B'Day
by Beyoncé
  • Record Label: Sony
  • Release Date: Sep 5, 2006
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 722 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 550 out of 722
  2. Mixed: 50 out of 722
  3. Negative: 122 out of 722

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  1. MichaelH
    Sep 2, 2006
    10
    The most amazing album of 2006, she is the #1 R&B or Pop female out right now hands down.
  2. kevin
    Sep 7, 2006
    9
    This album requires that you sit down and soak it all in - take more than one or two listens before judging. It's in no way a dissapointment. It's passionate and full of rage. I respect Beyonce more than ever. I love it.
  3. NejcP
    Sep 2, 2006
    10
    The best album of 2006 so far.
  4. johno
    Sep 7, 2006
    10
    i would give the album 9.5, because i don't think any thing is perfect, and the fact that there are only 10, which is bad BUT at the same time good in respect to quality, order than that the album is perfect, her voice is incredible, the beats are amazing, and the story the album tell is just brillant, my favourite is order greenlight, irreplacible, freakum dress, kitty kat, upgrade i would give the album 9.5, because i don't think any thing is perfect, and the fact that there are only 10, which is bad BUT at the same time good in respect to quality, order than that the album is perfect, her voice is incredible, the beats are amazing, and the story the album tell is just brillant, my favourite is order greenlight, irreplacible, freakum dress, kitty kat, upgrade u, deja vu, suga mama, get me bodied(extended bonus) , ring the alarm and then resentments ( i love every song on the album) A+++++++++++… Expand
  5. shellyr
    Sep 6, 2006
    10
    Im not a crazy about beyonce fan, or should I say I was not but this album, dang! first the dejavu got my attention leave me wanting more ,and the bday is awesome!! upgrade u, kittykat, irreplaceable Im loving beyonce right now she gives me hope. I want to be a singer and she motivates me.
  6. JasmineC
    Sep 8, 2006
    10
    This album is wonderful, probably Beyonce's best work. The songs are catchy and her Aretha Franklin-esque vocals are so vibrant on the album, should be a huge hit for her. My favorite songs are Resentment, Irreplaceable, Upgrade U, and Get Me Bodied, but I love the WHOLE album!!!!!!!!
  7. BaronB
    Sep 8, 2006
    10
    Excellent example of great popular music because of its brevity. In 10 stellar tracks that emphasize attitude and energy, B'Day streams a variety of mini-anthems over hard hitting beats in a way only Beyonce can
  8. LilyG
    Sep 13, 2006
    10
    The album is fantastic, and one of the best albums of the year. The album on the surface may come across as just a fun dance album. But if you really listen closely the album has some great lyrics and thought-provoking theme when it comes to relationships.
  9. Plamen
    Aug 3, 2012
    10
    "B'Day" is just a timeless classic album filled with some of Beyoncé's best uptempos (Déjà Vu, Upgrade U, Freakum Dress, Get Me Bodied) and her best midtempos and ballads (Irreplaceable, Resentment, Flaws and All).
  10. alejandror
    Sep 24, 2006
    10
    I love you beyoncé
  11. elenavcvc
    Sep 25, 2006
    9
    i love her cd so much i listen to it everyday!!!!!
  12. MasterPiece
    Sep 2, 2006
    10
    Its a masterpiece....a must have in every music lover collections.
  13. ChrisJ
    Sep 5, 2006
    10
    Best album of the year!!!!!!
  14. RP
    Sep 5, 2006
    10
    One of the top 5 best albums of the year due to sheer enjoyability!!
  15. PeterM.
    Sep 6, 2006
    9
    This is a great album, the only bad song is "Ring The Alarm." I personally think it was the wrong choice for a single. But for the most part, this album is better than her first. I don't understand why Deja Vu was not as popular as Crazy in Love.
  16. NateW
    Sep 6, 2006
    10
    Beyonce has outdone herself with this record. Incredibly aggressive, funky, catchy, and most important, fun. It's also very lean, short and to the point at just 10 proper tracks, not a moment of filler (except for the crappy "Listen" from her upcoming film Dreamgirls tacked on as a bonus track). Vocally, she's a force on most of this songs, and the lyrics are incredibly straight Beyonce has outdone herself with this record. Incredibly aggressive, funky, catchy, and most important, fun. It's also very lean, short and to the point at just 10 proper tracks, not a moment of filler (except for the crappy "Listen" from her upcoming film Dreamgirls tacked on as a bonus track). Vocally, she's a force on most of this songs, and the lyrics are incredibly straight to the point, and very humorous at times. A big improvement over her first album, which was bogged down with way too much filler. One of the best R&B albums of the year.… Expand
  17. NormanI
    Sep 8, 2006
    10
    Best album this year and best work from Bee yet!
  18. JaysonJ.
    Sep 6, 2006
    10
    People Magazine gave it 4 out of 4. Where's that rating? Anyway, this CD is hot.
  19. IrisG.
    Sep 6, 2006
    10
    The album is great. I love all the uptempo songs, and the ballads are gorgeous on the album.
  20. MaloryG.
    Sep 13, 2006
    10
    B'Day is a fantastic album. I can't stop singing and dancing to it.
  21. Clubsocial
    May 4, 2015
    10
    ore. You can tell all of her songs came from the heart. The only thing that I have to say is that I don't think "Run The World (Girls)" fits into the album AT ALL. Other than that, the album is flawle
  22. sixinch
    Aug 30, 2016
    10
    Amazing! The best Beyoncé album ever! Is everything and has everything i always wanted Beyoncé to do. She presents a perfect masterpiece and not everyone these days can do it like she can. Collapse
  23. keishad
    Sep 16, 2006
    0
    This was a waste of money, there is nothing impressive about this album. My buddys bought the cd before me and told me it was garbage, next time i will listen to them and save my money for something that is worth it.
  24. Zone111
    Mar 23, 2012
    0
    Not good album.
  25. TerryO
    Oct 7, 2006
    3
    Ok. I'm a hater for saying this, I know, die hard Beyonce fans (get real). But like it or not, Beyonce has not shown any maturity on this album (not as an artist or as a woman). Just nymphomania, materialism, and a lack of personal maturity. Just because she did something different and challenged herself, does not automatically make it a good thing. What did she accomplish here? What Ok. I'm a hater for saying this, I know, die hard Beyonce fans (get real). But like it or not, Beyonce has not shown any maturity on this album (not as an artist or as a woman). Just nymphomania, materialism, and a lack of personal maturity. Just because she did something different and challenged herself, does not automatically make it a good thing. What did she accomplish here? What about the quality of music. Really listen to it. Yeah, it rhymes good, but is there anything meaningful here. Read on before you comment and call me a hater. Do not get me wrong now, I really like Beyonce overall (besides the latest lyrics that have no depth, the overexposure and immense hype). I think she has a great voice, and a great on-stage presence. I always have liked her, although I'm not a die-hard fan. I like the album overall, and I give the album 2 1/2 out of 5 stars, but I'm way too real to ignore the facts surrounding this latest project. Now, if I was the average music consumer, I would absolutely love this album, but I am not. I don't just look at how hot the beats are and whats hot right now. I look at the whole picture. Being a person interested in the music business, there is more to music than beats and melodies. What do the lyrics say? What does this music say about her as a person, verses who she wants us to believe she is? Because she's showing us 2 different people. In interviews,she leads us to believe, she is this wholesome woman, who has a good head on her shoulders, which she probably is, but her music reflect this woman who has compromised her morals and sense for her man and the materialistic things he has to offer her. Which one is it? Why spend your own money on something if a man with more money can buy it for you, right B, compromise your so-called christianity, regardless of your young fans who are listening and watching? I would not like my young daughter to look up to Beyonce. Lets get real. This album is average (good, but nothing beyond that). Because its Beyonce, its getting all of this hype (and the hype is never over her vocals, believe that). And with the hype, I expected more. You notice her album sales went down 70 percent after the first week. That's huge! After the hype boiled down, it all relied on word of mouth, which resulted in a horrendous decrease in sales. There's a reason for that, so apparently, it ain't just me! Now, you guys are talking about progression? Try, digression. You don't go from singing songs that mean something and stand for something, like Dangerously In Love, Independent Women, Survivor, Me Myself & I, and Happy Face to "Kitty Kat" and "Upgrade U". How do you tell your man that you are going to miss the house on the coast, the chinchilla coats, vvs stones and mention nothing about missing him(Ring the Alarm)? Now if Beyonce is a Christian girl, she would carry herself as such. If you look at her thank you's, she doesn't even mention God (like she used to). But always claims to be a Christian, but is cursing in her music now and talking about sex like some sex-crazed maniac. She is going downhill musically. She has not matured lyrically--vocally, yes. Her vocabulary is that of a 10 year old (she didn't go to high school beyond half of the 9th grade--what does that say about her character?). All she talks about is her body and the material things her and Jay have. That is not growth. She is too old to be talking about the things she talks about. There's more to life than looks and things B. Again, I do like her overall, but she's just a singer, nothing spectacular. We need to stop putting her on a pedestal--thats all I'm saying. She is average, lyrically. Now vocally and in other ways, she is above average. However, she has too many hands in the pot, and no one objective to tell her this. Lets not forget that the majority of her solo success was in songs that were collaborations. I personally like music that makes me feel something. Yeah, I like to bop my head and dance, and that's all this album is good for. For all the hype, you would expect more from this so-called amazing artist. Get Off Her Tits People!! She's a mediocre artist. Again, I like Beyonce's voice, and her songs that say something, but this latest project, is just sad. I guarantee, if Ashanti came out with the same tracks, it would not be as hyped up. Its insanity! 700,000 pre-order sales. I guarantee most of them hadn't listened to it first. You all may say "I'm thinking too much about it, its just music". But its not just music. Music is supposed to have a life of its own. What kind of life would this music have? Meaningless, shallowness (for an artist of her caliber). I am an aspiring artist myself, so its hard to see the real music getting ignored for half-ass music. It sold 650,000+ its first week, b/c of the hype. Again, went down 70% after the first week. Why do you think that is? You figure it out...… Expand
  26. MikeD
    Sep 10, 2006
    5
    Bad lyrics, overblown vocals and ridicules lyrics. A dissapointment.
  27. RamesesP
    Sep 15, 2006
    0
    Garbage.. this album sucks..WTF happend to beyonce, she used to be good!!!!!!!!!
  28. VanessaS
    Sep 26, 2006
    4
    Personally, i think B'Day is garbage. I think it is just a regular cd from someone who has been making music for a while now. She can give you something to dance to, and thats cool. But who cant? Nothing about this album is special. I think it would have been better if she wouldnt have rushed it, just to try to run Letoya out the game.Toya still doin it big. Her album songs sound all Personally, i think B'Day is garbage. I think it is just a regular cd from someone who has been making music for a while now. She can give you something to dance to, and thats cool. But who cant? Nothing about this album is special. I think it would have been better if she wouldnt have rushed it, just to try to run Letoya out the game.Toya still doin it big. Her album songs sound all the same. I only tolerated kitty kat, and ring the alarm. I'll be real, even though i cant stand this woman most of the time, she can sing like h***. Ill be fair. But it doesnt matter if you can sing when what you sing has the most retarded messages. "Rock diamond's on my neck got diamonds on my records" BEYONCE U COPYCAT. Stop tryin to show everybody up. Let kelly release her album. Stop being unfair to Letoya, we both know this is 'Toya's first solo and you have had 2 now, stop trying to run the game. Kelis is the boss. Stop using Jay-z as your street cred. Grow the feezy up and make a song that means something. Take a lesson from my girl Kelis, with her song "trilogy" Go to the moon and back, then try to holla at us. Stop releasing what you "think" is hot, and release what you feel in your soul is "hot" Tell jay-z u dont need him for your songs. Kelis definately didnt need Nas, but she included him because he is her husband, and who better for "blindfold" You can tell that dude love some Kelis. Stop shakin your ass, i mean thighs, in front of Jay-z b/c it seems he obviously isn't too shaken up by it.Your career needs to die. No longer are you the baddest bitch in the game. The only reason your album B'day did so good the first few weeks was because your last album was straight. But "different" is in,and many people think it is cool so that's what you need to do. All of your songs are all about your money and materialistic pursuit, and your body, like every woman doesnt have one. Do you see how kelis varys in her styles rather than doing just whats in, and she's not talking about physical things; she sings from her soul and the rawness of it touches people. Your album isnt doing good b/c we all know it's all about fame in your case. We dont trust you. Your fake. Your undermine your own talent by showing us that all you can do is shake your ass on some guy who isnt even looking at you and isnt your husband. Re-think your image. You will never be the baddest again. Kelis did it. It's time for you to step up. Constructive criticism.… Expand
  29. Jack
    Sep 5, 2006
    0
    My sister recently bought this album and won't stop listening to at full volume. I can easily say without a doubt that my ears haven't been so fully raped since her last atrocity. Beyonce just another celeb with no talent and only gets by on looks. Avoid this cd at all costs.
  30. PennyW
    Sep 5, 2006
    4
    These early reviews have to be kidding me. Although the beats are decent, B'Day is filled with egocentric references and poorly written lyrics that seem to repeat themselves over and over. It may be a step up from Dangerously In Love, but because Beyonce created this album in a rush, it suffers.
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Awards & Rankings

5
#5 Most Discussed Album of 2006
34
#34 Most Shared Album of 2006

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
70

Generally favorable reviews - based on 23 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 23
  3. Negative: 0 out of 23
  1. Slant Magazine
    70
    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.
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  2. Blender
    80
    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]
  3. The Guardian
    80
    Apart from a few pop-R&B space-fillers, there's not much to dislike about B'Day.
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