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B'Day
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 23 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 241 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Sony
Release Date: 05 September 2006
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): R&B, Pop
Summary
Beyonce's second album features production by Rodney Jerkins, Sean Garrett, the Neptunes, Rich Harrison and Swizz Beatz and a guest appearance by Jay-Z.
Also By This Artist: Dangerously In Love I Am...Sasha Fierce
Also On Metacritic
MUSIC: Destiny's Child: Destiny Fulfilled Destiny's Child: Survivor
Also On The Web: Official Artist Site
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
MSN Consumer Guide (Robert Christgau)
If opulence can signify liberation in this grotesquely materialistic time, as in hip-hop it can, then Beyoncé earns her props with a bunch of songs she says were inspired all in a rush by her "Dreamgirls" character. [Feb/Mar 2007]
Entertainment Weekly
Indifferent production bogs down about half the songs, but the best tracks are so thrilling that they buoy you through the dullish patches.
Read Full Review >Blender
B'Day never cools down, and swaety up-tempo numbers prove the best platform for Beyonce's rapperly phrasing and pipe-flaunting fireballs. [Sep 2006, p.138]
The Guardian
Apart from a few pop-R&B space-fillers, there's not much to dislike about B'Day.
Read Full Review >Billboard
Throughout, she romps with creative abandon, thankfully unafraid of stretching the boundaries lyrically and musically.
Read Full Review >All Music Guide
While Beyoncé does sound like she's in a bit of a hurry throughout the album, and there are no songs with the smooth elegance of "Me, Myself and I" or "Be with You," it is lean in a beneficial way, propelled by just as many highlights as the overlong Dangerously in Love.
Read Full Review >Stylus Magazine
Beyoncé has a presence, a character which is totally unique to her, and B’Day’s utterly imbued with it.
Read Full Review >Los Angeles Times
Some of the experiments don't click, but by reconfiguring and repurposing century-spanning components of black music, she's aligned herself more with Gnarls Barkley than Mary J. Blige, and if she's risking a drop-off in hits, she's gained an artistic high ground in return.
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
B'Day sounds like an entire album of third and fourth singles, which is still better than an album of filler.
Read Full Review >Prefix Magazine
B'Day is a joyous uptempo album full of vibrant vocals, fierce production, and boundless energy. The only complaint is that it's over too soon.
Read Full Review >Slant Magazine
Whereas Beyoncé's debut was accomplished in its diversity, albeit a sure sign of a new solo artist trying to find her voice, B'Day sounds like the album "Crazy In Love" initially forecasted.
Read Full Review >Vibe
A generally exhilarating marriage of pop songcraft and state-of-the-art rhythms... But the compact and caffeinated B'Day also sounds calculated, as if it were A&R'd by a nervous number cruncher. [Oct 2006, p.137]
Rolling Stone
While the mostly up-tempo disc never lacks for energy, some of the more beat-driven tracks (such as the throwaway "Freakum Dress") feel harmonically and melodically undercooked, with hooks that don't live up to "Crazy in Love" or the best Destiny's Child hits.
Read Full Review >Q Magazine
Harmless fun. [Nov 2006, p.149]
The New York Times
“B’Day” isn’t an ingratiating or seductive album, but it is nervy and fascinating.
Read Full Review >Observer Music Monthly
It's still a career high, but B'Day could have been released at any point in the last three-and-a-half years and, in a year which has given us tracks like Justin Timberlake's 'SexyBack', it already sounds stale.
Read Full Review >cokemachineglow
Beyoncé’s an artist who’s not sure how to sell her full personality and craft in lieu of selling what she thinks we want.
Read Full Review >New Musical Express
Occasionally... she does hint at her past genius. [2 Sep 2006, p.21]
Uncut
B'Day sounds oddly de-energised. [Nov 2006, p.100]
NOW Magazine
Too bad only the icily sardonic Irreplaceable has any real weight or relevance.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 7.1 (out of 10) based on 241 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Lucie F. gave it a10:
B'day is an uptempo album and is definitely all about women.very different from dangerously in love but still got great uptempo songs. i like the 70ish sound on suga mama. very powerful vocals.
Lyosi M. gave it a9:
I'm not a great fan on R'n'B mainly coz everything sounds the same! i think Great R'n'B died in the 1990's, as soon as 2000 came, the industry became commercialized! Beyonce is one of the most exciting talents from this new era! Truly amazing voice, She can move and is of course beautiful! the whole package... She uses her talents well in the B'day album, which i think serves its purpose... this not an introspective, thought provoking classic like Marvin Gaye Whats going on... but Thats not what i set out to be,,, its meant to be enjoyable, light hearted party music! The production is top notch, with Swizz beats taking the prize for Amazing production! Get me bodied is one of the best R'n'B beats I've heard in years! the yelps and screams really bring out the mood of the track! the neptunes also were in great, creative form once again! Tracks like kitty kat take a few listens, but once absorbed and understood are one of the best tracks...the only track i don't feel but can still appreciate is resentment... i heard it was originally made for Victoria beckam.... not sure if its true.. but she should have left if for her! I think her next project should be a more mature sound, like a soul album, she has the voice, but she hasn't proved herself to be a soul diva, as most of her ballads in the past were... pretty crap! However i think this album is a big step up from Crazy in love... which i thought apart from a few tracks... was crap... it lacked substance... too many fillers! Only problem with B'day,.. Its way too short! needs an extra 2-3 songs of the same quality on it! Great work Beyonce!
data base gave it a0:
Garbage. if beyonce weighed three hundred pounds, and was not good looking, we wouldn't even be having this conversation
Sarah K. gave it a10:
I simply love it!
Khalil B gave it a10:
Excellent. Beyonce is a superstar and is the diana ross of our generation.
cal R gave it a9:
this album is really good, the best songs are "Deja Vu", "Get me bodied", "Welcome to Hollywood" & "Iraplaceable" I only own the deluxe edition of it with a couple more songs on, there are a few to be avoided like "World Wide Woman","Resentment" & "Kitty Kat". Overall all the others are OK so an alright album.
fredric E gave it an8:
It didn't grow on me till some months later,, i enjoy this CD, somehow even she receives mixed to negative reviews, she is still the queen of the game, right? its 3x platinum already.. great songs like deja vu, irreplaceable, listen, upgrade u, get me bodied, beautiful liar, freakum dress are all here..
