Run the World (Girls)
2011 song by Beyoncé / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Run the World (Girls)?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
"Run the World (Girls)" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé, from her fourth studio album 4 (2011), released as the lead single from the album on April 21, 2011. It was written and produced by Beyoncé, The-Dream and Switch with additional production by Shea Taylor, while heavily sampling "Pon de Floor" by Major Lazer written by Nick "Afrojack" van de Wall, Wesley "Diplo" Pentz and Adidja "Vybz Kartel" Palmer. The song's development was motivated by Beyoncé wanting to do something different: a mixture of different cultures and eras, a new sound, and a message which would give women strength. An unedited demo of the song, then thought to be titled "Girls (Who Run the World)", was leaked on the internet on April 18, 2011. "Run the World" premiered on US radio on April 21, 2011, and was digitally released the same day.
"Run the World (Girls)" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Beyoncé | ||||
from the album 4 | ||||
Released | April 21, 2011 | |||
Recorded | 2010 | |||
Studio | MSR (New York City) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:56 | |||
Label | Columbia | |||
Composer(s) | ||||
Lyricist(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Beyoncé singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Run the World (Girls)" on YouTube | ||||
"Run the World" is an electropop and R&B song that heavily samples "Pon de Floor" by Major Lazer. The song's title and lyrics comprise an unapologetically aggressive message promoting female empowerment. "Run the World" initially divided critics; some complimented the song's sample, its musical direction, and Beyoncé's aggressiveness, while others criticized the continuation of past themes and stated that they wanted to see Beyoncé covering new topics. Several critics compared "Run the World" to Beyoncé's other singles with similar themes such as "Independent Women" (2000) – with Destiny's Child, and "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" (2008) among others, stating that "Run the World" takes a more direct and assertive approach towards female empowerment.
In the United States, the single peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It fared better internationally, reaching the top ten in Australia, Belgium, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, and Scotland. It was also a top 20 hit in Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, and the United Kingdom. The song's accompanying music video was directed by Francis Lawrence and was filmed in California over a three-day span. The video won Best Choreography at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards and Best Dance Performance at the 2011 Soul Train Music Awards.
Beyoncé promoted "Run the World" with high-profile live performances, notably at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards and on the French X Factor. Although her performance at the Billboard Music Awards was well received by critics, it ignited controversy surrounding the production due to visual similarities to a performance by Italian entertainer Lorella Cuccarini in February 2010 at the 60th Sanremo Music Festival in Italy. "Run the World" was used to awaken the crew of the final mission of the US Space Shuttle Atlantis and was dedicated to Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus. Heather Morris covered "Run the World" for "Asian F", an episode of the American television show Glee.