Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' tops Billboard chart; becomes 2022's biggest female debut
Beyoncé's latest album Renaissance secured its place at the No. 1 rank on the Billboard 200 Albums chart dated August 13. With this, the album marked the year's biggest week numbers scored by a female artist and also the second-biggest week of 2022 overall. As per Luminate Data, Renaissance debuted with 3,32,000 equivalent album units sold in the US. Read on.
Why does this story matter?
Beyoncé's seventh solo No. 1 album—Renaissance is the first album that was released by a female artist to top the Billboard 200 chart in the year 2022. Before this, singer Adele (Easy on Me) ruled the charts for six weeks straight with her album 30 between December 4, 2021, to January 8, 2022. To note, both albums were released through Columbia Records.
What makes 'Renaissance' special?
What's interesting about Renaissance apart from the eyebrow-raising cover and the tracks included is the fact that the album didn't usher in with any visual component let alone any music videos as well. Unlike the previous two releases (Lemonade and her self-titled set in 2013), Renaissance was no surprise as the singer had announced it in June. Renaissance has reportedly clocked in 1,90,000 sales.
'Heated' from 'Renaissance' received backlash over slur word
Out of the 16 songs, Heated received flak on social media after disability rights advocates pointed out the alleged usage of an "ableist slur." The singer used the words "spazzin" and "spaz" in the track, slurs that are used against people with cerebral palsy. Following the outrage, Beyoncé changed the words to "blastin" and "blast" and clarified it wasn't meant in a "harmful way."
Disability rights advocates rejoiced after the song's lyrics were altered
Timeline of Beyoncé's past albums
As mentioned, Renaissance is Beyoncé's seventh solo album. Her album Lemonade also topped the charts in 2016. Previously, she collaborated with her husband Jay-Z for The Carters' Everything Is Love in 2018. In 2019, she released Homecoming: The Live Album and also led The Lion King: The Gift soundtrack. Her Dangerously in Love in 2003 was the first to rank atop Billboard's charts.
