explanations

For the Record, Beyoncé Could Have Had a Hit Song on 4, If She Wanted One

Beyonce

The chatter surrounding Beyoncé’s 4 has moved far away from the initial “wait, this thing doesn’t have any singles” motif, partially because the album sold well and was reviewed positively despite said lack of singles, and partially because of the fall-out with her pops. But Beyoncé still seems a bit miffed that anyone, at any point, doubted her ability to produce hit songs. Here she is, explaining her process to Complex in a new cover story: “Everything sounds the same on the radio. With 4 I tried to mix R&B from the ’70s and the ’90s with rock ‘n’ roll and a lot of horns to create something new and exciting. I wanted musical changes, bridges, vibrata, live instrumentation, and classic songwriting.” Also: “I usually know from the hook if the song is something that transcends language, race, and genre, and if it’s something that affects pop culture. It’s something I can visualize people singing in stadiums all over the world. But my favorite songs on my albums are usually not my singles.” In summation: She wasn’t even trying to have a single on 4 because she doesn’t even like them that much, but if she had tried, she totally would have had a huge one. [Complex via Rap Radar]

For the Record, Beyoncé Could Have Had a Hit Song on 4, If She Wanted One