to dabble just because you can.

Cowboy Carter duly presents itself as a major statement – 27 tracks and 80 minutes long – and arrives complete with co-signs from Nashville elders. There are spoken word interludes by Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton, the latter drawing comparison between perfidious old Jolene and Becky with the Good Hair, the love rival in Beyoncé’s celebrated 2016 track Sorry. The latter’s favour is repaid with a cover of Jolene itself, which Parton has been publicly petitioning Beyoncé to record for years, albeit with a new middle eight and coda alongside fresh lyrics that substitute swaggering menace and threats for the original’s desperate pleading – desperate pleading not really being on-brand where Beyoncé is concerned.

Elsewhere, the singer circumvents the issue of what you sing a country song about if you’re worth an estimated $800m (£634m) by indulging in murder ballad-esque storytelling on Daughter – which underlines the drama with a burst of 18th-century opera, and recasting her early years in Destiny’s Child in Nashville-friendly terms on 16 Carriages: “At 15 the innocence was gone astray / Had to leave my home at an early age,” she sings, making herself sound more like an outcast unmarried mother than someone who went on tour supporting Dru Hill and SWV.

You can say that amounts to laying it on a bit thick, but both Daughter and 16 Carriages are fantastic songs: acoustic guitars playing host to strong melodies and, on the latter, a vocal delivery that carries the distinctive patterns of rap. In fact, there are a lot of fantastic songs in the first part of Cowboy Carter, although its sheer length starts proving a problem. Her cover of the Beatles’ Blackbird is astute – Paul McCartney wrote it in tribute to the Little Rock Nine, a group of nine Black students who faced discrimination after enrolling in the all-white Little Rock high school in 1957 – if inessential, and there’s a distinct qualitative sag in the middle. It’s remedied by the simple expedient of going wildly off-piste: if the lambent soft-rock of Bodyguard gets you wondering whether the “departure into country” tag strictly fits Cowboy Carter, the sudden appearance of a straightforward hip-hop track, Spaghetti, confirms that it isn’t.

after newsletter promotion

Thereafter the album goes nuts. Ya Ya offers a fantastic early psychedelic soul-influenced stomp that throws in a sample of Nancy Sinatra’s These Boots Are Made for Walking, an interpolation from the Beach Boys’ Good Vibrations and what sounds like a lyrical reference to Mickey and Sylvia’s 1958 hit Love Is Strange. Riverdance and II Hands II Heaven return to the house music influence of Beyoncé’s last album Renaissance. Oh Louisiana is 52 seconds of bluesy funk with a vocal sped up to helium pitch. It’s all incredibly well done and hugely entertaining, but the sense that the album is clinging on to its original concept by its fingernails – throwing in the odd lyric about rhinestones or whisky and the occasional intimation of pedal steel guitar – is hard to avoid.

You wonder if Cowboy Carter might have worked better split into two separate albums, with one concentrating purely on the country-influenced/acoustic material: there are moments when it starts to feel less like a coherent statement than one of those long 21st-century albums that offers listeners a selection box of tracks to pick and choose playlist additions from. Or perhaps its wild lurches into eclecticism are the point. Unwieldy as it is, it displays its author’s ability to bend musical styles to her will, be they country, hip-hop or the baroque post-psychedelic easy listening that seems to lurk beneath the vocal gymnastics of My Rose. If the results don’t quite hold together, Cowboy Carter still proves Beyoncé is impressively capable of doing whatever she wants.

• Alexis Petridis's album of the week
• Pop and rock
• album reviews

Most viewed

• Entertainment

More Must-Reads From TIME

• Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
• Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
• Why We're Spending So Much Money Now
• The Financial Influencers Women Actually Want to Listen To
• Breaker Sunny Choi Is Heading to Paris
• Why TV Can’t Stop Making Silly Shows About Lady Journalists
• The Case for Wearing Shoes in the House
• Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time

Write to Moises Mendez II at [email protected]

You May Also Like

I worked for Beyoncé for a year. She wasn't a diva and wasn't passive — it was a master class in digital strategy.

• Marcus Collins shared the major lessons he learned helping Beyoncé bring her fan base online.
• Collins said Beyoncé's platforms didn't perform as well as expected in the beginning.
• One lesson was the importance of facilitating an existing community instead of building a new one.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Marcus Collins , an author and professor at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. It has been edited for length and clarity. 

For a year I worked with Beyoncé, overseeing her digital ads and social media. I started working with her in 2009, as her director of digital strategy and new media. During that time I shifted my focus toward helping Beyoncé bring her fan base online. This is when I learned my biggest marketing lessons from her.

She's the most gracious and kind person I've ever met. At the same time, she knew what she wanted from her team. She has high standards for those around her because she has high standards for herself.

Here are three big takeaways from working with Beyoncé that have helped shape my career.

1. Don't build community, facilitate it

Part of my job in overseeing Beyoncé's digital strategy was maintaining her Facebook page and Twitter account. The team would put together our recommendations, and we'd present these ideas to her father, Mathew Knowles, who was overseeing Music World Entertainment, which produced her earlier work.

If he liked our ideas, we'd share them with Beyoncé. She'd hear us out, say what she liked or didn't like, and give recommendations. Even when she disagreed, she was always gracious. It was during these in-person meetings that it seemed she wasn't really excited by social media or inclined to post on Facebook or Twitter.

This was back in 2009 or 2010. The internet felt like the Wild Wild West. There were no rules. Beyoncé had just finished the Brazilian leg of her "I Am Sasha Fierce" tour, and it seemed like social media wasn't for her.

Related stories

In fact, for years she had a Twitter handle she never tweeted on. And yet she had lots of followers waiting for her. So when we became active on these platforms for her, we expected them to light up with activity. But they didn't in proportion to her stardom, which was a quagmire for us. We kept asking ourselves: "What is going on here? Why aren't any of her platforms taking off?"

Then the team noticed there was already a group that found each other online, and they were far more active than anything we were trying to do. And those folks were the Beyhive .

We stopped working on building Beyoncé an online community and instead started engaging with the online community that already existed. We found people who saw the world similarly to Beyoncé, and then we engaged with them based on their shared values and beliefs.

People who come together under the moniker of the Beyhive don't just love Beyoncé's music; they subscribe to her point of view. To me, that was one of the biggest lessons of my marketing experiences working with her: You don't build community, you facilitate it .

2. Dial in and focus on the creative vision

I think Beyoncé's greatest skill as a businesswoman was her ability to be involved in everything we did. It's wild to think that someone as talented and profound to the cultural zeitgeist would be so nice. You'd expect a diva attitude, but she's so far from that. She's extremely gracious, but she isn't a pushover.

As my interactions with her became more frequent, we started making plans to revisit her website, and she wanted to be very much a part of it. She wasn't the passive player.

She's dialed in. She was very aware of her creative vision , and I never had one bad interaction with her. I learned that you have to have a point of view about how you see the world. You have to know what you like and be courageous enough to follow it even if it's not the direction most people are going and folks may not seem to get it right away.

3. Engage authentically

It seems somewhat obvious now, but people who went online to engage with each other about Beyoncé didn't want to be treated like consumers. It felt like when we first engaged with them, they told us: "Don't talk to me as though I were someone with money in their pocket. Talk to me as if I were a human being and engage with me based on your understanding of who I am and how I see the world."

Beyoncé's fans use her music to see the world through a cultural lens. The fans liked her authenticity and responded to it. But bloggers at the time took great license in throwing shade and jabs her way. It was at this point that her community started to take shape. The Beyhive became a battering ram for all those bloggers.

Once we were able to shift from focusing on fans to focusing on the community, we connected with the audience in a more meaningful way

When we saw the targeted audience for who they were, they felt validated. And we learned they were then more inclined to be engaged. The secret was treating this community as a community, not consumers. And then what happens is those people you've engaged with in an authentic way tell other people. Then that community becomes the marketer for you.

After working with Beyoncé, I wanted to go into advertising because I felt like the ad industry was using contemporary technologies better than the music industry was. But I learned a lot from my time working with Beyoncé . My book, " For the Culture ," is predicated on these experiences. Chapter one is all about finding who your tribe is, which is what marketers do.

Watch: The Taylor Swift effect: How a pop star created her own economy

• Main content

Beyonce Rewrites Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ Lyrics to Deliver Fiery Cover on ‘Cowboy Carter’

By Steven J. Horowitz

Steven J. Horowitz

Senior Music Writer

• Doja Cat Announces New Single ‘Masc’ Ahead of ‘Scarlet’ Deluxe Edition 2 days ago
• Beyoncé Initially Planned to Release ‘Cowboy Carter’ Before ‘Renaissance,’ but ‘There Was Too Much Heaviness in the World’ 2 days ago
• Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’: A Deep Dive Into the Featured Artists and Samples — From Shaboozey to ‘These Boots Are Made for Walkin” and More 3 days ago

It looks like Dolly Parton hinted correctly . After the country icon said that she believed that Beyoncé would sample or interpolate her 1973 classic “Jolene” for her new album, Bey has done just that, including a cover of the song with altered lyrics and song structure on her highly anticipated new album “ Cowboy Carter .”

❤️ pic.twitter.com/6hRpwERG8O — Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) March 29, 2024

Parton didn’t let the cat fully out of the bag — she makes two cameos on the record, introducing the trap-meets-country song “Tyrant” as well as having her own “Dolly P” interlude just before “Jolene.” “Hey miss Honey B, it’s Dolly P. You know that hussy with the good hair you sing about?” says Parton on “Dolly P,” referencing Beyoncé’s 2016 song “Sorry” and the line “Becky with the good hair.” “Reminding me of someone I knew back when, except she has flaming locks of auburn hair, bless her heart. Just a hair of a different color but it hurts just the same.”

Beyoncé puts her own fiery spin on “Jolene,” changing the lyrics and the overall tone of the original song. Where Parton begs and pleads with a woman not to steal her man, Bey sends warning shots to a suitor: “I can easily understand why you’re attracted to my man / But you don’t want this smoke, so shoot your shot for someone else.” She continues by making her vengeance more explicit, singing, “I had to have this talk with you ’cause I hate to have to act the fool / Your peace depends on how you move, Jolene.”

“Jolene” is one of two notable covers on “Cowboy Carter,” as Beyoncé duets with Tanner Adell on a rendition of the Beatles’ “Blackbird” (entitled “Blackbird”). Elsewhere on the album, she folds in numerous interpolations including a reference to the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations,” Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made For Walkin'” and purportedly Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” on the Miley Cyrus duet “II Most Wanted.”

“Cowboy Carter” arrives less than two months after Beyoncé surprise-released her dual singles “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages” during the Super Bowl in early February. She explained in an Instagram post that she was inspired to create “Cowboy Carter” after an incident where she didn’t feel “welcomed,” likely referring to a controversy-stirring performance alongside the Dixie Chicks (as they were then known) at the 2016 Country Music Association Awards.

Read the full deep dive into Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” album.

More From Our Brands

Nancy mace says crime has ‘skyrocketed’ under biden. it hasn’t., joseph eichler’s personal silicon valley home is up for grabs at $6.4 million, kobe bryant’s 2000 ring sets record price for nba title ring, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, snl video: please don’t destroy gets way too high with musical guest travis scott, verify it's you, please log in.